My husband is a migrant worker so we travel by road with him daily to different locations across the country, therefore, it would most likely be impossible to determine where we've gotten sick. We have been in Baton Rouge/New Orleans area for 5 days now. We are Amish, keep a very high standard of cleanliness, and do not go into many pubic places, but stay in our motel rooms and take walks in nature. My husband goes into grocery stores for us (we are vegetarian, mainly vegan). Two of our children (3yrs and 7mo) are with us and both have the same following appearance: perfectly round red dots, size of couscous, slightly raised, apparently not itchy, that formed on face and arms in last 48-72 hours, now this morning more red prevail over face w/several on arms, none on torso or legs, but tiny white bumps are beginning on arms. I am 34, had a severe outbreak of chicken pox at 11, have a somewhat weak immune system and suffer very low adrenal/moderately low thyroid function, and have begun to show the same spots but only on my hand; would this be pox again or should i fear shingles? I have a lifelong unknown lung problem which causes constant cough of sputum, and over the last 2 weeks i have also begun to have a dry forceful cough, as if i were sick, but no fever, just dizziness and even more fatigue, headache, and light sensitivity than usual. We do not believe in immunization and have not received any. I understand that we would need to visit a doctor for a sure diagnosis, but could you advise to the likelihood of varicella zoster…or something else, perhaps smallpox or measles? Our church informs us that climates and cultures (unclean foods) such as found in sub-tropical Louisiana are often breeding grounds for all manner of disease. Has there been an outbreak of chicken pox in this area or smallpox, and how would we have contracted it? My 3yr-old sat in a “seemingly clean/clear”, well-kept pool at this motel that scarcely has been used; could she have contracted it there and passed it to my 7month-old so quickly? The spots on my 7month-old are less advanced. Neither child has blisters. As vegetarians and highly active, all my children are in excellent health.

Thank you,

Mrs. Katheryne Levin