1) We took the Christmas decorations down last weekend. It made me sad, but we had to do it because someone (I won't name names) had puked up a hairball on the tree skirt and the only real way to clean it was to take the tree down to put the tree skirt in the washer. The good news is that the days are getting longer. The bad news is that doesn't help me in the mornings when it's pitch black and I'm walking Hannah. ANYWAY. That's done. Now I have the annual question of "what do I do with the holiday cards" that always involves me stacking them up on the desk in our living room and then throwing them away in a fit of spring clean in April.
2) Earlier this month, I had a bloggy meetup with Anne and Sarah! Yes, I should show you a photo of the three us being cool together, but this is me, so here's what you get instead. If you also live in southeastern Wisconsin or northern Illinois, let me know. I'll definitely come to your house and make your dog take selfies with me.
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| Annabel and me. Obviously we're in love. |
3) I recently went to a class to learn how to clean my sewing machine, something I literally had never done the entire time I have owned my machine. Did you know you're supposed to clean it EVERY YEAR? LOLOLOL. It's clean now. Will that be the catalyst I need to hem the pants? We'll see! (I think we all know the answer is no.)
4) If you have talked to me in person in the last three weeks, I've probably talked about one of two pieces of media - either the fact that we're watching a show on Netflix called Evil or that I'm listening to the audiobook of Gone With the Wind.
Him: If I'm dying, I'd like last rites, okay? Just in case.
Me: Okay. I'll do that for you.
(pause while he looks at me expectantly)
Me: What?
Him: And you?
Me: Oh, no. I don't need it. It's all made up. I know what happens when we die.
Him: What happens?
Me: My body rots?
Him: But what about your soul?
Me: There is no such thing.
Him. Atheists.
5) Let's talk about the cat. Zelda's had chronic diarrhea for weeks, going on a month now. She was on an antibiotic for two rounds and then they did an ultrasound. She had an ultrasound in 2022 when she was diagnosed with IBS for kitties, so they compared it and saw an increased thickening in the small intestine. What this means is one of two scenarios:
a) Her IBS is getting worse. The thickening will continue. This is treated with steroids. Hey, don't worry, your cat who already begs for food ALL DAMN DAY will beg EVEN MORE because she will have the hunger. And the thirst.
b) It's a slow-growing cancer. This would be treated with chemo and then the very same steroid. About half of the people who start chemo on cats don't finish because the side effects of nausea and vomiting are too bad. PLUS. To determine it's cancer and not her IBS, we'd need to do an endoscopy that would run $2000-$3000.
We told the vet that we were just going to put her on steroid and move on with our lives. If it's cancer, the steroids will help her symptoms and we're just not willing to shell out thousands of dollars AGAIN. The vet called in a script to Walgreen's and I went to pick it up.
Me: Excuse me?
Pharm tech: $341.
Me: How many doses is that?
Pharm tech: It's a 30-day supply.
Me: Um. Can you hold on to that for a bit?
I texted my vet friend (I swear I don't take advantage of this relationship!) and asked if $341 was a reasonable price for a month's worth of the medication and she said NO WAY! Don't pay that! She'll fill it at the vet office. The next morning she texted that it was ready and would be $41.42.
So we learned that I'm unwilling to pay $341 a month for the rest of Zelda's life, but $41 is reasonable. I feel sort of like a bad cat friend, but here we are.
She started on the steroids and we are hoping for the best. In the meantime, just so you know, her litter box is STILL REALLY GROSS and I'm scooping it three or four times a day. And what a good kitty because she always makes it to the box even when it looks like it was an emergent situation.
She's never going to "get better" from this, regardless of what it is, but hopefully her symptoms will decrease. Poor kitty.
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| Hannah on our Thursday walk after work. I just didn't want her to be jealous of the photo with Annabel. |
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What piece of media are you talking about these days?
What is this thing called sewing machine?
ReplyDeleteAnd … I’m with you. This is the whole ride.
And … I admire you for doing what you have with Zelda. I probably would have sought the final solution by now. It’s just that I think there’s only so much we can do to help a cat. Depending on the cat, of course. Our girl would have trouble accepting ministrations.
Right now the entire ministration is weighing her once in a while and hiding a pill in her food twice a day. That's not too bad! Hopefully the medicine will soon provide her with some relief.
DeleteOh honey, I'm sorry about Zelda. It's so rough.
ReplyDeleteCan I tell you what happened with Barkley? He was diagnosed with cancer in Jan 2021, and our options were pretty horrific, and I wasn't about to put a 13 year old dog through them. So I said we'll just wait and see what happens. I didn't think he'd last until the spring. He lived another year and a half, and I am sure it's because we all became super-indulgent with him because he was in his last days. "Now THIS is worth living for." Ah, dark humour. Anyway, he died not of cancer but of a stroke, but then he was 14 by that time and that is pretty old for a dog of his size and breed. Barkley! What a sweet boy he was. He also had doggie dementia and once got "lost" under the coats that were hanging on hooks by the back door. What a good boy.
I did not know that sewing machines needed cleaning, not that I have one, but I have never thought about it before.
Well, fiddle-dee-dee. Yes, GWTW is super problematic BUT it also is an incredible work of literature. Scarlett is a pretty amazing heroine.
I was just telling someone about the book The Body, which I read last week. The last person to die of smallpox was accidentally exposed when a scientist was working with the virus samples before the deadline to destroy all virus samples. When the scientist found out about the person that died, he killed himself. So technically HE was the last person to die due to smallpox. For some reason I can't stop telling people about this. I AM SO FUN TO BE AROUND, BE MY FRIEND.
I think Zelda's going to be the same way, Nicole. The vet told us that she's going to be insatiable with the steroids and I can already tell we're going to be "fuck it, she's only going to live once" and feed her whatever she wants. I mean we kept her in good shape/fighting weight to help her live her best life, able to run and jump as long as she could. I hope we still have her for a good while, but she's going to be spoiled as long as that is.
DeleteGWTW is a masterpiece. I have no idea why I cared about any of those absolutely terrible characters, but somehow I did. I just couldn't think too hard about the Confederate sympathies.
That's a sad anecdote, Nicole. STOP THINKING ABOUT IT.
Oh Zelda. Sweet kitty. By the way, you are the opposite of a bad cat friend. You are loving and doing all the things including making informed decisions about what's best for her health.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that sewing machines needed cleaning... we have never once cleaned my kid's sewing machine and she has had it for several years.
I kind of feel like the pants hemming is akin to my gallery wall. Always planned, never executed. SIGH.
My husband and I just started watching American Primeval, which is SO VIOLENT and also I cannot stop watching it!
Poor Zelda. She's not been very lucky in her little life. We'll make sure she has the best life she can.
DeleteMy sewing machine wasn't that dirty, actually. But it's probably worth it for Carla to take off the throat place and use some Qtips to get the fabric lint out of there. Or not. You know what? If her feed dogs are working and the fabric isn't getting caught up, it's probably clean enough.
I do not understand any of those words, Engie! If you're going to do a consultation with Birchie, can my kid join in???
DeleteI am dealing with "Rebecca" as I had my son read it for homeschooling. He's just about finished - the last few chapters had him perk up - it was a slog there for a while. Then I get to make him write some essays. Also dealing with someone in my house watching "Three Pines" and complaining about it, but he won't stop watching it. (I've read the books so he keeps asking my opinion about things. I'm not watching it - don't ask me - it's probably different than the books!)
ReplyDeleteHopefully Zelda responds to the steroids and keeps her happier for a while.
I'm so glad "Rebecca" didn't get the vote for CBBC if it's a slog in the middle. Imagine having to come up with discussion points about a slog!
DeleteI am quite confident I will never use a sewing machine, so am not too worried about learning how to clean one. This from a woman who has literally never cleaned an oven in her life. Oh dear. What does that say about me?
ReplyDeletePoor Zelda. I love Nicole's advice to just love on her as much as possible and I know you do that so well. It must be so stressful and exhausting, but you are showing up when and how she needs you. I do hope the steroids help her recover, and I'm glad you were able to find them for a more reasonable price. Sending hugs.
Also, ANNABEL. You know I'm not a pet person, but I desperately want to snuggle that adorable little puff ball!!!
I don't know. Sometimes (OFTENTIMES) I think about the Sisyphean task of housework. It's FINE if my shower is a little dingy, isn't it? Because once I'm dead, no one is going to talk about how clean my shower was.
DeleteOh, why can you not live closer to me? I'd help you with sweet Zelda, and you could hem my mother's pants which have been sitting on my chair for 5 days now because I really do NOT want to cut off about 4 inches and then hem them.
ReplyDeleteI adore GWTW. I've read it approximately 40 times, and no, I am not kidding. Please do yourself an enormous favour and DO NOT READ Scarlett, its unauthorized 1991 sequel by Alexandra Ripley. What an absolute abomination of a book. Margaret Mitchell's estate was reportedly quite embarrassed by it. I know I was.
I will not read Scarlett. The book is wonderful on its own! I don't need. I know what I think happened after the book ended and don't want to read a sequel to find out someone else thinks differently!
DeleteI remember reading Gone With The Wind when I was in high school, maybe grade 7 or 8, because I was newly into romance novels and everyone told me that Gone with the Wind was the most romantic thing and of course how could it not with that cover of Vivian Leigh in Clarke Gable's arms, all shoulders and heaving bosoms. And I got to the end and was. so. disappointed. (I don't want to assume you know what happens at the end, but I sort of think of GWTW like the Usual Suspects - doesn't EVERYONE know what happens at the end? But I won't spoil it just in case.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it was just not the book I was expecting.
I did, on a whim, a few years ago open up my sewing machine to clean it because the nice lady at the church who was in charge of the mask making ministry said I should oil my machine to keep it working smoothly. And I opened it up and there was entire herds of dust bunnies in there. So now when I'm using my sewing machine I will periodically open it up and swish the little brush around it. I am rooting for you to get those pants hemmed.
Oh poor Zelda! I think it's one thing for $341 one time, but for the rest of her life? I think you guys are giving Zelda a great life, even without shelling out $341 a month.
I truly knew nothing about the plot of the book, Diane. Nothing. I loved the ending! It was perfect! I mean, I know exactly what happened after the ending, so of course I thought it was perfect.
DeleteOh, those pants. I should hem them. *sigh* But I don't want to.
I hope her symptoms decrease too and you are a wonderful cat friend. It was smart to check in on that price!!! Sending Zelda comfy vibes.
ReplyDeleteLOL cleaning a sewing machine what?!
Cleaning the machine is actually pretty important because if too much lint/fabric dust gets under the throat plate, it can get really backed up! It was sort of fun to learn the proper way to clean it and see what it looked like in there.
DeletePoor Zelda! I totally understand how you feel about the money part; don't hit yourself too hard about that. The tradeoffs aren't always so obvious, but we all make them. I hope the steroids help her.
ReplyDeleteI hope the steroids help, too. It's clear that she just has constant belly discomfort. Fingers crossed she starts to get some relief soon.
DeleteWe might have to do a virtual sewing machine consultation! I rarely sew, but I've had the same machine all my life and it doesn't work very well. Something tells me that cleaning might be the answer. I have no plans to sew anything, but I use it for repairs and such.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that whether it's cancer or not has the same treatment - there is really no reason to know one way or the other. I hope that Ms Z is feeling better.
Oh, yes!! We could do a little virtual session! I can email you a scan of the document she gave us with cleaning supplies and the like. Depending on what is not working very well, cleaning it might make it seem like a brand new machine.
DeletePoor kitty, poor you. It is so difficult to face limits in the care we can give to pets, but I think you are doing a great job at being compassionate and reasonable. I hope she feels better soon!
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed she gets relief soon! She's so good-natured about it, even though she's clearly in discomfort.
DeleteWell, I hate to brag, but I'm pretty obsessive about keeping my sewing machine clean! 🤣 I used to take it to get serviced at a dealer every year, until they finally told me, "You don't need to do this - you keep it so clean!"
ReplyDeleteYou are the best friend Zelda could have. ❤️
I hope Zelda knows how much she's loved. Even if we are cheapskates about purchasing prednisolone.
DeleteYou know, I think I had an *inkling* that sewing machines need to be cleaned occasionally; but I haven't taken it upon myself to look into it or do anything about it. But then again, I haul my machine out maybe once every couple of years or so. So, I'm going with the assumption that I'm good for now.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about Zelda's prognosis. You are a good cat friend to try and make her comfortable and happy.
Gone with the Wind; problematic in so many ways but such a great book.
Yeah, I don't think cleaning it is super necessary unless you are doing a lot of work all the time with your machine. I mean, take off the throat plate and make sure it's not just filled with felted fabric, but otherwise you're probably pretty safe.
DeleteOur recent media conversations include...nothing. We were in Mexico for 10 days and our bungalow's TV was dysfunctional. Speaking of religion though, we did have a good conversation a while ago about the film, Heretic. I recommend it.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Price gouging is the new watching the news aka stupefying.
Heretic is definitely on our to watch list. My husband really likes religious horror. I think that says something about his religious upbringing.
DeleteI love Gone With the Wind SO MUCH. I hate the horrible racism, I hate that they are glorifying the Confederacy, all of that. But Scarlett sees through it at some level, she knows she doesn't feel the way that others feel, doesn't think it's worth dying for the cause. I ached for her when she wanted Rhett but he didn't want her (but he did want her, but thought she didn't want him...UGH). And she just shouldered that entire family and pulled them with her, not letting them die in genteel poverty, which surely they would have done had they not had a lioness living amongst them. I HAVE THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Zelda. SIGH. There was a period of perhaps 10 days when we knew Mulder had lymphoma, but had to wait for an appointment to see the oncologist (if we could have gotten him in sooner, would the treatment have been more successful? WE WILL NEVER KNOW. Lymphoma is a fast motherfucker. (I swore on Sarah's blog today too, I'm in a mood)) and I tortured myself trying to figure out what was best to do. I joined FB groups for his breed, and asked people what they had done. There was some wisdom there, about knowing your pet, about knowing your own limits, about helping them to live their best life, all of that. One man said he had treated one dog with chemo, and it worked well. He did not treat another dog, because that dog was so afraid of the vet, and it's a weekly appointment. Another said they would never put another dog through the treatment, it was miserable. Another said their dog tolerated it well, and didn't really suffer any side effects. So many different possibilities and outcomes, right? But Zelda. She's been through a lot already with the radiation. You don't even know whether it's cancer, and to find out is very expensive and invasive. And so many people quit the treatment, because their cats are miserable. That's a lot. I think that what you're doing is what I would do. It's what I did do, when Mulder's cancer came back. His chances of going into remission again were not great (at least not of staying in remission) and we didn't want to put him through feeling crummy for 2 out of every 7 days, for it to just come back again. And it was expensive. So we put him on prednisone (cheaper than what Zelda is taking, for sure...Zelda's steroid wasn't offered to us) and it worked for a little while. ANYWAY, as we know that Zelda already has IBS, I'm guessing that is what the issue is, and I'm hopeful that the steroids help her feel better and that she has a long, healthy life. <3
I'm glad you have thoughts on the book because I'm literally writing THREE POSTS about it. You'll have plenty of time to say all the things you want to say about it.
DeleteI have to admit that your experience with poor Mulder was going through my head when they said cancer is a possibility. I want her to have the best quality of life she possibly can and, to be fair, I don't want to go into huge debt for her to live a miserable existence just because I wanted more time with her. I want her to be happy for the time we have left with her. And, hey, if it's IBS, this is the total treatment and we're doing exactly what we should!!
Ugh, I am sorry about Zelda. Those are tough decisions to make and i don't blame you for asking your vet friend about the drug price. I mean, maybe you would have spent the $340 if there was no other option but why pay extra, if you don't have to? That was just smart on your part.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I had to laugh about the conversation with Dr BB... no last rites for you! LOL
I'm glad we did ask about the price! Imagine we had paid $300 more than we needed to! I would have felt like an idiot.
DeleteOh poor Zelda! And what a good girl for always going in the litter box. Give her some extra hugs and cuddles from me. And, I'm laughing at the conversation with your husband- no last rites for me either! It'a all made up. I like how your husband is covering all bases though.
ReplyDeleteI feel like my husband is quite conflicted about religion. I think he sort of admires my certainty, but he does not feel certain at all. It must be tough to be so worried about the afterlife all the time!
DeleteI'm not gonna call you a bad cat friend, but I'm thinking you are a wise consumer, because holy cow that's a big price difference. And poor Zelda and poor you. I love the pic of you and Annabelle and I'm laughing that you had to post Hannah so she isn't jealous. Well played. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in the 'what should I do with all of these Christmas cards?' I find stacks of them in cabinets and in the study closet years later. I hate throwing away photographs. I'm not in northern Illinois. I'm in a western burb, but I can drive to a northern burb. But, and this seems important, I don't have a dog for you to snuggle and pose for photos with. Oh, AND - I was blown away that my sewing machine stopped working (this was years ago) and then I discovered that they need to be oiled and cleaned and serviced, I guess it makes sense, but of all the sewing tips from my two grandmas, and one bought me a machine - that was never mentioned. My sewing machine died while I was making Ed a Halloween costume so he would be Chewbacca. At the tender age of 5, he selected the very thick fake fur fabric (he made me go to multiple fabric stores till we found 'the one.')
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad I'm not alone about what to do with Christmas cards!! Right now they are in a stack. *sigh* My FIL puts them in a basket and the kids go through them all year round and then tosses them when he gets the first one of the next year and starts it all over again. Maybe that's what I should do!
DeleteYES!! You should do a quick once over with your machine after every project or two and do a deep clean once a year. LOLOLOL. No one is doing that, right?!
Engie, I'm so sorry about Zelda. I hope the meds work. You're doing what you can do to keep her comfortable and healthy and she is very, very loved.
ReplyDeleteTerrific photo of you and Annabel. Ditto the the photo of Ms. Hannah!
We had a guest over today and Zelda was being her best standoffish kitty and the guest said, "hello, queen cat" and it was SO TRUE. She is such a queen. I hope she knows that the entire household revolves around her.
DeleteI love my cats, but I would not be willing to pay $341 a month for medication either. Especially if it's a case where I would only be delaying the inevitable. Poor Zelda!
ReplyDeleteOur dog had a treatment for her back and the medicines totaled about $500-$550 a month for her for a year or so and that sucked. BUT. It was for a limited time AND she was still pretty young (3 or 4) and we knew it would lead to a better quality of life for her for years. I just don't think that's the case for my Zelda right now or I would happily pay it. She's my baby girl, but I think I need to come to grip with the sad reality that her best years may be behind her.
DeleteOh, poor little Zelda. That sounds like an impossible situation, but I think you made the best decision for her right now. All you can do is give her the best life possible for whatever time she has left. <3 I don’t know how much I talked about it on my blog, but last year, I took Eloise in for some extra testing because it felt like she wasn’t eating as much as normal. She had elevated calcium levels and had to get further testing, which didn’t uncover anything. The next step would be a $1,000 ultrasound but I just couldn’t stomach paying that when she is normal in every other way + isn’t losing weight in any dramatic way. Instead, I opted to put her on a prescription diet and we’ll see how things go at her next appointment.
ReplyDeleteYou are making me want to try Gone with the Wind! I have never had any desire to read the book because of how problematic it is by today’s standards but adding it to my list of big books to read this year! We’ll see if I get around to it.
Yeah, the ultrasounds we did were not quite $1000, but approaching that. I just can't stomach any additional diagnostic expenses for us to just decide to put her on the same steroids. If Eloise's behavior isn't changing and she doesn't seem to be in pain, I think you made the right call.
DeleteGone with the Wind is problematic, but if you read it and feel like it's sympathetic to the South, that says more about you than the book, I think! It's such a good story.
I've actually cleaned my sewing machine a couple of times. Mainly because the yarn was so knotted up that i had to take it apart and then you can easily go ahead and clean it as well.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to read gone with the wind but never have. Or at least watch the movie. It would probably also be a goo CBBC book, no?
Sorry to hear about zelda. and damn medication is expensive for cats.
I don't know if Gone with the Wind would be a good CBBC book - it's so long!! It would take us forever to get through it! It certainly would spark some discussion, though.
DeletePoor kitty. Poor you. What a long, miserable ride. You are NOT REMOTELY a bad cat friend, and if I had a vet friend I'd be doing the same damned thing. We fixed Lucy's one back leg because the other could go. If the other goes, she's small so conservative management is possible. Let's just say I will probably have a very well-cared-for dog who gets around well on three legs.
ReplyDeleteI guess I need to reread Gone With the Wind. I did watch Evil - it was interesting. I am the lapsed Catholic in the family, and I don't think I need last rites.
I never know what to do with Christmas cards either, but my one friend said she keeps them to cut up for gift tags the next year, so I do that with the pretty ones. I always keep them a couple of years because I've gone through them and found money enough times that I know I need a few passes at them.
I've heard the cut them up for gift tags thing and that does seem like a good idea, but I'm all about the sticker gift tags. I bought 500 on clearance at the end of the year last year and I never want to think about gift tags ever again in my entire life.
DeleteI love GWTW. That is a book that I have read more than once! So this was your first reading of it? That is interesting. A coworker of mine read it a few years ago for the first time, and he loved it too! I was so glad that it has withheld the test of time. Also, now you have to watch the movie because Clark Gable!
ReplyDeleteIt was my first time reading it! I thought it was magnificent. It is a true masterpiece of storytelling. I could have read a book twice that long.
DeleteI keep joking about watching the movie, but I have to be honest that it seems like a LOT to watch it. Sure, I can listen to a fifty hour audiobook, but a four hour movie seems like a bridge too far for me. Maybe I'll try it and see what happens.
Love the pic of you and Annabel! I used to adore GWTW-- movie and book. But! I have not been able to imagine how I could feel about it now after a graduate degree in critical studies... Might re-read.
ReplyDeleteI think it holds up. I think a lot of the criticisms are unfair, to be honest. Some of them are fair, of course, but what a superb example of storytelling.
Delete