While giving Falyn a bad this evening, I realized that the rash she has is Fifth Disease. I had Fifth Disease four years ago and will never forget the experience. When adults get it they suffer from swollen joints with lots of pain making it very hard to move at all. It lasted for weeks and is the worst I have ever felt in my entire life. When kids get it, they barely realize they are sick. With kids, it starts with a red cheeks that last a few days. They then get a rash on their torso and arms. It goes away after about a week. (All the other kids had it four years ago when I got sick.)
Falyn didn’t have a fever or act at all sick. I thought that her cheeks had been sunburned while were at White Sands and didn’t think much else about it. She started getting a rash a few days ago that I attributed to the dry air in El Paso and her sensitive skin. There is no mistaking the rash now for anything but Fifth Disease. Now that it has spread over her chest, back and arm I know exactly what it is. She said that the rash doesn’t itch and now that she has a rash she isn’t contagious. I’m sure the rash will go away in a few days. I’m glad she got it now as a child and doesn’t have to worry about every having it as an adult.