It all started with a few tiny blisters on my palms and my soles. Just mildly irritating but nothing more than that. I started getting worried when more appeared.
The last time I had this, it was HFMD (hand foot mouth disease). But… none of my children was down with it this time. And I had neither fever nor sore throat (well, I did lose my voice and it’s still hoarse because I overused my voice box. Over 10 hours of continuous usage with little chances of water drinking. I need to give myself a gag order!! ?) This time I couldn’t have been so suay or “cannot make it” to get it when no child in the household had it, right?! *rolls eyes*
I googled (no one uses the word “search” anymore. Google has pulverized the usage of search. Even 宝贝 says,”Mama if you don’t know anything, just google loh!!” ?) on the symptoms – red rash, impossibly itchy, blisters on palms and feet soles. The search results turned up with hfmd but only if it’s accompanied with fever and sore throat. Or else it’s dyshidrotic eczema.
Gosh! How I hate this word eczema. It’s been plaguing me (because 宝贝 has it) for years and years. It’s probably due to something I ate. But I’ve been eating all kinds of food everyday so it’s kind of hard to pinpoint it.
I have this once every few years. The last time I had it was probably 5-6 years ago. So rightly, I should be very thankful that it’s so occasional.
I just have to endure the itch and pinprick pains when the little blisters combine. The dastardly things don’t itch in the day, but torment me at night!!! I can now totally empathize with 宝贝 now when she scratches her arms. It’s unbearable for me, as an adult and I’ve pretty high tolerance for pain and itch.
It’s been more than a week. Some of the early blisters have dried up yet new ones have been appearing. They have started to spread to the back of my hand.
It appears to be healing though. I pop the occasional antihistamine when it gets unbearable and I’ve hijacked 宝贝’s supply of anti itch sprays and creams.
Once all the blisters have dried up, the skin will flake and peel off.
So looking forward to that day.
I promise I’ll henceforth, stop giving 宝贝 the frown and impatient look, tsk at her, “ooi! Stop scratching leh!!” On the bright side, maybe I got it so that I can live through for a few weeks of what she’s gone through for years.
She gently takes my hand and strokes it. “Mama if it’s itchy, tell me ok?” Then smiles empathetically with her Bambi eyes. In that very moment, I’m the most fortunate mother on earth and yet I’m so humbled. She will make a better Mom than I am in future. That’s my darling girl…
