As I mentioned in a previous post, my family is dealing with a lice outbreak courtesy of my sons’ school. It’s embarrassing even though it can happen to anyone. I needed help to deal with my hair especially, but I was too ashamed to call anyone and ask, but I did pass on the info to our church just so someone would send out an e-mail that it was possible everyone had been exposed.
Then a couple nights ago, my good friend and Relief Society president called to ask how we were doing and she offered help. A couple people had offered to help with our laundry. I was really nervous about that because I figured it would up their chances of getting it. I told her what I needed the most was someone to go through my hair because it had to be done every day for the next two weeks or so and my husband was gone for long hours during the week. My mom came over two days in a row, but that’s hard for her to keep up and she has arthritis in her hand.
I was so touched that my friend said she would do it. I wasn’t comfortable with just anyone and I didn’t want to ask and make anyone feel obligated. I figured if I vacuumed thoroughly and provided a new shower cap for her, she wouldn’t get it. I feel pretty certain she won’t because all she found were some nits in my hair and she wasn’t 100% positive that’s what they were.
I joked with her, “It’s like the Atonement. I can’t do this for myself.” I can’t stand situations where I can’t do it without help, but it made my day to hear her say, “I would do anything for you!” I’m grateful for that answered prayer. There are also some blessings in disguise from this situation:
1. It got us all to clean really well.
2. My son let me cut his hair without complaining for the first time in years.
3. I got to have my kids home with me.
4. I bet if they had gone to school, they might have gotten something worse like the flu. And as awful as this is, it’s not life threatening and I’m grateful I’m not racing anyone to the ER. I’ll never forget when my son couldn’t stop vomiting and his temperature was 104 and climbing. I didn’t even wait for the thermometer to finish registering before I high-tailed it to the hospital.
5. I feel blessed to have others reach out to me in love.
6. I will be able to help friends through this situation someday and be able to offer the same kind of help. I thought this was one trial I would never be able to handle, but it didn’t gross me out near as much as I thought it would. I could see myself helping someone with their lustrous head of hair.
Tomorrow I’ll be staying home from church even though I think I’m probably safe, but I don’t want anyone looking at me like I have cooties.
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