Health Care, Horses and Pets

I needed a day off from blogging yesterday... my brain was tired (as if it isn't always!). I walked Rosie and Remy yesterday, and we all got soaked by the sprinkler systems at Kathy and Jim's house (it was a Silver Lake Irrigation Ditch watering day) before we returned home. After chatting with the Rs' owners, I came back home and went back to bed... thinking of my nephew's lady, who is in the Special Neurological Intensive Care Unit in a Denver hospital. Allison, who has been dating Mike for the past 6 months, graduated from CU with a degree in Economics in 2005 - here in Boulder, the best-paying job she could find (and enjoy) was as a bar tender; the only drawback to this is she does not get health care coverage. In the middle of last week, she complained of a headache, vertigo and nausea - the onset of her symptoms was fast, and Mike took her to our local hospital - Boulder Community Hospital. She was checked out by the ER crew, and it was decided that she was having a migraine headache... they sent her home with the usual migraine care warnings. The MDs had suggested that she get an MRI or a CAT scan of her brain done, but, as Allison had no insurance, and the minimum amount of her bill would increase by at least $5,000.00, Allison declined. (I would have declined in her place, myself.) Saturday afternoon her discomfort increased, and Mike took her to the Avista Hospital in Louisville. The ER team there recommended a CAt scan, which was done immediately - and then she was transferred via ambulance to the SNICU in Denver. The reason? Allison had a huge blood clot in her brain that had expanded into her venous sinus cavities. Her family has no history of strokes, heart attacks, or blood clotting irregularities. Allison has not been in an accident, or involved in an activity in which she bumped or struck her head. Her MDs were amazed that she could function and speak at all, due to her condition. She has been on IV blood thinners, and was to begin Coumadin treatment yesterday evening. Please keep this young lady in your hearts and minds for the next several weeks! The MDs don't know if (a) she will survive this, (b) if there will be any lasting effects from the clot, once it dissolves, (c) they don't know if the clot will dissolve, or if she will need brain surgery, and (d) don't know the effects of keeping her on Coumadin (a blood thinning drug) long term.... Please pray, cross your fingers, or whatever you may do to help Allison through this...

Banichi has been so happy that I've been home and in bed the past two mornings, that he has awakened me almost every hour demanding love, stroking, and attention. I did not want to get up this morning. One can still see snow up on the higher peaks of the Front Range from where I live and take my daily walks. Lovey wants me to pay attention to her, and not to the monitor or keyboard. I'll be heading off to walk the Rs in about 40 minutes. ... The Grade I Arlington Million will be contested on Saturday; it's one-and-a-quarter miles on the turf, and all horses will carry 126 pounds. There are 9 entries - 6 North American and 3 European horses. Einstein is the morning-line favorite. ... And a study has been released that designates the Top Ten Pet-Friendly Cities in the United States: San Diego, CA; Chicago, IL; Seattle, WA; New York City, NY; Alexandria, VA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; South Lake Tahoe, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Boston, MA. I have to admit that I was surprised that Boulder was not on the list - and I was also surprised at several of the cities that were included (Chicago, NYC, and LA). ... And a late update on the Rs being mean, vicious and aggressive charges - since Joel has decided to contest the ticket, he will be taking both dogs in to visit the District Attorney, and then out to the Humane Society for the dogs to be evaluated. I did discover that the "little dog" the "older lady" was walking was a 9-month-old Bouvier de Flandres (and they are not lttle dogs) and the "older lady" is 2 years older than me (at 55), and has a mansion-like house in North Boulder. Several people who know the lady say that she is a vindictive witch.... we shall see.