September 5, 2014

Puppy Advice Needed

Have to go to a meeting that it's too late to get out of tomorrow.

My dilemma is I don't have central air conditioning and it's going to be 90 degrees. So my poor 8 month old GSD Marnie's going to be stuck in her crate for a few hours on a really hot and humid day. I do have a window air conditioning unit for my living room. My sister thinks I should move the dog's crate in here, run the unit till I leave then shut it off, and keep all the windows and drapes shut and it will stay cool enough as long as we keep the sun and hot air out. I think I should just leave it on period but then is that safe because it's a plug in electrical one?

I just want to keep her safe and comfy while I'm gone.

Any weigh ins on which is the better option?

September 4, 2014

Cat Lovers Please Read and Help if you can!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hoarding132-the-cat-explosions

The group Colony Caregivers originally formed to try and help make a difference in the lives of feral and stray cats in Ontario County New York! They have done so by trapping, neutering/spaying, vaccinating, and returning the kitties. They are literally the only organization in our county willing to help with stray/feral cats.

Now they are being asked to handle some pretty serious hoarding situations with no help financially from the county. Our local Humane Society insists their mission is primarily to take in stray or surrendered dogs . They've taken in a few cats now and then but very few and from what I understand have washed their hands of these hoarding situations, and Lollipop Farm in Monroe County, the nearest major shelter, has their hands full with their own cases.

So basically the Colony Caregivers are these kittys' only hope and they are exhausting all their resources trying to deal with these hoarding cases. If you are able to send them even a small donation it would be greatly appreciated. The link to their emergency fund raising campaign is above and they are also eligible for and on Amazon Prime. They are a registered not for profit!

I am not a member of the group but they have been helping me with caring for and getting the feral cats living in my barn, spayed/ neutered, and vaccinated.

Thanks for reading!

September 2, 2014

A big thumbs down to Discovery and Myth Busters

They are dropping Kari, Tory, and Grant! Apparently they want the show to only feature Jamie and Adam! Got this from a petition request forwarded by Care 2 action, who is involved because they said Kari helps to inspire young girls to get involved in science.

I like Jamie and Adam just fine but I think the other three add a lot to the show's success as well!

August 29, 2014

So Angry at my Neighbors Right Now

They are pet sitting their son's best friend's dog again. Every single time they do the dog ends up roaming around loose. Now if we lived on a quiet street or still a truly rural setting that would be one thing but we don't.

We live on a road where people drive sometimes up to 80 miles an hour even though the speed limit is 45. There was a child hit and killed farther up the road for Pete's sake. Our house got run into by a speeding teenager on his way no joke to driver's education. Do my neighbors who are aware of all of this as I am really think the dog is going to be safe roaming wandering across it anytime it wants?

Now admitted it could have gotten out accidentally but I don't think so because as I said before it seems to happen every time the dog is with them. Plus they said to me a number of years ago that they thought it was wrong to keep dogs on a leash or in a confined area, that they should be allowed to "be free".

In a perfect environment I'd agree but it's not. Believe me if I had any way to confine the feral cats that come to my barn for shelter and a meal I would, or if possible I would relocate them to a safer area. That's what a truly responsible pet person would do, IMHO, and their not even my responsibility technically because I didn't buy or adopt them, or let alone promise a friend to safeguard them.

Sorry to rant I am just angry. Plus I got scared. Here Marnie and I are playing in our fenced in area in our own yard and suddenly there's this strange dog standing right next to it, and I have no idea of its temperament, etc. It seemed friendly but appearances could be deceiving and Marnie is afraid of other dogs which we are working on with her trainer in a controlled setting. We shouldn't have to be on guard in our own freaking yard. I don't know what I would have done if it had jumped the fence of course the neighbor was no where in sight. I did have my cellphone but not their number. They are just lucky I didn't have the dog control officer's number either.

Luckily though Marnie was barking and growling I was able to get her back on her lead and the other dog left when I clapped my hands and yelled shoo.

August 25, 2014

Had a weird dream last night, need help interpreting

All the clocks in the house were set to 9:15 in the house. It was daylight. I kept thinking this is wrong. I know it's later than that but every time I went to move them ahead they moved back to 9:15.

This was a weird dream and just wondering if it could signify anything?

August 4, 2014

My Dentist's Office Sent Me Flowers

As some of you already know from other posts, I got hives back in January. The dentist told me when I called to cancel an appointment because the hives were really bad that day that it might be best to postpone any dental work until it can be determined that it would not exacerbate any condition that the hives are a symptom of. It's been several months now.

So I called them this morning and left a message to let them know that I had not forgotten them and still wanted to stay a patient but that I still have the hives pretty seriously and that I am to see an immunologist on Wednesday.

This afternoon a local florist delivery van pulls in. I was thinking he had the wrong address. Instead it was a beautiful floral arrangement for me from the dentist's office staff.

They said my message sounded like I had been through the wringer and they wanted to make me smile again!

I just can't get over how nice that was!

August 1, 2014

Shaking My Head Over Doctors

I have had daily hives since January. Went to primary care doc they gave me a course of prednisone and when they came back after dose sent me to an allergist. Allergist looked to be about 85, and still using type writer and carbon paper, I kid you not. First thing he does is hand me a stack of copied newspaper clippings saying they often don't find the cause. Ran some tests. My immunoglobulin levels for A E and M were low and my CH50 was high. He just sent me a copy of lab work with note saying he didn't know what to make of this because he expected high immunoglobulin levels and low CH50.

No advice for follow up nothing. So I googled. Turns out not only can my low immunoglobulin levels and high CH50 cause hives but can be signs of more serious things. I call back prime cares office. Got "well we aren't immunologist we don't know what they mean either. So I said so refer me to an immunologist then.

They took forever but finally did. I go on Tuesday. Well the Immunologist's office tells me to stop taking all antihistamines for a week before appointment. I do. This a.m. I wake up, hives all over the place and swollen lip, all of which has been going on all along when I don't take the antihistamines. Doctor knew it, allergist knew it. All acted like oh it's no big deal. That I should just keep talking Zantac ( has antihistamine qualities and it's working) and learn to live with it.

So I call Immunologist's office, got voice mail and I say the hives are all over me again my lips swollen, I know yo don't want me to take antihistamines because they may throw tests off. Is there something else I can take to stop this itching? That's all. Then I left for meeting and had my cellphone off.

I was riding with a friend. She pulls in my driveway and a Sheriff pulls in right behind me. The immunologist had called my doctors office, my emergency contacts and 911 because they were afraid I would go into anaphylactic shock.

Nice they care and now I feel guilty for panicking everyone but I didn't think anything serious was going on. I just wanted relief from the itching.I wasn't saying it was serious because the primary care knows I have been having these symptoms for months and acting like hey it's no big deal. The kicker is there's two calls from them saying to take the antihistamines right away and that I might want to go to the ER. I guess they don't want me to just live with it now a big city doc told them it might be serious.

July 24, 2014

Fight Fan

Having had barn kitties for many years I have seen a lot of interesting feline behavior. One of the strangest is from Bumpkin, the one semi-tame colony member. Every time there is a fight the other cats not involved scatter away from the spat. Not Bumpkin. She runs towards it, then sits just far enough away for safety purposes and then watches fascinated. She does this almost every time. I swear if she were human she'd be a boxing fan for certain.

She did it again this morning.

July 23, 2014

Bad Times

Feel like a whiner. Know I am not a refugee, homeless, crime victim etcetera. But the thinking about others suffering only makes me feel depressed more depressed that they have to suffer.

Growing up Catholic I got that old chestnut: "God never gives you more than you can handle." Well forgive me believers but that's crap!

I am covered in itchy hives again, I can't eat hardly anything any more because I keep having to run to the bathroom with stomach cramps and excuse me but loose bowel movements five or six times a day if I eat anything even remotely close to a vegetable, and now even avoiding them doesn't stop it all that much. I've lost weight, my immune counts aren't right. They ship me from one doctor to the next, none of them know what's wrong or what to do. The gastroenterologist said eat more fiber, and when I say I've done that and it makes it worse he ignores me.

My 7 month old GSD bites me and my sister who visits often. Have had her to specialized trainer! She doesn't exhibit behavior with her or casual acquaintances. Just people she gets to know well. Nothing is helping and I have tried everything. I exercise her regularly, love her, try to give her boundaries but nothing works. In all likelihood I am going to have to give her to the GSD rescue in our area to try and rehabilitate and re-home her.

My cousins who claimed we were their sisters by heart have ditched us. They are going through crap of their own and my sis and I offered support. What did we get in return. They manufacture some story that the last time they visited my sister told my cousin's wife all the mean things her sister in law was saying about her. Can we all say delusional? I was there through the entire visit. Never happened. The thing is her husband, our cousin was there too, knows it didn't happen but has ostracized us anyway.

This on top of my mental illness issues. If I call therapist or psychiatrist they are just going to give me that keep being as courageous as you've been even though it's hard, etc. The doctor will toss out more meds which solve nothing.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I keep trying, I keep following the rules. It's just when is enough enough?

I made my sister a promise that I would never give into the urge to end it again and I won't go back on that cause I won't put her through more misery.

So I am stuck. The only things I even slightly enjoy anymore are my sister, books,sleeping, and my one feral cat who let's me pet her and even with those things, the only ones I know can't be taken away are sleeping and books.

I just don't have any clue anymore about how to be remotely happy?

July 3, 2014

Have you ever discovered a TV show that you really like

that's been on for awhile but you just never got around to watching before? For me recently it is Chicago Fire. I've been holding little mini marathons through on demand. I actually think it just maybe my favorite show now.

I am almost done with season 2, and have plans to go back and watch season 1 soon.