Little did I know

“Oh, poor me, I have to give my kid eyedrops!”, I said melodramatically in yesterday’s post, not having attempted it yet. “It will probably be hard!”

I have never underestimated the magnitude of anything so much in my life.

Bug screamed so much when we tried to give him his drops that he threw up on me. He clamped his eyelids shut with such force that veins were popping out of his eyelids and neck. It took both me and Lorso to pin him down and pry his eyes open, and 15 minutes later, when we finally accomplished our mission, he sobbed and sobbed, clinging desperately to my neck. I rocked him like I used to when he was an infant in our glider until he fell asleep, vomit residue still in his mouth, and hair still wet and uncombed from his bath.

I think I still haven’t recovered from the trauma.

But he woke up in a good mood, and even talked solemnly about the medicine he was going to have to have again this morning, ending his discussion with a somber, “I’m ready to take my medicine now, Daddy.”

But it was the same thing all over again (sans vomit, thank goodness).

My brother and sister kept him for me today so that I could save one of my sick days and go to work. So I hope that my kidneys don’t ever decide to conk out, because I think there are a few favors that are considered Trump Favors, meaning once someone’s done that favor for you, they are no longer contractually obligated to do anything else for you, ever. Like give you one of their kidneys. Or, say, be a surrogate mother for you. Or give your kid eyedrops. And now I’ve used that one up on both of them.

Damn, they would probably have been good matches, too.

6 Comments

Filed under Bug, life in our house

6 responses to “Little did I know

  1. bebe

    I remember well having to put drops in Sarah’s eye. It is amazing how strong that eyelid muscle is…who would have thunk? Hope it gets easier…lots easier.

  2. Elizabeth

    that doesn’t sound fun at all…i hope that he is feeling better super soon and that the drop drama ends even sooner…motherhood scares me some (like, 364) days

  3. I generally feel like that when I try to give MYSELF eyedrops.

  4. Ben

    My eyes are getting itchy just reading your blog today. Did you inadvertantly infect my computer with pink eye? Wait, oh no, my eyes are watering. I’m getting teary. Blasted blog that brings me such great joy on a daily basis! Why have you turned against my eyes?!!! I think I need to puke…..

  5. Okay, I really do hate know-it-all moms, so please take this only for what it’s worth to you. I don’t know it all, but having 3 boys has taught me lots that I didn’t know 13 years ago. Give Bug as MUCH control over the eyedrop situation as you can. “Do you want to lie on the couch or the bed?” Do you want to do them at 3:30 or 4:00? Do you want to watch TV afterwards or a video? Do you want me to do your left or right eye first?” Then bribe the heck out of him. Give him something that he REALLY likes afterwards, but only if he does a better job than the time before. Because the reality is, while eye drops are not pleasant, they really aren’t THAT bad, y’know? It’s just different and a bit scary, and that makes for an incredible trauma for a tiny person. Keep at it, and good luck!

  6. Sose

    i’m sitting here, trying to decide which was was more traumatic….years of my own eyedrops/eye surgeries/eye troubles or giving my nephew eye drops once……

    that’s a tough one…..

    i would still give you a kidney though….because i’m the best sister ever! (and i could milk that one for a long time…)

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