Friday, May 28, 2004

New 'do, New Outlook

It goes with my personality.

When things are stressful and I feel a bit crazed by life, I always end up doing this.

I get a haircut. I dye my hair. I clean. And I don't sit still.
I have done all of this recently.

Last night I cut off about 3 inches of hair and dyed it dark brown in an attempt to get back to my natural hair color. I love it and it feels a 100% better to have the weight of all that hair off my shoulders. I also have not been able to sit down to read a book, because then my mind wanders. So, the answer is to be gone as much as possible each night this week and do chores around the house to keep myself going. So far, so good.

TJ Update: He was at the U of M yesterday and stayed overnight. He is going to have a CT Scan and possibly a spinal tap. The vets are awesome-they told Mom and Barry to keep their hopes up. It could be encephilitis, not a brain tumor. They can treat the encephilitis and it could explain the seizures, the loss of vision, his behavior, etc. I'm willing to accept the worst, but it's good to know there is hope. Fingers crossed, lots of prayers have been said.

Mike & I are heading to the Northwoods today after work. I have not been up that way since January, so I'm looking forward to getting into the great outdoors. I'd actually like to be able to do a little fishing because I'm craving walleye. But, I don't know if there will be time or fish to catch!

Have a great Memorial Day...and I ask that you remember the reason we have this day off. Take a moment to honor those who have died and if you get the chance, go see the new WWII Memorial. I can't wait to see it.

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Life is always changing, and I struggle with that.

TJ, my parents dog, (and my dog too in many ways) has been suffering from seizures for last week or so. He hasn't really been himself for almost a month, and the vet thinks he may have a brain tumor. I was so hoping that they would just say that he got into something, needs medicine, and that's that. But, it's not sounding like that is the case.

I watched him for a 2 days almost over the weekend while my parents attempted to go on vacation. But, he had a seizure by the early afternoon of the first day, and another in the night. I was so paranoid that I didn't sleep hardly at all and kept getting him up to see if he was okay. It's the most horrible thing to see him have a seizure. I cried my eyes out each time and held onto him and tried to remain calm. But, it's difficult. Mom is going to check with the vet again, and at the U of M to see if there are any other options, but MRI's and CT scans are going to run very expensive. So, it's really up to them. TJ is only 6 and it just doesn't seem fair. We all just want our crazy, wild dog back again.

I just lost my dog 6 years ago-and she lived to be 17. Our Airedale was 11 and went only 6 months before Taffy. I don't know if I want a dog of my own. It's a hard thing to take when you lose them. I guess I'll just keep praying that TJ is not in pain and that it may possibly be something else. And then come to terms with it all.

To be honest, I am a big baby when it comes to animals in trouble. My mom used to make me turn off Lassie when it was on because I would cry when she would be lost and trying to find her way home. I distinctly remember an episode of Little House on the Prairie when Laura loses her dog Jack to old age. I cried to bad that Mom threatened to turn it off if I didn't stop. The worst movies for me as a kid were Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows. I was in 4th grade when I saw both of those movies in class (on the old film projectors that you ran the film through) and when they were over, I was a mess. My whole desk would be wet from crying. I guess I'm just ultra sensitive to animals, especially dogs. And now, Dad with Norman, I'm so bummed. Norman is just the sweetest thing in the world.

Anyway, tonight we are cleaning out the apartment and handing over our keys. We haven't lived there in a month, and tonight we have a good session of stuff to tackle. Hopefully it won't take too long. Then, it is all official and we can turn the page of that part of our life. I hope it finally makes us feel like we have completed everything.