I’m so angry I can’t see straight. I have been waiting six months for an appointment with a neurologist to find out what might be wrong with me. After being turned down for two jobs, I thought maybe it was fate’s way of telling me that I needed more information before promising an employer I could do X or Y tasks. This afternoon – Friday at 4:00 pm – I got a call saying that my appointment on the 30th has been canceled and moved to May. It’s as if I were a brand new patient moved to the back of the line instead of someone who has been waiting for six months (and nearly a year before that). It appears that my health issues will continue to be mine to figure out, because no one else can be bothered.
Mommy made me go for an angry walk with her, and now I’m pooped.
Pretty sure I’m going to call that doctor’s office Every. Single. Day. until I get the answer I want. I also plan to see if I can get a referral to someone out of network. Someone who can keep an appointment.
Yesterday was the first snow of the season. I took Toby outside to play, and we decided to build a snowman. As I rolled the snow across the ground, I picked up pee spot after pee spot after pee spot. When I was done, I had more pee than snow. Toby was thrilled and even kicked the dirty snow into my face. (Thanks, Toby.) It was one of the grossest experiences I’ve had.
After some of the pee melted off, we decided that the snowman looked like a despondent cat.
You didn’t like my pee snow? I don’t believe it.
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Looking for a gift this holiday season? Consider giving the gift of warmth with this hand quilted Bear Paw Quilt! Heating costs are projected to be 28% higher this winter, so a nice, cozy quilt could help keep utility bills down. Plus, what is more fun than snuggling up together with someone you love on a cold, blustery evening?
I went to the store the other day to find that the cost of a loaf of my bread has risen to $9.19. Needless to say, on top of everything else I have to prepare from scratch, I’m now baking my own bread as well.
Before you wax nostalgic about the tactile joys of kneading dough, I eat a rice-based diet. The less you handle it, the better. Baking bread with a non-glutinous grain is more of a series of science experiment than something you remember doing by your loving grandmother’s side.
If I could get Toby to do even part of the cooking, it would make life so much easier. Sadly, he just eats the ingredients.
Cook whatever you want, I’m taking a nap.
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If you’d like to see what else my boys have been up to, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside the boys visit the museum of their dreams and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Dream Our World would make a great holiday present for someone you love without breaking your budget. Order a copy for everyone on your list!
Toby stole a can of cashews this week. He has been pooping nuts ever since.
You took mine, so I took yours.
I told you there was nothing sadder than a puppy with an empty dish. This puppy did something about it!
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All summer I have been watching fawn twins grow up. I’ve caught them frolicking in the fog and sunning themselves in the middle of the day. (Unusual because deer are crepuscular.) This day, while Toby and I were out making a nut deposit, we caught them watching us. This is the first time I’ve had a camera with me when we’ve seen them. They are so much more mature than when we first met.
What’s that yappy little thing saying? Something about venison?
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Do you have a little girl in your life who might enjoy celebrating the holidays in Dickensian style? If so, then this Red Velveteen Capelet was made for her! Whether out caroling with family and friends or heading off to a holiday dinner, Red Velveteen Capelet is sure to turn heads.
Last Monday I had a second MRI. This one was to see if there has been any damage to the nerves in my neck that might be causing some of my upper body symptoms. Guess what the results were? Yes, A OK! My neck is nearly perfect which is apparently all the more impressive given my age. (I didn’t realize 29 was such a milestone.)
Oddly, with everything looking so good with my neck, my diagnosis circles back to MS. The new doctor I have been seeing said that it is possible to have MS but not yet have any lesions on your brain. That would be why my CAT scan and MRI were both clear. To test for MS at this stage, you would need a spinal tap. Needless to say, I am not enthusiastic about this next step. In fact I am so unenthusiastic, I may not do it. (I have read posts from several people about their experiences saying that on a scale from 1-10, their pain was 100.)
My symptoms overlap both B12 deficiency and MS, but fit neither one well. I am generally considered old for MS, but the right age for a B12 deficiency. My symptoms are worse on the right (but also exist on the left) which is unlike B12 and more like MS. They affect my upper body more than my legs, but my legs are affected which is – well – both.
I have five weeks before my next appointment, and I plan to learn everything I can about MS and what treatment options are available. I had luck earlier in the year with CBD oil. Even though it is expensive, I intend to keep taking it. For some people I have talked to, that alone has worked better than any of the medications they have been prescribed for MS.
While this seems like rather stinky news, I did find a ladybug, a penny and a four leaf clover to balance out my luck.
I saved the clover from being peed on by Toby.
That was supposed to be my clover. I was marking it.
Anyway, your luck couldn’t get any better: you already have me!
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If you would like to see what else my little stinky monsters have been up to, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside, Bitey and Toby visit the museum of their dreams and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Did you know that psoriasis can make your hair fall out? Well it can! After falling out (again) last August, mine has finally started growing back and is maybe four or five inches long. When I stand in the light, I resemble a dandelion gone to seed.
I have a friend who is facing chemo and is rightly disappointed at the thought of losing her hair. I wanted to let her know that she is not alone. When I lost mine, I spent a good bit of time looking at chemo hats, and I found a company that I liked. It’s called Headcovers Unlimited, and it has a lot of options other than traditional chemo scarves.
Of course all their models have a healthy glow to their cheeks and don’t have tired eyes, but it is nice to imagine that I might look this cute in one of their hats. Some of the hats and scarves have hair in the back to protect your neck from the sun. (The hair is attached to the hat in this picture. )
So, if you are dealing with alopecia, you don’t need to send your husband beat up comedians. Instead splurge on some soft hats to make yourself feel better. And chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.
Not my image, but I wish it were!
Mommy gets lots of compliments on her pink sunhat
…but she gets even more compliments on me!
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Self conscious about the state of your hair? Then consider this dramatic hooded cape/cloak when you go out for the evening.
Made of light-drinking black pinwale corduroy and lined with soft as silk red acetate, this cloak is sure to make a bold statement wherever you go.
On top of all the regular responsibilities that come with fall, I have been walking my neighbor’s pup while she is away. The little Schnauzer learned to blackmail me very quickly. She refused to so much as pee unless she got a walk.
Of course I got walks too. I’ll share you, but you’re still my human.
By going on so many walks each day, I got to experience some incredible things. I got to hear the cock crow three times in the morning. I got to watch the fawn twins frolic and play, and I got to see the most incredibly heavy fog that looked like something from a movie.
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You’re alright for a girl.
You don’t smell too bad for a boy.
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Suitable for both foggy mornings and foggy evenings, Black Hooded Cloak/Cape can keep you warm while still looking stylish. Whether heading to an evening at the theatre or celebrating Halloween with ghouls and vampires, this satin-lined cloak is sure to make a statement.
The other night, Toby managed to jump up to the counter and steal and eat a banana peel before I could stop him. At 3:00 am he kindly gave the peel back. The poem has a happier ending than real life because it happened outside unlike reality which required an early morning kennel scrubbing. Thanks Toby.
Anytime, mom!
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If you would like to know more of what Toby and his brother have been up to, pick up a copy of DreamOurWorld. Inside Bitey (Geordie) and Toby visit the museum of their dreams and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.
Warm autumn evening- bee clouds swarm menacingly around the dumpster.
Don’t believe these drawings. I’ve been really nice to mommy lately.
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In some parts of the world, the weather is already starting to cool. Be prepared for those chilly nights with a warm, handmade quilt. This twin sized Patchwork Butterfly Quilt is hand appliqued, hand embroidered and hand quilted. (If you’d like, you can tell friends and family you made it yourself in your spare time during the lock down!)
The Adventures of Bitey Dog 