A simple selfie under the trees became a lesson every parent remembers. A mother enjoyed a quiet walk, a child hugged in close, and nature felt harmless. The picture looked sweet, then a tiny intruder changed the frame. Curiosity turned to action, because vigilance matters in wild places. What followed mixed fear and care, as one family moved fast, trusted calm hands, and learned how a small parasite can upend a day without warning.
Blueberries, family, and the third presence in the frame
A family trip to the Swedish countryside set the scene. Alessandra Paiusco, 33, from Uppsala, spent the day on a farm about an hour away with her parents, Marco, 63, and Lea, 57, plus her children, Leonidas, nearly 3, and Olympia, 1. They headed into the woods to pick blueberries, and they also hoped for chanterelles, the yellow-orange mushrooms many foragers prize.
The day felt perfect because the children bonded as they tasted berries. Alessandra said she was “melting” while they ate and played. Back at home, she checked herself and the children for ticks, and everything looked fine. Nothing stood out, so the evening stayed calm. Sleep came easy, yet morning soon revealed what the lens had missed.
At dawn she saw it “right away” on Olympia’s lash line. A close look confirmed a tick clinging to an eyelash. A small body hid in a delicate place, so any home removal felt risky. The sweet photo now held a threat, the third presence no one invited.
From quick check to road trip for care and proof in a close-up
Unsure how to proceed, Alessandra asked the farm’s owner to confirm the tiny shape. Because they knew the dangers, they advised a drive to the nearest healthcare center in Tierp, about 45 minutes away. Distance mattered less than safety, and time mattered because the tick fed where tools could slip.
Before leaving, she took a close-up image to show her parents the tick’s “perfectly hidden” spot. That picture documented the problem, and it also explained the fear. The family prepared the car and planned for tears, because a child’s eye needs gentle hands and steady focus more than speed.
The original selfie now felt like a timeline. First joy, then proof, then action. She believed she had taken precautions, yet the tick may have moved from clothing or the car overnight onto the baby’s eye. Nature plays by small rules, and movement can be enough.
Hospital efforts, two hours of care, and relief after a steady hand
At the hospital, the ordeal lasted two hours. Olympia was scared, so holding still proved hard. Alessandra tried to hold her first, but the toddler kicked. Two nurses used a kind of “lasso,” and it failed. They tried three times. Breaks for breastfeeding calmed the child, and everyone breathed between attempts.
Because the tick held tight, tools had to be exact. The spot was delicate, and a slip could hurt. Patience guided each step, as the team measured angles and planned another try. A gentle approach mattered more than force, and trust built as seconds stretched.
A determined nurse named Irena removed the tick in one piece with old-school doctors’ tweezers. The tension broke, and relief filled the room. Olympia bounced back fast, so the fear eased. She got a cute zebra from the nurse and moved on. The close-up stayed as proof, while the selfie felt peaceful again.
What a tick can do, where it hides, and why awareness protects
Ticks are small, blood-sucking parasites that latch onto humans and animals. They hide in skin folds, hairlines, and even eyelashes. Wooded and grassy areas raise the risk, because leaves and tall grass give cover. A fast check helps, yet a second look in strong light helps more, as tiny legs can vanish in shadows.
The health risks are real. Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia bacteria, spreads through some tick bites. Symptoms can appear later, so memory matters during diagnosis. Tick-borne encephalitis, or TBE, is a viral infection that can affect the brain and the nervous system. Early care reduces risk, and timely advice guides next steps.
Because symptoms may wait, people should tell their GP about recent outdoor time if they feel unwell later. Simple habits lower exposure: tuck pants, use repellent, and shower soon after hikes. A mirror check catches what fingertips miss, and a phone light turns corners bright. A selfie can even flag a small shape near the eye.
Lessons from Uppsala to Tierp : prevention, removal, and calm after the scare
Alessandra shared her story on TikTok as @la.tuttologa, and the close-up image traveled fast. She told Newsweek what happened, and she described being shocked and grossed out. Sharing turned fear into awareness, because stories teach more than warnings, and images show scale better than words.
Removal at home can work on skin, but an eyelash changes the rules. Precision tools and steady people protect the eye, so a clinic remains the safe choice when the location is risky. Staff know when to stop and reset, and they know which grip keeps the head intact during extraction.
Even with precautions, a tick can shift from clothes or a car seat onto a child overnight. Washing trail clothes helps, and a bag for field gear limits spread. After removal, people should note the date, the spot, and how the tick looked. A calm record supports care, and the memory fixes the timeline the selfie began.
Why one quiet photo still matters after the long day ends well
A small insect turned a quiet day into a medical sprint, yet kindness and skill won. The family reacted fast, and the team stayed patient. A toy zebra marked the end, and normal life resumed. Risks remain, yet knowledge travels. Parents watch more closely, because awareness is simple and strong.