Two days after the 4th, two friends arrived from Maine. They helped me so much.
They let me cry when I needed to, and elected me as a tour guide so I didn't lose
myself in the grieving process. We went out and did touristy things every day.
They got to see one white squirrel in Brevard. The others were hiding from the heat!
Mollie fell in love with them. He taught me how to pet Mollie. Yes, I petted her,
but not the way she wanted to be petted. Now her head lolls when I pet her.
She's calmed a lot due to increased petting and behavior snacks, she is getting
more behaved than previously. And I owe that to them.
Despite all the events going on in my life, their presence made me stronger.
And to those two individuals., Thank You so much!
All for now---Kate Thorn
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Update re: chickens
This is a very sad post. One chicken, Cinnamon, was killed by her sisters
while I was in Florida. I got home at 1:30 am. So I didn't check them then.
The next day, I went out to check, and Blondie was dead, and they were con-
summing her. I was hurt by another death--and what to do with the remaining
chickens. I couldn't give them to someone else--they would do the same thing
over again. Once a chicken becomes cannibalistic, they continue the behavior.
It doesn't happen often, but when it does, the advice given is to terminate the
chickens committing the act. One of my friends took care of the matter for me.
I couldn't do it. I still get teary every time I see anything about chickens.
All about this: Kate Thorn
while I was in Florida. I got home at 1:30 am. So I didn't check them then.
The next day, I went out to check, and Blondie was dead, and they were con-
summing her. I was hurt by another death--and what to do with the remaining
chickens. I couldn't give them to someone else--they would do the same thing
over again. Once a chicken becomes cannibalistic, they continue the behavior.
It doesn't happen often, but when it does, the advice given is to terminate the
chickens committing the act. One of my friends took care of the matter for me.
I couldn't do it. I still get teary every time I see anything about chickens.
All about this: Kate Thorn
My Brother Don
During trip one and trip two to Florida, Don and I talked frequently. The
most important issue was my mother's funeral. I felt if I waited to have
this conversation, that there was a possibility that I would not be able to
discuss this with him.
I was not present at my Mom's funeral because I had a serious case of
pneumonia. Everyone that had contact with one certain person came
down with "viral pneumonia"--we nurses called it SARS. Most of us
had a history of pneumonia, having worked in hospitals for most of
our careers. But this was so severe. I would have coughing spasms
so severe that it felt like my head was coming off.
My sister knew this. She never told Don, but rather let him think that
I cared that little. Three weeks prior to his first hospitalization, I wanted
to contact him, and I was told that he"had never forgiven me for not
coming to Mom's funeral."
I should have contacted him sooner: I should never have listened to
her. I was forgiven after he knew. We made our long over-due peace
about everything.
I talked to him the day before our trip down there. Good thing too.
He was not able to talk when I got there. But he did awaken on day
two of the second visit and gave me and my daughter a beautiful grin.
To my knowledge that was the last time he was awake. Of course, my
sister did not tell me if he woke up or not after that. Being in the room
with her and my niece was strained. I felt unwelcome.
There was also an insult regarding my only grandchild and her only
great nephew. She was wanting all of us to share a condo initially,
until I told her that Bailey would be with us. She said that wouldn't
work and we.d have to find our own place. I retorted that we already
had rented a house in Dunedin.
They stayed at Don's house. Which on the earlier trip, they went there
to check out his house. My daughter and I started cleaning, while my
my sister and her daughter looked for the will. It was such a tacky thing
to do. We didn't know about the cancer then. No one did. They did
get a list of his bills so they could be paid, and that was important,
had he been able to return home.
I have had one communication since we were in Florida. She sent a
very impersonal letter. She never called me when Don died. She asked
a nurse to call me. I was trying to call the hospice when they called me.
And she gave me the message in the appropriate manner. I thanked her for
the care given to him.
My neice previously had texted my daughter that "I was not to contact her
anymore." So I didn't. I did leave a message with the probate lawyer re:
who I was, my relation to Don, where I lived and my phone number. When
I did that I was unaware the the probate attorney represented the executor,
and that was all. I got a very rude call from my neice in regards to that call.
I didn't understand her anger. By the next day, being a heir at law, I did
request and paid for a copy of the will. She ranted on about the call, which
was innocent on my part, until her rant and rudeness. I terminated the call by
telling her to get a life, and then severing telephone communication. I haven't
heard anything further and doubt I will. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but
I doubt it.
All for now--Kate Thorn
most important issue was my mother's funeral. I felt if I waited to have
this conversation, that there was a possibility that I would not be able to
discuss this with him.
I was not present at my Mom's funeral because I had a serious case of
pneumonia. Everyone that had contact with one certain person came
down with "viral pneumonia"--we nurses called it SARS. Most of us
had a history of pneumonia, having worked in hospitals for most of
our careers. But this was so severe. I would have coughing spasms
so severe that it felt like my head was coming off.
My sister knew this. She never told Don, but rather let him think that
I cared that little. Three weeks prior to his first hospitalization, I wanted
to contact him, and I was told that he"had never forgiven me for not
coming to Mom's funeral."
I should have contacted him sooner: I should never have listened to
her. I was forgiven after he knew. We made our long over-due peace
about everything.
I talked to him the day before our trip down there. Good thing too.
He was not able to talk when I got there. But he did awaken on day
two of the second visit and gave me and my daughter a beautiful grin.
To my knowledge that was the last time he was awake. Of course, my
sister did not tell me if he woke up or not after that. Being in the room
with her and my niece was strained. I felt unwelcome.
There was also an insult regarding my only grandchild and her only
great nephew. She was wanting all of us to share a condo initially,
until I told her that Bailey would be with us. She said that wouldn't
work and we.d have to find our own place. I retorted that we already
had rented a house in Dunedin.
They stayed at Don's house. Which on the earlier trip, they went there
to check out his house. My daughter and I started cleaning, while my
my sister and her daughter looked for the will. It was such a tacky thing
to do. We didn't know about the cancer then. No one did. They did
get a list of his bills so they could be paid, and that was important,
had he been able to return home.
I have had one communication since we were in Florida. She sent a
very impersonal letter. She never called me when Don died. She asked
a nurse to call me. I was trying to call the hospice when they called me.
And she gave me the message in the appropriate manner. I thanked her for
the care given to him.
My neice previously had texted my daughter that "I was not to contact her
anymore." So I didn't. I did leave a message with the probate lawyer re:
who I was, my relation to Don, where I lived and my phone number. When
I did that I was unaware the the probate attorney represented the executor,
and that was all. I got a very rude call from my neice in regards to that call.
I didn't understand her anger. By the next day, being a heir at law, I did
request and paid for a copy of the will. She ranted on about the call, which
was innocent on my part, until her rant and rudeness. I terminated the call by
telling her to get a life, and then severing telephone communication. I haven't
heard anything further and doubt I will. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but
I doubt it.
All for now--Kate Thorn
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Updates on Everything
My brother is doing much better. He is able to walk down the hall now;
still is quite weak, but is making positive progress and that is really good
news..
My dog, poor Mollie, has dog flu. She doesn't have the severe respiratory
symptoms, but she coughs occasionally and has a "runny nose". Her appetite
is off--vet suggested chicken and rice--she threw the rice up--this was day
two of the bug. I took her back to the vet. X-rays and blood work were
done. Both were negative. I called her old vet--and he told me about
the dog flu. She has fevers, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy. So she
has been getting rotisserie chicken about 4 times a day, and she goes
outside to her "bathroom". And she wakes me frequently. Day and night.
And I'm on my 4th round of antibiotics since coming back from Florida.
Mine was bacterial though.
Daisy is doing fabulous now.She is on a twice or three times a week Lasix.
And 2.5 mg of Prednisone. I'm actually wondering if the fluid overload
was causing the increased seizures. Whatever the reason, she is full of
herself now. She hides and pounces on mollie's nose--As I bring Mollie
through the door, I say, "Watch out for the cat!" And this big dog
slithers behind me, keeping me between the dog and cat.
The cat and chickens are the healthiest one!
Continuing to try to do a garden and get the inside painted. It's taking forever.
Will be worth it when completed. Right now, I am so sleep deprived from
Mollie waking me to go out so frequently, that I can only barely focus.
All for now--
Kate Thorn
still is quite weak, but is making positive progress and that is really good
news..
My dog, poor Mollie, has dog flu. She doesn't have the severe respiratory
symptoms, but she coughs occasionally and has a "runny nose". Her appetite
is off--vet suggested chicken and rice--she threw the rice up--this was day
two of the bug. I took her back to the vet. X-rays and blood work were
done. Both were negative. I called her old vet--and he told me about
the dog flu. She has fevers, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy. So she
has been getting rotisserie chicken about 4 times a day, and she goes
outside to her "bathroom". And she wakes me frequently. Day and night.
And I'm on my 4th round of antibiotics since coming back from Florida.
Mine was bacterial though.
Daisy is doing fabulous now.She is on a twice or three times a week Lasix.
And 2.5 mg of Prednisone. I'm actually wondering if the fluid overload
was causing the increased seizures. Whatever the reason, she is full of
herself now. She hides and pounces on mollie's nose--As I bring Mollie
through the door, I say, "Watch out for the cat!" And this big dog
slithers behind me, keeping me between the dog and cat.
The cat and chickens are the healthiest one!
Continuing to try to do a garden and get the inside painted. It's taking forever.
Will be worth it when completed. Right now, I am so sleep deprived from
Mollie waking me to go out so frequently, that I can only barely focus.
All for now--
Kate Thorn
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Trip to Florida
Melanie and I made an emergency trip to Florida last week. My
sister called me crying and asking me to call my brother's doctor.
I did manage to get through--he was very blunt--thought my brother
was a bum . He was ill when he finally called 911. We were in FL
(oddly enough, I worked as a traveler in ICU in that very hospital)
by the next morning, We went to see my brother that morning,
He looked worse than I expected. Chest tube and ventilator, arterial
line for monitoring of blood pressure and oxygen saturation level.
He did wake up for a few minutes--didn't recognize me. I'm not
surprised. We hadn't seen each other since 2001. My sister and neice
arrived the next night. My daughter took over the meals--she used those
rated highly on trip adviser. We dealt with his house and she took over
again--changed his air conditioner filter, arranging to have carpets
cleaned. She bought a new mattress pad for him. (I merely supplied
the credit card.) I have set of sheets I can send him. They're new.
He was to transfer to another floor today. Finally out of ICU!
Good news! Very good news for us!
All for now,
Kate Thorn
sister called me crying and asking me to call my brother's doctor.
I did manage to get through--he was very blunt--thought my brother
was a bum . He was ill when he finally called 911. We were in FL
(oddly enough, I worked as a traveler in ICU in that very hospital)
by the next morning, We went to see my brother that morning,
He looked worse than I expected. Chest tube and ventilator, arterial
line for monitoring of blood pressure and oxygen saturation level.
He did wake up for a few minutes--didn't recognize me. I'm not
surprised. We hadn't seen each other since 2001. My sister and neice
arrived the next night. My daughter took over the meals--she used those
rated highly on trip adviser. We dealt with his house and she took over
again--changed his air conditioner filter, arranging to have carpets
cleaned. She bought a new mattress pad for him. (I merely supplied
the credit card.) I have set of sheets I can send him. They're new.
He was to transfer to another floor today. Finally out of ICU!
Good news! Very good news for us!
All for now,
Kate Thorn
Update on Daisy Cat
I adjusted her meds--added Lasix 2 to 3 times a week, and asked
for 2.5 mg of Prednisone. She hasn't had a single twitch or seizure
since the addition of Lasix. I know this isn't a permanent fix, but
for now, she is happy and healthier than she's been in a long time.
Mollie is inside the majority of the time. She's outside around 8-10 hours a day,
which to me, is not enough. But she gets on the deck and barks to
get in. My critters have me well-trained!
The chickens have captured my daughter--she even wanted to get more
this Spring. I nixed that. I was feeding them grass, and she couldn't
believe how nuts they were over it. I explained they needed chorophyll
in their diet. Every day, they get sunflower seeds and grass from her.
All for now,
Kate Thorn
for 2.5 mg of Prednisone. She hasn't had a single twitch or seizure
since the addition of Lasix. I know this isn't a permanent fix, but
for now, she is happy and healthier than she's been in a long time.
Mollie is inside the majority of the time. She's outside around 8-10 hours a day,
which to me, is not enough. But she gets on the deck and barks to
get in. My critters have me well-trained!
The chickens have captured my daughter--she even wanted to get more
this Spring. I nixed that. I was feeding them grass, and she couldn't
believe how nuts they were over it. I explained they needed chorophyll
in their diet. Every day, they get sunflower seeds and grass from her.
All for now,
Kate Thorn
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Mollie's Inside!
The cage had to be taken apart and put back together again, courtesy of a friend,
but Mollie is sleeping inside at night--and she is so happy about this. I woke
up last night and looked over at her and she was lying on her back, front
legs. slightly bent, but up in the air, and her mouth was wide open, Truly
funny, And she snores at times. She comes in every night at 8:00 PM.
And she goes back out at 8 AM,
She barks at every dog that barks on TV! And is she ever loud! She has a
dislike for horror movies (so do I); she woke me up at 5:30 AM barking.
I changed the channel to music at low volume and she turned around a
few times, lay down, and went back to sleep.
I was outside planting flowers, vines today. Got the yard and driveway
nearly cleaned up. Two clematis vines were planted, some bleeding hearts.
And I'm just getting a start! My trees that I killed last summer with the
toxic copper laced water. I never thought they come back, but they did!
I have 4 peach trees, 2 red havens, and plan to get one white peach tree.
I have 4 apple trees, 2 golden delicious, 1 red delicious and 1 red
Jonathan. I need one more, a lodi.--good coooking apple. I have one
Bartlet pear tree, want to get a red anjou and 1 Bosch;.
All for now
Kate Thorn
but Mollie is sleeping inside at night--and she is so happy about this. I woke
up last night and looked over at her and she was lying on her back, front
legs. slightly bent, but up in the air, and her mouth was wide open, Truly
funny, And she snores at times. She comes in every night at 8:00 PM.
And she goes back out at 8 AM,
She barks at every dog that barks on TV! And is she ever loud! She has a
dislike for horror movies (so do I); she woke me up at 5:30 AM barking.
I changed the channel to music at low volume and she turned around a
few times, lay down, and went back to sleep.
I was outside planting flowers, vines today. Got the yard and driveway
nearly cleaned up. Two clematis vines were planted, some bleeding hearts.
And I'm just getting a start! My trees that I killed last summer with the
toxic copper laced water. I never thought they come back, but they did!
I have 4 peach trees, 2 red havens, and plan to get one white peach tree.
I have 4 apple trees, 2 golden delicious, 1 red delicious and 1 red
Jonathan. I need one more, a lodi.--good coooking apple. I have one
Bartlet pear tree, want to get a red anjou and 1 Bosch;.
All for now
Kate Thorn
Monday, March 2, 2015
Reading and Mollie
I've been sick for the past week. I'm on antibiotics now--hopefully, that will
clear it up. So since feeling like death warmed over, I have been reading.
Tonight I started reading Gone With the Wind. I've not read it in so many
years. So I decided to read it still again, but slowly. I had read only a few
pages when I found a word I was unfamiliar word: Soughing, used in a
reference to pine trees. So I looked it up; it means rustling. I love the
descriptive style of the author.
Mollie has been barking night and day. So I decided to crate her downstairs.
She sleeps all night and is only barking at times during the day. She'll come
in the sunroom for the night in the summer--to keep her cool. She'll be
super happy then. She wants to be as close to me as possible.
I found a cool strawberry plant holder. 5 levels. It starts out as 36 inches
and decreases as it goes upward. And also movable if I end up selling
this house and sharing my daughter's lot. She has to come here every
day. Sharing her lot would be so much easier on her. I haven't decided yet--
I may change my mind when it's totally remodeled.
All for tonight--
Kate Thorn
clear it up. So since feeling like death warmed over, I have been reading.
Tonight I started reading Gone With the Wind. I've not read it in so many
years. So I decided to read it still again, but slowly. I had read only a few
pages when I found a word I was unfamiliar word: Soughing, used in a
reference to pine trees. So I looked it up; it means rustling. I love the
descriptive style of the author.
Mollie has been barking night and day. So I decided to crate her downstairs.
She sleeps all night and is only barking at times during the day. She'll come
in the sunroom for the night in the summer--to keep her cool. She'll be
super happy then. She wants to be as close to me as possible.
I found a cool strawberry plant holder. 5 levels. It starts out as 36 inches
and decreases as it goes upward. And also movable if I end up selling
this house and sharing my daughter's lot. She has to come here every
day. Sharing her lot would be so much easier on her. I haven't decided yet--
I may change my mind when it's totally remodeled.
All for tonight--
Kate Thorn
Thursday, January 29, 2015
My Dearest Daisy Cat
My dearest Daisy is dying, slowly. I took her to the vet last Sunday. She was having
difficulty breathing, Time dragged by. I have cried, and still there are more tears.
Daisy is no ordinary cat. At age 4, she was diagnosed with endstage cardiomyopathy,
epilepsy, and melanoma on her eye. The vet gave me very little hope. She was put on
phenobarb for her seizures which were extremely bad. But her heart had to wait a bit.
She was started on Benazapril, which works well on cats with this diagnosis. Two
weeks later she went back to have her cancerous eye removed. That one thing, which
had to be done, turned her against female vets for the rest of her life
She became an indoor cat forever. She slept with me. When I moved to Florida, we
were alone. Mr. Natural was doing some work in NC. Daisy and I bonded even closer
than ever. My house was so close to the hosp, that Daisy would watch me disappear
through the hosp.doors. On the days I worked, she waged a campaign to keep me at
home. First, she would get in her cat carrier, and mewl most piteously. When that
didn't work, she would get on my freshly laundered uniform and meow. I knew what
she was saying, "Take me with you."
In the morning she'd be waiting, batting on the windowpane and meowing for me,
We'd talk a bit. Then I'd head for the door. By the time I had opened the door, she
was there, greeting me, meowing her happiness.
The previous year I'd learned how to make jewelry. Daisy loved it. She would sit
and watch me with lustful eyes. When I finished a bracelet, she'd grab it and run.
I'd finally catch her. And the process would repeat itself. She was always near me.
She was fiercely loyal and just as fiercely jealous. I had one fish, Fred, a Siamese
fighting fish. I kept Fred on top of the refrigerator. Not faraway enough from Daisy.
however. Daisy came to me as a starving, bug-catching kitten--and as a cat who
understood English better than most humans. One "no" and that behavior was not
repeated. She jumped on the kitchen counter top only once and received the No
word, and she never did that again. Until Fred. She jumped on the counter, up to
the top of fridge, managed to get his lid off,caught him with me only a room away.
I thought I heard something; I didn't think it was anything, but I checked., I walked
lnto the kitchen and found a very innocent Daisy under the table. Fred the fish was
laying 2 feet away from her. Dead. He wasn't bitten--just deprived of his necessary
environment.. She was equally rough on plants. Until recently. Plants never lasted
a week. She could destroy one in less than5 minutes. Recently, she hasn't bothered
them as much.
The years passed by. I became terribly dehydrated while working in Southern Pines.
My heart rate dropped. I couldn't even walk across the floor. I'd went to doctor,
and just the trip had weakened me to the point that I laid on the sofa and went
to sleep immediately. I had a glass of Tang beside me, but was too exhausted to
drink it. While I was sleeping, Daisy got on top of my legs and purred. Something
about the purring, my heart regulated itself, and I had the strength to drink. I was
out of work for 3 days. Daisy was by my side the entire time.
I had no knowledge of my having auto-immune diseases at that time. The irregular
heart beat continued, but no physician diagnosed me. Just told it was irregular. OK,
It was during this time that Daisy saved my life. I woke up one morning with claw
marks from my shoulder to my wrist. I had no recall of Daisy scratching me. She drew
blood. I realized that my heart quit beating for a very short period of time. Must have
been scary to not awaken me.
Not even 6 months later, I was hurt at work. Then again at Physical Therapy. Daisy
stayed with me throughout it all. I was so depressed during this time. I was in pain, and
I knew my life as I'd always known it, had ended. I tried to focus on jewelry, but that
was a hobby. never meant it to be a career. Daisy stayed by my side the entire time.
It was during this time that Daisy started having severe seizures. She was taken to the
the vet and started on phenobarb. A higher dose made her so drunk that she'd fall down.
So on her 2 week later appt, she had her phenobarb level checked. And I insisted on
a chest X-ray. And I do mean insist. She thought I was nuts--but who was she to
turn down an insistent request. When she came back to me, she was not smiling. And
she started by saying, "I have some bad news for you." And she went on to say that Daisy
had end-stage cardiomyopathy. Her heart was very enlarged, She wanted to look her over
more closely. That's when she saw the melanaoma on the edge of her eyeball. "How long
has she had this?' My reply: "I told 2 different vets about it, and both told me to watch her."
She said, "That's a melanoma." I had just 2 death sentences in less than 10 minutes.
She couldn't have surgery until her heart was a bit improved.
The surgery went well. Daisy glued herself close to me. I was still adjusting her
phenobarb, trying to give her the right amount without knocking her out. When the
eye patch came off and activities were no longer restricted. I could tell that the loss of
the eye had affected her depth perception. And she hated the vet with a vengeance. She
wanted to attack her, more specifically, her eyes. It was so bad that I started with short
term anesthesia just to get blood tests. She finally finally got a level of medication, was
no longer wheezing, and was doing better over all.
When I moved to this house, the previous owner had brought their cat from Florida--along
with its fleas. Two weeks later we moved in--without knowing the house was infested
with fleas. Daisy was acutely allergic to fleas. She had all these odd neuro symptons.
This is a rare side effect. I took her to the vet--and she gave her 2 weeks or less to live.
I was devastated. I spent a lot of time holding her. The house was bombed x 3 times.
Daisy also had to de-wormed. But two days later after being told she was dying, she
started getting better. In 4 days, all neuro symptoms disappeared. But there was no
seizures during this time. However, I'mcalling the vet tomorrow--it won't hurt her. It
could be that Mollie had a stray flea and it got carried inside to the cat. The weakness
and loss of coordination are the same. as then. Hope the Doc is in a good mood tomorrow.
I did change Daisy's phenobarb schedule today to one 16.4 mg pill every 6 hours. Right now
she is on a 10-4-10-4 schedule and she's a lot peppier; still sleeping a lot, but falling down less.
And she was started on Prednisone 5mg, and she does seem to be more active
Kate Thorn
difficulty breathing, Time dragged by. I have cried, and still there are more tears.
Daisy is no ordinary cat. At age 4, she was diagnosed with endstage cardiomyopathy,
epilepsy, and melanoma on her eye. The vet gave me very little hope. She was put on
phenobarb for her seizures which were extremely bad. But her heart had to wait a bit.
She was started on Benazapril, which works well on cats with this diagnosis. Two
weeks later she went back to have her cancerous eye removed. That one thing, which
had to be done, turned her against female vets for the rest of her life
She became an indoor cat forever. She slept with me. When I moved to Florida, we
were alone. Mr. Natural was doing some work in NC. Daisy and I bonded even closer
than ever. My house was so close to the hosp, that Daisy would watch me disappear
through the hosp.doors. On the days I worked, she waged a campaign to keep me at
home. First, she would get in her cat carrier, and mewl most piteously. When that
didn't work, she would get on my freshly laundered uniform and meow. I knew what
she was saying, "Take me with you."
In the morning she'd be waiting, batting on the windowpane and meowing for me,
We'd talk a bit. Then I'd head for the door. By the time I had opened the door, she
was there, greeting me, meowing her happiness.
The previous year I'd learned how to make jewelry. Daisy loved it. She would sit
and watch me with lustful eyes. When I finished a bracelet, she'd grab it and run.
I'd finally catch her. And the process would repeat itself. She was always near me.
She was fiercely loyal and just as fiercely jealous. I had one fish, Fred, a Siamese
fighting fish. I kept Fred on top of the refrigerator. Not faraway enough from Daisy.
however. Daisy came to me as a starving, bug-catching kitten--and as a cat who
understood English better than most humans. One "no" and that behavior was not
repeated. She jumped on the kitchen counter top only once and received the No
word, and she never did that again. Until Fred. She jumped on the counter, up to
the top of fridge, managed to get his lid off,caught him with me only a room away.
I thought I heard something; I didn't think it was anything, but I checked., I walked
lnto the kitchen and found a very innocent Daisy under the table. Fred the fish was
laying 2 feet away from her. Dead. He wasn't bitten--just deprived of his necessary
environment.. She was equally rough on plants. Until recently. Plants never lasted
a week. She could destroy one in less than5 minutes. Recently, she hasn't bothered
them as much.
The years passed by. I became terribly dehydrated while working in Southern Pines.
My heart rate dropped. I couldn't even walk across the floor. I'd went to doctor,
and just the trip had weakened me to the point that I laid on the sofa and went
to sleep immediately. I had a glass of Tang beside me, but was too exhausted to
drink it. While I was sleeping, Daisy got on top of my legs and purred. Something
about the purring, my heart regulated itself, and I had the strength to drink. I was
out of work for 3 days. Daisy was by my side the entire time.
I had no knowledge of my having auto-immune diseases at that time. The irregular
heart beat continued, but no physician diagnosed me. Just told it was irregular. OK,
It was during this time that Daisy saved my life. I woke up one morning with claw
marks from my shoulder to my wrist. I had no recall of Daisy scratching me. She drew
blood. I realized that my heart quit beating for a very short period of time. Must have
been scary to not awaken me.
Not even 6 months later, I was hurt at work. Then again at Physical Therapy. Daisy
stayed with me throughout it all. I was so depressed during this time. I was in pain, and
I knew my life as I'd always known it, had ended. I tried to focus on jewelry, but that
was a hobby. never meant it to be a career. Daisy stayed by my side the entire time.
It was during this time that Daisy started having severe seizures. She was taken to the
the vet and started on phenobarb. A higher dose made her so drunk that she'd fall down.
So on her 2 week later appt, she had her phenobarb level checked. And I insisted on
a chest X-ray. And I do mean insist. She thought I was nuts--but who was she to
turn down an insistent request. When she came back to me, she was not smiling. And
she started by saying, "I have some bad news for you." And she went on to say that Daisy
had end-stage cardiomyopathy. Her heart was very enlarged, She wanted to look her over
more closely. That's when she saw the melanaoma on the edge of her eyeball. "How long
has she had this?' My reply: "I told 2 different vets about it, and both told me to watch her."
She said, "That's a melanoma." I had just 2 death sentences in less than 10 minutes.
She couldn't have surgery until her heart was a bit improved.
The surgery went well. Daisy glued herself close to me. I was still adjusting her
phenobarb, trying to give her the right amount without knocking her out. When the
eye patch came off and activities were no longer restricted. I could tell that the loss of
the eye had affected her depth perception. And she hated the vet with a vengeance. She
wanted to attack her, more specifically, her eyes. It was so bad that I started with short
term anesthesia just to get blood tests. She finally finally got a level of medication, was
no longer wheezing, and was doing better over all.
When I moved to this house, the previous owner had brought their cat from Florida--along
with its fleas. Two weeks later we moved in--without knowing the house was infested
with fleas. Daisy was acutely allergic to fleas. She had all these odd neuro symptons.
This is a rare side effect. I took her to the vet--and she gave her 2 weeks or less to live.
I was devastated. I spent a lot of time holding her. The house was bombed x 3 times.
Daisy also had to de-wormed. But two days later after being told she was dying, she
started getting better. In 4 days, all neuro symptoms disappeared. But there was no
seizures during this time. However, I'mcalling the vet tomorrow--it won't hurt her. It
could be that Mollie had a stray flea and it got carried inside to the cat. The weakness
and loss of coordination are the same. as then. Hope the Doc is in a good mood tomorrow.
I did change Daisy's phenobarb schedule today to one 16.4 mg pill every 6 hours. Right now
she is on a 10-4-10-4 schedule and she's a lot peppier; still sleeping a lot, but falling down less.
And she was started on Prednisone 5mg, and she does seem to be more active
Kate Thorn
Thursday, January 8, 2015
New Year, New Things
Things, well, they've not been that important to me--except for old
things that I lost when Mr. Natural and I split up. I had Christmas
ornaments dating back when I was 6 years old. Gone. They,
and other things, were in a storage unit supposedly in both
of our names. No, emotional blackmail was his specialty. So
I lost my book collection. my poetry book collection, my
ornaments, my collection of red glass that I had collected even
before I ever met him. And the things I had painted when I
painted ceramics. Things that couldn't be replaced. I spent a
great deal of time being depressed regarding this.
Back to things. My daughter and I went looking at furniture
this past Sunday--and I realized that I had never bought "new"
furniture. I had my mom's old chest of drawers--the other two
chests were antique. One, I'd had since the early 80's. So since I'd
never done it, I shopped for a living room suite and a bedroom
suite. Huge deal for this antique old furniture person.
I found a charcoal gray sofa and loveseat, that I never would
have bought, but it was coupled with furniture that was sort
of grayish color--looked oldish and perfect for a country
home, So I got it. Next I looked for a bedroom suite. I had
been looking for 4 poster bed, but I was looking for metal.
I spotted one that was wood and metal--it was gorgeous and
feminine. I loved it. And, since it was time for a new mattress.
I got one those IQ ones--supposedly a combination of memory
foam and baffles. Nice.
I wanted a month before delivery. Remember all my plumbing
woes. My entire house was torn apart. My bedroom has a hallway
going to my bathroom. My bathroom had to be torn apart,
so I went ahead and got a new vanity toilet and new flooring.
But the living room and bedroom are disastrous. It'll take a
month for me to get everything squared away. I'm still
battling polymyocitis and am so weak that my muscles will
spasm if I try to do too much at one time. I have to space all
my activities. So I'm finishing up on the kitchen. Slowly, but
getting it done--organized, each drawer and cabinet has been
emptied, cleaned, and then put back together in an organized
fashion. The same for the living room and bedroom..
I don't have to worry about throwing anything away. My
basement was turned into a smallish apartment, which I plan
to furnish and rent out--eventually.
I wrote my New Year's Affirmations down on New Year's
Day, and have been pretty faithful regarding keeping them.
All the housework has cut into my writing time. As long as Book
One is completed by April--that's OK--and I did work out the
two missing chapters.
My chickens are in Molly's old crate in the laundry room.
They made happy chicken noises --they liked the warmth.
Mollie sleeps in her doghouse at night only. Frigid cold
and she'll be snoozing on the ground.! Pyrenees are different
sort of dogs.
All for now--
Kate Thorn
things that I lost when Mr. Natural and I split up. I had Christmas
ornaments dating back when I was 6 years old. Gone. They,
and other things, were in a storage unit supposedly in both
of our names. No, emotional blackmail was his specialty. So
I lost my book collection. my poetry book collection, my
ornaments, my collection of red glass that I had collected even
before I ever met him. And the things I had painted when I
painted ceramics. Things that couldn't be replaced. I spent a
great deal of time being depressed regarding this.
Back to things. My daughter and I went looking at furniture
this past Sunday--and I realized that I had never bought "new"
furniture. I had my mom's old chest of drawers--the other two
chests were antique. One, I'd had since the early 80's. So since I'd
never done it, I shopped for a living room suite and a bedroom
suite. Huge deal for this antique old furniture person.
I found a charcoal gray sofa and loveseat, that I never would
have bought, but it was coupled with furniture that was sort
of grayish color--looked oldish and perfect for a country
home, So I got it. Next I looked for a bedroom suite. I had
been looking for 4 poster bed, but I was looking for metal.
I spotted one that was wood and metal--it was gorgeous and
feminine. I loved it. And, since it was time for a new mattress.
I got one those IQ ones--supposedly a combination of memory
foam and baffles. Nice.
I wanted a month before delivery. Remember all my plumbing
woes. My entire house was torn apart. My bedroom has a hallway
going to my bathroom. My bathroom had to be torn apart,
so I went ahead and got a new vanity toilet and new flooring.
But the living room and bedroom are disastrous. It'll take a
month for me to get everything squared away. I'm still
battling polymyocitis and am so weak that my muscles will
spasm if I try to do too much at one time. I have to space all
my activities. So I'm finishing up on the kitchen. Slowly, but
getting it done--organized, each drawer and cabinet has been
emptied, cleaned, and then put back together in an organized
fashion. The same for the living room and bedroom..
I don't have to worry about throwing anything away. My
basement was turned into a smallish apartment, which I plan
to furnish and rent out--eventually.
I wrote my New Year's Affirmations down on New Year's
Day, and have been pretty faithful regarding keeping them.
All the housework has cut into my writing time. As long as Book
One is completed by April--that's OK--and I did work out the
two missing chapters.
My chickens are in Molly's old crate in the laundry room.
They made happy chicken noises --they liked the warmth.
Mollie sleeps in her doghouse at night only. Frigid cold
and she'll be snoozing on the ground.! Pyrenees are different
sort of dogs.
All for now--
Kate Thorn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)