So, I just made an appt. with a different vet for Mickey. I'm not really pleased with my other vet and the fact that they wanted to charge me $300 for a CONSULT (no tests, no treatment, just a look at his records and a chat) seemed incredibly ridiculous to me. A friend recommended her vet and I'm taking Mickey there next week. I'm going by Vet#1 to get his records today.

I already feel a little better about this just by doing that.

I hope you get what you need from the new vet. That consult fee is outrageous.

In pet news...or rather, mushy petmom stuff. Bartleby and I were out for a walk this morning when he limped and held his paw up.

We have so much stuff on the sidewalks around here, it is a fairly regular event. But this time, it was worse than usual. When I reached down and swept his paw with my finger (my job at such times) he yelped and gave me that 'this is horrible!' look.

I sat down on the sidewalk and spread my legs and asked him to lie down. He scrunched up so super close to me that he couldn't actually lie flat. I eased him down and cradled him so I could get a close look at his pads.

I suspect it was a rose thorn that poked him.

As I finished up the inspection, he licked my face and relaxed. In that moment, it struck me how fortunate I am to love anything so much. When I was young...the angriest dog in the Universe...just trying to figure out how to be me, I would never have guessed that my heart could be so open.

If you are looking at thyroid treatment, you need to like and respect your vet and their office. Good choice, ChiKat. It's so key. I've been there.

I am a good daughter. Just found dad lemonade. Our "tailgating" at the track is both of just reading. We'll go in in an hour. Til then, noses in stories, the both of us.

Bonny, that's so heartwarming to hear!

I was apparently a bit overzealous in my tax filing, and totally forgot to claim the new furnace ($1500 credit) that i signed for and was purchased in December, tho not installed until last week.

So i just did an amended return, but i have to snail mail the amendment. *sniff* If i had just waited a couple of weeks coulda saved soooo much time. That was really confusing. Like, do i just mail in the new forms, or do i really have to mail in the WHOLE BLOODY RETURN that the IRS already processed? Pretty sure it's just the amendment form and the new schedule, but i suspect this will take longer than just today to straighten out. Totally worth it for $1500, but still irritated with my lack of procrastination this time.

Good foot news!

Just met with my surgeon. Looks like there will be less breaking and more scraping. This is good news for my recovery. Woot!

Woot! (Shudder).

you need to like and respect your vet and their office

Yes. I feel like Vet#1 was pushing a ton of (really expensive) tests. I do think he'll probably need more tests to understand what the mass in his lung is, but I really need to talk to someone first so I can understand the situation a bit better. A $1200 CT scan and $400 ultrasound need to wait (if done at all) until I feel like I understand this more.

it struck me how fortunate I am to love anything so much.

This. So very much this. That's how I feel about Mickey.

Oh, Trudy, that sounds horrible. But, you will be asleep, get good painkillers afterwards, and if it speeds up recovery, even better.

Aw, bonny. Yes.

Woot! (Shudder).

What he said.

Chikat I hope the new vet is a good one.

Trudy glad your foot surgery will have a quicker recovery.

And in FUCK CANCER!!!!! News

I found out today that a co-worker's 7 year old son has leukemia. I knew he'd been out and that it was something to do with his son but there was an email today. This co worker works in another location and I talked to someone else in his department today. This is what I know - they didn't catch it early and he has cancer in his spine and in his brain. He started chemo and they are inject stuff right into his spine. He's at the big teaching hospital near here and my co worker and his wife are staying at Ronald McDonald house.

I met co worker's wife at a work function this fall and she was such a great person to talk to. And she was really happy because he has Asperger's and has been doing great in therapy and just really improving.

I feel so helpless, but we were given an address to send cards so I'm going to get some fun cards and maybe get some legos or stickers or something. I want to do something for my coworker and his wife but I'm not sure what to do.