I’ve gotten a bit sidetracked from posting our trip pictures the past few days because I had a new mountain of laundry to conquer. Carter started itching and scratching while we were on vacation and in the back of my head I knew what it was, but thought maybe it was a coincidence — hoped it was coincidence. Our closest friends had been infected with scabies (somehow, no one knows) before Christmas and had been treated, but since it’s spread through close contact and we are close, it was inevitable. Our boys run between the houses and mine sleep over so if their kids all had it, mine probably would too.
*** side note: I always thought scabies was an STD (thanks it being included in Mom’s medical book with all the STD photos), but it’s not. It’s a little mite that burrows under the skin and it doesn’t jump from person to person, but is only transferred through extended close contact like handholding, sleeping in the same bed, or rubbing an open wound against someone who is infected. It doesn’t survive long without a host, so Mom, no need to fear that you’re going to pick up some friends during your visit.
When Carter ended up with raw spots and scabs on his hands and wrists from scratching and I started feeling prickles of itching on my neck, I called and made an appointment. Since our friends had already been diagnosed the doctor thought it was best to treat it as scabies, but the pharmacy was out of the treatment (our friends got the last of it) and wouldn’t get any in for another week. However, Carter couldn’t go to school until he had been treated. He thought that was awesome, but my Sister Wife came to the rescue. It’s a two part treatment where you rub poison lotion all over every square inch of your body (of every person in the household) and that immediately kills them. Then you wash all your linens and any clothing that has been worn. Repeat the entire process again in 2 weeks. They had completed phase 1 so gave us the rest of the lotion and when I pick up my poison in a week, I’ll give them half. We shared the bugs and we’ll share our drugs.
The funniest part was while applying the lotion last night the kids started making up songs about scabies:
Sung to Justin Beiber’s “Baby” (in case you’re not familiar: baby)
Scabies, scabies, scabies . . . oh! I’ve got scabies, scabies, scabies . . . oh!”
and What Does the the Scabies say? (fox video)
Add in naked, dancing, butt-wiggling Camille and I couldn’t help but laugh.
So we are currently bug free, but drowning in laundry. Well, I was drowning yesterday. Then I got a message that Josie was back early from her vacation and God bless her, she put everything right today. Hoping the rest of 2014 is bug free!