We went to the local vet. Belly did indeed have an abscess that had burst. (Thanks Doc and Johnny!) He did give her a shot of cortisone and antibiotics. I have to put cream in the wound three times a day. That really hits my "eww" nerve, which is a very short nerve, but I'll manage for the love of the cat.
Whew, thankfully that's all it is and hopefully the meds will clear things right up.
You know, the vet was fine. I assume the great vet would have done the same. I think the local vet just doesn't have the end-of-life compassion that the great vet does. We've gone to the local vet for ten years. He gave my Cub Scouts a tour and was pretty good with the kids. During this tour, I point blank asked him what was the favorite part of his job. Surgery. And I think he's very good at surgery. He's just not a good people person, and isn't good with the death part.
He is always great at answering Thomas' million and one questions that he asks, though.
What a morning. Our other kitty, Snowball, escaped this morning. (Our cats are indoor cats because in our town it's illegal for cats to be outside.) I spent 20 minutes trying to find him. I came within a foot several times, but he is too fast for this old lady. So he's still out and about, but he's staying in our yard. Hopefully he'll get tired and come in soon.
We haven't done school. Not one single thing. So it's going to be a busy afternoon. Plus Bob decided to take the afternoon off from work. It's more difficult doing school with Bob around because he breaks up our routine. Oh well.
Time for a math test, some art, some history and science. I think we'll skip all the other stuff today.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Oh no
My heart hurts tonight, even worse than it's been lately.
We bought the cats new cat food tonight and I mixed it with the old cat food. I couldn't find my black and white kitty so I went searching. She was on my bed. I picked her up and she was crying, but she's not one that likes to be held unless it's on her terms, so I figured she was just unhappy. I brought her to the kitchen and her food bowl.
Thomas let out a shriek. "Mom, look at her butt!" It's actually on the far left side of her hind quarters, but there is a huge open sore that is completely gross and disgusting looking. She didn't want any food, and wanted out of there-NOW. I gently picked her up and took her back to my bedroom.
I have no idea what it is. My stomach is churning. She was fine all day, she begged for a bite of my lunch, she let me know when the water bowl was empty. She was moving around just find and I didn't see the sore earlier today.
I'll be calling a vet first thing tomorrow. Here's my dilemma. Do I call the old vet, who has all her records, and has treated her for the past 10 years OR do I call the new vet that is fantastic but an hour and a half away. (Well, okay, an hour and 15 minutes.)
The old vet has NO compassion and we did not feel comfortable with his treatment of Jerry Lee. Jerry would be long gone by now had we not found the new vet for a second opinion. He has been good, though, just for routine stuff. I was going to get a copy of the cats' records and send them to the new vet, I just hadn't got around to it.
Isabelle, or Belly as I call her, is 13 years old.
It's raining and snowing tonight, both. First snow I've seen all year. And it's supposed to get down to 27, so the chicken that I am, I don't want to drive an hour and a half first thing in the morning on icy roads. It will thaw quickly as it's supposed to warm up, but....
aaaack, what do I do. How do I make my kitty comfy tonight?
I just can't lose two animals at once. It will do me in. I hope it's just some weird thing that can be cured easily. I know I'm panicking prematurely, not knowing what this is, but my luck with animals lately has just really sucked.
AAARRRGGGHHH
***
On a more positive note:
We had a fantastic school day today. Everything clicked. I love it when that happens. In fact, it's been a really great, productive week.
We resumed our Spanish studies this week. I kind of "conveniently forgot" to do Spanish for a long time. I struggle with the vocabulary. We are going SO slow, but we are using a college text. Thanks, Bob, for refusing to get rid of your college textbooks. It's starting to sink in, and I think we'll just continue to take little bites out of the text every day. It's amazing that my 42-year-old brain isn't the sponge it once was.
We bought the cats new cat food tonight and I mixed it with the old cat food. I couldn't find my black and white kitty so I went searching. She was on my bed. I picked her up and she was crying, but she's not one that likes to be held unless it's on her terms, so I figured she was just unhappy. I brought her to the kitchen and her food bowl.
Thomas let out a shriek. "Mom, look at her butt!" It's actually on the far left side of her hind quarters, but there is a huge open sore that is completely gross and disgusting looking. She didn't want any food, and wanted out of there-NOW. I gently picked her up and took her back to my bedroom.
I have no idea what it is. My stomach is churning. She was fine all day, she begged for a bite of my lunch, she let me know when the water bowl was empty. She was moving around just find and I didn't see the sore earlier today.
I'll be calling a vet first thing tomorrow. Here's my dilemma. Do I call the old vet, who has all her records, and has treated her for the past 10 years OR do I call the new vet that is fantastic but an hour and a half away. (Well, okay, an hour and 15 minutes.)
The old vet has NO compassion and we did not feel comfortable with his treatment of Jerry Lee. Jerry would be long gone by now had we not found the new vet for a second opinion. He has been good, though, just for routine stuff. I was going to get a copy of the cats' records and send them to the new vet, I just hadn't got around to it.
Isabelle, or Belly as I call her, is 13 years old.
It's raining and snowing tonight, both. First snow I've seen all year. And it's supposed to get down to 27, so the chicken that I am, I don't want to drive an hour and a half first thing in the morning on icy roads. It will thaw quickly as it's supposed to warm up, but....
aaaack, what do I do. How do I make my kitty comfy tonight?
I just can't lose two animals at once. It will do me in. I hope it's just some weird thing that can be cured easily. I know I'm panicking prematurely, not knowing what this is, but my luck with animals lately has just really sucked.
AAARRRGGGHHH
***
On a more positive note:
We had a fantastic school day today. Everything clicked. I love it when that happens. In fact, it's been a really great, productive week.
We resumed our Spanish studies this week. I kind of "conveniently forgot" to do Spanish for a long time. I struggle with the vocabulary. We are going SO slow, but we are using a college text. Thanks, Bob, for refusing to get rid of your college textbooks. It's starting to sink in, and I think we'll just continue to take little bites out of the text every day. It's amazing that my 42-year-old brain isn't the sponge it once was.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
A funny
Warning: This video contains nudity. Male. But not frontal. And it's not a 1500's statue, either. It's funny. Thomas thinks it's funny, too.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
A Very Scary Post
Be forwarned, this is a freightening post. Think cobwebs, dark, dank, creepy, scary places...
Welcome to my basement.
The photo you are about to see is of the stairs. Please, do not be jealous of my beautiful carpeting. It is original to the house and in mint condition. They just don't make it like that anymore. In fact, I think it is impossible to be desroyed.
Please, do not be jealous of our exposure: Poorly-laid dry wall, exposed joists, cobwebs, extension cords, phone cords, support beams.
It is the design style we have chosen: CHEAP, CAME WITH THE HOUSE. (I did add the rather cute construction paper triangles to cheer the place up. GAG)
Seriously, the photo is taken from my computer chair. Every night Jerry Lee lays on that stair staring at me. I can feel his stares, they are so intense. If I ignore him, he begins to breathe heavy. Heavier, and heavier -- it is actually creepy. The dog knows how to touch my soul by creepig me out. There's nothing worse than sitting here, reading a favorite blog, then the feeling someone is watching and the breathing starts. Sends chills down my spine every time. I should know better, he does this every single night. I just had to take a photo of it for remembering.
All he wants is to go potty and get his peanut butter treat (with hidden medications inside.)
Crazy dog, God love him.
I don't let anyone into my ugly basement. So here I am, putting it on the internet. Go figure.
Election Day
Thomas and I ended school early today and drove to the polls. Two questions were on the ballot this year.
1) Yada yada yada...should we give the school district $20 million to build a new school.
2) Yada yada If number 1 passes, should we give them an additional $9 million for maintenance of the current schools?
NO -- NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!
Our schools are really weird here. There's one school for K-2 for the whole city. There's another school for 3-6 for the entire city. High school is 7th-12th grade for the entire city. That bugged me before I ever sent Thomas off to kindergarten.
They want to close the K-2 school and build new next to the 3-6 school. A few years ago they used to have a 3-4 school and it was really close to our house. They closed that and packed the kids together at the middle school. It is just strange.
Anyway, they just need to learn how to budget their money for the repairs they need to make. I've been to the school they want to close many, many times. The only thing I saw wrong with it was that the ceiling tiles in the basement needed repair. What I didn't see wrong, but I suspect they need, is to replace the heating system.
Let's throw the baby out with the bath water and just build a brand-new school instead. I would vote for needed repairs in a heartbeat. I don't understand why they don't budget that to begin with, though.
And on another note, I am proud to announce that this blog is:
1) Yada yada yada...should we give the school district $20 million to build a new school.
2) Yada yada If number 1 passes, should we give them an additional $9 million for maintenance of the current schools?
NO -- NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!
Our schools are really weird here. There's one school for K-2 for the whole city. There's another school for 3-6 for the entire city. High school is 7th-12th grade for the entire city. That bugged me before I ever sent Thomas off to kindergarten.
They want to close the K-2 school and build new next to the 3-6 school. A few years ago they used to have a 3-4 school and it was really close to our house. They closed that and packed the kids together at the middle school. It is just strange.
Anyway, they just need to learn how to budget their money for the repairs they need to make. I've been to the school they want to close many, many times. The only thing I saw wrong with it was that the ceiling tiles in the basement needed repair. What I didn't see wrong, but I suspect they need, is to replace the heating system.
Let's throw the baby out with the bath water and just build a brand-new school instead. I would vote for needed repairs in a heartbeat. I don't understand why they don't budget that to begin with, though.
And on another note, I am proud to announce that this blog is:
I knew this was a G-rated blog even before I checked out that website. Thomas reads the blog so I mind my manners. I know that some moms and kids read my blog, too. I keep it clean.
Speaking of elections, when are the powers that be going to include some categories that glorify home education? Categories such as best science blog, best literary blog, best math blog, best art blog, etc.? The stuff that really counts and puts homeschooling in a good light? You know, academics? Isn't that what homeschooling is all about? There are some fantastic blogs out there that really should receive such an award. That has always seemed so obvious to me and I've never understood why those types of blogs aren't first on their list. ???
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