The Highlights from the Last Week...

Wednesday “It’s the end of the world as we know it”
Yep, head lice. They will survive a nuclear attack, along with the roaches. I’ve never dealt with this before. Not as a parent or as a child. Why now?!
Thursday: The guilt sets in
We’ve infected the Lee household too. Not only do all 3 of us (Bill doesn’t share a brush with us) have these boogies, we gave them to 2 of the Lee kids as well. Crap. I’m feeling like a really negligent mother right now. I should have spotted them sooner… but what mom does their 10 year olds hair when it is as short as Kyra’s? I’ll wallow in guilt for a while, and then resolve to be a better parent. I’m grateful I found out the hard way to pay attention to the warning signs with something like head lice. (You know, instead of suicide, drug use, sex, ect.)
Friday: Real Friends
Head lice are when you know who your real friends are. Not that you’re not a friend if you stay away, but holy things that are above and beyond friendship batman! Monique spent something like 2 hours digging through my hair for me yesterday.
Saturday: Getting out
I escaped the infested house today after Mo dug AGAIN! A little grocery shopping, mouthwash and shower cap buying (for the buggies), and some more chocolate. Yep, I gave up the sugar fast because I’m way too overwhelmed right now. Why does chocolate help?!
Sunday: A day off
The world was created in 6 days and then there was a day of rest. Don’t I deserve a day of rest too? No nit-picking on this day. The kids got some relief as well. They got to play with the Lee’s since they are the only people not afraid to play with us L. Thanks for the much needed break today.
Monday: How much does depression cost?
$7.64. By sundown I’ve had it. A stop at Safeway costs $7.64: 2 rolls of cookie dough (one sugar, the other chocolate chip), and a pound of butter (to make more cookies later). I also finished the last disc of Lost, season one. I’m hooked. A little Sayid and about a dozen cookies later and I drifted off to dreamland.
Tuesday: Is the end near?
No live bugs for 3-4 days, very few nits in Tasha’s hair, and I’ve finally made it through all of Kyra’s hair. Hope is in sight. The pain in my neck (an actual pain, not just lice and child induced pain) is at an all time high after all this picking, but Super Bill to the rescue. I think he enjoys jabbing his fist into my neck as hard as he can while I wince in delighted pain. That’s true love baby.
Wednesday: A New Hope
I found virtually nothing in Tasha’s hair today so I sent her to school. When I picked her up all 3 of her teachers told me how delighted they were to have her back. “Class just isn’t the same without her; we’d take her bugs and all!” Crazies I tell ya, crazies. They had checked the rest of the class and nobody got it and they washed all the play clothes as a precaution. How can something so small be so damaging?! Esther was a HUGE help this morning! She came over, with her kids, and dug through half of Kyra’s hair while I did the other half. An hour and a half later we were just about done when I had to go get Tasha. Then Ester asks, “Do I need to make my kids shower and change clothes and everything when I get home?” WOW! She risked it, even without knowing her kids would be safe. I assured her they had played in the “safe zone” and that no live lice had been in the area for days. No worries! Kyra will be going to school tomorrow if I have my way.
And now I have a renewed hope that there is life beyond lice. WooHoo! Friends have called today and want to know where the heck I am. How sweet…I’m missed. I’m totally going through internet withdrawals and I think it’s worse than sugar withdrawals. That’s probably why I’ve turned to my good friend Chocolate, who can’t play host to any head lice, for comfort and sympathy. I’ll have to give him up again when the weekend is up. Anyway, I have started making plans for the weekend, which involve people other than my immediate family. Not that I don’t love them, but a week of only them is making me a bit insane. I’m looking forward to other people. Plus, I have a date to watch a friend’s kid tomorrow and she has the internet!!! I’ll be watching the kids at her house no doubt.
Thursday: Stupid Desert Marigold!!!
We tried to send Kyra to school today. Mostly because her teacher had called twice and was hoping she could come in because she was sorely missed. When she got there they had to get the lice certified inspector to check her head and, of course, she found some eggs. DUH! I could have told you that. But even the letter that the school sent home said that “no-nit” policies were not necessary. After being really pissed off, lots of tears from Kyra, and a new comb was purchased from Walgreens, I got it back together. (A little) That stinkin’ comb really worked! Where have you been egg comb and nit comb?! Oh how I love you, let me count the ways. (If anyone gets these little boogies, I’ve got the goods.)
I was still annoyed on my way to pick up Tasha (mostly at Kyra who can’t seem to follow simple instructions) when Bill called me. I was pretty snippy when he asked how I was doing. “How the BLEEP do you think I’m doing?!” I think I thought some worse things too, but that’s just because I was late for pick-up, cranky with Kyra, and achey in the neck and foot. (I'll make up with him later) Today didn’t look like there was much hope to be found. Until…
I watched Crystal’s kids for her while she went to have lunch with Jared. The kids frolicked outside where I didn’t have to look at them. (Mine, not hers. Tasha layed into me as soon as I saw her. Lame kids!) I got to use their internet. WHEE! Connection with friends. Life goes on. People outside my home exist. Life is good. But it gets better! Brandon crawled up to me about a half an hour after he got up and paused. He gave me 2 distinct looks: the first was “dude, you’re not my mom but you’re sitting at her computer”; the second look was, “that’s cool, I like you too.” The second look came with a sly smile because that kid just doesn’t have strong emotional responses. (Except maybe the screaming he saves for the middle of the night for his mother.) Then later Ethan ran in from outside (Crystal had Brandon asleep in her arms) and snuggled up to me on the couch and fell asleep. What’s up with that?! I can’t remember the last time either of my kids did that! In fact, I don’t know that Tasha has EVER done that. Kyra was maybe 2. Ethan earns the sweetest boy EVER award for yesterday.
Friday: Back in Business
Crystal checked Kyra’s head for me yesterday and could find nothing. Yippee, but I’ll still be checking and combing once or twice a day until school on Monday. I’ll have to check and comb through Tasha’s head today which she has already refused to let me do. Bummer. I shampoo-ed the couch and chairs last night so they look all pretty and are lice free. More laundry. There’s some DQ in the freezer waiting for me. I get to go to Costco. Life goes on…