Diary of a chickenpox mom and how to survive it!

I kept telling myself, “Tomorrow, I’ll get the chickenpox vaccine.” But that “tomorrow” kept getting pushed back—until I finally “won the lottery” and caught chickenpox, making the vaccine no longer an option. The doctor didn’t hold back, either, explaining how some people get disfigured and even become unrecognizable after recovering. That freaked me out, but I tried to stay positive, thinking maybe he was just reminding me to take better care of myself.

First few days was terrible, really terrible. Blisters started popping out and, best of all, mainly on my face! Below image can be DISGUSTING, so be warned…

Lucky for me, there wasn’t any fever. Friends around us got to know about me having chickenpox and were showering me with lots of care, concern and love. Some even prepared healthy meals for me during this period and I was utterly touched.

Survival tip for chickenpox #1: Healthy meals! No nuts, no eggs, no chicken, no dark soya sauce (not sure how true but better to be safe than sorry). Load yourself with lots of fruits (not citrus fruits though) and vegetables. Lots of fluid especially fresh coconut juice!

Mother’s day was just around the corner, I couldn’t’ celebrate but received flowers from another mother instead. How sweet was that?

Survival tip for chickenpox #2: Be well rested and think positively. Look at pretty things!

First week was pretty tough and what made it worse was when you couldn’t even get near to your own children. No hugs, no kisses. Smarties were always standing from a distance talking to me, consoling me, telling me that I will get better as time goes by and sending me little love notes. On the other hand, they got to learn more about chickenpox during this period with real life example to show them. It was an eye opener for them. Gor gor was quite scared looking at all the blisters on my face (yes, he’s scared of dots just like me) but mei mei was feeling more sympathetic than scared towards my agony. She even drew a picture for me, instructing me to put it beside my bed so that I can look at it whenever I feel pain or having nightmares when I sleep. Definitely feeling touched.

Survival tip for chickenpox #3: Welcome and accept the love from friends and families. Feel touched but don’t touch your chickenpox! If really itchy, use calamine lotion or use baking soda. Baking soda can help control the itchiness and irritation from chickenpox.

1. Stir 1.5 tablespoons of baking soda in a glass of water and use a soft washcloth to put the solution on the affected parts of the body and allow it to dry.
2. Another option is to mix 1.5 or 1 cup of baking soda in your bath water and soak in it.

Change clothes regularly and wear loose clothing.

During this period, I distracted myself by doing some craft works and made these for smarties. The little loves were made by smarties for me on Mother’s day and I created a picture of a mother tree and child for the special day.

Survival tip for chickenpox #4: Distract yourself with something you like to do and do-able during this period. You will feel less urge to scratch your chickenpox as well.

As I gradually recovered, I realized this time gave me a much-needed chance to rest and catch up on my reading. It was the first time I’d felt such peace and tranquillity since becoming a stay-at-home mom. Normally, my days are a whirlwind of housework, driving the kids to and from school and activities, helping with homework, and caring for the elderly at home. The only peaceful moments I usually get are when I can sit down in front of my computer to blog, even though I have to carve out time just for that.

The chickenpox was gradually drying up and smarties noticed it. They started to get closer to me each day and they even cooked for me a sumptuous meal beside my bed. Sweet huh?

Survival tip for chickenpox #5: Look forward to recovery. Soon you will noticed, the agony is ending!

There’s no denying that chickenpox is tough, especially getting it at this “older” age as a mom when you can’t take care of your kids or the household. But with proper care, plenty of rest, and a positive mindset, you’ll recover faster than you expect. Use this time to focus on yourself and recharge. Soon enough, you’ll be back to your normal routine before you know it! 😉