Our big Christmas Present

This year we really splurged and bought ourselves a Tempu-Pedic Cloud bed that is adjustable.  The salesman said it was the best bed there is and should last over ten years.  It has a remote control that adjusts the head and the foot.  When we tested it in the store, it was so comfortable, we sucked up the price and bought it.  We did save $800 by not getting the breeze which is a little air that keeps you cool while you sleep.  I have a feeling when summer comes, we'll be kicking ourselves for not getting that feature, but $800 is a lot of money and we were already spending $3,000 on it as it was.

I also took advantage of the TV buy one get one free deal for two My Pillows.  They weren't cheap either but also have a 10-yr. warranty and are washable. 

Normally, I never would have considered spending that kind of money on a bed; however, I figured with my Christmas bonus, cash from my boss and the money I would have had to spend on for my second colonoscopy I could spend on the bed instead since I think my insurance should finally cover this last huge medical expense.

So, did you get any big items for Christmas this year?

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A Great Drink!

One good thing that came from having a colonoscopy was finding a good drink--Zero Vitamin water.  When I had to go a whole day without food the day before, I found this when looking for sugarless Gatorade (which I never found):

This one is dragonfruit which I never heard of before as a flavor, but is very good!  Other flavors are orange, acqi-blueberry-pomegranate, lemonade, strawberry lemonade and fruit punch.  The bonus benefit besides it tasting good and having vitamins is that certain ones have 0 sugar and 0 salt.  Some have 32g of sugar though so you have to check the labels but I love it.  Today they were on sale for $1 but normally cost $1.59 each. 


 
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A Must See Movie: Wonder (Updated with Book Review)

My husband suggested we go see this family movie and showed me the trailer which got my interest.  We saw it Thanksgiving morning and both loved it!  I was impressed with the cast, the multiple story lines and the insight into human nature that is portrayed in this film which is based on a book written by R. J. Palacio.

It is about Auggie who was born with lots of problems including some facial deformity that surgery couldn't fix.  Halloween is his favorite holiday because he can wear a mask and fit it like everyone else that day.  He wants so much to look ordinary so little kids are not afraid of him and other kids his age would quit being mean to him because of how he looks.  His parents ache for him to get out into the world and have a normal life but do not want to see him get hurt.  His sister loves him very much but feels her parents don't have time for her because their world seems to revolve around Auggie.

I really liked all the characters in this one and was so happy when Auggie finally became comfortable without the helmet on all the time because he was making some friends.  This has lots of great moments and is both heartwarming, inspirational and very relevant.  Many people tear up on this one; you can't help but feel for the kid.  The theme is to choose to be kind to others regardless of how they look but to also realize everyone is a wonder.  This is a wonderful movie and I look forward to reading the book because usually the book is even better than the movie.

If you've seen this, share one of your favorite scenes in the comments.  If you haven't seen it, go see it!

In this case, I enjoyed the movie more than the book, but the book was good too.  Here is my review of the book:  Wonder by R. J. Palacio is about Auggie’s fifth grade year, a boy with a deformed face who was homeschooled through 4th grade. Auggie has a rough start at the beginning of middle school, but shows courage and determination by not quitting. This is an emotional read that includes perspectives from several different characters. Themes in this are bullying, friendship and family. This book has photos from the movie, comments from those involved in making the movie and discussion questions in the back.

Teaser from page 227 after Auggie’s dog just died: And I wondered how it would feel to be in heaven someday and not have my face matter anymore. Just like it never, ever mattered to Daisy.

There are a lot of feelings brought out in this book, but the movie really brought it to life for me. In this case, I liked the movie better than the book. It changed just a few minor things and emphasized the teacher’s role more than the book did. I liked the changes that were made in the movie. The theme I carried away from reading the book is to be kinder than necessary and make the world a better place. I recommend this book to kids and the movie to everyone!  (4 stars)

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Tired of Browns Bashing On Radio Every Week--Here's Some Positives!

Every Monday morning and even sometimes later in the week, The Ken Carmen Show with Anthony Lima sports talk show 92.3 The Fan hosts always pick on the Browns. I know they are have a very terrible season going 0-10; however, it’s like this radio show is beating a dead horse! No matter what, I think it is time to find some good in their games and start encouraging them a little bit. The least the hosts could do is acknowledge the good things such as:

• They do not get blown away and have actually been competitive with a chance to win into the fourth quarter in at least four games. Seven of the games were lost by two TDs or less.

• Last week against the Jaguars (a first-place team in their division by the way), the Browns defense played extremely well!

• Usually the Browns hurt themselves with tons of penalties but Sunday, they finished the game with zero penalties for the first time in 55 years against the Jaguars!

• The last TD was a fluke coming off a fumble by Kizer. Unfortunately, Kizer still had two interceptions (at least not in the Red Zone this time) and two costly fumbles. I feel bad for him. I think he tries very hard and has a fairly strong arm and quick legs with some good running moves. He is courageous and still learning. I wish the talk shows would give him some credit!

• It also was nice to see our receivers holding on to the ball for the most part.

• More good news was that our kicker made the extra point! This can never be taken for granted.

The Browns get to play the Bengals and Charges who are both 4-6 (not so great a record) but I really look forward to seeing them play the Bears who are 3-7 and seem to have similar problems as the Browns when it comes to winning.

The way I look at it, if Kizer can stay healthy and finish the season out as the Browns No. 1 quarterback, it will have been a successful season. He is very young and a hard worker. He will only improve if he gets to play.

I’d love to hear what other Browns fans think. I know it is hard to watch them because it seems every week they come up with new ways to lose, but I still have hope for the future with Kizer. I wonder what would happen if Hugh Jackson actually got an offensive coordinator instead of insisting on calling all the plays himself.

I just finished reading Relentless (Julian Edelman's memoir) and couldn't help but notice the big difference between the Browns and the Patriots organizations when it comes to coaching, attitude, work ethic and expectations.  I highly recommend this book to the Browns coaches and players!

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"Muddy Fun"

When we went to Giant Eagle today I saw some bulbs for sale.  The pictures of the spring flowers on the boxes got my attention and on impulse bought four boxes:  Hyacinths, Snow Crocuses, Early Snow Glories and Grecian Windflowers.  I thought planting some bulbs would the perfect activity for a rainy Saturday.  I should have checked how deep to plant them though because some were only 3" deep but others were 8".  The box instructions were very simple:  dig (plant in area with good drainage & full sun to partial shade), drop (place bulbs in soil, pointy side up and water), done. 

Some bulbs were easy to tell the point; however, for the Grecian Windflowers it was just a guess.  They were basically kind of flat shaped like a triangle so I am not sure if I placed those in right our not.  I mixed them in with the Early Snow Glories just in case I goofed because the Snow Glories were obvious.  Since the ground was already wet and it is supposed to rain all day, I did not water them.  Hopefully we will have some pretty flowers in the spring!

I was glad I thought to put some old shoes on because by the fence along the drive we had to dig down 8" with the shovel and it was VERY muddy.  I also wore two hats, one to keep me warm and the other a cap to keep the rain off my glasses and face.  It wasn't very comfortable, but it worked!  The temperature was near 50 degrees so wasn't too bad.

Do you plant any bulbs?  We have daffodils that come back every year and a few crocus that pop up yet.

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My First Colonoscopy: Live and Learn

This is a big drink!

Last Friday, I had my first colonoscopy and a couple very good things happened:  (1) I put it off until now (age 63) and (2) the prep drink did not taste as bad as expected--there was a lemon flavored packet to mix in to make it taste sort of like lemonade.

Thursday, the day before the procedure, I could not eat any solid food except for Jello and had to drink lots of water to avoid getting dehydrated.  Then starting at 4:00 I had to drink a prescription concoction 8 oz. every 10-20 minutes until I had 3/4 of it done.   The doctor or pharmacist neglected to tell me that between every glass, I would be going potty!  Ugh.  It took me 3 hours to get through it all because I just couldn't do it every 10 minutes because I was hurting from so much wiping.  I had to finish off the jug 6 hours prior to my appointment which was 4:15 a.m.  (not too bad because often I get up at that time anyway--it could have been worse).

Here are my tips for anyone having to do this and to remind me for the next time:

1)   Do not plan on going anywhere once you start this big drink.
2)   Take these things in the bathroom with you and plan on camping out for a few hours:  the jug, a cup, a timer and a book.  Just sit on the toilet the entire time to avoiding having to wipe so much, after each 8 oz. drink set the timer for 10 minutes and read in between as you go.  (time may vary depending on your doctor's instructions)

Friday, everything went according to schedule.  The hardest thing for me was skipping breakfast.  I couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight Thursday and nothing at all on Friday expect the rest of "the drink" starting at 4:15 a.m.  The doctor's assistants sang a "Happy First Colonoscopy Song" to me and the doctor congratulated me on doing the prep so well.  I got in a very nice nap (anesthesia assisted), everyone was very nice, I was comfy under a light warm blanket and woke up with not problem, no pain and no grogginess or nausea.  Poor Gerard had it much worse just waiting around in the small waiting room.

My Colonguard* test result was correct, the results were not very good.  The good news is I feel fine; however, the bad news is they found some hemorroids and one palyp that wasn't high enough for my doctor to remove.  He will do a biopsy to see if it is cancerous, but said it should be removed which means surgery.  I'll find out more in two weeks when I meet with him again.  Ugh!

 I am feeling disappointed that this couldn't have been taken care of all at once.  I only have 3 vacation days left and hope I won't have to miss a lot of work.  I dread having to go through this all over again, but at least I'll know better what to expect.  Please pray that God would give me peace about this and that I don't dwell on it or let it get me down.  I'm trying to stay positive. 
____________________
*The Colonguard test is done at home.  You get a little kit in the mail with instructions.  Poop into the container provided in the kit, follow the directions and mail it back to the lab in the same kit box using the return postage label provided.  My husband was fortunate that all he needed to do was this!


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Boxes Are The Best! (by Spunky Doodle)

Before

After

After living in our house 20 years, Karen finally unpacked one of the boxes that was in the den and was kind enough to let me have it!  After jumping into it several times, she brought it downstairs to my computer room where she set it upside so I could crawl inside.  I had a great time knocking it over because she set it up on the flaps so it moved easily.  Then Gerard moved it next to the wall on its side so I could walk inside easily. 

I'm guessing since it got so cold, this morning, Karen made it more comfy for me and made it look much nicer with a couple soft blankets from the Humane Society.  If you have a cat and want to give it something special, just find an empty box!  Be nice to your cat today.

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Unbelievably Horrible!

Where did our Windians disappear to?  They started out this playoff series against the Yankees with two amazing games but pretty much have fallen apart when they went to play in New York.  I just can't believe it!  This is not the same team on the field, the Indians to not make 4 errors in one game and give away 6 unearned runs!!!  (I'd like to know when was the last time that happened.)

If I had to choose one word to sum up last night's game, it would be HORRIBLE!  What word would you choose?

The Indians were struggling all night long.  The only bright spots were the homeruns by Santana and Perez and the few base runners.  Although, I did think some of our bullpen did a great job.  What I don't understand though is why Francona only let them pitch to two or three guys and then took them out when they did so well.  He does that all the time with Tyler Olson.  I haven't seen him pitch poorly yet, but he never gets to stay in for any length of time.

I really hope the Indians can use this day off to recoup, relax, rest up and come ready to play at home and win the final game of this series.  They need to relax and play their game. The question is, can they do it in a must win situation.  They certainly did not do it in NY.

C'mon tribe, let's win on Wednesday! 

Related posts:  Windians are So Much fun to Watch

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American Ninja Warrior Was Disappointing

Just like last year, no one was able to finish the course in the finale at Las Vegas.  I can't get over the fact that they just declare no winner and that's it.  I think they should just give those that got the farthest along a second chance and let them keep competing until someone does win, like in baseball.

I admire the athletes and like to hear their stories but feel bad that no one won after all the effort they put into training for this.  It was just a big let down and anti-climatic to say the least!  None of the athletes made it to stage 4 this year.

What do you think about this show and do you agree they need to have a winner? 

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Windians Are So Much Fun to Watch - Let's Go Tribe, All the Way This Year!

I took a day off work to go to the Cleveland Indians game with my husband on the day they broke the American League Record for most wins in a row.  It was a great game with lots of fun things:  the KC Royals catcher and manager got thrown out, a pitched ball hit the umpire in the shoulder and knocked him down, a hard batted ball cam back to our pitcher who caught it but then fell over on his butt and lost the ball, the outfield sprinklers came on during the game (apparently someone forgot to turn off the timer for the day game).  Fans were all friendly and in a good mood, it seemed like a playoff atmosphere.

We had Club Seats that include all the free food you can eat thanks to my place of employment (one of the perks).  I chowed down with 1 cheeseburger, 3 fries, two slices of cheese pizza, 3 slices of blueberry dessert pizza, 3 ice cream bars and popcorn which I was sort of forced into.  Several containers were sitting out for people to take and as we walked by, my husband took a hand full from one of them.  I told him he couldn't do that because no one wants some stranger's hand in their popcorn and they expect a full one too.  So, I took the one he started and we shared it.

Then the next game was sold out and the Indians continued their winning streak to 22 in dramatic fashion, with a walk-off win!  Like Tom Hamilton said, "Someone wins the World Series every year but no other team in the American League has won 22 straight!"

Love the tribe!  Hopefully, this will be our year to win the World Series!  Their winning streak came to an end last night with a score of 4-3, but watching the crowd afterward, you would have thought they won.  It was a great moment when the fans gave them a standing ovation and the team came out and tipped their hats to the crowd.  See it here:  Fans Salute Tribe After Record Streak Ends

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Stupid Photobucket Really Got Me Mad--Boo on Photobucket!

I seldom used Photobucket but did open an account way back when.  I was just beginning my computer experience and was participating in some forums on My Space.  In order to include some pics, I used photobucket and that is the only reason I started on there.  I never liked it much, found the website very user unfriendly and pretty much ignored it after that for the most part.

Now I not only got an email about having to upgrade my account and PAY to do it but also had messages on this blog to upgrade my account!  (I came across this on someone else's blog as well.)  UGH!  NOT doing that. Unfortunately though, photobucket somehow was able to put their ad on my widgets!  I emailed photobucket asking them to remove them and was told they couldn't unless I pay to upgrade.  I closed my photobucket account.  I do not want anything to do with them!  This really gets me mad!

I also tried deleting the widget and starting over but the photobucket ad still showed up.  It is very annoying and frustrating.  If anyone has any suggestions as to how I can get this fixed other than paying for an upgrade on an account I do not want, I would love to hear them.

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Dog Gone Fun at the Cleveland Zoo

Last Saturday, we saw a dog show at the zoo with stunt dogs who were all rescue dogs.  It was so much fun that we went again the next day and this time brought my camera along.  Saturday, I got to pet Confetti, the last dog.   It was very fun seeing the dogs really enjoy doing their stunts and I liked how they got the audience involved as well.

You still can go see it this weekend yet! 

(I apologize for the poor quality of this video but I had to use the email save for it to make it small enough to upload to my blog.)  

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Happy Birthday, Spunky Doodle!

This is good!

Today is Spunky Doodle's "gotcha day" and she is now 13!  Since she is now our only cat, she is happy to be able to have access to her food any time she wants it throughout the day.  I can just leave some out for her on the kitchen table and she can get it whenever she wants.  I am happy she is back to dry food again too.  It's so much easier and way less messy! 

She is enjoying her sun spot at the moment:

This spot is just my size and nearby Karen!

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Share a Photo that Best Represents Your June (Writer's Workshop)

I am so glad my husband and I discovered the game of Pickleball--it is great exercise and a lot of fun!  I enjoyed teaching others to play so that they could teach kids to play at our Focus Sports Camp in June at Parma Heights Baptist Church.  I had the privilege of being the Pickleball director in June when we added the sport for the first time this year.

Practicing dinking (ball bouncing in kitchen close to net)

It is an easy game to learn but one that has lots of aspects to practice and improve.  It is a game of patience, ball control and strategy that all ages can enjoy!  It was fun seeing how fast the kids at sports camp caught on and were playing some close exciting games by the third day!

 
Pickleball is played with paddles slightly bigger than ping pong paddles and with a whiffle ball. It is played on court the same size as is used for badminton, much smaller than a tennis court so involves less running.   It is very similar to tennis in strategy but the serve must be underhand and the service box is positioned in the back of the court as opposed to the service box in tennis at the front of the court.  Pickleball has a couple quirky rules such as the double-bounce rule and not volleying the ball in the kitchen area or the "non-volley zone (the area 7' from the net).  The double-bounce rule is simply that you must let the ball bounce once before hitting it on the serve and the return of serve.  A game is to 11 points but you only score when your side is serving and must win by 2.

The game can be played indoors or outdoors.  Outdoors is harder due to the wind and sun, but it just makes it a bit more challenging.  To view some actual games or to learn to play, just do a search for pickleball on YouTube.  There are tons of short video clips describing how to execute specific shots as well as actual tournament games.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America!  Have you played yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?  Join the fun!

See other Writer's Workshop posts and link up your own.


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Missing Manny Boy - He Was a Wonderful Cat!

Mother's Day was sad for us this year because we made the difficult decision to let our very affectionate cat, Manny, cross the Rainbow Bridge.  He had several health issues develop in the last year or so and things just kept getting worse.  I could see him losing weight before my eyes!  His eating was up and down but the last couple days he couldn't keep anything down and quit trying even on Sunday.  It was very sad, but I know in my heart it was the right thing to do.  I did not want him to die alone or get so bad that he couldn't even stand anymore so I had a lot of quality time with him laying on me on the couch before church, while I watched a movie and the Indians game.  We said our farewells at home and then we took him around 4:00 p.m. to the vet to be put out of his misery.

I knew I'd miss him a lot, but boy, this morning was even worse than I expected because morning was our special time together.  He followed me everywhere!  It felt strange not getting food for him this morning and not petting him while he rolled around the bathroom floor waiting for me.  I missed him while had my devotions and exercised up in the den.  He would always be near by and I'd pet him while I exercised, but not this morning.  Then he used to climb on my lap while I ate my breakfast, letting me pet him some more but not this morning.  If I'd go on the computer, he would either climb up and share the chair with me or lay on my lap.  If I'd lay on the couch, up he'd come or if I sat in a chair reading a book, he would lay on my lap.

I told Spunky Doodle she's going to have to step up now and let me pet her more now that Manny is gone.  She is doing a good job so far and is at the floor next to me.  I'm sure she misses him too!

Manny brought us much joy during the nine years we had him and he will always have a special place in our hearts(we got him when he was 3 from a friend who was unable to keep him). He really did become "Mr. Nice Nice" as I predicted he would even though we got off to a rocky start: See "Bringing in a New Cat."

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Kid's Baking Championship Was Fun To Watch!

Desserts from 2013 dessert auction at church

By accident, as in just flipping around channels when I was bored and looking for something to watch, I discovered The Kid's Baking Championship show on Food Network. Kids 9-12 competed in making all kinds of different desserts which then were judged by Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman who kept things fun.  I could watch this for hours! 

I was amazed at how much these kids knew about baking!  They did not use recipes and were challenged to be creative.  Some started baking at 2 yrs. old and some actually had their own business! They were judged on taste, creativity and presentation.  Some of the presentations were quite funny because some ran out of time and just had to pretty much throw it on the plate fast and not worry what it looked like.  It was heartwarming to watch these kids compete because they were willing to help each other even though the winner would get $25,000.  I felt sad though that there could only be one winner and it was all or nothing. 

Aidan won.  He nailed the finale with a beautifully decorated cake that apparently tasted good too and swirl ice cream to go with it.  Second place finisher, Justice, got nothing.  I really thought Justice would win because each week he was consistently in the top three and the judges raved about how good his cake was--Valerie even had a second piece!  The boys proved that baking isn't just for girls. 

I thought all the kids were fantastic!  Watching this show actually made me almost want to bake something which I might have done if I had an oven.  Check out their website (link above)--it has some great looking dessert recipes that are easy to make and you can see the videos of the kids who were in it.

Our annual spaghetti dinner/dessert auction youth fundraiser at church is coming up April 30 and I am looking forward to it!  I wonder if anyone will make any of the desserts from the show.

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What A Difference A Pill Can Make! (by Manny Boy)

I'm Eating Good Now!

I had a rough patch there for a while when I had some indigestion and pretty much stopped eating.  Karen took me to the vet and I got some really good emergency food that I couldn't resist called "Critical Nutrition."  They also gave me just 1/4 of an appetite stimulant pill and an injection to get rid of my nausea.  Karen was supposed to give me another 1/4 pill every three days which a couple got wasted because I wouldn't eat in when she mixed it in with my food.

She did get a couple down my throat using tips from a YouTube video.  I tried to avoid it but she would surprise me and catch me off guard.  They really worked great though because I started eating my special thryroid care food again and now I eat 1 1/2 cans a day--more than I ever ate before!  That is the amount Dr. Busack said I should eat so we hope I can put my weight back on and get back up to 12 lbs. which was my perfect weight.  Karen likes to watch me eat--I really scared her when I stopped because she knows how serious things can get when cats don't eat.

Here is the video she found that helped her give me that pill:

,
Karen's comments:
Wrapping in a towel did not work for us with our first cat at all.  Moe would run as soon as he saw us coming with the towel.  The floor didn't work well either, I had best luck with Manny on the table or even while he was lying on me on the couch.  Blowing on his nose worked really well and be sure you get the head tipped back before dropping the pill.  When I mixed it in his food, he would not touch it!  He ate all the food except the section I had the pill in!  Such a smart cat.


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The Bandage is Off--Now to Walk! (by Abby)

Buddy Bear Watching Over Me my First Day Without the Bandage! 

I got my big bandage off and my left front leg is free again.  It's still bent up though from being bandaged up for 2 weeks and I can't really put any weight on it.  Gerard and Karen spent pretty much the whole day Saturday massaging it though and Karen is going to make some appointments for me to get some massage therapy and maybe even some laser therapy that the Dr. Walker highly recommended.  Any one out there ever have this?  It sounds like it will be a good thing to me.  Woof!  Karen and Gerard want to do all they can to help me recover as quickly as possible in case it does pop out, they will know they did all they could.

By the next day, I was able to straighten out my left front paw like normal and even walk using my front left leg for a bit!  Karen was very excited to see my progress when she gave me breakfast this morning.  Dr. Walker said everything is still in place and now it's up to me how fast I can strengthen my leg enough to walk normal again, but long walks are a thing of my past.  I will have to settle for short walks from now on.

I have great determination and can be very stubborn so that is really good news because I know I can do it!  I am very strong willed and love to walk so I plan to improve a little every day.  I still need the sling on so my mom and dad can give me support for four more weeks, but at least no more wrapping up the bandage in Suran wrap is needed.  Dad thought it was funny when Dr. Walker said my sling was better than the ones they had at the vet's!

Of course, we must take it slow.  Dr. Walker was sure to remind us that my shoulder could still pop out at any time.  Continued prayers for my full recovery would be greatly appreciated.  Woof!  Woof!

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Great News From the Vet by Abby

At least I can still get belly rubs in spite of this big bandage!

This morning I went to the vet to make sure my shoulder didn't pop out again and it was still in place!  Plus, just to make sure it stays that way, I need to have the bandage on holding my front leg up for just one more week.  Karen was very happy to hear that because she thought I'd have to have it on six weeks!  I guess it will take that long to fully heal and I still have to be very careful.  No more long walks for me, but I'll be happy when I can at least do short walks again.  The vet said we will have to go very gradually.  I also pooped and peed on both my walks which made Karen and Gerard very happy and resulted in double treats for me!  Karen finally figured out that I would rather sleep in a little longer and go out a bit later, like two hours after breakfast instead of just one and she plans on taking a later bus to work that should get her there just in time.

Oh, and I had a new adventure today too!  I got to ride in the way back part of our Ford Escape for the first time!  It was so much easier for my daddy to get me in and out of the car from the back instead of the seat part.  My mom even put down her sleeping bag for me so I could be comfortable on a nice soft cushion even in the back.   Please keep asking God to make me all better, I know he can because he's healed me from much worse five years ago.  Woof!  Woof!

See also for background about being attacked Jan. 2012: 
Our Sweet Dog is Fighting For Her Life;
On the Road to Recovery
Abby's All Better, Praise the Lord!

 

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Good News: Update on Abby and Manny Boy

See how my front leg is all bandaged up so I can't use it?

It was such a relief when Abby finally pooped and peed after getting her dislocated shoulder popped back into place.  Yes, we have such an exciting life!  It happened yesterday afternoon when we took her out.  It is such a production to wrap the bandage in Suran wrap to keep it clean and dry and then get the sling on her so we can give her support to help her stand and walk.  She really is not supposed to walk at all, only to do her business and then right back inside.  Gerard said she's not going to poop just standing around, she has to move!  Apparently, he was right. 

This is a two-person job so I am using some personal time off from work.  Fortunately my bosses approved my leaving at 2:30 every day for the next 5 weeks which is the estimated time we were given that it would take for Abby to recover from this.

It makes me so happy to watch our cat, Manny Boy eat again too!  It seems our vet nailed the problem:  dehydration and feeling nauseous.  The two hours at the vet on Monday seems to have paid off.  They gave him fluids, an injection to relieve his nausea and a little pill to stimulate his appetite.  They sent me home with some special wet critical nutrition food too and told me to try that if he wouldn't eat his regular thyroid food.  He really gobbled up the critical nutrition food--2 tablespoons.  We had a nice relaxing time together on the couch while he digested it.  Today he was back to eating his normal food!


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Poor Abby, Oh God, Help Us!

Glad to be home but . . .

Somehow Abby dislocated her shoulder but we do not know when or how this happened.  We took her to the vet yesterday (not the way we hoped to spend our afternoon).  They did x-rays and fortunately, there are no broken bones and no fractures at least.  That was good news!  Also, although Dr. Walker never popped a dislocated shoulder in before, she gave it a try and was successful.  God answered that prayer--if she wasn't able to do it, we would have had to take her to an emergency clinic much farther from our home.  It is very fragile though and if it doesn't stay in, Abby will need surgery.  She stayed over night at the vet and we picked her up after church today.  We really missed her and are glad she is home.

As of now, it will take her at least 6 weeks to heal and she's all wrapped up and only has use of three legs.  We feel so bad for her and pretty helpless. She tries standing now and then but not for very long.  So far she has drank and eaten, but has not gone potty yet.  My husband will have to carry her outside down and up the steps for her to just go in our yard and then back in.  There will not be any walks at all for a while.  She had breakfast at 9:00 a.m. today instead of at 5:00 as usual with the pain pill that should be given every 12 hours.  This is not conducive to our normal eating schedule so it will disrupt our routine.  It looks like she'll be eating breakfast much later than usual and Gerard will have to feed her because I'll already be off to work. 

We were told not to let the bandage get wet or dirty so will have to wrap it up in suran wrap before we take her out.  I haven't even tried to do that yet.  Well, I'm off to PetSmart to see if I can get a sling to help her stand long enough to go potty.

It's going to be a long six weeks but she's made it through worse than this before so hopefully she will do it again.  January is not a good month for our pets!

Meanwhile, Manny is not eating today and I am a basket case.  Prayers would be appreciated for all of us. I am so stressed out, have a hard time thinking straight.  I am seriously considering taking off work!

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Me and Tile Floors Do Not Get Along--A Solution! (by our dog Abby)

I have a very hard time walking on tile floors now that I am older and my arthritis is worse.  I often slip like people do on an ice rink and sometimes I even fall!  Because of this, I stopped making nursing home visits and even at home in our kitchen and dining room it got to be hard for me.  But, this morning when I went through, there were three rugs along my path to the living room so I didn't have to walk on the tile all that much.  My mom gathered some throw rugs from other rooms and placed them like stepping stones.  Thanks, mom!  Woof!  Woof!

Mom says:  This is yet another example of how our pets rule.  It just tore at my heart watching her struggle so on the tile floor and even falling at times.  I thought I'd give this a try before she broke a bone falling down.  How do your pets rule your house?

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Now I Know Why Manny Likes Under the Bed

When it came time to set up my Nativity set for Christmas, the box was falling apart.  I kept it under our bed and some cat must have had a ball tearing it apart!  Manny loved going under the bed and would often spend the whole day there until I came home from work.  Now I know why!

I bought a plastic storage box for the set but let the cats say good-bye to their nice box.  They both enjoyed batting around the few pieces of straw inside and I even gave Spunky Doodle a little ride--she loved playing with the straw as I pushed her around the house.  Here's a short clip of part of her ride:

Did you play with your pet today?

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Looking Forward to 2017

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.--C. S. Lewis

With the beginning of a new year, it is that time again to reflect on the past year and make some New Year's Resolutions.  I am pleased with doing pretty well at keeping mine from the last few years.  I know often times, people make them and by February or March they have gone by the way side.  The secret is to make ones that are practicable and obtainable.

It's funny how our dreams change.  When I was a little kid my dream was to grow up and marry a little league baseball coach, live in a big ranch house with a ball field in our backyard, have nine boys and a pet for each of them and be a stay-at-home mom. I think I gave up on this dream when I got to be about 11 years old, maybe even sooner--I at least have 3 pets.

My goals for this year are to (1) try something new or go somewhere new at least once a month; (2) play at least once a week--even during the winter months and (3) surprise people with kind acts.

My dream is to grow old with Gerard and both be healthy enough to be active, independent and have fun without going broke and serve the Lord all the days of my life. 

What about you?  Any dreams you would like to share?  How do you do on your New Year's Resolutions?

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Who Will Cost The Most? (by Spunky Doodle)

My mom and Doctor Walker were pleased that I gained .5 pounds in one week after eating more, BUT now they changed my special prescription food again. The good news is my thyroid is just fine, the bad news is my kidney level in my bloodwork was a bit too high so now I have Pro Plan NF food. I like it all right, but think I won't be getting any more Sheba. My mom is going to as the Doctor, but the technicians didn't think she would approve.

The good news is that at least the problem was caught early and hopefully the food will fix the problem! This is why my mom takes me to see the vet, so we can keep on top of things. Things can change pretty quickly in us cats so it is good to see the vet regularly. It is not cheap to take care of pets so be sure you are willing to spend the money on any you adopt.

This year, my mom gave us each a line in her budget so she can see which of us wins at being the most costly to care for. I think I have a good chance at winning this contest, but it could be close. Let us know who you think will win in the comments (I am even giving you a summary of our current regular expenses to help you):

Spunky:  prescription food, upcoming dental cleaning, arthritis supplement, ear cleaning fluid, Revolution, cat litter

Manny:  prescription food for thyroid, ear cleaning fluid, Revolution, cat litter, has very bad teeth

Abby:  prescription food & Ostilox for arthritis, Dental chews & Milk bones, Revolution, Bravecto

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