posted 11/26/2006
Otis' wish came true yesterday -- he got a new baby sister and brother!!
About a year ago, I began thinking about bringing home another dog or cat to keep Otis company. Remembering back on how much work a puppy is, I was leaning toward a kitten. I even went so far as to venture out looking for one, but the adoption centers near me were full of adult cats. As much as I would like to help an old kitty, I doubted my ability to bring one into a house with a dog successfully. If I went with a feline, it had to be a kitty, so that it could grow up with Otis and not be afraid of him.
Over the course of the past year, I would peek into the "adoption center" at PetSmart, but "my kitty" was never there. I knew I would know him when I saw him. A week and a half ago, I was at PetSmart with Charlene and we peeked in to see the kitties. There was a beautiful Maine Coon cat (Miss Kitty) with a litter of kitties there. Two of the babies were polydactyls, meaning they had extra toes... they were so cute -- they looked like they were wearing mittens or that they had thumbs (see the picture below)! So cute! Plus, all the kitties in the litter were black with a patch of white fur on their chest -- just like Otis! They were perfect! I left that day with an application for adoption and spent a few days thinking about whether I should really consider taking a kitty into my home. I filled it out, just in case, and turned it back in.
Wednesday night, I got a call -- they had approved me... now I had to really think... and decide what to do.
For Thanksgiving, Mike and I went to Lancaster to spend time with my parents, as did my brother and his fiance Bonnie. I brought Otis and they brought their dog Molly and their kitten Max. This was perfect! I got a chance to see how Otis would behave with a kitty. He was pretty excited and wanted to chase Max around, but as the novelty wore off, he became a bit more calm and they could nearly coexist (I even caught Max sneaking up behind Otis and sniffing his tail!).
Mike and I went over to PetSmart on Saturday to see if "my kitty" was still there. Miss Kitty and her entire litter were still there. My heart melted. The adoption people weren't going to be there for another hour, so we went over to Borders to read up on "bringing home your kitten". We headed back to PetSmart and met up with Jodie, who let us come in and play with the kitties. They were so playful and crazy! The first to head over to us was the only boy in the litter (they called him "Beast"). He crawled right over my lap and was the most curious of the group. We decided that he was definitely "the one". As we watched them all play, I realized that I couldn't take home just one. They were so energetic and even if the kitty and Otis got along, it just wouldn't be the same. Plus, the kitty would be home alone all day, while I was at work and Otis was at Sedona's, so it would be nice to have another kitty to keep him company. Just then, one of the girls ran across the room and pounced on "Beast" and they began to wrestle. That was it -- we needed to take this one home too. It was one of the girls, with polydatcyly. They needed to stay together.
Miss Kitty said goodbye to two of her babies and we headed out to bring them home. For the time being, they have a pleasant little den in my spare bathroom. It's perfect - they love to leap from the sink -- to the top of the toilet -- to the bathtub (which has lots of little perches for them to climb on) -- even up onto the windowsill. They already use their litter box well and have been eating their food with no problem.
This afternoon, the kitties had their first trip down to explore the rest of the house. With Otis peering in from the backyard, they ventured out... cautiously at first, but curiosity got the best of them and they eventually made it downstairs to check out their new domain. Otis came back in (on a leash) and really really wanted to play with the kitties. They aren't quite sure what to think about Otis, but they are interested in checking him out. We've had several short introductions so far, with fairly good results. I'm sure in no time, they will be living together, as one big happy family!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
BACK AT HOME...
posted Thursday, 16 November 2006
Just a quick note to let you know that I am well and at home...
Surgery went well - the procedure took just about two and a half hours and then it took about that long for me to be feeling well enough to go home. I'm a bit more sore than I expected (I always under-estimate how tough the surgery will be, don't I?), but I left the hospital with no drains, so I am pleased as a plum!
My only complaint would be the fact that the anesth. had a heck of a time getting my IV in... 3rd time was the charm (but that meant 3x poking & prodding)... Every time we would get close, my veins would run and hide (I don't blame them one bit... after the way I've mistreated them over the past year). I had been pumping my arm furiously, trying to get the veins to pop, so when they finally got it in, a bunch of blood came gushing out... all over me and the bed I was in (gross!). Glad I was in a hospital bed and not at home... or in a motel room!
The Dr said that I should take it easy for a week or so -- good thing I rescheduled my 4 hour meeting that was supposed to be on Monday! I'll probably try to listen to the dr's orders and just do a little bit of work from home next week.
I'm home on the couch, snuggled in with "Goldie", my new stuffed puppy dog (Mike got him for me from the hospital gift shop). I've eaten some mac & cheese and am about to doze off. In fact, Mike is about to pull the plug on my computer, so I have to go... I just wanted to let you all know that everything went fine today.
Feel free to call on my cell phone, if you want. If I am asleep/don't feel up to talking, I just won't answer it :)
Love,
LC
Just a quick note to let you know that I am well and at home...
Surgery went well - the procedure took just about two and a half hours and then it took about that long for me to be feeling well enough to go home. I'm a bit more sore than I expected (I always under-estimate how tough the surgery will be, don't I?), but I left the hospital with no drains, so I am pleased as a plum!
My only complaint would be the fact that the anesth. had a heck of a time getting my IV in... 3rd time was the charm (but that meant 3x poking & prodding)... Every time we would get close, my veins would run and hide (I don't blame them one bit... after the way I've mistreated them over the past year). I had been pumping my arm furiously, trying to get the veins to pop, so when they finally got it in, a bunch of blood came gushing out... all over me and the bed I was in (gross!). Glad I was in a hospital bed and not at home... or in a motel room!
The Dr said that I should take it easy for a week or so -- good thing I rescheduled my 4 hour meeting that was supposed to be on Monday! I'll probably try to listen to the dr's orders and just do a little bit of work from home next week.
I'm home on the couch, snuggled in with "Goldie", my new stuffed puppy dog (Mike got him for me from the hospital gift shop). I've eaten some mac & cheese and am about to doze off. In fact, Mike is about to pull the plug on my computer, so I have to go... I just wanted to let you all know that everything went fine today.
Feel free to call on my cell phone, if you want. If I am asleep/don't feel up to talking, I just won't answer it :)
Love,
LC
Monday, November 13, 2006
Upcoming Surgery
posted Monday, 13 November 2006
Apparently, I've become fairly generic in my postings... and for that I do apologize. People keep asking me why I haven't updated my blog and the honest answer is that my life just really isn't that interesting. I could tell you all about my dog's newest trick (that's right -- Otis now knows how to roll over), just how clean I got my house before my mom came to house/dog-sit (you wouldn't have recognized it), my exciting travels for work (Ithaca, Troy and State College...) or my latest ultimate frisbee endeavors (ok - so maybe that one is interesting and I'll devote another blog entry to that)... but I'm just not sure that you're all interested in those musings... but since I do have another surgery upcoming, I figured I'd sit and give a quick update.
Surgery is this Thursday (Nov 16) at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick. Relatively speaking, it should be fairly minor -- provided all goes well, I should be home the same day. They are swapping out my tissue expander and replacing it with a permanent implant (the technical term for it is "exchange surgery").
I did have to do a bit of thinking about what type of permanent implant I wanted. You may or may not know that silicone implants are being used in clinical trials for women having reconstruction after mastectomy. The latest silicone implants are called "cohesive gel" and they are the consistency of a gooey gummy bear. The idea is that even if the implant were to rupture (which, by the way... all implants rupture eventually... in fact, they only last 10 years on average and then you have to get them replaced! I had never heard that before), it would suck back into the implant instead of leaking out into your body (another aside- they still haven't proven whether silicone leaking into your body really causes harm, but I can't imagine that it's as benign as saline, which just gets absorbed by your body). The benefit of silicone is that it looks and feels more natural. Especially for women who have had a mastectomy (and have no natural tissue/fat on top of the implant), saline implants can look and feel very very fake. At the end of the day, I've decided to go with saline, at least for now. We'll see what the research shows 10 years from now, when I have to get it replaced! I'm just looking forward to getting rid of the rock hard grapefruit buried under my pec muscle... I'll let you know how it goes!
LC
Surgery is this Thursday (Nov 16) at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick. Relatively speaking, it should be fairly minor -- provided all goes well, I should be home the same day. They are swapping out my tissue expander and replacing it with a permanent implant (the technical term for it is "exchange surgery").
I did have to do a bit of thinking about what type of permanent implant I wanted. You may or may not know that silicone implants are being used in clinical trials for women having reconstruction after mastectomy. The latest silicone implants are called "cohesive gel" and they are the consistency of a gooey gummy bear. The idea is that even if the implant were to rupture (which, by the way... all implants rupture eventually... in fact, they only last 10 years on average and then you have to get them replaced! I had never heard that before), it would suck back into the implant instead of leaking out into your body (another aside- they still haven't proven whether silicone leaking into your body really causes harm, but I can't imagine that it's as benign as saline, which just gets absorbed by your body). The benefit of silicone is that it looks and feels more natural. Especially for women who have had a mastectomy (and have no natural tissue/fat on top of the implant), saline implants can look and feel very very fake. At the end of the day, I've decided to go with saline, at least for now. We'll see what the research shows 10 years from now, when I have to get it replaced! I'm just looking forward to getting rid of the rock hard grapefruit buried under my pec muscle... I'll let you know how it goes!
LC
Comments:
1. Maura left...
Wednesday, 15 November 2006 11:09 am
I like your rock hard grapefruit.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
PERIOD.
posted Thursday, 31 August 2006
I know this subject makes some people uncomfortable... but frankly, I'm over that.... I GOT MY PERIOD THIS MORNING!
I have really been struggling to accept the fact that I may never be able to have biological children. The chemo is poison and it doesn't discriminate between good cells and bad cells and it really does a number on your insides. My last period was August 2005. While it was nice to not have to deal with cramps and tampons, the fact that I may not be able to experience childbirth was slowly breaking my heart. Deep down, I know I can still be a mom... but I want to experience the miracle that so many women get to experience.
It's been especially difficult as me and my friends enter our 30s... those clocks are ticking louder and louder. Babies are a common topic of conversation... who is having one... who is trying... some of my dearest friends are currently pregnant. I am so thrilled for them. At the same time, it has been difficult to separate this excitement from my own personal disappointment. I have not always been successful at that and I fear that I have not always been the most supportive friend. Please know that this is not because I don't love you or that I am not truly excited for you. I do and I am. I'm sorry that I couldn't deal with it better.
Just last night, I was talking with Mike about how I was sad and angry that I didn't think I'd ever be able to have kids. He told me that I needed to keep believing. How could he say that? How did he have so much faith when I had all but given up hope? How strange it was when I woke the next morning to find out that he was right...
I know that the damage to my ovaries could still cause problems down the line... but at least now I've got reason for renewed hope. Of course, now I have to deal with bloating, cramps & mood swings... but I guess that's a small price to pay.
BONNY MADE THIS COMMENT,
i love you menstruation!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congratulations that is amazing news!!!!!!!!!!!
ANNETTE MADE THIS COMMENT,
Congratulations!!!!! The faithful see the invisible, believe the incredible and then receive the impossible.
NANCY MADE THIS COMMENT,
We need to celebrate. Let's start now and go straight through to New Years!!!!!
KATIE MADE THIS COMMENT,
Wonderful, we will have a "Red Party" for you to celebrate your coming of age. miss you dearly
I know this subject makes some people uncomfortable... but frankly, I'm over that.... I GOT MY PERIOD THIS MORNING!
I have really been struggling to accept the fact that I may never be able to have biological children. The chemo is poison and it doesn't discriminate between good cells and bad cells and it really does a number on your insides. My last period was August 2005. While it was nice to not have to deal with cramps and tampons, the fact that I may not be able to experience childbirth was slowly breaking my heart. Deep down, I know I can still be a mom... but I want to experience the miracle that so many women get to experience.
It's been especially difficult as me and my friends enter our 30s... those clocks are ticking louder and louder. Babies are a common topic of conversation... who is having one... who is trying... some of my dearest friends are currently pregnant. I am so thrilled for them. At the same time, it has been difficult to separate this excitement from my own personal disappointment. I have not always been successful at that and I fear that I have not always been the most supportive friend. Please know that this is not because I don't love you or that I am not truly excited for you. I do and I am. I'm sorry that I couldn't deal with it better.
Just last night, I was talking with Mike about how I was sad and angry that I didn't think I'd ever be able to have kids. He told me that I needed to keep believing. How could he say that? How did he have so much faith when I had all but given up hope? How strange it was when I woke the next morning to find out that he was right...
I know that the damage to my ovaries could still cause problems down the line... but at least now I've got reason for renewed hope. Of course, now I have to deal with bloating, cramps & mood swings... but I guess that's a small price to pay.
BONNY MADE THIS COMMENT,
i love you menstruation!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congratulations that is amazing news!!!!!!!!!!!
ANNETTE MADE THIS COMMENT,
Congratulations!!!!! The faithful see the invisible, believe the incredible and then receive the impossible.
NANCY MADE THIS COMMENT,
We need to celebrate. Let's start now and go straight through to New Years!!!!!
KATIE MADE THIS COMMENT,
Wonderful, we will have a "Red Party" for you to celebrate your coming of age. miss you dearly
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
ANOTHER CHECKUP -- PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS
posted Tuesday, 15 August 2006
As you know, I go back to the oncologist every 4 months for the first few years. For some reason (ok not such a strange reason), these visits strike fear within my deepest soul. I spend days dreading the visit and then several more days, waiting for test results.
Again, I have passed. My blood tests were normal and there was nothing detectable. Next visit is December 12 (the one year anniversary of my tamoxifen therapy)... until then...
As you know, I go back to the oncologist every 4 months for the first few years. For some reason (ok not such a strange reason), these visits strike fear within my deepest soul. I spend days dreading the visit and then several more days, waiting for test results.
Again, I have passed. My blood tests were normal and there was nothing detectable. Next visit is December 12 (the one year anniversary of my tamoxifen therapy)... until then...
Saturday, July 29, 2006
SUMMER FUN - TRUDGE GETS HITCHED
There hasn't really been much news this summer. I've been keeping busy busy... between work, ultimate and a bajillion weddings... I barely found time to turn 30 years old in there!
The quick recap on the trudge weddings:
Laura & Greg's wedding was July 1 in Saratoga. I got to visit Jess (and if she ever sends me the picture of me & Jack, I can show you her lovely little boy!) & Steve and went for a fantastic hike just west of Albany...
Irene and Scott got married July 29, in Hartford, CT (it's about time!). Another gorgeous wedding and a fun weekend!
posted Saturday, 29 July 2006
The quick recap on the trudge weddings:
Laura & Greg's wedding was July 1 in Saratoga. I got to visit Jess (and if she ever sends me the picture of me & Jack, I can show you her lovely little boy!) & Steve and went for a fantastic hike just west of Albany...
Irene and Scott got married July 29, in Hartford, CT (it's about time!). Another gorgeous wedding and a fun weekend!
posted Saturday, 29 July 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
30 IS THE NEW 20... FOR REAL
posted Saturday, 22 July 2006
I took it like a champ... I say 'bring it on'... 30's have got to be better than the 20's, right?
I celebrated my big 3 oh in the Poconos, with family and friends. My Aunt Deb & Uncle Bill hosted us during the day, while folks kept me up WAY past my bedtime fixing flat tires, playing True Colors and doing some late-night baking at the house we rented around the corner.
Thanks to everyone for making it such a memorable weekend -- I can't think of a better way to have spent my 30th.
I took it like a champ... I say 'bring it on'... 30's have got to be better than the 20's, right?
I celebrated my big 3 oh in the Poconos, with family and friends. My Aunt Deb & Uncle Bill hosted us during the day, while folks kept me up WAY past my bedtime fixing flat tires, playing True Colors and doing some late-night baking at the house we rented around the corner.
Thanks to everyone for making it such a memorable weekend -- I can't think of a better way to have spent my 30th.
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