Could this week get any worse?

Could this week get any worse?  First I have to put my cat Ashley to sleep.  Now it is my rabbit.  I knew that Lucky hadn't felt good for a little while, and the vet wasn't sure what was  going on.  Today we found out.  Lucky had cancer.  The tumor was about the size of a quarter (which I think is big for a bunny).  About 80% of rabbits will get cancer in their lifetime.

Lucky was a rescue rabbit so I am not quite sure how old she was.  I had her around 5 years, she could have been anywhere up to a year or a little older when I got her.  The average life span for bunnies is 7 to 12 years.

Goodbye

                        Lucky

         ?/97 - 10/31/03

money

Don't you love it when the government changes our money to prevent conterfeting?  Each time it looks more and more like play money.  And, oh, did anyone tell you that it doesn't hold up in the washing machine anymore?

I guess everyone at some time or another has left some money in a pocket, didn't check and threw it into the wash.  I have done that, and the bill always stayed intact, in fact some has even made it through the dryer with no problem.  But not the newer bills.  This is a picture of a $5 that took a ride in my jeans pocket through the washer. 

Needless to say, I freak out.  It is a 5 after all, not just a dollar.  I look for all the pieces I can find so I can put it back together.  Can't find it all.  Bummer.  I take what I can find to the bank hoping they will replace it.

"No, problem" says bank lady.  "Just show me the serial numbers."

"Well, I couldn't find all the serial numbers."

"Then I can't help you.  Sorry"

"But look, I have most of the bill, you can tell it was a 5.  I even have that security thread thingy that was added to our money (upper left in the picture)"

"Really?  I have never seen the security thread.  Well, look at that."

"So you will replace my money?"

"Sorry."

"Bummer."

Goodbye

      ASHLEY

 3/87 - 10/28/03

Photos

Just this year I have gotten into scrapbooking.  While it is fun, I have managed to spend a small fortune on this hobby.  My scrapbooks don't look as good as the ones you see in magazines, but I enjoy looking through them.  My major problem with making these books, is that I have been really slack in the past about writing names, dates, events on the back of the photos.  So now I am forced to try to come up with these important items.

  I have came across some photos of  people that no one in my family can decide on who it is.  That is great.  Alot of the photos are like of a great-grand someone or another.  A few are people I knew in school, but can't remember their names.  I know, it's sad.  But what I find really sad is that for me to have their pictures I must have felt (at the time anyway) that these were important people to me. 

So, let this be a lesson to everyone.  At the very least write names on the back of your photos.  One day you will forget names, or your kids will wonder who the heck the people are -- relatives, friends, etc....-- and if no one is around to ask then there is no way to hold on to those memories.

Also, by not putting pictures all in one place I have managed to lose a few.  But I have also came up with some really funny ones that I had forgotten all about.  You wouldn't believe all the places I have found photos.  GOT to keep them all in one place.  This is important for several reasons.  With the fires in Calif right now is the best example.  If you have to get out and leave everything behind, MAYBE you can grap your photos (if they are all together in one place) on your way out the door.  You can replace everything in your house except for people, pets, and photos!

 

I have explored the felinecrf.com site.  It makes me sick to know what all my baby can go through.  The way she acts today is like nothing has been wrong.  She is doing all those little things she knows I can't stand.  Dr B has said that it depends on how long she feels good at to what we may can or can't do for her. 

I have to say that the IV's they gave her to flush her kidneys did do wonders for her right now.  We will have to wait to see what happens next.

Ashley

Ashley is doing much better today.  She is eating and peeing!!  I just talked to Dr. B and he thinks the stress of being in the hospital for 2 days made her seem so bad at first.  He thinks as along as I can keep her eating and peeing then she should be ok for awhile.  I hope the "awhile" lasts for a long time. 

Thank you all for your kind messages and prayers.  Oh, and I did get some "Sculpey" clay and took her paw print.  This is great stuff.  It comes in lots of colors, it's cheap (less that a buck), and it easy to use.  Then you pop in the the oven for a few minutes and ta da! it's hardened and you have a paw print!  Wish I had known about this stuff ages ago.  Everyone give it a try. (It would make cool Christmas tree ornaments just poke a hole in it before you bake it.)

Thank you all again.  You have helped me get through these past few days.  I don't know what I would have done without you.

I will keep you up-to-date on Ashley.  I had all but given up, now I think ( I hope) she may be around for atleast a little while longer.

Crying

I can't believe that andreakingme is going through the same thing I am with Ashley.  We are praying for her kitty Buddy to poop within the next few hours.  It is so hard having a sick pet that you know is going to die.

Ashley has been so inactive since I got her home today.  All I can do is look at her and cry.  I want to do what is best for her NOT what I think is best for me.  She seems as bad or worse than when I left her at the vet.  I hope tomorrow will be different.  If not, well, I don't know what I will do. 

Any pets that my family has had to put to sleep was due to a sudden problem that there was nothing you could do anything for.  It had to be done right then, no time to grieve before making the decision.  I knew that Ashley was having some problems before these past few weeks, but I didn't think it was fatal.  I don't know how to deal with the news. 

I don't want to leave Ashley alone right now.  Ok, I know that sounds stupid, I can't do anything for her, but I am afraid if I leave she will die, and she will be alone.  I know it is stupid.  So don't write and tell me that.

I had my dad get some film today and we took some pictures of Ashley.  Most of what I have is a couple years old.  I want some more of she and I together but I hate to pick her up because I know she feels so bad.

I so hate the thought of the upcoming trip to Dr. B.  Ashley so hates her carrier and the car ride.  It seems so mean to make her go through that just to be put to sleep.  She should be at home. 

sportin' some 'tude

Ok folks.  I got mentioned in John Scalzi's journal "By The Way".  I should be honored (I guess?)  He thinks I was "sportin' some 'tude".  Ok, maybe the strangecat was copping  a little 'tude.  But I was just saying what everyone else was thinking.  Right?

I brought Ashley home from the hospital (animal) this morning.  She was there for 2 days getting fluids to flush her kidneys.  I guess I has hoping she would be running around when I got her home.  She has found her favorite sunbeam (it shines in her favorite chair) and has been there all day.  I know that she has ate a little, but not enough for me to jump for joy over.

Dr. B told me to call him back Friday to let him know how Ashley is doing.  I think he knows that she won't be doing all that well.  You can tell that he really cares about his patients.  And Ashley likes him.  Well, as much as she seems to like ANY vet.

This is my cat Ashley.  I took her to the vet again today.  It wasn't good news.  Dr. B weighed her and did more blood test.  My poor baby had lost 3/4 of a pound in 10 days.  That is alot of weight for a cat.  The blood test showed more wrong with her kidneys.  They are failing.  I asked him if this was her time.  He suggested one thing to try.  I am leaving her for 48 hours at the vets for him to flush her kidneys.  Dr. B said that this should get her to feeling better for awhile.  It depends on how long a period she feels better for whether or not I should keep trying or to let her go.  He talks like some people keep trying and trying, but it is only prolonging what is to come.  And we both agree that maybe that isn't what is best for Ashley.  I am trying to prepare for what is to come but it is so hard.  I got Ashley as a little kitten and she is now close to 17 years old.  I really thought she would live to be 20 or more.  This is really hard for me. 

I know some people think you shouldn't get so worked up over an animal.  I'm sorry but I can't help it.  She is my baby.  I have no children. I have never gone to the extreme and dressed her up.  I just love her, feed and water her.  And she has loved me back.

Dumb Blondes?

Don't yell at me for calling this entry Dumb Blondes.  I do NOT think you are dumb if you are blonde.  Now, singer Jessica Simpson seems to fit the bill though.  Ran across this story about her on MSN. She opens a can of Chicken of the Sea tuna and wants to know if it is chicken or fish?  She doesn't know what to do with a vase full of dead flowers.  Maybe she has had maids and cooks all her life so she just  doesn't know.  Even her hubby wonders about her sometimes.

Anyone out there with pet rabbits?  Here are a couple more pictures of my bunny Lucky (to see previously journaled pictures click here).  Lucky is the sweetest bunny.  She can get an attitude when she doesn't get her way, or after a trip to see Dr. B.  He is a terrific vet, but she hates to go to the doctor.  (Can't blame her, I hate going to the doctor too!) You must be carefull if you have other pets in the house with a rabbit.  I have 2 cats and they get along fine.  But I watch them carefully.  I don't hink you would want to add a rabbit in with a dog though.

 Fast bunny fact: Rabbits can literaly be scared to death.  If really frighten they will die.

To see a really funny bunny site click here.

And because I am not a computer wiz you will have to click here to see this really adorable picture of a .........well, just click and see.  Let's let it be a surprise!  Oh, come on, you know you want to.  Go ahead click.  Now wasn't that worth it?  Made your day huh?

 

 

First things first.  I did finally get to read the comment that was left for me.  I guess sometimes we must wait. Like waiting for pictures to load.

I heard the saddest story today.  I cannot believe this really happened, but I spoke to the person it happened to.  I'll call this person Sue.  Sue went to the emergency room with a fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.  She gets stuck in a bed without being checked on very often (happens a lot at this hospital if you are not bleeding to death then you wait, and wait, and wait).  Now remember she has diarrhea and vomiting. She can't get out of bed and these things keep going on, so it's a mess.  A nurse finally shows up and Sue says "put me out of my misery." Then I guess someone looks at the chart and notices that Sue is on psychiatric meds.  Next thing Sue knows the sheriffs department is there and they put her in handcuffs and shackles and drives her to the nearest town with a psych hospital.  Once there the doctor is like yeah, you got a virus.  Take this you will feel better.  And sends her home.  She is in another town and has to find her on way back home.  Why in the world would the ER do this to someone?  If they thought she was off her meds or just plain crazy why didn't they have someone from their psych unit come talk to her?  Why couldn't they tell that with vomiting and diarrhea that it probably wasn't due to her mental state?  Why would the sheriffs department put her in shackles?  I would love to scream at the top of my lungs and say the name of the hospital, but I want to respect Sue's privacy.  Can you believe that someone in the medical field would treat someone like this just because she has a mental illness?  And if you think for a minute that things like this don't happen you are so very wrong.

This blankety blankety journal technical stuff

Know who left me a comment? Anyone? You don't know? 

NEITHER  do I!!!  The stupid show comment button is useless today.  Completely and udderly useless.  I'm sure I will be able to read the comment one day, but today isn't going to be the day.

Oh, and if it was you - and you know who you are - can you read between the lines? 

pictures

I have been wanting to try to put larger pictures on my journal.  I know that you are supposed to get them somehow from your homepage.  So, I have no homepage.  I can make one. No problem.  Well, maybe it is just me, but there is a problem.  Either the thing just isn't working right, or it just don't want my pictures.  I know they are supposed to be in "bip" something or an other.  So I followed the instructions on my Windows to scan them in with that.  Then I went to crop and highlight and do all the things to make them look better.  Now to upload to a new homepage.  It says it was uploading.  But in the end it did nothing.  Well, if anyone is reading my journal you really didn't want to see pictures of my animals anyway.........

My Cats

My cats are getting up in years, and so I baby them to a degree.  Ashley just doesn't eat much lately, so when I saw this new product............Ok, I had to give it a try, it is some sort of "gravy" to put on dry cat food.  Ashley thought it was ok, but nothing to get her to make a pig out of herself over.  Dallas--the other cat--loves the stuff.  Here's a picture of my Ashley.

Journal Help

I am so happy when I find journal tips.  If they were all in one place that would be cool.  But you can't have everything.  But I want to thank everyone out there that adds tips to their journals.  And a special thank you to Kay Laughton and her journal Help.  Love ya girl.

I Can Be So Stupid

I have done some stupid things in my life, but today.  I am almost to embarrassed to tell you.   I went to the bank today.  Got money out of the ATM.  I noticed that the $20 bill has changed it's look again.  I get home, can't find my ATM card anywhere.  You know I left it in the machine.  I had to have.  I rush back to the bank.  The teller says that the machine sucks cards back in that have been left behind.  I see a light.  The bank will call as soon as the ATM people come out to service the machine, around 3:00.  The light at the end of my tunnel gets really bright.  Then the call.   No card.  Is that a train I see at the end of my tunnel?  Gotta call and cancel that card.  Who knows where it is by now.  It took me less than 30 minutes to miss the blasted thing, and it's gone.  Ok, everyone at the bank says it happens all the time, don't feel bad.  Well folks, it doesn't happen to me all the time and I feel bad.  I feel soooo stupid.  How could I have done such a thing?

Books

I went to the book store yesterday.  I could live in book stores!!!  They didn't have the book I was looking for, so I decided to check out the "local authors" section.  If you have never done this I suggest you do.  You never know what you will find.  Once I "discovered" Jan Karon.  Now I own all the books in her "Mitford" series.  If you are looking for a nice, Christian read, then she is for you.  She doesn't slap you in the face with religion, they are just clean -- no cursing, no sex -- books.

This time I picked up 2 "local authors" (those who live in the great state of North Carolina).  Haven't read anything yet.  But one does look promising.  It's "Two Summers Too Hot".  Mostly I like reading horror, but every now and then I want something different.  The other book, well.....I'm not so sure about.  Went to the author's web site and well....ok, so he is full of himself and cursing appears to be his favorite pass time. Guess that doesn't mean he can't write though.   I'll mention his book if I find it entertaining enough.

The two above mentioned authors aren't my usual reads, but it is good to read a variety of things I think.  If you knew I loved Douglas Clegg, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, you would never believe I would read Jan Karon.  Why am I telling you this?  To get you to branch out in your reading.  Try something different.  You never know, you may like it.

 

 

Cell Phones

I finally got a cell phone.  I swore I would never own one.  But my dad got one and for $20 extra a month he could set me up with one.  So I agreed.  My parents have the number and I pray that I never have to give it to anyone else.  I like the security of the phone -- in case of an emergency -- but I think they are mostly rude. 

 I was having lunch with someone I had not seen in years.  Her phone rings.  It's her husband.  She answers it.  She knew he had nothing to say, but she answers anyway.  I'm sorry but this was so incredibly rude to me.  This isn't the first time something like this has happened.  I was talking to someone in a parking lot once, his cell rings, he answers, and talks soooooooooooo long, I just leave.  I can be behind some at a cash register and they are on the phone instead of paying the cashier, or even listening to what she has to say.  It bugs me to no end!!!!

 

I made the top 5?

Oh, man.  I must be really out of it.  I come to my journal to add something and people have been reading it.  They said I am in the top 5 editors pick.  Strange.  I missed it.  I look at his top 5 everyday and have never seen my journal.  I don't see it there today. Oh well....

Thank you to all that have stopped by, and thanks to those that left comments.

The thing with my Aunt E.  Ok, the hospital let her go home.  But things have started happening.  The hospital social worker called, a nurse came out, and today another social worker to see what kind of services my Aunt E needs and qualifies for.  And when my aunt wasn't looking dad got her car keys.  Yes!  Ok, I know that may sound mean.  But believe me this women should not be driving.  You or your loved one could be in danger.  She has a HUGE scrape and dent on the side of her car.  Come to find out she hit a car in a parking lot.  She DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT!  Someone had taken down her tag number and called the police.  When the police showed up at her house is when she found out about it!  She didn't tell anyone when this happened.  We found out way later.  Her eye sight is bad, she can barely hear (we've done the hearing aid thing).

Some really nice people (from AOL message boards) are trying to help me fix my AOL woes.  Come to find out I wasn't the only one with problems.

AOL -- Love 'em, Hate 'em

I resisted upgrading my AOL for awhile now.   Then I got the AOL 9.0 Optimized thing in the mail.   I figure what the hey, and I loaded it.   Well, maybe it was going to happen.   Maybe something defective about the CD they sent.   Whatever, I am really frustrated.   First I can't get logged in under the 9.0 login screen.   Go back to the 8.0, no problem.   Oh, yea....my desktop picture went somewhere, I have a totally black screen where a picture should be.   No, problem....I go to the screen to change it.   The tool bar colors change, the screen doesn't.   I can default to a blue screen.   I really don't want the blue screen. 

And as long as I am complaining.......

I set up the Yahoo messenger thingy so I could chat with my brother.   Everything was fine until a couple days ago.   The Yahoo logs you in when you start up.   But now I can't get into AOL until I exit all the Yahoo stuff.   What the heck happened?   Please if you know tell me.

I got so frustrated this morning that I uninstalled the AOL 9.0.   I think I want the upgrade but right now I could start cussing.   Has anyone else had problems?   Maybe I am doing something wrong, after all I have only been on-line since August.

Oh....poor pitifull me.

Voting

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Can  you believe it?   OK, first let me say I am knocking the guy.   I don't know enough about his politics or all the problems going on in California.   But people, he is an ACTOR.   Yeah, he's married to a very political family, but he is.....OK, I really don't care for his movies.   But I still can't get my brain wrapped around actors/wrestlers/wives of actors/etc being in politics.  Do they get elected because people really believe that they can do the job, or because they are famous?   Ya know, the last governor actor of California became president.   

I read once that when running for president the best looking guy wins.   Humm......  I don't know if I agree with that, but lets say that is true.   Then I can tell you hands down the next president of the good old US of A will be from North Carolina.   John boy is cute, he is the boy next door, and oh, and he is killer rich.   Gotta love him. hee hee 

Surely we, Americans, can see past the fame, the looks, and the promises that you know they can't keep, and vote for people we really, truly, and honestly believe can do a good job.   I personally don't feel I have much control over who becomes president (I know after the Florida thing I should believe) but I do believe that in local politics (and state level) I can make a difference.   I VOTE.   If I elect the wrong person, well at least I participated in my American right.   I tried.   And I will continue to try.

And funny thing.  When I spell checked this, the computer already knew the correct spelling of Schwarzenegger.  But it always asks if I have my name spelled right!   

 

Just Rambling

I got up early for some reason, so I'm on the computer checking e-mail, and offline messages.  My circle of on-line friends are few.  Most are family, and I "yahoo" some on-line friend of my niece.  I went into a few chat rooms before, and it really isn't for me.  Maybe I didn't really give it a chance, I don't know.  But it's neither here nor there.  Just something to talk about.

The hospital social worker called my mom yesterday (about Aunt E). Maybe we can get something worked out for her.  I sure hope so.  Getting old is the pits, and doing it alone has got to be the worse thing ever.

One of my favorite authors (Douglas Clegg) is having some killer contests on his web site.  It would be so cool to win atleast one of them.  But I'm not holding my breath.  I never win anything.  He is listed to the right under my favorite web sites.  Check it out.  You can also read some excerpts from his books there also.

Did anyone catch that the picture on yesterday's Journal Welcome page was not the author of the number 1 pick of the day?  Why would AOL do that?  Ok, I wouldn't have caught it but I read her journal, and clicked to see her web page that has her photo on it.  I left a message, she answered saying she didn't give AOL a picture.  Go figure.

I really wish there was a AOL Journal help page that gives all the technical stuff for working with journals.  I know you can go search the "By The Way" journal, but it looks like it would be so much easier to have a site to go to that explains everything instead of having to read all of what's his names journal to find one piece of information.  Maybe I want to much.  I want the world.  I do, I really do.  And why do you have to pick a community for your journal when there is no place to go and browse communities?  Or maybe there is and I haven't found it yet.

My Aunt E

First let me say, I have had the most problems with today's entry.  Something happened and I had a "+" between every word.  So, I start all over again.

Found out today about the "smartest states" listing.  My state made it to number 21 http://www.governmentguide.com/research_and_education/smartstate.adp (ok, it would have been higher but I can't get the stupid link thingy to work the way I want it to, help!)  Should I feel good that NC scored so well?  Or maybe I should feel bad that we didn't do all that well.  How should you feel about these things?  And WVA you go!!!  People are always making fun of you guys, and look you did better than 21 states!!

Today started out lousy.  My mom couldn't get her sister on the phone so we go over to check on her.  Aunt E had fell and couldn't get up.  Got her up and called that ambulance just to be safe (no broken bones).  They talked her into going to the hospital.  I could have jumped for joy.  Don't get me wrong.  My aunt has no business living alone, and she is to stubborn to let someone come in and help her.  Her house is so dirty you wouldn't believe.  Mom talked to Aunt E's doctor about this before and he said there was nothing we could do without Aunt E's ok.  That is until something happened.  I thought this would be the something, and we could some sort of help.  But I was wrong, they checked her out at the ER and discharged her.  Before she was discharged dad and I went to clean her house.  We didn't get much done really, but I feel some better.  I mean the place was (still is) so incredibly dirty.  I had to clean the toilet before I would use it.  That's pretty bad.  Hey, don't go judging us, you can't just barge in someone's house and say  we are here to clean get out of our way.  We had to try to do it when she wasn't there. The most she has agreed to is that mom will call her at a certain time in the mornings and she calls mom at a certain time in the evenings.  A missed or unanswered calls means that mom will come check up on her.  This is the 2nd time we had to go over, and just like this time it was because of a fall.

"Mammography Exercises"

Ok, folks here we go:

Exercise 1:

Open your refrigerator door and insert on breast in door.  Shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for 5 seconds.  Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective.

Exercise 2

Visit your garage at 3  AM when the temperature of the cement floor is just perfect.  Take off oll your clothes and line comfortably on the floor with one breast wedged under the rear tire of the car.  Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and Chilled.  Turn over and repeat with the other breast.

Exercise 3

Freeze 2 metal bookends over night.  Strip to the waist.  Invite a stranger into the room to press the bookends against one of your breasts.  Smash the bookends together as hard as they can.  Set up an appointment with the stranger to meet next year and do it again.

Can't believe I haven't written anything in almost a week.  It has been a crazy week.  First my brother, whom I haven't seen in about 2 years shows up.  His wife has never liked his side of the family, but for some strange reason she had decided to get over it.  It was nice to see him, her, and one of my nieces again.  It has been too long.  Family is family.  You may not always like them but they are family and you need to stay in touch.  No matter what.  I was beginning to think I would grow old without having my brother or his family around.

Oh, and I had the dreaded mammogram this past week.  You know they really aren't all that bad.  In the reception area was this really funny list of "mammography exercises."  So funny.  I'll put in the next journal entry to make sure I have enough room to get it all in.

My cat Ashley had to go back to the vet.  She has  arthritis and is on meds for that, now it is another bladder infection.  I don't know though.  She has had a ton of them this year.  I am beginning to think maybe she has cancer.  I guess Dr. B is thinking that too.  She goes back next week for blood tests.