had my throat stabbed today. (Injection through the front to reach the top of the spine in back

aaaahhhhhhhh fucking hell. There's not enough valium in the world for me to be able to do that while conscious.

agree with smonster, that was an excellent response.

I leave glasses of water on the bathroom sinks. Both the cats drink out of those more often than out of their water bowl. Leo will sit on the sink when he can't reach the water anymore and cry until I come fill it up.

Dear one, you don't have to lie and say you feel something you don't. It's ok to say non-committal things like "thanks for taking the time to try to encourage me". It's also ok to not magically feel better just because someone makes encouraging noises at you. Or... well... there are people out there, that what they say to encourage others is more about them than it is about the person needing encouragement - to them, you might want to pretend, just to get them out of your hair.

Andi is so, so wise.

aaaahhhhhhhh fucking hell. There's not enough valium in the world for me to be able to do that while conscious.

Really not as bad as it sounds. He does a lidocaine injection first and the only pain is one tiny sting when the lidocaine is injected and another tiny sting when the main needle goes in and is pushed through to the back. The nurse always has to wipe sweat off the doctors forehead. I joke with him that the injection is a lot more stressful for him than for me. Although I guess there is trauma at a deeper level I don't notice, which is probably why I'm so tired to rest of the day when I have this. (And the doctor warned me the first time I had this that I should arrange a ride home cause I would not be safe after. So apparently some trauma is expected. I guess I'm just really really good at denial.)

Baby food chicken is palatable and comes in a conveniently small size.

Gerber's Stage 2. Comes in beef, chicken and turkey. At her pickiest, Kittenish noms it every time.

Really not as bad as it sounds.

It's not the actual pain, it's the thought of what's happening. Also, needles.

My friend is collecting pet treat recipes. Here's one that sounds good but has not been tested by us.

3 jars baby food, beef or chicken (2.5 oz each) 1/4 cup dry milk powder 1/4 cup wheat germ, cream of wheat, or rice flour

Combine ingredients, mix well. Roll into small balls, flatten slightly, bake 15 minutes.

Alas, the cats are picky and usually don't like the home baked pet treats we've tested on them, but all the dogs have been very enthusiastic. Obviously they are better pets, but I am too old to change my kitty lovin' ways now.

It's not the actual pain, it's the thought of what's happening. Also, needles.

We all have stuff like that. Mine is large unleashed growling dogs.

It's not the actual pain, it's the thought of what's happening. Also, needles.

::clinks tea glass with Zen's::

Very Pleased With Self Department: I have just harvested 5 different types of lettuce from my container garden. I have tomato plants taller than me, so there will be plenty of tomatoes later, if the weather ever gets warmer and less windy. Finally I have turned the wasteland of lava rock that came with the house into something beautiful, useful and enjoyable.

Next Ima want a koi pond and a pony farm.

Getting off the couch to walk to the bathroom made me tired today.

I spent two hours in urgent care last night and got sent away with "here's a scrip, don't take it unless the cultures come back positive, but probably you'll get better on your own." And today? Better. Not all the way, but way past what sent me to UC in the first place.

There's two hours and $100 (and counting) I won't get back.