Sick House - Pink Eye

Sick is running through our house.   Actually, sick has been living here for a while, it takes a week or two vacation, but, then it's back, infecting one kid, two kids, or all five of us.  All at once, one at a time... but consistently there is something lurking around.

Julia has pink eye.   On top of that she has had a dry hacking cough, runny nose and low grade fever for the past week.  She woke up Sunday morning with one eye glued shut, screaming because she didn't know what was going on, nose running, coughing up a storm, she was a mess.  It does wonders for those lovely mood swings too :).  Off we go to the Gama Medical Clinic in Warman, I love it there.  The doctors are great with the kids. Dr. Franco saw Jules, confirmed my diagnosis and gave her viscous drops to treat the pink eye, and quarantined her at home until Tuesday (very contagious) so we could get a round of medication in her eyes.  Has anyone ever tried to give a sick, grumpy four-year old viscous drops in their eyes?  Well let me tell you, fun times!  I have to psych myself up as much as Julia to get her to stay still long enough to get them in there.  The "drop" comes out as a gelly type blop, it warms and turns to liquid.  I get it.  I understand the concept.  It makes sense.  Drop in the gel, it warms, melts and spreads to the eye.  Great for an adult.  For a four-year old?  Not so great.  Picture this, I lie Julia down on the bed, holding her there with my legs so she can't escape.  Feeling really good about this whole thing at this point.  She knows what's coming, I know what's coming.  I have to do both eyes (the other one is infected this morning as well).  She has to keep her eyes open, ha!  I have to hold her eye open and "drop" the gel into the pocket, ya right.  Julia is then supposed to gently close her eye, not touch it, not move while it warms and melts and spreads over the eye.  At this point I am holding Julia's arms to her chest because she wants to reach up and rub her eyes to get the "owie" out of them.   In reality, she slams that eye shut, crying and squirming, squeezing it together as hard as she can, asking me to make it better right now mommy, right now, please! (crack goes my heart) ... how much of that stuff is actually staying in there I wonder?  So viscous drops, no, I don't recommend that for a four-year old, the old fashioned run-everywhere type drop works better.  At least then you have a hope of getting them in there quickly, apply a kleenex to whatever is dripping and you are done.  Did I mention that the viscous doesn't melt right away?  It sits there, where it is dropped, and takes some time to melt.  All this with the squeezing, thrashing, crying, pleading... fun times.
Danette