Sunday, December 16, 2012

Nit Picking

"I would not wish this on anyone." That is what I have been saying a lot since Tuesday. That morning as I was combing April's very fine, blond hair I saw a dark spot...and it moved. Looking a little closer, I found another. I went to show it to Dean then Googled.....head lice! Yep, these terrible images confirmed it! (do not look if you are bothered by bugs!)

I knew we had to go to the school and check Alana or let them know. We had to go to town, so I made a stop at the school. Poor girl was eating lunch when we took her out to check her head. She lost her appetite after we found a live one, which meant she could not stay in school. We were headed to Wal-Mart, so added lice killing shampoo to the list. 

After getting home that afternoon we started inspecting and shampooing. Dean did the shampooing since I am pregnant and was advised not to. Alana had a lot of adult size lice I found while sectioning her hair and combing with the special comb, which gets some, but not near all of the lice and nits (eggs). These bugs have claws that attach to the hair! They can hold their breath when wet. The only thing to kill them is heat or maybe shampoo. Derek and April got a special spa time with daddy, too, but did not have anymore live ones. It took me 2 hours to comb through Alana's hair!

When I asked at the school if there were other kids with lice, they told me no. I was in contact with nurse Alissa quite a bit this week. She was very helpful. On Wednesday, she told me they started checking most of the school and found others. Alana went to school Wednesday since we had treated her. That afternoon, I found more little live ones, eggs hatching. Ugh!! She stayed home Thursday and half of Friday. We got a prescription shampoo, which I could not touch. Powerful stuff!!

Not only did I do a LOT of combing and picking in her hair, we also had to wash everything she came in contact with in hot water. I was blessed my dad came on Wednesday and Thursday to help do a bunch of laundry.

One time while combing Alana's hair, I commented I didn't know why God created lice. Alana replied that they used to be good till sin entered the world, then they became bad. hmmm...

I cannot tell you how many times I have inspected and combed and picked nits out of her hair since Tuesday! I am done with it! That doesn't count going through 3 other kids' hair! I would seriously consider moving out for a couple days so they could all die to make sure they would be gone! 

They say the lice can become resistant to the shampoos. Ugh! I hope we don't have to deal with this again...ever....or least a LONG time!!! I also pray we can have a lice-free Christmas!!


May God bless each and every one of you!!

1 comment:

  1. I've been praying those lice away! A lot of work indeed. I can see you've handled it with equanimity, in spite of the frustrations.

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