Runners that need some nutritional accountability
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Not yet @shanaber . We have found one place that is just a little over his budget, but something I can manage to cover if I have to. They are going to go do their evaluation tomorrow, so hopefully that will work. I have calls in to another place that is a bit cheaper, but they haven't called back. I hope your doctor's appointment goes well today and that trip sounds amazing!1
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@quilteryoyo - I hope it all works out for your cousin, Those situations can be so frustrating and stressful for the person dealing with all the arrangements. Your cousin is very lucky to have you there to advocate for him!
My doctor appointment went pretty well. She is very concerned and ordered a bunch of tests. She said she won't sign off on the surgery until she knows what is going on though so that was a bit concerning. I got some of the test results this morning and while I will wait for her analysis, it looks like I may be anemic which would explain my lack of energy. She requested an abdominal ultrasound too, but it couldn't be scheduled until the 16th, just a week out from my surgery date. Finally she told me to quit taking the IBS medication since all of this seemed to start when I started it - may be related or maybe not but it won't hurt me to not take it.1 -
Thanks @shanaber . I'm glad your doctor is trying to find out the issues and not just brushing you off, which I have heard happens often. I'm lucky to have a doctor that listens to me. Anemia will definitely cause you to have a lack of energy. I hope you can get that taken care of and feel better. I also hope you are able to get your surgery done as scheduled.
The assisted living facility said he can move there, but there may be an issue with the cost. He currently gets his meds for free from the VA. If he goes there, we have to switch and have him get them from a pharmacy they use that will package them up for daily dosage. I'm currently looking into the price for that. It may make the move prohibitive.
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@shanaber yes all is relatively well (Alex’s birthday the 5th and his death date coming up is difficult).
Animals
Nina Georgina Rowena is a bit wiggly to weigh but seems to be about 31-32 pounds. She is still a sweet lil turd. Mochi (the cardiac cat) seems to be slowing down. It’s getting warmer out and seems to get to her. She did get a bird the other day. And a snake today. You can really hear the murmur; her heart beat is 3 beats instead of the two, lub dub dub. She’s gotten cuddly and is half playing with Nina now and then.
OU
Been working on getting the requirements done, vaccinations, cpr, this and that, parking, financial aid, new student waivers, etc. I am waiting to sit for the nclex-RN. Still half studying. Enjoying catching up on sleep and Netflix. I should make time to get the viola out.
Kevin
Has been limping so he had a vet visit last week. He has subluxation in his kneecaps. The ligament that normally runs from the top of the quads over the knee and secures to the protuberance just below is the culprit. His protuberance attachment is positioned medial. He goes for X-rays in the AM with a mild sedative. Likely surgical treatment. He’s been on an anti inflammatory the last 4-5 days and a joint supplement. He also gets to lose 10 pounds. Dh doesn’t feed him pizza, tacos, or ice cream anymore… finally.
Weight
I’m still fat. Three weeks on the ozempic shot at half the normal dose and I’ve lost 2-5 pounds… 90 percent of that was the first week. I had an appt with the rheumatologist and discussed the weight. I went from 126 to 142 in 4 months. She felt the culprit was the hormone pellets and thinks it’ll come off if I watch what I eat. I didn’t tell her about the ozempic, kinda hoped she’d give me a new script for some, lol! I did find a cute outfit to wear for those presentations. Well, I had help from the hs aged sales clerk at Maurice’s.1 -
Good to hear from you @swenson19d . Hugs regarding Alex's death day and birthday. I know those are both really hard days for you, and the family. Sounds like everything else is working out. I hope Mochi continues to do her best and has lots of cuddles left. I hope Kevin's surgery isn't too hard on him, and you, and I hope you can get your weight back to what you want it to be. Good luck with your presentations. Those high schoolers at Maurice's can be very helpful.
I have lost a few pounds. I'm back to being between 149 and 151 for about a month. I'm hoping to get back to 140, so still have a ways to go, but at least I'm heading in the right direction. I had to change the batteries in my scale yesterday. For the last two days it was randomly turning itself on and then showing an error. That seems like an odd way to let me know the battery is low, but it worked. LOL
Still trying to figure out what to do about my cousin, Gary. I am having a really hard time finding somewhere that he can afford to private pay. I may have to leave him where he is and get him back on Medicaid. I spoke with an elder lawyer last week who agrees that Medicaid is all messed up. I will have to get the Qualified Income Trust and put money in it the first month, in order to get him on Medicaid, but once he is on, I can take the money out of the trust to help pay for his room and never have to put anymore in it, as aid and attendance only counts for enrollment and not once he gets enrolled. That leaves the issue of spending his extra money. She says that I can get a caregiver agreement and get paid for what I do for him, including $25 and hour and mileage for driving to see him and shopping, etc. And, $100 an hour for talking to the nurses and "managing" his care. The only issue with that is having to keep a detailed account of what I do and the cost, in case they decide to audit me. I'd really rather not have to deal with that, but it is looking more and more like I am going to have to.
I hope everyone else is doing well. Wondering how @CMorning99 and @Avidkeo are doing. I see @shanaber on the other feed. Am I missing someone? I feel like I am.0 -
@swenson19d - sending you {{HUGS}} for Alex's birthday and death day. It has to be so difficult! I can't even imagine. But you will get through it! How is Alexa doing? I hope she is doing well!
I bet Nina is just a lover! Does Sandy have the same issue as Kevin? I have heard of other pups having that surgery and surgery itself isn't as much an issue as keeping them quiet afterwards. Especially as they feel better and want to play.
Mochi - you know you are giving her the best chance to live her best life no matter how long that is. She is very lucky to have you all to love on her and snuggle with her.
I am so excited about your starting the program at OU! It will likely be tough but I hope you love it!
I don't know what Maurice's is (like Mervyns or Kohls?) but I am glad they were able to help you put together a cute outfit. It always helps to feel cute and confident when you have to give a presentation.
@quilteryoyo - I was wondering about your cousin and if you had found a place that would work. I hope the struggle to get him back on Medicaid won't be too terrible but I know it is like a maze to work through. My scale does the same as yours. It will turn on and off and then give me an error. I never know if the battery really needs replacing for if the reset that occurs when you take it out is really what fixes the issue.
Me - TLDR... I am really sick. I have lost 15lbs and am down to 141 but this has not been the way I wanted to do it and definitely not the best for my body.
Dets under the spoiler.I hate to come here and post bad news but I may not be posting much the next few weeks but I will check in.
The trip to Trinidad in northern CA had to be postponed and the foot surgery is off. The last couple of weeks has been a flurry of tests and doctor appointments. I missed the most important numbers on my blood tests that showed that my liver enzymes and other things were off the charts. My PCP immediately called my gastroenterologist who had me come in right away and sent me for an abdominal ultra sound and more blood work. They were thinking I had a gall stone blocking the bile duct, the cause 90% of the time. Since then I have had additional tests and a biopsy. Fortunately no stones were found but unfortunately I have a malignant growth in my pancreas that (fortunately) blocked the bile duct. If the bile duct hadn't been blocked setting off all the crazy test results I would never had known it was there. I have appointments with a pancreatic surgeon (DD looked her up and told me she is a 'badass woman surgeon' high praise!) next Monday and an oncologist later in the month. We are hoping they will schedule the surgery in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime I am trying to keep busy, stay positive and not focus on it too much. I am hoping we can still go on our No CA trip late June, even if I am recovering from surgery.3 -
Oh wow. Great big hugs to you @shanaber ! I'm so glad you got all the tests done and they found the problem. Please keep us informed if you feel like it. I know this is a scary time for you. Finding it like you did, as early as you did, should be a helpful for a positive outcome. I'll be praying for you.1
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@shanaber “oh f…”. (In Ted Lasso’s Roy Kent’s most frustrated response). I am sorry to hear that. I worked with a cna this semester, probably in her late 60’s who was in treatment for pancreatic cysts of some sort. She’d had them for decades and it was ongoing. So, I hope it is something that can be resolved with the badass female surgeon. Always feel free to unload here. Never apologize. We need that outlet and so often cannot be as transparent or vulnerable irl. This tread is similar to journaling where the journal is shared among friends.
Thank you for the support and kindness. We are here for you in anyway possible.2 -
@quilteryoyo - it is scary and I am terrified. I have learned to stay off google, especially at night. If I go there I don't sleep. I did find a great site with lots of good info (pancan.org) and patient and family support.
@swenson19d - I love Ted Lasso! Last week I binge watched all the episodes from the latest season so I can just imagine that frustrated response 😁
We are looking forward to seeing the surgeon on Tuesday and get some questions answered. I got the cytology report and of course started researching what it all meant. Bad bad thing to do. DD's only comment was that I wait for the doctor to explain. She didn't want to discuss at all. DD has also taken on the task of letting the rest of the family know. No easy task for sure. My crazy brother and cousin I am sure will be sending me all kinds of 'alternative' medicine solutions like crystals and supplements. She didn't want me to have to deal them.
DH has been wonderful but I know he is terrified too and he doesn't talk much other than to say that no matter what, we will get through it together.
I have to say Hobbes definitely knows something is wrong and has for a while. He rarely leaves my side and follows me all over the house. I did some vacuuming the other day and everywhere I went he was right there even though he is not a big fan of the vacuum. If I sit on the couch or lay down he immediately wants to be on top ar right next to me.4 -
Shanaber, I was so sorry to read this. I pray that the "kick *kitten*" female surgeon can debulk and then let the oncologists do wonders with some of the new therapies (which weren't available even for my son 6 years ago...). My thoughts are with you and your family....love HonuNui4
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@shanaber You are definitely in my prayers and I hope that the surgeon has good news for you tomorrow. I'm glad that your DD is helping with letting the rest of the family know. That can be so stressful. And you have such a sweet hubby. His comment made me tear up. My only suggestion is that if you have to have some sort of radiation, ask about proton therapy. It does much less damage to surrounding tissue than traditional radiation. I don't know if it is used for pancreatic issues or not, but it can't hurt to ask. I was wondering if Hobbes could tell something was up or not. I figured he would as close as the two of you are and with all of the agility classes. Dogs are amazing. Hugs!0
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@HonuNui good to see you! Hope you all are doing well. I’ve bought the dogs floaty vests and look forward to getting them out to swim. I just hate the lake though. Eric says it like swimming in a landfill, ew. Maybe I’ll get a pool finally.
@shanaber glad you watched ted lasso! I love Roy. He (& Rebecca) may be my alter ego(s) lol!
Im waitin on the new hip doc. Today’s discussion is regarding the hip replacement.1 -
@honunui so good to see you and thank you for the loving thoughts! Hope you are doing well!
Thanks @quilteryoyo - I will ask about the proton radiation. I know they do something called directed radiation which may be similar.
@swneson19d - hope it goes well with the new hip doctor!
We met with the surgeon this afternoon. We were both so nervous and anxious! I was sure my BP would be off the charts but it was actually better than normal when I visit the doctor’s office. The surgeon spent over an hour with us. We like her so much and both felt relieved that she is on our team. She explained things so well, went through all the scans and images, explaining what she was seeing as she went. She was surprised by some of what she saw in the images compared to the analysis but explained what she thought was going on and was honest that she couldn't really see where the tumor was exactly and that she needed additional scans.
She drew out what she thought the surgery would be but I have to have some additional tests before she will make the decision if surgery will be advisable. She also wants the oncologist to weigh in on whether I should have chemo first before surgery or just after. It is a ‘big’ surgery, 6-8 hours with a 7-10 day hospital stay (yikes) and 3+ months to complete recovery. We see the oncologist on Thursday and the remaining tests will be scheduled this week as well, then we see her again next Tuesday. She is adding me to her surgery schedule (2-3 weeks out) with the option to cancel or reschedule as needed based on all the other contingencies.
Didn't get all the answers not surprisingly but feeling much less stressed than the last week and I know my DH is feeling better too.3 -
@shanaber WOW. that is a lot to take in, the length of the sx and treatment. Glad the visit offers some solace. It sounds like you have a good plan. I am hopeful. I know pancreatic malignancy can come with little hope, but it sounds like you have the best situation and the team to beat it if it had to happen.
The hip guy went well
I need to go back the trauma surgeon to have the rod out. Which he thinks, could offer enough relief to put off the hip another year or so. I am in a bit of a quandary with it all and school. If it is no better am i willing to finish school and try to work or do I regroup and pursue music as hobby. if it is better and I can work... do I want too? financial gains, etc. I really want an academic break and to stay in my bubble indefinitely. Removing the rod will weaken the bone and I will be prone to a break for about 6 months. if its not better though, the THR can be scheduled after 4 weeks of rod removal. Kevin and Sandy (and even Nina) are so rowdy. I feel it is inevitable that I will have a leg fracture. They run and play outside with the zoomies and tend to run into me and each other. The new surgeon expressed concerns about the rod "really being in there" since it is the entire length of the femur...
onward i suppose... and refocus.
oil change needed. study for upcoming board exam. find something to eat. one day at a time eh, @shanaber Hey! you see this weeks episode of Ted Lasso? Coach Beard imitating Roy's "oh f" ! LOL! I wonder if his voice is that gruff naturally or it is his character.
Edit
Brett Goldstein Oh wow. Now I have to go watch his other work!2 -
@shanaber Thanks for taking the time to keep us informed. I'm so glad you have such a good surgeon on your team and that she was able to give you some answers and help you be less nervous about it all. I know it is a lot to take in and your head is probably spinning. Glad your DH is going with you so you can both hear what is said and ask questions. I hope the appointments go well and you can get things scheduled. I will continue to pray and send positive thoughts.
@swenson19d Glad you are making progress on your hip too. I hope you are able to keep the dogs from running into you after you get the rod out. Can you do some training with them beforehand?
I was glad to see you too @HonuNui ! I hope you are doing well.
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Just a quick check in. @swenson19d I have had a rod in my right femor since 1997 and I cannot imagine having it removed!
@shanaber hope that your meeting went well yesterday. It all sounds like SO MUCH but thank goodness your DH is right there to hold your hand.0 -
@swenson19d - I can't even imagine having the rod taken out. Do you think, all things being equal, it would alleviate some of the pain and discomfort? With the puppies it is tough to keep them from bumping into you when they are running and playing. I have gotten slammed more than a few times when Hobbes was younger and when we had Beaux. Sometimes you just can't jump out of the way fast enough. How would it all fit in with the OSU program?
@quilteryoyo - what happened with your cousin? Is he going to stay put and try to get back onto Medicaid?
My update - Lots of tests... blood work, CT scan with contrasts and more blood work. The only results I have seen so far is the initial blood work looking for cancer markers which I had. The CT today was an unremarkable experience other than that the IV contrast stuff made me nauseous. I need to get used to it though because it will be a regular thing.
We also saw the oncologist yesterday and didn't get many answers yet. They need the CT results which will determine if I have surgery then chemo or if I will need chemo first. Surgery then would be postponed by 2-3 months. We liked the oncologist, he was very straightforward and didn't pull any punches or try to sugar coat anything. I asked the oncologist about returning to running and working out and he said I could do it now as long as I listened to my body and only do as much as my body would tolerate. I also have to eat enough. I am down a few more pounds - under 140 now.
I also got a call today from a patient support coordinator. She will pull everything together for me and help answer any questions we might have about anything related to my care. I have to say everyone has been really understanding, supportive and just nice.2 -
@shanaber I'm still looking for a place for my cousin, but am not counting on it. I really think I am going to have to try to get him back on Medicaid in a couple of months. That will mean setting up a caregiver agreement with him so that he can pay me for my efforts to keep his checking account low enough. Which will also mean I'll have to keep good records as to what I do for him in case they decide to audit me. I'll do it so he'll have a place to be, but I really don't want to have to deal with Medicaid again. They just have the craziest of rules which aren't consistent and seem to depend on who you ask.
It sounds like you have a great care team! It can be quite overwhelming. I'm glad the oncologist said that you can workout and run. I have heard that keeping active is important to helping your body handle all of the treatments, as long as you don't overdo. Can they use a different contrast? And, yes, try to eat. Being healthy going in is going to be important. Thanks again for taking the time to keep us informed.1 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Just a quick check in. @swenson19d I have had a rod in my right femor since 1997 and I cannot imagine having it removed!
This is my 2nd rod. First one was in 2018 then re-done in 2020 because it de-rotated. The correction was to correct femoral rotation. The 2nd nailing was not near as bad as the first. Probably cuz it wasnt rotating back, and the recover was quicker. So, I'd expect the removal to be tolerable. Appointment this week to discuss removal wit trauma surgeon.
@shanaber the hip surgeon does think that there is a good chance that the rod removal will help with the curent level of pain and the THR can be put off a year or more. Which would be fine by me other than working around school demands.
@quilteryoyo Medicaid is odd, and self-serving. It really is stupid how a programme devised to help is actually a PITA and hinderance to so many. Did your cousin have VA benefits? I can't recall. On a psych rotation we sat in on meetings to place/discharge patients from short-term care to long-term and it was a challenge. They interview the patients and review their behavioural patterns to see if they can or want to accomodate them. I had no idea that they could do that. It seems discriminatory to the right of care. There is a psych hospital in OKC that is ok. I was impressed with them actually. They have all sorts there, days to years to life care. I know OK is away from home, but something of the sort maybe an option. It is Griffin Memorial. I'll probably get to intern there. Just a thought.
The dogs knocked me down twice yesterday and I stepped in a hole in the early AM taking Nina out and fell twisting my leg. I am nervous about the likelihood of a break in rural oklahoma. I think it'd get me a helicopter ride to McKinney or Plano Tx. Geez, then the thought of being alone in the yard with big dogs on me... dragging myself in. ugh. Dh is supposed to finish a fence around the entire yard minus the drive way soon. IF he can get it done ASAP, then I wont have to go out with the dogs to make sure they stay in the yard and don't accost neighbourhood walkers. Nina goes to training in 2 months at 6 months old. Kevin should also be having surgery this summer. I havent phoned the specialist yet. DH thinks he wants to take Mochi to a cat cardiologist. I suppose that is fine. I don't want to complicate her life and would rather put her down when the time comes rather than fighting the inevitable and making her miserable.
Nina is mischievous
but trainable. She stole a whole loaf of cheap white bread of the counter. It was cute. She wrangled it, shook and then ran off with it outside to finish off. I interrupted her in the process of absconding. She thought it was quite a prize. Kev did that kind of stuff but got sneaky about it when you werent around. Nina Georgina Rowena hasn't learnd to be sneaky yet. She is 37.6 pounds at 16 weeks. On track to be on the big side.
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@swenson19d Yes, my cousin does have VA benefits...that is giving him enough money to afford the assisted living, but also too much for Medicaid and then not enough for assisted living. It's crazy.
I hope you are able to get some pain relief and, if you decide to get the rod out, avoid the holes and dogs. Nina is adorable!1 -
Hi everybody
First and foremost @shanaber I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’m grateful that you have a good support system who is helping you navigate through this very stressful and confusing time.
For some reason MFP has decided the Air Force net work is highly suspicious. It would not let me log in at work anymore.
We are mostly settled into our rental home. We mainly shoved everything in the garage and are living pretty minimally at this point. The rental is nice and we are enjoying it.
After doing the move and everything I felt terrible, just drop dead exhausted. I finally mustered up the strength to go to the doctor and complain that I was tired. He called for every blood test under the sun, and I came back as anemic, vitamin D deficient, vitamin B deficient, and dehydrated. He gave me prescription vitamins I’m to take twice a day and a stern lecture on drinking enough water. He thinks I just ran myself into the ground with my stress. About two weeks of taking everything and drinking maybe be a little bit more water Lol, I did feel slightly better. I still get tired pretty easily, and I have significant bruising and bone pain, but it’s getting better.
I just got back from my annual vacation and it was lovely. A good friend of mine drove up with me and then flew out mid week. I spent the rest the time talking with mom’s friends and catching up.
Unfortunately, despite having taken the gray cat to the cardiologist a week before I left and increasing his medication‘s, when DH took him to the vet for his monthly arthritis shot, the vet did chest x-rays. He had amassed significant amount of fluid in his lungs, chest and abdomen. His heart was failing fast. The vet recommended draining his chest cavity, but said he may not tolerate the sedation. She said even with the $1500 drain, the fluid had amassed in seven days and it was likely a losing battle. She also pointed out that his kidney levels were off the charts and the diuretics would likely not work anymore without making him very sick. She recommended him putting him to sleep that very day. I called DH who had gone to get coffee with a friend while waiting for gray cat and told him what was going on. I don’t know how he did it because gray cat was still so active and alert, but he sat there with gray cat while they euthanized him. We are completely heartbroken and in grief. Gray cat was one of those cats with the personality that fills the room and made taking care of us his top priority. Black cat seems to be doing OK, but he still walks around meowing looking for a gray cat. He’s really trying to step up though, and even curled up with me on my lap, some thing which he usually does not do.
DHs coworkers dropped off a huge dinner for us last night, we’re so appreciative of our friends.
But I am now within 60 days of retirement and things are getting very real on that front. I put all my stores on vacation mode for the last month and I’m going to restart them today. I came home early from vacation so I don’t have to go back to work till next week, I don’t know how I feel about sitting at home all day lol.
I’m typing this on my phone so it’s getting a little annoying, I’ll try to login again on a computer and catch up with everybody’s posts
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Good to see you back @CMorning99 . So funny about MFP thinking the AF network is suspicious. I would think it would be the other way around. So sorry to hear about grey cat, but it sounds like you did the right thing for him. Glad you got moved into your rental and love it. I was surprised to see it is only 60 days to retirement. Seems like yesterday it was a year! It'll take a little bit to get used to being retired, but sounds like you have lots to keep you busy. Also glad that you went to the doctor. I was anemic a lot when I was in the AF too - even fell asleep in a one-on-one meeting with my boss.
I'm glad the vitamins are helping you feel some better. Now, go drink some water!!!!! 2 -
Hi all!
@swenson19d - Nina is so cute and almost as big as Hobbes! Hobbes doesn't typically steal food off the counter anymore but he used to prance around SO very proud of what he had. Now he steals socks and slippers and hides them in his bed, still prancing around with them 😊
I hope the trauma surgeon had good information too help you make your decision.
@SummerSkier - thank you! I am so glad I have my DH. I can't imagine going through all of this alone. I have told him a couple of times how happy I am to have him with me. I know though that it is stressing him out. He was having a rough time when we were waiting to get in to see the surgeon.
I am also trying to be careful with my DD. She wants all the information but I don't want to have huger stressing out either. Although she says it would stress her more not having the information.
@quilteryoyo - I really hope you can get things all set up for you cousin. Government programs (here and abroad) are so onerous just to get any information or directions on what needs to be done.
@CMorning99 - Hello!! My guess would be that the AF changed some security setting that doesn't allow access to sites like MFP. Can you get to FB or Instagram?
I am so very sorry about grey kitty! They steal a place in our hearts and it leaves a huge hole when they pass. I hope your black kitty is managing the loss ok. Maybe he was waiting for an opportunity to have you all to himself?
The apartment sounds great and I am so happy you are getting settled in. Like @quilteryoyo I was also surprised by your retirement only being 60 days away! I was so terrified of that date and it was hard to say goodbye but ultimately once I was rested and over the all the stress it has been a great experience and I love not needing to get up and be somewhere.
I am also somewhat anemic and working on it. I just feel tired a lot but that could be stress too.
I pretty much only drink water and my mouth gets very dry so I am sipping all the time. If you want something carbonated you might try some sparkling water - there are so many good ones now. I like Spindrift that I get at Costco. It has a bit of juice in it for flavoring.
I have been waiting to post here to hopefully have more information like dates. We did see the surgeon on Wednesday and based on the CT results she feels she can do the surgery without needing chemo first (YAY!). They are hoping to schedule me in 2-3 weeks but it depends on the surgical schedulers to find a big enough window for her (surgery needs a 6-8hour window). I haven't heard back yet but maybe on Monday.
Today I had a cardiac stress test but not the kind involving a treadmill.This was all chemical because in the past they haven't been able to get my HR up high enough on the treadmill. I forgot to ask the nurse what my HR got up to and she was gone by the time I could ask. They did tell me I would feel like I was on a hard/fast run with my heart racing, sweating and breathing hard. I felt absolutely nothing. They kept asking if I felt ok and/or if I felt anything at all - I did not 😁 it will be interesting to see what the results are. Also they actually offer you coffee or tea afterwards because the caffeine is the antidote to the chemical that causes your heart to race.
Best news - no more tests for the next week at least.
With the surgeon's approval we are taking off on Sunday for the entire next week to go up to No CA as we had planned previously. I am looking forward to lots of walks (and maybe a little running) with Hobbes and walking on the beach and exploring the tide pools with Frank. She even approved wine tasting! We are not going to talk or even think about all of this cancer stuff, just relax and enjoy being together!2 -
@shanaber I am so happy to see that you will probably be able to have surgery before chemotherapy. I know that would be a relief for me. Also glad to see that you are getting to go on your planned trip today and get to do the wine tasting. Have a WONDERFUL time! I look forward to hearing all about it.1
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@CMorning99 Sorry to hear about grey cat. It is so hard to make that decision. We have Hayami Mochi who isn't likey to live long with her heart. I think I'll take her to a cat cardiologist soon. She is the sweetest, my heart feels your pain. Always such a heartache losing a furry family member.
Today is the 3 year anniversary of Alex's death. Still feels like it happened today. Everything "Alex" is fading. His FB tribute posts have disapeared. I started a cathartic log of grief and it disapeared. His favourite spoons, plants from the funeral are dwindling, time is moving forward without me.
I have my board exam scheduled the 17th of July. I am trying to get motivated to review daily. It is boring. Which is good I guess, since it is all familiar.
@shanaber I weighed Nina today. She is 43.4 pounds
. She will be 4 months the 9th. I misfigured her age on the previous post... She is larger than expected at this age. According to the AKC the average is 29-40 for a female at 4 months. IDK. She seems trim enough. Tuck is good and I can see her lower ribs. I figured she'd be about 70 max. 2 -
Good morning!!!
@shanaber I’m so glad you’re able to get away and just have some “normal “ time. I hope you have a great and relaxing week.
@swenson19d I know how you feel with everything fading. I feel that away about mom all the time, I look around and I see less and less of her in my house. I guess it’s the same with gray cat now too. I was looking around the other day, and I couldn’t even find a tuft of his fur anywhere. Time does weird things to our memories.
Well, I’ve been relegated to posting on my lunch break in my car on my phone lol. I still can’t get to MFP, it seems to have something to do with the captcha they have on the site now and the Air Force not allowing the captcha to run. There are also a bunch of other sites that I used to enjoy that now just have the connection reset. But I can still get to Facebook and all that major timewasters lol.
I was going through my calendar and depending how appointments fall, I will only come into the office 28 more times. I have quite a few appointments, including a minor surgery for some gynecology issues. I also have two more appointments for dental since I have another tooth that has started bothering me. All my VA claims are in and I’m waiting on my appointment with the doctors.
Things are still moving with the house and property, albeit slower. At this point, I don’t even really care as long as it’s somewhat of a forward movement. We are still waiting for the county to decide how I’m supposed to buy the developmental credit for $25,000. Evidently the worker who maintained the ledger of available credits no longer works there and “we cannot find the ledger”. But they seem content making me wait instead of just waiving the requirement. The surveyors finally finished all the surveys and my builder has finished the site plan. Next big money drain is going to be bringing the driveway up to Cal fire standards, and that should be the last thing along with the credit to sell the property. Still not holding my breath, my consultant said that we should have a parcel number by maybe January. That will mean it would have taken 2 1/2 years to get this *kitten* permit.
Not much else is going on, slowly, bringing my reselling back from dormant status for a month. It always takes a couple weeks for the algorithms to catch back on.
Black cat is doing better. He had chemo yesterday and his weight remains stable. I’m not surprised since he had a pretty rough week after gray cat died. We started him on his old anti-depressant appetite stimulant and that really helped.
I weighed myself and I came in at a horrifying 182 pounds after vacation. I have officially gained 30 pounds since mom died. I started tracking calories and have them set at 1650. I’ve been successful for a day and a half lol But this has completely and 100% gotten out of hand.
Well, I guess I’ve hid in my car long enough for today. I hope everybody’s having a lovely June and finally getting to have warm feet.
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How is everyone?
I have a new dog addition. Loki. He is 4 years old. Looks to be a Jack Russell/GSD mix of sorts. He arrived here late yesterday (thursday) from Ohio. His mother tried to eat him when he was born and Alex saved him, fed him and cared for him. He was Alex's Lil Man. Sandy is asserting her alpha status and insighting pack aggression. Nina is not involved, but Kevin is. I had thought to give him to one of Alex's childhood friends with 4 kids. But he'd be alone all day, no fenced yard. Loki is good. Loves the ball and frisbee. Everyone is on e-collar training. Other than that, nothin' new here.
@shanaber hope all is well with you. I think of you often.1 -
@CMorning99 - I hope all is well with you and that you aren't stressing out about that approaching retirement date! It can be hard initially to say goodbye to coworkers but these days there are so many ways to stay in touch if you want to. I also had to think a bit about how to redefine myself - no longer as an IT specialist or whatever from a career perspective. How is black kitty doing without Grey kitty now? Hope he isn't missing him too much!
@swenson19d - You are really getting to have a full on menagerie! May have to get a kennel license soon 😂 I hope all the pups learn to get along with each other and the kitties too!
I finally got a surgery date, next Friday the 23rd. Now I am trying to get all the things done around the house knowing I will be pretty out of commission for a few weeks. We are still waiting on a date for the kitchen demo and cabinet install but we went looking at countertop slabs yesterday. Know what we want and just have to find a nearly prefect one. I was hoping they would schedule the demo/install for while I was in the hospital and I could come home to a nearly finished new kitchen! LOL not going to happen.
Below the split are pictures from our trip to No CA.Hobbes' favorite winery - Mutt Lynch. Great wines for us and a 'barkchutery' treat board for him.
The historic Benbow Inn on the bank of the Eel River
Trinidad Head Beach. 1st from the parking lot, then parts of the hike up and view from near the top
DD and my hike at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. We had to move the cows off the trail so we could get by. Surprisingly Hobbes did not bark or even get 'on guard' he just seemed very curious about what exactly these huge 'dogs' were. We wanted to do a full loop but missed the turnoff and got to a point we could no longer proceed across a creek.
Our after hike treat 😊
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@shanaber WOW! love the pics! I'd love to visit N. California as an adult. I last visited when I was 8 to Mt Shasta and the dam. My dad had a cabin in Redding. Treats look good! Way to go Hobbes! Can you teach my bunch to stand down? Prayers/good vibes for the sx.
I thought about a kennel license... maybe a tax write off/rescue LOL! Things were just smoothing out with the addition of Nina. And now. it. is. chaos. I had to tackle Kevin to keep him from eating Loki. Kevin didnt hurt him but dang, it just aint nice. Although hugging Kevin is special. IDK why. He just feel good to love on or hold close. Even if he is naughty.
I have a neighbour who walks her dog twice a day and noticed a kitten across the road from my house. She sent me a FB message and I didnt notice it for 3 hours. The kitten was still there. It was about 7-8 weeks old and feral. Mean lil sucker. I have bites and the back of my hand is swollen. I may need an antibiotic or rabies series! I took the wee turd to the pound. dang animals today.
Nina is my favourite.
Sandy and Maggie are on "the LIST". Kevin is flirting with the list, sucking up with his insistant and invasive "i love you and Im forgivable" super cuddles. I put his boundry collar on him as "punishment" (his words). He thinks he's in deep do-doo now. He acts so mistreated, just sulls up. Drama Queen.
Pain
Has been incredible the last 3-4 days. I had to finish the fence so the dogs could run the whole back yard unattended. Kev and Sandy would stay in the boundaries. Nina would not and then Kev thought "hek ya, an adventure". And I had to chase them back 4-5 times a day. Nina just going farther and farther "can't touch this" bobby brown style... I had to mow (if i wanted it done-riding) and my hands hurt so bad I can't sleep. I have to take 2,000mg of ibuprofen daily just to get the swelling down and pain managable. My bones hurt. I can't imagine this is normal. I have OA. perhaps it is expected. I'll message the rheumy i guess.
Counselling
Last i saw my hcp she suggested I visit with a psychiatrist for a councelling referral. I ignored the phone calls, LOL! I may get around to it later.
Poor Loki. Just trying to find a home man.
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@swenson19d - I hope all the pups get used to each other and settle in soon. It must be a bit overwhelming for Loki to all of a sudden have SO many friends.
My rheumatologist prescribed Plaquenil for the autoimmune/OA pain I was having. It took a bit and needed adjustments but once stabilized it has really helped. She diid tell me that I will need to stop taking it once I start chemo but that I may find that the chemo has the same affect - didn't expect that.
Kevin sounds adorable honestly as does the naughty girl, Nina. She will learn quickly and I am sure they all just want to please you and have fun when you aren't looking 😁 Remember that Hobbes will be 11 in a week. He has lots of time to work out the wiggles and learn what he needs to do to get all the treats.
I don't understand why your doctor thinks you should see a psychiatrist. Is she worried about depression or? I don't know how you manage all that you do while being in so much pain!
I had a rough weekend - got really sick Friday night and Saturday I was just out of it and slept all day. The symptoms I had that started all the testing initially came roaring back on Sunday so I called the surgeon. She was worried the stint they put in had slipped or was blocked so she sent me 1st thing this morning for more blood work. My liver numbers are back up again but she gave me a choice of going to the hospital for monitoring or taking antibiotics at home and retesting on Thursday morning. I chose the retesting option of course. I don't know anyone who would choose extra days in the hospital. I am just hoping the numbers will be ok on Thursday so the surgery can proceed on Friday. In the meantime I am staying busy getting everything done in prep to be in the hospital all next week.
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