Friday, March 14, 2008

Lousing up my resolution

That New Year's resolution, not to whinge? Harumpph. Be careful what you pledge. The universe tests you every time. I remember writing, "I have nothing to complain about." It was back in the beautiful January summer of Sydney, with my new niece, wee Zoe, giggling nearby.

I still can't complain about anything big. But I might have to whinge a bit about a small thing, so small that it is almost invisible to the naked eye - the persistent, ever-breeding, unspeakable, shame-producing (which is just a shame really) louse. sigh. We obliterated the beasts out of Gillen's head over two weeks ago, furiously treating the whole family and house at the same time. But then, thinking that they were out of our heads, we happily put them out of our minds. And that was the mistake. I should have continued my chimpanzee grooming much longer than a few days. Those eggs live for two weeks. A few hatched and were found on Gillen's head a few days ago. I'm probably five loads of laundry away from the end of washing everything we have touched in the last week. But I'm half way there. I'm trying to think of it as an Ingalls prairie home spring cleaning.

We are staying in three different homes next week. We do not intend to bring any univited guests. So I have taken drastic measures. I have ordered (on a good friend's advice) the terminator! This is the big daddy of nit combs and I do believe that, this time, we will indeed overcome. That hair cut I am "about" to have? I may be going with a pixie cut, very soon, which would really not be flattering with this giant stye that I have in my eye at the moment. As if you weren't disgusted enough.

That's it. No more secrets. My eye is hiding a red-hot and we are sequestered, with mayonnaise-covered heads. The pesticide-filled regular treatment(RID) doesn't work well anymore, I read, as the bugs are becoming immune. Music to this organic families' ears and unburned heads. The Mayo suffocated them and tea tree oil, as well as many other oils and concoctions (and the terminator!) will continue to keep them in some other realm.

Keeping it stylish:-

Gillen didn't care to share his shower-cap-look ;)

10 comments:

hahamommy said...

We did Dawn dishwashing soap 1/2+1/2 with salt over the whole head, cover and leave it as long as you can ;) then use the super nit comb to get all the eggs.... I know because after (okay I'm not even going to admit to you how long I fought The Critters) a while, this was our last resort, the one I should have used in the beginning! Even with my CRAZY thick hair, it worked!

Danielle said...

Oh man, that so sucks! I'm itchy just reading about it! I hope the "Terminator" does the job.

EC said...

Wow, that is terrible! So sorry to hear about how you all are suffering with the little buggers.

Here's hoping your final treatment gets rid of them for good!

mindy said...

Oh my god! I'm literally holding my stomach I'm laughing so hard! Not at your misfortune...THAT sucks...but those shower cap pictures...too much! What does Nicolas have on his head? It looks more like Pa's night cap. Oh it is good to have a bit humor amongst all the itching, washing, combing irritation!

Madeline Rains said...

Diana, you were able to get rid of any with your thick hair? You give me hope. Maybe I'll wait on the pixie cut. The mayo killed the bugs and the nits come out more easily with a vinegar wash right before combing. Apparently that has them mostly washing down the drain (for any poor soul who ends up here from googling louse)

Mindy, the white shower cap is a plastic bag. Isn't he lovely? We laughed so hard that night. The massive amounts of laundry, again, and the combing have messed with my humor.

Angie said...

Oh, you have my sympathy. We have not traveled down this road yet - but my good friend had quite the battle.

Sending bug-free thoughts your way.

Unknown said...

ack! Just what you needed this week along with the hail and tornado(s).

Hope you are all well!

Oh, we use a tincture (by mouth) involving eyebright for Taran's styes. Currently we are giving him a sulphur treatment recommended by a friend who is schooled in homeopathy (for the recurrent styes and other stuff). Seems to really do the trick. Have no idea why I shared this info, I'm sure you are taking care of it just fine. I suppose I could at any point just delete all of this info, but now I am amusing myself by continuing on with this post.

Hugs,
Kimba
who loves Nicolas' trash bag cap (I used one myself when I dyed my hair years ago with kool-aid)

Madeline Rains said...

Kimba, I'm glad that you shared the the stye info. It took me two weeks to finally treat this thing. I used external homeopathic drops that seem to be working. You'de think, with my naturopathic MIL I'd have talked to her a while ago. My attention was elsewhere.;) We're all good now.

Bhu said...

oh madeline. i feel for you! the shower cap photos are priceless--so funny. down with you crazy lice! stay away.

Tamar Orvell said...

Lice... one of the ten plagues of Egypt... and with good reason! I had the plague two summers ago, imported from a cousin's home (13 kids... ). Took me two months to realize the growing itch was not a rash... and rosemary is the magic ingredient in the homeo formula.

Today, I spent the day with family and one of them DAILY rubs rosemary oil behind the ears and nape of neck of her 3-year-old. IT WORKS.

Via email, I will send you the photo of my dear friend Janet who for three weeks daily removed eggs. Janet, the saint with two kids, a husband, home, full-time work, and a life. And a full-time lice removal project. Saint Janet who would not let me buzz cut my hair. Hold off.

To this day, I don't go to the home where I got these things, I never use earphones except mine, and in shifty environments -- airplanes, busses, movie theaters... I cover my head and will not lean on a "public" seat back.