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Sunday, January 20th, 2008
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11:48 am - my life as a pet rock, part three
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Max is home. He's feeling icky and miserable and is sleeping hard and doesn't have much appetite yet. He's still kinda messy as a result of vet office indignities, even after I tried to clean him up last night, and so he's scheduled for another cleanup later tonight, this time with LSO lending a helping hand.
Besides the *ick* enema, Max got IV fluids at the vet and had an x-ray to make sure the constipation was all cleared out. He's currently dealing with the aftermath of the e-thing and ... I'm just trying to avoid squicking anybody with the words and mental images. It's really not that bad in general, but basically long-haired cats and diarrhea do not mix well.
His follow-up homecare includes 2 liquid medicines (a multi-vitamin 1xday and a stool softener 2xday), 1/4th of a Pepcid pill per day, and subcutaneous fluids every other day.
I now know how to give a cat subcutaneous fluids. Yay? Actually, after one time I'm not very good at it
Oh! Max just wandered into the living room for the first time since The Medication Session From Hell last night. He's now settled down in a big patch of sunshine. Good, he'll be warm there. And it means he's forgiven me for The Medication Session From Hell last night.
I don't think LSO will ever recover from it. Let alone her having to assist again tomorrow night when he's due his next sub-q liquids. Oh ... dear.
He goes back to the vet on Friday to check on his progress. Hopefully it won't snow.
Oh, he just crept a little further into the patch of sunlight. He hasn't quite reached his snuggly security shoe (which used to be one of my sandals) yet, but he's within a few inches of it now.
I will be much happier when his appetite returns. In the meantime, we're trying to figure out what might be here at home and healthy to tempt him with. Unfortunately, there's not so much for cats.
In other news, my foot and ankle continue to be swollen beyond the beyond. Tomorrow I have a regularly scheduled doctor appointment with Dr Rheumatologist, so he might be able help me with it. *knocks firmly on any surrounding wood*
And my love for SGA continues to continue. Just total ♥love♥.
current mood:  indescribable
current music: nothing
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| Saturday, January 19th, 2008
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11:52 am - my life as a pet rock, part two
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So LSO called the vet early this morning to find out their Saturday hours. Since they were already open (they open at, like, 6am, I think she said), she talked to the vet then. She gets up much earlier than me, practically O-dark-thirty (or however it's spelled/constructed) territory, as you might've guessed from that.
So anyway ... Max did okay overnight. The enema did its thing and they did (or will? unclear about that and LSO is off doing other things elsewhere at the moment) an x-ray to make sure everything that needed to come out was out. (Note: that is as graphic as I will get, I promise.)
There were some other things, including needing to teach me to give him injections of some kind *eep* hopefully not forever, and we're to come pick him up this afternoon, probably around 2pm. We'll take advantage of being out and do a quick store run as well. I'm already mentally constructing my warmwarmwarm clothing for the journey.
Currently, the temperature is 1.4°F (again? still?) but the Sun is shining like a mad thing. Sunglasses will be needed when we go out. *shakes head* That's just weird. I understand if there was still snow, but the Sun got rid of the snow even as cold as it is, so it's just brightly reflecting off the sidewalk - enough that glancing out the window just now has left spots in my vision....
So anyway, Max is doing okay. He'll need a recheck of his bloodwork in the next week to make sure things are going well, at which point a long term prognosis can be offered. In the meantime, I miss him ::I want my kitty!!!!!:: and can't wait till this afternoon when we go get him.
Thanks for well-wishes. *hugs* to all!
current mood:  anxious
current music: scifi channel monster movie i'm not paying any attention to
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3:37 am - my life as a pet rock, let me show you it
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Today was not a good day. Actually, this week was not a good week.
On the medical TMI front, my troublesome (aka left) foot and ankle are swollen to epic proportions. I am minded of the Grinch and his incipient heart condition at the end of his Christmas special. In his case, it was probably all the rich trimmings served with his roast beast. In my case, I tend to blame the weather. (Aside: this is a whole different thing from the thing that needed the boot/brace last month.)
And oh yes, the weather. A week or so ago, we had a mini-heatwave. No kidding, on January 7th, I noted on my Twitter account that the temperature was 63°F. Right now (2:38am Central), according to my Firefox Weatherbug extension, the local temperature is 2.4°F. It snowed a little, just a powder-sugar coating on my car, while I waited in the vet's office.
Oh Bast, the vet's office. My lovely house-calling vet was pinch-hitting at my vet-with-an-office. (Aside: at one point, one of the vets at vet-with-an-office did house calls, but she is now the director of a local animal shelter and so they switched over to recommending house-calling vet, whose entire practice is usually house calls. He's the vet who came to the house when *incoherent gesture* the thing with Gozzer *more incoherent gesture* you know....) Anyway, super-cold wave, dangerous cold alerts on the news per local government agencies, snow forecast and all that, me hobbling around on a cane with my swollen foot, and my lovely house-calling vet can't do house calls. And...
And Max is sick. Earlier this week, he'd been showing some symptoms, but they seemed gone. Then last night (aka Thursday night), things were back and worse. So, a vet appointment was made, the cat carrier was dragged into the house, and I said silent prayers to any available beneficent gods that I'd be able to lever my (really veryvery swollen) foot into a shoe.
Oh, I forgot to mention ... this morning we had a scheduled grocery delivery with Peapod, and also, just like last year when the weather got coldcoldcold, there were some old-plumbing problems happening necessitating a visit from our plumber-in-law. More excitement than ... well, actually my house has kinda turned into a mini-Grand Central Station of home deliveries and things the past week or so. It's getting a bit ridiculous. Anyway, the point of this is that LSO (aka my aged and neurotic mother) had to stay home and await plumber-in-law while I carried Max off to his vet appointment.
Vet appointment ... I left the house at 3pm. Appointment was 3:30, vet office is less than 5 minutes away. We arrived, shivering but safe, in plenty of time. After a suitable interval, vet techs swarmed us (complimenting Max on his gorgeousness, as is only right and proper, as well as his very friendly, albeit politely uncooperative, personality) and checked weight and temperature and stuff. Eventually the vet came in. We discussed things, there was a laying on of hands examination, there was the confirmation that Max was, as I expected, extremely constipated. Well, I thought "constipated" but it turned out "extremely constipated" was more correct, almost an understatment even.
Max was carried off to the treatment area while I waited. There were blood tests and urine tests and enemas and other such things. Eventually (2 hours later and oh my swollen foot!!!), there was vet with report....
Max is dehydrated ... anemic ... still constipated (first enema only partially successful) ... liver enzymes showing a marked increase in his kidney problems (Aside: one of the top causes of death for pampered otherwise-healthy older house-only cats is eventually kidney failure) ... to make a long story slightly less long, there is every hope that he will respond to treatment and improve, but short-term he's spending the night at the vet, getting IV fluids and scheduled (poor baby!) for another enema tomorrow. Then there will be medication and probably some change in diet and ... we'll see how he responds. At least his weight has remained steady and at a good level (the one positive note).
Yes, my bank account is whimpering (thank the gods for LSO, who refers to Max as her grandcat). I'm whimpering a bit too as I'm without my big fluffy boy tonight and am both having withdrawal and pretty worried about him short- and long-term. I keep expecting to see him when I look around. He's got a huge presence, does my boy, and oh, I'm missing him. And worried. Very worried, made so much worse by having recently lost both girls.
::chews fingernails::
I'm not much of one for reaching out to others when I'm upset or unwell. I have much more of a tendency to withdraw into myself at such times and avoid the world. I will probably be doing some of that tomorrow while waiting to hear from the vet/fetch Max home, but I will post an update once he is home.
Did I mention the forecast of record-breaking cold for overnight and tomorrow? Since I started writing this post, the temperature has dropped another whole degree to 1.4°F, and the forecast for tomorrow is: Low -15°F; High 9°F; Sunny. Very cold. Highs 5°F to 9°F above. Wind chills as low as 10°F below to 20°F below zero (aka -10 to -20°F). West winds 10 to 15 mph. *brrrrrr* Hmmm... I wonder how feasible it would be to wrap the cat carrier in several blankets....
Okay, it's now way past my bedtime. Gotta go.
ps ... I love my show! SGA managed to brighten an otherwise bleak evening for me. Oh John. Oh Rodney! And Teyla is so gorgeous. The thing with the thing that had some people freaked wasn't as bad as expected, now was it? Also, it's a long fall from the ceiling. *ouch* (Aside: in my opinion, there is nothing spoilery in this paragraph, nothing that couldn't be said about 99% of the episodes in general.) Also, I have got to remember that Psych and Monk are showing new episodes. And remember to watch Numb3rs on OnDemand, last week's episode and this week's episode. And I'm very sad that The Dead Zone was canceled.)
pps ... good thoughts and prayers for Max humbly requested and gratefully accepted with many thanks
current mood: UNHAPPY!!!!
current music: silence large and deep
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| Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
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10:23 am - my life as a sasquatch: somewhat reclusive but recently bathed, er, showered
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Hey. I'm still around. Have been somewhat distracted by Life and Other Distractions. The quick news...
Finally have a printer again, YAY! I'm all "what should I print first?!?!?!?" about it.
Am contemplating and reviewing My Life (Ambitions/Dream/etc to be) as a Writer.
Am gearing up for some physical therapy as part of this year's Project Better Fitness & Build Some Stamina. Hope to have appointments by end of month.
Wish I had funds to hire a household organizer & staff of workers to do the organizing ... and while I'm at it, funds for shelving and living room furniture. And a desk - I want a ginormous old rolltop desk. And an old-fashioned upright piano. And a kitchen-and-bathroom remodel. And an elevator to the basement. And ... heck, a new house while I'm at it. With a housekeeper. And horses and dogs and llamas. And a groundskeeper/stableperson. And a new car. And....
And maybe I can scrap together enough for a couple file folders? There might be some change in the bottom of my purse.... (Who me, materialistic? Nah!)
In other news ... I want the impossible, I live in a fantasy world, because I reallyreally want the Presidential candidates to behave like civilized adults whose behavior would be approved of by Miss Manners. Which, probably not.
I also want fandom and the Internet to behave like civilized adults whose behavior would be approved of by Ms CyberManners.
I do not hold my breath waiting for the things I want to manifest, btw. Thus, I am (per icon) still alive.
In yes other (FANNISH) news ... Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles looks to be made of serious win. And I am so in-love with s4 of Stargate Atlantis, my show is so smart and sassy and just plain good-good-grrrrrrreat!
Best luck to the striking writers. Fie on corporate greed.
Hopefully more later. Eventually? Later.
Have a good-good-grrrrrrreat day!
current mood:  amused
current music: Hot Topics on The View (I like the chatter)
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| Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
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10:14 am - # mini-psa: note to self (and curious bystanders) #
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Coding is screwed up on some, but not all, of the journal sites that I cross-posted my previous post to. I will fix it when I get home this afternoon. Yes. Yes, I will.
Who, me neurotic? Nah. *g*
current mood:  rushed
current music: computer whimpering
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9:46 am - my life as a dingo: babies eaten on demand
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Note: don't panic! The subject line references Buffy canon. It's All About Me
This is my first post on 2008, a week after the new year started. I did post on New Year's Eve, but still haven't managed to answer comments to that post. Obviously, my goal to be a better blogger continues to be unfulfilled.
We're not feeling so great now
GreatestJournal becomes part of cyber-history: GJ news announcement ... I find myself torn between continuing to cross-post there or just dropping it now. It's not like I really spend much time there, maybe once a week or so I check something out, but mostly I'm still at LJ and just cross-posting elsewhere (and occasionally browsing through the flist; those flists are shorter, so I probably spend more time there proportionally).
Someone called it grave-robbing for the 21st century
up-and-coming new fanfic writer ![[info]](http://img.greatestjournal.com/userinfo.gif) boyan_fraser at LJ was found to be plagiarizing thamiris; stories, meta posts, comments - and even the title of her journal ... at first LJ declined to intervene (citing the need for the OP or, in Thamiris's case, a member of her family, to submit a complaint), but something changed their minds and boyan_faser has been suspended; discussion here ... In memorium: Thamiris
When news came down that Thamiris had died, I was shocked. Her voice was unique and fandom is poorer for its loss, poorer for loss of her. Back when I first joined LJ, she was one of my role models of what an LJ blogger should be. Her posts were fun, flirtatious, thoughtful, sensual, and always - always! - articulate. She made a point to answer every comment made to her, and discussions in her LJ were lively, entertaining, and enlightening. Regardless of our actual RL ages or my never really getting to know her (I was on her flist only briefly which is a story best left untold), she was the blogger I wanted to grow up to be. I wish I'd known how to say all this when it mattered, when I could've said it to her.
Here is thamiris's Thamiris' memorial LJ; also, tham_preserved, a memorial community maintained by acampbell and asimplelyric.
Note: I really hope she didn't hate the Oxford comma as I went a bit overboard using it above. Also, thanks to seperis for the links/credits.
Medically speaking
The evil Boot is gone and my foot/heel/achilles tendon is definitely feeling better. My knee isn't so happy; between the ancient damage to it and the weight of the Boot, it's feeling a little stressed. My back is also giving me problems; between one health crisis and another, I've once again allowed my musculature (especially in my back) to "decondition". As soon as I get the go-ahead from the doctors, I'm off to see the physical therapist with a goal of being able to stand/walk for more than 15 minutes before my back rebels. It kinda frightens me that I'm looking forward to this so much, by the way. Otherwise, doing okay.
Familial-ly speaking
LSO, aka the mother unit, is doing well. A little more forgetful, a little creakier in the joints, the usual amount of neurotic paranoid WORRY. But doing better than me. We are having a bit of mutual stir-craziness from being semi-snowbound as we both have mobility issues/problems and the garage doors freeze shut when there's any snow accumulation.
Running wild without sane supervision
I see the awesome Jungian Judith on Tuesday mornings. Considering the timing of the holidays just past, that means two appointments canceled on account of holidays. Which, if you do the calendar counting, means 3 weeks ... and add another week because heavy snow caused me to cancel the appointment before the holidays. Which means I have been without therapist for four weeks. I'm amazed to not be gibbering in a corner.
Holidays
Things were very quiet during the holidays. The crazy neo-con Republican side of the family stayed home for various reasons that don't need to be gone into at this juncture, which meant the crowd was actually tiny, and things were very quiet. I kinda missed celebrating Yule this year. Take your pick of my reasons/excuses: procrastination, depression, tiredness, lack of ambition, ditto motivation. I'm just very glad 2007 is over now.
Cat-like substances
Max, my much adored and totally spoiled Feline American Gigolo continues to be an Only Cat. Between health problems and blizzards and The Mess That Ate My Apartment, there just hasn't been an opportunity to visit the local shelter. Since I got my first cats (they arrived in a flurry), I've never had only one. It's a strange strange strange strange feeling.
Writing & me
I didn't even consider Nanowrimo this year. I haven't written any fiction in longer than I can remember, probably more than a year. I'm noticeably disillusioned about me actually becoming a professional writer/novelist. I'm pretty disheartened about writing as a hobby as well - my blogging has been minimal, my original fiction non-existent, and my fanfiction naught but a dream. I'm probably gonna ramble on about this in a future post.
Plans for the new year
Still getting those straight in my head. If I can break this non-posting streak, you'll be among the first to know. Hmmm, actually? breaking my non-posting streak is one of my plans. Another is getting back to reading my flist. Which is now scattered between multiple blogging servicesl, more about which in a future post. No, really. I've already got it more than half-written. Mostly, though, I'm intending to Finally Get My Shit Self Together before it falls apart forever.
I guess that's about it for now. I've gotta go get ready to go out - out of the house! again! two days in a row! and it's WARM(-ish) outside, too! Woot! ( And now for something completely different - a quizzel! )
ps ... Yeah, okay, today I'm gonna cross-post to GJ, but that's probably gonna change really soon.
current mood: kinda jittery
current music: Regis & Kelly ::don't judge me::
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| Monday, December 31st, 2007
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11:16 pm - Happy New Year: 2008 (& a GIP)
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I had every intention this past weekend of doing one of those end-of-year wrap-up posts and/or a what-I-want-for-this-upcoming-year prognostication/wish post. Obviously that didn't happen. *sigh* Maybe I'll be able to pull together the time tomorrow. I hope. After all, I still need to do my new year's tarot spread - which I usually do on Yule. Procrastination runs even more rampant here than usual.
However. I still want to wish everyone a happy turn-of-the-year, midnight, new year's eve & day, and the best of all things this new year.
Blessed be, y'all. *hugs*
ps ... TCM (cable) was very good to me this year and is playing a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers mini-marathon. Top Hat just started. For some (nostalgic and too long to go into now) reason, Fred'n'Ginger just *are* nye for me. Even if I was having a party, I'd be playing them in the background. It's probably all the top hats and swirly long dresses. Actually, just last week I'd discovered that all entire Fred'n'Ginger oeuvre has been collected on DVD, so that's gone to the top of my wish list for *next* new years and thereafter, forever and ever. *yay*
pps ... I am totally screwing up the punctuation and spelling and all for new years/new year/new year's - not to mention the capitalization. Sorry if it drives you crazy, I'm just ... being lazy right now.
ppps ... GIP - Fred'n'Ginger for the new year. I found this icon *handwave* somewhere or other a few months ago and, alas, I forgot to make a note of who created it. Darn. My apologies and, if you recognize it, please let me know so I can correct/credit you.
::throws confetti::
Happy New Year!!!!
current mood: awake
current music: Top Hat w/Astaire & Rogers
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| Thursday, December 13th, 2007
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8:03 pm - Supernatural 3.08: A Very Supernatural Christmas (pre-viewing)
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| Thursday, December 6th, 2007
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2:04 am - indulging a moment of silliness
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| Wednesday, December 5th, 2007
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7:21 pm - We kan has summerer naow, pls?
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I'm ready for days of 18-hour sunshine where the temperature lows are around 95°F.
It's not even really winter yet.
There's 5" of snow out there. Snow and accompanying ice pellets, LSO informs me. Could be worse; undoubtedly will be worse before we actually see summer. Maybe even before we actually see winter.
Instead of a boot - or even a shoe - on my (currently) owie left foot when I go out of the house, at the moment I'm wearing something resembling a tiny snow plow/scoop.
I had to cancel/reschedule a medical-type appointment this morning, even. And I'll probably have to miss Socrates Cafe this weekend - the last one for this year.
We hateses snow, my precious. Oh yes we does. *grrrrr* DO NOT WANT!!!!
( And now for a random quiz result: )
[ x-posted to Djinanna @: DJ GJ IJ JF LJ via Semagic ]
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| Monday, December 3rd, 2007
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2:53 pm - ~ life as a hedgehog ~ (the state of me, medically speaking)
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( Medical not-quite TMI: )
So, with the exception of the above cut-tagged Adventures in Medicine, I'm doing okay. A little creaky in the colder weather, a little challenged in getting around, but mostly okay. Mom is doing okay, albeit also a bit creaky and challenged; partly that's just the aging process, but partly ... I dunno. We're neither of us about to start up a big active course of home improvement in the near future. (Even though the home, er, house really needs it. Old houses, joy!)
Max (the cat *snuggles him*) is doing very well. Things have been a bit too hectic for me to bring home a new kitty (or two *innocent look*) to keep him - and me - company. I'm hoping that changes by the time The Boot (see above cut-tagged bits) is no longer needed.
...more, on other topics, sooner or later...
[ x-posted to Djinanna @: DJ GJ IJ JF LJ via Semagic ]
current mood:  plucky
current music: HGTV taunting me w/home improvement goodness
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| Sunday, November 25th, 2007
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5:57 pm - Torchwood 1:12 - Captain Jack Harkness
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| Wednesday, November 21st, 2007
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10:04 pm - Criminal Minds 3-09: Penelope :: yeah, more
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9:38 pm - * * * Criminal Minds 3-09: Penelope * * *
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| Sunday, November 4th, 2007
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1:22 am - Are you there 'Net? It's me, Djinanna...
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Just a quick slide-by post to let anybody what cares know I'm still around.
I've got my fingers crossed that there'll be more later.
X-posted per usual.
current mood:  exanimate
current music: nada
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| Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
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12:20 pm - hop, skip, and a post
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I haven't been around journal-land (the blog-o-sphere really connotes a different group, or tone, or focus, or *handwave* something) much for a while now, either in the posting or in the reading/commenting. There are lots of reasons for that, from "I think my meds are off" to "gods, I *hurt* and am feeling anti-social" to "I think I've lost my journaling 'voice', or at least misplaced it" to, well, all sorts of other stuff.
The interesting one, I think, is "I think I've lost my journaling 'voice'"; it seems closely related to the problems I've had over the past howevermany years trying to get back into writing fiction. And I'd love to explore it, but I'm practically on my way out the door for errand time. Also, I think this one's related to the "I think my meds are off" idea as well. At least, Judith, my amazing Jungian/clinical therapist agrees there may be something to that theory.
( Anyway, behind the cut is a frivolous little shiny thing that made me smile. Click at your own risk. *g* )
Hopefully, more later. I'm gonna try doing shorter posts for a bit in the hopes trying to write them doesn't intimidate me as much as the longer ones where I try to be so utterly all-inclusive that I probably raise my blood pressure.
ps ... please ignore any slight incoherency, I'm kinda falling asleep as I type (it's a three-generation genetic thing) but really want to get something posted. Okay, bye now.
x-posted to Djinanna @: LJ IJ JF DJ GJ via Semagic
current mood:  whimsical
current music: my Mac cat snoring
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| Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
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12:08 pm - fly-by post: just a little something to remind you I'm here *g*
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| Saturday, September 29th, 2007
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3:26 pm - "Is anybody there? Does anybody care?"
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The "subject" line is left-over from my July 4th 1776 earworm attack; I'm not actually feeling *that* insecure, just a little bit forgotten. Which, to be upfront about it, is pretty understandable, considering it's the end of the month and I've made a grand total of 3 (three) posts prior to this one. Hey. I'm alive. I posted response/comments/feedback on last night's SGA season premiere and nobody came (well, nobody commented back) and I'm feeling a bit cast adrift. *blink* No, honestly, there was no pun intended in the previous sentence; my subconscious did it all on its own.
Anyway.... I'm gonna be running the anti-virus program this afternoon, so won't be around if anybody does make a comment to this or last night's post. But I'd be really bouncy and happy (figuratively speaking, anyway) if anybody did.
C'mon, lend me a hand here, my people. I wanna get back to posting and the occasional comment/response is veryvery encouraging. Not that it's your responsibility to nurse me back into the journaling/blogging habit, but if you've got a spare moment and your connection is cooperating-- ::makes sad/hungry kitten eyes ^OO^::
So yeah, that's all for now. No real content here (though posting it will raise my percentage of posts this month by ... 25%? ... 33% ... one of those; I can never remember whether you include the new thing in the calculation or use the previous count - maybe you could tell me? ^OO^); I'll try for some real content later. After the anti-virus stuff. And how did it get to be 3:30pm already....
x-posted to Djinanna @: LJ IJ JF DJ GJ via Semagic
current mood:  insecure
current music: sounds of world outside my window
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| Friday, September 28th, 2007
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10:29 pm - SGA 4:01 Adrift - brief reaction *SPOILERS*
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| Thursday, September 6th, 2007
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7:23 am - rec - Stargate Atlantis - Written By The Victors
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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Read this fic. Like, now: Written By The Victors by cesperanza.
Dude, there's an index and a bibliography.
"Team Sheppard is the word for love in the hearts and minds of Atlantians." -Alex Draven (might be slightly paraphrased)
John, Rodney, Teyla, Ronon - team love!!!
::flails incoherently::
So cool, it makes my brain hurt....
x-posted to Djinanna @: LJ IJ JF DJ GJ via Semagic
current mood: *flail-y hands*
current music: Dawn breaking...
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cynical
bouncy