a tiny update

 I need to get home - it's nearly 5 pm and I've probably burned through my ability to comprehend reading about the Chevron deference overturn - but my mom called me

she has IMPETIGO

you know, like kids get sent home from daycare for? It's a staph or possibly strep infection on the skin. I'm guessing she got it from working in the garden; it's been very warm and humid there (that increases the likelihood of someone catching it) AND my mom is in her 80s and I know as you age your immune system gets less vigilant. 

For that matter she could have gotten exposed at the grocery store or even at church, I don't know how long the incubation period is. I suppose the "gee it feels like I have a canker sore" could have been the start of it.

the good news is it's treatable; she has Keflex and some kind of antibiotic ointment and has been warned to isolate at home for a couple days because it's so contagious. She did say she was tired and didn't have much appetite; that could be the infection or it could be the stress of having to go and sit at a minute clinic for an hour or two before she could be seen. I'm going to assume that since she started treatment the second day after symptoms appeared that it should clear up completely.

She thanked me for pressuring her to get it looked and and now I'm off the phone I'm having a little cry about the whole situation because I was SO scared it was going to be something very bad, or that it was an infection that had progressed very far and she'd have to go into hospital and also that I'm glad I didn't just accept her deflection of "oh I probably got into something I'm allergic to"

And yes, I am glad I was so forceful: untreated it can become cellulitis or even a systemic infection and that's very bad. I am *slightly* worried about the Keflex as she has some antibiotic allergies but I believe this is one she's safely taken before (I know I've taken it with no bad effects myself) and she recognized the symptoms of a reaction and would probably call someone for help. 

But yeah, I am now exhausted from being worried about that since last night, though I guess I'm glad it wasn't some big new allergy she'd have to figure out to avoid future exposures that could lead to anaphylaxis.