Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Wednesday morning

I slept better, woke up a few times.  I need to tell Jack that happens.  That sleep is terrible for a while but it does get better.  That's the kind of thing I needed to hear.  

I don't often look at myself in the mirror naked but I did this morning.  My belly pouch is way down of course and at the bottom part, above my surgery scars, it looks sort of deflated.  From what I know that may persist or it may snap back into place.  I have been losing at a pretty steady 5 pounds a month so it's not "quick" weight loss but I am almost 50 and not as bouncy as I used to be.  I know about dry brushing and needling, and I have a couple of suck em in briefs I bought at work so I am not worried.  I am just glad it is all still shrinking.  I do find it funny I still have the saddlebags on my hips, OK with that actually.  

I had a classmate in high school who said "Heather, you have an ass like a tortilla".  Not anymore!  Ron liked a meatier woman so he was happy when I gained some weight.  I just need to figure out what size works for me 170?  160?  I don't want to go below 160 for now.  But I am in maintainer mode through the holidays at least.  Although the next work week is not hard, two 6 hour days, two 4.5 hour days, 3 days off.  Anyone can do that.  And I get paid on my 3rd day off.  

I plan to call and pay the water bill after I talk to my doctor today.  Then it's just waiting for the gas bill.  And property tax of course.  

I talked to my aunt yesterday.  Her in laws had a leak situation and will need to make major repairs as a result.  "Something under the sink" sounds AWFUL I have been there.  And they have kids so that is even worse.  My broken pipe situation was handled well.  I had Roto Rooter out to fix the pipe, he saw the damage and said we have guys who can fix this under your insurance and they did.  Then I just had to find the drywall contractor.  I consider that guy a good friend and he does amazing work.  

Having a hard time getting motivated today.  I have to take my shower, talk to my doctor,  pay the water bill.  Go to 2 grocery stores (they have different things I want), come home, put it away, do the dishes, and cook up food for the week.  But if I do that I will continue to lose.  It is amazing how easily I lose when I eat food I cook from raw.  Unprocessed food is really the way to go.  

I just wish I could figure out a bigger lunch bag situation so I could bring a salad or some cooked greens to work.  Right now my lunch bag only fits two, 2 cup, containers and a cold pack.  I eat one "meal" before work and the other on my break or lunch (depending on the shift).  But I guess I can have a salad at home before I leave, and/or when I get home.  I went to eat healthy not just "skinny".  Meats and fats will help me lose but I need to preserve my health which means fruits and vegetables as well.  I am not worried about grains and the cheese I eat covers my dairy.  

After I get paid I may look on Amazon for a bigger lunch tote.  Or look before I get paid, wish list it, and then buy it once the deposit hits my account.  We will see.  That I think is something worth investing in.  

The cats are good.  We had a battle of the wills yesterday they were not eating all the food in their bowl, so I didn't feed them until they did.  When I saw they had I fed them again.  I don't want to and can't afford to waste cat food.  Cat fight out the front door.  Wonder if it is the snowshoe.  I didn't see them.  But it was definitely Biscuit.  I recognize his angry voice.  

I was very touched when he got blocked.  I was sitting in my chair and the litter boxes are in front of me, by the window.   Biscuit got in a box and was squatting for several minutes.  I looked and nothing had come out.  He squatted a few more minutes.  I told Ron we had a problem and I called the vet.  They said bring him in.  I called my cab driver buddy and he came in 10 minutes, got him to the vet in another 5.  They took him in the exam room right away, did an exam and an ultrasound.  Yes, he was blocked.  

I had cats with this before.  One cat I had to rehome but the second one I thought I could wait until 'tomorrow", he got kidney failure and I had to put him down.  And he was my soul cat.  I wasn't letting this happen again and at that point I could afford to throw a LOT of money at the problem.  

The vet was pretty grim and said most cats with this didn't make it and I had to be prepared to make the call.  I said I would like her to "try" with him so she went off, came back with a syringe, gave him a shot and he fell over like he was dead.  Then she carried him off.  I waited for about an hour.  She came back and said she got him unblocked, he had struvite stones which could be managed with diet.  She said they would keep him overnight on a catheter, pull it out the next morning.  Sometimes they get blocked again, she said, if that happens we will have to put them down.  

(She also believes FIV cats should be euthanized)

So I went home, worried all night, told Ron I think we saved him but we will have to see.  We had a hidey hole for cash in the house (not anymore!) and he said take as much as you need.  I got a call the next morning, they took out the catheter.  He was fine.  He was "very good and ready to go home but he won't eat".  

Biscuit LOVES to eat.  So now the vet was worried he wouldn't eat the special food and would die due to that.  I went in the clinic.  (Cab driver buddy waited).  It was quiet.  I said "Hello?" and all of a sudden I heard Biscuit yelling.  They came out and said he had been fine until he heard me.  When I got to the back he was squirming and fighting going in his box.  They managed to cram him in there.  They said when he woke up from surgery he was in a catheter and a cone and had been very good until he heard my voice.  But now he was ready to go home!  So I took him.   I was very flattered he knew I was there to "save" him.  

When I got him home, the vet was very worried about him eating, I gave him some of the special food.  He ate it all.  I called and told them.  It cost me $600 I believe.  So I am very careful about what he eats.  

When I got the kittens a few years ago (Spotty and Cleo) I couldn't keep Biscuit out of their food and I couldn't keep them out of his food.  So everyone eats his food.  It is not ideal but it is the fairest to Biscuit.  

There is a procedure where something horrible is done to the male cat's penis but I would not do that to Biscuit.  I would put him down before that.  Sometimes he has sex with Cleo and he should get to enjoy that.  

When Biscuit dies I will probably keep feeding the urinary food to Spotty because almost all of my male cats have had this condition and I would rather prevent it than treat it.  And they look great on the food, their fur is beautiful and they have tons of energy.  Cleo gets meat, yogurt, and cheese scraps so she is not hurting either.  

That's it for now.  

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