1/22/10 – Friday

I love, love my Kindle – esp for the huge, heavy books. A hint: go to the Kindle books page on Amazon regularly and they always have free books (look under the Kindle bestsellers). A lot of the first books in a mystery and even fantasy series are offered regularly as are other authors – and the classics are always free as their copyrights have expired.

Oh, I stalk the Kindle store every day to see if there’s anything new I can download for free. I just finished reading Suite Scarlett, which I downloaded for free (and enjoyed a lot!). I’ve downloaded other free books as well, including a Jane Austen novel I can’t remember the name of. Pride and Prejudice, I believe. The free downloads are awesome!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Don’t know if you can organize it but you really should not have to have your blood taken that many times in a week. The docs should be able to consolidate what they need and have you go in one time for a draw. Want me to come down there and kick some doc butt?

It really wasn’t the fault of my doctors – I didn’t think far enough ahead to realize I was going to require having so much blood taken in the space of one week. Had I, I would have encouraged communication between the surgeons and the hematologist to see if one session would have gotten all the blood required (and I’m sure my insurance would have appreciated it, too!). I’ll have to keep that in mind for next time! (I’ll keep you in mind for doctor butt-kicking, though, Elaine. I’m sure they need their butts kicked, just on general principle.)

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Feb 10 is not that far away. The Uterus seems to have powers though. It got you sick so you could not remove it and therefore kill it. I would try to fool it by saying the wrong date for the surgery, a later date of course, any time you speak about the surgery. Then if you must communicate you could write a note with the date on it. I don’t think Uteri can read.

and

I believe Elaine knows Uteri…I too, suspected this was a plot by your uterus. Go with Elaine’s plan to speak aloud a later date. And for goodness’ sake, if you have to write the actual date down, take no chances! Make sure you’re wearing pants, where the Uterus can’t see, just in case it taught itself to read. 😉

Very VERY good point, Elaine and Jean! The uterus is a wily organ and should not be underestimated. From here on out, when discussing the upcoming surgery, I will say the date in Pig Latin – Ebruaryfay enthtay – as the uterus is known for being unable to speak foreign languages.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

How did Fred do in taking care of you while you were sick?

The problem is that when I’m truly sick, all I want is to be left alone. He’s very good at that, coming in to look at me and ask “Are you better yet?” every once in a while, but leaving me alone otherwise. It’s when I’m on the mend that I want to be pampered, and then he knows I’m just lollygagging and rolls his eyes when I weakly say “Could you bring me a drink? I’m so thirsty…” :::dramatic hand to forehead:::

I only asked him to scoop the litter boxes for me once while I was sick (well, one and a half times – the half would be when I didn’t want to haul my ass upstairs and asked him to do the litter boxes up there, and did the downstairs ones myself), and did so uncomplainingly.

He’s not a bad nurse.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Do you have a case for your Kindle and if so, which one? I am trying to figure out what kind I want.

When I ordered the Kindle, I got this case for it because it was the cheapest one I could find. But it’s a pain in the ass sliding the Kindle into the case, especially when you’re at an appointment and they call you back, and you have to fumble with getting it back into the case and zipping it closed.

So I got another case – it looks kind of like this one, but I got mine off eBay, because holy hell are Kindle cases expensive. It’s a lot more convenient than the first case, because you can leave the Kindle in the case, and just open the case like a book. But like I did, I highly recommend you look on eBay for a case, because did I mention those things are expensive?

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Robyn, as a fellow WLS patient, I had to laugh my azz off at this comment you made:
“I left the office with enough time to run to McDonald’s and get a cheeseburger, which I ate in the parking lot of my weight loss surgeon’s office building.” What a contradiction in terms – McDonalds cheeseburger/WL surgeon — ROFL. But I totally understand.

I was sitting there eating, and thinking “With my luck, he’s going to walk RIGHT by my car and see me here, eating this crappy cheeseburger and give me shit for it!” He didn’t, though. It’s a big office building, so I got lucky. 🙂

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Yogurt is slimy and gross. Gak. I can manage it if I eat the Yoplait Whip kind, but that’s about it. I take acidophalus (sp?) in pill form daily b/c I used to get yeast infections so often. Works like a charm.

Enough people mentioned the acidophilus pills, that I picked up a box of them yesterday and will give them a try!

I did find ONE yogurt I can stomach – Light & Fit Key Lime Pie isn’t bad. I mean, I’ll never CRAVE it, but it’s less yogurty than the other flavors I got.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

I always thought it had to be live yogurt for it to counteract the antibiotics potential side effects – is the stuff you take the live one? I hate yogurt too – bleugh!

Yep, you’re supposed to be sure they have “active yogurt cultures including L. Acidophilus”, and Light & Fit yogurt does. Actually, I picked up several different brands to check, and all of them had that listed. I think it’s the norm, these days.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

As for the vinegar as a douche; it works like a charm. Only one time and the infection is gone. It is what I use to get rid of a yeast infection; but be fair warned it burns like the dickens. Especially, if the infection is really bad.

That’s what the nurse told me, that it burns like hell but works really well. I’m still going to aim for prevention, just to be on the safe side. I don’t need any burning, if I can possibly avoid it. 🙂

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

I’ve also heard that cranberry juice works to prevent a yeast infection when on antibiotics.

I’ve never heard that! I’ve heard cranberry juice helps with a urinary tract infection, but hadn’t heard that it works for a yeast infection as well. It’s a miracle juice!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Yogurt suppositories knock out a yeast infection in one night! (As long as it’s plain, unsweetened yogurt.) I’m a nurse and luckily have easy access to many vagina-sized syringes (hee) and I fill one up with yogurt and inject it to do its magic on the yeastie beasties overnight. Pharmacies will give or sell you syringes as well.

This makes me want to go into a pharmacy and bellow “May I have a vagina-sized syringe, if you please!”, just to see the reaction!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Even though we’ve never met, I must really trust you because I swear every time you put up one of those widgets collecting money for kitties, I click! If you weren’t honest, you & Fred could’ve gone to Tahiti by now! 🙂

Hey, Tahiti’s expensive, give us a few year to bilk y’all out of your money to build up enough money to really live it large in Tahiti!

Seriously, though, the reason I always link to the charity who’s raising money for these causes is because I don’t want to have anything to do with handling the money! Let them deal with it, I’ll just point y’all in their direction. 🙂

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Steely Dan kinda looks like a furry Mister Boogers.

Indeed he does, down to the white on his chest, and the white paws!

And Fagen looks like Fancypants!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Does the ear in the second picture looked like some photoshopped skull picture to anyone else? Is that weird?

I can kind of see that!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

In the comments yesterday, Suzanne (who’s helping with the fundraising for Misty, the kitten who needs surgery for megacolon), said:

Robyn…you have my utmost appreciation for posting Misty’s story for all to see. In less than four days we are almost at goal…thank you for taking the time to spread the word. Between you and your friends, you are going to make one little kitty a very happy and blessed girl…healthy too!! My thanks to everyone who contributed, almost 50 animal lovers…AWESOME!!!!!!! With respect and best wishes to all, Suzanne

But then, later, I got an email from her. It turns out that there was a miscommunication (or lack of communication) from the charity aiding Misty’s owner in raising funds for surgery, and the surgery will cost more than the $1,000 they originally thought. Suzanne said, on the ChipIn page, in part:

So we contacted the vet with the awesome news that we had reached our goal of $1,000…she’s completely in awe that we collected that much in donations in only four days…

But…Uh oh…not so fast…apparently our goal number is so far off!!

The Birmingham vet bill will be closer to $2,000…so we have gone ahead and changed our goal to $2,200 and we will continue to “solicit” donations until we can reach that number.

I am so utterly sorry for any confusion. This is what happens when you are not completely in the loop. I (Suzanne, the fundraising queen) get pulled in by groups and people other than my core volunteer groups (SNAP and Forgotten Felines) and so I don’t talk with the vets on a personal level. I rely on the information given to me by, say, No Greater Love, and it’s leader.

So we thought for a little while yesterday that the goal had been reached, but as it turns out, it hadn’t. The goal has been raised on the ChipIn page, and thus far they’re 55% to goal. So keep spreading the word, if you would.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Awww, look what I found on my memory stick!

That’s Mike, mid-yawn, next to Hydrox, with Gus in the background!

Mike, Hydrox, and Jake, sharing a bed (and doesn’t Jake look thrilled about it!)

It was a nice surprise to unexpectedly see their little faces again!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Yesterday, every time I walked into the foster room and sat down, Fagen made a beeline for my lap. It took coaxing to get him actually up in my lap, but he ended up there every time. Steely Dan would sit up, stretch, look at me, and go back to sleep, but Fagen would roll around in my lap and purr and purr. I told Fred last week that although Steely Dan was the friendlier of the two, I thought that Fagen would end up being more of a lapcat. He clearly wanted so badly to be held, even as he was skittering away from us.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re both still skittish, but it’s nice to see Fagen slowly overcoming his fear to come and get the love he craves!

Chomping on the camera strap.

Atop the cat tree, Steely Dan decides whether coming down for petting is worth it.

Considering.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

It’s da Newt. (And thus ends what turned out to be the Week o’ Newt!)

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Previously
2009: First time in my life the weight on my driver’s license has been anything but a flat-out lie, believe you me.
2008: If you can’t wander around in your nightgown and parka in the country, where can you?
2007: more than once I got frustrated and called Fred at work and wove an impressive tapestry of profanity that impressed him
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
2004: You don’t actually have to say the words “You’re a dumbass” to get the idea across, and thus when your wife is mad at you later and you so very innocently say “Are you mad about something?” and she says “YOU CALLED ME A DUMBASS!” and you say “I did NOT call you a dumbass!”, you are wrong and she is right and you’d best commence to begging for forgiveness, you fucker.
2003: Little bastard.
2002: I can’t believe I’m FUCKING FALLING DOWN.
2001: No entry.
2000: I apologize for the lameness of this entry.