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It’s been busy here at home.  Ingrid’s had some kind of eye infection.  It looked like pink eye to me.  About a day later, I got it in my left eye.  I was so busy it felt like it came on suddenly, but that’s probably not the case.  By the time I noticed it, the doctor’s office was already closed, and I normally like to see how things develop before I go in.

I will say, I’ve had an eye staph infection before, that was pretty serious.  The fact that this infection did not resemble that one made me a bit more laid back about it.  That one was hard and swollen.  This time my eye was swelling but remaining soft and without any pain.  Just a lot of drainage.

So I pulled out my books that I’ve been trying to learn on herbs and essential oils.  Neither book had any information on pink eye or eye infections.  While I will say that I am certain that antibiotics saved my life with the staph infection I had in the past, I avoid them like crazy.  I no longer take them “just in case.”  I try everything else first.  Especially since I’m nursing, and Ingrid has never had any antibiotics, and one of my other kids is sensitive to at least one kind, and you never know how a 5 month old will react to a new medication.

So for Ingrid, I just used breastmilk to clean her eye, since that solves so much in my experience, and by the end of the day it was looking slightly better.  At least not worse, and she had no fever, though she definitely was not herself.  I also talked to a friend, and confirmed online that wet tea bags on the eyes provides relief so I tried that for myself and it was very helpful.  I also thought for myself I would use an immune system booster that I picked up at the health food store a few weeks earlier.  I’ve been reading all about it, called “Elderberry syrup.”  I looked at the ingredient list, and it all seemed like nothing too big.  I wanted to avoid antibiotics, so the natural solution is to boost my body’s ability to defend itself against infections.

About 2 hours after taking just a teaspoon of the syrup I was getting dizzy.  Knut has been working 20 hour shifts on the farm every day as the seeds need to get in the ground before any more rain.  My stomach started turning, and as it was approaching bedtime, I got the little ones there as quick as I could, got the chicks enough food and water to at least see them through the night and then entrusted Ingrid into Silje’s hands for a few moments as I went to the bathroom to throw up for awhile.

I want my kids to learn to serve others, but I have to admit, nothing gets at my conscience like needing them to help.  Like, somehow it’s totally fine to train them to help, but needing their help is wrong.  I’m not sure where that line is, but I really had no choice.

My mind was racing the whole time.  Silje couldn’t watch Ingrid for long.  What was I going to do?  She needed to get to bed too.  Knut was in the field and it was impossible for him to come help with Ingrid who wouldn’t go down for another hour or two at the earliest.  I felt so weak and shaking from the vomiting that I was afraid I would drop Ingrid had I tried to hold her.  I could lay next to her, but this was her fussy time, and I knew she wouldn’t want to stay like that.  Knut’s mom has been running ragged helping her aging mom through some health issues, and I didn’t want spreading this eye infection in that direction for health reasons.

I called Knut, and he called his cousin, Liv.  She grew up on the farm like Knut as their dads were not only brothers but business partners.  She has just finished up the school year as a teacher at a private school near us.  She understood the stress and exhaustion of planting.  She was available, and super helpful.  She rushed over, and bounced the baby for a few hours while I rested, and I soon started to eat and drink again, which was around 11pm.  Besides the eye draining still, I was feeling almost completely recuperated so I sent her home, even though she offered to stay the night if I needed it.

I don’t know if it was the elderberry syrup for sure, or just the infection hitting me like a doozy, or just the lack of sleep and stress of planting falling on me all at once.  I was just starting to relax on Sunday and Monday, and that tends to be when all the “catch up” sickness happens.

At any rate, through all of that, I got to see Liv.  I had my sweet friend out, and she helped and served me in such a Christ-like way.  Not only did I physically feel better, but mentally I felt better.

The next day both Ingrid’s eyes and mine looked much better.

I took us both to the chiropractor because I felt myself wearing thin and just having a lot of physical work that I’ve had to do in Knut’s place.  My neck was really messed up and when he asked what I’ve been doing, I thought about the sleepless nights.  I thought about how I moved 50 lb bags of chick feed around with my 100 lb tiny body, and carried buckets of water across the yard.  I thought about being on my feet all day, and bearing the load of disciplining kids who missed their daddy and bringing heavy baskets of laundry up and down the stairs.

I couldn’t help but think that the wear and tear on my body was letting this eye infection give way.  So I went in and got all realigned.  It was Ingrid’s first time getting an adjustment and it was ridiculously simple.  She liked him a lot.  Although, he had to fix so much with me he recommended that I ice my neck that evening.  I didn’t get a chance to do that until about 11pm.

Knut was home for supper that evening.  It rained.  I was sore from being ill the day before, and from the adjustment.  I was cranky, and he helped that all smooth over with the kids.  It was amazing having him home.  He was barely standing as well, as he’s only had 4 hours of sleep each day this week  and ate his meals gradually over hours in the tractor.  He was in bed not long after the kids were there.

Through all that, I didn’t really fall apart until I went to bed.  It was about 11:30.  I had finally gotten Ingrid to sleep, and was bringing her up to her cradle next to our bed.  As soon as I got up there, I realized that I had cleaned her sheets to try to rid them of any lingering germs, and the crib sheets and her blanket were still in the washing machine downstairs.

So I had to lay her in our bed as I searched around for something to use as a sheet, and then I had to go into the girls room and get another small blanket for her.  She was all awake again, but I laid her in her cradle, and reached for one of the 3 pacifiers that had collected in our room, and couldn’t find one.  We have 4 pacifiers in the house, and for some reasons 3 of them had ended up in our bedroom the day before.  She was starting to kick and coo and I was frantically looking everywhere for them.  Finally I left her there and took my sore body downstairs again, and found the 4th one in the living room.  I got back to her and settled her down, which took another 30 minutes or so.

I was so wiped when I finally laid down.  I moved only to remove the 3 pacifiers that I was laying on under the covers.  They’re somewhere on the floor now as I threw each of them in frustration.

About 10 minutes later she pooped loudly and messed up her diaper, pajamas, and makeshift bedding…of course.  Sigh. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry.

This morning my right eye was crusted shut.  I guess I’m not quite over this.  Knut is home because of the rain, and he let me sleep in until 9am.  Good man.  He had the kids doing their chores, and so the house was cleaner than when I had gone to bed.  He’s going to run errands later today, but overall, I think the rain will keep him home for a few days at least.  I know he’s aching to finish the last of the planting, but I must admit, I’m so grateful for the rain.