Screaming Pumpkin 2011

It's that time of year again my 2nd (hopefully annual) Screaming Pumpkin Race. I'm not going to lie I wasn't as excited about it this year as I was last year. It had been kind of a crappy few weeks and I wasn't really feeling it, nor had I trained for it as I had wanted to. But never the less I hauled my happy arse out in the cold. My only goal was to do better than last year, and I'm happy to report that I improved my time by 9 whole minutes. Here's some pics of our costumes. I was a little sore the next day to say the least. Here's to an even better time next year!

If it Should Be

IF IT SHOULD BE

If it should be that I grow weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle cannot be won.

You will be sad, I understand.
Don't let your grief then stay your hand.
For this day, more than all the rest,
Your love for me must stand the test.

We've had so many happy years.
What is to come can hold no fears.
You'd not want me to suffer so;
The time has come -- please let me go.

Take me where my need they'll tend,
And please stay with me till the end.
Hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time that you will see
The kindness that you did for me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I've been saved.

Please do not grieve -- it must be you
Who had this painful thing to do.
We've been so close, we two, these years;
Don't let your heart hold back its tears.

--- Anonymous ---

Today I had to make the very very very difficult decision to put my bff for the past 18 years to sleep. Domino had a great long life and I didn't want him to have to suffer down the road. We did everything we possibly could and gave him the best chance for recovery. We are all very sad that Domino is no longer with us but we are so grateful for the many years of memories we have. I know I was very lucky to be able to have him in my life for as many years as I did. Anyone who knew D-mo knew he was one cool cat. I'm going to miss you so much bub.

Everyone goes through a 'fat' stage

  

To Whoever gets the honor of taking care of Domino in heaven:

Domino is the greatest bestest cat ever. Please take care of him in heaven and let him know we love him very very much and are going to miss him like crazy. Tell granny not to get too upset with him if he leaves his wet balls in her bed.  He likes angel food cake and pumpkin filling. Let him have all the soft food his tummy can handle, he likes shrimp flavor.  He might lick your face while your trying to go to sleep but we let him even though it hurts your face sometimes. He likes to sleep under the covers when its cold and his favorite spot is to snuggle in and sleep in the crook of your arm. He likes to lay in a sunspot on the floor and doesn't like his back in front of his tail scratched. Please take good care of my bubby he meant a great deal to me and I'm going to miss my little friend a ton. Oh, and I almost forgot, he also likes to nudge the door open when you're going to the bathroom and sits on your feet... so be ready for that. He really just likes to sit on feet and if he scratches his paws (don't worry he's declawed) on your legs that means he wants you to pick him up and snuggle him.

Love,

Heather



Bumps in the Road

A Domino update.

Although he has been getting better we still have a bump in the road. Without going into details he hasn't had a BM since he's been sick. The vet is a little worried, she gave us some medicine to try and help things get moving. He still hasn't gone, we'll need to take him to the vet in the next few days to see if they can help. Kind of sounds like if that doesn't work, we're back to having to make a decision.

For now he's content to sit in a sunspot and be spoiled rotten by me and gma. If I lay down next to him he'll lick my face and when you start to pet him he'll purr really loud. I really hope my little guy gets better, he looks a lot better than he did the other day so that gives us hope. I really hope that it isn't false hope because that would make things a whole lot harder.

Getting Better

An update on Domino for anyone who might be wondering. He's getting better but still not great. He's eating and drinking with a little bit of help and is starting to scoot around a little bit. We've seen improvements everyday and hope he will get better soon. We go back to the vet next Friday for another steroid shot and hope he'll get better and better. I'm staying optimistic but know anything can happen, especially with an old kitty like Dom.

Dad and I also bit the bullet tonight and with a big ugh, we headed to the gym. They say the first step is always the hardest. Here's hoping it gets easier :)

Long

Long hours turn into long days.
Long days turn into long weeks.
Long weeks turn into long weekends.
Long weekends turn into long months.
Which brings us to October.

October has been a long month and it's only just started.

I've been working some OT at work but my ambition to even do that is quickly fading. I just feel a little blah. Work has been exhausting and emotionally draining. I never really understood how that happens but having to deal with the same things day in and day out really does make you exhausted, to the point where I would rather just sit at home and sleep most of the day. Or you sit and ponder all the other things you could be doing (knowing well that even if you were at home you wouldn't be doing them)

Add to that the fact that I am lazy. I don't remember being lazy, I played sports in high school so I wasn't a complete bum, and sitting in a chair all day for work doesn't help. I'm still working to find that inner motivation that I've lost and I really do want to be more active and walk or run but I am full of a million excuses and not a single one of them would hold up in court. My dad joined the gym again for the winter and I hope that making a deal with him to go will be enough to keep me honest.

Then on top of all of that. Friday night, my cat Domino who I've had since I was 7 had a stroke. Domino has been my buddy, my pal and bedtime snuggle bud for like the past like 18 years. Before I had him he was my granny's (great grandma) little buddy but once she started to get older she was afraid she'd trip over him so we took him in. She loved the little guy, and she'd always laugh and get annoyed at him when he'd leave his wet balls in her bed. He liked to leave his play toy balls in his water dish then jump up into bed with it and you'd roll over and have a wet surprise.

We took him to the vet and the news isn't good. He is unable to walk because he has no feeling in one of his front legs and has had a few seizures. He was given a steroid shot and sent home for us to wait it out. As of today he seems a little more alert but still unable to move. He will eat and drink when we feed him and we have him on a little puppy pad since he can't get up to go to the bathroom. I've read online that strokes in cats aren't like in humans and most cats can recover. How long do you hold out for better? We were told by the vet that if he isn't better by tomorrow he probably won't get better. He doesn't seem to be suffering which doesn't make my looming decision any better. I just really don't know what to do at all. It has been a very very long weekend and I haven't got a whole lot of sleep, a few naps here and there but I've been wanting to keep an eye on him. Gma has been nice enough to watch him downstairs for me so I could shower and get a nap. Everytime I'd leave the room when he was in my room he'd start to meow because I wasn't there. If you don't have pets or don't like pets you probably won't understand, but this is very difficult for me.

A very long weekend indeed. Keep Domino in your thoughts and me as well. It's going to be a tough few days in trying to decide what is right for him.