Too Much Sense to Admit It. 5-10-14

At that point, I was exhausted and ready to go home, but the camel that we saw earlier was still out in the parking lot. After determining that, yes, Boop was okay to go see it, we headed across the parking lot. Very docile and sweet. After seeing me do it, Boop gave the camel a quick pat and then seemed uninterested, and we headed back across the parking lot to the car. Just as I was about to open the door, she was hysterical, “Candle! Candle!” I’m trying to assess if she’s just tired (Yes) and wants to avoid getting in her car seat (Yes) or if she really wants to see the camel (Yes). After all, I figure, how often will Boop get to see a camel in her lifetime? By the way, do my pants still look like I just peed in them? Yes. So I carry her back across the parking lot, and she visits a little more. And again, she was not a happy camper to go home and was very upset about leaving the ‘candle.’ Heck, I would have taken the camel home with me if I could’ve.  I checked a YouTube video about caring for a camel when we got home. Alas, our soil in the US has inadequate selenium, and so camels require a cocktail of vitamins and minerals. It needs to be pretty warm, too. No camels in our immediate future.

So, now “candle” will occasionally mix in the conversation, but we have more frequent reminders of helicopters, which Boop often hears, living so close to the hospital. On our way to the grocery last weekend, I noticed the medical helicopter sitting up on the pad; I slipped Boop up the 3 flights of stairs to see it, which did not seem to interest her at the time but which is now a frequent request on YouTube. I am the Mommy of strange and incidental experiences. Do I admit that I have a friend who was even worse when she was younger? If she saw somewhere she wanted to go, she just tried it. Pretty church? No one there? Door unlocked? She was in it. Never disturbed anything, just checked it out.  Apparently, this is a thing now; I forget what they call it—urban exploring?  Whatever it is, she was doing it 20 years ago. Blah.

Pee-Pee, Part II. 5-9-14

So, I waited a bit and realized that it would be unlikely for her to go again before bed. I called the pediatrician’s office back to speak with the NP. I explained that it would be hard to get her to go again and at what point should we consider catheterizing her. She said they wouldn’t catheterize, that I would have to take her to the hospital. I was flabbergasted, but I tried not to sound that way. She was nice but acted like I was asking for something outside of common practice. I just changed to this pediatrician late last year. I’m thinking to myself that the doctor knew my child had a reflux problem and knew she was going off antibiotics: why didn’t he tell me that they didn’t catheterize? Of course, there are risks of contamination with catheterizing, too, but sometimes you have to do it. And the frequency of reflux in children may be 1-2%, which means out of every 100 children he sees, a couple of them probably have it. You need to check more than that 1-2% to pick up 1-2%.

I was lost at that point. I didn’t want to take her to the ER, but then I figured I would call Urgent Care to see if they catheterize. YES! And she explained the hope would be to get her to go in the bag. Mine, too! With that, I packed up some books, put Boop in some slippers, left her pants at home, and we headed out. They had a slightly different bag, which made more sense for a little girl, and started bringing the juice. I gave her some water, which she spilled all down my pants. Finally, success with the bag! And yes, just as I had found earlier, positive for UTI, unfortunately. So, we are waiting on the cultures to come back. Then, we’ll follow up to see what the next step is. Another urinalysis, I’m sure. 

Here We Go Again. 5-8-14

Speaking of May the 4th, there's a disturbance in The Force, I suppose. 

I felt bad that I didn't get to spend as much time visiting with my grad school roomie as I would have liked. I had this image of us going out and doing something fun, but instead, I spent half the time ailing and half the time trying to get things sorted with one of my grants. There's also this little issue of being a mom and a daughter, and Gammy was too exhausted to manage Boop on her own for the evening. We opted for an evening out of Burmese. Then, we spent the morning at the Penn St. Market in Philadelphia. It was good to see her again, but I wish it could have been under better circumstances. That reminds me, I'm suppose to be scheduling a doctor's appointment. However, that will have to wait a bit longer. 

We've had a crazy week--beyond just the grant writing and challenges with teaching and students. Winnie has another UTI. Vet appointment today. And after a week of trying to get Boop sorted out with cranberry and pear juice (which worked great at home, but not so much at daycare), I finally relented and took her to the walk-in clinic at her pediatrician. We saw the nurse practitioner who helped me put a bag on her (they're clearly made for little boys) and sent her home. She hadn't soiled her diaper all day, and this was about 3pm. Finally, after pushing liquids, she finally went about 4:30, which of course did not go in the bag. I was able to find a drop in the bag to test with a home test kit, and it was positive for a UTI. So, I called the pediatrician's office. They're only advice was to try again <groan>. 

Speaking of a disturbance in The Force, I hear Boop is awake via the baby monitor... "Winnie! Winnie! <mumble, mumble, mumble> Winnie! Winnie!"

FABULOUS!

Tempachew. 3-26-14

I'm so far behind. So far behind.

I was up half the night getting ready for the consignment sale. Wow, so many "i"s to dot and "t"s to cross for this one. Hopefully, I have cleared all of the hurdles. Coughing and difficulty breathing made it pointless to try to sleep any way. Boop was so kind as to share her ailment, but I don't think she's had it as bad as me. My voice totally left me sometime yesterday evening, and I'm trying to rest my throat so I can do another smoking cessation lab tomorrow. On top of all of the craziness, we got a couple of inches of snow this morning. Wait, didn't we just have spring last week?

So, I'm trying to get us all sorted and out the door in time for Boop to get breakfast at daycare. Boop looked up at me and said, "Mommy take tempachew." I was trying to make sure I had everything. I grabbed her bag, thinking maybe that's what she said. "Mommy take tempachew." I looked at her as she seemed pretty intent. "I don't understand," I whispered as loud as I could. "Mommy take tempachew." "Oh! You want Mommy to take her temperature. Yes, that's right. Mommy's sick, but I'll take care of it. Don't worry." She then pointed to my coat: "Mommy zip it." "Okay, Mommy will zip her coat up. That's good Boop." She can be a bitter pill at moments, but it's times like these that put it all in perspective.

And so, I'm sitting, hoping the codeine cough syrup will kick in so I can get some sleep. Getting out of the car at the urgent care this morning, I was thinking: how can people keep smoking if they can't breathe any better than me? There was something on the radio talking about emphysema being like trying to breathe through a straw. Stop smoking.

You'll Poke Your Eye Out. 12-6-13

I can't really see what I'm typing. I just wait for those red squiggles to pop up to give me a hint that I haven't typed something properly. I was so focused on getting everything in order for my 8am eye appointment that I didn't even think about the procedure. I really hate getting my eyes tested, and I had been putting it off. This is the time of life when things start going bad, and with all of the other health issues I've got, I figured it was time for my vision. I've had a lot of blurring; so I figured they would tell me I need glasses.

I do not like things to touch my eyes, and as the tech starting getting all of her little tools together for the eye pressure test, I explained that I would rather have a pap smear than have a glaucoma screen. Seriously. I flinch at even the thought of something going in my eye. And so, as the resident was doing his exam, he hopped up to get something. Behind the door in the hall, I could hear him talking about a sterile q-tip, which gave me pause. He rushed back in and started at me. Er no, Slim, no q-tips to my eye. He explained that he wanted to get an eyelash out of my eye. I asked him if he absolutely had to do it, and with that he tossed it, to my relief.


20/20 vision. No arthritis. Everything fine. If I wanted something for reading, I could pick up some cheap-o reading glasses, but not really needed. He said that I had some blocked tear ducts and had a few suggestions for that. One of them: eye drops. Urgh. So now I just wait for my dilated eyes to return to normal.

Taking Stock at Month 22. 11-18-13

Here’s what’s happening at 22 months old:

• Boop’s favorite words are “No Way, Go Away!” Usually, this happens as I try to put a diaper on her, or any sort of clothes, really. We’ve been trying to potty train. She loves the potty, but she hasn’t made the connection. She knows she needs to wipe with toilet paper, flush the commode, and wash her hands, but she hasn’t gotten the idea of doing the deed, yet.  I thought I had it, yesterday. She hadn’t gone to the bathroom for a really long time, and I was pumping her with fluids. She proceeded to get off the toilet, and I asked her if she wanted a diaper. She said, “Diaper.” After I put one on her, she immediately went. And so, there you go!
• Boop really hasn’t gotten into her baby dolls that much. I guess she has a Winnie; so dolls are not as important. Lately, I’ve been noticing her throwing her blankets at Winnie, and this weekend, she finally figured out how to tuck Winnie into her blanket. Cute, yes. But Sunday morning, she had managed to find a tube of sunscreen. She had apparently decided that Winnie needed some lotion and was dabbing it on her. Winnie was unphased, thank goodness. 
• Winnie and her UTIs. She got this last one while on antibiotics; though I admit I missed some doses. She’s eating this prescription food, which she doesn’t like and which doesn’t help. I think the cranberry supplements must be doing the most good. Such a shame. Bless her heart, she’s also going blind.
• Hopefully, my Invisalign will be finished on my bottom teeth before Christmas, still many months on the top ones. I’m finally making some progress at work. Maybe I’ll wrap up some projects by the end of the year. At my last visit to the MD, I found that I had gained 9 lbs since the summer! Not exactly sure how that happened. Thankfully, in the last 2 weeks, I’ve lost about 4 lbs.  

Care. 11-8-13

I've kind of gelled with a few doctors that I'm comfortable with. My family medicine doctor and my rheumatologist are pretty good. My dermatologist is fine, too. I haven't seen a cardiologist since I've been here. I really don't have the time or energy to deal with them all. It's enough to try to keep Boop and Winnie well. 

I like the vets that Winnie has now. It's a clinic; so there are a number of vets there that we have seen. I'd say that I liked about 5 out of the 6 we've had there. Even with the one that I wasn't crazy about, I still felt like I was getting good care. She's on longer-term antibiotics, and she seems to be doing well. We still don't know what is causing the UTI's, but we seem to have found something that makes her feel better. <EDIT 11-8-13: Another UTI, urgh!!>


With Boop I'm still struggling a bit. Bless her heart, I rarely feel like we have any solid answers for anything. As I wrote before, I was the one that suggested the UTI. Now we are struggling with some skin condition. I'm debating about trying a new doctor, but darn it, they just can't be available every hour and every minute I fret over every little hiccup. I would feel better if we had a solid generalist who was good at diagnostics. I've had a couple of really good rheumatologist who have been able to zero on in a few problems I've had, and I've felt much better as a result. Wish I could get Boop on the right track.

Boop at the university demonstration farm a few weeks ago

Taking Stock at Boops Month 21. 11-3-13

Here’s what happened when Boop turned 21 months a few weeks ago:

The girl loves her sweet tea. This led to one very long night. Caffeine is OUT!

A pumpkin from my cousin's farm

• ·         Boop loves to sing and dance. She looks a bit like she’s doing the merengue when she’s dancing around. One of the daycare workers said that Boop would be happy to have the music playing all day so she could dance. We are able to recognize more and more of her songs. She’s started to sing the ABC’s. She would watch the ‘Wiggus’ (Wiggles) all the time if she could. She also will say 'kaykoo' (thank you) pretty regularly.

• ·         Winnie has been on antibiotics, and she looks like she’s feeling so much better. She still scratches and picks a lot. In the back of my mind, I worry about her kidneys, but she seems to be feeling pretty good. Her eyesight is definitely getting worse.

• ·         My Invisalign leaves me in a fair bit of pain. I have about 2 more months for my bottom teeth. The top teeth are another story.

• ·         I seem to be picking up a lot of the ailments that Boop has been getting. This month has kept me busy with trying to get Boop well. I was out for a week with her high fevers. No UTI, thank goodness. She had her 1^st febrile seizure, which didn’t freak me out too much, I guess. I used to have them as a baby; so I knew exactly what was happening with Boop. I was relieved that the ER folks didn’t feel any neurological work-up was needed. Thank goodness my friend G was there to sit was there for a while.

Ailin'. 9-10-13

I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick. I will not watch home improvement shows while I am sick.

No Lie. 8-27-13

I said she was a big girl, and that's no lie. We had our 18 month appointment, even though she is 19 months. I stripped her down, put her on the scale and got all of her measurements. The pediatrician came in. "What's the verdict;" I asked, "Is she a big girl?" Yes, she replied. Then, I asked for the details, "Is she staying on her curve, at about the 85th/90th percentile?" She looked at her paper, "Well, for length, she's at about the 85th %ile." "And weight?" She laughed, "For weight... she's above the 99th." 

This morning, when her medical records update came to me, I entered her details into the WHO charts, and her head circumference is above the 90th. These are all measurements for a 19 month old; so yes, these are all accurate (I was kinda hoping that there had been a bit of a mistake with charting her as an 18 month old with those measurements). If there's a place I want her to be a little larger, it's in the cranium. If her head is a little smaller, my genetics training tells me that spells trouble. Of course, having a really large head is not great, either, but she's just a tad bit bigger there, proportional.

I was going back through her records, and she's only gained a pound in 2 months, which means she's really slowing down. In fact, she's stayed the same weight since the beginning of the month. I feel a little strange, if not hypocritical, mentioning her weight. Boop is not that heavy.

Taking Stock at Month 19. 8-18-13

Big things have been happening with Boop since my last update:

Look on the floor!
Boop's favorite thing is to find my dental floss and pull*it*all*out.

• Boop is apparently bilingual. We’ve been working with her on her “Pays” (Please) and “Tays” (Thank you).  She says it spontaneously and in the right context. So, we’re getting through on that count. Well, she was watching Dora, and she heard the word Gracias, which she says as “Grath.” Well, she knows a greater proportion of Spanish words than most folks!
• I was informed a few weeks ago that Boop has a boyfriend. She’s doing better than me. Another daycare teacher was telling me this as I picked Boop up one afternoon. He said that they were watching Boop and a little boy in his class as they held hands for about 10 minutes. They couldn’t believe it. So, it sounds like I’m already in trouble! The things she comes up with.
• Winnie has been taking a supplement to prevent UTI’s, with mixed success. I believe she has another one; so I need to make another trip to the vet.
• I started Invisalign. I’m trying to remember if braces hurt this bad. Maybe I’m just becoming a wimp in my old age. I’ve been resisting Ibuprofen. Boop must be teething, too. She is nursing all night long.
• And on the topic of nursing, folks have told me that there is a time as a toddler (usually around 16 months) that they lose interest nursing and that’s a good time to wean. I definitely have not seen this in Boop, and I’m afraid that window has come and gone.

Mental Glitch. 8-22-13

Wow, am I having trouble. I can't figure out how old my daughter is. I just called the pediatrician telling them I'm late for Boop's 18 month appointment and shots. But is that right? Did I celebrate her 18 month birthday in the wrong month?
 
The person that answered the telephone at the pediatrician's office kept asking me over and over about scheduling her 18 month well-child visit, counting months, and I was beginning to doubt myself. She was 12 months in January. Add 6 months to each, and you get 18 months in July. That's right. And she just turned 19 months. I was going back through my blogs trying to convince myself that I wasn't a complete dimwit! Thankfully, I have at least convinced myself that I wasn't a complete dimwit where my daughter's birthday is concerned. 


I'm wondering where Miss Boop will be this time. I'm guessing around the 85th%ile. If she continues at this rate, your average New Zealand ball player will have to stand on someone's shoulders to keep up with her. She has all the feistiness to take them all on! I guess summer vacation is over.

Mommy's little helper. This is looking good to me. She's getting there!

'Roids. 7-15-13‏

Last week was kind of a mess. I had to take off half days on Monday and Tuesday for pink eye among other things. I was determined not to go back to Urgent Care. After all, I had just gone to Urgent Care the weekend before I left for the 4th of July holiday for poison ivy, and I broke the bank for a trip to the Urgent Care out-of-state over the holiday for a sinus and ear infection. I could barely talk the whole time I was visiting with family. Miserable. Then, after the trip, I woke up and could barely see. Couldn't see, couldn't talk, itchy: I wasn't good for much. 

The eye got better by Wednesday, but after coming off the steroids, my poison ivy got worse and worse. And worse. And then my eye started acting up again on Thursday. Friday found me back at Urgent Care. This time, they put me on a higher dose of steroids with a longer course--maybe 3 weeks. I'm starting to feel some better, thank goodness. I only got up once last night with crawling skin urging me to put on cream. 

Maybe I'm feeling a little too good. So good that yesterday, it seemed like a good idea to rearrange my bedroom by myself. This is a part of my longer term plan to have a bed to myself. I have 2 queen sized mattresses in my room and was trying to get them to fit across the shorter side of the wall, but they lacked about 2 inches. So, I moved the mattresses around again and again to slide one slightly under the bed frame. This while Boop and Winnie were 'helping' by hopping on the bed--'cause the mattresses weren't heavy and awkward enough without 40 additional lbs. flopping around on them. I did finally get them sorted, but I forgot to say, "Old Suit" once or twice. Attempting such ridiculous feats are why folks with arthritis should not take high doses of steroids. 

Miracle Cure. 6-29-13

By the time I got to work, I looked even worse than I did in the photo yesterday. I jokingly asked a pharmacist friend, "So, do you have a miracle cure for poison ivy rash?" She immediately said, "Yes." I was a little shocked, but I went along with it. She proceeded to tell me about Zanfel cream and how wonderful it was. She was telling me about this person and that person whose poison ivy rash just went away in seconds. The Zanfel website was full of people touting its miracle powers. Unfortunately, she didn't have any samples, and she warned me that it was expensive, $30-40; so with that, I went right over to the hospital pharmacy to get some. 

I came back, went to our restroom, and started washing and rubbing. In some spots, rubbing was making it better. In other parts, the itch just wasn't going away. I was afraid to rub longer than 3 minutes. So, I rinsed it off. I was still itching, so about an hour later, I went back and tried some more. I was still itching. So, I went back to visit my friend to see how many applications of this stuff it was supposed to take. She called another pharmacist, and they decided I should wait until bedtime to try it again and use some hydrocortisone cream in the meantime.

About 1:30am, Boop woke me up wanting to nurse. Then, I started itching again and couldn't go back to sleep. I decided to take a Benadryl. When I looked in the mirror, it wasn't pretty.

I went to bed looking like the fellow in the 2nd photo. I woke up looking like the fellow in the 1st photo. Thank goodness I got up when I did. If I had stayed in bed all night, my eyes might have been swollen shut. Don't know how I could have managed that with a baby. At best, Zanfel did nothing; however, I suspect that I'm allergic to Zanfel, on top of the poison ivy. So, I guess I'll try to go to Urgent Care this morning before we go to the vet.

Owie! 6-22-13

I took her to daycare, and while I was filling out her papers, she fell on her face--

or rather, on her nose! It's a little hard to see in the photos.

Thankfully, she's almost as good as new by now.

Trip to the Hospital, Part 5. 5-21-13

Finally, after many stops, I was there in Castro, and my arrival was marked by the blaring of horns and a large, er, man, complete with hairy, beer-gut, wearing a blonde, curly wig, in black brassiere and hot pants, heels, holding a sign that read, “Honk if you think I’m sexy.” A friendly couple pointed me to the Walgreens, which was apparently the place to be, attracting fellow ill folks from across the span of San Francisco. The guy in front of me appeared to have Noonan's syndrome, and I was trying not to continue diagnosing him during the monotonous wait. I gave them Mom’s scripts, and they said to give them an hour. So, I went across the street to grab a quick bite to eat. 

I figured I’d take the cab home since it would be late, and I had a $20, which would be enough for one way. If you know the Castro district on a Saturday night, you’re laughing. By the time I got Mom’s meds, it was almost 8pm, and every taxi I saw had a fare. So, I walked and walked. All taxis full. I walked until the lights weren’t as bright and the folks were thinning. All taxis full. Then, I decided to head over to the muni and just ride back. There were plenty of people out; so I felt relatively safe and walked the few blocks from the muni to the hotel. I nearly ran into a slumped over man who was pushing his cart, probably trying to find his place to sleep. I quickly said, “Excuse me, Sir.” He looked up, gave me the once over, maybe decided that I was sincere, and smiled.

We wound up spending our extra day down at Fisherman’s Wharf, and then we had a leisurely trip to the airport. Soon after I checked in my clothes at the airport, Boop got sick all over herself, our carry-on bags, and me THREE times. It was an un-fun ride home. Why do I always have to ride back from CA with puke on me that isn’t my own?  

Trip to the Hospital, Part 3. 5-3-13

Mom was on the verge of collapse at this point. She was sure she had food poisoning; I’m still working with the virus theory. We managed to get her into the cab with a driver who didn’t know where he was going. Fortunately, I deciphered one of my sets of scribbles to pronounce the address of the nearby ER. I was strategizing and began barking more orders. “Mom, I want you to go and set down on the curb and I will take care of getting Boop sorted.” So, I managed baby, diaper bag and stroller, and got Boop situated. As I was getting us all out, I saw a lady from the hospital pushing a wheelchair. I quickly looked up and thought, “Thank you, sweet Jesus!” I called over to her to help us. Mom was getting sick on the curb, which by some great fortune to the people of San Francisco was right at the storm drain. We were drawing attention of folks walking by. A husky woman hollered out at my mother from her utility truck as she waited at the red light. Her expression was of disgust, but I think she was genuinely concerned, “Is someone helping you?” I was a little annoyed as I was trying to get the baby in her stroller. “Yes, I am!”

The taxi took off with us on the curb. I am relieved. We made it! Meanwhile the lady with the wheelchair promptly informs us that she can’t help us. She said we needed to go get the taxi back to take us around the corner to the entrance of the ER, that we were at the front entrance. The taxi was already down the block, and I had a 13 month old in a stroller and a mom getting sick in the storm drain. With that I lost it, “This is some welcome to San Francisco! Is this how you treat people that visit your city? My mother is sick, and you won’t help us!?!” With that, 2 passers-by offered to help. One was thinking she would run in to the front information desk and request another wheel chair. But about that time, the little lady with the wheel chair got off her phone and said she had approval to take my mother.

Trip to the Hospital, Part 2. 5-3-13

So, Mom wasn’t feeling quite right. We were supposed to catch our flight at about 4pm. I was dreading the long flight home with Boop. We had planned to make a quick trip to get some souvenirs for folks back home before heading out. Mom was getting more and more ill. So, I had been wanting Vietnamese and headed out to Little Vietnam, but the area was still asleep. There wasn’t much in the way of restaurants, anyway. There was much in the way of urine and pot smell, unfortunately, and the street folk were just starting to rouse. One little restaurant, I walked in and asked if they had a menu. The woman looked at me like I was crazy and said flatly, ‘No.’ Closer to the hotel, I found a place that was chock full of Vietnamese folk and managed a very good meal.

Chinatown, a couple of days before Mom got sick

When I returned, Mom was worse—couldn’t stand the smell of my food. So, Boop and I quickly noshed, and the two of us made a quick trip to China Town to pick up a few things, mostly for Mom’s work. <Hm. This seems familiar. Wasn’t I getting her souvenirs in New Orleans last year?> Mom was pretty confident that this would pass. I told her to call her doctor to get a script. She said she didn’t have a primary care doctor right now. <I was at a public health conference. Maybe there’s some irony there?> Boop and I hurried back. We needed to leave for the airport in an hour or so, but Mom was getting worse. Mom finally agreed to go to the ER, but she wouldn’t go by ambulance. The hotel desk kept offering to get a doctor-on-call. What? Do I look like I’m made out of money? However, they eventually offered the name of the closest ER, and security came upstairs with a wheel chair. I was burning up the phone lines with the hotel and the airlines. Good there’s a flight at 10 tomorrow; so we will only be home a half day late. Winnie can manage that, I thought.

Taking Stock at Weeks 65/66/67. 4-24-13

Here's what's been happening the last 3 weeks:

• Little Boop is still full of energy and keeping me VERY busy. So, along with figuring out how to open the child-proof drawers, she's figured out how to open the child safety caps on pill bottles. Fortunately, it was only acidophilus, but she has the skills. 
• She's still not crazy about using utensils. I wonder how her applesauce went today at daycare. This is a skill I would like for her to pick up quickly! All of her spills are a bit hard on her clothes and my floor. We're trying to get through some of her pickiness. Meat is not something that she is crazy about. I just worry about her getting enough protein. I got sunflower seed butter, which wasn't a hit. I bought tofu. That will be the next thing to try. Thank goodness for humus! And well, she likes Winnie's dog food better than Winnie does. That has a high ICK! factor for me, and I can't figure out why dog kibble is so much more enticing than a bite-sized chunk of white-meat chicken.
• I'm trying to get the house together to have a few folks over. I did some serious weeding this past weekend. I was hoping that one of my helpers would be able to work on the side of the house, but he had to leave town before he could get it done. He did help me pick up my patio furniture the night before he left, which was great. I just need to figure out a time to sit and put it together. Boop was not happy as I tried to pull things out of the box. I looked up, and she was down 1 step off the back deck. Of course, I said, "Stop" and "No." Which in Boop language means, "Hurry" and "Do more." With that, she rolled down the last 2 steps of the porch. Fortunately, she recovered quickly, and she didn't seem too worse for wear.
• Winnie is still battling UTI's. More tests, more money. Even when we find out the strain of bacteria, I'm not convinced that it will help. They said something about having her on antibiotics for a month. That should be fun. They had to take her off antibiotics for the test, and we're waiting for the verdict before giving her more. So far, we are just managing on meds for pain. She seems to be doing okay, though. 
• Mom decided at the last minute to get a knee replacement. Unfortunately, we just can't manage that quickly. I hate for her to be far away and try to go through this. Of course, she probably has a tinge of relief that Boop isn't around to yank out an IV or put a knot in the tube that gives her pain meds. Not sure if we are going try to make a trip or not. It's just a long trip for Boop and a dog with a UTI. If we tried to fly, we would have the cost, plus the 1.5 hr trip back and forth to the airport, plus trying to figure out what to do with Winnie. The car would be 7 hrs. 
• Boop and Winnie are starting to get along a wee bit better. Winnie certainly loves Boop when it's dinner time! But, lately, Boop has gotten better about being able to rub Winnie's back. And Winnie will sit still for that. But Boop also is fascinated by Winnie's teeth, nose, and eyes, and nothing good comes of that. 

Taking Stock at Week 63/64. 4-6-13

Here’s what’s happening at Boop’s week 63/64:

• We returned from our travels to a storm. Boop is spending full days at her new class now. She really didn’t get enough of a transition. Drop off has been physically draining. Most days she is hysterical when I leave. However, most folks say that she settles down and is fine after I leave. I can’t help feeling like I’m somehow betraying her. If it were a developmental thing as folks say, it’s strange that it only appeared when she went to her new class. I had to cut out the lunchtime nursing session; she’s just too upset when I try to leave again.
• Lots of developmental stuff. After spending so much time with Mom, Boop’s picked up a few things from her. I can’t help but laugh. Boop straightens up after leaning over and says, ‘Oh, GAH!’ Poor Mom is having lots of trouble with her back, especially trying to pick up our little chunk. And I have heard Mom call upon the name of our dear Lord more than once out of pain. Sometimes Boop says words like ‘eat’ and ‘milk’ as clear as a bell. Most times she’s a bit lazy. However she will practice some things; for example, she walks through the house waving and saying ‘bye-bye’.
• Another UTI for Winnie. We had to spend 1.5 hours at the vet, which had me pulling my hair out. We came straight from daycare with no snacks, and Boop was climbing the walls. This time we have to do 28 days worth of antibiotics. So, I’m struggling to get Winnie to take the meds. I’m out of tricks.



A bit faint in this shot but much worse in other places.

• I have hives and a sinus infection. I accidentally got a piece of mango in a fruit salad over a week ago, and I got hives all over me. My tongue swelled a bit at the time, but the hives just wouldn’t go away. And I’ve been fighting this sinus infection for several weeks. So, I finally went to the urgent care and got on steroids and antibiotics.