Bits and Pieces

I had an appointment for 90 minutes in the dentist's chair yesterday, and ended up in there for 150 minutes instead.  I was not happy. The dentist office scares me witless anyway...  I had two cavities to be filled - the two upper rear molars.  During the procedure, which took 8 Lidocaine injections, a wedge that was placed between the two teeth shattered.  The dentist had to dig the pieces out, after trying to flush them out with air and water.  One piece ended up jammed against my jaw bone, and had to be surgically removed.  I have to go back again on 10 March for more work and X-Rays...
   I am very disappointed that Betsy DeVos was voted in as the Secretary of Education yesterday.  The vote in the Senate was tied at 50, so the Vice President got to cast his vote as the Senate President.  Of course, he voted for the nominee.  I still can't believe that the person in charge of education has never attended a public school, nor gone to a university or college, and that her children haven't either.  And the craziest thing was her support of teachers having guns in classrooms so they could protect the students from grizzly bear attacks...
   I just read several entertaining and revealing articles about how practicing psychologists view the newly-elected President.  The term malignant narcissist keeps floating around in my mind - along with the nine points of displaying such a mental illness.
   One of my clients passed away Monday.  He was a 19-year-old cat with thyroid problems.  Two years ago, he developed a small swelling, the size of a pea, on the point of his left hock.  It was, essentially a small hernia and a major vein dropped into it.  Over the past two years, the pea became the size of a large grapefruit, with a huge explosion of capillary growth.  This last four weeks, he began to have trouble with his balance, because the grape-fruit sized tumor wobbled back and forth as he walked.  Because of his age, and the huge amount of blood flow, an operation could not be done.  Monday morning, the tumor/hernia ruptured.  He suddenly began to cry.  Susan, his owner wrapped that leg up in towels and took him to the vet.  He was bleeding out, so he was put to sleep.  I'm gonna miss that guy sleeping on my head when I'm at his house...  There are still two dogs and another cat for me to care for, but Pounce was special.
   Then, on Monday night, Tessa, one of my (client) dogs, had a seizure.  Tessa is an 11-year-old mutt. and other than having stinky feet, and one bad reaction to a rabies shot, has no problems.  He owner called me in a panic - but, by that time, the seizure was over, and Tessa was, pretty much, back to normal.  We discussed the fact that most dogs with epilepsy usually have their first seizures when they are between 3 months and 5 years old.  But, Tessa was inside (and unrestrained) for a double-roll-over car accident.  She was stiff and sore for the next few days, but otherwise checked out OK at the veterinarian's office.  Tessa, was, however, thrown from the rear,open area of the rear of the vehicle into the backseat - against the ceiling and over the seat backs.  We wonder, now, if she had a nasty head bump that might have caused this seizure...

Two Weeks Shy of 22 Years, Ooch Leaves Us

In mid-December of 1991, a grey and white kitten was born; he ended up at the Humane Society in February of 1992.  He was adopted by a young man and named "Ooch."  I have no idea how the cat was named, or how the owner decided that would be his moniker; but the kitten became Ooch.  Ooch and his master lived together for 5 years; then his owner became involved  with a lady who has a huge allergy to cats; the human couple decided to marry.  The cat was then "adopted" by the young man's mother, Connie. Connie is a gardener and a nurturer by nature; she loves all animals, but prefers to have a dog, if she must have a pet.  But she promised her son she'd take care of Ooch for his life.  None of us expected Ooch to almost make it to his twenty-second birthday.  -  I've been his pet sitter for the past ten years, and Ooch will be missed.  Over the past seven years, Connie has called me and told me that Ooch wasn't doing well, and I have visited him and spent time just having him sit in my lap - and he's recovered from his troubles.  Nearing 22 years, he had stopped grooming himself, ate little, drank much, and was a little walking skeleton kitty. However, he still caught mice, chased birds, purred loudly, and demanded attention with a mighty yowl.  He wasn't in any pain.  Two weeks ago, though, he developed a skin infection - and the antibiotics made him more ill, without any healing effects.  Sunday, we said goodbye.  A vet came to the house, and Ooch peacefully passed away in his warmed bed, in the seat of a winged back chair in Connie's office.  We will always honor the memory of Ooch.  He taught me perseverance during adversity.

Ooch, aged 19 years

Sunday In Boulder

I've been around long enough to know that none of us are immortal - I've lived through the deaths of two grandfathers, my parents, and my husband.  But I have to admit I got a little teary-eyed when I stepped into Paulina's greenhouse this morning and found Courtney, the goldfish, floating on her side in the tank.  I buried her beneath a rose bush.  I took care of Blackberry and Chocolate, and released them from the hutch so that (a) I could clean it out, and (b) they could have 3 hours of freedom inside their large pen.
  Then I sat down and called both of Paulina's parents - I left a message for her mother, but her Dad answered the phone.  I asked if they wanted me to try and find a goldfish that looked approximately like Courtney at Petco, or did they want to have the "death discussion" with her - it was up to them.  Her Dad said they'd "just deal with it when they got home."  As far as I know, Paulina hasn't had any family or friends die in her short 8 years of life.  Her parents are allergic to both cats and dogs, and Blackberry and Chocolate the bunnies, were her first pets.  They arrived for Easter this year.  Then she won Courtney at the Boulder Creek Fair on Memorial Day weekend.  In my experience, the goldfish one won from the fair usually didn't live more than a few days - Paulina has had Courtney for 9 weeks.  Ouch.  Courtney was fine at 8 p.m. last night, when I gave her three flakes of food; but she was dead at 6 a.m.   - I feel guilty, even though I shouldn't.
   Waiting for the bus to pick me up and bring me home from Paulina's this morning, I was bored, because I had forgotten to bring a book to read.  Then I realized there was a bike race going on a block from where I was standing.  In the 20 minutes I waited for the bus, I counted 637 bike riders go by...  I wonder how many entered the event?
   With all the storm warnings last night, all Boulder got was high winds and about a quarter-inch of rain.  But 8 tornadoes were reported in the county, and 2 1/2-inch hail fell.  Trees were uprooted, and empty 18-wheeler trailers were flipped... It was a mess.