UPDATE on my RUBY

I have an update on my little Ruby.

Yesterday she had an EKG which looked OK.

They listened to her heart again and the tech had some concerns when listening to the left side of her heart.
They did another X-ray.
This time you could see that her heart curved out more on the left side.
The vet "squared" off the X-ray?
I don't completely understand that but it's a way to see if her heart is too large from too much fluid? I guess.
Evidently it wasn't fluid but a weak heart muscle on her left side.
She is now on 2 different medications.

They said that it was good that I was home when it happened and that if she hadn't gotten some oxygen...well, she might not have made it.

(I will never feel guilty about hitting the snooze button again.)

They also think that the heat from last weekend could have stressed her.
It had been in the high 90's.
They asked if I had air and I told them I have window air-conditioners but hadn't put them in yet. I said that I knew that it had gotten as warm as 86 degrees inside at one point but I had the ceiling fans going plus 2 other fans. Also most the time everyone was outside on the patio in the shade of the Weeping Willow. (Truth be told, I had kept a very watchful eye on Blue because he's so big but everyone else seemed fine, mostly snoozing on the coolness of the bare floors.)

They said that it was lucky that this was discovered NOW and if it had gone undetected, she might have only had a few more months.
At this point, I got very upset but they calmed me and reminded that it HAD been found.
So, one of the medicines is supposed to strength her heart muscle and stop further damage.
There's nothing that will make it all better.

I'm supposed to not let her stress too much and remember that she can't tolerate any hot days.
I was told to remember that she's like an 80 yr old woman who can't take the heat.
and then they said to remember, that even though she can be kept out of the heat...
She's still an 80 yr old.

I went back through my photos and most of them always had Ruby as part of the "herd".
I took some yesterday of JUST her and when I loaded them up in the computer, I found myself very surprised at how white around the face she's gotten.

Time flie by so quickly.

RUBY

(I used this photo for a Xmas card years ago)

After 3 days off of work it's hard to be enthused about going back. I hit the snooze 3 times and finally got up and started my morning rituals. I had just come down the stairs and my little ones were gathered in the living room as always. I usually call them into the laundry room, do a quick head count to make sure they are all there and tell them good-bye and then I hook Blue and Jimmy up on their leashes and head off to work.

So this morning, I hurry down the stairs and look at their little faces and I am just about to tell them to "Hurry up, Come on, Let's go!, Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!" when all of a sudden, my little Ruby makes this staggering movement and falls over on her side.

I stood there for a second, frozen.
Her little legs jerk out straight, her head turns.
Her eyes are WIDE and her tongue falls out of her mouth.
It looks purple.
In that split second, my first thought is...
"she's dead".

 I work at a vet clinic. I've seen a lot of things.

I'm a professional. I must keep a calm head.

 Instead I spring forward and scoop her up and scream at the top of my voice.

RUBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Her head turns and her eyes roll forward. She looks at me, terrified.
I start yelling, "Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!" as I run to the laundry room.
The little herd races behind me, no one dares to dawdle.
I close the gate and turn and now I'm running up the stairs, holding Ruby high.
Blue and Jimmy are close behind me.
I shove Jimmy into his kennel and Blue hurries into the room.
I shut the door and run back downstairs.
Once I'm in my van, I call one of the vet techs on my cell and sob to her
"Somethings wrong with RUBY! She fell over and I don't know what's wrong! I'm on my way!"

I hold Ruby close against me.

I hit every red light.
Then the bridge's draw-span is open.
I have to turn and go down to the other bridge.
It takes me 20 minutes to drive to the clinic.
All the while, Ruby just stares up at me.


A block away she shakes her head and licks my chin.
I pull into the parking lot and run in the door.
The techs are there waiting.
It's still too early for any of the doctors to be there yet.
I run into the surgery room and we give her oxygen.
Her little tongue still looks a bit blue.

They took X-rays of her chest and belly.

Then they did took blood and ran the blood-work, the results were fine.
They kept her in the lab area where they could keep an eye on her but she cried every time I walked by.
Finally I took her back with me to my work area.
She ate her lunch and later followed me around the play area as I "scooped".
She seemed fine.
But there is some conflicting opinions about the X-rays.
They sent me home with some heart medicine and tomorrow they will run an EKG on her.

(this is Twinkle and Ruby when they were young)
So, how was your first day back after the long weekend?

"IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS"

I've written several posts since the last one that I actually "published".
Most were never even typed out,
but rather remained as just words swirling around in my head.
Others made it as far as a "draft" but ended up being "deleted".
It just seemed like I couldn't carry out a thought or idea without changing my mind.
I guess I just sometimes let things happen or actually NOT happen.
I don't make up my mind, so in the end a decision is made on its own.

So I guess I need to think and make some decisions,
before another 25 years are gone.
Life is short.
Do I want to stay at the job that I am at?
Do I want something different? What would that be?
I have to worry about the financial aspect of the whole situation.
and...
Why don't I get off my duff and finish anything?
Why do I scribble out "ideas" and never create anything.
I need some deadlines.
I need to figure this out.
But not a "plan".
Maybe a chart.

This last one gives me hope.

Kinda explains why I feel like ERMA who said -

If Life is a Bowl of Cherries

What Am I Doing in the Pits?

My Grandfather

(this is not my grandfather, but this photo has the "feeling" of him)

My grandfather passed away on Thursday.
Technically my "Step" - grandfather.
But what does that matter?
He had been in my life for 40 years.
My paternal Grandfather died when I was 12.
A grumpy cranky man.
My maternal, gone before I was born, apparently a mean drunk.
But this man was a happy easy-going man who loved his little cat.
I am sad... but also happy.
Sad that he is no longer here,
But happy that he is no longer in pain and reunited with his loved ones again.

ONE MORE DAY...

left of my vacation.

sigh.

(My little Jimmy Chew lounging on the chaise lounge)

LIFE HAS BEEN GOOD.

 

Friday I got some Snapdragons for 50 cents a 6pk.

Saturday went back and got some Coleus for 20 cents a 6pk and then worked in the yard all day long taking apart my fence that I built years ago to last forever.
Yep, I unscrewed it picket by picket....
Finally it started to get dark so I stopped and strung lights around my patio.
You can kind of make out my new fence and gate that I built.

(please ignore all the other crap sitting around, it's a work in progress)
I encircled the whole patio area with little blue Xmas lights bought for $1.50 a pack last January.

Sunday, went to the Beaux Arts Fair with my sister.
We always buy each other something for Mothers Day...since we sort of raised each other. I got her metal flowers to stick in her yard and she got me this metal flower twisted garden thing that holds a solar light. But of course I don't have photos of them. Maybe later.

Monday I got some more Coleus, they were now marked down to 10 cents a 6pk.

Yep. I got 48 - 6pks....$4.80!

I HAD to!

Then I drove out to the hardware store, I wanted to get some enamel paint to match my spray paint.

While I was waiting on the kid to stop flirting with his co-worker, I milled around and found this enamel paint in the mis-tints for $5.00!

Since I was on a roll, I went to Salvation Army.
Sitting on their sidewalk for $15.00 was this Mid-Century Modern end table.
I hurried inside but made myself take a quick look around when I spied the 50% of all furniture sign.
I found a vintage desk lamp similar to a new one I had seen for $45. This was only $3.50.
So I got the end table for $7.50 and the lamp (I should have unwrapped the cord so you could have a better look at it, oh well.)

and jumped back into my van and headed for Goodwill.
I walked to the back and BAM!
Just put out on the floor.

An upholstered bench for the end of my bed. $25.00

I will make a cover for it.
Even though I hate sewing, I can do THAT.

Then I came home and worked on the fence some more.

I had forgotten how I had stapled chicken wire under EVERYTHING and then buried that and the bottom cross bars in the ground. My neighbor was out grilling and yelled over that he liked my blue lights.
When I went out front to water the flowers, the other neighbor said that she was amazed at all the work I had done so far and also how they loved my blue lights. She said it was very cool.
Then she commented that she thought I was wasting away!
Now THAT made me very happy. I didn't realize there was any noticeable difference yet!

Then Today...
85 degrees out. I took my Sawzall out and started cutting that stinking fence apart.
I am SO tired of doing that. I got it all dismantled and all the posts dug out of the ground but 2. I was so tired that I staggered inside.
I fed my critters and then made tofu and brussel sprouts in herb & lemon marinade.
I had a few prunes for dessert.
And posting this I will turn on my blue lights and make a drink to match.
One more day left!

I'M ON VACATION

for a few days.

I have a mental lists of things I'd like to get accomplished.

If I actually do them, I'll post about it later.

But on the very top of my list is:

Sleep until I just wake up

and drink blue drinks.

WIENER DOG LOVE

http://www.designsponge.com

Nita said that if I ever got a Dachshund,
I would start wanting everything with a wiener dog on it.

I was sure she was wrong.

http://dachshundlove.blogspot.com

Yes, I am drawn to Great Dane stuff because of Blue
and sometimes Chihuahua stuff because of Twinkle
and of course Papillon stuff because of my little Rosie.
But I have Shih-tzu's and Poodles too.
and Mixed Breeds, I love a good ole Heinz 57 dog.
I'm always drawn towards Goldens because of the perfect dog that I had years ago.
So...now I have to add Wienie Dog stuff to my list of wants
because of Hattie.

Oops! Nita emailed me that she did NOT say that I would want THINGS with Dachshunds on them after I got one.

She said that she told me that after I got a Weenie, I'd want more Weenies!!!

Now that's even scarier! LOL!

Wednesday's Word - BLACK

all via Pinterest

The Logical Next Step

after my last post about my out of control garden?

Take a road trip with my sister to a Huge garden nursery!

I just went to look...
yeah, right. Who am I kidding?

So I bought these for the front yard:

and some plants for my back patio....

I've never really bought "SHADE" plants before,
but with the Weeping Willow tree and this huge overgrown shrub that keeps GROWING
AND my Wisteria is starting to take off too...
that leaves just a little bit of dappled sunlight back there.
I hope they survive.
I plan on making a hanging basket out of the these:

They had huge hanging baskets of them but they were $30.00.
Totally out of my budget.
So I bought smaller plants to make my own baskets.
I'm hoping to attract some Hummingbirds.
Here's a cool metal basket with burlap on the bottom:

I might try that. I have several metal baskets.
But this is what really sucked me in:

Crap. I thought I had resisted the growing trend.

But NO! now I want a Fairy Garden!
...I didn't buy any plants for the Fairy Garden for 3 reasons.
#1 No cash left.
#2 I want to sit down and plan it out.
#3 I need to FINISH my other projects before starting yet another.
(although I have finished my gate this weekend!)