Dave's birthday was on the 8th. We had planned to celebrate it, along with Valentine's day, at a nice restaurant.
However, on Thursday night, we found another flea worm on Pete, so we had to re-allocate the money we had wanted to spend on a nice date to the vet bill we knew we would incur.
We thought their problem was allergies.
We've changed their food. We've stopped using any scented detergents, softeners, and hand soaps. We've had the air ducts cleaned. We've done everything we know of to eliminate potential allergens....
Yet, Annabel is still grooming herself bald, and Pete has a lesser degree of over-grooming on his belly.
It's February. It's supposed to be winter (it was 88 degrees yesterday). Our cats are indoor-only cats.
They're not supposed to get fleas!
Yet, it seems, they have fleas.
This is Oklahoma, and we are surrounded by feral cats, and we haven't had much winter weather this year....so fleas are, apparently, a constant.
Even though we see no evidence of fleas anywhere, except when Pete gets the worms that come when cats ingest flea eggs that they've groomed off of their fur.
Sigh.
We've heard that the anti-flea and tick yard spray works really well, but that you have to reapply after rain.
We're also probably going to get some diatomaceous earth, and learn how to use it.
Anyway, we got a vet appointment for yesterday.
We got there, and a tech came out to the lobby and took the cats to the back, without us.
We looked questioningly at one another.
After a couple of minutes, I said something to the girl behind the counter, and we realized that there was a miscommunication.
Apparently, they thought we were just there for a tech to give the cats anti flea worm pills, as we had done in the past. When we had done this in the past, however, we were in the treatment room with the cats.
(side note: I am an expert pill-giver when it comes to cats, and I CANNOT get either of these two cats to cooperate....this is why we take them to a pro when they have to be pilled. Our vet doesn't charge us for this wonderful service. We only have to pay for the medication)
Unfortunately, it was too late.
They said that Pete had done fine with being taken out of his carrier and given pills without us being there to hold him.
However, it seems that Annabel, being back there without her people, had freaked ALL the way out, and would not be taken out of her carrier.
She shit all over herself, and also expressed her anal glands, so that the stink was overwhelming and nauseating.
Since they didn't know we had wanted to see a doc, to discuss what else we can do to get rid of fleas year round, and make our babies more comfortable, it was not such a good visit!
All we can do is hope that Miss Annabel doesn't have flea worms. They said that we can bring Annabel back and they can sedate her so that she can be examined and given meds.
I am thinking that is not likely, and I am also thinking that every trip to the vet for the rest of her life is now going to be a major undertaking.
We got them home, and released Annabel in the bathroom, in hopes that she would clean herself up. All she did was track shit all over the bathroom and cry. So, we let her out, and cleaned up after her for a couple of hours, while what she didn't get off of herself just dried to a crust.
There's still some on her back foot this morning.
So... they charged us for Pete's pills, and then they sold us expensive flea collars to try. They swear that these things are extremely effective. For $85 each, they fucking well better be!!
(Dave just looked them up on Amazon....they retail for $40 each...grrrr)
We've had to treat the cats multiple times for fleas, even though we've only ever seen one actual flea. Maybe these collars are going to be the key to success at long last.
On Thursday, I saw the doc, and had my monthly labs and injection.
All went well, and doc has changed my schedule to see him and get labs to every other month. That was nice before, and I am sure glad to see it again!
On the months that I don't have to see him or get labs, all I have to go for is my injection, and that takes 5 minutes.
My right thumb continues to be completely healed after the cortisone shot in December.
My left wrist, not so much, and now the right wrist is about even with the left.
I am thinking that the wrists will probably require surgery to go back to normal.
I am willing to give it a little more time, though. It's only been one month since we withdrew the injected hormone blocker, and went back to the pill.
The pain varies in intensity, and sometimes, there isn't any at all.
That can change suddenly, though, and with devastating consequences. (sudden, sharp pain while doing normal, every day tasks... yeah. I haven't managed to break anything yet, but HOLY SHIT, that hurts when it happens).
After my appointment, we did all of the errands because I had signed up for an on line meditation class, of sorts, that was to take place Friday night (we usually do our errands on Fridays after work).
I got all settled in to do the class, and the cable internet went out RIGHT as soon as the class started.
This has never happened before...and the timing was beyond aggravating.
Of course, service was restored after about a half hour, but that was too late for me to jump back in and know what was going on.
Fortunately, when I paid for the class, I got access to a recording of it. I missed the experience of taking it, live, at the same time as a thousand other people all over the world, but I can play it back and do it by myself.
Which I will probably do today.
In other news, my friend Rebecca is making me a dance costume from scratch. I will need to have any costuming custom made for the rest of my time doing dance.
We started on the base for the costume yesterday, and I think it's going to be great! I can't wait to see it.
She's doing all of the shopping, and I will pay her back, and then I will give her a massage to pay her for her labor (when my wrists aren't hurting).
Our next recital is at the end of March.
We tried roasting a whole chicken on the grill yesterday.
The weather was so hot, we didn't need the oven to be on for 2 hours. And, gosh, I had not looked at the forecast when I planned my menu! Imagine that!
It's February, after all...it's not supposed to be almost 90 degrees.
Anyway, the bird was supposed to be spatchcocked, but Dave lost his nerve, and was not able to take the shears to the bird to open it up. Said it gave him the willies.
We already knew I could not do it... I can't handle raw meat. It gives me the heaves.
SO....tried roasting it whole, and it didn't work. We had to turn the oven on anyway.
That sort of just fit in with all of our other thwarted plans this week.... No date night, no meditation class, no successfully outdoor-roasted chicken.
Whatever....
Dave is going to go take care of his Dad's grocery shopping today, and, while he is gone, I will make a trip to Trader Joe's to get a few items. The cats really like the food we're getting from there.
(Did I mention in a previous post that their regular food started making them vomit? We got a bad batch. Dave called the company, and they sent us coupons for the same food... um... no thanks!)
I will also put on my gloves and strip the chicken carcass, make soup, and do another cooking project for tonight's dinner.
Off to the shower. Enjoy your Sunday!
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