Ten .

Ten years ago on the 30th of November 2001 I gave birth to the most amazing child . Heather has been through so much in the last decade yet everyday no matter what life throws at her she manages a smile at some point . Epilepsy ...Parkinsonism ..learning difficulties ..damaged nerves..visual difficulties ..communication difficulties .. Label after label , test after test . Conclusion ...none of it makes her any less determined less courageous ,less happy. She takes it all in her stride and rarely mourns the abilities she doesn't have. She makes me so proud .

We had planned a birthday celebration for Wed 30th Nov ,schools were closed due to teachers striking so we had a perfect day planned , with grand firework finale . Her temperature started to rise on he 29th and the seizure monster lurked around the corners eventually showing his ugly face through her , twice during that day . We stayed home determined to be well for the big day . It wasn't to be . Blisters appeared by Wednesday morning around her face ... Chicken pox . They are still coming thick and fast , her tongue has been today's worst affected area she is now unable to swallow properly and huge black blisters coat the inside of her mouth . They are everywhere imaginable , in her ears /eyes /nose , her entire body is coated . The party was cancelled .. She woke long enough to hear us sing to her and blow out some candles . And of course to give us that precious perfect smile . I love her so much , it's been a rocky road through the decade together but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat for her.

Do you remember having chicken pox as a child ? .. I don't , apparently I did have TEN small spots and was quite unwell around the same time as my siblings were completely floored by the virus . It's always been assumed I was just the hardy one .The fourth child needs to be tough!!
I've been in contact with chicken pox and shingles numerous times very closely over the years and never had another bout , the assumption being I must have immunity from my brief encounter in childhood . Last year Dave had an excruciatingly awful case of shingles , I bathed and dressed his weeping skin for a week when it was at its worst, confident I had chicken pox (which you can catch from shingles but not vice versa) . Those TEN small spots from many years back have served me well perhaps .

This week I am 30 weeks pregnant with our daughter . We kind of stop counting up now and begin the count DOWN from TEN .

Day one week TEN , I call the gp to inform him heather has chicken pox and is having seizures, supportive as always I explain my medicene regime is keeping the bigger seizures at bay , her temp is breaking through slightly and he reassures me it's ok to carry on with my slightly higher than recommended doses , the implications of the seizures being more serious than the side effects of the medication.
He asked "what about you ?" I explain I'm tired have a cold and cough but feel fine , it's just lack of sleep that will catch up when she is well again , pregnancy is going well and I'm surprisingly mobile and active and best of all enjoying it . He asked about my chicken pox immunity and I explained the situation so far . He decided he wanted to make double sure and have my blood screened urgently for antibodies. So yesterday I went to the clinic had blood taken and marked urgent for the lab , within the hour they'd called back with the results .

I have no immunity to chicken pox . :( the risks this late in pregnancy are quite serious despite what you read . The fact is most adults in the uk have immunity from chicken pox so the chances of getting it are minimal . But of those that DO get it one in one hundred pregnant women actually die from the associated complications. I have no immunity and I've spent the last 3nights huddled with a child who has more than her fair share of the infection . This is not good .

Heathers dad just made a trip to the hospital pharmacy for me and I am leaving shortly to visit the doctors for the immunoglobulin injection which he collected , I thought it was just one but there appears to be four in this prescription . If I start this now hopefully it will offer some protection for myself and for baby Hope from contracting the virus . If I already have it this should minimise the effects . I'm sad we can't share it with Heather , she's so uncomfortable . I feel so sad her birthday was spoiled by this , so we are just going to have to make the whole year that she is TEN an extra special one ..