When my daughter woke up today, she told me it felt like she had pink eye.  I looked at her eye, and it seemed fine to me.  I said she had to go to school.

Later I got a phone call from the school to come get her.  Her eye was red, puffy, and gunky.  She was right – another round of pink eye.

I’ve now lost count of the number of times my daughter has had it.  She says eight times.  That sounds about right.  I don’t know why she is so susceptible to eye infections.  My boys each had pink eye once, several years ago, and have never had it again.

Her teacher mentioned that she got it a few times when she started teaching.  Someone recommended washing her eyes with diluted Johnson’s baby wash to clean her eyes thoroughly and prevent it, and she didn’t get pink eye anymore.  We may have to try that and see if it works for my daughter.

When I called the doctor’s office, they said pink eye is going around.  Thankfully, we can get her started on antibiotic eye drops quickly and have her eye better – and not contagious anymore – in 24 hours.

That brings me to my point.  Today for my thankfulness project, I’m thankful for medicine – both prescription and non-prescription varieties.  It’s a blessing to easily get medication that will help or resolve a health issue.

I do have a healthy dose of skepticism about pharmaceuticals, and I try to do my homework about anything that is recommended.  Sometimes the possible side effects aren’t worth the potential benefit.  And I’ve heard about too many drugs that are later determined to be dangerous after they’ve already been in use.

Obviously, it’s important to be wise about medicines.  With that in mind, I’m thankful they’re available!