My Daughter Powerfully Recovers from a Viral Illness

Ella’s temperature rose overnight last week. She woke up with a sore throat and body aches, so she stayed home from school, which put a strain on the household because of her extra care needs.

Lindsay, my wife, works as a children ministry coordinator at our church. She can perform much of her work from home but depends on the kids being at school while she works. With Ella staying home, Lindsay’s working hours suffered.

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Ella wasn’t feeling any better the next day. Her temperature fluctuated and she had aches, pains, and vomiting. She was miserable.

Another day came with little improvement in Ella’s symptoms, so she stayed home for a third day. Ella is the type of person who likes to be active. She wanted Lindsay to play games with her, read to her, and spend time with her to pass the hours. Lindsay, of course, obliged and tended to Ella’s needs — at the expense of her daily housework and her job duties.

The fourth day rolled around, and Ella was feeling better, but not well enough to return to school. Her fever was gone, and the aches and pains had subsided. She had developed a rash and bumps on her body, and we concluded she had hand-foot-and-mouth disease — a virus common in young children. Despite the skin rash, Ella behaved as usual: active, curious, and in need of help with many aspects of her day.

We are thankful that her illness didn’t worsen. When Ella gets sick there’s the risk of a slippery slope, but Ella is strong and her immune system is intact. Let’s hope that the other two kids don’t catch the virus.

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