I just got back from the doctor’s office. Tomorrow morning I get my eyes checked again. Then I hope I have my mornings free for awhile.
They said they’d refer me somewhere to get steroid injections in my neck. And that it either wouldn’t help at all, help some, or help a lot.
I’ve been meaning to mention that my internist ordered one of those tests to check your colon. She never could get me to get a colonoscopy. I didn’t want my daughter to have to take hours off work to go with me.
When I had my cataract surgeries, I was always awake immediately and so was home within about an hour.
I had a colonoscopy when I was about 41. But of course you’re supposed to get another one.
Anyway, it’s that test you hear about on TV where they send you a packet and you send a stool sample back. Mine was fine.
If you need a colonoscopy and want to go the easy route, you might ask your doctor. She had them send me mine in the mail.
It’s sunny but cool here today. We got a lot of rain yesterday, so the plants got a bit of a boost. I mean it really rained.
Yesterday I decided to go through my clothing. I took more than half of my clothes over to the laundry room for anyone who wants to look through the bags.
Much of the clothing had never been worn. Probably about half had not been worn at all. I brought those clothes with me from Texas and never wore them.
Ralph Lauren clothing and really nice jackets. When I was married I could buy nice clothes, or he’d buy them for me on holidays. But really nice clothes are just not me. So I never wore them.
My ex was a fancy dresser. He had to wear the best. But he did not understand that I didn’t feel the same way.
I recall sending watches back because why would I want a fancy dangling watch in my way when I spend much of my time in the garden?
He’d get mad at me. I hated to hurt his feelings because they were very nice gifts.
Some people aren’t so nice to be around, so instead they buy you fancy gifts. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t make up for the behavior. I would rather he not drink and black out and never remember what he did.
He’d send me flowers and I’d say, “Bring me a plant for my garden that I can enjoy for a long time. Or go out in the country and pick out a rock on the side of the road. Those are the kinds of things I really want.”
But he never got it. He is the type that ignores nature. And the outdoors to him is the space between his car and his office.
I gave the woman at the other end of the four-plex my jackets. One was a suede sweater jacket with fur around the neck. Another I didn’t even know I had.
Now I’ve got to go through the many boxes of shoes I don’t wear.
I did all this to give Ivy the closet. I store some things in there in the shelves at the top. But otherwise it is Ivy’s.
I have two big walk-in closets. The one where I put what clothing I kept has shelves on one side. That’s where I store decor, etc.
I don’t have any other closets in the apartment, so my coats and clothing for every season are on two rods.
Ivy is not bashful. She likes to lay on her back. Sometimes I find her sleeping that way.
She is a little love. She wants to love and be loved on. She has started to touch Charlie and be playful with him, and he does not want her to. He will growl a little.
Maybe that will change over time. Or maybe his ear hurts from having the cyst taken off.
This pet bed gets a lot of use. One or the other of them is usually on it.
At night when I retire to my bedroom, Charlie gets on the end of the bed. Ivy goes to the stack of quilts.
There is another stack near this one. Sometimes she goes to it, which is a little farther away. And there’s a third stack by my little TV. But she always manages to pull that stack down on top of her.
Above Ivy has paper in her mouth and Charlie is curious.
Right now Charlie is in his safe spot where he backs into place between me and the end of the couch.
Ivy is playing on the other side with her tail. When she tires of that she grabs onto my arm trying to get my attention and then nibbles at my hand.
She has been playing with this piece of paper for days. It is her favorite thing right now.
She prances around like she has found prey and killed it and is very proud of herself.
I haven’t found any dead crickets today, but the day is still young.
We’re having a little tug of war because she likes to go behind the couch and scratch. I have to break her of that little habit.
A Chewy’s box just came to my door. Wait, I didn’t order anything from Chewy’s this week. I ordered last week.
Did any of you order a scratching post for Ivy? It’s very nice. Now she has two. And another box to play in.
I don’t think I paid for one. But I’ll have to look at my online bank account and see.
This is the 5 month anniversary of Abi’s death.
Brenda, you’re probably tired of hearing from me … I’m a retired RN (nurse/nursing school teacher), and the test to which you referred at the beginning of this post is a Guiac test. It may be called something else now; but when I was working as a nurse/teacher, that was the name. That test tests for the presence of blood in your stool. A colonoscopy is done in a hospital — the day before the scope, you’re on a clear liquid diet. That evening, you drink the “prep” — it used to be a gallon of some vile liquid (such as Go-Lytely) taken in 8-ounce doses every 15 minutes. Before you drank that, I think I had to do a couple of enemas. Then start drinking the vile prep. Within about an hour, I would start having BMs — and they continued … and continued … Now the prep is not quite as bad. My gastrointestinal doc now has me drink a bottle of mag citrate (I can’t remember if it’s 8 ounces or 16 ounces). That starts the BM process. I think after that I have to drink some GatorAde to replace electrolytes lost in all the BMs. The next morning I think I do one enema and drink some more GatorAde. Then go to the hospital for the test. You lie on your left side, and a tube with a little camera on the end is inserted into the rectum and advanced into the intestine. The doc is able to see the inside of the intestine and rectum on a screen to see if there are any growths (polyps) or anything that should not be in there. The patient is sedated for the test (obviously). The last one that I had (in 2013), I had propofol for anesthesia. Prior to that, I had Versed and Demerol (at another facility). After mine done in 2013, she told me to have another one in ten years. In 1993, I had some golf-ball-size polyps growing. They were removed, and the doctor kept telling me how fortunate I was that there was no malignancy. I’ve had colonoscopies done faithfully since then. There is also a test called a sigmoidoscopy which can be done in the doctor’s office. Before I had my first colonoscopy in 1993, my doc did a sigmoidoscopy to see if a problem would show up because I had had some blood in my stool. I had to give myself about 3 enemas at home; then at his office, he inserted a tube with a camera on the end and examined the sigmoid colon (last part of large intestine that connects to rectum). I had no sedation for the sigmoidoscopies that I’ve had done. Anyway, I just wanted you to know the difference from the stool test and the colonoscopy. Really, everyone should have a colonoscopy around age 50. However, my husband (just turned 79) is also an RN; and he’s never had one. He also says he never intends to have one. I had MRIs of both shoulders done this morning. The tech put some lavender scent in there, turned a fan on (because I’m always so HOT, and placed a washrag over my eyes. I chose Southern Gospel music to listen to; both shoulders took about 1-1/2 hours in the machine. But as long as I did not open my eyes, I was pretty good. The knocking noises really bother me, too. I just try to think pleasant thoughts. PT did not help my problems, either. I had quite a bit of PT last year. I’m looking forward to hearing what the orthopedic surgeon says … I think. I hope you and your furbabies have a wonderful evening!
Brenda ,I also have spinal stenosis ,I am currently getting injections for my neck .Mine have worked well for me They do not hurt and they last about 2 months for me .Naturally my neuro surgeon wants to do the fusion on my back but I have not had it done yet .My husband has medical problems also and right now I can’t go thru the surgery .We tried PT and all that nothing worked but the shots !
Hope you find the injections to be helpful to you ! Also they have mentioned doing an Epidural on mine ,Google it on internet .
The pain I have had has been awful until the shots .Please keep us posted on your MRI report .
Glad to see the pixs of your lil family they are doing great !
Aluminum foil works for my Kittie and I have it on anything that he wants to go near other than his scratching post !
Take care and enjoy your babies ,I am sure Ivy has made your life happier after the death of your precious Abi Rose !
Enjoy your evening !
Brenda they have catnip bubbles at WalMart in the pet dept. I bought some for my neighbor’s cat. We had 4 cats and 3 dogs all at once. But they have all passed from old age, cancer and other illnesses in the past few years. I kept their ashes. I go and visit the neighbor down the hall to get my “kitty” fix. Bring her treats and goodies. For Halloween she will get some treats.
It’s just wonderful how Ivy has plopped herself down into Charlie’s and your heart. I love how you’ve described Ivy knocking the pile of quilts down numerous times and yet you don’t seem bothered at all. Perhaps you are a bit bothered but not enough to voice it to us. It just shows the patience and love you have for this new little lady as she explores her new home. In time, I’m sure such happenings will be fewer and farther between. I hope you get a good check up with your eye doctor tomorrow!
It doesn’t bother me when she knocks down stacks of quilts. She’s curious and I like that.
How sweet that you got a special surprise in the mail for Ivy. I can see she is fitting in very well with you and Charlie. I am sure Charlie will take a little time to get to feeling closer to Ivy that seems only natural.
First time seeing a cat and also he needs to let her know he is the alpha.
Hugs,
Kris
Charlie lived with cats the first five years of his life, but that’s been awhile.
They make a two sided tape you can put on furniture to stop cats from scratching it. I even saw it with the cat supplies at Target and I know other stores have it as well. My son’s cat started scratching his couch and he put the tape there and his cat stopped scratching it. Cats don’t like the way it feels I guess.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll check that out.
Maybe you didn’t see my comment on yesterday’s post about the scratching post that you had picked up. It was me who ordered you one through Chewy! Now you have two – but that’s OK – you can put them in various places. When I spoke to Chewy, I asked them if they could type a note on the packing slip for you…I wanted it to say, “Welcome to your new home, Ivy! With love from Zippo, Clementine & Monkey”. But they couldn’t do it. They said they’ve had requests for personal notes before, so they’re putting this in their “suggestion box”.
What is wrong with your neck that you will have to have steroid injections? Sounds awful. Is there a way you can get around this – maybe physical therapy instead? I have refused steroid injections in my back and shoulder and instead relied on physical therapy and yoga.
I remember your comment, but guess I didn’t get it. Thanks, Melanie! I sure appreciate it and so does Ivy. As for my neck, it’s been this way since January. I’ve tried acupuncture and chiropractic care. Every time I use a finger to type, clicking one key, I feel the pain go up my arm into my neck. I have severe stenosis of the neck. It was already partially fused from a long ago car accident. I asked him about physical therapy, and he said no, it wouldn’t work in my case. I already do yoga stretching and have for 21 years. If this doesn’t work, I’ll probably have to have more of my neck fused. I can’t take this much longer.
You’re welcome, Brenda! Thanks for explaining about your neck. I didn’t realize how severe your problems were. My SIL is having the same sort of problems and will most likely need neck fusion surgery in the near future, too.
Hi Melanie! That was so sweet of you to send Ivy the scratching post.
Say hello to Zippo, Clementine & Monkey for me.
It sounds as though you are enjoying having Ivy around…and she is enjoying herself as well. Hopefully Charlie will come around before too long! Some people do buy gifts for others because they are unable to give of themselves…it is sad…material objects are not a substitution for love and affection. Hope you are having a great day! We have much cooler weather here after all of the rain yesterday!
I think you’re right about that. People and gifts.
A squirt with water works wonders when trying to get our cats to stop their bad habits. She is a love.
I just did that. She didn’t like it!
I’m in awe of all your beautiful quilts Brenda! I have 2 beautiful quilts!
Well, I went about a decade where I sewed many quilts. Not all of them are homemade, but many of them are.
Wow, so talented Brenda! You could make some to sell for extra income!
Ivy is adorable! I love the photo with the paper! I have never been a cat person perhaps because all of the cats I have encountered were mean. She looks like a little love bug.
I think it is so wonderful that you and Charlie found her!
A hug to you on the 5th anniversary of your sweet Abie’s passing.
Thank you, Elizabeth. Ivy’s not mean at all.
The way I have been able to break my six indoor cats from scratching the furniture is to put scratching items by each piece of furniture they tended to try scratching on. I buy those inexpensive cardboard ones that are on an incline. It’s the first time in all my years of having cats that not one of them scratches the furniture. They all us those cardboard scratchers from chewy. I have a catnip spray I put on them when I first put one out and even after the spray fades, they still use the scratchers. After one side is used up, you cat flip the insert over and use the other side. You could try putting one behind your couch and see if it helps.
Thanks! I didn’t know they had catnip spray.
A hug is on it’s way on this anniversary ~
I’m so glad you and Ivy found each other ~
Thanks. Me too.
Be glad she’s indoors all the time. We share a cat with a neighbor. We were cleaning up after eating on the deck, with the door open, and she came running up, with a squirrel in her mouth, straight into the kitchen, put it down and laid down right beside it, pleased as punch. Guess she didn’t like what we eat and needed a lesson in hunting. Husband not happy!
Oh my goodness! I guess I’d rather have crickets.