Sunday, May 30, 2010

Typhoid Climber

I kept trying to work out where Climber could possibly have contracted chicken pox and have come to the conclusion that it must have been at the Titanic Exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. He and I went to see the exhibition the Monday before the Friday he came down with it, as part of his Mental Health Day Off From School. He has been unhappy at school lately for non-specific reasons, so I figured a day off might break the gloom, instead of which he ended up itchy and sick. C'est la vie, I suppose.

Climber was also mortified because the Principal sent a letter home to all families to notify them about a case of chicken pox in the school. Whilst she didn't name him, she did say which grade it had broken out in and now he is feeling like Typhoid Mary, not helped by all his classmates reading the letter and saying that's you, that's you, stay away!

He's still got some nasty looking scabs but not much itch and he seems almost fully well, just a tad on the tired and emotional side. During the week he came up with the very nice idea of a family post box where we could write little notes to each other, which he would deliver on Saturday morning. And by deliver, he meant chuck them on the floor of the recipient's bedroom. I thought he'd be coming round to each of us personally.

12 comments:

  1. I love that enthusiasm for communication!

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  2. Oh, poor kiddo. The indignity of the newsletter (it would only be worse if it said headlice).

    Don't feel bad about the Mental Health Day though - chicken pox has a long incubation ... somewhere between 9 and 21 days. By the time the rash comes out, its probably hard to even remember where you've been.

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  3. He is adorable, that kid of yours. So gentle and thoughtful. I hope life treats him kindly.

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  4. Did you get much mail on the floor of your bedroom?

    Glad that he's on the mend. Hope those last few spots disappear and he can get back to school soon.

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  5. He actually only missed one day of school - the worst of the outbreak happened over the weekend and you're allowed to send them to school once they are scabby.

    And yes, both Fixit and I got lovely letters from both kids. Cherub's said (he wrote the same note to everyone) I hope you like this letter. I love you soooooooo much from Cherub

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  6. Awwwwww.

    As an English teacher, I too am all for written communication!

    You'll keep every one of those letters, won't you?

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  7. He comes up with the most gorgeous ideas - I could just cuddle him forever!

    Hope you are doing OK - just as wearing for the mums when the kids are ill!

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  8. Well our postie seems to think chucking letters on our front lawn is just about good enough thank-you-very-much, so I know where Stomper finds his inspiration. Assuming you have a watertight roof, at least your mail isn't sodden as often as is mine.

    Hope those spotty bits clear quicksticks and S can shed the Mary mantle. Poor sausage.

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  9. You had my heart in my throat a minute, when I read that title. "No! Climber doesn't have Typhoid, does he?!"

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  10. He's so creative! I know you encourage this and help keep him buoyed up even when the box of school doesn't always fit quite right. I love the idea of a family letter box and may steal the idea for our house!

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  11. I love the idea of taking a mental health day to go see the Titanic exhibition!

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.