“The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.”
Given the lateness of the hour, you’d think I dawdled the morning away. That is not even close to what happened. The last few days I have been in a funk, a malaise if you will, as my back has been especially bad, especially painful. Yesterday Gracie and I went to the dump. A couple of the bags were so heavy I had to drag them, but they had to go. They had developed dump smell. When I had finished tossing the bags into the big bins, I could barely get back to the car for the pain. I sat down for a while, patted Gracie and bemoaned my fate. After that we had two more errands. When I got home, my back was so bad I took up residence on the couch and stayed there all the rest of the day. I caught up with my DVR’d programs, read through the mountain of catalogues and took a nap. This morning I was so much better, and the best part is the grayness has gone.
I had that weird bout of energy I get, one of those walk around the house and dust with my sweatshirt mornings. I washed all the dog’s dishes and her placemat. I swept the kitchen floor and then changed all the newspapers at Fern’s alternative cat box by the front door. I even made my bed. I feel accomplished.
Today I have to go to the vet’s to pick up Fern and Maddie’s medicine. Maddie’s medicine is for thyroid and Fern’s medicine is for kidneys which, given her age, aren’t functioning as well as they should. The vet figures that’s why Fern has chosen not to use the litter boxes. Fern would have had to take a couple of pills a day. I would have needed to hire a crew to help. When I told the vet how feisty Fern is, she said I could get it in a rub but it was more money, as if I cared. The rub goes on her ear. That’s my only part. The rest is up to Fern.
Today is beautiful, a bit chillier than yesterday but all in all it’s a lovely day. With the change in seasons I have noticed an adjective change. In winter I would have said today is colder than yesterday. Now, in spring, it is chillier.
I guess all in all I’m feeling lucky. After everything it sounds strange I’m sure, but today my back doesn’t hurt for the first time in nearly a week. The Red Sox finally beat the Orioles. My house is clean enough for company should someone drop by to visit. The vet bill this month caused tremors, my hands shook signing my name, but we finally know what’s going on, and Fern will get better.
Things are looking up in my world.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: bad back, burst of energy, cat medicine, cleaning, dump, Dusting, Fern's kidneys, funk, greyness, late morning, lucky, making the bed, malaise, vets
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April 14, 2016 at 1:30 pm
keep going Kat. here garfield’s strip today
http://picayune.uclick.com/comics/ga/2016/ga160414.gif
April 14, 2016 at 1:46 pm
Ricardo,
You’ve made my day!!! Nothing soothes a grey mood like a cookie! That will most assuredly be one of my stops today. I’m already salivating at the thought.
Many thanks!
April 14, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Is it long until You get an appointment at the pain clinic? You really need to go there as soon as possible. I know how bad it is when the pain is so bad that it is hard to breathe.
What a great way to give a medicine! I didn’t know that was possible. So far it has been easy to give all my animals medicine but it is good to know if that would change 🙂
Take it easy with that back of Yours soit stays pain free!
Have a great day!
Christer.
April 14, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Christer,
Well, it seems I am going to see the neurosurgeon first, the guy who did my surgery. I have an appointment in a month.
I gave Fern one of her two and gave Maddie hers. Have to do the ear one yet with Fern. I also bought the food I’ll introduce starting tomorrow.
My errands made me tired. I’m now going to do nothing. The cats hate me and Gracie is barking. The nice day went mean!
Enjoy the evening!!
April 14, 2016 at 2:18 pm
Hi Kat,
Sorry to hear your back is acting up. Glad today is better!
I wanted to comment on Fern. Jamie and I watch the Cat Daddy, Jackson Galaxy pretty faithfully. One of his clients had a cat doing the same thing. It turned out that climbing in and out of the cat box was too much for the cat. So they used a cat box that had one side missing and that did the trick. Don’t know if it will work or not, but worth a try.
Good luck!
Erin
April 14, 2016 at 5:42 pm
Erin,
Thanks, Erin, but when I asked the vet about Fern’s behavior she said there are also physical issues particularly with an older cat. Fern had a physical and they found the start of kidney failure. I just started her on two meds and special food. They should help her feel better and stop the peeing on the floor. I wish it was as easy as a new box.
April 14, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Well, kid, you’re up ’n moving again, so that’s a plus. Methinks your back is giving you more trouble than my sciatica (don’tcha love the sound of that word?) is giving me. Matter of fact, I was a KatClone this morning as I was all slugabed with The Big Hurtin’.
When it happens, the best thing to do is acknowledge it’s there, get some rest, then acknowledge it’s better – even if it’s not really. To paraphrase what we were told in Basic: “Weakness is just Pain leaving the Body.” It’s not really, y’ know …
Love that descriptor: ‘dump smell.’ I may have to appropriate it unto mine own use.
Medicine that goes on the ear? It’s a rub that’s absorbed? Cool. That’s a lot better than fighting ’em to swallow a pill.
We too are ‘chilly’ today … and grey. We were, for a moment, damp-ish and wet-ish. Rain hath come; rain hath fallen; rain will come again. Somethin’ about that Early Childhood Trainin’ in Religion 101 always stays with ya, don’t it? I was always puzzled by that ‘Et come Spiri Two-Two-Oh’ … sounded like a baseball score – or a para of Chuck Berry’s “Rounded third and he was headed for home / He was a brown-eyed handsome man.” Meter’s a strange beast …
Your vet bill and my cable bill both seem to cause tremors in the hand … I can’t wait for the day market forces cause Comcast to abandon its failed business model they love to comically refer to as ‘bundling’ … maybe the thought is it’ll be compared to ‘swaddling.’ Unnhhh – no.
Continue your Pain-Free Way thru the day … I’m glad you’re finally getting some relief.
I’ve always found this quote from Stephen Crane to be applicable in most instances when I get to the point of indulging in ‘Why ME!?’-ism:
A man said to the Universe: “Sir, I exist!” “However,” replied the Universe, “The fact has not created in me a sense of obligation.”
For a Musical Interlude today, the Taliesin Orchestra is on hand to perform ‘May It Be’ … enjoy.
April 14, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Richard,
I hate walking all bent over, and I hate that I can’t walk far. By the time I was done my errands today, I was ready for a pillow behind my back and a comfy seat.
You are certainly welcome to using dump smell!
I was so excited when the vet said none of the 3 medicines are in pill form. I already gave Maddie her on the ear med and I gave Fern the liquid. I just have to give her the salve. It was so easy. It is more expensive but well worth the cost.
We were cold today though sunny. The Cape had winds of 25 MPH, but Boston didn’t, and that made the difference.
The vet bill this month was $700.00 for all 4 animals. I’m still shaking.
I bought a cupcake at one of my favorite bakeries. That helps the pain go away.
Great quote!!
The music is wonderfully soothing. I loved it in the movie.
April 14, 2016 at 4:41 pm
This song is the first one that came to mind. IMO, you can’t go wrong with Joan. Get better!
April 14, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Thanks, im6. This one didn’t come to mind at all as I don’t know enough of Joan’s music.
Wow, i really liked this!!!
April 14, 2016 at 5:48 pm
as a veteran of topical tapazole and cats. greasing an ear is way easier than pills. I would find those suckers everywhere…
April 14, 2016 at 6:18 pm
greg,
Tis was so easy today. I still have to grease fern’s ear but she did swallow the liquid. That wasn’t easy. She hasn’t come back to her usual spot since then.
I couldn’t do pills. I tried once and failed miserably.
April 15, 2016 at 10:32 am
Some days I feel like if I didn’t have bad luck I wouldn’t have any. 🙂 Unfortunately, getting old isn’t for the faint of heart. Of course it beats the alternative, dying young. Too bad I can’t keep using that line because I’m too old to die young. 🙂 Rim shot!
I tried to get my company to cover my dog’s vet bills under our health insurance plan and they just laughed. All of our dogs were better behaved than my kids and they are covered. I love dogs, but we are taking a hiatus from pet ownership since our last dog died unexpectedly. Since we no longer have a back yard I had to walk the dog twice daily. Everyone else in my house loves having a dog as long as they don’t have to walk it, feed it or take care of it. My spouse is deathly allergic to cats and having a bird just doesn’t seem the same kind of experience as having a dog.
April 15, 2016 at 11:50 am
Bob,
I figure we all at some times feel that same way. I don’t want to be getting old, but I don’t have a choice. I’ll just have to be graceful about it.
I used to be allergic to both dogs and cats, but I didn’t care. I can’t imagine me without an animal. I took shots at the allergists, and now I am not at all bothered. My three parts are getting old, and that worries me. They have been a part of my life for so long. The cats are 17 and now both are on medication. The dog is getting old for a Boxer. I will sorely miss them.
April 15, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Yes, but I have children….LOL Much more expensive and they aren’t as easily trained. 🙂
April 15, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Bob,
You are so right!! Here I am complaining about the money I spent when it is a mere drop in the bucket to you!!
April 15, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Hi Kat,
Topical meds for cats would have been so useful to me back when I had cats. I don’t accept any nonsense from animals when I have to medicate them. They don’t like it and I don’t like it either so the quicker it’s done, the better for all. But cats were always worse than dogs or horses. They’re fully weaponized and aren’t afraid to use that advantage. I generally wrapped them up in a thick towel and left only the head sticking out.
All in all, a clean enough house, a relatively painless back, a Red Sox win and an answer to a mystery pet health condition is pretty damn excellent luck. Not strange at all.
Enjoy the day.
April 15, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Caryn,
I used to do the same thing but it was difficult to hold the cat in the towel, get its mouth open and throw in a pill. Tis is so easy I don’t dread it. Even the liquid is easy.
You’re right. It was a good day. I so wish, however, that it is other than Fern’s kidneys but maybe all will work just fine. I put plastic down where she likes to go hoping I wouldn’t need to buy a throw away rug. She did what I was hoping-an easy clean-up.
Now I have nothing to do, and I have a new book Oops, I forgot I have laundry in the dryer!
Enjoy the day and evening!!