These days, anyone with young school-children will probably have had to treat them for head-lice. They are a plague in schools but, like any good epidemic, break-outs wax and wane. Just when you've relaxed, having been nitless for months, they strike again. Breeding with surprising speed.
There is a plethora of product out there that promises to solve the issue, but in truth, nothing will completely and permanently prevent lice. Only constant vigilance and quick treatment will keep your child nit-free. As a mother, you become a little OCD, constantly scanning scalps. And dreading what you will find.
I give you this background because last night, I had a nightmare...
A group of acquaintances and myself were eating at an upmarket restaurant . Everyone was looking up, listening to me talk, when I scratched my head and several over-sized lice, the size of green peas, fell on to my pristine, white plate. Everyone stared in horror. You could have heard a pin drop. I don't remember what I said or did next. The shock woke me up.
I lay for a moment, in that hazy space between sleep and consciousness. Still half in my dream, I was heavy-hearted. Apart from the fading embarrassment, I was thinking about having to shampoo everyone's hair and comb and comb and comb. That chore, with seven people, takes all DAY. And they complain until my ears bleed.
But, then I woke properly and the clouds lifted. I remembered that I had done the regular check the previous night and we are all CLEAR.
Well, except for the huge jurassic ones flourishing in my over-imaginative brain.
Yours in itchiness,
Mrs Catch (and kill)
xx
Do bad moments during the day come back to haunt your dreams in bizarre ways?
Catching the sweetness in everyday life
Oh, I hate dreams like that! I totally have those types of dreams all the time. Well, here's hoping no more lice in your house. There are outbreaks here in Nashville like crazy too.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Love your banner! What a beautiful photograph!
Yes I have things that come back to haunt me in my dreams. Now they involve jilted lovers from my young days who band together and come looking for me with fire in their eyes. And not passionate fire. More like get even fire. :D
ReplyDeleteHead lice--just the thought makes me itch, gives me nightmares and makes me glad my kids are the ones with kids in school.
ReplyDeleteMrs Catch I am scratching at the mere mention of the word nit! That is a scary dream. The embarrassment! I actually got nits when the twins were mini and I did a stint at Tresillian (sleep school). It was dreadful! I reckon chlorine is the answer. We've never had them when it is swimming season! Touch wood x
ReplyDeleteEep, Lice are totally gross!
ReplyDeletesometimes when I have stress dreams I dream that I am trying to get a giant (like dinner plate) sized contact lens into my eye. It's impossible, yo.
We went through that mess 20 some years ago when my boys were in school...once was enough! The schools had head check every Monday and I had head check every day after that! The expense of it was crazy! One of my co-workers had to leave and get her girls from school because of lice...immediately I started scratching my head! Have a bug free weekend!
ReplyDeleteOh God ... dear Miss 8's hair seems to attract them like a magnet. We have tried every product on the market AND every natural/alternative/home made products. She still gets them because other parents don't bother. I agree constant vigilance and daily combing is the only way. I recently discovered, to my horror, that I had caught her nits. It is the first time in my life that I've had them. I was waiting to see my shrink at the time. OMG the embarrassment. I still comb my hair obsessively every day. They are awful! Thank God yours was just a dream/nightmare.
ReplyDelete