Day +782: Strep family

It turns out that Mina's rash and gunky nose were probably caused by a strep infection that migrated from her throat to her sinuses. Now the whole family is on antibiotics. Keri was the first to be diagnosed. She was feeling crappy a couple of weeks ago and had a swab taken. UCSF finally called her back a week later and told her she was positive for strep. Isaac was beginning to get a rash and gunky nose too, and when he said his penis was hurting, Keri took him to the urgent care center and convinced them to check for strep, even though he didn't have the classic strep symptoms. Sure enough, he was positive too. That plus the gunky nose was enough for Dr. Aicardi (the kids' pediatrician), who prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic for Mina because of her rash. I think that was Wednesday morning. Then I started to feel crappy Wednesday night, and was miserable by Thursday morning. So I went to urgent care at UCSF, where they took one look at my throat, gave me a prescription for penicillin, and shoved me out the door. So now we're all taking our medicines. The kids' meds taste good, so they've been very good about it. It definitely brings back some memories, giving Mina oral meds with a syringe. For me anyway. Hard to tell whether she remembers anything.

I was just starting to feel better by Friday afternoon, which was a good thing because last weekend was the end-of-year campout for Neighborhood Playgarden, the kids' school. We went to Samuel P. Taylor State Park, which is a nice little spot in the redwoods on the way to Point Reyes. The school had six adjoining campsites, in which there were about 12 tents. That was most of the school, and some of those who didn't make it came up either for the evening on Friday or the day on Saturday. The kids had an absolute blast. Mina was busy most of the weekend running around in a pack with Maddie, Riley, Annika, and Cassidy. We went on 4-mile hike up to a waterfall on Saturday, and that was the most time I spent with Mina all weekend. Teacher Julie organized the food, so we didn't have to worry about anything. We had a pancake breakfast and gourmet salmon dinner on Saturday, and eggs with salmon Sunday morning. There were campfires both nights with singalongs and story-telling. Teacher Julie is great at telling stories, so that was really fun. It was also nice to get to know the other parents a little better. There are some very interesting people with kids at NPG, so we're lucky that way.

Sunday the kids got to play in the creek for a while. Mina was off with her friends, so I didn't see it, but they all came back talking about how a butterfly had landed on Mina! It was a large, whitish Monarch butterfly, and it landed on Mina's shoulder and walked around there for a while as Mina held still. Mina was wearing a bright blue shirt with some stitched flower decorations on it, so perhaps that's why the butterfly decided to land there. Unfortunately, no one had a camera, but they were all pretty thrilled by the event.

I wish I could remember exactly how she put it, but Mina basically told me that the camping trip was the most fun she had ever had. I can see why she would say that. It really was fun. Isaac had a great time too. He was playing with the bigger boys a bit on Saturday, though he can't really keep up with the four year olds. Unfortunately he was sick again. He threw up in the tent on Saturday night, and felt generally pretty bad with a mild fever on Sunday morning. It was almost a replay of Camp Okizu, so it was a little weird. He was fine by Sunday night, though, and is showing no ill effects now.

This week Grandma Judy and Grandpa Monte are in town. They came on Monday and are staying until next Monday. Today they took the kids up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais. They had a nice time, and were impressed at how well the kids hiked. Mina is strong as an ox, of course, and Isaac is becoming a good hiker too. Mina had her first swimming lesson on Tuesday. Grandma and Grandpa watched her while Keri took Isaac for a haircut. Grandma said she didn't stop grinning the whole time she was in the water. After about 20 minutes, she jumped off the side of the pool and put her face under the water the way the teacher had been trying to get her to do, and got the high five from the teacher as a reward. She just loves swimming, so this is going to be great for her. Next week the kids go to dance camp for the entire week. That should be fun for both of them. Isaac just loves to dance around the house with his tambourine or his guitar or a drum, and Mina of course has been asking to go to ballet class ever since Christmas.

All is well here, as you can see. Mina just seems so grown up these days. I don't know what it is exactly, maybe just that her issues with Maddie at school have been worked out, but she seems very calm and self-possessed. She knows that school is over, and corrects me when I say that she goes to school. School is over now, so she says, "No, I used to go to school." I thought she might be sad about it, but she really seems to be taking it in stride.