Motzei Shabbat

 

My story

Episode 4

Well, yesterday afternoon I was sitting at my computer innocently typing away when suddenly my eye started itching. So, naturally, I rubbed it in an attempt to get the eyelash/hair/speck of dust out. But things only got worse!

My other eye started itching, so I rubbed it too. When it felt like I had bricks in both eyes, I went to the bathroom mirror to have a  look-see. Oh my gosh, I looked like someone out of a horror movie - red, puffy eyelids and bags under my eyes - my peepers were like slits in my face!

I washed them out with water and dashed off to buy eyedrops, then came home and lay down with a cold cloth over my eyes. OK, we were making progress.

Not so fast Penelope! 

Limb by limb, my entire body started itching. I could see something was biting me, but I had no idea what.

My inflamed eyes fell upon the pile of sodden cardboard and towels that lay under my lounge window. The solar panel installers had somehow made a hole in the roof and after 3 days of rain, my carpet was saturated. It must be mosquitos or some other water-borne insect that bites, I thought!

 Back to the shop to buy a new mosquito machine.

For good measure, I sent for some antihistamine cream and tablets. I took the maximum dosage and sat near the mosquito machine, all the while rubbing antihistamine cream wherever an itchy spot raised it's head. What a sight I was!

I thought of Job in the Bible and wondered how he had managed to survive all that time being so itchy.

I don't know what my 8-year-old grandson thought - his usually calm and kind granny was running around the house scratching and crying. At a certain point, he must have thought it was probably best to leave me alone to get over myself and he went to build Lego.

Things calmed down and I retired for the night, only to wake at 2am, scratching again.

While searching for "scratching pictures" I came across some awful incidences of people with red skin, scratching away. I began to see words like "Scabies" and became affrighted, so I just picked a picture and closed all the tabs.

Being all antihistamined (according to Grammarly, this is a new word) up again, I prayerfully hope to be able to go back to sleep soon.

One thing I know: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Who has seen me through many formidable difficulties, would not abandon me to death by itching.

So I trust that when I awake, I will once again say the Modah Ani:

        

        מוֹדָה אֲִי לְפָנֶיךְ מֶלֶךְ חַי וֶקַיָם שֶׁהֶחֱזַוְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִיבְּחֶמְלָה וַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ