More acupuncture pictures...

This is Dr. Dunton.  She's so nice.  Austin doesn't mind the needles at all.  They stay in 20-30 minutes at a time.  Austin turned 13 on March 1st.  John gets him a piece of carrot cake every year.

March 10, 2010

What a beautiful week of weather we've had.  It's been sunny and 40-50 degrees for the past 3 days.  Most of the snow has melted...some mud, but the roads are actually not too bad.  We had a bit of a scare with Austin yesterday.  I got up and he was on the couch.  Didn't think much of it and headed out to the kitchen to make coffee.  I heard him scrambling try to get off the couch...when I went into the living room he was unable to get his back end off the sofa.  I helped him down and he sort of fell over.  (He had a similar episode about a year ago and seemed to come out of that after a few hours.  He managed to get up but his hind end didn't seem to be able to support him.  He went out, fell down a few times and then came back in.  I called Molly and we helped him to his dog bed.  He was very anxious, panting and seemed like maybe his back was hurting.  I gave him a Rimadyl and we both figured that his time  had come.  We waited for John to get home figuring that he could help us carry him to the car to take him to the vet's and have him put down.

By the time John came home he was stronger, he got up and was able to walk so we figured we'd wait and see.  He had an appt. for acupuncture at 1 p.m. anyway and by the time we went he was back to his old self. He actually jumped right into the back seat of my truck and was quite happy to be going for a ride.  Looks like he's going hang in a little longer!!  John actually went with me for the acupuncture.  Austin was somewhat nervous, but really seemed to like the vet and left the office clearly more comfortable than when he went in.  We walked about a 1/2 mile this morning and he's sleeping on one of his 3 dog beds.  We all know that it's going to happen one of these days, but as long as he's happy and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable we'll hang in there.

The new computer (desktop) is all set up in the den.  It's soooo fast and has an awesome screen.  It's just a rather cheap hp that I got in staples but it's so much better than the dell.  Window's 7 isn't bad either.  It's also wireless so I don't have a massive tangle of cords behind the desk.  I set it up all by myself, installed all the mail programs and extras.  I did have Megan help me with setting up the backup.  I thought I was going to have to hard wire it into the router but she checked and everything was wireless and worked well.  I got a neat little back up hard drive at Costco's that is about the size of a wallet.

Molly's kicking butt working on all her scholarship applications.  She was chosen for a DAR scholarship and has to attend an awards ceremony in Rutland next week.

February 24th 2010

Snow, Snow, Snow!  We've been so lucky all winter...we are getting hammered right now!  It started yesterday late in the afternoon and has been snowing ever since.  I was on call last night for SANE but had a problem with my 4 wheel drive on my truck so I cancelled my call.  The phone still rang at 10:20 pm (from the hospital).  They didn't leave a message, so not sure what it was about.  Anyway glad I didn't have to drive in this mess!  John got home this morning and immediately started to plow.  I'll post some pictures...at 8am we had 15 inches.  It's noon now and I bet there is another 3 inches and still coming down hard.  I guess it's supposed to warm up and rain tomorrow which will be a mess!

Austin has another lick granuloma on his opposite hind leg :( .  Now he has both legs wrapped and this one spot ended up getting infected.  It all stemmed from a weekend when it was too cold to walk and John left with his gun to go coyote hunting and Molly and I went to breakfast.  He was upset at being left behind.  Needless to say we've been to the vet's twice and the second time they recommended a new vet in rutland to try some acupuncture on him.  He's 13 and pretty stiff and lame in the back end.  At first I was skeptical and figured it was just another "money pit"  They also said it can help with anxiety and perhaps would help with the lick granulomas.  We had our first visit the other day.  (Mind you we are on 2 weeks of antibiotics for $107) but I found this vet fascinating.  She spent an hour with us.  Very relaxed and laid back.  (Austin usually is shaking so much that his teeth chatter)  She has an office in an old house so it wasn't like the other vets with dog's barking and people coming and going.  She did a thorough history of his behavior and then examined him very well.  She found that he has right sided neck pain and that his back is very sore.  She said his hips are amazing and strong for a dog of his age.  She had a small bag of liver treats that she fed him (usually he's so nervous that he won't take a treat at the vet's).  She then did a treatment of both lick granulomas in which she injects healthy blood (his) into both the areas and wraps each.  They look much better!  She put a dog bed on the floor and placed about 14 acupuncture needles along both sides of his back and neck.  She had me just sit with him and pat him for about 20 minutes.  He was very relaxed and actually seemed to enjoy it.  We are going back in a week for another treatment.  He definitely seems more comfortable and is walking, trotting and running around a lot more.  Here's some pictures.

How old is this man??

Sunday January 31, 2010

Well it's been a nice weekend off.  Very cold, down to -8 the other morning.  Carol and I went out to lunch yesterday...had a nice meal at Table 24 in Rutland.  It was a good day to just get caught up on everything.  We also helped my neighbor sue get her laptop up and running.  She is a bit addicted to the Home Shopping Network!  The ups man knows her well, but she says she is done ordering on line now!  She had quite a time getting her wireless router going but now it's up.  She has a new laptop.  We've shown her how to take pictures and upload to her computers and helped her set up a facebook page.  


Made a great new recipe of barbeque chicken breasts tonight with baby red potatoes baked in the oven.  The phone rang as we were sitting down and the neighbor mrs. Santamaria was having severe chest pain, nausea and vomiting so they called the ambulance and Sue, Darryl Burlett and myself went over.  She's got really bad COPD and only weighs about 85lbs.  Very pale, dusky hands and feet.  I worry about her.  The squad came and started an iv and headed to the hospital.  I'll check on her in the morning.  I can't imagine that they will be able to live out here very much longer.


We are still enjoying our Wii.  Nancy I hope you get one!  Danny was over yesterday to go coyote hunting with John.  No coyotes yet!


Had my truck oil and filter changed the other day...got some other stuff fixed too...$794.00 when they were done!  Still better than having a regular truck payment!  It's great in the winter!


Back to work tomorrow.  Hopefully won't be too crazy.  Definately need to address health care!  People are forced to come to the e.d. as they can't get into their doctor.  Still alot of abuse of the e.d. though...people with colds, sore throats etc. that should pay big time.  Medicaid lets them come and any prescriptions they get only cost $2!!  

Anyway life is too short to worry about the stupid stuff.  I learned today how petty and immature some people can be and all I can say is what goes around comes around!  

January 2, 2009

Today has been a great day to stay home!  I just finished mac and cheese prep to go with a nice Mackenzie ham for dinner.  (2 mac and cheeses, one with gluten free buckwheat flour and gluten free pasta for me and the other regular.  The gluten free actually tastes really good.  I'm getting pretty good at adapting to this diet.  

The neighbor Nick bottomed out his blood sugar again last night.  Got a call at 2:30 am from Sue asking me to come over.  He was disoriented, Short of breath and his blood sugar was only 36.  We got him to sit up, gave him juice with about 4 tablespoons of sugar in it which he managed to get down.  Within a few minutes he was back to his old self mentally...saying that he "got the whole neighborhood up"  We waited for the ambulance and helped get him on the stretcher.  He ended up in ICU with CHF and hopefully they'll have the diabetes doc consult.  His hand looks really good, I think they just fluid overloaded him.

It's still snowing...supposed to get 8-10 inches today and tonight.  The Wii is awesome!  We all enjoy it.  Had dinner at Sue's last night, filet, beans, potatoes and dessert...so much for the no desserts after Jan. 1st!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010 arrived uneventfully.  I had the pleasure of working yesterday and the ER was packed.  I'm sure this 3 day weekend will be crazy too but I'm off!  We had a great Christmas.  We celebrated the day  before as I had to work on Christmas day.  We opened gifts in the morning and cooked a nice rib roast for dinner with twice baked potatoes.  Martha, Sue Gilmore, and our neighbor Robin Wilson joined us.
One of our best gifts was a Wii.  We got John a game "Call to Duty" and Molly and I got the Wii fit plus and sports resort games.  They are awesome.

My neighbor Nick has been in the hospital for several days after his cat bit him on the hand.  The cat had an infected ear from a ?cat fight and he accidentally touched it.  He never told his wife and 3 days later his hand was bright red and swollen and hot and 3 times the size of normal.  He was admitted and on IV antibiotics for several days and came home last night.  Molly and I have been checking on his wife...she was worried about the cat too so we volunteered to drive him to our vets for a checkup.  The weather was pretty awful but we figured we would drive slow and be fine.  We went to pick him up and she was dressed in her jacket carrying her portable oxygen tank "ready to go"  I told her I would rather she didn't come as the roads were bad...she was  disappointed but agreed.  (I just figured better to not have her fall and break a hip)  There were cars off the road on the way and a tractor trailer jackknifed in West Rutland.  The cat yowled all the way there and all the way back.  Molly looked at me once and said "why are we doing this again?"  Anyway both are home and both seem to be doing better.

Molly also cut her hair before Christmas and donated 9 inches to Locks of Love.  She looks great and loves the new haircut.

The big snowstorm doesn't seem to be amounting to much so far.  We've been invited to the neighbors tonight for dinner.  Molly gave Austin a bath this morning and he smells so much better.  He's doing well.  He will turn 13 this March.

Take care and Happy New Year!

New York City 2009

We left Wed. am at 9:30 on the train from Albany-Rensselaer and arrived at Penn station around 12:30. Took an interesting subway ride up to 7th ave. to get to our hotel...rooms not available until 4pm. We left our bags (for a $3.75/bag fee) at the hotel and headed out on the streets to site see. The Christmas Tree lighting at Rockefeller Center was that night and everything was very crowded (125,000 people came to see that alone)

We walked alot, saw lots of great sights. Had lunch at TGIF Fridays, headed up to Time Square to see the night life and all the lights. We didn't want to go to the tree lighting (good thing as it poured). We walked to Central Park and took the horsedrawn buggy ride. It was great! All the horses come from the Amish in Pennsylvania. We did more siteseeing then we went back to our room, got some great fresh pastries from the deli next door and laughed and visited til we were exhausted. (Molly and I roomed with Leanne and Carol at the Park Central hotel) It was really a great room...Brenda got it earlier in the summer thru Price line for next to nothing (after we split it by 4)

The next day we got up early, got coffee at Star buck's next door and had a great quick breakfast at a little restaurant across the road. We then decided to take a cab to the empire state building (instead of the subway or walking) It was definitely worth it. I think with a tip it was $10 or so. We arrived before any crowds and got right in. 2 elevators rides later we were at the top. Gorgeous day 60 degrees and sunny! Great views, definitely worth it. When we headed back down the lines and the crowds were outrageous. From there we headed to Madison square Garden to see the Cirque de Solei show. Also very good, we really enjoyed it. Lots of gymnastics and aerobatics to music. We left the show and Molly decided the taxi was the way to go to our next stop "The Body Museum" and offered to pay. We jumped in a cab and Carol visited with the driver and wanted to go to Chinatown first.....well he ended up letting us off at a very shady part of town...lots of big scary looking Black guys just mulling around and the driver told us to "hold onto our purses and don't talk to anyone" He then pulled away...Molly and I were very uncomfortable...Carol wanted us to "not look too much like tourists!" We scrambled into a bank (sort of safe) looked at the map and Carol felt we were only a few blocks from China town. She wanted to head out and walk. I was so proud of Molly! She said "no way! **** Chinatown" and saw a cab with it's light on approaching and popped out in the street and flagged it down. (Mind you there weren't many cabs around) She hopped in and I hopped in after her...Carol and Leanne wanted to keep walking) We gave the driver the address for the museum and were there in about 10 min's. The area was much nicer, cobblestone streets, down by the seaport. We had a great lunch at a little deli and met up with the other members of our group and headed into the museum. (Very interesting all real bodies with various parts dissected out, arteries, veins, nerves, skeletal system, fetal developement, various body parts with different diseases, cancer, strokes....

Carol and Leanne arrived while we were in the museum. From here we walked to Ground Zero, saw the planned memorial, then hopped on the subway to head back to the hotel. Mind you, it's now rush hour about 5:15. The subways were mobbed, our group got separated, and a couple of NYPD cops told us we weren't on the right line, we had to get off at Time Square and transfer. Meanwhile our friend were in the car ahead of us and of course cell phones don't work below ground. Luckily one of them turned around and caught Brenda's eye and she motioned to get off at 42nd street. We transferred, headed to the hotel, grabbed our luggage and hopped back on another subway to go back to Penn Station to catch our train home. (A cab would have been sooooo much easier) Anyway, we made it and were pretty exhausted by the time we got to Albany then another 2 hours home and in our beds by midnight! It was a great trip!