We’ve been home a few days now and boy things have sure been rough. We came home to discover both Auggie and Henry have 5th disease (also known as slap cheek). It’s a flu-like virus with symptoms including fever, itchy rash, headache, joint pain, exhaustion, loss of appetite and more (super lovely stuff). Because it’s a virus there’s nothing you can take other than to treat symptoms and it’s highly contagious. We called and talked to Hally’s cardiology team at UCSF and they said it shouldn’t impact anything from a cardio perspective and to just manage pain if she get it. Day 1 consisted of Henry crying every time he saw me holding Hally, Auggie asking for alone time every 5 minutes and hitting Henry every time he tried to have alone time with me. Hally was pretty happy and nursed well. Her main discomfort was gas as it has been in the hospital. Day 2 I started feeling crummy. Got that achy joint pain that comes with slap cheek and was feeling extreme exhaustion. Kids were feeling completely wrecked and literally just wanted to sit on the couch with skin-to-skin contact with someone. Henry still cried every time Hally cried, but at least didn’t cry immediately upon me holder her. Day 3 we headed to hospital to have Hally’s sutures removed. Doctor was 70 minutes late to our appointment. She took out the first suture and her wound popped open. Said she wanted to wait another week and then we sat in traffic for 2 hours+ to get home to San Jose. Auggie and Henry were luckily started feeling a bit better, I was wrecked, and Tara and Hally started feeling crummy. I’m thankful to be out of the hospital. Thankful to be home as a family of 5… but was totally unprepared for the transition back to real-life. Transitions are hard enough under the best of circumstances and are so, so, so much harder when everyone is sick. Luckily our family and friends have stepped again and been here to help when it feels like utterly too much. I’m trying to stay positive and bright side it, but I’m growing tired of the feeling of not catching a break. I just want us all to be healthy and happy so we can get into our new family of 5 groove. Thanks for the continued love, support, and prayers. Next big milestone is getting Hally’s suture out which will happen sometime later this week.