The lab results show that Muffy is extremely ill. She is bordering on liver failure and her hemoglobin is very low. The vet was actually surprised she is still alive. He was even more shocked that I have been getting her to eat and that she is using the litter box. We are going back to see him tomorrow morning so he can see her strange walk. He feels very confident that it is not a stroke though, so that was a relief. I think with the lab numbers she has the fact that she is breathing is a positive so he's not going to pick on her walking quite yet.
She is just the sweetest cat anyone could ask for. A blood draw, IV fluids, being syringe fed Cat Ensure against her will, and through it all she just purrs. She hasn't snarled, hissed, or nipped at anyone. I hope she can pull through.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Home again, home again
It's good to be home! I arrived shortly after midnight on Saturday night. I, of course, could not resist waking up the kids. While Zach snuggled for quite a while, Bella had a cheery "Hi Mommy!" and Christian mumbled a "hi" before going back to sawing logs- the member of our family most excited about my return was... Abby! She was jumping and wagging her tail and going completely crazy in the middle of the night. I was hoping for that reaction from my kids or husband, but at any rate, it was nice to be missed.
When I got home I found that my favorite kitty, Muffy Ann, has gotten really sick. This morning she was so weak she wasn't able to lift her head. I took her to the vet this morning, he drew blood work and gave her some fluids. She has lost a ton of weight- from 11 pounds to 7 pounds in the past few weeks. The labs will be back tomorrow, so I hope to know more then. He gave me some high calorie food to feed her and I picked up some CatSure (Ensure for cats). She has been eating the food and tolerating me squirting the vitamin drink down her mouth. I hope for good news tomorrow. But she is walking very strangely and I'm a little worried she may have had a stroke. It's so hard to be "medical" and come up with all these horrible thoughts but be rational enough to know I can't afford a CT for my cat. I hope with a little food and fluids we can get her perked up again. Only time will tell...
When I got home I found that my favorite kitty, Muffy Ann, has gotten really sick. This morning she was so weak she wasn't able to lift her head. I took her to the vet this morning, he drew blood work and gave her some fluids. She has lost a ton of weight- from 11 pounds to 7 pounds in the past few weeks. The labs will be back tomorrow, so I hope to know more then. He gave me some high calorie food to feed her and I picked up some CatSure (Ensure for cats). She has been eating the food and tolerating me squirting the vitamin drink down her mouth. I hope for good news tomorrow. But she is walking very strangely and I'm a little worried she may have had a stroke. It's so hard to be "medical" and come up with all these horrible thoughts but be rational enough to know I can't afford a CT for my cat. I hope with a little food and fluids we can get her perked up again. Only time will tell...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
A Family Apart
I write this today from Telluride, Colorado. The rest of my family is at home- I am out here to celebrate my friend Megan's 40th Birthday. It is a beautiful place. Today I think I plan to hit all the shops on the Main Street in town and see what treasures I can unearth for the kids.
Yesterday we went on a hike. It is the easiest hike the town has to offer. Well, between my out of shapeness, the thin air, and my asthma I would like to say it was anything but easy. I mean, a hike in Iowa is usually relatively flat. A hike in Colorado is going up the side of the mountain. There were many times I wanted to turn around, but I had a good group that didn't mind waiting for me to catch my breath.
I miss my kids and wonder what they are doing at home... Oh, and Nick too :o)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Football- the best sport ever!!!
Christian had his first football game tonight. It's like real football- pads, helmets, the whole bit. Soooo much more fun that flag football. His team didn't do the best, but it was their first game ever. I'm sure they'll have a really hard practice tomorrow. It was a lot of fun. Of course, the field we played at today was like a million miles from the bleachers, but I hope to get some pictures next time. Go 73!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Well, I haven't posted for a while and I don't have any earth shattering news to report, but we've been pretty busy.
Nick's crew at work is wrapping up their current job- the Ft Dodge hospital. He's been working strange hours (6am-10pm once!) but is none the less more than ready to be done with that job. His next jobsite is in Belmond, which, is just as far away, but he tends to like the beginning of a job more than the end so it will be a good change of scenery.
Christian continues to juggle school, football practice, and confirmation. I'm very proud of how he's done so far this year. Next week he has his first football game which I am very excited for as football is my favorite sport to watch. Christian believe he's going to be playing center which is very cool. I think he feels good to have a certain position assigned to him.
Bella is still very tired when she gets home from a busy day of kindergarten. As social as she is, I think it completely wears her out. I asked her if she was able to sleep a little during their "nap" time, but her response was "I can't sleep mommy, they have Reading Rainbow on." On Wednesdays she also has dance class which she loves. Followed by dinner at our church- another social event she wouldn't miss for the world. The product of her busy Wednesdays is a very tired little girl that doesn't know just how tired she is and cannot stop crying from the moment we step into the house after dinner. There's a lot of tears at bedtime, but she wakes up a happy camper ready to do it all again.
And our little man continues to grow and learn things everyday. Zach hasn't been one for talking- heck, who needs to when big sister is a motor mouth?- but just this week he's started parroting a lot. "Do you want an apple?" "App-po" with a nod yes. "Do you like the turtles?" "Turt-to" with a nod yes. Previously his response to everything was no whether he meant yes or not. He also continues to amaze me with the number of bad ideas his little head can hold, but that's a toddler boy trait. Everything needs climbed, jumped on, and touched, it's just how it is.
As for me, I keep busy coordinating all of the above. Work has slowed down a bit now that school has started and everyone in a 20 mile radius of Huxley has had their sports physicals. It's the calm before the storm... flu season. But none the less, the break is nice. I am also preparing to go on a trip to Telluride, Colorado. As of today it's 8 days away. My dear friend Megan is celebrating her 40th birthday with a trip and I was lucky enough to be invited!
The last bit of news I can think of is... Our washer broke last night. It's about the last appliance I want to break with 3 kids in the house. Anyone know a good repair man???
Nick's crew at work is wrapping up their current job- the Ft Dodge hospital. He's been working strange hours (6am-10pm once!) but is none the less more than ready to be done with that job. His next jobsite is in Belmond, which, is just as far away, but he tends to like the beginning of a job more than the end so it will be a good change of scenery.
Christian continues to juggle school, football practice, and confirmation. I'm very proud of how he's done so far this year. Next week he has his first football game which I am very excited for as football is my favorite sport to watch. Christian believe he's going to be playing center which is very cool. I think he feels good to have a certain position assigned to him.
Bella is still very tired when she gets home from a busy day of kindergarten. As social as she is, I think it completely wears her out. I asked her if she was able to sleep a little during their "nap" time, but her response was "I can't sleep mommy, they have Reading Rainbow on." On Wednesdays she also has dance class which she loves. Followed by dinner at our church- another social event she wouldn't miss for the world. The product of her busy Wednesdays is a very tired little girl that doesn't know just how tired she is and cannot stop crying from the moment we step into the house after dinner. There's a lot of tears at bedtime, but she wakes up a happy camper ready to do it all again.
And our little man continues to grow and learn things everyday. Zach hasn't been one for talking- heck, who needs to when big sister is a motor mouth?- but just this week he's started parroting a lot. "Do you want an apple?" "App-po" with a nod yes. "Do you like the turtles?" "Turt-to" with a nod yes. Previously his response to everything was no whether he meant yes or not. He also continues to amaze me with the number of bad ideas his little head can hold, but that's a toddler boy trait. Everything needs climbed, jumped on, and touched, it's just how it is.
As for me, I keep busy coordinating all of the above. Work has slowed down a bit now that school has started and everyone in a 20 mile radius of Huxley has had their sports physicals. It's the calm before the storm... flu season. But none the less, the break is nice. I am also preparing to go on a trip to Telluride, Colorado. As of today it's 8 days away. My dear friend Megan is celebrating her 40th birthday with a trip and I was lucky enough to be invited!
The last bit of news I can think of is... Our washer broke last night. It's about the last appliance I want to break with 3 kids in the house. Anyone know a good repair man???
Monday, September 1, 2008
We need a pond- in our backyard
The kids have been dying to see Abby swim ever since Abby and I got back from Duluth, so tonight we took her to a park in Ankeny to let her take a dip. She loves the water and the kids (as well as kids walking by) really liked watching her swim for a stick and bring it back.
Appleberry Farms
My mom sent me an internet link on Sunday night for an apple orchard in Minnesota that was currently harvesting apples that she likes and my favorites. Hers- Wealthy and mine- Honeycrisp. With the gas prices though, who can drive to Minnesota for some apples? That led me to an online search of orchards closer to home that would offer both of those apples that would be open this Labor Day. My search turned up Appleberry Farms in Marshalltown, so this morning we took off. We now have more apples than anyone would know what to do with, but gosh, they are yummy!
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