Feeling Lousy

I doubt anyone has had a worse week. It started this Sunday with the cold. I took Monday off to rest and felt that that would help me recover faster. No such luck. Tuesday I went into work.... felt pretty crappy, but able to work.

I went to bed early and Maddie s at a game or something. I was just dozing off when I heard her come in and I settled down to sleep. A little while later she is jostling me awake holding a notebook in front of my rather blurry eyes.
"mom, What is this????"
"What is What"
"This" holding the notebook closer to my eyes
"I can't see anything, let me grab my glasses"
"I found it in my hair and I drew it before I smashed it"
"Ok (dread filling my stomach)"

Finally I focused on her little drawing... I knew exactly what the damn thing was. All the while she it talking to me a mile a minute.

"It is a head louse" I said
"ewwwwww"
"damn it!"

It was too late to do anything about it then, but I knew I probably had them too. Both of us had had itchy heads over the past couple weeks, but chalked it up to dry weather. It had even crossed my mind for a minute that it could be lice. I had checked her head and mine and found nothing. When she was little we went through one bout so I knew the drill.

Also from working in extention entomology I remembered "Bugs are only as dirty as the homes they live in" It did mean all the bedding and clothing though needed to be washed and sprayed and two regimes of hair treatments and combings.

I also know they are very difficult to spread... they are extremely slow moving and really do not care to leave their feeding ground. That is why they spread so often from hat to head. I am pretty sure Maddie got me when we cuddled on the couch for a movie gol dang it. She doesn't remember sharing any hats, but I see her swapping all the time and one of her good friends cut all his hair off recently. Good sign that perhaps he might have had them. It is such a dirty little secret. And I felt the same way. I cautioned Maddie not to say anything. I didn't either.

I went into school on Wednesday and planned on picking up the lice shampoo after school since I really didn't think I could take another day off. I promise I did not exchange hats brushes or combs with anyone.

Well Wednesday was my worst cold day of all I went through a whole box of kleenex... draining, draining, draining. Every few seconds I was on a new Puffs Plus.... finally went through that box and had to hit the rough tissue.. by then my nose was raw and I was a candidate for a cold commercial. Itchy watery eyes, sneezing coughing dripping. Finally I told the office I would be staying home the next day. I drove to Janesville after school to buy Rid and Nyquil and three more boxes of Puffs Plus. There was no way I was buying louse shampoo here in town.

I was still feeling crappy, but did the louse treatment anyhow and stripped the bed. As soon as I got the shampoo worked into my hair one of the little buggers showed up at the edge of my scalp. I ended up only finding three in my hair, which was pretty good and in 7 days we need to do it again to catch any new hatchlings. I think I will hit another 7 days after that just to be certain.

I did Maddie's hair when she got home from school and hers was a little worse than mine, which is why I am blaming her. Just another fun day at home. I spent the whole of Thursday in bed, except when I got up to get orange juice and make a little chicken soup.

Today both of us felt a little less itchy unless we thought about it so I think it is working. I hope so!!!!!

I made it through my school day ok with only a little nose blowing. Maddie went to a Gay Straight Alliance conference in Madison. I asked her this morning if she was still straight. She said "Yes"... I said "Just trying to keep up honey have a good time"

She later told me that she (the straights) were in the minority at the conference. It seemed to surprise her, which make me glad, but unfortunately it does not surprise me that straight students are still uncomfortable being associated with gays and lesbians. She also commented that almost all the gay,lesbian,bi students their were Goth as well. That surprised her as well.

So that is my lousy story. Feel sorry for me please!