Not so spotless weekend

On Friday morning I woke up in a pleasant mood in anticipation of Easter weekend and all the fun that goes with it, until I saw my lovey’s face.

The skin irritation she had mentioned the night before became a cause for concern overnight.

Red spots of all shapes and sizes covered the pretty face I love so much.

“Get dressed,” I told her anxiously. It’s that time of the month when money is not ample, but she needed medical care. In my head I ran through all possible causes of this fast-spreading rash. Chicken pox, measles, allergic reaction, something the wonderful medical world is yet to find out about … stop thinking Tihan, let the experts deal with that.

She’s downstairs, dressed and ready to go. I drove her to the nearest pharmacy on our two-wheeled Poegie. Closed.

“Public holiday, remember?” I lampooned myself. “Maybe the pharmacy down the road?” All the pharmacies in the area were closed as it was just past 8am, I realised post my clouded judgment.

We went back home and waited. When we finally spoke to a pharmacist (around 10am), we were told that she had chicken pox, and were given some oil-based lotion to ease the itch. “Wait it out, stay out of direct sunlight,” the pharmacist insisted.

My parents confirmed that I had chicken pox as a child and said that my life partner should be fine if she took it easy over the weekend. I was relieved.

Plans were to go ahead though, minus the socialising. In the car on our way to Carletonville with two good friends we discussed lovey’s condition.

“Let’s just get a second opinion,” one of our friends said in a doubtful tone. She phoned a nurse she knows personally and explained the symptoms.

“GERMAN MEASLES!” she exclaimed.

The car’s occupants went quiet.

“How does it spread?” our other friend asked as if speaking to the nurse himself.

That’s the thing, just about in every way possible. We all were susceptible. We immediately decided to stay home with lovey the whole weekend to ensure everyone’s safety.

We made a pit stop at another pharmacy when we got to C’ville.

“I don’t know, it could be 104 different things,” said the elderly, somewhat strict pharmacist.

He equipped us with more lotions and other medical supplies. Back in the car, lovey’s mom added to the confusion by suggesting other causes. I gave up. It’s a rash, and I hoped it would disappear and not have any lasting effects on lovey.

We stayed indoors for the weekend and did everything possible to make sure she was okay. We treated the rash – now spread over her entire body – as best we could.

When we got home on Monday, she already started looking like her beautiful self again. The rash was disappearing slowly. If it were a case of German measles, I and our two friends will have to enjoy some quiet time alone, away from civilisation too. I am waiting in anticipation.

Moral of the story? Make sure you have a medical aid or savings dedicated to emergency medical expenses because one never knows …