There's a Fungus Among Us

We think. That's kind of gross, right? Here, let me explain.

Emily has a little bald patch on the back of her head, slightly off center to the right. I noticed it about a week ago, and said something to Travis about it. He said "oh yea, she had some hair come out after her bath a few weeks ago." He typically gives her baths while I do dinner dishes. I was kind of surprised that he wouldn't say something about that...

Of course my mind jumped to the worst possible conclusions on my wee-one's hair loss. But, I tried to stay calm and think of other explanations. The in-law's came over for dinner on Sunday, and I showed my mother-in-law. She suggested taking her to the doctor, just to be safe.

I know, rather safe than sorry.

So yesterday I called the nurse's line first, hoping that they could easily explain it away. They asked a billion questions like was it itching? painful? red? was she pulling at it? did she complain of pain? using new bath soap? lots of pony tails? etc....

No. The answer is mostly no to all those questions. She just has a thin spot, which is weird in itself. I thought, maybe, that she was losing some baby hair? The nurse nicely told me that that doesn't really happen. Ok. They suggested taking her in to the doctor as well, just to be safe. Ok! I get it. I'll take her in. We hung up, and the nurse called back not 5 minutes later to suggest that maybe it was ringworm. Ringworm!?!? No, it's not ringworm. I know what that looks like and this isn't it. But again, we'd rather be safe than sorry.

I was able to get an appointment for Emily yesterday, kind of right away. Shocking! Anyway, the doctor looked at it, we ruled out all the other possible things that I discussed with the nurse, and she finally decided that it could have been a fungus. Basically because it was just one patch. The hair is already starting to grow back though, so it's not ongoing or contagious. Phew!

She prescribed a topical anti-fungal cream that we get to use for 2 weeks, and then we go see a dermatologist just to make sure it's really gone. So, that's going to cost me a pretty penny. For what is probably nothing.

So now I have to wash all of Emily's sheets, pillows, hats, stuffed animals, etc. She gets to have a gunky head for two weeks. But, if it "cures" whatever is going on there and her hair comes back in, then it's worth it.

Oh the glamorous life of a parent...

Side note: did you know there was a lunar eclipse last night resulting in the very rare blood moon? I did not get up at 2:30 in the morning to check it out, but I'm seeing pictures from Facebook friends. Did you see it?