Everyday when I arrive at school we have to check in and check out the boys on the school's computer. It is a pretty good system and tracks exactly down to the second what time you pick up and drop off. It is also good for sharing updates and announcements because when you check in and out it is a requirement for the parents to also read the messages (I guess that is the school's way to make sure their messages are being heard). Usually the messages are: don't forget to pay your bill before the end of the day on Friday, We are having a special musical guest on Tuesday, and school pictures are Thursday.
Monday afternoon when I stopped to pick up the boys, I went to the computer to check out the boys and the big message box appeared. Not thinking anything special of it, I opened the message to read, "A case of lice was found in the 2 year old room today, please take all of your child's personal belongings home to wash." WHAT???? I turned around to the directors desk who is right inside the door. Please tell me a little bit more about the message today. She started, "Yes, unfortunately we found a little girl in the 2 year old room who had lice. She went home and we are taking every measure possible to avoid the spread. Please take home any backpacks, jackets, blankets and wash them." Lovely I said and continued onto pick up the boys in their classroom.
Exiting the school as quickly as possible and without touching anything, I loaded the boys into the car and asked them if they had touched anyone at school... Gabriel/Michael you didn't hug or touch anyone today did you? Looking at me like I asked them to list of the names of the US Presidents in order of service, they looked at me, then at each other and shrugged their shoulders. I don't know Mom Gabriel said. Starting to freak out, I explain that someone at school as lice and that we have to go home take off all of their clothes and take a hot shower just to be safe.
As we pulled into the garage, I unloaded the boys and closed the garage door before going into the house. Standing at the door going into the house I told the boys to take off all of their clothes in the garage, leave their shoes outside and once they had done that they could enter the house by throwing all of their clothes into the washing machine, which is so conveniently located right inside the door from the garage. Again looking at me with a confused look Gabriel said, "Mom, you want me and Michael to get naked in the garage?" Yes, honey that is exactly what I want you to do.
They must have sensed my urgency and concern as they did exactly what I said without saying, "But Mom" (which recently Gabriel has learned is a way to question everything I ask him to do). Upon entering the house the boys ran straight to the shower which I scrubbed every inch of their body and hair for 20 minutes each. Finally feeling like they had been decontaminated, I let them out of the shower into their pajamas to enjoy the rest of the evening.
That was day 1.
Day 2: Hoping the one case of lice in the 2 year old room was just a fluke and isolated case, I sent the boys back to school on Tuesday with specific instructions not to touch anyone. If someone wants to give you a high five or let them play with their toy, backpack, blanket, anything, just say NO. If they ask why, just tell them my mom says I can't touch anything or anyone until she says it is safe again. (Okay I know I've gone off the deep end on this but seriously I cannot have any part of this in our home or family). The boys seems very agreeable to the order and went to school with the smile on their face and the rule in their mind.
At pick up on Tuesday afternoon I prayed that the message screen would NOT appear and it would just be a normal pick up as most other days have been. As I opened the door to the front desk a whole gaggle of parents were gathered around the directors desk. That should have been my first sign. I proceed to the computer and checked them out. Immediately the message screen appeared. I clicked to open it. "Unfortunately we have had multiple (no number listed) other cases of LICE in all of our 2 year old rooms, and our 3 year old rooms, please take all personal belongings home and wash them with hot water." YIKES! Immediately rushing to Michael's room to get him out of the disaster zone I ran into his teacher who said, "I'm so sorry we had a case of lice in our classroom today. We've checked all of the other children including Michael and he is fine but just make sure to wash everything he is wearing and his jacket in hot water. You'll just want to check his hair over the next few days to make sure you don't see anything. Feeling hot and sweaty I politely said thank you and ran out of the school with both of them running behind saying "Mom, wait for me!"
In the car, feeling overwhelmed with the outbreak that seems to be apparent in the school, I said, "I'm going to pray to God that you boys do not get lice." Saying it more as a statement of desperation, in please don't let this be happening, the boys took what I said literally. All of a sudden I hear Gabriel from the back seat, "Dear God, mom says we need to pray to you so Michael and I don't get mice" I couldn't help but burst into laughter, you are right Gabriel lets just say a prayer right now. "Dear God, please protect Gabriel and Michael, and for that matter Mommy, Daddy and Jack so we do NOT get lice. Amen!"
Given them the run down again of what had to happen from the moment we pulled into the garage, the boys got out of their car seats, stripped down in the garage, threw their clothes in the washer which I washed in super hot water for 2 hours, and immediately went into the bathtub. I told them we were going to scrub all up again and they went all along with it Thankfully (thank you GOD) the boys have no signs and according to their teacher have not been in contact with the children who have it, but I am taking every precaution possible to make sure we do not bring this experience into our lives. We continue to break out in prayer every few hours just to make sure our prayers are being heard above loudly and clearly.
In fact the boys were able to have a play date with dad. Making the decision it wasn't worth entering the danger zone for a third day, today the boys spent an exciting day at home with their daddy. It was a wonderful day, or at least it seemed, the house wasn't in total ruins when I got home and they all seemed to be very happy that all the boys got to spend the day playing with cars, Lego's and blocks.
Tomorrow they'll be going back to the war zone and I'll reinforce the no touching rule. I'm just counting down the days until the weekend when we hope what ever danger is left at the school can be eliminated before Monday.
Oh life is exciting these days, as if we didn't have enough excitement, adding in lice at the school is about as much excitement as I can handle. Lets just hope it stays at the school.
Until next time, I'll be scrubbing, decontaminating, inspecting and praying!
Angie
