Is adult chicken pox as bad as they say?
According to wikipedia, 75% of chicken pox related deaths occur in adults. Anecdotally, I’ve heard that it’s not just worse than the childhood experience, but fairly completely awful and hellish. I’d say that the kids should stick with their mom that weekend, if possible.
I had shingles recently, which is what you get when you had chicken pox as a kid, and then they tell you that you can’t get it again, the bastards, and then you get this rash that lasts for weeks and that you must not under any circumstances scratch or you will scar, but it doesn’t so much itch, really it feels like little tiny shards of glass are poking at you, and you have a chance of some awful neurological problems lately and honestly I get depressed just thinking about it. So, coming from that perspective: keep the kids away from him if possible! He does NOT want to be exposed as an adult. I doubt he could get the vaccine if this is coming up that quickly, but check with a doctor and see if the doc can get him in. Oh, and the good news: some people seem to just have a natural immunity to chicken pox. My husband and doctor are like this. But he shouldn’t count on that. If he does end up with chicken pox, or if he just wants to help the kids, the Magic Stuff to buy: Aveeno ointment.
