Enter -- Red Spotted Rash -- What a Virus!!!

It looks like this is becoming a disease related blog, isn't it, with some house-related angst thrown in for good measure ;-) . Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't update earlier, it's just that we spent the day working on the house, as expected.

Kelvin woke up and soon was able to walk normally again -- thankfully! We were all relived, not that we were too worried to begin with, thanks to the "internets." The problem today is that he had (still has) a rash all over his body and more markedly in his face -- quite scary! This time Dr. Google was not very helpful because it directed me to the terrifying disease "Rocky*Mountain*Spotted*Fever" (I'm trying to be less googleable here) -- you can read more about it here and here. I began to freak out because the tick that transmits this disease is precisely the one that we found on Kelvin!!! (a possible hint that he may not have Lyme after all) And he had high fever! And now a rash! Granted, the rash didn't begin in the ankles and elbows and radiated to the arms and legs and there was no rash on his feet and hands. In addition, it has been well over two weeks since he was first bitten by the tick. (in case you're wondering, in his body he has tiny red marks, and his face is red and blotchy, particularly his cheeks and chin and the rash is a bit "raised" there. It doesn't itch at all).

Photos from Sunday, two days after I wrote the post (added on 11/10/08):
Well, I called the pediatrician's answering service and the nurse who was on call (the same one who saw Kelvin and prescribed amoxicilin for the possible Lyme a week ago) was very helpful. She explained to me that many other children in the practice have come down with a virus that causes a rash just like the one that I was describing. She explained that the rash (which is not supposed to itch) will go away from 3 to 5 days and that he's probably not very contagious at this point (one of my worries, since we're going to a party for my nephew's second birthday on Sunday -- my nephew, BTW, is recovering from had hand, foot, and mouth disease, what a wonderful viral party this will be! :-). The only problem is if the fever continues or goes up since with this particular virus the rash comes only after the fever, as the later manifestation of the virus.

So, the viral fun never ends at this house. Meanwhile, walls are getting painted and plans are being made for further renovations. I promise to post pictures, maybe soon.