7 posts tagged “health”

A couple of weeks ago my oldest dog, Daffy, had an abscess in his mouth, so we took him to the emergency vet.  He cleaned the area and x-rayed.  He found a mass in Daffy's jaw and suggested we follow up with our regular vet after the infection was treated with antibiotics.  Daffy seemed to feel a little better, but was tired and clingy, which is unusual for him.

We had Daffy's teeth cleaned and the doctor did a biopsy of the mass in his jaw.  After the teeth cleaning, Daffy was listless and clingy, so we took him back to the vet to get the results of the biopsy and to find out what to do about Daffy.
Unfortunately, the mass in his jaw is squamous cell carcinoma. 

Daffy is quite an old dog.  He was found as a stray, kept for a few months by the people that found him, then turned in to the shelter where I volunteer.  I had just lost a small dog so I adopted him within a few hours of seeing him.  He's a Pomeranian.  I've had him for 3 years, and we estimate he is 10-12 now.  He's losing his hearing and his eyes are getting cloudy.

The plan is to try to keep treating the symptoms and to keep him comfortable as long as Daffy is enjoying life.  The doctor said he was not ready to give up yet, but I know the time is coming.  The current medicine has pepped him up quite a bit and he has his appetite and energy back which is very good to see.  My family, and especially my husband and I, are enjoying this extra time with him.  We know it won't last forever and we will be ready to let him go when the time comes.

Daffy

I haven't been updating much because I've been working in the studio every spare minute to get ready for my turn as the featured artist at the gallery where my work is.  I just finished setting up all my artwork in the window and everybody tells me it looks great.  Hopefully it will sell some jewelry and stuff. 

doing the work was pretty challenging because I was fighting the limitations of my body, particularly at the end when I was trying to steal time anywhere to get the work finished.  I found that I couldn't work the way I used to, where I would sit all day at the table dabbling in clay.  Now I can only sit at the table for a few hours and then I have to lie down or at least move to an easy chair.  If I wasn't using a special back chair (the kind you sort of kneel in) I wouldn't be able to do it at all.  The back chair gives me lots of mobility from my hips up, so I can turn and reach things without getting up or straining my upper body.

As I've been working I've been gradually cleaning out and organizing my studio so it is a better place to work.  I haven't really done much work in the studio in the last couple of years, so it is good to finally start getting use of the room for what we bought it for. (My studio is a FROG that we had to pay extra for...something my hubby reminds me of from time to time.

It's sunny and the weather is great here.  I'm making progress on my project, although I always feel about two steps behind. 

I actually got some creative work done of my own lately, which feels great.  I want more!  I know it will happen, just as soon as the big project finishes at the end of this month. 

The project is a lot of work, but it pays some of the bills and buys supplies for making my art. 

I had a really bad day Wednesday when I couldn't use my left arm.  After some intense resting and heat treatments, I was back to normal on Thursday. 

Random updates, I know, but in general....things are looking up!

Just like the old Beatles song, I'm improving gradually.  The damage from the fall has healed and the colds have passed.  Other than my regular problems and spring allergies, I'm doing OK.  Hello again, Dogwood!

The dog recovered from his injuries and has no lasting problems, which is great!  We were really worried for a while. 

I've been working really hard but my project is starting to slow down a little, so hopefully I can get busy in the studio on my own work.

That's about it for today.  Just an update .  Hope you, too, are "getting so much better all the time."

On Valentine's Day, I got my toe wrapped in a cord and fell hard onto my left side.  No hospital-worthy damage thanks to the carpet, but I'm one sore puppy right now!  In addition I got sick so I am not doing well at the moment.  I took one day off from my work, but I'm too busy so I am up and trying today.

Six months ago, I took a form to my pain doctor to get my handicapped permit renewed.  The first time I got one my family Dr. signed it and I got it for a year.  The pain Dr. gave me six months.  Six months??? Did he expect me to be miraculously healed in that time?  Well guess what?  Six months is over and I have to get another form filled out so I can go to the DMV and get a new tag.  No miracles this time.

I am realistic about my condition.  Multiple herniated disks in my neck and lower back with bony growths narrowing the spinal canal and the areas where the nerve roots exit.  Every scan shows more damage.  This stuff doesn't get better and I understand that.  I do what I can to prevent further damage and I am grateful for the pain management that I am receiving.  Just don't pretend that we're waiting for a cure.

Without a handicapped tag, it is almost impossible for me to get out and do things, especially on a bad day.  I don't abuse it.  It took me a very long time to give in and admit I needed it.  Don't make it harder by making me re-apply so often.

Today was mostly useless as far as work goes.  I had an MRI this afternoon (lumbar spine this time).  it feels like I'm going for a complete set.    Three this year and one last year.  This is the second lumbar study I've had, but the last one was in 2002 so it is about time, I guess.

When I got home I spent some time working on homeschool projects with my son and then I was tired and it was nap time again.  Woke up late with a headache so I really couldn't do what I planned, which was to put glaze on the beads and barettes I've finished.  I'll be stuck at the gallery tomorrow.  Maybe I can take everything I need there and complete the work.

It's odd, but sometimes I find it easier to finish designs when I am limited in the materials I have available.  Like when I just take some stuff with me to a show and that's all I have to work with.  At home, in my studio, I have so much to choose from that it can be overwhelming and sometimes I can't decide what to do.  Another problem is not wanting to finish a piece until I find the "perfect" finding (what a stupid term!) to go with it.  When I'm limited pieces may not perfectly fit my artistic vision, but at least they're done!