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Monday, November 6, 2017

Doctor, doctor.

After dragging my sorry behind around for a couple of weeks - self-diagnosing and self-medicating all the way - I finally pulled up my BGPs and called my doctor on Thursday.  Not because I was worried, but because I was b.o.r.e.d. with the wheezy, no energy feeling.


As luck would have it, she had a slot available the next morning at 9.  I like my doctor - she is about my age, maybe a couple of years older.  She is brassy and outspoken.  She is a good listener.  She is a dog owner and a knitter!  Thinking that I would have plenty of time in the waiting room, I schlepped along my latest project:
Basket weave blanket to donate to
an animal shelter - I'm paying forward..
Amazingly, I wasn't in the chair five minutes before I was called back.  "Fine," I thought.  This is how it usually goes - stick you in a cold examining room, way back at the end of a hall, and leave you there.  Once again, I pulled out the knitting.  Two minutes later, the nurse was in for blood pressure and the usual stuff.  Out she went.  Out came the knitting.  In came the nurse again.  EKG.  Out went the nurse, knitting out.  In came the doctor.  I was stunned.  A cursory check up didn't come up with anything definite, so we discussed options.  Off I went for a chest X-ray and blood test.  Longer story mercifully shorter, they are very organized and I didn't get to knit a row until I was waiting for my X-ray.   Then I knit 12 rows.


Saturday started as another slo-mo day, but I did get my Brussels sprout stalk trimmed of sprouts, with the chickens and ducks getting the non-sprout part.
What a beauty!

By the end of the day...

Still trying to lure the girls to his
'treasure'.  They had moved on.
I drove up to Vermont, visited with my parents and sister, then back home to find...a very miserable Peanut Butter.  He had apparently injured himself while I was gone and went from a bouncy pup to a little old man.  A quick call to the emergency vet on call, and we were in the car - back up to the Vermont border.  There wasn't any sign of a spinal injury (common in this breed), but he was hurting.  Two meds and two hundred dollars later, we were on our way home, PB being very subdued and swaddled in his navy blue blankie on the passenger seat.
CHA-ching!

The Patient.
Sunday was a windy, rainy day, so we all laid low.  I checked a couple of small items off The List - cleaned up the peonies, hung the waterers in the shed and cleaned out the barn -  and started a sock.  It was a perfect day to slog around inside. 
I've got a Green Thang going on...


Last of the onions, in from the barn
This morning, PB was still in geezer-mode, although, with doxies, there is a LOT of drama involved in everything.  He has realized that I will carefully pick him up and set him on his chair, put him outside, move him up and down stairs, wrap him warmly, and deliver his meds in bundles of orange cheez-whiz.  I may live to regret this....


I am still waiting for the results of my tests - apparently, since no one has raised a red flag - I will live...albeit in slow motion...



26 comments:

Toni said...

You are such a loving pet keeper. You slough around for weeks not feeling well but your pup gets helicoptered to vet immediately. I love your heart!

kymber said...

GULR - YOU do nothing in slow motion (and i almost never use capital letters so that says something right there!!!)!!! i hate to say this - because it's just awful - do you think you might have some food allergies? you can develop food allergies later in life - both me and jambaloney know it!

but carrying around the little old geezer reminds me of what we call "taxi" in our house. basically at least once a day for each cat (4), i have to pick them up and carry them around in their "taxi". one weighs 400lbs, the other 300lbs, the next 200lbs and the last little guy weighs in about 140lbs. oh and i have to pick them up from the floor/ground. then i wonder why my back is killing me?!?!?!

your onions look lovely. and yes, you will live but will have to learn that your crazy go-go-go is gonna have to slow down to a little go-go. think disco.

sending love to you all! your friend,
kymber

Susan said...

I have my priorities, Toni! They all have four paws... :)

Susan said...

OMG, I had to laugh at your taxi service! Luckily, my 500 lb cat, "Slim" (hahahaha) refuses all lifting. But that floor to surface lifting does put a strain on the lower back, doesn't it?? xoxoxoxox

Mama Pea said...

The basket weave pattern is one of my favorites. The animals at the shelter will love it.

Our poultry has been going after cabbage leaves the way yours has gone after the Brussels sprout remains. Very jealous of your luscious looking sprouts as we got nary a one this year. Have no idea what happened except that where there were supposed to be sprouts on the stalk, all I got were frilly little flower-like formations. Bah.

Your doctor visit was, indeed, not the norm. As far as having to wait and wait and wait I mean. Did the doctor give you an idea of what might be ailin' ya?

And what about PB. What did the vet say about him? I think you both should curl up either on the couch or in bed for about a month!

Like the coloration of your Green Thang (sock). I have two different pairs going at the moment. Aqua colored for me and I finally caved and have started a pair for this man I live with. His is a pretty black/navy blend.

Those are the last of your onions you brought in? Girl, you have got to grow more onions! As I went through 10 or 12 of mine (okay, three or four) this weekend I was thinking it would cost me millions (maybe less) to purchase all of them I use during a year's time.

Let us know how both you and the pooch are getting along this week. We care!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Oh gosh, I hope you get better and that all tests are good news. You got your barn cleaned out??!! Mine is a mess yet. Oye. Those onions look lovely. Yum.

DFW said...

Getting sprouts off those stalks is one of my least favorite gardening chores. Good thing we like them so much! Hope you feel better soon (& PB too, if not for his sake, at least for yours!).

jaz@octoberfarm said...

awwwww...poor PB. he looks so cute tucked in that blanket. i hope you feel better soon.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Poor Peanut Butter! I hope he's better soon. And you too, of course!

Susan said...

PB was a little to melodramatic for the vet to pinpoint the cause of the pain. We did rule out spinal injury (thank goD), but he is so pathetic, with his tottering little gait. I am all for curling up on the couch until this all blows over! I am just happy I got onions this year. Last year I got nada. Those are about half - I would have to grow nothing but onions in order to raise enough for my yearly needs.

Susan said...

Isn't it a pain? I got all but the tiny ones and decided to donate those to the chickens.

Susan said...

He is a dear wee laddie, that one.

Susan said...

Me, too. It's amazing how much dead weight he produces! He has that glint in his eye - like, "Hey, this is the way to go!"

Susan said...

Sorry you are dragging your tail. PB has the right idea, rest is good for what ails you. I may take my own advice this winter, mainly because the doc told me to and I'm a teensy bit afraid of her, wonderful though she is. This is day one and I think I'm doing well because I'm sitting in front of the fire, dog on lap and mug of coffee and cream at hand at 2pm.
Like Mama Pea all I got from the B sprouts were frilly leaf whorly thingies.

Theresa said...

LOL, OH NO poor poor PB! Terriers are more stoic so thank you for the heads up on the doxie drama predilection. I do hope he feels better soon. If one of the crew isn't well it's just hard to have fun. Damn I wish they could talk sometimes. Nice onions. Hope all your tests come out well too.

Ed said...

I get the no energy feeling every year at this time. I call it winter! Counting the days until spring!

Michelle said...

You bring back vivid memories of living with a doxie . . . and why I've told Rick we canNOT get another one until Brian is grown up and gone! I sure hope you start feeling better; your animals need you! Iron-poor blood? Lyme's disease?

Theresa Y said...

Here's hoping that both of you get well soon.

Rain said...

I hope you feel better soon Susan! And I hope it's just a change of season thing...nothing serious. I slowed down quite a bit the last month, but I know it's the season change and daylight savings that gets me every time. Poor little Peanut Butter! Adorable...they love to be babied. I hope he heals soon too, that is quite a hefty vet bill. How is the Bravecto btw? I thought about that last spring for the dogs for the flea and tick season, but it required vet visits for each one of them eeek. What are you knitting? I hope my Brussels sprouts grow, I'm testing them in the winter garden, yours look amazing!

Susan said...

My barn is miniscule, compared to yours! I've been chipping away at it and only have one little corner to do.

Susan said...

That is one of the reasons I love winter - it forces you inside where the fire is.

Susan said...

I have never met a stoic dachshund. They range from high to medium drama. I wish they could talk, too. I'm tired of all the one-sided conversations in my house.

Susan said...

Whoa! Let's enjoy some downtime before we have to armor up and tackled our gardens again. I need to forget this year's.

Susan said...

Yes, one being with high drama is quite enough, right? :)

Susan said...

Thank you, Theresa. I am focusing on him - I'm the one with health insurance.

Susan said...

Rain, I think I will go the Seresto collar route for my dogs next spring. I have heard nothing but good things about them and I like the fact that I am not having them ingest poison. Also, you buy ONE and it lasts all summer! I am about halfway through my pet comfort blanket and am gaining on Sock 1. I have to keep myself from starting too many projects!