HFMD

My brother started having red spots on his hands and feet, and white spots in his mouth; I thought it was chicken pox.

It's not.

He has HFMD.

For those of you who can manage a prayer, it would be much appreciated.

Although mention of the disease brings back frightening memories of the outbreak, the doctor says it doesn't look serious, and gave him some medicine and a week's worth of leave from school. They will also be contacting the school to put the rest of the students on alert.

I have to admit that ever since I heard the news, my body has been itching all over. To which my brother only has one thing to say: "It doesn't ITCH, lah!" Hur hur.

The first thing my dad did -- impulsive as they come -- was to blame it on Rocky. Which makes sense, of course, since HMFD cannot be transmitted through animals. Sometimes you really have to wonder why people say the things they do.

Speaking of which, the doctor also said: "Not to scare you guys, but a 29-year-old guy recently died of HMFD."

I mean, you seriously wonder: no sense of timing, or abject lack of sensitivity?