First of all, I wanted a catchy name for the blog. So, the name "Artichokes and Egg Drop Soup" is a tribute to Bethany, our firstborn. Those are her two favorite foods...and, yes, she does like to eat them in the same meal. That's what she has asked me to prepare for her last two birthdays. (The other two kids like them too, just not as passionately!)
Second, I really needed something to write about. And, I found it...or should I say that "they" found Bethany. LICE. It is one of the fouler 4-letter words. Bethany got it, as best as I can figure, one month ago while at Cool Cuts 4 Kids. I treated it aggressively as soon as I realized she was infested, and we were clear one week later for the first day of school.
(She looks happy here, because this was the first time we washed and combed...for about 1 1/2 hours. Now, the newness has worn off!)
Since that day, I have found live ones only rarely, but in between treatments. Then, yesterday, as I was sending her out the door to leave for school...I saw them. Three. They were alive. How dare they! I thought I had finally done the final treatment just two days before...on Saturday. The bottle claimed it prevented infestation for up to 14 days. Well, two days is just not okay in my book when they should have been gone for good!
Called the pediatrician, sweetly demanded a prescription (I asked for one, as recommended by my sweet friend, Kelly, when I first spotted them...a month ago!), and then calling them back three more times during the day until they finally called it in to the pharmacy. I finally got by the kids' bedtime...bad timing.
Next, I started reading the drug insert, and realized it could kill my kids AND the lice! It is serious stuff! Hydrochloric acid among the active ingredients. Possible side effects: seizures or death. Because it absorbs quickly into the brain. Great. The kids are going to die, and I can't get in touch with Todd (he's in China missing all the fun).
Anyway, I called the pharmacist, because the instructions printed on the bottle were different than in the insert...he had no answers. So, long story short, everyone's still alive. The lice on Beth are dead (it turned them red...yikes!), and she's went back to school today. I went in and poked everyone long after they were asleep last night before I went to bed...just to be sure they were alive. Everyone's fine. Have to do the treatment again in one week. Still/again washing everything we can think of in the house.
So, I've spent two full days rewashing everything in hot water. Even ruined a few blankets during the extermination process (another story for another day). As of right this moment, I need no more "friends" like the ones who had taken up residence in her blond hair. I am tired, and if the reappear, which they should not...I am going to share the fun with Todd. After all, he'll be jet lagged and won't notice when the HCL starts to make him itchy and loopy. Right? Okay, I'll never get away with that!
Check out some of the pictures I've taken during the "war for Bethany's scalp (and my sanity!)"...
This is what happens when lice go to the dentist.
We quickly discovered that the easiest way to de-lice (ie...comb, comb, comb) was when she was occupied doing something else.
Although I got scolded several times for making her lose the game she was playing!
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