Yay new car! Very exciting. You may have to stow the openers in the door pocket. Mmmmm buttons...

Ouch, Bonny! That sounds like a lot of no fun. I hope it cooperates quickly.

meara, also ouch! Feelings are complicated, and often not welcome.

Possibly a result of medication, or possibly just having way too much on my plate, but the last few months I have had a marked increase in emotions, or at least they are way closer to the surface. My friends and family have been teasing me about it. My son says I have an anger issue and husband accuses me of becoming a shrew. Seriously, they are both totally kidding about that and do it in a joking manner only because they have never seen me upset and think it is about time. I also laugh easier and cry easier. The NCAA tournament had me fighting tears both for the defeated team and the victorious team every game! The bursting out laughing is a surprise too. As much to me as anyone else. (laughing at funny stuff, not random and maniacal!)

I told the doctor yesterday if it was side effect I would deal with it, as well as the weight gain issue. This is the 4th medication tried and I remain clear headed and balanced on my feet so I'll take it rather than try others. I need my brains!

Back to work with me...

All~ma to those that need it. So much going on these days....

Good morning, Fred. How is Arthur doing?

Laura, this may sound stupid, but could the increased emotions be at least partially allergies? I have several friends who have been feeling this way lately with only allergy season to blame.

I haven't heard people complaining about allergies recently, but always a possibility to add to the pile of stuff going on. It seems to coincide with starting medication, but it is just as likely that it coincided with getting sick! Things are pretty overwhelming with the final stages of getting this house ready for sale, after 5 years! Also, sons 19 and 22, enough said. Business pressures. All this is not new, but I didn't have to deal with it all while sleeping 12 hours a day and acclimating to drugs. Not enough hours in the day or mental energy. Hence maybe the spilling over of emotion. That is DH's theory. Mostly they find it amusing since I was previously so calm and unflappable.

Laura, that's got to be hard/weird, to have such a sudden change to something that feels so intrinsic to a person's personality. Dang.

I slept oddly--had horrible dreams about gangsters chasing me and being in some sort of horribly written trashy British chick-lit novel like I hate, where I was all excited about somebody texting me and wanted to pause to look at it whilst being chased by the gangsters. Etc. (Later in the dream we discovered the dude we thought we'd killed, the head gangster, was actually alive, while we were....trying to do something with the body, after getting away from his minions?? And had to try to convince him we meant him no harm and it was all good because he was alive).

Wow, meara, that doesn't sound like restful sleep at all!

Laura, that's got to be hard/weird

Mostly it comes as a surprise to me when it happens. I can't say it is really unpleasant, just that it is such a departure from the Laura I know. Good thing I can fast forward through the heart pull commercials. The people I am snappy with probably deserve it. (smiley face)

{{{Laura}}} That is a lot. Take care of you.

Good morning, Fred. How is Arthur doing?

We're at the roller coaster stage. He was doing pretty poorly over the weekend, but we think it was too-high doses of the immune suppressant. And then his bloodwork showed positive for toxoplasmosis. It's treatable by antibiotic, but the most common treatment is hard on the kidneys. So the vet had to research the most effective treatment that doesn't harm the kidneys.

Arthur starts the antibiotics today, and we're probably looking at the week of the 21st at earliest for the transplant. Wisconsin has found a donor, but they're upset with the complications.

Oh, and Marie may be in the early stages of kidney failure. She has other health issues that may prevent a transplant. On the other hand, she's almost 16, so she's had a pretty good run.

Ugh, I'm sorry for the delay, but Arthur does need to be in the best possible condition for the transplant.