January 20, 2009

• Corrections and Additions

  What a difference a day makes!

  First of all, it occurred to me that I recently (Nov. 19) posted a tribute to my deceased mother and then a few days ago said “It’s My Mother’s Birthday.”  Despite what my family thinks, I really haven’t lost my mind!!!  Many of you may not know that I had a second family while growing up and it’s my *foster mother* who had a birthday this past weekend.  She and my birth mother were born only 8 days apart, the same year.  I didn’t really think about offering an explanation, because I don’t make a distinction when thinking of the two women who helped mold my life!   So for any of you who thought I had one child too many to care for and my mind had flown the coop – let me assure you, I’m just fine!

  Now to yesterday . . .

  I took Chirper in for his nail trim and “weigh in” and Sushi to be checked and given her shots.  The veterinarian looked at the paper work from the animal shelter and said, 1)  She *has* had her first round of shots – they even had copied the bottle label (with lot #) on her info sheet, 2)  She has something called “kennel cough” which is a benign airborne bug that plagues many animals kept in a shelter or kennel (one dog coughs, they all catch it), and 3)  She is much older than we thought.  As our vet carefully read the sheet of paper from the shelter, he deciphered that she was 8 weeks on December 9th, when they administered her shots and worming medicine – the same day they received her at the shelter.  That means she isn’t 9 weeks old this week, but 14 weeks.  He thinks she will be about the same size as Sampson (a good sizer for a house dog) and she looked very healthy.

  Chirper had me scared and then pleased.  He hasn’t been eating as much (one of the first signs a cat with FLv is failing) and only eats two meals a day, now, instead of three.  He’s been eating lots of kibble in between meals.  The kibble used to be too hard for his inflamed gums to chew, so he stayed away from it.  When we weighed him, his weight was 6lbs 14oz.  I was concerned because I thought he was 7lbs2oz last month.  That meant he isn’t eating AND is losing weight.  I thought *maybe* it’s because Sushi gives him playful exercise and he has burned calories.  I got home and opened the pet file to write down his new weight and found that last month he had weighed 2oz LESS!!!  I’d gotten him confused with *Stormy* who weighs 7lbs2oz!  So, Chirper is still gaining.  The doctor again said Chirper looked incredibly healthy and the fact he is enjoying kibble means his gum disease (gingivitis) may be getting better.  THANK YOU, GOD!!!

  Annamarie’s ear ache began to get worse at the vet’s and the hours after that before her own doctor appointment.  We ate lunch and then had school (quickly) and had to wait 40 minutes before leaving for the “people” doctor.  We got in an exam room right at 4pm, but no doctor appeared until 4:45pm.  In the meantime, Annamarie began to shake, cry, and moan.  She was lying on the exam table huddled under her winter coat.  When she was checked, the PA’s comment was, “Ohhhhh, honeeeeeeey, you have an ear infection.  A really *BAD* ear infection.”  She tested for strep and the test was positive as well as the ear problem.  I felt so sorry for her.  She gave her an antibiotic and said if Rissy or Luci began to complain of a sore throat, she would immediately call an RX in for them, too.  She told me to move Luci out of her and Annamarie’s bed for a while.  I was up most of the night (rib pain) and so was Annamarie.  At one point she thought she was going to throw up.  Rissy came and got us once and said Annamarie was crying.  Luci slept with Rissy and I’m glad.  It was a long night and Annamarie ended up putting a DVD in her TV and closing the door.  I keep baby food on hand for sore throats and last night she had some baby food fruit, some noodles (I made ground beef & sauce over noodles), and then I made some instant pudding for her.  She is to be on bed rest for 3 days.

  That means cancelling the dental appointment tomorrow.  I’m glad.  I feel rotten in my own way.  Two nights without much sleep is rough on me.  I’m still in pain, but it has lessened, slightly.  Jesse had some heavy duty pain pills and I took one when we ate dinner and another one in the middle of the night.  The pill (Percocet) didn’t even touch the pain.  BUT, today I have a doozey of a headache.  I suspect it’s from the pain pill AND the fact I can only sleep on my back right now, and I’m a side sleeper.  I slept with the heating pad all night and Chirper was my ever present body guard, sleeping with his back against me and on one strip of the heating pad!  At least one of us was cozy!

  Jesse had a talk with the girls about helping me.  I have to help Annamarie and he wants Rissy & Luci to help me.  For some reason, I never get strep throat.  I carry it and pass it to others, but my strep cultures always come back negative.  The doctor has heard of people like me, but said it’s rare.  I belive she also used the word “odd”!!!  Anyway, I’m able to safely care for a patient with strep infection.

  I left a message for the Child Welfare worker yesterday to see if he ever found our file after talking with me last Tuesday.  He never returned my call.  I’ll give him until tomorrow, and then I’m calling the supervisor, again.

  I have to do very little today and plan to watch the Obama coverage on TV.  The girls and I talked about it yesterday and the fact yesterday was Martin Luther King Day and today was the first time an African American would be sworn in as president.  I told them I wanted them to remember this event because someday they would be able to tell their children about the day they watched it happened.  Whether we voted for him or not, he is the new leader and the Bible instructs us to pray for our leaders.

  Today’s To Do List:
  *  Reschedule dental appointments
  *  Rissy’s laundry
  *  Clean our bathroom (already hit it with Scrubbin’ Bubbles)
  *  Have one child dust and the other one vacuum
  *  Pull something from the freezer for dinner
  *  Make more instant pudding for Annamarie
  *  Continue to make myself cough (my bronchial tubes are getting congested because I can’t breathe deeply – I’d rather it hurt when I cough than end up with pneumonia!)
  *  Search eBay for a tea kettle

  RE: the tea kettle.  I’m trying to let Annamarie do a few things in the kitchen — so she’ll learn.  Yesterday, I told her she could put the kettle on to boil water for some instant oatmeal.  I looked at the kettle around lunch time and my white enamel kettle is now scorched brown.  She forgot to put water in it!  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser wasn’t magic enough and neither were my SOS pads.  Yes!  It’s true!!!  She can’t even boil water!!!  She knocked the “whistler” piece out of the kettle a few weeks ago and I was planning on replacing it, but now I definitely need to!

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 10:44 am
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