What are the ODDS?

This is sort of a long story with some medical details most probably wouldn't care about, but it's interesting to me so here it is......

Sunday morning Thad woke up with some swelling in front of one of his ears. I wasn't too worried because it wasn't bad, but really wondered what it was. I thought it could be some sort of ear infection. If I didn't know any better (if it was 1952) I would have thought it was the mumps!!

(not a good picture, but see how his left cheek looks chubbier)

Later that afternoon, Hollace came and told me that it hurt when she pushed in front of her ear. I figured    it was just her imagination after seeing Thad's little problem and so I sympathetically told her not to push in front of her ear then.

Sunday evening we went to the movies and as soon it was over and the lights were on...POOF-Hollace's cheek had blown up like a balloon and very sore!

I just couldn't think of any other explanation for them both to have this sweling.........

they must have MUMPS!

I mean it's possible for one to be vaccinated and the vaccine to not "take", but this is HIGHLY unusual. I looked it up and there are around 200 cases of mumps in the US each year (the huge majority in unvaccinated people).  For two of those cases to be in the same family in vaccinated children, well I think the odds would probably be astronomical. 

(I did dig out their shot records to make sure that they hadn't, in some crazy coincidence, both missed their MMR vaccines!- but all was in order)

By Monday morning, Thad looked a little better, but Hollace was much worse! 

We made a trip to the Dr. and I think they were almost as puzzled as I was at first. The nurse did a rapid strep test because Thad's throat looked just a little red and it is going around here like crazy! Turns out it was positive- even thought neither of the kids would admit to a sore throat and they hadn't had any fever. Our Dr. finally decided they had a strep infection which had settled in their Parotid glands causing Parotitis (which is very similar to Mumps, except Mumps is viral and this is bacterial from the strep)

Of course strep is contagious, but the unusual complication of it affecting the Parotid gland is not contagious. So what are the odds of BOTH of them suffering from this complication from a very mild (with no symptoms) strep infection when it's not infectious????? Probably astronomical! The Dr. agreed that this was VERY strange, but he felt it was a more likely explanation than the viral Mumps in vaccinated kids- especially with a positive strep test.

All that to say that my kids are WEIRD!

Hollace was pretty miserable for a couple of days, but is feeling much better now. 

The  pictures don't really do it justice. She was so swollen!
Poor baby! We are so thankful it wasn't more serious and that they are feeling much better.