Rash Decision

Tough weekend at the ranch. The spots covering my wife grew so unbearably itchy for her that a second trip to the doctors was required. Turns out that she doesn't have chickenpox at all, rather has suffered a massive allergic reaction to something. Treating the symptoms as if they were chickenpox has, in actual fact, made that reaction worse.

A change in medication has got it under control but it still means time off work - essentially she's had to take drugs that weaken her immune system so that the allergic reaction lessens in severity. Not only is it going to take a few days for the symptoms to subside, it's also not a good idea for her to return to the office in the meantime, where she'd be exposed to all kinds of coughs and sneezes in her weakened state.

And we've still no idea what she's allergic to.

Both kids were packed off to school this morning, meaning the first whole day without one or both of them hanging around the house in almost a month. Used the time to rewrite a short story proposal and fire it away to a mate for a read-through. It was lacking in an area I couldn't quite put my finger on, and being useless at editing my own work, a second opinion was essential.

Fortunately the talented chappie casting an eye over it put his finger on the problem straight away. Tomorrow's for polishing it up and contacting the editor, then.