Mews News

Just a little update on the latest around here. We had "Buster" to the oncologist's last week for his bloodwork following his first round of chemo. This will have to be done a week after each treatment. His white count was 4,554 which is good. Normal is 2500-8500 range. It has to be at least 2500 in order for him to receive the next round of chemo. He did beautifully with Round One! The only day he felt bad was the second day. I went by to check on him after lunch, and he wouldn't even come out to the kitchen when I fed him, so I carried his plate to him in the living room where he was laying on his pillow. He was hungry, as he did get up off his pillow to eat then. He just didn't feel good enough to walk to the kitchen to eat. That was the only day he didn't feel well, though. Round Two of chemo is scheduled for next Monday morning. He will receive a total of five rounds, being given at 3-week intervals. As you can see by the above pic, these two cats are inseparable!

We had "Sweet Pea" to the oncologist again yesterday. This visit was for her post-radiation 3-month checkup and lung x-ray. With her type of cancer, if it does return, we were told that it would appear in her lungs first. Her x-rays showed her lungs to be clear!!! So that was wonderful news!!! My daughter was elated!

Then this morning one of my 14-year old diabetic cats gave me a scare! Daphy, pictured above, (short for Daphinia) was acting sick and wouldn't walk to her plate to even eat. I had to put it under her nose, and then she did eat. She was acting so weird. No, I didn't name her...I just took her and her sister, Cleo (short for Cleopatra), back when their owner died of a sudden heart attack 8 years ago. (They were tiny little strays with their mama and 3 other siblings that someone had dumped on our street 14 years ago. I had given these two to a gentleman who loved them so much for 6 years until he passed away.) Anyhow, back to today, I phoned my vet and took her in to leave her there all day for tests and observation. Her glucose was through the roof at 494! Normal for a cat is in the 120-160 range! She had received her insulin shot at 9:30am, an hour and a half before they checked her glucose, so it was probably even higher before the shot! They will recheck her glucose again at 4:30 and see how much it has dropped during the day. The vet called me and said we definitely needed to increase her insulin dosage. She's at 5 1/2 units now. That's quite a high dosage for a cat, and now she's going to have to go even higher!

It's a scary thing, adjusting that insulin. I've had both of them go into seizures before when their glucose dropped too low, and then it was a rush trip each time to the Emergency Vet Clinic here! They met me as I pulled in and had that carrier out of my car before I even knew what was going on! Daphy's glucose dropped to 23 that time, and just as they were getting her out of her carrier, she seized! Cleo's dropped as low as 18 before, and she had a seizure right here under my desk and kept seizing during the entire ride to the clinic that night, too! I thought she would be dead on arrival. The clinic doctor and staff pulled them through each time! So it is a very touchy situation increasing the insulin dosage! Each time we increase it, they drop too low after a few days. So I am going to have to draw her blood a couple times a day here at home and test it until we get her stabilized. Poor old girl! I love her so much!!!

This morning, I received the following from Rose, my best friend for 41 years now, who lives in the state of Indiana:

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You, too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me, PLEASE. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.....ALWAYS!
Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy them, and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful, experience without God's critters.

We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love, and joy. There's a lot of all three right here on earth....and they all have four legs!

Save a life...adopt a pet from your local shelter!

Baking Day

Today I decided to make some sandwich rolls. I've been on a chicken and turkey salad kick for the past couple of weeks, and it just tastes so much better on a homemade sandwich roll! These are not like dinner rolls...they are more like large hamburger rolls. So easy to make, too! I have always loved baking breads, all different kinds. I don't do as much baking or cooking as I used to, though.

The recipe for these rolls is just my basic bread dough, same recipe I used for my pizza crusts in an earlier post.

BASIC BREAD DOUGH

1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt (optional)
2 Tbsp. oil
4 cups flour
1 pkg. Fleischman's Rapid Rise Dry Yeast

Heat first 4 ingredients in small mixing bowl on High in microwave for 1 minute. Pour into bread machine pan. Add the flour. Make indentation in top of flour with spoon. Pour dry yeast in center of flour. Set machine on dough setting. 1 hour 20 minutes later, the dough is ready to be made into rolls.

Divide dough in half, and make 6 balls of dough from each half. On a LARGE Air-Bake cookie sheet, lightly sprayed with Pam, form each ball of dough into a roll. Flatten each roll to resemble a hamburger roll. I like to make some smaller for times when I prefer just a small sandwich. Grease tops, cover with wax paper and allow to rise 30-45minutes in a warm place. I heat my oven for just 1 minute and raise mine in it.

Bake at 400 degrees in preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until brown and hollow sounding when lightly tapped. By using the larger size baking sheet, I can fit all 12 on the same sheet. Cool thoroughly on cooling racks. Store in plastic storage bags in refrigerator. They freeze well, too. Yield: 12 large rolls. ENJOY!!!

The Gift of Life - Donor Awareness

Lib at Lib's Private Paradise shared this. Gill at That British Woman shared it with her.

This is how this award originated: Crystal at Memoirs Of A Mommy created this award in honor of the donor who saved Noah's life. Noah is her son, and he had a heart transplant when he wasn't even a month old. This dear little boy just celebrated his first birthday earlier this month!! Her hopes are that in passing this award around, we will create more awareness of the importance of organ donation.



The rules of this award are: SHARE THE LOVE!!! Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog. All I ask is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipient to do the same.

If you are reading this, PLEASE take it to your blog and keep it going. We can help save lives by making more people aware of the importance of organ donation. Just one look at this precious little face should be all it takes!!! This little boy lives today, thanks to the gift of life from another mother during her own time of grief.

Two Awards for You!

I would like to thank Midlife Mom at Home on the Range for the above reward. Below are the rules:

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you think deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4. The award-winner and the one who has given the prize must show the link of the “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award. http://arteypico.blogspot.com/

I couldn't pick just 5, so I am passing this award on to all of my regular readers! Add to your sidebar and enjoy this new blog site! I love yarn and knitting, etc. myself, so I am thrilled to add this new blog to my blogroll!!!

ALSO...



I received this award from two different bloggers. So, first of all, I want to say thank you to Jessica at Jessica's World and also to Diane at Diane's Place for presenting me with this award. I am supposed to pass it on to 7 people, but in my case it would be 14 since I received it two times. So I am passing it on to all of my regular readers. Please feel free to pick it up and add to your blog page.

Thank you so much, ladies. I do appreciate the award. I couldn't pick just 7 (actually 14 since I received it twice) so I am passing this award on to all of my regular readers!

Here are the rules:

1. Put the Logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate 7 fellow bloggers for this award
4. Add Links to the recipients
5. Leave a comment to recipients or email them to let them know they have an award

I read close to 50 blogs, so I find it really hard to narrow this down to only 7 recipients without causing hurt feelings. You're ALL winners in my book!!!

Starbucks Outing plus Dear Little Hannah

Wednesday, my friend, Diane, and I decided to go to Starbucks, but we planned to do a little shopping beforehand. We hit Anna's Linens where I found a deep ceramic pie plate! I just HAD to have it! I always have been a sucker for dishes. All I could think about was a BIG fresh peach pie in that dish and then apple pie later on when apple season arrives!



I am not a true Starbucks fan.......yet! I like my coffee weak, and I have found theirs to be kind of strong for my taste. I need to experiment with their other kinds of drinks until I find one I really like. So I ordered a Chocolatey Chocolate Chip Creme, just a small one in case I didn't like it. It was okay, but I found it to be icy and watery tasting. Not at all what I was expecting. Guess I was expecting it be like a Steak 'n Shake thick milkshake! LOL I also ordered a piece of lemon pound cake, as pound cake is one of my weaknesses! Now, that I did enjoy!!! Anyhow, it was a nice afternoon spent in a quiet atmosphere where we could just chit-chat to our hearts' content!





Then yesterday, I had to get the oil changed in my car. Always enjoy going to this import garage as I know the lady who is the bookkeeper there, and we catch up on each other's lives while I am waiting. As I was paying and about ready to leave, in walks a young lady I know, Tara, with her little 2-year old daughter, Hannah! I used to work as a builder's agent for Tara's husband, Richard. I worked out of a model home and sold his homes. I really loved that job, as I love working with the public!!! Worked there 2 years or so and then quit to take care of my mother rather than put her in a nursing home. This is Hannah below. Isn't she darling? Notice her fake tattoo...she was so proud of that!



Anyhow, Hannah had just come from the dentist from having a couple of cavities filled. Bless her little heart! She is such a beautiful child, as is her 4-year old brother, Richie. Hannah let me snap her picture. Isn't it funny how all kids know what "say cheeeeese" means? LOL She wasn't even walking the last time I saw her! Richard still helps me with things around my home. Tara wanted me to come up to their place yesterday, but I had to check on Buster yet and then had to go to PetsMart for cat food and litter, Wal-Mart for groceries, and CVS for insulin for the two diabetic cats. I never got home til 8:30 last evening as it was. I am going to make the time and just take a day next week to go visit them. I love Tara and Richard as if they were my own! You'd think they lived three states away, but it's only a 15-mile drive! Below is a picture of their new home that Richard built himself!



Just a little update on Buster....he is doing quite well. The second day he didn't feel too well, but he is back to normal once again. He never did lose his appetite. So Round One of the chemo is over...four more rounds to go over the next 15 weeks. It's actually every 3 weeks. He has to have bloodwork done first of the week to check his blood count. That has to come from his jugular vein in the neck so as to save the leg veins for the IV line necessary for the chemo treatments. Poor little fella!

I am trying to get around to visit everyone's blog, so please be patient with me, as I hope to make my rounds again by Saturday afternoon. See you all then! Have a great weekend!!!

NEW CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT

This is for those of you who may have missed this in my previous post. I want to get the word out for this "write-in" candidate. He would appreciate your vote! Thanks, everyone!

What began as a colorful Internet fluke has blossomed into a full-fledged political movement...one that Republicans and Democrats alike are reluctantly having to acknowledge.

"Buster" News & Other Chatter

I have a few other things to include in this post besides "Buster" news, so it's going to be a little of a mix this time. Please bear with me...

We took "Buster" back last week to have his staples removed, so he no longer has to stay in a pen/crate. So where does he sleep now??? In the pen!!! He seems to like his new "home." LOL He is quite the boy!!!

Yesterday, Stosh and I took him back to Greenville for a consultation to see if chemo would do him any good. His liver mass came back as benign, but the bowel tumor and lymph node were both malignant. The oncologist said he was a good candidate for chemo, and I asked, "When can he start?" She replied, "How about today?" I said, "Let's do it!!!" So we had to leave him there all day, as he needed another abdominal ultrasound before the chemo could be administered. We came home and then went back to Greenville to pick him up at 5:30.

Cats do amazingly well with chemo, usually no upset stomach or diarrhea as humans experience. He received an injection of Zofran for nausea, as a precautionary measure, and they also sent him home with medication for nausea to be given every 12 hours. This same med will also help keep his appetite strong. There is no guarantee that the chemo will help his type of cancer, but we are praying that it will give him more time. I was over to check on him this afternoon and to feed him again. Nothing wrong with his appetite yet! He has to be secluded for 48 hours and not allowed to be around "Sweet Pea" during that time. They cannot share the same litterbox, and after the 48 hours is over, his litterbox must be emptied and washed with soap and hot water. We were instructed to use rubber gloves to scoop his litter clumps, as the chemo is excreted through the urine and stool for 48 hours. It all has to be double bagged in plastic bags and removed from the home immediately.

Today, he met me when I opened the bonus room door. He cried and cried, as he wanted out. I told him one more day, and then he could come out. Poor little fella, he doesn't understand why he's being kept alone...first the pen and now alone in a room. I stayed there with him for awhile, and he ate quite well and then curled up to take a nap.

I stayed with him last night until my daughter got home from work. Obviously, the vet hospital had kept him in his carrier all afternoon with no access to a litterbox, and when I went to move him from the carrier to his pen, the beach towel in his carrier was wet. So when my daughter arrived home, we gave him a good bath! He smelled nice and clean when we got done with him! I never gave a thought to wearing rubber gloves, so I was exposed to the chemo! So far, so good...no symptoms do I have...yet! The paperwork they sent home stated that more is excreted through the stool than in the urine.

"Buster" and "Sweet Pea" have been bosom buddies since 1995. I'm sure you all remember "Sweet Pea" from previous posts a couple of months ago when she had her surgery and radiation treatments. She is clear of all cancer at this time. Next week, she will have chest x-rays as part of her monthly check-up. If her cancer does happen to return, it more than likely will show up in her lungs, the oncologist said. This veterinary specialists' place is really state of the art! They have a high success rate, so we are shooting for 3 out of 3 now, since "Buster" is the third cat we've had there in the past couple of months. The other two are doing very well yet! I will keep you all posted on his progress. Please keep the prayers going out for him. Thanks!

"SWEET PEA"



A HEAVY RAIN ON JULY 10th

Talk about rain!!! Well, we finally got some last Thursday and then again Saturday night. It rained so hard late Thursday afternoon that the street drains couldn't even handle it all! It flowed down my street like a little river! We certainly could use even more, though! I really do love a rainy day! It just seems to make the earth feel so clean, and everything just looks so much greener and healthier after a good rain. You will notice in the first pic below that the water is covering almost the entire width of the street. In the second pic, you can see how it was rushing up against the tires on the red SUV.






SUPPER WITH MY FRIEND, RUTH

Today on my way to Buster's house, I made a stop at my bank's drive-thru. When I pulled in behind the car in front of me, I saw that it was Ruth! I tooted my horn and waved, and she waved back! Then she gave me the motion to wait a minute. So I got out of my car, walked up to her car, and we chatted a few minutes, holding up the line, while we made plans to meet at 4:30 for supper. We ate at McAlister's Deli...they have really good sandwiches!

You all remember Ruth from when we went to MacDonald's that day for our free chicken sandwich! I did a post about her at the time. Well, today she found a way to get a cheaper coke than the $1.80 they wanted to charge. She questioned them over the price and was told that she could get a child size drink for 90 cents! And we even got free refills! She knows how to save a dollar, that's for sure! LOL


STARBUCKS, HERE WE COME!!!

Tomorrow, Diane, from Do Drop Inn, my friend/neighbor, and I are heading to Starbucks and out to do a little shopping!!! More about that on my next post!


BY THE WAY...

If you haven't checked out the Election 2008 video that I added at the bottom of my blog, you can do so below. You see, my son is running for President as a "write-in" candidate! It started out as a joke but has now blown up into a big thing with the news media! LOL




STILL IN THE OVEN HERE!!!

We are still in the 90's here all week yet. Hot and humid! But now that the 4th is over with, it won't be long before Labor Day is here, and then Old Man Winter won't be far behind! Always something to look forward to!

In Loving Memory of Simon John Yates

November 22, 1979 - July 3, 2008

Simon was a friend of my son's in Kissimmee, Florida. He was self-employed and did maintenance and carpentry work for a vacation resort community comprised of rental homes. Tragically, he was electrocuted while replacing a pool pump on a swimming pool at one of these rental homes. I never had the pleasure of meeting this young man of 28 years, but I had the opportunity, through my job, to speak with him by phone on occasion. He was a wonderful young man, dedicated to his family and to the rescue and care of exotic animals at a wildlife sanctuary owned and operated by his family.





To Simon John Yates, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy and willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Simon, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Simon really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Simon was born and raised in Liverpool, England until 12 years of age, when his family moved to Florida in 1992. Even as a child, he had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn't help but capture everyone's attention.

Always a good playmate, Simon was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations. Due to a generous dose of common sense, he managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. He was raised with one sibling, a younger brother, James, 16.

All of Simon's playful good humor carried over from his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, he experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in tack and swimming, and he was also in the British Boys Brigade.

Ask anyone who knew him from school, and they would tell you that he was a class “cut-up.” He didn't do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, he simply enjoyed others' laughter and the sounds of his friends having a good time. It could be said that for Simon, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Simon's best teacher, he enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Simon graduated from Poinciana High School in 1998. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was swimming. He had an A+ in hall passes.

Simon never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed him to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Simon delighted in his role among his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Simon was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. He utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. He loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

At work, as in life, Simon was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. He liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Simon was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. His talent for being a down-to-earth thinker allowed many around him to see him as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was in carpentry.

Simon enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Simon liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were water sports and working with animals. Simon was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Simon felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn't the best, he loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. He relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, he never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included softball and water sports. He was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity.

Simon was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of his favorites was his dog, Hennessey, a Doberman Pinscher. They were best friends for 9 years. His family was rounded out by his 4 large snakes.



Simon brought joy to all of those around him. He had not a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Simon John Yates lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

A Fun Supper

Last Thursday, my good friend and neighbor, Diane, joined me after work for supper. Steve had a class to attend after work, so he wasn't going to be home until later. So I decided on something easy as Stosh and I had to take "Sweet Pea" to Greenville that afternoon for her monthly checkup from her cancer surgery and radiation treatments. Again, she received a good report! Next month she will have chest x-rays to check her lungs.

So early that morning I again made some turkey salad for sandwiches on homemade bread, and when I got home, I made apple crisp for dessert! We stuffed ourselves, but then we only do this every now and then. We had a nice leisurely dinner and enjoyed an evening of "girl time" and got caught up again on what's going on in the outside world. And, naturally, we had to read some blogs, too! LOL And I also sent a turkey salad sandwich and a big piece of apple crisp home for Steve! Couldn't forget him!!!

Below is a pic of our 4th of July desserts! Lemon Pie, Yummy Chocolate Pie, and Apple Crisp!



Then it was "cat time." I have a mama feral, now spayed, the last one I trapped, March 2007. She still isn't tame, barely lets me touch her, which I try to do every day. She had a rather large, tight mat on her back for some time. I asked my vet about it, and he sold me a couple of Ace tranquilizer pills so I could get her in a carrier and take her in for them to clip it off. I hated to give her a pill like that, as we had used that same medication on our 2 cats when we moved from PA to SC. It was awful! They were like rag dolls! Cats have 3 eyelids, and their inner lids came halfway across their eyes and stayed that way for about 4 or 5 days! They looked drugged the entire time, too! I just didn't like the idea of doing that to this dear little lady cat.

Anyhow, I had been trying to comb this mat a little each day, but this feral didn't appreciate that very much. I was afraid that she would bite me, and I didn't need that. I've had several cat bites, and believe me, they hurt! And once you go to a doctor, then Rabies Control gets involved! So Diane and I discussed the situation and thought maybe I could throw a heavy towel over her and get her by the scruff while Diane ran the clippers to remove the mat. Well, we had quite a time for a few minutes! The cat got out of her pen, right through our legs, as I always leave the bottom pen door open. I have one of those tall ferret pens that she sleeps in, as she feels safe in it. The shelf is at window height, so she can look outside whenever she so chooses.

We left the room for a few minutes, and when we returned, she was back inside the pen under her little pink litter box lid on the pen's shelf. I use that lid as her little hide-away, as ferals feel safe when they can hide. Anyhow, Diane held the box up while I stuck my left hand in under that lid and shaved away with the clippers! The cat kept moving around, and with each touch of the clippers, the mat became looser and looser! Believe me, the adrenalin kicked in! I could feel my heart pounding like mad!!! Then finally, the entire thing fell off! That little kitty's back just had to feel better! I had to take the chance of being bitten, but....NO bite! That had been bothering me for some time as those mats just grow tighter and tighter and can actually harm their skin from the pulling to the point where they can become painful and the skin infected under it! I am so glad it is off!!! She may have a bald spot, but her hair will grow back. These mats are miserable things for a cat! You wouldn't believe how tight the hair grows! I don't think a person could even weave it that tight if one tried! These mats are not a soft clump of hair but a hard mass of tangled, interwoven hair, and they only get worse. They do not grow out, as one would think.



That was our day! The recipes for the apple crisp and yummy chocolate pie will be posted tonight (hopefully) on my recipe blog, Cooking with Nancy. They are so easy to make and yet sooooo good! I served the apple crisp warmed in the microwave and added vanilla ice cream on top! Yummy! Now I just have to get some fresh peaches at Strawberry Hill one of these days and make peach cobbler and peach crisp!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

4th of July! It's here! First, we must take time to reflect on the freedoms and luxuries we enjoy every day in this great country of ours! Is it any wonder that the USA is hated by so many foreign countries? I thank God every day that I live in such a wonderful land! Skip over to Old Lady Lincoln's blog and read her post "From Jay Leno." You'll be glad you did.


Do you remember, as a kid, waiting for the 4th of July? I do, as we were always anxious to see the fireworks! Plus, we used to go to Florida every winter and bring back firecrackers, which we could not buy in our own state of PA. I remember going down the road 5 miles to where the local fireworks were held each year and meeting up with friends and just walking around. Back in those days, parents didn't have to worry about someone abducting their kids, as they do in today's world.


People would sit on the hoods, and even the roofs, of their cars to watch the fireworks display. I remember they always started at 10pm. Dad would lock up the hotel and bar, and off we'd go down the narrow country road to the big field where the fireworks took place! We'd always have a carload of kids from our little neighborhood. Oh, what fun it was!


I don't remember any 4th of July picnics as a child, though, as my parents had a business to run that was open to the public, so the 4th of July was a big weekend for campers to come in from the cities downstate for their summer vacations. I knew the kids from the cities, and it was always such fun to see them each year. With or without a picnic, as kids, we still had fun, and those memories remain with me to this day.


My daughter is having a cookout today at her home, so that's where I am going. Wishing you all a happy and fun day with your family and friends, too!

"Oliver" is Home!

"OLIVER"

Oliver is home! I received a call late Sunday afternoon from the Emergency Vet Clinic that he could come home for the night! He hadn't eaten anything since he got sick on Thursday, not even his own favorite food that I took to him myself. At the time of the call, I was about ready to leave to go visit him and take him some turkey, so I decided I'd better get my guest bathroom ready for him before I left. I figured he would need a few days rest at home before he mingled in with the others.

When I arrived at the clinic, I was told that they had given him a bath, but that he would have nothing to do with the hair dryer. So he was still wet and looked extremely scraggly. Poor boy! So I paid the bill and brought him home, with me crying the entire 10-mile drive. I was crying because I didn't know what I was going to do to get rid of that smell from his fur, other than to clip him down. It wasn't a very pleasant homecoming for him at first, either, as he needed a good bath, above all else.

He smelled "pithy" from the catheter. They can't really put a bag on a cat like they can a person, or so I was told, so the urine runs out of the catheter, with the cat lying in it, more or less! They had one of those perforated mats under him, but it still holds that smell. His personal vet had shaved his back end on Friday and bathed him, but he was a mess again last night and smelled really bad! So the first thing I had to do was give him a good bath! I used a box of baking soda first, mixed as a paste, and plastered it all over him. Rinsed that off and then gave him a good shampooing with Oatmeal Shampoo for Cats. He allowed me to dry him with the hair dryer on low speed. He smelled soooooo good and looked so fluffy again, once I got him all combed out. Poor little guy, I don't know how he stood the smell himself. His personal vet today told me that they do hook them up to a bag, so I don't know why they didn't do that at the emergency clinic. Anyhow, he is nice and clean now! He also ate very well after his bath. Animals are like people, in many ways...he was homesick!

Monday, it was back to his personal vet. His IV line was removed, thank goodness! And when that sticky tape was taken off, a piece of his skin came with it! So now I have to doctor that with peroxide and an antibiotic ointment. He has to go back for a recheck in 2 weeks and, at that time, will have another blood test to test his creatinine and PH levels again. All in all, he is recovering with pain med and antibiotics at present and doing quite well, thus far. He is on Prescription Diet CD but so far has refused to eat it, canned or dry, so he is eating his regular food yet. I will have to mix the two foods together and wean him off his old food gradually. He spent yesterday mingling in with the other cats, and all went well. Usually, the others smell the "vet smell" on them and they hiss at each other, but guess his bath took care of that little problem. So all went well. He slept with me last night, so he's back to his ole normal self once again!


"BUSTER"

Buster is doing well, too! Today, he was taken out of his crate and walked on a leash around the downstairs for about 10 minutes. My daughter thought it was going to be hard to get him to go back into the crate, but he actually wanted to go back in it. She said he flopped right down on his pillow! He was pooped out from his little walk! I told her it is going to take time for him to get his strength back. He is eating well, and his staples will come out a week from Tuesday, on the 8th. Tammy counted 23 staples. His incision looks to be about 7-8 inches long.

I am so glad this past week is behind us! I know with so many cats that I am going to face many medical crises, but it's something I will just have to face, one at a time.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you who sent prayers up for these two little fellas! They both are on the road to recovery!