Well, its been tender the last couple of days, but she wont let me touch it or look at it. anyway, today, I happened to see her ear, and it was full of little spots of blood EEK!
I convinced her to let me have a look, and guess what I saw? this:
Yep, that's a massive paralasys tick in my daughter's ear, and its all spotted with blood. It must have been there at least since Saturday. While freaking internally, I remained calm, and tried to get it out with a pair of tweezers. It's pretty tender, and she wouldn't let me near it.
We googled ticks, and read to her about them, and about lyme disease, and other stuff. We watched videos of ticks on YouTube. We tried to remove it again. no luck. Purple started suggesting that we should take her to the hospital. Well, I'm pretty against that, but I'll go if its really needed. I just dont want going to see a Dr to be our first option. for Purple, though, Dr is the first option every time.
Anyway... in the end, we decided to head for the hospy. Stupid idea, I guess I just needed someone to support me in my thought that we dont need to go. but, as usual, its me convincing Purple that we can handle it, and I just didn't have the energy. I didn't want to be responsible if she got sick from it. Whatever.
We got there, the nurse was really nice and really gentle. She let Littletree take her time, and talk about it and what not. Littletree held really still for her, and breathed through it as she tried to remove the tick. The nurse almost got it, but not quite, and by then Littletree had had enough, and it hurt too much for her to agree to further treatment. The nurse didn't want to try again, and we waited for the dr.
He showed up, was of course overworked and didn't have much time for us. He just wanted me to hold Littletree down so he could pull the tick out. She freaked out (of course) and he was all business and hurried and insensitive; he tried to get me to hold her down, and get Purple to hold her hands, and the nurse to hold her feet.
Of course, DD got hysterical. I stopped holding her and let her breathe for a bit. Then the Dr started talking to the nurse, mostly just ignoring us. He actually said (are you sitting down?) "Let's get a sheet to wrap her tightly in so she can't move, then you can hold her head hard so she can't get away, and I'll pull it out".
I looked at him and said "how would you treat an adult if they were resisting in this way?" he didn't really answer me, looked away and mumbled something about how an adult wouldn't in this situation. I didn't say to him what I wanted to, coz I had this thought in the back of my mind that I didnt want them to call DoCS (CPS) for us refusing her treatment.
We said we didn't want to traumatise her any more, and we'd take her home and try to do it when she's sleeping tonight, and got outta there quick smart! that fucking quack actually wanted to tie my daughter down while she was screaming hysterically as if he didn't realise she's a human being and has feelings.
Sigh, anyway, we waited till she was deeply asleep and tried to take it out again. No Still no luck; she woke up screaming. What to do. I'll keep trying.
****Update****
so the next day, we still didn't manage to get it out, but not for want of trying, but I think I killed it in sone attempt in the evening.
The next morning, it was clearly dead, and turned into a slightly more accessable position. Littletree decided that since its dead, it wont hold on tight, and it would come out easily. I actually held her down for half a minute, but not violently so, and whipped it out, all oozing black goo.
so; its OUT!! :)
thanks to all the well-wishers
Posts
You might be able to gently lift it up with tweezers and slide some thread around the head. You can tie it and see if you can lift it out in that way. Because it is at such an awkward angle, that will help you lift it straight up. I'm sure there's not much room right there for those tweezers!
ReplyDeleteSome eucalyptus oil put on the area ahead of time may help with any soreness and pain. Also, having her sing, or engage in something with her hands while you're working will be a wonderful distraction. A very cold, damp cloth may also help with some numbing.
Good luck. Ticks are so stinkin' sneaky!!
Don't use vaseline. When I had a deer tick we just waited for it to finish feeding and it fell out.
ReplyDeleteMy husband suggested spraying her ear with tick repellent?
We used nail polish remover to remove the big ones when I was a little kid, but I guess that's not so good!
I hope you get it out soon.
Ticks freak me out! It's probably not the best solution so I'm not really recomending it just offering what I would do. I'd giver her something to help her sleep a little harder so she wouldn't wake up while I removed it. That's way there's no trama getting it out.
ReplyDeletePoor thing! Doctors can be such jerks. I'd rather treat stuff at home than have to see one.
Lucia needed a shot one time - I think she was 5, and naturally she was scared and crying and didn't want to do it. I was trying to talk to her and calm her, and I had her in my lap with my arms around her. The nurse didn't want to give us time alone to talk it over, and she was getting impatient - she obviously had other children waiting to be mentally tortured. She'd also made it clear that my respecting my daughter's feelings was, to her, a clear sign of incompetence. When the nurse approached with the needle, Lucia started to squirm, and the nurse said - quite forcefully, "Hold her down! Just hold her down!" I was so shocked that someone would use those words in reference to my daughter, that I completely let go of Lucia, at which point she slipped off my lap and made for the door, screaming, "NO!" and shoving the nurse out of her way in the process. She threw open the door and just bolted the hell out of there. Her boldness snapped me out of my stupor. I thought, "Wow! I would never have felt powerful enough to do something like that when I was her age." Smiling, I told the nurse we wouldn't be coming back, and I left her standing there with her mouth hanging open and the needle dangling limply from her hand. I found Lucia wandering out in the corridors looking for an exit sign. We eventually had to get the shot, but not until we'd found a more sensitive person to administer it. It's amazing how many medical professionals seem to forget that they are working with people, not pin cushions.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it's out! Made me a little weak reading about what your poor daughter was going through!
ReplyDeleteoh my. my bliss goes out to you for how well you handled the situation. They regularly papoose children in dental offices here, in the states.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that Littletree told that tick to get out!
oh my. my bliss goes out to you for how well you handled the situation. They regularly papoose children in dental offices here, in the states.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that Littletree told that tick to get out!
oh my. my bliss goes out to you for how well you handled the situation. They regularly papoose children in dental offices here, in the states.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that Littletree told that tick to get out!
Some countrty hospitals have not got it togeather man...
ReplyDeleteWhat that quack was saying is cruel...
To my knowledge any viscious fluid will drown any insect in a place like your ear or any oriface. Olive oil was the favorite at the doctors that i knew..
This was the practise for ants. bees, etc...
Tea-tree is a common one in Australia for any bite...
Put a few drops of on the critter and they WILL die ...
Love to you and yours
To majikfaerie and holly: You guys are a bunch of idiots. The doc and nurse were doing their job, and if what they said wasn't cuddly enough for you or your little dear babies, get a life. Just let them do what they have to, to get rid of the tic or whatever, and go home. You two have a lot to learn in life...I just feel bad for your kids if they are as sheltered as you obviously were.
ReplyDeleteNo offense but When bringing a child to the doctor it is not the doctors job (especially in the ER) to comfort your child and make them behave. You come to get a tick out then thats what they are gonna do. I find it very poor parenting that you would allow a child to dictate when treatment was finished and even worse parenting you left the facility with some of the tick still intact. I would have done WHATEVER it took to remove the tick. Even children however young they are need to realize at some point a little pain is necessary when it comes to your health. POOR CHOICE!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my these 2 above are unfeeling & callous!
ReplyDeleteI agree, a simple painless treatment is far better, & putting a drop or 2 of tea tree oil or some natural insecticide would be far less intrusive & heartless to a little child who deserves caring & compassion from everyone on the planet actually, esp caregivers such as Doctors!
But it seems the world becomes more heartless each passing day.
Hello everyone. My family grew up in Calvary, GA and this is an all too common occurance. My great aunt would wait till the child/adult was asleep, then pour warm castor oil on the ear. The tic always let's go and crawls out on its ow., big or small. Hope this is helpful. Best of luck to all.
ReplyDelete