What's on your Mind Thread - 2023

[FeralHearts]

I have an insulated cup with a straw I keep with me almost all the time. It helps me remember to drink more water when it's not hot out. Would something like that help that she could keep with her?

Thank you! Yes, that actually might help! Very smart idea.

She did manage to get me at the office. "Tell my wretched, wicked daughter to shut it off" she was laughing and I told her that's what she gets for telling me to do something that she is not doing for herself. We did have a really good laugh about it.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Speaking of bugs, for the first time since I moved into this apartment, there are miIIipedes! AImost daiIy. They drive Hek nuts, moving fast enough to catch her attention, but not fast enough to trigger her prey drive. Now, they are one of those that don't squick me out, so I scoop them up in a tissue and toss their buggy butts out the door. I have to wonder if they taIk about their "aIien abduction" to their friends...

 

[FeralHearts]

I have to wonder if they taIk about their "aIien abduction" to their friends...

I think yes. Maybe they will warn others and leave you be!

 

[iPappy]

@kashmir64 and anyone else who read my rant about the phone call to the vet the other day.

Apparently I was talking to a receptionist the other day, not a vet tech. Yikes. That makes that conversation so much worse and not appropriate at all. She's relatively new so hopefully she gets some more training. We all have to learn somehow and mistakes is often sadly how it's done.

When the one Vet Tech called back (I adore this one so much so I was glad it was her as she's a solid human) I realized there have been a lot of miscommunications, which explains the last few months. I don't know what the situation is in the US, but here we don't have enough vets for the influx of animals since covid. Everyone is stretched. There have been a lot of new people there that I saw, a new system and they added another vet. The perfect storm as they say.

Bless my Docs heart, she researched her heart out and even called an oncologist in the US; where the one portion of the Advanced GI panel I was asking about is done. It's apparently the only place that does it. The US oncologist gave her lots of info and the end result was don't bother with it. It's not worth it.

We've now put a solid plan in place for BH that will be good for monitoring her. I feel like a weight has been lifted. That's the vet I know and love. I'm glad this was the result.

There is a large clinic nearby and I have heard similar complaints from my customers about the receptionists. One customer even called out an incredibly rude receptionist in the waiting room when the vet was standing right there. Unfortunately the vet could do nothing as they don't own the practice. I am glad things got ironed out for you.

 

[iPappy]

Thank you! Yes, that actually might help! Very smart idea.

She did manage to get me at the office. "Tell my wretched, wicked daughter to shut it off" she was laughing and I told her that's what she gets for telling me to do something that she is not doing for herself. We did have a really good laugh about it.

That sounds like something my Mom and I would do and laugh about!
I love my insulated cup. It's very tall, and I can fill it up in the morning and work on it all day.
You could also suggest adding things like ice and a bit of lemon, lime, or even orange. That is so refreshing and has some flavor for people who aren't big fans of plain water.

 

[susanm9006]

Speaking of bugs, for the first time since I moved into this apartment, there are miIIipedes! AImost daiIy. They drive Hek nuts, moving fast enough to catch her attention, but not fast enough to trigger her prey drive. Now, they are one of those that don't squick me out, so I scoop them up in a tissue and toss their buggy butts out the door. I have to wonder if they taIk about their "aIien abduction" to their friends...

When I first moved to this house I used to see them all The time and the cats went nuts chasing them. But apparently they don’t taste that good because I would find the dead bodies stripped of their legs.

 

[FeralHearts]

There is a large clinic nearby and I have heard similar complaints from my customers about the receptionists. One customer even called out an incredibly rude receptionist in the waiting room when the vet was standing right there. Unfortunately the vet could do nothing as they don't own the practice. I am glad things got ironed out for you.

Covid I think really messed the world up. It took people that were perhaps on the edge of things and pushed them right over. You see it in the attitudes, the driving.. everything. The total flip-the-world-up-side-down. Maybe I'm wrong and it's a big coincidence.

Thank you. I'm relieved as I was worried about what I was going to have to do as this is not a bad vet clinic and I like them very much. It's been a bit shocking the past few months but now I get why. Understanding is such an important thing.

If I had to give a % of responsibility for what happened with Mia and her early passing - I hold myself 65- 70% responsible because ultimately she was my responsibility. 20-25 to the oncologist and the remainder to not my vet, but the clinic itself and the poor communication/ lack of it /lack of getting the information to her vet responsible for her early passing. It's seems unfair in a way to say that... but it's how I feel and I think it's valid.

The worst thing is that I had said to a friend that when Mia's annual came up in August if I heard "she's just a fat cat nothing's wrong" one more time - she was going for a second opinion without discussion. Sadly that realization came too late.

I say early passing as I have a view about things that might be slightly different then some. I know a lot of people say "The outcome would be the same" but for me the difference is this:

If someone says someone you love is going to pass in say 4 -6 months and there is nothing that can be done, you can try, but lucks not on your side nor is the science... BUT there is something going on that is treatable and if not treated they'll be gone in a week or two, but if treated they'll still go in 4 -6 months just more comfortably and have some time. To me, you treat it and get them the time.

With Mia everyone had tunnel vision. Myself included - and I wasn't thinking with all my brain cells firing. Had I been the outcome would probably have gone very differently. It's something I have to learn to live with (unless I find my time machine - or build it) but it's a bitter painful pill to swallow. Losing her in the parking lot at the vets - it's not how she should have gone. She deserved better.

I love my vet. She is amazing and often takes the time to play what I call "the humor the human" game with me as she understands I need to know what and why. I do better when not blindly following. Mia's case was one of the first times I've ever ignored my instincts because I'd never dealt with this kind of illness before and was navagting. It was a mistake. I know better. For some reason it was like I was outside my body watching. Frozen - and I don't freeze. Freak out a bit sometimes - sure - but I pull myself together and I do and I push through. I don't freeze but I froze. It's the only way I can describe it. Hard lesson to take in.

So when the BH issue came up and I saw the same pattern happening I was like "Oh no, this is not happening again. No way" At least now I understand a bit more how it happened the way it did and know what I need to do to help them, as a client, navigate changes. I can't change anyone else's behavior, or reactions or anything else - I can change myself and my own approach though.

Hopefully that make sense.

I am sorry to hear it's like that there as well. It's good that the client called the receptionist out. I think sometimes that can snap people back into realizing that they are dealing with a person that has actually feelings. Sometimes, even when someone is standing in front of someone - it's like they don't see them as a fellow human being - or they forget as they are so involved in their own head.

I hope someone took that receptionist aside and had a proper chat with them after the client left or told the practice owner so that they were able to remind that receptionist to be a good human... mind you that client may well have done that for them.

 

[FeralHearts]

That sounds like something my Mom and I would do and laugh about!
I love my insulated cup. It's very tall, and I can fill it up in the morning and work on it all day.
You could also suggest adding things like ice and a bit of lemon, lime, or even orange. That is so refreshing and has some flavor for people who aren't big fans of plain water.

HAHA I'm glad someone else has that kind of wacky relationship with their Mom!!!

More good ideas, thank you I think she'd like that and funny you say that about not liking water because..... when I make her a green tea, or she makes herself one... literally it's a couple of dunks of the bag. I look at her and I have to ask her if she's just trying to make colored water. :-\ I don't get it LOL

When I first moved to this house I used to see them all The time and the cats went nuts chasing them. But apparently they don’t taste that good because I would find the dead bodies stripped of their legs.

Maybe it's like frog legs? A delicacy for the cats? but ewww.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

When I first moved to this house I used to see them all The time and the cats went nuts chasing them. But apparently they don’t taste that good because I would find the dead bodies stripped of their legs.

Darned kids. Just eat the drumsticks!

 

[maggiedemi]

Mom's roommate's cat Tiggy. My BFF.

 

[FeralHearts]

M maggiedemi Precious!!!

 

[muffy]

Tiggy is beautifull. I love the eyes.

 

[maggiedemi]

Thanks everybody. Tiggy loves compliments. He's really old. Like 18 I think! Hope he doesn't die. I love him so much, can't imagine not being able to visit him. I look forward to it every Friday! I yell out, Tiggy I'm home!

 

[maggiedemi]

Here are some pics of the alpaca & clydesdale horses at the nature center today! I went with mom's roommate, her cousin, her daughter, her grandson & his friend. After that we got cappuccino & then went to the riverside & blasted music & danced on the riverbank. Then got a pizza sub.

 

[muffy]

They are beautiful. Glad to see that you are gettig out and enjoying yourself. Are you in one of the pictures?

 

[maggie101]

For some unneeded info, the coldest it's gotten in Houston is -23 in 1932

I asked Alexa.if you have an Echo,she's like a computer. So try it out! For fun, my sis asked alexa if she can ---- then alexa made a bunch of noises. Try saying Alexa,meow

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I managed to find 32 new books during the Amazon Stuff Your Kindle event. I only had to wade through 151 pages of smut to find the clean stuff. Fortunately most of the covers or titles gave enough away that I didn't have to look at too many titles I rejected. A good number were Christmas themed so those will go in my Christmas collection for when the holidays get closer. I haven't decided what to read first though. A few were from authors I already enjoy so maybe I'll start there.

I asked Alexa.if you have an Echo,she's like a computer. So try it out! For fun, my sis asked alexa if she can ---- then alexa made a bunch of noises. Try saying Alexa,meow

If we had alexa my son would drive us all nuts with it. It might help satisfy his curious mind though! Right now he still thinks I'm Alexa. I can be in the middle of a lesson and he'll interrupt with a completley unrelated question.

 

[iPappy]

If we had alexa my son would drive us all nuts with it. It might help satisfy his curious mind though! Right now he still thinks I'm Alexa. I can be in the middle of a lesson and he'll interrupt with a completley unrelated question.

Kids like that crack me up, especially when they ask you a random question and as you begin to answer they interrupt you with another totally different and unrelated question!

 

[maggie101]

I was at work and heard someone talking to her daughter named Alexa. Hope they don't have an echo

 

[maggiedemi]

They are beautiful. Glad to see that you are gettig out and enjoying yourself. Are you in one of the pictures?

Heck no! I hate having my picture taken! I accidentally got a ton of people in the shot with the animals. I don't know how to take pics very well yet.