Mild Eyeball Peril Caused by Little String of Sweater Fluff

So it all started this morning on my drive to the GO Station. I thought the stinging, poking pain in my right eye (every time I blinked) was just a result of rogue mascara or an eyelash. When I got to the parking lot, I peered anxiously into the car mirror searching for something - anything - that would be causing all this blinking and tearing, but I found nothing. This stinging pain and tearing continued intermittently for the rest of the morning. I confessed to my co-worker that I thought I had pink eye! I was certain that my symptoms (which represented 3 to 4 of the 8 listed on those trustworthy medical sites) matched half the typical pink eye symptoms. My co-worker assured me, that the condition would most likely include a 'gooey discharge' from the affected eye. This, I had not. Still, unconvinced, I moaned and complained and continued to attempt to view (in my boss's mirror) the eyeball stowaway that was causing my pain. Finally, my co-worker (bless her persistence) marched over to my desk and demanded I tilt my head back, and open my eye wide so she could have a look. And lo and behold, but what did she find in my right eye!? A thin, thread of fluff that she diagnosed to have probably come from my white sweater. Now, armed with this new information (and relieved that I probably did not have pink eye; Side note: the pink eye theory was not really that far-fetched, I visited with an out-of-town friend on Sunday who was suffering from pink eye recently, and hugged her) I successfully spotted this little fluffy bugger myself, in my boss' trusty mirror. Unfortunately, another co-worker and my boss materialized at the exact time that I was poking and prodding my eye in my boss' office. Admirably, they were both concerned - one running to get me eye drops to flush out the culprit and my boss then peering into my eye to catch a glimpse of this thread that was causing all the fuss. Once I realized that I was absolutely useless at placing eye drops in my eye, my boss then proceeded to do it for me. This did not work as hoped. And the afternoon progressed with more of my moaning and complaining and attempted removal of invading eye thread. But, don't give up hope yet.... there is a happy ending to the story. Finally, after getting really exhausted of all the tearing and eye stinging (if I had to describe it, I'd say that my eye was bathed in scalding water laden with razor blades) I paid a visit to the ladies' room, where there was a wall mirror one could stand directly in front of, without obstacles. With a few pokes and some strategically placed Kleenex, I successfully removed that nasty, uninvited stringy eye thread! Then, I was finally able to proceed with what precious few hours remained of my work day.

A special thanks to:
- co-worker D - for identifying the pesky eye thread, and squashing my pink eye paranoia
- co-worker R - for providing eye drops
- boss L - for placing eye drops in my right eye; for listening to my relentless complaining; and for the all around support and encouragement for the mild eye peril I was enduring
- co-worker C - for putting up with my endless complaints and gross exaggerations ("My right eye feels like it is bathed in acid")

Much love and hugs to all involved. Me, and my right eye, thank you. =)