Tick

WARNING: Pictures to follow

Sometimes a week can be full of adventures.  Last week was one of those weeks.

Tuesday morning when I went to fix Paylynn's hair in a french braid, I felt something.  I thought maybe dried shampoo or a scab.  I searched the spot and saw what at first glance was maybe a scab but when I looked closer I noticed there were legs and then quickly knew it was a tick burrowed in her scalp.  I literally went into worse case scenario thoughts of "oh my gosh my child has lyme disease" and panic mode set in.  I don't do bugs or insects or spiders or snakes.  Nope I just get heeby jeebies and freak out.  Yes I am that person you wold see swatting at the air and it could just be a strand of hair on my arm.

Now I have had to look our older son over when he would return home from boy scout camping trips.  And I prayed that I would not encounter one and thankfully never did.  I have heard about ticks but honestly I just don't go in search of them.   Who really does?  And I sure don't think to check my kids over since I don't live in a wooded area.  I do have a ditch behind our yard but really I just don't think much about that as I don't let the kids play back behind our fence.  That was until Tuesday morning.

For some reason, calling my husband at work seemed like the sure thing to do.  Why? Because really what was he going to do?!  He must have gotten on his phone but he walked me through what to do.  Grab the tick by the head and pull upwards then wipe down the spot with alcohol.  Ok I had to get over the fear of grabbing a live bug that was attacked to my daughter's scalp.  So I grabbed and freaked.  I took a breathe and grabbed again and pulled upwards but no luck  that ugly tick was stuck and held on.  I had no idea that they embedded into the skin and were quite hard to remove.  Search on youtube for a video removal of a tick and you will see how the skin actually pulls up as it it being removed.  YUCK!  Anyways I called for Brady, yes I am such a wimp.  By this time I had all the kids in my bathroom all worried about Paylynn. And Paylynn remained calm.  I asked Brady what he knew about ticks from scouts.  He actually knew quite a bit so I gave him the tweezers and told him what he needed to do.  He took the tweezers and I held the bowl.  He was my hero!   Plus maybe the offering of $ was a bit more enticement to get that nasty tick out of her scalp.  But it came out.  I quickly examined Paylynn's scalp and noticed nothing left behind and wiped the area with an alcohol swab.

Once removed I put it in a baggie and then a jar with a lid.  After I took the kids to school, I did end up calling the doctor office to see if I needed to be doing anything else. The nurse said watch the area and if she comes down with flu like symptoms then to bring her in.  I also searched the other kids scalp and backs but told them to look their bodies over really good after school.  I will admit that the rest of the day I just like had bugs on me.  I did wash sheets the next day.  Overload...probably but hey if it puts my mind ease then so be it.