For Real

So, the theme this month at Mom Colored Glasses is organization. My organizational style is a bit hidden. As in no one can tell I'm organized. I organize in piles. And closets stuffed with stuff. And random items placed in random places that I may or may not remember later.

My fellow MCGer Maggie has started "For Real Fridays" on her blog. Basically she's showing us a glimpse into how things really are behind the scene at her house, since most of the time when we show pictures our blogs they are carefully cropped to show only the pretty side of our homes.

So, in the spirit of For Real Fridays and organization, I give you my pantry.

A jumble of boxes, bags, and "ready for avalanche" piles of food. I've been perusing some organization pins on Pinterest, and I had a few ideas. So, I bought a few baskets and started working. Mostly, I opened up boxes and am now storing granola bars, cereal bars, and cracker packs together instead of in their own boxes. Same thing goes for instant oatmeal and hot chocolate packets. It wasn't a huge change, but it's working. I need more baskets, but at least it's better.

And this is all the boxes and empty candy containers that I was then able to recycle!

 And, since I was on a roll, I reorganized 2 shelves in my hall linen closet. I didn't get a before shot, but believe me, this looks better :)

Too yummy not to share

I finally succumbed to Pinterest. I blame a friend of mine from vet school. She posted pictures on facebook of a dessert she made. She found the recipe on Pinterest. So I gave in and joined. And one of the first things I did was look up that recipe.

It. Was. Scrumptious!

I tracked the recipe back to a blog called Picky Palate. They are Oreo, peanut butter, brownie cupcakes. They were really easy. Here is how you make them.

Line a muffin tin with liners. You'll make between 12-18 depending on how thick your brownie mix is. The mix in the picture made 12, the next time I used a different mix (both said for an 8x8 pan) and I got 18.

Then layer 2 Oreos with peanut butter and drop them into the liner. I haven't tried to use double-stuff Oreos, but since the regular ones get pretty tall with the peanut butter and brownie mix, I'd be afraid that using the thicker cookies would cause the mix to spill over.

 After your cookies are in the tin, then mix up your brownie mix. If you mix it up before hand, it gets a little stiff and it's harder to spoon over the cookies. Try to get it to drip down over the sides of the cookies. It will drip some on its own while they're baking.

After they're done, take them out and let them cool. If you're planning on eating one right away, don't let it cool down much - just enough to keep from burning your fingers. They taste great covered in vanilla ice cream and hot fudge - trust me :)

Pets and arthritis - how to make them comfortable

This time of year is not good for arthritis sufferers. The cold, wet weather makes joints ache. The weather induced lack of exercise leads to stiffness as well as weight gain. This happens with people as well as the pets we love. But how can you tell if your pet suffers from arthritis, and what can be done to make them more comfortable?

For starters, watch your pet. Does your dog have a hard time getting up when he's been laying down? Does your cat take a few seconds to jump up on a chair when before she'd just leap up? Do you just think your older pet is slowing down from age? These can all be signs of arthritis. Animals often don't act painful until they've had arthritis for some time. It's up to you and your vet to determine if your pet suffers from arthritis.

Next - DO NOT GIVE THEM PEOPLE MEDICINE! Dogs and cats process medicine very differently than humans. The pain medicine that people use can cause ulcers and bleeding disorders in animals. Billions of dollars have been spent researching how pets tolerate different medications, and there are special arthritis medicines just for them. These medicines cannot be mixed either. If a dog needs to switch from one medicine to another, you have to stop giving the medicine (or steroid) for 2-7 days to let the animal eliminate that drug before you can start another one. So, that means that if you happened to give your dog an aspirin (or some old steroid you had lying around, or your other dog's leftover pain medicine from her spay), your vet will not be able to start a new (more appropriate) drug until the other drug has left your dog's bloodstream. So, do not give any meds without talking to your vet, and always (ALWAYS) tell your vet about any medicine (prescription, over-the-counter, or vitamins) that your dog has had within the past few weeks).

So, the most important step in treating your pet's arthritis pain is to make a visit to their veterinarian. The doctor will do a physical and feel the joints to see if there are any injuries. They may want to take x-rays to see which joints have arthritis. They will do blood work to see if there are any underlying issues that may not make it safe to start arthritis medicine. If a dog or cat has increased liver or kidney enzymes then they may have to choose a different medication or decrease the dose. These blood tests will need to be repeated after the pet has been on the medicine to make sure the drug did not change anything. Then they will probably be repeated once a year to monitor their response to the drugs.

http://www.projectpetslimdown.com/

There are other things you can do for your pet's arthritis. Most importantly, if they're overweight, put them on a diet and exercise program. 3 extra pounds on a Boston Terrier is the same as 30 extra pounds on a 150lb person. If their joints are aching, wouldn't it feel better to carry around less weight? The easiest way to take weight off a pet is to decrease their food. Talk to your vet about how much your cat or dog should actually be eating - the truth is most of us over feed our animals. If your pet is obese you may need to switch to a perscription diet food for a while. It may be more expensive than the food you get at the grocery store, but in the long run it will be worth it. Low impact exercise like walking and swimming are also a great way to decrease fat and increase muscle on your dog. For cats, buy them feather toys or balls to chase - and then play with them and make sure they're moving around. Most cats eat, then sleep all day. If we can get them moving around we can get some of that weight off.

There are also some vitamins and supplements that can help with arthritis. Omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin are all good for joints. Many times you can buy these over the counter, but check with your vet to determine your pet's dose. Also know that sometimes the human products aren't monitored by the FDA since they're not actually a drug. There are veterinary products on the market that are safer - Dasuquin by Nutramax is my personal favorite, but check with your vet to see what they recommend.


Image from http://www.canineequinerehab.com/ 

Physical therapy is also utilized in animals. There are veterinary physical therapists who have special techniques to help animals in pain. They use many of the same therapies that are used in human medicine, including hydrotherapy, laser therapy, balance exercises, and muscle strengthening and range of motion exercises. Ask your vet if they do PT at their office, or if there is a veterinary physical therapist nearby.

Lastly, there are additional medicines that your vet may use to decrease your pet's pain. Adequan is an injection that can strengthen joint cartilage and slow down arthritis. There are other perscription medicines that can be given along with arthritis meds - these are particularlly helpful if the arthritis meds aren't working as well as the dog's arthritis gets worse, or if you need to decrease the arthritis drugs because of increased kidney or liver enzymes. There are also perscription dog and cat foods designed for arthritic animals. They are high in omega fatty acids and in some animals delay the need for medicine.

Our pets give us lots of love. Let's return the favor and take extra special care of them as they get older and their joints get creakier. Make an appointment with your vet today if you suspect your cat or dog has arthritis. With their help you can make a plan to make your four legged kids as comfortable as possible!

I have a lump

So, I need some therapeutic blogging. I'm worried about something, and I need to get it out.

I have a lump. I have a lump in my neck. According to the doctor it's actually two lymph nodes, and he's taking them out on Monday. Maybe I should start from the beginning.

Last August I had a sinus infection. As I usually do, I checked to see if my lymph nodes were enlarged. The one on the left side of my neck was. I had already started antibiotics, so I didn't think anything about it.

In September I noticed the node was enlarged again. But I had some ulcers in my mouth (courtsey of some head butts from Tommy), so I just figured it was from that.

In October, when I didn't have any infections or sores, I realized that the node was still large. I started to wonder if it had been enlarged since August. So I called to make an appointment with my doctor. Due to some scheduling conflicts, I couldn't get in until just before Christmas. I figured that if the node was just from my infection(s) it would have gone away by then and I could cancel the appointment.

So in December the node was still there. I saw my doctor, and she said she thought it was a lipoma, which is a benign fatty mass. She showed me one she had up near her ear, and it felt similar. She said I should see an ENT just to be sure, and her office would set me up an appointment. I told the nurse to make it on a Thursday (my off day) and to call me. I didn't figure I'd hear from them till after the holidays.

So, I still hadn't heard the second week of Janurary. So I called. Turns out, I had missed the appointment on Dec 27th (a Tuesday), and they had my cell phone number wrong and tried calling my work after hours. So, I called the ENT directly and scheduled an appointment for Thursday of that week. After feeling my lump, feeling the rest of my neck, and sticking a scope down my nose to look at the inside of my throat, my doctor said I needed a CT. He said that was not a normal location for a lipoma. He said it could be a cyst, a lymph node, or another type of a tumor. I had the CT that afternoon, but I couldn't come back and see him until Tuesday morning for him to go over the results. I did try to look at the films myself, but since the lump wasn't very big, and I'm not used to looking at either human films or CT scans, I couldn't figure out what I was looking at.

So, back to yesterday. The doctor said it is actually two lymph nodes on top of each other. So we're taking them out so he can send them to the pathologists to see if they are just reactive and benign, or if I have lymphoma. If I do have lymphoma, he said it's very treatable.

So, I'm a little scared. I'd be a lot scared, but I'm not letting myself get that far. Right now, I'm mostly scared about the surgery. No, actually, to be honest, I'm scared of the anesthesia. I'm a control freak, and I'm going into uncharted territory. I've never had anesthesia before, and the unknown of it scares me. What will it feel like, how will I react, what will happen when I wake up. I'm also freaking out about the scheduling. I won't find out till Friday when I need to be there, so I can't make plans yet. Tommy's daycare doesn't open till 6:30, so what if I need to be there before then? Can Sam drop me off, then drop Tommy off, then make it back before my surgery? How will I feel that night? Will I still be able to take care of Tommy? Will I be ok to go to work on Tuesday like the doctor said I will?

So, I need to slap myself. I realize that worrying about this stuff won't fix it. Sam will take care of me and Tommy, both that morning, that evening, and even the next day if needed. The anesthesia will probably be over and done with, and I'll be asleep, before I even remember to be nervous about it. The surgery itself doesn't bother me - he explained the procedure and it's one I've done in dogs and cats. I'll have some stitches, but those don't bother me either. As for the pathology, I'm leaving that one with God. He will guide the surgeon's hand, he will guide the anestheologist, and he will help us deal with whatever the outcome of the pathology is.

So, I do feel better now. Getting it all out in black and white always makes me feel better. Even if no one reads this blog, I feel better just writing it. If you do read it, please pray for us. Pray that I'll be able to have peace about the situation. Pray that Sam will have peace and won't worry too much either. Pray that I don't have cancer. Pray that if I do have cancer we caught it early and we can treat it.

Whew, it feels good to get that out. It feels good to ask for prayer. Thanks for listening :)

Things I don't do

Last month two of my friends Maggie and Rachel did posts about things they do and don't do. I thought both posts were fun, so here is my list. I'll start with things I don't do, and then I'll tell you what I do (do do?).

1. Clean - this includes dusting, vacuuming, cleaning up clutter, changing sheets regularly, etc. I know how, I just don't like to. I do a good cleaning a few times a year if we're having company over. For 2 years my grandmother paid for a maid to come in and give it a real cleaning as part of my Christmas present. I hate to admit it, but there may be corners of my house that haven't been cleaned since December 2010.

2. Wear makeup every day. Partly because I don't have much time, but mostly because I just don't really care about it. I was a tomboy growing up, and I never got into doing my makeup. Or hair, for that matter.

3. Return emails. Or texts. Or real letters. I'm horrible about it. If I do it right away I'm good, but if I'm busy or I think I need to think about how I'm going to respond, I'll forget. So, if I don't respond to you, don't take it personally. Just send the message again (and again, and again) until you get what you need.

4. Cook big meals. I love big meals. I even like to cook them. Unfortunately, they require planning. They require making a list for the store, going to the store, remembering to buy everything at the store, finding time to cook, actually cooking, eating, and then cleaning up. I have time to do some of these things, but usually not all of them in the same week. I did, however, cook Thanksgiving this year, with a little help from my mother-in-law, at my house (which I partially cleaned) and it was a success!

5. Swear (or cuss, or curse, or whatever you call it). At least not often. I admit, occasionally I'll get really upset about something and something will slip out. But I don't use it in normal conversation. I don't like it, and I think it makes people sound uneducated when you can't talk to someone without using bad language.

6. Worry. I learned a long time ago that worrying doesn't actually do anything. If I catch myself worrying about something, I'll stop and evaluate the situation. If I can't actually find a way to make the situation better and be proactive about it, I'll put it out of my mind and leave it alone. I know that not everyone has the ability to do that, but it works for me.

7. Eat healthy. I love junk food - chocolate, pizza, burgers, chocolate, candy, steak, fried chicken, chocolate, ice cream, fries, chocolate. You get the idea. I have high cholesterol, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference what I eat. The only thing that helps is medicine. So I eat what I want.

8. Gain weight. Yeah, go ahead and hate me. I would. I can't help it, but no matter what I eat the scale doesn't go up. Unless I'm pregnant (which I'm not).

9. Go to bed early. I'm a night owl. I've learned to function in the morning, but I don't like it. I like the quiet night hours when Tommy is asleep and I can read, watch TV, surf the computer, or cuddle with Sam without interruption.

10. Exercise. I'm on my feet all day and I have a 2 1/2 year old. Enough said. Also, see #8.

11. Worry about germs with Tommy. The kids a walking mess some days. He eats stuff off the ground before I can stop him. He licks windows. He touches everything. I carry wipes, but not antibacterial liquid. The kid's in daycare - he's bound to have a tough immune system.

12. Stay warm. I'm always cold. That's the main reason I moved from a northern state to a southern one. I wear layers, thick coats, scarves, and gloves. And I'm usually still cold. And can someone explain to me why restaurants and movie theaters are always so cold, even in the summer? Why do I need to bring a blanket and long pants when it's shorts and tank tops hot outside?!?

That's all I can think of right now. If I think of more, I'll come back and add them. What's on your list?

Peace

Last week's sermon was from Philippians 4:6-7:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Peace. It's a word thrown around a lot this time of year. Peace on earth, Prince of peace, Joy, Peace, and Love - it's a big theme around Christmas. Do we really know what it means? Do we actually know how to get it?

Luke 2:14 in the King James Version implies that God was sending peace to everyone on earth. But if you read it in the New American Standard it indicates that he was sending peace to those with whom he was pleased. The NIV translates it as on whom his favor rests. The passage in Philippians refers to a peace which we cannot understand.

So, the peace that we should be seeking is one that we can't understand and is given to those who please God.

So, you're not peaceful? Start with these 2 steps.

First, is God pleased with you? Examine your own life, and make sure nothing is holding you back. Deal with conflict in your life, and make sure you're not standing in your own way. To have the Peace of God, we need to be at peace with God.

Second, ask for peace. It sounds simple, but often people skip this step. They go looking for peace. They try to do things to bring peace. They worry that they don't have peace. This, the worrying, may be the worst of all.

Worry is the anti-peace. We cannot have peace if we are worrying about something. I don't mean a passing concern, I mean all consuming worry. The constant thinking about something and trying to work out a solution on your own. Prayer is the antidote for worry. Ask God to help you stop worrying! Remember, God is powerful. He can handle it!

Sometimes it's hard to stop worrying. We can say we "give it to God," but sometimes it's hard to actually let go of that worry. Sometimes we need to literally cry out to God. I remember an episode of the Cosby show where Cliff was talking to Theo about his girl problems. Theo was trying to write a poem to apologize to a girl named Justine. Cliff tells him he needs to beg her, really beg her for forgivness. At the end of the clip Theo is belting out her name, almost in pain calling her. Sometimes this is what we need to do when we call out to God. If we truly desire peace, we sometimes need to be forceful with our request.

This time of year can be particularly hectic, and peace may be a hard thing to find. When you're feeling especially stressed, stop. Take a breath. Evaluate your situation. Make sure you're where you should be, ask God for peace, and expect to receive it. Take time to enjoy the real "reason for the season." God sent Jesus Christ as a gift to humans, so that we may have a personal relationship with him, and be able to tap into real inner peace - the peace that comes from the internal, eternal presence of the Prince of Peace.

Pets shattering your peace?

Imagine it's Christmas time, you're up before the rest of the household, the house is quiet, you just poured a nice cup of coffee with gingerbread creamer, and you're feeling relaxed. Then, you step in cat vomit. Or dog urine, or poop - it really doesn't matter. It's all gross, and it can shatter your peaceful mood in seconds.

So, what to do? Lock them in a part of the house with no carpets? Decide that they will be an outside pet from now on? Farm them off to some friend or relative who has no sense of smell?

Before we do anything drastic, take them to the vet to see if they have a medical problem. Here is a run down of some of the most common icky-producing problems I see every week.

Cats that urinate outside the litter box

I see at least one of these a week. The first thing we do is check their urine for infection. If they have a UTI we can clear it up with antibiotics. Some cats have disorder where the urine produced by their kidneys is irritating to the bladder or produces crystals that can turn into bladder stones. If that's the case putting them on special food can help. If we find glucose in the urine we then test for diabetes, which can be treated with another special food and daily insulin shots. Lastly, if the urine is especially dilute the cat may be in early kidney failure, which can be slowed down with a special diet and medication.


Feliway




If the cat does not have a medical condition, we assume the inappropriate urination is behavioral. Cats are like teenagers - they act out. Putting the cat on anxiety medications or adding cat pheromones to their environment can help a lot. Often cats who did have a medical condition will develop a behavioral issue after the original problem is resolved.




Dogs that urinate in the house

This is the time of year for dogs to have UTIs also. With cooler temperatures they don't drink as much water, so things tend to concentrate in the bladder. This can lead to urinary tract infections and possible bladder stones. We do the same testing on dogs as we do with the cats. In addition, dogs are more likely than cats to have bladder stones. These stones can be picked up on ultrasound or x-rays of the abdomen. Some stones can be dissolved with special food, but others need to be removed surgically. Once a dog forms a stone, it is assumed they will form more. So they stay on their special food even once the stone is gone.

Cats that vomit

This is also a common complaint. Often it is a simple hairball problem. Even if you don't see hair in the vomit, I still recommend treating with CatLax or another hairball laxative for a few days to see if that resolves the problem. If that doesn't work, or if they're really ill, they will need blood work to look for medical problems. Many of the same issues that cause cats to urinate outside the box can also cause vomiting. Cats can also have irritable bowel, which often doesn't show up on blood work. This is sometimes related to food allergies and can be treated with special food and steroids. Occasionally GI parasites can cause vomiting. Bring a stool sample with you when you visit the vet so they can check and see if your cat needs to be dewormed.

Dogs that vomit

Often dogs will vomit just because they ate grass or some leaves. If this is the case, they will still have a normal appetite and feel fine. If a dog vomits once or twice but seems fine, try withholding food and water for 12-24 hours to let the stomach calm down and see if that stops the vomiting. If a dog acts like it feels bad or vomits often, they need to be seen by a vet. Blood work can look for medical causes, fecal exam can reveal parasite causes, and physical exam may find abdominal pain that could mean a foreign body obstruction. Dogs like to eat non-food items like toys, sticks, clothing, or towels, and these can become stuck as they pass through the GI system. They usually will need to be removed surgically. Also, if dogs eat people food or other food that they're not used to (cat food, dead squirrels, etc), this can upset their stomach and lead to pancreatitis. This would need to be treated with medication and fluids, and often requires hospitalization.

Poop

I had a roommate in vet school whose cat liked to poop in my bathtub. Stepping on wet poop with bare feet at 6am is not peaceful. Poop is gross, and should only be found outside or in litter boxes. Both dogs and cats will sometimes poop in the house if they have parasites, so a fecal should be checked first thing. Also, some medical conditions like irritable bowel or food allergies can cause loose stools, and sometimes the animal just can't make it to where they're supposed to go in time. Lastly, pooping can be a behavioral problem just like urinating. If medical conditions are ruled out than dealing with behavior issues may be necessary.

Veterinary Partner is a website I often send owners to for information. They have good information on cat urinary behaviors, long term care of chronic conditions, and the basics on parasite control. Your vet is the best source of information for your particular animal, so don't be afraid to call them if you have questions!

Fat lip momma

So I took a week off from blogging. The fact that I blogged everyday for two weeks is pretty impressive, but it was just too much for me. Since I work all day I was writing most of my blogs after my son went to bed, and often after my husband went to sleep too. That led to late nights and not a lot of quality time with hubby. So I took a break. I even abandoned facebook for a few days.

So now I feel refreshed with a few new blog ideas in my head - to be released gradually, but in a more timely fashion than in the past (ie: more than twice a year).

But today is not a day for those blogs, for I have an injury. It seems my son, rambunctious boy that he is, has decided that bonking me in the face with his hard noggin is fun. Even after several time-outs and discussions about "not nice" and "giving Mommy boo-boos" he still thinks it's an acceptable way to say hello. And so, while snuggling in bed watching TV, he turned to me. Thinking he was going to give me a kiss I puckered up, and he smacked his forehead right into my lips.

Um, ouch. A lot. And blood.

So, after some ice and a lot of lip balm, this is my lip. I learned it's hard to drink coffee with only one side of my mouth. My bad habit of chewing my lips is out of the question for now. I'm just hoping it's less sensitive by tomorrow.

But, Tommy did kiss it for me, after he apologized and was let out of time-out. And toddler kisses heal anything, right?

Giving back with animals

Our pets give to us all the time. They give us affection, entertainment, and comfort (and sometimes hair, slobber, and other gifts). But how can we give back to them?

First of all, take care of the animals you have. Make sure they go to the vet regularly for checkups, stay on any needed medication, and have good food and grooming care. But beyond that, there are several things you can do.

Volunteer at your local humane society. Many of them run on donations, and workers either aren't paid or work for minimum wage. Sometimes they just need people to walk, feed, and play with the animals there. They often need supplies too. Towels, cleaning supplies, food, and money are all usually needed.

Don't forget about local rescue groups too. They usually use foster homes, and don't have a central building like the humane society does. They usually run completely on donations, so help at any time of the year is welcome.

There are also ways you can use your pets to give back to people. If you have a well behaved animal you may take them to visit people who don't have many visitors. There are special programs, like Hand In Paw, Therapaws, and West Michigan Therapy Dogs, Inc, who train dogs to visit hospital patients to provide comfort and stimulation. These dogs go through behavior and health evaluations to make sure they are a good fit for the program.

If you're still looking for ways to give back either with or to animals, check with your local veterinarians. They may be able to guide you in the right direction, and they can also help you make sure you're giving your pet everything they need.

Happiness

Well, this week has been quite crazy. I was tired from the rush of the week, so last night I went to bed early instead of writing my blog post. As I said on November 5th when I started this challange (4 days late), I probably won't be able to blog every day. So, here is the post I would have written yesterday.

The prompt for today is "What has been the happiest moment of your life thus far?"



This is me and my son. He and his daddy are the loves of my life. I can't say that the moment he came into the world was the happiest time of my life - to be completely honest I was just relieved that the pain had stopped and he was healthy and crying. But a few moment later when they placed him on my chest was the happiest moment. (for full disclosure sake I must confess that this picture was taken the next day. No one snapped a picture of us right after his birth, not that I really minded)


I wanted to be a mother most of my life. I've wanted kids way longer than I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I was a kid I'd pray and ask God to make my dolls come to life so I could have babies of my own. I took the Red Cross babysitting course at age 12, and started sitting for friends' and neighbors' kids when I turned 13. I helped my mom change my youngest brother's diapers (back when we used cloth diapers with real pins) and I helped feed him in his high chair. I worked the nursery at church growing up, at college, and after we got married. I just loved being around kids.

So, in June of 2008 when we found out we were pregnant, after just over a year of trying, I was thrilled. A little scared, but thrilled. It was actually kind of unexpected. We had been having trouble, my hormones weren't doing what the doctors expected, and we were about to explore fertility treatments. The month before I had some tests done at the fertility specialist, and the following month we were going in to discuss our options. It seems the tests may have opened up a blockage of some kind, and that had allowed us to conceive.

An so, in February 2009 we had a little boy. And it was love at first site. And the little boy grew (and grew, and grew). And he got me up every night for months (actually years). And he spit up on me, peed on me, and got poop on me, but I still loved him. Eventually he turned 18 months old and started the terrible twos (why not start early?), but I still loved him. Now he's a big boy, who sometimes has temper issues, but somehow always gets a smile from me in the end.

So here's some pictures of me and baby boy through the years: