Sunday, December 16, 2007

Thank You

Thank you to my repeat readers, and especially to those who've recently begun to comment. I am serious in the sidebar that anonymous comments or questions are welcome, too.

I hope that this new template is appealing. I liked the green vitality of the other, but I am chilled all the time these days, not cold - just chilled all the time, and I decided to save that template for summertime. Seasons matter to me, as marks of survival.

And I finally spent the money to repair my camera today, and this template seemed more conducive to photos I would take. This one is of Sophia playing gargoyle.

My "cat-sitter" - It's the best description of him, although it sounds diminutive - besides helping me take care of Sophia, takes me on errands difficult without a car (like buying her heavy cat litter, and taking us to the vet for her check-ups, which he did yesterday) in exchange for my work for him. He lives in Santa Rosa, but works in town Fridays and some weekends.

There are several little markets nearby, and the cat clinic isn't far, but I live on the steepest of San Francisco hills, and most walking anywhere is an effort if I'm not feeling well. (And although - thankfully - mostly stable now with my medications, I often feel sedated into lethargy recently.) I live right in the cable car lines, but they are five dollars without even a transfer (for tourists, locals have fast passes, and it would be free for me if I would just be together and humble enough to get my disability pass stamped once a month at the transit booth I walk by every time I go to AIDS Health Project (psychiatrist and therapist). I couldn't take Sophia on it anyway. My Cat-sitter's car is traumatizing enough.

[For more on how big a problem not getting your disability pass stamped see "Wanted in San Francisco." I absolutely have to remember my court date January 4 at 3:00. I will not be able to talk myself out of the $300 additional assessment fine twice for failing to comply with my "Recognizance Agreement to Appear in Lieu of Posting Bail." ? or my drivers license (I don't drive) will be suspended (for a non-traffic violation - public transportation passenger violation),"or this court may issue a warrant for my arrest." The, unpredictedly kind woman who let me off the first time told me to take it seriously. KD, my almost daily phone support is the one in my life who keeps track of these things, and he is gone fout of reach for three months in India. SO I HAVE TO SOMEHOW REMEMBER TO GO TO COURT JANUARY 4, with my disability pass. So if anyone out there feels like reminding me... just writing it down isn't enough for this brain. Sticking my ticket on the door I'll just get used to, and stop seeing. I need KD.]

Sophia's doctor called and said that her kidney values were looking good (for her), one even a little higher than last time, but that she was concerned about her recent weight loss, and to try tempting her with wet food (which she prefers, but almost always vomits) and that if she was vomiting to bring her in again for some other tests. Otherwise continue the infusions the same way and bring her back in in a month if it doesn't look like she's gained weight. It's hard because the small part of her kidney's that is functional can't process protein, and protein-free food is apparently not appealing. When they thought she was not going to make it (two whole years ago!), I had to syringe feed her Gerber baby food, protein or not. Calories take precedence when you weigh four pounds. She's six something now I can't remember.

So anyway, thank you Polar Bear. Thank you Merelyme. Thank you to my cat-sitter (whose blog I'll link once I'm happy enough with my portion of the work on it). Thank you my cat doctor at Nob Hill Cat Clinic, and thank you to Sophia for not throwing up yet today.

11 comments:

Polar Bear said...

I like your new template. It's looking good.

M. said...

Like the color; love the cat. M.

Greta Perry said...

Love the picture!!!! Believe it or not I had a cat pass away this past year that was 9 years post-kidney transplant. She ended up having 2 donors from UCDavis and at one point we had 3 cats with one kidney. Sadly down to one donor, but our animals are soooo important!

My house is always open to friends.You are welcome to land here and join in the chaos of cats, dog and kids and my crappy cooking.

+PHc said...

Thank you, Polar Bear.

I'm sure it will keep changing, and changing, detail by detail. OCD is one thing I'm actually NOT diagnosed for, but ... well, ya know. Hope your day's OK.


M,

Thank you. Did you read my response to your comment on "One Day Late"? (I'd link it but I can't link it here without knowing more HTML.)


Greta,

I love you for loving your cats like that!!! When my vet first mentioned transplantation posibility, she said it as though that is an extreme measure nobody actually goes through with. Oh, I love you! And 9 years???? I'm sorry not even longer :(

I was so happy to see "New Orleans, Louisiana" on my sorta-secret stat meter, (I'm learning these things slowly). And I would love to someday visit your menagery and eat your "crappy" - I doubt it - food. Even a taco, God forbid.

My cousin's cats I was house-sitting for when I was working my stint of gutting and building have quite amazing survival stories of their own (of a Katrina kind).

I didn't follow through with the Soldiers' Angels yet. I'm working too hard at just holding it together right now - but I'm happy to know baking is allowed! That is little, but I will love doing it so much, when I can be organized enough to commit reliably. Seems so little, but little things seem so big right now.

Thank you, Greta

Unknown said...

HI Love, I am looking out the window in Rishikeshhotel ove the ganga... birds flying dissapearinginto the himalayas...
I am back instates by Jan10th...NOT 3 months by any means!!!

GO TO YOUR APPT JAN4TH!!!!!
I will call as soon as my phone is set up for it.
I love the new look of blog. And it seems like youare getting a lot of repeat commenters...
can youlet me know if you get this?
Love

+PHc said...

Hi Love back!

Yes - I don't know what it is about it, but I check for comments more than email, or maybe even phone messages. Can you change your signature to "KD"?

I thought you were going for months and that Ja was going for two weeks.

I got a hit from Bangalore today. Was that you? I loved seeing the red dot on India - even if it might have been one of those one-second ones. I didn't check that.

Did you see Polar Bear? And Greta Perry with the cats is Kiss My Gumbo.

I don't know why I thought you would be gone so long. More evidence that my confusion needs you.

Tomorrow is my photoshoot at 10. It is supposed to storm, which means it will be in here, which means I want my apartment to look the way I want it to look that sincerely represents me, (and that if I have any say in it, Sophia will be included.) I'm scared and tired.

I can't imagine sleeping. I started getting gradually off protocol two nights ago, but I think it's about this (magazine thing) which means it (my part of it) will be done soon.

I really want it to turn out to be a good thing. Strong but not hurtful. The one part they want me to come up with a way of saying is that part that will make it not hurtful to hurting people. But they want it in one sentence.

Maybe when the photo part is over I can concentrate on what matters about it. And start eating again.

Sophia didn't throw up today, but I might.

Glad you're there. Till January 10. Comment all you like about anything about it!

Love

whimsical brainpan said...

I hope she feels better soon.

I like the new look.

Synchronicity said...

love your new template...it feels soothing to me. i am a cat person too...i have always owned cats...or i should say they have always owned me.

hey...thank you for friendship...i am so glad we met in the blogosphere here.

+PHc said...

Thank you, Whimsy - can I call you that like Merelyme does?

Sophia seems to be feeling well there days. (Especially at 6AM.) Just not interested in eating anything that is going to stay down.

+PHc said...

Merelyme,

Thank you for your friendship. And integrity.

I'm glad and surprised this template would seem more "soothing." Lush greenery and New Orleans richness are soothing to me, which I was getting out of the other one.

I like the way this one goes together better, but it's kinda smooth, cool, urban, concrete, and cold water to me. On purpose.

I hope "soothing"'s in there somewhere.

For ALL invloved! ALL my new readers!

You....

Anonymous said...

Many are no doubt curious about Sophia. Sofia was born about 15 years ago in a garden in San Franciso. Her litter mates included three sisters: Gladiola, Hyacinth, and Sweet Pea and one brother, Johnny Jump-up. Sophia was born Ruby Rose but she took the name Sophia when she came to live with Anna about 10 years ago. (Sophia is a very old name for girls born into Anna's family dating back to the sixteenth century, but that is a different story.) Sophia's family name is Darling, the same family name of the children in Peter Pan. Sophia has a hilarious sense of humor and is very playful. At the age of 15, she has absolutely no fear. She often will make flying leaps between pieces of furniture undaunted by height or distance. Many times not hitting her target, she simply tries again. She has no memory for failure. On that score, she is an inspiration. Sophia has a kidney disease which requires her to receive sub-dermal fluids each day. She does not mind the fluids but is annoyed by the run-up to the procedure which is often bungled by her human assistants. If you were to sit in her presence, you might think Sophia retiring, but in fact she is quite gregarious and loves visitors, particularly those who she has chosen. She loves to talk when she has something to say, just going on and on, but often will simply answer with "Hmmmmmp". She enjoys treats--which she calls "snack packs"--and she also enjoys sunning herself. During the summer she loves visiting the Sonoma Valley where she can spend hours in the dry sun, reminescent of a grape. During the cooler months in San Francisco she enjoys sitting under a heat lamp warming her bones.