How to treat Chicken Pox
Calamine lotion & bicarb baths are out!
We’ve all learnt something new about chicken pox this week, so I thought I’d share it in the hope that it would save your child some suffering.
The new information on how to treat chicken pox is to keep the skin moist, to avoid sores drying out and scarring. This also helps to stop some of the itching.
So, since calamine lotion and bicarb soda are drying agents, they’re no longer considered the best treatment.
We chose a combination of products to help the Bump get through this week of major itching.
1. An antihisthamine
This helps to reduce the rash by limiting the body’s reaction to toxins.
We chose Phenergan, because of its’ sedative qualities, and gave the Bump the recommended amount for sedation. It didn’t put him to sleep (but that’s just him), but it did relax and calm him.
2. A bath additive
Soaking in something to soothe and moisturise the skin will stop those itchy sores from becoming dry and itchier.
Pinetarsol was recommended by our local chemist (who is also a friend), and although it turns the bathwater a “pee-yellow” colour, it’s been very effective. It took the redness right out of the Bump’s sores, and he had a pretty good night’s sleep afterwards.
3. A lotion
Something to relieve the itch and moisturise the skin between baths is important, too.
Our chemist friend told us that Pine Tar is the best product for this, and we can use it afterwards to treat the kidz’ excema and mozzie bites.
For the love of a shower
On Tuesday, our hot water heater went kaput.
We thought.
I boiled a kettle & gave the kids a sponge bath.
WonderHubby found the details of the plumber who had installed it, and found that luckily it was still under warranty, having been installed just before we bought our new home.
So the plumber came out the next morning and pronounced the water heater A-OK.
It just wasn’t getting any power through.
Maybe it was the cut-off switch in the power box?
So he called an electrician, who came out that afternoon and declared the cut-off switch fine.
There was a broken power cable leading to the water heater’s fuse.
And he couldn’t fix it, but if we called the electricity company…
So we called the electricity company and they sent someone out that evening.
This is still Wednesday.
Well, it’s actually a matter of replacing the whole power box, because you see, your one is the old type, and we use a new one now and they’re not compatible (or something).
But the electricity company doesn’t do that work.
Sponge baths for all of us. Again.
WonderHubby called another electrician, who’d installed fans for us in November (and were really nice to deal with).
They’re busy until Friday or Saturday, but we’ll do our best to fit you in on Friday, “because we know you need a shower”.
Apparently they could smell that over the phone.
We took the hint and visited Grandma’s house for showers on Thursday evening.
So now it’s Friday afternoon, probably too late for our water to be hot by tonight.
And I am waiting to hear whether we will be rescued today or have to wait until tomorrow (and pay a weekend rate, into the bargain).
Did I mention that it’s the middle of Summer?
And deodorant? I’m warning you, I’m almost out.
If you have any heart at all or nasal sensitivities, you will be wishing (washing?) us all well.
Concentration
Do you ever wonder what might happen if you weren’t around to supervise your child’s craft time?
Here’s the answer.
I went out for a while with Wren and came home to find this picture on the camera.
Otherwise I would never have known.
Apart from the paint drips in the bathtub, that is.
Thanks for watching Mr Bump, WonderHubby. 
Time to Clean the Bathroom
Can you write “wash me” in the scum in your bathtub?
Do your children enjoy making hand prints in the muck left over when the water drains out?
Yes, it’s that time of year again.
Time to scrub out the tub after our annual bath.
I’m going to really miss that muck, we’ve gotten to know each grain of sand and spot of soil.
It’s good to know that others have enjoyed our muck as well.
Mr Bump had friends over to play yesterday and they left some little handprints to go with those of the inmates.
Bath Salts Recipe
Wren loves adding nice~smelling, colourful stuff to the bathtub and having a soak.
The problem is that she’s not that sparing with her sprinkling, and those sprinkles don’t come cheap.
So this is an easy & cheap way for mums of girls keep up with the demand for bath salts. Not to mention fun for the kids to make.