The adventures or misadventures of trying to maintain the multitude of WIPs in various forms of needlework, while maintaining life with a houseful of 9 cats and 1 dog who thinks he's cat.
(Please excuse the looks of the closet. The place is a slum.)
I wanted to take moment to thank you all for your well wishes and prayers last week. Last Wednesday, I don't know what hit me. It was worse than those benders I went on in previous life as a Led Zeppelin groupie. Everything was spinning on top speed. Momma said, it was my eye balls that were spinning.
My left paw is very sore from my broken left pinky, so I have assistance from the cat, who has previous experience at this. (Ahem, the cat's name is Bootsie. I'm doing this against my will. He pounced me and forced me to do his typing. Mom and Pop won't let me seek revenge on the little bugger.) (Pounce) As I was saying about my paw. My guitar hero, Jimmy Page had a similar injury, so I feel I'm very good company. The Dr. says I can get back to my air guitar playing in a couple weeks. That's if Betty doesn't chew off the strings, yet again.
The medicine stuff, Mom sticks in my mouth, yuck. However, it's better than best primo catnip. Woah, some of that and then she puts on my Zeppelin videos, I'm in heaven. That's the best part of this sick thing. I think it's the medicine, because I'm also suddenly quite fond of all the cuddles and attention, I'm getting from the humans. Betty is great nurse. She gives me several tongue baths a day. Plus the food. Mom went out and bought all my favorite treats, kale, dried pineapple and papaya. I nommed a whole kale leaf in front of her, just to make her happy.
New medicine for e. cuniculi is on it's way. I'm told I'll have to take it every day for four weeks. Not sure, how I'm going to like that idea. It's supposed to be fruit flavored, I prefer kale flavor. Mmmm, kale.
Mom says either she was really bored or quite mad, but she made me a page on FB for all my friends. She tried to create an account for a person, but FB wouldn't allow Dammit or Bunny for a name. (She's quite mad, that Mom. Wait! That Damn rabbit has his own FB page! Pop, Pop!) (sounds of small feet stomping off) (Pop says he gets a page because he is THE DAMMIT. pfft, I'm THE BOOTSIE, I should get a page.) (pounce) As was saying, I will be posting updates and pictures of my girls and I.
Thanks again for all your well wishes. I should soon be back to my old self, pouncing cats and my favorite sport of jumping in the middle of the cat pile on the bed.
P.S. Please tell Mom to stop the abuse I'm receiving from that damn rabbit. It isn't right that I should put up with such treatment. (Pounce)
Funny thing overheard while sitting at the bus stop this afternoon: "Yeah, Louisiana is real hot. That's cause they got rivers with actual, real water running in them." If you are from Arizona then you know why that's funny. We have dry river beds.
I know it doesn't look it, but I have put about 8-10 more rows on the baby sweater. Twenty more rows to go and I will put the sleeve sections on stitch holders. It's really sad, I was thinking today of how I used to knit one of these baby sweaters in a day or two. That's because I'm busy with a WIP that I can't take a picture of it.
My main WIP is building endurance and muscles to work as a CNA. Knitting just doesn't help with that, unless I were to knit with say some very heavy rope and pool sticks. Sweater for the Jolly Green Giant?
It's been rather cool here the past few days, 95F/40C. Which feels cool compared to 116F/46.66C that we were having before. Monday, I needed to walk up to the Target, which is 1.25 miles one way. Duane was wanting to get out of the house. So, I pushed him in his chair all the way there, around the Target and back home. It was mostly uphill both ways. It's Tucson, somehow they manage to do that. I know for a fact that it was mostly uphill both ways as I was perpendicular with the ground and had to stop when I started puffing like a steam engine. All I was missing was the snow storm. The hot Tucson sun made up for the lack of snow drifts. (If you have ever pushed a wheelchair uphill, you know what I mean by being perpendicular with the ground.) Two days later and I only feel a little bit sore. I feel like I can take on the world, now. Just over a year and half ago, I was walking with a cane, headed for a wheelchair myself. I've come a long way.
Duane continues to enjoy cooking. He made this strawberry cheesecake from scratch for dessert Sunday night. That was after the dinner of carne asada. It looked so good, we forgot to take a picture, as we scarfed right down. Then thought about the picture after the fact.
Friday, I finally was able to talk to the director of the nursing home. He had been out for meetings all week. The only positions available are CNA and LPN. I told him about my phone call to the state board and that all I needed was the $50.00 exam fee, and that if they would help, I would sign a contract to have them take it out of my pay. He said he needed to talk to some people. He called me back an hour later with a number to a vocational program and said they would be able to help more than nursing home could. I called on Monday. It's for minors or people with minor children. (heavy sigh)
Friday night, on my fb sidebar, I saw an ad for Give Locally. It's the only time I've saw that ad, and it hasn't come up since. My mother has always told me to never leave any stone left un-turned. (That's sounds like really bad grammar. Even to me, who makes big grammar mistakes all the time.) I think what they are doing is a wonderful thing. Wished I could have signed up as a donor instead of filling out the application for recipient. I'm not posting this asking for help, I just want to share the site.
Anyway, Tuesday morning, Jorge called me from Give Locally. He went over our situation, said he felt we were good candidates and would e-mail me the contract pdf.. I needed to fill it out via e-mail reply with all our information and contact numbers to verify our story. He explained they do not give out cash. They will send checks to companies for bills, send gift cards for stores or gas. I didn't have a problem with that. Late Wednesday morning, our story went live on their site.
I'm hoping someday soon, we are back on our feet and I can sign on as a donor, to pay it forward to others in need. I like the idea of being able to see where the money is going. They take .18 of every dollar as a fee to keep their lights on (operating costs).
Since all that is left is continue to fill-out job applications and build my physical endurance, I need to start lightening up. I've been really depressed about all that we've been through these past months, lately. I know it's because I haven't had the chance to deal with it all emotionally.
Thursday afternoon, I have a fun post planned by Mr. Dammit Bunny, his very own little self. The vet called this morning and the e. cuniculi came back with a moderate positive. They are putting him on the medicine for it for four weeks and will go from there.
Thanks for stopping by and all your well wishes for our Dammit the past few posts. You are much appreciated. For probably more interesting WIPs, click the button below.
I meant to post an update sooner, but this is my life and I've been running in circles doing many things.
Thursday, Duane and our border carried Dammit's cage into the living room and I put on Dammit's favorite Zeppelin DVD. As soon as Dammit heard the first few notes of Jimmy Page's guitar, he staggered over to the corner of his cage closest to the tv and tried to see better. His eyes had stopped rolling like he had a seizure at this point.
The weekend, he remained stable, holding his head to the side less and less. He is favoring his left front paw, and seems to stagger like it was weak. We checked it out thoroughly, his shoulder and elbow seem fine. When Duane touched the paw part, Dammit flinched and leaped into the air. We noticed it looks like his toenail is torn off on his pinky toe of that paw. We are now wondering if maybe he had gotten that nail caught on something and in the struggle to get free, sprained his neck and ran into a wall or something hard giving himself a severe concussion.
I've been calling the vet hospital. Thursday, they said it would take 2-3 days to get the results for the e.c.. Today, they said it would be 10 - 12 days. I've not had a call to check on him from the vet, even though the receptionist keeps saying the Dr. should be calling me.
Very un-Dammit like is that he lets me cuddle him for quite awhile, a several times a day. This is Sunday night. Shortly after this picture, we allowed him to hop around the bedroom for a bit to see how he would do. That made him very happy. He hopped pretty well, favoring his paw. The became really excited and tried running, his paw gave out and he rolled onto his back. Since he seemed to be doing pretty well, we opened the door and he followed Betty into the living room. Of course, I put his DVD and he hopped as fast as could over to the tv. Very happy to be free and listen to his music he attempted to run around the living room, like he was trying to dance. That darn paw kept giving out, fall, flop and roll.
Thanks for your concern and well wishes for our Dammit bunny. Will post for WIPW tomorrow with my lack of knitting and Duane's culinary endeavors.
If you've read my last two posts, then you know I'm having a stop the world I want to get off moment.
His prognosis looks good, only time and care will tell. They did a blood test for e.cuniculi. The vet seems to think that might be what it is, but the medication has side effects, even though they have never saw the side effects in other bunnies. She thought it might be an ear infection, however, she said he has the cleanest ears she's ever saw on a bunny. Then again it could be ideopathic wry neck, in that they never find the cause.
The bill was almost a month's rent. My friend sucked in her breath when she saw it. I had them take off one test that wasn't totally necessary. Thankfully, she said ok, but she wouldn't be able to help if our other bunnies get sick. If the test comes back positive he will need even more medicine daily for one to two months. They didn't say how much that will cost. Dammit just snuggled in my arms on his back with his head on my chest, like a baby.
(Betty and Dammit playing tag this past winter. )
When we came home, I cleaned his cage with bleach and put down fresh bedding and hay. He didn't care for the taste of all his medicines. He's in his cage now with his Betty. Betty knew he was sick as she had stayed by his side cleaning him. The vet said that was good as he would need a companion bun to help keep him clean, while his neck is like that. Which is going to be hard as I also need to watch that he is pooping and peeing. Hard to tell whose is whose in one cage. (sigh)
As I'm writing this I have Dammit's Led Zeppelin DVD's playing loud enough that he can hear them in the bedroom where his cage is. Tomorrow, during the day, I might drag his cage out to the living room so he can be closer to the tv to listen. I don't know so much about watching with his eyes all wonky.
When he was a little Dammit, his neutor surgery devastated him so, he refused to eat for the vet. They kept him an extra couple days, force feeding him until he pooed. They sent him home with the force feeding and medicine. His cage at that time was in front of the stereo speaker. We put his Zeppelin cd on for him and after a short time he perked up, picked up a big kale leaf and devoured it.
Here's a video I took of him trying to clean the bit of medicine off his face. This is shortly after his pain medicine. You can see how his head keeps leaning to the left. His eyes also keep darting side to side, which is making him dizzy. Up close, it looks like he is having a constant seizure.
That is my main work in progress right now. Getting our Dammit bunny feeling better.
Update to my other home crisis. Our boarder was able out with half. The one person I e-mailed is between jobs and unable to help. Thankfully, a couple of kind blog friends sent some via Paypal and we are now only 90.00 short of the months rent.
To back track: We woke up Friday morning to the a/c not working and the temp got up to 116F. It was almost 90F in here when the repairman showed up at 5pm. The vet thinks that the distress of the heat might be what triggered Dammit's illness.
I called the director of that nursing home. He said they would hire me if I got my CNA, but ignored me about needing help with the $50.00 for the exam. He said he would ask the other department heads if they had any kind of job for me. I was going to call back today, but the crisis with Dammit took up my attention.
Tuesday, I called the AZ state board of nursing and the person in charge of CNA licensing said if I have a copy of my LPN transcript and send them $50.00 fee for the exam, I can get my CNA certificate for AZ. Before this I called Pima college nursing department thinking they might know the information I was seeking. They didn't know, but tried to talk me into skipping the CNA certification and giving them $1,080.00 for the LPN refresher course. She couldn't understand, I don't have that much money and want to work as a CNA to save for the other course.
Yesterday morning the manager came to my door and said, I needed to give him what cash I had, and to have the agency that has me on the waiting list for help with the rent, to fax his boss a letter stating I'm on the list. The lady that answered the phone wasn't the nice lady that called me back last week. She was sarcastic as to why I didn't call the other lady who is handling my case. That's because I didn't have her direct number. After being very nasty that they couldn't fax or speak to the landlord, I got her to give me the nice lady's number. I left her a message and she e-mailed me back that she wasn't allowed to contact my landlord until my number came up and I come in for an interview. That she would verify to me that I am on the list and should be called in 2-4 weeks and if approved they would pay back rent and utilities. She helped me through a back door. The manager had me forward it to his e-mail and he sent it to his boss.
I'm also putting in applications online for every job listing I see that I might be able to do.
I'm trying the best I can to hold it all together. I just want a decent job to pay our bills and save for my LPN to reinstate and then go to school for my RN. The universe seems to be poking me to be extra nasty. I'm yelling stop it, I can't take anymore, because I really can't take another thing going wrong.
This week Duane was able to walk a city block and half, with the PT following with his wheelchair. He sat and rested, then walked back. His O2 sat was again down to 80% when he returned. He thinks it would have been better if not for the heat of 110F with humidity as a storm came in. His endurance is improving slowly every week. Not fast enough for him as he is anxious to get back to work and help out. SSI should be making a decision in the next weeks. Pray that is good news. I told him if it is approved he should take the time to take some online classes at the local college.
As you would figure, it's been hard to concentrate on knitting. In two weeks I've gotten this far on my granddaughter's sweater due to be born the beginning of October.
I broke my promise to myself and started an HAED cross stitch pattern that I've had for a couple years. I've had pattern, fabric and thread for quite awhile, but kept telling myself I need to finish some WIP's first before starting this.
Bootsie did her best to try to stop me.
No progress picture as it is a very boring, small dark blue square that is stitched. Don't know what I was thinking to start this.
I'm also working on a stealth project. A little something I plan on sending to all the angels out there who have helped me during this long, wow, I don't know what to call it, these unending trials. Any way I'm making them all a little something to remember how they were an angel to someone in need.
All your positive thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated.
For more interesting WIPs, click the button below.
It just doesn't seem to end around here. We woke up this morning to find Dammit bunny experiencing wry neck, his tilted to one side and eyes rolling.
I made several phonecalls to vets and rescue agencies, while also researching online. It looks like he has e. cuniculi a life threatening illness to bunnies. My friend that has been such a life saver through the past few months has come through again and is taking us to the vet at 4:15 this afternoon.
Please send positive prayers and thoughts our for our Zep Bunny. Will update when I get home from the vet later.
Just checking in... things haven't been going so well. They were and then they weren't. Not much creatively going on concerning things fiberly. Slowly working on the other half of the llama.
The supervisor put me off for three weeks, then I finally got a hold of her last Monday. Had to rush in last Tuesday and do two days worth of orientation in one day. Walked over a mile in 110 degree weather to the bus stop to come home. Wednesday, a good case of sun poisoning with my fair skin. It has been hotter than hot the past couple weeks.
I get my first check on the 7th a weeks pay. Called the phone company and got them to hold off until then without any hassle. Yay.
Then this morning, the manager came over with a 5 day notice. A couple weeks ago, he gave me the number of the only agency that might be able to help us. I'm number 20 on the waiting list and it could be 2-4 weeks before I get called in for an interview.
All the other agencies are either out of funds, or we have to have minor children. No help from Social Services/welfare or the Salvation Army unless we have minor children. Just foodstamps.
I called Duane's case manager and she said the best she could was place him back in a nursing home. I told her that was silly. Catching us up on the rent, costs a third of a month in a nursing home. She said the state was very clear that they can't help with rent.
The manager said he could work something out if I could come up with one month's rent. Duane's friend is moving in this week and can give us half of it. We will be about $250.00 short. I called my mom but she's in a bind herself. My kids I know can't help. We won't hear from Social Security until August or September about his SSI/SSD.
Duane is getting slowly better. He cooks dinner every night. Takes him a few hours having to sit down every ten minutes to rest and re-oxygenate, but it is something he loves to do. He insists. His therapist has him walk to the front gate and back with his little tank, about 200 - 300 ft and when he gets back he is down to 80% O2 sat and takes him 5 or 10 minutes sitting to get back to 96% on 3 liters of O2. Next Thursday, we have appointment for pulmonary tests. He started blogging again. For those interested, his first post is a good explanation of ICU psychosis.
I'm so desperate, I'm calling that nursing home he was in. You know, that one. Going to talk to the director and see if he will help me get my CNA certificate and work for them. Since they watched me take of Duane, they know my work ethic and maybe I might have a chance. I'm working on getting financial aid to take the refresher course to get my LPN license active down here. Then will work on taking classes towards my RN. I have long range plan......
It's just the short term, this damn mountain. Last week I used the last of our money to get pet food to last til I get paid. Now this. I'm making calls to a couple more people who I hate to ask, but what choice do I have? I don't know if they will help us or not.
