I just read this in the Emergency Vets USA website:
“Though a cat’s liver can be easily damaged since it is responsible for so many bodily functions, it can also regenerate remarkably well.”
Hoping the best for Jolene. Talk to your vet. Be positive.
This story reminds me of the Australian donor James Harrison. He’s in his eighties now and according to their laws had to stop donating at 81. He’d been doing it since he was eighteen, after having his life saved by blood donations.
Turns out his blood had an unusual and very rare combo of factors that allowed doctors to develop a treatment for Rh factor. Harrison is credited with saving the lives of two million children. His last donation was on national television and there were mothers with their infants there to thank him.
I haven’t heard of it but after this I’m definitely going to look it up.
I hope someone in the family would get it, and be sure to write down it’s provenance. I did that with a glass flower vase. When I graduated from high school my grandmother gave it to me. As the oldest girl of her generation a cousin had given it. When my cousin David’s older daughter graduated I gave it to her, with the genealogy and story involved. She’s told me she still has it. Perhaps her daughter will get it someday.
He tried that after his dad died and he said it was kinda worthless. He said the counselor just recited trite, prepackaged phrases that he could have predicted. So he won’t go back. And getting a good counselor around here takes for-freekin’-even to judge by SIL’s experiences.
BIL’s procedure went fine, but they won’t release him till they get his psych meds back in balance, since he’s been off of them for 2 days. So maybe tomorrow, maybe Sunday. Still not sure if he’ll come here or go back to his place - depends on what his doc says.
Jessica was here - she said she’s going to get someone to come this weekend and check on MIL. She recognizes that it’s close…
Anyway, waiting for FCD to get home so I can take the spawn back to their mother. Then maybe I’ll get a break.
Speaking of my appointment, I’ll be getting a mammogram and a bone density scan some time in Feb. Oh the joys of getting old!
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Well, I forgot to post this. FCD is home, as are the grandspawn. I ran into Aldi for some bread, then to CVS to pick up FCD’s meds. When I got home, the nurse was here, and among other things, she recommended we put a vaporizer in MIL’s room since she tends to sleep with her mouth open and it gets really dry. So that’s all set up.
Last load in the dryer… I’m thinking I’ll sleep with Mel tonight.
It takes for freaking ever here too. I’m hoping your MIL’s hospice will offer after care grief counseling and it will be a better counselor than after FIL’s death. Different hospice I hope and therefore maybe he’ll draw a better counselor, if you can convince him to try again. I’ve seen both kinds in my decades of hospice nursing-the trite (and lazy), the trite because they’re a pastor or minister and can’t see past the end of their particular ingrained denomination’s nose to be present wherever FCD is and then the good ones, some of whom who are pastors/ministers, some traditional mental health counselors. Request a ‘trauma informed’ counselor, FCD is clearly traumatized and that approach might be a good fit.
His counseling was thru hospice. He went maybe 3 times then quit. I don’t know who the counselors were but obviously they did nothing for him. I’ll try googling trauma informed and see what’s available around here - I’d even go with him, tho I’m not so much traumatized as exhausted and feeling helpless to support him.
Was it the same hospice as MIL’s?
It’s always fair to ask for a different counselor, even if it is the same hospice. It’s somewhat like dating, there has to be a modicum of a match between styles and personalities and it is ALWAYS ok for FCD to say, “no, that person wasn’t a good fit before, who else can I interview to see if we are a match?”.
Maybe there’s a therapist Mumper who can chime in here~I may not be wording it right.
I did ‘trauma informed’ grief counseling after my brain injury took away so much from me in a few seconds and through no fault of mine. It helped me move through the grief over what I’d lost. Death isn’t the only grief to move through and ‘trauma’ isn’t only combat related or from injuries.
Good afternoon all. Made it to the gym and got my swimming in, was also going to do some pedaling but forgot to pack my gym shorts so went back and did some more swimming and came home and fixed a couple of cheese dogs, which will hold me until this evening when a Big Bowl O’Salad will meet my needs. Have pro tackleball on Amazon Prime as I type this, and readin’ and internettin’ will occupy the rest of the day. Up to 41F now but supposed to drop below freezing tonight. Oh joy.
Oopsie, trust the decorating went well; I don’t do anything around my place since I’m alone and doesn’t seem too be worth the time and cost.
Cookie, hope the back gets to feeling better soon. And I don’t miss those below-0F days at all. Glad to hear how the grands are doing, trust the knee will come out OK.
Cat Glove, BBBoo, thanks for the info on platelets. And good on ya, Boo, for going above and beyond.
I know what I would recommend… 
Coppertone, I know the old saying ‘when it rains, it pours’ but your having a freakin’ typhoon there. Take care.
I heartily agree with you; You’re weird. 
You are most certainly the indispensable man.
Sticky Buns, what a nice surprise.
FCM, glad BIL came through OK, sorry the counseling didn’t work before, just worried about depression hitting him after MIL passes and Bil may/may not go off the rails. Best hope/wishes for you both.
And the NFL game is at a commercial and is down to the last 2 minutes so it should be over in a half-hour or so… Take care all.
Except for cards, my Christmas shopping is essentially done.
I previously bought a drone for The Missus. When I renewed my AAA membership, I got her an associate membership. I’ll wrap that up. 
And I’ve just ordered her a fleece-lined sweatshirt. It’s probably too big, but it’s not like she’s going to wear it in public; just lounging around the house.
I chose a gift from my Secret Santa selectee’s wish list. It’s a scarf. I assume that I got the right one, as that’s the pattern/design/colour on her wish list. Since we have a $25 maximum, one thing I need to do is go out and get a big bag of Red Vines candy, because she likes them.
Sahara Pizza has a 25% off Black Friday sale on any carry-out pizza. We’ll feed the cats at 16 o’clock, and then I’ll order the pizza for dinner.
Thanks everyone for the good wishes, Jolene seems to be fine today. She’s more like a Bad Counter-surfing Dog when she goes after our food, she just bolts it as fast as she can before it gets taken away. (I suspect that she went for the whipped cream and didn’t stop when she got to the sauce.)
I did read further and also learned that her liver should regenerate which reassured me. She’s young and healthy. She probably didn’t learn anything but I did.
Like a West Coast seafood boil with bay leaves whole baby potatoes and corn on the cob. Nothing in WV is spicy. (I have to be so careful cooking for his family, if I accidentally show a can of jalapenos to the tacos, they are too spicy for his family.)
You are a very good person and kindness seems to be in short supply lately.
Oh, it was so fun. They were so happy and excited while the parents were rolling their eyes. Harry says he’s always wanted to be The Favorite Grandpa and he’s willing to hand out bribes to get his title!
We had a super ratty scratching tree in the living room and I wanted to get something that looked a little nicer. I found one I liked, put it in the living room and moved the ratty tree into the bedroom. The fuzzbutts rioted.
They didn’t want to come into the living room because I had brought in a cat eating monster disguised as a kittah tree but now the bedroom wasn’t safe because that tree had also transformed into a cat eating monster. We put the ratty tree back into the living room and the nice tree in their litter box room and they were all happy again.
Thank you, I think I will look for a class and see how it works. Swimming laps is borrrrrring.
Disappointed about the lack of snow. We did get a few light falls today, but nothing like you see in the pictures.
Irritated about the t-day delivery. I used to be willing to patronize retail business on holidays until I realized that the only reason retail folks were working is because people like me were shopping. They aren’t getting OT for working holidays, they are doing it under threat of being fired. Now that I understand that, if a business was closed on holidays when I was a kid, they are closed to me on holidays now.
That UPS guy didn’t need to be delivering our package early, he should have been home with his family.
I’m so sorry you are dealing with this. At least my hubs isn’t in danger of bleeding out when he steps barefoot on a shed kitty whisker, but it is still a serious pita. I do hope his doctor is able to make helpful adjustments.
Have you looked at stop bleed powders or is that something you would need to run by his medical team first?
SISTER!!! I love it as well. I was hoping that we had moved to more snow here, but the neighbors all say that the winters have gotten warmer and dryer in past years.
That’s always fun too!
I’m glad you were able to see her again. Have a great rest of your visit.
He’s very lucky that FCD is willing to take care of him now that his mother isn’t able to do it anymore. I hope he figures it out soon or having him living in your basement will be a very not fun experience.
If people knew how easy it was to donate platelets I think it wouldn’t always be such a looming shortage. Takes 2 hours but the blood bank treats platelet donors like Super Bowl QBs, everything but rolling a red carpet out to the drivers door in the parking lot and I get the feeling they’d do that too if I asked. For me, living alone, having a nurse or two at my side chatting with me the whole time is a pleasure. Each time they thank you profusely and remind you that up to 3 lives might be saved with those few tablespoons of golden platelets your body will never miss and will have completely replaced in a few days.
Howdy Y’all! I actually did leave da cave today. I went to the church house to take care of candle duty and to take the Advent wreath stand out of storage and set up so brittle greenery and candles can be added to it by the flower guild. Nuttin’ says Jesus is comin’ like a flamin’ wreath of brittle greenery! My DAWGS will swat some gNATS shortly. Hope I can stay awake until the end. I only had a one hour nap today.
I’m trying to think of a gift for one BIL. I heard an ad for a local meat store touting their meat packages, kind of like Omaha Steaks does. Now I need to figure out if that is something he would like. I may ask one of my nephews.
swampie, when I was growing up I loved the smell of the pine wreath the church used to have. It was natural and it was huge. So in 1974 I got to come home on leave at Christmas and was looking forward to that aroma and “sh*t” There was not a wreath but a metal ring with candleholders. Someone had donated the money for it and I guess they were concernec about flammibility. 
Yeah, but it’s bereavement counseling, which isn’t exactly what he’s dealing with. I was reading their site, and they don’t have trauma informed. I did a local Google and came up with a center that deals with abused women (not what we need) and another that’s $$$$$ and it looks like it’s more aimed at teens. We’ll keep looking for something.
I told Daughter about that. She said I’m welcome to do that at my house. She’s a comedian, she is! 
It will be very very temporary for certain. FCD is pissed because not ONCE did his brother ask about their mother. He understands it’s part of his mental problems, but it still pissed him off, and frankly, I don’t get it either. It’s his MOTHER fercryin’outloud!!!
How does it compare to blood donation? I have crappy veins and can’t give within the required time limit, so I don’t even bother. Would that be a similar restriction with platelet donation?
Miracle of miracles, MIL got out of bed and actually ate!!! Granted, it was less than half a cup total, including the ice cream, but still, it’s the first food she’s wanted since Tuesday (or was in Moanday? I’ve lost track.) Now she’s sleeping again on her chair, but the walk from her room had to wear her out.
Speaking of gifts, Daughter said since her kids have so much stuff, she prefers to give them an experience for Christmas. Last year they went to Great Wolf Lodge and the kids loved it. So I got each kid a gift certificate and I suggested to my sibs that it would be a welcome gift. I also got them some water toys that they could take. Plus Roxy keeps asking me for sticky notes, so I got her a big box of multiple colors, and Tobias is going to get a small monster truck because he loves trucks. Yeah, experiences are great, but they have to open something, right???
Plans for tomorrow - divide and package the last of the turkey for future meals, make a big pot of N.O.T. soup, mop the kitchen floor, and maybe roll-suck. Tonight is for chillage.
Yes, it would be. They use the same needles and tubing and have time limits on the collection. Your contribution can be talking it up and getting other people to do it who do have suitable veins.
Try www.psychologytoday~they have a therapist finder and you can type in all the filters and parameters, distance, gender, your insurance, virtual and get back leads. My psychiatrist kid recommends it to people looking for counselors or therapist of any and all kinds, it’s comprehensive and less commercial/slanted/biased. You can put in for virtual only, FCD might be more comfortable sitting at his desk or in his workshop talking to someone, rather than in an office he has to drive to. Plus if it’s virtual he has a whole lot more control, he has the off button if he needs to fire the counselor, no awkward getting up and walking out of their office.
It is extremely cold in no. Illinois. Real feel of 7. Spent about two hours socializing at the barn and my toes and upper thighs were frozen. I will get hand warmer packets tomorrow. Ariel was totes toasty in her medium weight blanket.
The down blanket is now on my bed. I am under it. Ursala Kitteh is on top, purring and making biscuits.
I think there’s a good chance that the fuse is loose; if not that, than a connector.
But what kind of a mute donkey of an engineer designs a car with a fusebox that is not easily accessible? I did some Googling, and watched a few YouTube videos on how to get at the internal fusebox on a 2016 Dodge Dart, and came away with very little confidence of it being within my abilities to get to it.
I get that cars this modern are going to be nothing like my first car—a 1969 Falcon—when it comes to DIY repairability, but this is truly absurd. Pretty much by its function and definition, a fusebox •HAS• to be accessible. The entire point of a fuse is to be something that will fail, and be easier and cheaper to replace than whatever part it was protecting.
And that cleared that up. Much thanks and I 100% agree with you.
And for the late night news, Big Bowl O’Salad has been eaten and working my way though a lot of Friday You Tubes, after which I will get some applesauce and then prepare for bed. Down to 33F so looking like we’ll be under the freezing mark. Expect drivers/shoppers here tomorrow to act as if the apocalypse is just around the corner.
BBBoo, maybe I’ll look into donating, haven’t done so in many years (they wouldn’t take my blood after I got back from the UAE due to hepatitis concerns, but it’s been over 20 years now…)
The Halftime score is Georgia Tech - 17 Georgia - 0 Them dawgs of yours better get their act together come the second half, our you’ll be needing that faintin’ couch of yours…
wet one, stay warm.
And that’s all for tonight from Casa Rat. Catch up with y’all on Sattiday.
In the same category as fuse boxes, add headlights. We had a New Beetle and the instructions for replacing a headlight: take it to the dealer. That’s obscene.
MIL went to bed about 15 minutes after eating. I crocheted till I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Bed time for me.
Do contact your local blood bank or the American Red Cross. The limitations have been vastly eased in the past 10 years and even more so in the last two years. Sensibly eased I might add. Imagine being able to save a life with just a few hours of your time. No amount of money can replace blood or platelets. I’ll be your devoted friend however it works out.
Watching my Cornhuskers at my daughter’s and folding grandkidlets laundry. Commercial breaks I check on Swampie’s DAWGs. They do need to get their you-know-what together. My Huskers are stubbing their toes but not a lost cause yet. The 4th quarter is usually our tar pit-up by 7 in the third.
ETA: tied now, shouldn’t have taken my eyes off them. Dang.