If I’m still alive

15 years ago today my dad passed away

just 10 days after he turned 61.

When those same 15 years pass again

if I’m still alive

I will have lived longer than he did.

Sign, Signs, everywhere a sign

Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

So now that you’ve got that song running thru your head let me share my pics for the camera club February Gimme Your Best Shot theme- signs.

Here is my favorite one because I love the subject -even if he really needs a full bowl to be nice.

TnT visit their not-favorite person

I took both of the babies to the vet while I could still carry both carriers. Mostly the same stuff they’ve been doing their whole lives but they are getting up there in age and I wanted a full CBC to go with their annual. I called back right after we left to ask them to make sure to run Trinity’s potassium too. It’s probably included but hers has been borderline low before. Trin still breathes hard, has bladder issues, sneezes and sometimes holds her left foot up when sitting. Tyler still looks to have all bad dreams, tucks his head in what we call a face plant, has anal gland issues, looks like his nerves get him and his jaw or teeth still clicks shut at the end of a yawn. Both have eye goop and overlick their nipples. Tyler seems to overlick his shoulders behind his front legs too.

 

Poor Trinity seems to have veins like mine… hard to get in, then hard to get blood out of – they had to stick my poor girl six times. She came away with a clean bill of health and lots of cuddling and treats when we got home.

I was a little concerned with Tyler because he started losing his balance a little bit. I was hoping it was just an ear problem but his ears were fine. Thankfully no more FLORs was visible. It’s mostly when he gets up from our laps, but I’ve seen him stumble a bit stepping over Trinity to share (hog) the bed. It also looked like it was harder for him to jump on our bed. Well, I guess 2 things, because he’s always started getting under the covers more during his daytime cat naps on our bed and he’s never been cold natured before. I just pull back the covers so he still gets some air. The vet said he had some arthritis in his back left leg.

I’m already giving them treats for their joints. So now I just wait for the blood work results. I’m curious about the kidney levels, thyroid, and Trin’s potassium.

 

The vet called back later in the day to say all their bloodwork looked fine. Trin’s glucose was high but he said with the amount of stress she was under after how hard it was to get blood from her that was probably the reason.

When I went to pick up the actual results though both had readings (IDEXX labs) that were not in the normal range. Not sure why those were not addressed?

Tyler’s results
RETIC was low at 1.8 K/ul. Normal is 3.0 to 50.0 and last January it was 11.0
EOS was low at 0.13 K/ul. Normal is .17 to 1.57. Last January it was 0.20
under BASO it says nRBC *suspected. All I can find on that is it stands for nucleated red blood cells but don’t know what that means.
I Googled RETIC and it has something to do with bone marrow not making enough red blood cells fast enough. The EOS said it was eosinophils white blood count -excessive cortisol like in cushings and that it almost always goes with diabetes but his glucose was in the normal range at 136 mg/dL down 2 points from last January.
He had 5 marks on the low end of normal: WBC, NEU, LYM, MONO, and PLT. His BUN was still in normal 25 mg/dL last year and 19 this year.

Trinity’s results
She had lots of marks right on the low side of the normal line: RBC, HCT, RETIC, WBC, MONO, EOS, BASO, and GGT. Several were close to the low line but not right on it: LYM, PCT, BUN, PHOS, and  ALKP.
Her Glucose was 250mg/dL (see note above).
Her NEU was low at 1.26 K/uL. Normal is 1.48 – 10.29. Hers was 1.55 last year. Google says it’s neutropenia – a low level of neutrophils WBC that fight infection.
Her PLT was really low the low side of center in the low column at 81 K/uL. Normal is 151-600.  Last year it was even lower at 38 K/uL. Google says it is a low platelet count. With thrombocytopenia, a blood clot can’t form.

With ranges out of normal, I wonder why only Trin’s glucose was addressed?

Planning for shoulder surgery

My 3rd post on my shoulder will be my last about it until after the surgery is over.

I am a fan of reading other blogs and tips from other people that have been there done that of something I’m going to do. I guess it kinda runs into my obsessive reading of reviews on products.

My shoulder surgery will be no exception and since I can’t learn to be left-handed in the next month, this is how I prepare. I’m sharing my list in no particular order, that will be edited and changed as I go. Sometime after my surgery, I’ll comment on what I did or didn’t need and what I learned or wish I’d have done differently.

Not really part of the shoulder to-do list but I still need to finish up the year-end business paperwork and work on cleaning up the computer. I know how foggy minded I can get when I’m in pain, on meds, or don’t sleep well.

I emailed my clients who likely would need me before spring, to let them know there would be a span of a couple of months after my surgery where I couldn’t do product photography, covers or computer work.

The shoulder verdict

This is my 2nd post on my shoulder. I had the MRI on Monday and opted for the cheaper closed one at Blue Ridge Bone & Joint (now EmergeOrtho). I probably breathed too heavy. The more I tried to control my chest heaving up and down and try to picture myself on a mountain instead of an enclosed tube, the less air I felt I had. I shut my eyes before they stuffed me in but they had to stop and restuff the arm holder pads because they quit going in with me when they hit the opening. After just a few minutes my neck and both shoulders were tense and tight but they told me not to move so I didn’t adjust. About half way thru I realized when they put me in my right arm was no longer by my side but they told me not to move and I guess they could see what they were capturing. I’m glad it’s done and I guess they got what they needed because surgery is scheduled for next month.

 

Crumbs. Chunks. Cold Cat Food Trick. Tracked, Dusty, Litter. Valentine’s Day with my two furbabies and lots of pics.

Wishing you all a purrfect Valentine’s Day.

So yep, it’s a recycled pic from last year of my cats… but I still love it, and I’m too far behind to do a new one. Maybe next year.<3

What I’m reading for January 2018. Harper, Hyder, Grisham, Cash

For several years now, reading my Bible and just for fun novels has been a goal.

Up until this year though I’ve been reading mostly non-fiction books that applied to my work, and one CC Tillery novel each year as I designed the covers and they were released.

Since I think this is my first blog post on what I’m reading apart from cat books, let me start by saying what I like to read. If we don’t read the same kind of books my thoughts on what I like won’t apply to you. I tend to like thrillers, and authors like John Grisham, David Baldacci, and Greg Isles. I am not a re-reader. There are just too many books I want to read, to re-read a book. If a book takes the Lord’s name in vain I won’t finish it. Echos really bug me where they repeat the same phrase over and over. I don’t care for paranormal, sci-fi, books that tell me what to think or push an agenda, stories about rape,  evil, or extreme violence, especially against children. For some reason, I’m okay with a storyline trying to find serial killers. Yeah I know, makes no sense.

Biltmore Estate

A friend, June invited me to photograph the grounds of Biltmore with her. As grand as the house itself is, the outside is more my thing… especially when I see horses.

The January Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse

My pics from the super blue blood moon lunar eclipse.

The night of the 30th hubby drove me around to a few good spots after I remembered I wanted I was supposed to be outside looking up. We were a little late getting it at moonrise but it was still huge and bright.

The morning of the 31st I drove to see my first every blood moon lunar eclipse. I’ve tried many times before to see the blood moon and we’ve always been too cloudy. It was cold with a few clouds and the red blood moon was something to see. I watched the lunar eclipse right before the moon fell out of view behind a mountain.