Too Much To Handle

Hello friends,

Angel Clarissa has granted me the honor to hijack her blog tonight. We haven't posted since January 9, 2022. So much has happened since then. If I posted everything that has happened since that time I think this post would be a novel. Before I start I want to send my sympathies to Paula Burr's family. I always enjoyed reading her "Sweet Perfections" blog. I found out about her passing tonight. It hurt my heart to learn this sad news. Paula will be missed.

Now on to us. Brother Greg is still living in the nursing home. We were hoping that this would be a short stay, but it isn't so. Greg is doing well there. He finished his physical therapy, but the therapist and social worker thought it would be in Greg's best interest if he stayed there. The physical therapist said she thought Greg had progressed as far as he was going to do. He continues to have falls at least once a month. He is safer there than he would be at home. Anytime he has fallen at home over the past year or so I would have to call 911 for assistance. He is unable to get up on his own, and I certainly can't help him up. He and I will be having another meeting with PT and the social worker on Tuesday to review his health plan.

I, myself, have had a couple of falls since the first of the year. I wasn't hurt, but I had to call for help getting up. If I could put weight on my knees I think I could pull myself up. Unfortunately I can't kneel on them without severe pain. I'm trying to be more careful, and I always take my phone from room to room with me.

My job description changed in the early spring. Everyone who was an account specialist was gradually switched to customer service officer. It really wasn't much different from what I had been doing since October 2020. I had a zoom meeting with my manager regarding a possible merit raise on April 28. I don't know why she bothered because I was terminated from their business on May 2nd. To be honest, I wasn't that upset by it. I won't name the company, but I had been working for them since lat January 2020. This company owns a lot of hospitals and also works with many that they don't own. The many goal of my job was to collect payments from account holders. I started as part time making outbound calls. I would either leave a message or try to get the person transferred to an account specialist (aka debt collector.) I moved to full time in September 2020 and started working as an account specialist in October. I took inbound calls and would take payments by phone, set up payment plans, offer settlements, and/or send financial aid forms out. Once in a while I would have to final notice, but only when the account holder refused to pay. When I was switched to customer service I only dealt with hospitals that were owned by the company. Besides assisting account holders, I also spoke with providers office reps. It was a stressful job and I can't say that I miss it.

And now for the hardest news I want to share. Both Bart and Arson are Rainbow Bridge angels now.

Bart (aka Old Man Bart) started failing in February. By mid-March it was time to help him cross over. He was close to 18 years old. Bart joined us in December 2019. He was the only shelter cat that wasn't adopted at an "empty the shelter" event. When I saw him on the news, I knew I had to bring him home.

Bart wasn't the most social of cats. He hated to be picked up, and he was never a lap cat. He really didn't care for any of the other cats in the household. He spent most of his days sleeping on the kitchen counter or in a sun puddle on the floor. His crossing was easy and I was with him the whole time.

About a week after losing Bart, I had to take Arson in for a possible UTI. He was treated and did well for a month or so. On the night of April 27th Arson acted fine. On the morning of April 28th he was laying on top for the floor vent in the bathroom floor. I was a bit surprised, but it was still chilly in the mornings and the heat would come on. I figured he was cold. To my knowledge he didn't leave the bathroom. He had water and a litter box. I was in the back room working. That evening I brought him into the living room. He stayed with me for a while, but soon went back to the bathroom. I called work that night and left a message saying that I was going to have to take him to the vert in the morning and I would be in as soon as I could.

Arson was still in the bathroom when I got up Friday morning. He came into the kitchen and hunched in front of his water bowl but wouldn't drink. I called my vet as soon as they opened. They were booked and couldn't work him in as a drop off. I called a couple of emergency vets. I couldn't go in with him a one, but I could with the other. Of course I was barely holding it together because I didn't know how I was going to pay for this. I told the tech when we were taken to a room that my finances were tight and she said she would let the vet know.

When the vet came in she explained that Arson's bladder was hard and it was painful when she feeling it. None of the options I was given were good. Ideally, she would keep him there for the weekend (this was on a Friday morning.) She would insert a catheter and give him fluids to try to drain and flush his bladder. The cost would be around $4000.00. I didn't have that kind of money to spend. The next option was x-rays and possible surgery. Once again, it was more than I could possibly afford. The next option would be to keep him for the day, try to catheterize him to drain the bladder and give him fluids, then send him home. Still talking close to $1000.00. My last option was to say goodbye to him. I had no choice but to do that. Arson was in pain. If the money was there I would spend every cent to help me get better. I held him like a baby and rocked him in my arms. He lifted his front leg and touched my cheek with his paw. All I could do was sob and tell him I was so sorry and that I loved him with all my heart.  The vet charged me for the office visit and said I could pay for the euthanasia and cremation later. A friend called them and paid for the cremation. I still owe them $80 that I plan to pay this week.

Losing Arson has been a devastating loss. He was only 4 or 5 years old and had been with me since late January 2020. I love all of my kitties, but there was something about Arson that made him extra special. But mostly I feel awful because I couldn't help him. Please be kind with any comments. My heart hurts so much as it is.

With love to all,

Malinda.

ARSON WELLS

 

We Are Still Here!!!

Happy New Year! We haven't posted since who knows when. The important thing is we haven't forgotten about you and we hope you haven't forgotten about us! Last year was full of ups and downs. We'd like to think that there were more ups than downs, but you will get the highlights and lowlights of 2021.

Mom is still working at the call center. She's been there almost two years (January 27, 2020). She's still working from home and we like having her home.

Our Uncle Greg (mom's brother) had triple bypass surgery on January 22, 2021. He did well and spent a week in the hospital. He was released and sent to a nursing home for physical therapy. Mom couldn't visit him because visitors weren't allowed due to Covid-19. While he was there he tested positive for the virus and spent around 10 days in isolation. Uncle Greg never showed any symptoms, which was a good thing. He was released to home in mid March. He started cardiac rehab as an outpatient in May.

We had an ice/snow storm in February 2021. Mom hadn't started her SUV for a week or better and thought it would be a good idea to go outside and start it up. As soon as she stepped out and onto the front porch she should have come right back inside. The steps were covered in ice. Mom carefully held onto the handrail. She stepped down with one foot. So far so good. You know where this story is going. Mom moved her right foot to step down. Her feet went right out from beneath her. She fell down three ice covered steps only to land flat on her back and smack the back of her head on the sidewalk. She laid there, stunned for a moment, and the started yelling for help. No one heard her. It the dawned on her that she had her cellphone in her purse. She called 911 and they sent help. The firetruck showed up first. The firemen helped her up, then took their axes and chipped away at the ice on the steps and then put ice melt down. The paramedics showed up and asked mom if she wanted to go to the hospital. She declined. They were concerned that she might have had a concussion. They did help her inside and checked her blood pressure. Within two or three hours mom started hurting all over. She took some OTC pain relief and that didn't phase the pain. When she tried to go to bed she almost screamed because her left side hurt so bad. Although she works from home, she didn't work that week because she hurt so badly. She slept in her recliner for a week because she could get into her bed. Mom did go the immediate care center where she had some x-rays taken. There were no broken ribs, a good thing, but more than likely had twisted and bruised herself when she fell. That happened on Valentine's Day weekend.

The spring and summer were uneventful. Well, there was that incident of filing for bankruptcy. Tell you purrents to get rid of their credit cards! They were nothing but trouble for mom. She had stopped making payments in late 2020 because she was getting nowhere getting the balances down. Basically she was paying the interest each month. Money is still tight here, but mom has been credit card free since January of 2020.

Mom got her septum pierced over Labor Day weekend. She said it hurt for less than a minute when the needle went through. She was very pleased with the result. The day before Thanksgiving one of the balls came off the curved barbell. She went to a different tattoo/piercing shop and had it switched out and then got a traigus piercing of her right ear. It's still healing. Eventually she'll get the left ear done.

Mom had fall No. 2 on Halloween night. She was her friend's house. She stood up and either tripped on an area rug or on the chair leg. She twisted her back and had to come home. She had no time off so she worked through the pain on Monday. It took about two weeks to stop hurting.

Uncle Greg went into the hospital in December. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and afib. While he was in the hospital our sweet Seren crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Mom couldn't find her during the day. She finally found Seren curled up in a corner underneath a table. This was around 9:00 PM. Mom got her out and was going to wrap Seren in a blanket and just hold her. Seren wanted no part of it. She sunk her teeth into mom's thumbs!!! Mom managed to get Seren into a carrier. She was going to take Seren to the vet the following morning. Seren crossed the Bridge overnight. It was a blessing as she had grown very thin and had kidney failure. It was almost 24 hours before mom got started on an antibiotic. She had waited too long.

 Serendipity - May 2004-December2021

 

Uncle Greg came home on that Friday. Mom went to the immediate care center on Sunday. They took one look at her thumbs and said she needed to go to the hospital downtown because that hospital had a hand surgeon there! Mom was admitted to the hospital because she needed to have a course of IV antibiotics. The following day, mom had minor surgery as the bites needed to be opened and cleaned out. She three nights there. She has a followup appointment with the surgeon on January 19.

Uncle Greg went back into the hospital on Christmas Eve for fluid in his chest. He was there for four days, then moved to a different nursing home. We are hoping that he will be able to come home soon. Mom said he should be able to get a home health nurse to come to see him.

Mom had fall #3 in early December. She literally rolled out of bed and hit the floor. She needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap.

There are pictures below of mom's thumbs. You've been warned. It's not pretty.

  Bonus Picture, Bruise from mom's fall out of bed.

This, That, and the Other

Good evening friends! We have lots of news to share. I'm going to turn the beginning of this post over to Old Man Bart (OMB). He had an adventure exactly one week ago.

Hi all! Bart here. Angel Clarissa is right about me having an adventure. She forgot to mention that it was not a pleasant adventure. You see, I had a urinary tract infection (UTI). Mom was on her computer and she noticed that I was restless. I would go into the bathroom where there are 3 litter boxes. Then I would pace and walk behind mom's chair. Then I would try to lay down but I would get right back up an repeat the process. When mom caught me peeing on some papers that were on the floor, she knew what was up. She packed my into the Cat Transport Unit and took me to the 24/7 animal hospital. Mom had to wait outside in the car since procedures for the Covid-19 virus are still in place. I was poked and prodded and had one x-ray taken. Mom was right about the UTI.

The v-e-t told mom that I also had an ear infection in my crumpled ear. I was sent home with a bunch of medicines, 6 cans of SO/Royal Canin food, and a bag of SO prescription kibble. My adventure was costly. It was a little over $600!!! I'm feeling better now since I've been taking my medicine like a good boy. I don't like it, so I do have to put up a little struggle. Every med is liquid except for one pill that I take for pain. I get half of one pill twice daily. I have a follow up visit with my regular v-e-t on Thursday. They won't sell the prescription food to mom unless they see me in furson. Our regular v-e-t's office is just blocks from our house and will more convenient for mom to get my food.

And now it is Tovah's turn to tell you all about her adventure which included an overnight stay at a different v-e-t's office.

Hello friends! I'm Tovah and I'm going to tell you about my not-so-fun adventure. It really started on Saturday. I kept gagging and appeared to be trying to cough up a hairball. The only thing that came up was some clear liquid and my breakfast kibble. Like Bart, I couldn't get comfortable. Mom kept an eye me and decided if I didn't improve on Sunday, then she would take me to the v-e-t. I wasn't any better on Sunday so off to the vet I went. I had an 8:30pm appointment at a different office that had Sunday hours. Mom was hoping it wouldn't be quite as expensive as the emergency visit for Bart. MOL (meowing out loud). I had some blockage in my intestines and some pockets of gas. They found that out on my x-ray. I ended up staying overnight so I could get IV fluids and anti-nausea medicine. I was scared and I wouldn't eat anything while I was there. I had another x-ray on Monday morning. There was a little movement, but the v-e-t couldn't tell if I an eaten something that wasn't food. I ended up having to take barium and have another scan that afternoon. I stayed on fluids while I was there. Another x-ray that in the early evening, and then I was allowed to come home. I tried to tell them that I only eat my food and not anything like hair elastics or plastic or rubber bands but they wouldn't listen to them. Friends, if you thought Bart's adventure was expensive, you ain't heard nothing yet. With everything that was done plus tax, my bill was $1007.00!!!! I'm feeling fine now.

Clarissa here again. Mom said it was a good thing she loves us and could use her Care Credit for Bart's and Tovah's visits. Mom went to her own doctor on Tuesday. She had a little red, rough patch break out on the side of her nose about 3 weeks ago. She thought it was acne, but it never cleared up. Sometimes it hurt, sometimes it burned, and sometimes it itched. Sometimes it did all three together. Mom mentioned on Facebook and one of her friends said it might be shingles! That never crossed her mind. Guess what? Shingles it is!!! Mom's been taking a steroid since Wednesday and the area is starting to clear up.

Mom picked Daisy's ashes on Tuesday. We are glad she is home. We want to thank all of you who have left messages of condolences. It means so much to all of us. We also want to thank Ann of Zoolatary for this beautiful memorial pic:

2004 - August 26, 2020.

We wish everyone a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

Purrs and Whisker Kisses,

Angel Clarissa and Co.

And then there were six: RIP Daisy

 Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that we tell you of the passing of Daisy. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge sometime Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. The last time mom remember seeing Daisy was on Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't unusual for Daisy to go off and snooze is some unknown location. On Wednesday morning Daisy was not in the kitchen. She normally would be having some kibble when mom gets up in the morning. Mom and her brother started looking for Daisy in every place they could think of. They checked the closets, beneath the beds, and in some of the cat beds that are somewhat hidden. Daisy was nowhere to be found. They tried calling her name, although she rarely responded to it. They even thought she may have door dashed. Late Wednesday afternoon mom's brother found her. Daisy had curled up beneath an end table that was in the corner of the living room. Daisy had passed away in her sleep. 

Although Daisy received a good report on her lab work and senior exam earlier this summer, mom was aware of Daisy's activity. Daisy was slowing down and sleeping longer and longer. She didn't think Daisy would be here by the end of the year, but she didn't expect her to go this summer. On Monday night, mom watched Daisy sleeping in one of the cat beds. She told her brother that when Daisy's time came, she hoped Daisy would curl up and leave us in her sleep. Maybe Daisy heard her and thought that was mom giving her permission to go. We will never know.

Daisy was a rescue cat. Mom's best friend had spotted Daisy at a place called Yew Dell Garden. Daisy was living outside and being fed by staff. No one knew where Daisy had come from. Jen asked mom if she would take Daisy in if Yew Dell agreed to trap her. Our vet estimated Daisy's age at one year old and said she had been spayed. Her ear wasn't tipped, so we don't think she had been part of a colony. This was in June 2005.

Daisy had always been a healthy cat until her teeth started bothering her. Eventually she had all of her teeth removed except for her two bottom fangs. She started eating again and even gained some weight. Other that having a wound abscess shortly after her arrival, she had no other problems.

Although we referred to Daisy as Daisy, her full name was Princess Daisy Thistlechaser of Yew Dell Gardens. Daisy will be deeply missed. Fly high and free sweet girl. You have earned your wings.

Purrs and Whisker Kisses,

Clarissa & Co.

The Hots and other News

Hello friends! I'm back to catch up...again...on the events in our lives. I'll start with mom's SUV. She thinks everything is okay with it now. She had to have the radiator replaced ($1300!) and she had a new radio/CD/Bluetooth system installed. Her $6000 vehicles has had almost that same amount in repairs.

The Hots have arrived in Louisville. The temperature has been in the upper 90s and the humidity has been awful. We've also had several rounds of thunder boomers over the weekend. We are glad the we kitties stay inside.

Miss Daisy has an appointment the v-e-t on July 18th (Saturday). She's due for her senior exam. Due to social distancing mom can't go in with Daisy. She hates that because Daisy gets stressed out at the v-e-t. Last year she went into respiratory distress and was put in an oxygen tent for an hour or two. That really scared mom, and it scared Daisy, too.

We may have mentioned in the past that our mom is a bit of a klutz. She seems to fall a lot (at least to us). Back in the spring of 2017, she missed a step and fell. She had carpet rash on both knees from that fall. She was in California with friends and they went to visit on of their friends who mom had not met yet. What a way to make a first impression.

Two or three months ago mom fell in the kitchen at home. She was getting on one of the stools at the breakfast bar when her foot slipped. She didn't hurt her knees that time. Instead she fell backwards and hit the small shoe rack that she keeps our canned food and laundry supplies. The corner went right down the center of her back and she landed on a case of Bubly.

Of course, she was in that accident on April 10th that totaled her SUV. That wasn't her clumsiness.

Almost two weeks ago mom stepped outside to get the Door Dash delivery of Chinese food for her and our uncle. The porch was wet from rain and mom's feet got wet (she didn't have her shoes on). As she stepped into the house, her wet foot slipped on the floor and caused her to fall. Her left foot (the one that slipped) wedged under the front door like a doorstop. Her right arm hit the door frame on the way down and she ended up sliding on her right knee. Uncle brought her a chair and a cushion to put her knees on when she tried to get up. Unfortunately, she couldn't put any weight on the knee she injured. Uncle had to call 911 and get the EMT's to come to the house to help her up. She was so embarrassed. (Mom had lost a lot of weight a few years ago. She put it all back on plus an extra 20 lbs. She has lost the upper body strength that she had gained). They were very nice and got her up from the floor. They also checked her blood pressure (it was fine) and her glucose level because she is a Type II diabetic. That was also fine. They asked if she wanted to go to the hospital but she declined. The abrasions on her knee scabbed over and it is healing nicely. She's still a little concerned about her foot. She can walk without pain, but the abrasion on top of her foot is still very sore. And she has major bruising along with that. Mom highly recommends to never use your foot as a door stop.

I'll end this on a good note: Mom has been working at the call center since the end of January. She passed her 90 day marks with no problems. She was told that after 6 months she could apply for a full time position that has benefits. She spoke with her supervisor today about that and he told her to drop a message to the team leader. She did that and got her foot in the door (not literally!) She workers for a medical debt collection group. Currently she makes the outbound call to the account owner. Most of the time she gets voicemail and leaves a message. If a person does answer, she says who she is calling from and the hospital she's calling about. Most people have been polite. Once in awhile she will get a jerk. She explains that an account specialist wants to discuss the account and may she transfer them. Some agree, some don't. Some get mad, some agree to the transfer and hang up with mom starts to connect them. Mom is empathic towards them. She's been on the receiving end of one of those calls in the past and it's not fun. So many people are out of work because of the Covid-19 pandemic. She understands that they may have to choose between putting food on the table or paying for their utilities. Anyway, the full time job would be the position of the account specialist. Mom always thought she would have her job at UofL until the end of time. Unfortunately that didn't happen. She has to do whatever she can (that's legal!) to take care of herself and our uncle and we cats!!!

Mom asked me to tell you that she loves you all. We love you, too!

Purrs and whisker kisses,
Angel Clarissa & Co.

Time to play catch up!

Dearest Friends,

I thought I'd take a few minutes to let you know what is going on in our world. After last weekend's horrible riot we are happy to report that protesting is still happening, but it has been peaceful. Mom said she stands with them 100%, but she can't walk with them. She said she is too old and too fat, but she did make a small donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. 

Thursday,  June 4, marked one year since Sable crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It's hard to be that a year has already passed. He was a handsome boy and incredibly sweet. Mom doesn't recall him ever getting into a fight with any of us. We thing Sable and Batman sent Samantha, Bart, and Arson to mom.

Mom had the SUV back in the shop. She dropped it off last Sunday evening and was able to get it back on Tuesday. It had a total oil change, and the repair had something to do with a sensor and the crank case. So far, so good. Keep your paws crossed. Eventually, mom will get the radio, CD player, etc. checked out. Mom misses listening to her CDs or the FM radio. Right now she can only listen to AM radio stations. One is sports stuff and the other is talk radio. There are two other stations that she hasn't listen to yet.

We hope everyone is doing well and enjoy the beginning of summer. The humidity is low here for the time being so it's not too bad outside.

Purrs and Whisker Kisses,

Angel Clarissa & Co.

Two Years at the Rainbow Bridge

Dearest Friends,

It's been two years since I told mom that I was ready to go to my forever forever home over the Rainbow Bridge. I was very old and very sick as my kidneys were giving out. Mom knew it was coming. She didn't want to let me go, but she loved me enough to know that it was time. Dr. Riney saw me at my very first visit to his office and he was with me at my very last visit. He is a very kind man and I'm glad he was there to assist. I crossed over on June 2, 2018. Sable informed me that he left for the Bridge on June 4, 2019. It will be one year for Sable on Thursday.

Mom picked up the new used SUV this afternoon. She is hoping this is the last repair for a very long time. Another $400+. Her $6000 SUV as cost her about $2300 in repairs. It's a good thing she loves the Commander. Did we tell you she named it Vengeance? It's nickname is Lizzie, as in Lizzie Borden. She said it was a personal in joke that a few of her friends understand.

Good night all. Stay safe!!!

Purrs,

Angel Clarissa & Co.