Diary of a Mad Student

Meet Bean...And Boost The Signal

cfchica — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 17:55:06 GMT

This little sweetie is Bean, rescued on 7/12 at the age of 2 1/2 weeks by the awesome cathouse_mary, one of the best catmommas I know.

Bean is doing well...eating, playing, tormenting his sister Dusty, cuddling with his Mama. It took a lot to get him to this point. Three weeks ago, he became ill and nearly died. He received excellent care at Beverly Oaks in Los Angeles, and while he is healthy, the vet bill lingers. Currently, his tab hovers around the $1500.00 mark, and while his Mama is employed full-time, there just isn't enough to go around. She has been chipping away at the balance, but let's wipe out the balance entirely so it's not hanging over her head.
Please...boost the signal and let's wipe out this bill. The link below is the payment portal for Beverly Oaks. In the "client" field, indicate "Mary F." in the "pet's name" field, indicate "Bean" and the funds will go directly towards his balance. The site is secure and all transactions are encrypted.
http://www.beverlyoaks.org/ Beverly Oaks Animal Hospital, 818-788-2022
Bean would now like to include his very first "selfie" as a thank-you. He is 2+ pounds of bouncing baby boy Maine Coon mix. Boost the signal far and wide, and let's help a catmom who has been there for so many of us, both cats and people.

Well, Here's One Way of Looking At It...

cfchica — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 16:27:01 GMT

I wish I could be working more, but that's not much of reality between sluggish hiring, resume/application rejections, and the economy around here. But damn, at least I'm limiting my exposure to sick people that way. The flu is really blowing up this season. Makes me glad I'm not out there with the coughing, sneezing masses. JFC. Like a lot of people, I can't get sick. No insurance, no money for urgent care.

The drug companies are rubbing their hands together, thinking of the huge profits they'll make from the vaccine and the hysteria they're drumming up so people will get the vaccine.
Funny how that all works, innit?

In other news, I have to give up the Neon today. For those of you just tuning in, I had to borrow my SIL's 1995 Dodge Neon because my car is on its last legs. My brother, who drives a 2012 Toyota Tundra, insisted he "needed" the Neon back. My SIL drives a 2010 Hyundai Sonata, so she's covered. My brother doesn't "need" the car back, he wants it back. I had to walk him very slowly through the differences between a "need" and a "want." I need the Neon because I have no other reliable means of transportation, but he "wants" it back because he doesn't want to put miles on his Tundra. Well, if he didn't want to put miles on the thing, then why did he buy it in the first place? To show it off to the neighbors? Because he likes having a car payment that is equilvilent to paying rent? What a punk.

Like the *cough* good person that I am, I'll be washing the Neon and doing a light detailing on the inside. I don't have time to get the oil changed but I will give them some cash towards it since I've had the car since its servicing. My brother can then drive it around and not have to worry about putting miles on the Tundra, fragile snowflake that it is. *facepalm*

Hoping to get outside at some point today. It's clear but cool. I like weather like that, as long as I'm bundled up. It's been unseasonably cold here the past few days. Glad I have my kitty to snuggle up with at night.

Bah, Humbug

cfchica — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:04:44 GMT

Still trying to keep my head above water. This has been a brutal year for myself and so many people I know. Finding work has been nearly impossible; the time of year combined with the lack of jobs has made things extra shitty around here. My boss came right and out said he doesn't care much about tax season, which is typically a peak time of year for us both. That leaves me with the impression he has no fucks left to give with respect to whether or not he makes any money.

Well, I have fucks left to give, and if things don't improve, I will be giving those fucks from a shelter somewhere.
Noelle is picking up on my anxiety and is acting out. I can't even type without her attacking my arms. I'm anxious, panicking and crying a lot. I need to find work, and fast. Something close to home in case the car craps out I can still get there.

This is not how I wanted to spend the holiday.
I just don't want to be in a shelter at this time next year. I don't do drugs, I'm not a battered woman, I don't have kids, and I'm not an alcoholic, so I doubt there are even any shelters for people like me who don't have those issues but who ended up without housing nonetheless. There is forced religion, no pets, and forced job searches for shitty low-wage jobs that don't pay enough to gaurantee long-term housing security; that is life in the vast majority of shelters around here.

Please hope I don't end up even having to think about those things.

Dragging My Feet on this One

cfchica — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 19:13:55 GMT

The rains that we have had are a perfect metaphor, because I'm sinking. I've been draggin' my feet on making this post for so many reasons, primarily because I know so many of you are hurting, too. Here it is, at the prompting of cathouse_mary

First, I'll cut to the chase because I'm that kind of person. As some of you know, my boss ran out of money earlier in the month because his clients have not been paying him(he isa sole practitioner). In true trickle-down fashion, that has impacted me to the point where I can't make rent two weeks from now. I'm past due on my utility bills and am getting hate mail from the phone company. In the meantime, Nolle needs surgery soon and there is an open invoice with her regular vet that I want to take care of ASAP. Sinking and sinking fast.

I am willing to line-edit and proof-read anything in exchange for a donation to my PayPal. It's the only service I have to offer, since I'm not artsy or creative in any way. My first priority is remaining housed with utilities current. Tax season will be heating up soon, so that should take care of the employment situation, as my boss expects to have a lot more paying clients than he does now. Here is what I've done so far to no avail:

Posted on CL for pet-sitting, tutoring, editing, house-cleaning. Heard from some Eastern European scam artists, but that's about it.
Appying for supplemental work everywhere and anywhere, except for child care and elder care. I have neither the personality, patience or temperment for that. No luck yet and am not expecting any response til after the first of the year, if that.
Sold a few things so far, but I have no big ticket items of value to sell. Netted $30.00.
Recycling netted another $16.00.

An LJ friend generously signal-boosted a week ago, and the response humbled me. I'm close to my goal, but I need more help. My landlord has been on the warpath with other tenants lately and so I don't want to create any more waves, a first for me. I have to keep my mouth shut in order to stay housed; any kind of negotiations are out of the question with him for now.

I cannot believe what a shitty year it's been for myself and other people, and that's why I feel so badly for asking. If you'd like to see copies of the open vet invoice and the surgeon's estimate for Noelle's surgery, I can provide both. There is a "donate" button on my profile, and you can designate either "Noelle" or "general" If the button is iffy, e26pt2 at yahoo dot com is the email addy. For those of you on FB, there is a ChipIn for Noelle's surgery/vet expenses.

EDIT: Noelle now has her own ChipIn for her surgical expenses. http://petsitterelaine.chipin.com/noelles-surgery General stuff can be sent to my PayPal. One bright spot: I have a job interview scheduled for the end of Xmas week. Fingers crossed, especially since my boss will be out all week and still has no money *eyeroll* If you are submitting a piece for editing, be sure to send in a Word document to e26pt2 at yahoo dot com.

I really hope 2013 is better for all of us. Signal-boost this if you're so inclined. Thank you.

Rare Public Post...

cfchica — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:38:02 GMT

Just wanted to post this so folks outside of LJ or my friends list could see this, per cathouse_mary =)

First off, Noelle:

EDIT: Noelle had a surgical consult on 12/14/2012. The surgeon figured Noelle's problems stem from either 1. left-over ovarian tissue from being spayed last March, and that is causing all her symptoms, including the prolapse. 2. the prolopses could be caused by an intestinal issue separate from the "girl stuff" or 3. a combination of both. Noelle had a midnight ER visit on 12?14, followed by another vet visit later that morning with our regular vet. She was fast-tracked to the sugeon after that. Her surgery will cost anywhere between $1500-1800, and there is a remaining balance with my vet's office. Even though a local org. contributed toward that, there is still a balance due to Noelle's visit there on Friday. I can provide both surgeon's and vet's office info for anyone who is interested. There is also a ChipIn for Noelle that I will launch on Facebook at the suggestion of a few donors.

To the donors who have contributed in the past week..Noelle and I thank you. <3
She is a Manx kitty, and they are prone to have their little bums pop out. She had surgery for this last spring when she was in the rescue; a small procedure called the "purse-string". She was fine until last Wednesday night, when she popped out again. Cue a run to the vet on Thursday where it was determined that Noelle would need another purse-string. Dr. D was kind enough to call a surgeon to get his input, and he suggested that Noelle might need a more extensive procedure, one in which they go in through the abdomen, tighten the gut, and that in turn tightens her bum. He thought it would be prudent to start with the lesser procedure. On Friday, Noelle was anesthetized and she had a purse-string stitch placed with the understandng it might not take. I contacted her rescue to get the surgical records from their vet.

After Noelle blocked on Sunday morning and had a trip to a vet clinic 30 miles away, she saw a surgeon today. We are in a wait-and-see pattern for the next 48 hours. If Noelle prolapses again, she will need more extensive surgery to permanently address the problem. This facility is located far away, and their staff are not really people I would trust to care for Noelle after surgery like that. The doctor was very nice, and was gentle with Noelle, but the facility is noisy, located in a dangerous area, and there is no medical supervision at night. There would be very little communication between the doc and myself as Noelle was hospitalized; I would be dealing with the front office staff, which isn't bad, but the staff at this office are rushed and not as well-versed in things medical like the doc would be.

For some reason, Noelle does not like men, and most of the staff that would be caring for Noelle in that facility are male. She was so stressed after her visits that she wouldn't let me pet her and would swipe at me if I tried to pet her. She's never behaved like that after a visit at Dr. D's office, whose staff is female, along with Dr. D. Noelle is a rescue, so I don't know if she was mistreated by a man at some point or not. =(

The facility and surgeon that my own vet recommended are much closer to home, is cleaner, more modern, is better-staffed, even at night, is quieter, is less stressful, and the doctor would be communicating directly with me. I would also be able to visit Noelle while she was a patient there.

Setting #1: cheaper.
Setting #2: More expensive, but far superior in terms of their care. The staff are much better trained and qualified to hande the post-operative period, and the surgeon who would handle Noelle's case is also well-versed in pain management and minimally-invasive procedures. I will be emailing them tonight to see what it would cost to book a consult from the surgeon. My regular vet estimated $1200-$2000, depending on whether or not the surgeon would need to explore Noelle's abdomen for any remaining ovarian tissue(Noelle was acting like she was in heat earlier in the week. She was spayed through the rescue last March, but there may be remaining tissue that is causing this) Despite the hellish cost, I would feel so much better having them care for Noelle.
EDIT: 12/11/12 I hope to be meeting with the other surgeon soon. My vet's office has already assembled the referral packet. Update on Noelle to follow

She is my life. I love her so much and she has rescued me as much as I've rescued her. She will sleep with me at night and will rest her head on the crook of my elbow.

This comes on the tail of my car taking a shit, my hours being reduced due to my boss running out of money(he is a sole practitioner and his clients are slow to pay him), a still-open invoice at Dr. D's office, and other assorted shitstorms. My priorities are staying housed, keeping Noelle healthy and eventually addressing the car situation. I've tried looking for additional work, but no luck so far. I've posted in Craigslist for pet-sitting, tutoring, and editing, all of which I do well. Not a nibble. Craziness on top of craziness. Noelle's health problems are the cherry on the shit sundae. I'm sinking and sinking fast.

If you have any questions or need more information, you can PM me here, or email e26pt2 at yahoo dot com.

Meet Noelle:

Well...

cfchica — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:53:50 GMT

The auto show afterglow didn't last long. Returned to school to gear up for finals. Found out yesterday that David, my boss has no money at present because his clients haven't been able to pay him. Sooo....that means no money to pay me. I just about crashed Craigslist last night applying for another job. Good luck with that at the end of the year. Also posted ads for tutoring, editing, and term paper proof/edit services.

Fuck...my....life.

I'll Take Whatever I Can Get...

cfchica — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 04:15:32 GMT

Albert ate well last night and had some breakfast this morning. I am still "camping out" in the living room on the air mattress with him. Slept for shit; woke up at 3 with an upset stomach. Albert was cuddled in the covers toward the foot of the bed, and picked up his head with a little "MOW!" when I stirred.

He ate his breakfast this morning, although not as much as I would have liked. I will take progress however I can get it. I talked wiith Dr. D today, and she was pleased to hear that he was improving, and got a kick out of the air mattress strategy. "Dr. Mom has been on call!" I told her. Bonus: walking on the air mattress has really forced the little guy to use those leg muscles in keeping himself upright since its an unstable surface. His legs are much better after his TIA two weekends ago.

I came home from work this afternoon, and Albert greeted me with a huge "meow!". I have not heard him do that in days. I knelt down on the makeshift bed and snuggled him. We are not completely out of the woods yet as far as his eating is concerned, and the congestion is pretty stubborn, but I'm hopeful. He ate a good dinner tonight(meds included), and I will be home with him over the weekend.

I am stressed out and sleep-deprived, so I'm hoping to catch a good night's sleep. It will do both of us some good. I need to go out tomorrow to get the materials to build a ramp up to my bed, so I can ditch the air mattress. Albert's favorite thing to do in life is to cuddle with me in bed, so some household modifications are in order. Some 2x6 and carpet remnants should do the trick!

Progress...Maybe?

cfchica — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 03:45:43 GMT

I don't want to speak too soon, but I got His Orangeness to finally eat something substantial. I had to go to the store, so I picked up a few can of the stinkiest, fishiest food I could find and crossed my fingers.

I tucked in the pill, gave him the plate of stank, and....HE ATE! THE WHOLE THING! This was huge, since cats can develop hepatic lipidosis(fatty liver) if they don't eat for a period of time. He was nibbling, but not eating. Tonight, he ATE. Pill and all. He threw up twice early this morning, but I'm hoping things stay down tonight.

Thanks for the sweet replies last night..I needed them. He has a few days to go on the meds, so I'm hoping I've found the ticket. His GI tract is a little sluggish, so I hope that jump starts, too. Poor little guy.

Hoping for a good night's sleep. I was up most of the night with a migraine. Albert was sick at 1:30 and 4:00, so I got up with him each time. I reached over and shut off my alarm at about 5, thinking the sun coming through the window would wake me up.

Oops. I woke up at 9, which is when I'm supposed to start work. I have an hour commute, so by the time I showered, fed Albert (he picked at the baby food) and got out the door, it was 10:30 and I made it to work by 11:15. Oops.

The other stressors have not gone away by a long shot, but at least my boy is making steps towards feeling better. That's what counts.

Snuffleuffagus, Part II

cfchica — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:36:10 GMT

Albert had a bumpy night on Sunday, so first thing yesterday, I called the vet. She was really kind in phoning in some meds for me without an office call. I was able to get some Chlor-Trimeton down him before bed on Sunday, but still wanted to talk with the vet. She was pleased with all the supportive care I've been doing at home, and agreed that a wait-and-see approach is best since coming into the office stresses him out so much, and stresses out my wallet so much, too.

I brought him into the bathroom with me yesterday morning to let the steam from the shower loosen him up a bit; within seconds he was sneezing! It hurt like hell to leave him all day to go to work; I rushed home to make sure he was OK since the vet and I decided that he would come in if I came home and he were in crisis. I also had to get home in time to pick up the meds.

I was settled into bed last night, with Albert in the living room. I couldn't bear the thought of him not being able to snuggle up to me(he has slept like that with me his whole life but is now unable to make it up to my bed), so I hauled out my cheapie Coleman air mattress and bedded down on the floor. He was beside me in seconds, and purred both of us to sleep...well, purrs, snorts and sniffles.

It breaks my heart to have him so sick; I really hope he bounces back. I will sleep on the floor with him for as long as I need to. He is 19, and has more nights behind him than ahead of him. I love my boy so much and want him to know that he is loved, even if he does sneeze all over me! ;) The "new normal" is ever-changing with geriatric kitties.

Snuffleuffagus Pays a Visit

cfchica — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 18:20:05 GMT

Albert recovered well enough from his overall wonkiness last week(probable small stroke), but he now has a cold or some really nasty allergies. He sniffled and snuffled all night. I hit the store last night at 9:30 to get him some Chlor-trimeton, but forgot the key ingredient: baby food. I ran back out this a.m., brought the stuff home, mashed up 1/2 tablet into a fine powder and gave it to His Orangeness.
"Oh, please. I know you're drugging me, Mom. Not gonna eat it. Nope. Hell no!"
*sigh*
He sends sneezes and purrs to my f-list.

Looks Like Yesterday's Housework Really Did Him In...

cfchica — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 21:49:35 GMT

Turn up your volume ;)

Nigel....or shall his name be "Lazarus?"

cfchica — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:21:30 GMT

When we last left our hero, he was facing certain death, according to the local auto shop. On a hunch and based on a Volvo-owning neighbor's recommendation, I came across a large regional specialty shop. I called them and explained the situation, and how I was told that Nigel is most likely in need of a valve job, etc. etc. etc. The guy on the other end was blunt and to the point.

Car Tech:"You have a 740 base, right?
Me: Yes...it's not a turbo and it's not the GLE trim line.
CT: "Doubtful the engine is toast. Forget the other guys. Do this for me: Pop the hood and locate the engine sticker. If it reads B230F, you might be OK. If it reads B234, you're done for...the B230F tend to not sustain a lot of damage. you're still looking at some money, but not as much."
Me: *pops hood. Looks at engine sticker.* "B230F. We might be in business after all."

The moral of the story? The local shops here are too stupid to pop the hood and to read the engine number; they're too reliant on Alldata and other systems. Always get a second opinion.

Sooo...Nigel is getting towed to the large shop today, where some really kick-ass Volvo techs will be waiting for him. I will know once for all a) the exact extent of the damage b) why he had left me stranded on several occasions by not starting out of the blue and c) exactly how much all this is going to cost.

In the meantime, just to cover my bases, I went to look at a 1995 Olds..about the only thing in my price range. I need to keep my options open in case Nigel is a goner.
The Olds was.....OK. The back carpeting had been pulled up at one point, and there was a lot of moisture underneath, which was a huge red flag. The seller better have a damn good reason for that moisture; his college-age son has had the car, and I did notice a few tubes of sunscreen and some sand in the back seat area, so I'm hoping it's just from some wet stuff being tossed back there and not flood damage.

I made a list of the stuff I want the seller to address, and gave them to O, who has the car listed through his shop.

I need to keep my options open, but I'd like to have Nigel back in shape.

Writer's Block: Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars

cfchica — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 02:45:30 GMT

Well, speaking as someone who has lost three people in 2010, gone broke, and assorted other BS, I would like the following to happen in 2011: No one dying on me, better income, and a continuing to have a roof over my head and a car that runs.

Writer's Block: Family matters

cfchica — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:33:42 GMT

I would either choose to have no siblings or to have siblings closer in age to me. I have two older brothers, 7 and 10 years older than I, and it sucked all the way around. It was hard to find family activities that suited all of us, and my brothers had to dummy down their existence for my sake by keeping up the Santa and Easter Bunny BS for my sake. They either had to suffer through stuff geared toward my age group, or I had to sit out stuff that they did that was out of reach to a kid my age. They definitely resented me, and I can't blame them. If there were a baby/toddler in the house when I was in middle school, I'd be pissed, too. Everything was about "the baby": Be quiet, the baby's sleeping" "Don't play your music; the baby just woke up" "Watch your mouth." etc. etc. etc. Definitely not fair to them.

Writer's Block: When push comes to shove

cfchica — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:36:18 GMT

1. At home, kids need to be taught to respect differences. They don't have love every kid they meet, they don't have to like them, but there does need to be some basic respect shown and modeled by the parent(s)/guardian(s)
.
2. At school: Teachers and administrators need to stop enabling bullies. When a kid is bullied in front of an entire class, the teacher will laugh also. Teachers set the example, whether they like it or not.

3. Cliques, groups and hierarchies are a part of life. Bullying is not. Kids in the higher-ranking groups should lead by example...instead of being bullying assholes, they should be a part of the effort to squash bullying. Other kids will follow their lead. Peer-lead programs work best; kids will listen to a peer before they will listen to an adult.

4. Any kid, regardless of their social ranking, should be punished for bullying. Certain kids who bully are presently exempt from punishment because of their athletic skill or popularity. that needs to stop.

5. Kids who are targeted for bullying need to check their own behaviour. I went to school with a kid who would do a karate stance/yell everytime someone approached him, even if it was to ask the time of day. Yep, he became a target. Does a younger kid scream, cry, and run to the teacher? They need to learn other ways to deal with it. If there aren't bullies at school, there are bullies in the neighborhood or later, in the workplace. Learn to deal with it early, often, and effectively. We all have our time of being a target.

6. Bullies need to check their behaviour. Being popular/nice-looking/athletic/talented or whatever does not exempt you from being an asshole.

7. Kids need to remember that there are some things that can't be helped: looks, religion, ability, language, sexual orientation, race, culture, ethnicity. Sure, a smelly kid can start to bathe more often and be less of a target, and the weird kid who does a karate yell at the worst possible time can learn to check it, but kids otherwise shouldn't be made to change or hide inborn traits just because they aren't in synch with the dominant group.

8. "Tolerance" should be replaced with "respect." Tolerance implies putting up with something, or accepting the status quo.

9. Put an end to all that "self-esteem" crap. It's funny how the current generation of students grew up being told how wonderful and special they are and earning prizes just for showing up, but this generation of students is the most vicious when it comes to bullying. All that self-esteem crap neglected to emphasize taking responsibility for oneself and for one's behaviour.

Writer's Block: Do you remember?

cfchica — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:42:38 GMT

Starting preschool. I hated it. The place reeked of Pine-Sol(I guess because one of the kids had puked that morning), the kids seemed whiny, snot-encrusted and always either whining, wetting their pants or sniffling. Lunch that day was some disgusting concoction, and I remember being told when naptime was, when it was time to play, have a snack, use the bathroom, go outside, come inside, anything else you could think of. I was used to the peace and quiet of home, and used to having time to myself, not being around a teeming mass of whiny, snot-encrusted kids. I hated it everyday afterward, too.

Preschool is an introvert's worst nightmare.

Writer's Block: You and me and baby makes three

cfchica — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:30:41 GMT

You're kidding, right? Having children is a privilege, not a right. If you can't properly feed, clothe, socialize and educate a child, then you have no business having one. No kid deserves to be brought up in poverty, hosehold violence or unrest, or with lack of proper care. Kids don't need designer clothes, lavish birthday parties, ourtageous toys or private schools, either, but they do need set rules, stable adults in their lives, a safe place to live and other basic needs met. I"ve seen kids of millionaires more deprived than low-income kids, so be sure to understand that before anyone reading this yells "Classist!"

So no...it's not a fundamental human right.

Writer's Block: In search of lost time

cfchica — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:20:52 GMT

Although I didn't enjoy being a kid, I can think of one memory that comes to mind. I was in first grade, and loved to read. I was good at it, and even helped some of my classmates. After lunch recess one day, our class came back into the room, and the kindergarten class from next door was there, along with a chair at the front of the room and a copy of "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" She asked me to come to the front, and told the class that I was going to read to everyone. I was embarassed at first, but once I got started, my nerves calmed down and I got through the book with no problem. It really gave me a lot of confidence and taught me to value the abilities and talents that I had, and to not hide them( I was really shy during "read-aloud" sessions in class, even though I read well).

To this day, I have no fear of public speaking or giving presentations in class. My school was great about stressing "self-esteem" through actually accomplishing something.

Writer's Block: Celebrity Overload

cfchica — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:33:30 GMT

All of them.

No one.

Writer's Block: Good Morning Heartache

cfchica — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:55:07 GMT

A. Finances, health, staying housed; basic survival stuff. B. Ever since early 2007, when everything went to hell. C. I definitely hope so!

Writer's Block: Supersize me

cfchica — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:01:35 GMT

I will not, under any circumstances, shop at WalMart. Their labor and employee practices are appalling.

Albert's Further Adventures...

cfchica — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:07:18 GMT

Rare public entry.

Albert had a "meh" weekend, but played a bit today and was more alert.

We just got back from the vet's office, and here is the breakdown that has been requested by my f-list:

1 litre Lactated Ringers                                                                   46.00(acccck...what?!)
10 18G needles                                                                                  5.50

I got a copy of his labs as well:

Everything is normal except for BUN:                        37                    ref. range is 14-36
                                                       Creatinine                 2.4                    ref:                  0.6-2.4
                                                       ALT/SGPT               110                    ref:                 10-100

Albert was not pleased by the offering of sub-q fluids...he held on to the side of his carrier(I took off the top) and gave me the dirtiest look.

The good news about his numbers: It's fairly early-stage. The bad news: by the time numbers are elevated, 66-75% of kidney function has been lost.

Next up: Scheduling a pow-wow with the vet to discuss phosphorous blockers, etc.
The vet tech was wonderful; she was glad that Albert's condition has been caught early. She told me she had seen numbers much, much, worse.

A note to my f-list: You guys blow my mind. Albert and I are very lucky to have you rooting for us. Sending much love and purrs to you <3

I'm gonna have a decent meal for once. Albert should be speaking to me again by tomorrow.

This Just In....

cfchica — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:40:43 GMT

Came home from school to find a message from an employer I had submitted a resume to. They want to interview me tomorrow.....the pay is right in my range, they're flexible, etc. Fingers crossed for me, and fingers crossed that my former employer has finally learned how to give a legal reference.
Anyone know Quickbooks? It's one of the programs they use a lot...heh

Nose....Meet Grindstone!

cfchica — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:33:05 GMT

Still busting my ass getting stuff ready for signature before my boss takes off for xmas...had computer problems yesterday, so I was working last night to make up for it. I didn't mind; I was working from home. My kitties were hating it though...."Pay attention to us now, beeyotch!"

**sigh***

Back to work!

Update

cfchica — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 20:26:57 GMT

Feeling much better today! I got a good night's sleep, and that did wonders. It's been really cold here at night, and so my two kitties have been camped out on the foot of the bed. I tuck my feet under them to stay warm. This works out great for the first couple of hours, and then it feels like my feet are trapped under two blocks of lead! Both of my feet went numb, so I shifted around and fell back asleep until it was time to get up.

I'm feeling much better about things and am ready to tackle some work. I have to drop off a lot of stuff for Dr. signature this afternoon, so I'm haulin' ass and getting stuff done.

I have a really sore leg muscle from my milage on Saturday, so I'm going to continue to take care of that as well. Ouch!