Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!

So this last week I was tested for Fifths Disease. This is a very common parvovirus that only humans pass on to other humans and is usually spread most often by children at school who pass it around. Evidently it causes no harm to children and shows up in the form of a rash (often called "Slapped Cheek Syndrome" for the way the rash gives the impression of a child who has been slapped on both cheeks) and also flu-like symptoms. If an adult contracts this "disease", it will not hurt them unless they are: 1)pregnant or 2)have a low immune system. In pregnant women it can cause the baby in utero to have severe anemia and in 5% of that population cause fetal demise. So you can see how relieved I must have been when I found out this morning that my blood tests show that I do not have Fifths Disease but rather a strange form of ezcema-like dermatitis. The titers also showed that somewhere in my history I was already exposed to this (likely from another child) and am now immune from getting it at all. Whew!! This was even more relieving to me because while I was waiting in the OB/GYN waiting room, a beautiful mother decided to anounce to the whole waiting room that her son came home yesterday from school with Fifths Disease and the clear "slapped"-like cheek symptom. So- of course, I waited there in misery as I thought of all the mothers who likely walk through the waiting room with children who got it from another child in public school only to pass it along to unsuspecting vulnerable pregnant women who can miscarry their sweet babies because of the lack of discretion on these parents parts. It's unfortunate that most parents have not even heard of this, so I know it's not intentional. Yet, it sure makes me want to rethink drinking out of the public water fountain or hanging out with kids I don't know. I am just glad that I am immune ultimately and do not have to watch out for the kids at church pawing at the after-church refreshments and instead be able to pick them up and give them a big Amy hug. Ah- germs. I hate them.