The two most frightening words in my world: HEAD LICE

Did your skin just crawl? Mine sure did.

Nearly one year ago, Miss B came home from school with an uninvited guest. I happened to take her to work with me as she was feeling a bit puny. We walked through the hallways near my office to get some water when I saw something in her hair. I thought it was just a piece of fuzz.

An average day went from average to one of the worst in about 3 seconds. As I tried to move the fuzz, it moved itself. I nearly screamed. My daughter's head was crawling with bugs. How had she not gone crazy? I ask this question because just a few days later, I found a louse on my head. On my head. On. MY. Head. My first reaction to this was to call my mommy and cry.

And I still haven't gotten over it. Every itch of my head triggers flashbacks to the days of RID and lice combs. If it's possible for someone to get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from head lice, then I know that I have that. I can be very strong in the face of danger and tragedy, but I cannot in any way not lose my mind when there are tiny little bugs crawling on my head! And my husband is afflicted with male pattern blindness. Just as he cannot see dosage information on medicine labels, notes asking him to do something before I get home, or numerous other things in plain sight, Woody could not seem to see any of the nits or eggs in my hair. This meant that I spent at least an hour every night combing my hair with one of those awful little red combs with the wire teeth.

Finally one night I didn't get anything in the comb. Then it was two nights. After about 2 weeks, I decided they were really gone.

But now they are back. Some how I made it through my entire education without getting lice. And my daughter not only gets it and gives it to me, she gets it again. I'm already starting to crack. I haven't found any on me or Sister Goldenhair (though I cannot be certain since I was checking her hair with a flashlight as she slept). I just hope that all will be well with everyone else.

And so I will take my heebie jeebies and go to bed. Any bets on what I'll dream about tonight?