Dropping Like Flies

It's been an interesting week. Deanna's doing volleyball camp each afternoon, then we leave by 5:30 for Vacation Bible School. I've been working in Crafts and am having a wonderful time. This is, by far, the best fit I've yet found in the VBS World. I'm doing detail work with the children, setting up, and cleaning up, basically organizing. No discipline is necessary, no herding, and no losing my temper and having to try and figure out how to deal with another person's child that's not being raised the way I raise mine.

Sunday night we made lab coats from pillow cases. Monday night, we did Shrinky Dinks of all the characters we're meeting in our VBS. Deanna helped with the skit on Monday, so I brought a sheet of Shrinky Dinks home for her and one for me. We spend part of the day on Tuesday doing that.

Dane began complaining on Monday of his throat hurting. No redness, but by Tuesday morning, he was running a low-grade fever, which has continued. No VBS for him, and I've had to make other arrangements. He has an appointment with the Pediatrician this morning for a strept test - sore throat, nausea, fever . . . classic symptoms. But his throat still isn't red. We'll see what the doctor says, but I wanted to get him checked out before we leave this weekend to take Deanna to her grandparents for the week.

Around 5 p.m. yesterday, I was on the phone with the doctor's office scheduling Dane's appointment for today when he walked in with Daelyn and tried to get my attention. I had him wait until I got off the phone, then responded,

"What do you need, son?"

"Mama, Daelyn's having an allergic reaction," he said, and showed me the inside of Daelyn's elbow where there was a small cluster of bug bites.

"They're just bug bites, hon. They look so red because Daelyn's been scratching them," I explained to the patient older brother.

"But they're on the back of his arm, too," he added. I snatched Daelyn's arm, turned it over, and . . . sure enough. Red bumps going all the way up his arm, but concentrated at the elbow.

I pulled out the Benadryl Gel I had just picked up at Wal-Mart this week and began to rub it on the spots. Since they extended under the sleeve of his shirt, I suggested he remove his shirt, which he did.

Welts. All over his chest and back. And both arms were covered, not just the one I was looking at. I got a little panicy. I gave him a quick dose of liquid Benadryl, then called for Deanna.

"Take Daelyn up to Grandma's, please," I asked. I was in the middle of making dinner in the Fry Daddy and couldn't leave, but Grandma always knows what to do.

Daelyn slept well last night, and the welts on his torso are gone, but his arms still look bad. I have no idea what he got into, but there was no VBS for anyone last night.

Let's hope Deanna stays healthy.