Ah, I hope you didn't think I didn't make it with my last post for 'PoMo (or BloMe, as Lisa says!)
Here I am, posting just under the wire. It was a full day, 5 surgeries in 4 hours, big monthly clinic meeting, full work day until 6pm, long drive home, then kiss the kids quick and get ready for a 40th birthday party. It was a great party with a full big band, playing classics from the 40s and R&B.
This is the way 'PoMo ends, not with a bang but a whimper. Good night!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Lo siento
About a year and a half ago, I met this very interesting client. She was a little defensive, since her previous vet had apparently seriously insulted her, suggesting she was stupid. She's also from Spain, and I think the cultural difference was too much for them.
She had a beautiful older golden retriever and an old husky who had canine cognitive dysfunction (doggie alzheimer's). I noticed a black mass in the corner of the retriever's lip and recommended removal. It came back melanoma.
There are two really bad places for dogs to get melanoma. By the toenail, or in the mouth.
A couple of months later, the melanoma was in the submandibular lymph node. She let me remove that last December, joking that she was going to send a picture of the dog to all her relatives for Christmas, since she spent all her present money on the dog. In February we found another deeper lump, and she told me to remove it, too. "What am I gonna do, watch it grow?" she asked.
After February, things got quiet for this dog. On several rechecks and chest Xrays, everything looked clear.
In September, I had to euthanize her old husky. He was a shell of his former self, and had lost nearly half his body weight because he spent all his time pacing, pacing, pacing. Losing that dog took a huge emotional toll on my client.
Today, she brought the retriever in. He had another lump in his neck. "Just tell me it's nothing," she pleaded. The mass was firm, and this time it was DEEP. An aspirate of the mass confirmed it was melanoma again. I gave her the bad news, then sent the dog to get chest Xrays to look for metastasis (spreading tumors).
I sat in front of the computer and was looking for a time to do his surgery when the films came up. I nearly fell of my stool, and I cussed fiercely. There were at least 6 big mets in his lungs.
My staff knows this flamboyant lady who loves her dogs so much. They were all upset to see the films, too. They did not envy me having to deliver the grave prognosis.
I've really gotten attatched to my funny Spanish client. I took a deep breath, and told her plainly and honestly that it was bad, that I wouldn't do surgery on the neck if it were my dog since I couldn't get the tumors out of the lungs. Also, I had been worried that a I couldn't even remove the neck mass anyway, it was so deep.
Her emotions were all over the place. First she was asking me to do the surgery anyway, then asking me if she should just have me euthanize him now. That way she wouldn't have to see him, a "dead man walking," dreading what was to come. She cried some more. "Of course I can't do that," she said, and picked up his leash to go home.
I would much rather have spent the afternoon, cramming in his surgery...
She had a beautiful older golden retriever and an old husky who had canine cognitive dysfunction (doggie alzheimer's). I noticed a black mass in the corner of the retriever's lip and recommended removal. It came back melanoma.
There are two really bad places for dogs to get melanoma. By the toenail, or in the mouth.
A couple of months later, the melanoma was in the submandibular lymph node. She let me remove that last December, joking that she was going to send a picture of the dog to all her relatives for Christmas, since she spent all her present money on the dog. In February we found another deeper lump, and she told me to remove it, too. "What am I gonna do, watch it grow?" she asked.
After February, things got quiet for this dog. On several rechecks and chest Xrays, everything looked clear.
In September, I had to euthanize her old husky. He was a shell of his former self, and had lost nearly half his body weight because he spent all his time pacing, pacing, pacing. Losing that dog took a huge emotional toll on my client.
Today, she brought the retriever in. He had another lump in his neck. "Just tell me it's nothing," she pleaded. The mass was firm, and this time it was DEEP. An aspirate of the mass confirmed it was melanoma again. I gave her the bad news, then sent the dog to get chest Xrays to look for metastasis (spreading tumors).
I sat in front of the computer and was looking for a time to do his surgery when the films came up. I nearly fell of my stool, and I cussed fiercely. There were at least 6 big mets in his lungs.
My staff knows this flamboyant lady who loves her dogs so much. They were all upset to see the films, too. They did not envy me having to deliver the grave prognosis.
I've really gotten attatched to my funny Spanish client. I took a deep breath, and told her plainly and honestly that it was bad, that I wouldn't do surgery on the neck if it were my dog since I couldn't get the tumors out of the lungs. Also, I had been worried that a I couldn't even remove the neck mass anyway, it was so deep.
Her emotions were all over the place. First she was asking me to do the surgery anyway, then asking me if she should just have me euthanize him now. That way she wouldn't have to see him, a "dead man walking," dreading what was to come. She cried some more. "Of course I can't do that," she said, and picked up his leash to go home.
I would much rather have spent the afternoon, cramming in his surgery...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
UTI
When I woke Anna up this morning, she told me, "Mommy, I got up to pee last night and it burned!" Uh oh. Then she stumbled into the bathroom, and it burned again. I knew what this meant, and called the doctor.
My pediatrician came into the exam room laughing, because she recently sent in some of her dog's urine to my clinic. "You look at my dog's pee, and I look at your kid's!" she said. Sure enough, there were red and white blood cells in Anna's urine. Fortunately, she had no fever or abdominal pain, so all she got was a prescription for antibiotics and a lesson on how to wipe. Oh yeah, and the flu shot I snuck in on her.
After school, Anna asked me to go into the bathroom with her every time she had to pee. "I really have to go, but I don't want to; it will hurt!!!" she said, squeezing my hands and moaning before she even started peeing. Oh man, every woman in the world knows how awful this feeling is. On the third pee, there was all the anticipation and howling, then afterwards she said, "Actually, that was better. It didn't hurt at all!" Guess the drugs and the cranberry juice were finally working.
My pediatrician came into the exam room laughing, because she recently sent in some of her dog's urine to my clinic. "You look at my dog's pee, and I look at your kid's!" she said. Sure enough, there were red and white blood cells in Anna's urine. Fortunately, she had no fever or abdominal pain, so all she got was a prescription for antibiotics and a lesson on how to wipe. Oh yeah, and the flu shot I snuck in on her.
After school, Anna asked me to go into the bathroom with her every time she had to pee. "I really have to go, but I don't want to; it will hurt!!!" she said, squeezing my hands and moaning before she even started peeing. Oh man, every woman in the world knows how awful this feeling is. On the third pee, there was all the anticipation and howling, then afterwards she said, "Actually, that was better. It didn't hurt at all!" Guess the drugs and the cranberry juice were finally working.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
He'll eat you for breakfast
Today one of my surgery patients was a feral cat - a wild beast caught on a farm where his owners feed him, but don't do much else. I don't think they've actually ever touched him, and they had no idea if he was male or female. They put some canned cat food in a have-a-heart trap (the kind that slams shut when the cat walks in to get the food) and brought him in to me.
This guy was a bad-ass. There was no touching him to give him an anesthetic injection. In situations like this, we open the trap door, drop the hellion into the "box" - a modified aquarium, slide the lid in place, then gas them down with isoflurane. When they are out, we can reach in and pick up the nice kitty and have our way with him.
Interestingly, the fleas become anesthetized, too. You can easily catch them laying in the fur, instead of scrambling away from your fingers.
Today's cat lunged and spit at the glass, convincingly enough to make us all jump back. He was as tough as the Russian mafia, but even he succumbed to the gas. I neutered him, tested for FIV/Feline Leukemia, vaccinated him, and gave him a flea/earmite/deworming treatment. I also notched his left ear, so that you can tell from a distance without touching that he's been "altered."
Inside his trap was the remains of the irresistable treat that got him caught - Fancy Feast. Check out the treatment he gave these cans with his canines:
Don't mess with this m. f.er without drugs....
This guy was a bad-ass. There was no touching him to give him an anesthetic injection. In situations like this, we open the trap door, drop the hellion into the "box" - a modified aquarium, slide the lid in place, then gas them down with isoflurane. When they are out, we can reach in and pick up the nice kitty and have our way with him.
Interestingly, the fleas become anesthetized, too. You can easily catch them laying in the fur, instead of scrambling away from your fingers.
Today's cat lunged and spit at the glass, convincingly enough to make us all jump back. He was as tough as the Russian mafia, but even he succumbed to the gas. I neutered him, tested for FIV/Feline Leukemia, vaccinated him, and gave him a flea/earmite/deworming treatment. I also notched his left ear, so that you can tell from a distance without touching that he's been "altered."
Inside his trap was the remains of the irresistable treat that got him caught - Fancy Feast. Check out the treatment he gave these cans with his canines:
Don't mess with this m. f.er without drugs....
Monday, November 26, 2007
Thanksgiving, recycled
Today, the kids went back to school (so tired! already used to sleeping in after just 4 days off!), Anthony was working, and I was doing my usual Monday chores - laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, jogging, tidying up.
I made 2 big batches of turkey broth from the oh-so-smokey Greenburg turkey. We look forward to the broth as much as the bird itself, to flavor our soups and wild rice for months to come.
Sunday, we ate the last of the ham for breakfast, and we've been dining on turkey sandwiches (so good on the rosemary ciabbata from the Farmers' Market!). I polished off the last of the stuffing and gravy with some sliced turkey for lunch.
The flower arrangements (from a client and Steph/Evelyn's baptism) were droopy and dropping petals, so sadly were dispatched to the compost pile.
The cute pineapple turkey centerpiece was carved up. The kids got a container each in their lunchboxes.
The edamame succotash, which the kids and I have been eating on for 3 days, I could not face any longer. I tossed it into the chicken yard, and watched the hens gratefully devour it. They picked out the corn first then the soybeans. I watched them for a while in the warm sunshine, the first we've had in days, and thought about how they would turn our leftover veggies into wonderful orange-yolked eggs.
I made 2 big batches of turkey broth from the oh-so-smokey Greenburg turkey. We look forward to the broth as much as the bird itself, to flavor our soups and wild rice for months to come.
Sunday, we ate the last of the ham for breakfast, and we've been dining on turkey sandwiches (so good on the rosemary ciabbata from the Farmers' Market!). I polished off the last of the stuffing and gravy with some sliced turkey for lunch.
The flower arrangements (from a client and Steph/Evelyn's baptism) were droopy and dropping petals, so sadly were dispatched to the compost pile.
The cute pineapple turkey centerpiece was carved up. The kids got a container each in their lunchboxes.
The edamame succotash, which the kids and I have been eating on for 3 days, I could not face any longer. I tossed it into the chicken yard, and watched the hens gratefully devour it. They picked out the corn first then the soybeans. I watched them for a while in the warm sunshine, the first we've had in days, and thought about how they would turn our leftover veggies into wonderful orange-yolked eggs.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
More Funny Colinisms
Sung yesterday, to the tune of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer:
"Today it's cold outside,
Really really cold outside,
You have to wear a jacket,
And a puffy vest!"
Today, after I read his fortune cookie (You have an appreciation for things of beauty) and asked him, "What do you think is beautiful?"
"Turkey, and ham."
What else?
"Dancing."
What else?
"A Train ride."
More T-day pictures and Videos at my dad's place.
"Today it's cold outside,
Really really cold outside,
You have to wear a jacket,
And a puffy vest!"
Today, after I read his fortune cookie (You have an appreciation for things of beauty) and asked him, "What do you think is beautiful?"
"Turkey, and ham."
What else?
"Dancing."
What else?
"A Train ride."
More T-day pictures and Videos at my dad's place.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Chilled produce
The cats have been super snuggly, angling for laps and huddling up together since this cold snap came. I realized that, since they are May babies, this is the first time they've ever experienced cold weather.This morning the weather was downright wintry (for Texas). Cold drizzle was coming down and the temp hovered around 40 all day. Still, I wanted to go to the Farmers' Market. I knew that many of the growers would be out there, despite the lousy weather and recent holiday. Really, what was driving me was the desire for good local greens. We only have arugula growing so far, and I was craving some more butter lettuce.
The kids went with me, since there were likely to be scones involved, and Anthony came to, because he loves me (what a great feeling)! We did score some butter and red leaf lettuce, as well as radishes and end of the season eggplant. The English Baker herself was there with excellent fresh pear scones. She commented on Anna's nice Icelandic sweater, which my MIL knitted herself 30 years ago when they actually were in Iceland. She looks fetching in her winter outfit, don't you think?
Friday, November 23, 2007
Gratitude and Generosity
We made a gratitude tree (an idea I got from Melissa). This was a great project, especially for Anna - she cut out leaves of various shapes, punched holes in them with Henley, and we put little strings on them to hang on the "Charlie Brown" tree (as Anth called it) - a twiggy stick I brought home from the woods. Each Thanksgiving guest got 1-3 leaves and wrote something they were grateful for on it. It turned out really nice.
Before the meal, Emily told me that she has "adopted" some needy children in the NYC area. She started out with a couple from her volunteer group, then got a few more at her work, and then another at her church. She is now buying gifts for 5 needy children. She showed me their letters, and their requests were simple and humble - barbie dolls, scooters, etc. One 17-year-old boy didn't ask for an IPod or XBox, he only wants shoes and pants. Just decent clothes.
The combination of thinking about these poor children, hoping for just a few gifts from a kind stranger, and of my sister's expanding generosity soon had me overwhelmed with emotion and tears. Being surrounded by so many people that I love may have spurred my out of proportion reaction. Still, it was surprisingly touching. It seemed an appropriate way to start the holiday season.
Before the meal, Emily told me that she has "adopted" some needy children in the NYC area. She started out with a couple from her volunteer group, then got a few more at her work, and then another at her church. She is now buying gifts for 5 needy children. She showed me their letters, and their requests were simple and humble - barbie dolls, scooters, etc. One 17-year-old boy didn't ask for an IPod or XBox, he only wants shoes and pants. Just decent clothes.
The combination of thinking about these poor children, hoping for just a few gifts from a kind stranger, and of my sister's expanding generosity soon had me overwhelmed with emotion and tears. Being surrounded by so many people that I love may have spurred my out of proportion reaction. Still, it was surprisingly touching. It seemed an appropriate way to start the holiday season.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Turkey Day!
Here's the menu, a la Anna
Translation:
1. Pumpkin Pie
2. Pecan Pie
3. Turkey and Gravy
4. Dressing
5. Edamame Succotash
6. Green Beans
7. No #7!
8. Roasted veg.s
9. Whipped cream
10. Pumpkin seeds
11. No #11!
12. Pumpkin
13. Ham
14. Pumpkin soup
I like how whipped cream is its own category. Also how she notates that there is no #7 or #11. The pumpkin soup I ditched at the last minute, since we had plenty to eat and I had plenty to do.
Here are some table photos and the food (after it was decimated).
We had a great day. More later - Turkey day leftovers.
Translation:
1. Pumpkin Pie
2. Pecan Pie
3. Turkey and Gravy
4. Dressing
5. Edamame Succotash
6. Green Beans
7. No #7!
8. Roasted veg.s
9. Whipped cream
10. Pumpkin seeds
11. No #11!
12. Pumpkin
13. Ham
14. Pumpkin soup
I like how whipped cream is its own category. Also how she notates that there is no #7 or #11. The pumpkin soup I ditched at the last minute, since we had plenty to eat and I had plenty to do.
Here are some table photos and the food (after it was decimated).
We had a great day. More later - Turkey day leftovers.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Thanksgiving Central
In an unlikely turn of events, we have visitors coming from both sides of our family this year for the feast. I know (from talking to several coworkers) that not everyone relishes a big family Thanksgiving. It's loads of work, feeding everyone, cleaning up after everyone, never mind all the prep work! But I can't help it, I love a big, extended gathering.
At the Farmers' Market last weekend, Anna begged me to buy this ENORMOUS sweet potato. Previously I've declined, but this week is the one time I thought we could actually consume this much sweet potato.
It was SO unseasonably hot today, just miserable at 90 degrees. Finally this afternoon a beautiful cool front came through, dropping the temperature 40 degrees. This is a very good thing, so that we can use the "outdoor refrigerator."
While my MIL and I chopped and prepped, the cousins watched the very culinary "Ratatouille."
At the Farmers' Market last weekend, Anna begged me to buy this ENORMOUS sweet potato. Previously I've declined, but this week is the one time I thought we could actually consume this much sweet potato.
It was SO unseasonably hot today, just miserable at 90 degrees. Finally this afternoon a beautiful cool front came through, dropping the temperature 40 degrees. This is a very good thing, so that we can use the "outdoor refrigerator."
While my MIL and I chopped and prepped, the cousins watched the very culinary "Ratatouille."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
