Ethel 2004 – 2008

Ethel lost her battle against the infected wound today. In the end, she was in a lot of pain, so there was no choice (unless I had a spare thousand bucks or so).

I am devastated. I have cried a million tears.

Lucy alternates between being stuck to me like glue, (on my lap, or in my wheelchair backpack) or stalking the apartment looking for her sister in all of Ethel’s usual hiding places.

Sadness, tears, and more tears…

Halloween 2008

Even though I had my lights off and my shades pulled, there were a couple of knocks at the door during last evening.

I miss 'doing' Halloween!

But just can't risk cats getting out. Nor this year, some kidlet, sneezing on me!

Ethel's in Trouble - Again

(Ethel sitting in trash can!)

The vet said that she is not healing correctly. That she either has cellulites, an infection in the underlying fat, or gangrene. That she needs ‘debridement’ at the cost of $300 - $400.

She goes back next week ($45), and will prob need another injection of antibiotic ($$$). If prognosis remains the same, (and it may change, Ethel may get better); I will have to have her put down. I just do not have that kind of money. I do not even have the $45 per week this is running right now – it is coming out of my ‘grocery’ money.

(and bless the 'volunteer' from Sacred Heart Parrish in Ocean Beach, who shuttles Ethel to these appointments)

I am devastated…

Ethel’s Latest Misadventure

On Wednesday, October 22 at 1:30 in the afternoon, I gladly arrived home from spending 5 days in the hospital.

The absolute first thing I did was ‘open up’ the apartment, including letting the Sisters out. Though they had had a ‘caretaker’, they had not been outside for 5 days.

An hour later, first Lucy, then Ethel came racing in the door as if being chased by the biggest dog in the world. I had been in the living room and dining room, and had heard no signs of trouble, no barking, no cat fights, etc.

Still, I did a double take, because of their panicked return; and was amazed to find this horrible wound on Ethel’s left flank. It has never been determined WHAT happened to her. I could not believe our ‘luck’.

BTW, these pics were taken a couple of days AFTER vet care! And the 'missing fur' was caused by the injury, whatever that was, and not medical care.

Metastasis

After 18 days in the hospital, multiple pokes, scans, tests, consultations, and a lumbar laminectomy, I got the dreaded news, Multiple Bone Metastasis. I am stunned…

More Computer Woes

My one and only computer was down for almost two weeks. This was really problematic, as being more or less 'homebound', I depend on my computer for almost everything! So it was imperative to get it repaired.

Thankfully, it's fixed and working well now. But it will take me awhile to 'catch up' (1600 emails ! for one thing).

The repairs required a new motherboard, cpu, power supply, and someone to do all this, as I am physically unable to do so.

My PayPal account has 0 balance, my checking account almost so, and my very meager savings is gone.

If you can see your way clear to click on the PayPal button on this page and donate a bit, please do so. Every little bit counts! And if you can't, boy do I understand!

Thanks!

eBooks, Still Another Hobby!

OK, I'm a collecter of eBooks. I have SO many, I probably won't live long enough to read them all (some for 2nd, 3rd, or more times!)

But that's only PART of the eBook thing folks!

Not digressing, but part of the idea:

I crochet.
And because I crochet, I've become a Yarn Addict! I hunt for,collect, sort, trade, give away what I don't want/can't use, yarn! (I think this takes up almost as much time as actually crocheting - or reading eBooks!)

Folks who crochet call having all that yarn 'a stash'. And the bigger your 'stash', the better (you wouldn't belive the size of some -entire rooms full of yarn and threads!) And my stash is probably just as important to me (or more so?) than the items I actually produce using it.

I currently have (in this small apartment!) 12 plastic, see through,covered, storage (of various sizes - half of them large, on wheels!)containers of yarn! (In my own defense, most are only partiallyfull.) A wicker laudry size basket with projects I'm working on now,and a few large plastic bags or yarn to be sorted...

Since I live on a very very low income (879 mo), I scour freecycle,craigs list, and the local Goodwill, etc for free or very cheap yarn, even though I may not currently NEED it; I might need it someday! (Sometimes this low income, stash hunting is not easy considering I'm in a wheelchair and have no car!)

I will even contact people selling yarn and tell them if itdoesn't sell, I'm here with a couple of bucks.

So, I am always looking to expand my 'stash', be it yarn or eBooks!

Yarn Addict = stash
eBook Addict = eBook library

I am just thankful that eBooks take up so little physical space!

(Anyone out there have any yarn or eBooks they don't want???)