LW 12.2002 ~ 2.2007

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words. This morning I sat with LW under the awning on the roof for awhile watching the rain fall, giving him a last look around. I then took him to the vet who did his job competently and with the minimum of chat. This was a good thing because I was too choked up to talk properly.
I brought LW home and put him in the box I had prepared. He looked very relaxed. I sat outside with him for about an hour as I had this dread of unwittingly burying him alive. When it was completely clear that he was well and truly gone I put the lid on and buried him. As the hole was not the 1 m depth recommended by the vet (to prevent my other furry critters from digging him up--yech) I piled a bunch of rocks on top.



The whole procedure was sad but I have a real sense of closure having buried him myself. I think this sounds weird as I type it, but there you go. I'm weird.

Feb. 23, 2007: Sweet LW

Tomorrow morning I will take LW to the vet to be put down. He now weighs a mere 1.5 kg; has only eaten once this week; gangrene has started in his front left paw (diabetes=bad, bad, bad circulation=gangrene) and he has peed twice on my bed. (Er, the last is a symptom of how poorly he's doing, not a reason in itself to put him down!)
This afternoon I made him a little wooden box that I have filled with wood shavings and dug a hole in the back yard. Actually, I dug the hole first. Naturally it's not big enough, so I'll enlarge it tomorrow morning.
Sad Amanda.

Feb. 18, 2007: LW

Here's a shot of LW taken this morning all snuggly and warm in my bed. Makes you go "Awwwww!" doesn't it?

February 3, 2007, Happy life

Nothing, but nothing, beats a good night's rest. *does a little happy shimmy in her chair* So, to recap:
Friday: I decided to copy Eve, Matthew and Mandy and take photos of what I ate for one entire day. I started off with coffee (Starbucks 'fairtrade' coffee which I buy by the pound):

And then followed up with 'dan bing' at a breakfast restaurant. Here are some things cooking on the grill. Clockwise from top right: Two pieces of french toast (I have never seen this being cooked at a breakfast bar before), a slice of bacon, pieces of shredded chicken, a processed chicken burger, a hamburger (made with pork, not beef). Burgers are popular breakfast food here:

And here is my 'dan bing' and coffee. 'Dan bing' literally translates into 'Egg cake'. An egg and some chopped pieces of green onion are quickly beaten with a fork then poured onto the grill. Then, something like a very thin uncooked tortilla, but made with oil in the dough so it is not fragile, is placed on top. It's fried one one side for about 30 seconds, flipped and fried on the other side, rolled and chopped up. This is a 'high class' breakfast place, so the plates have a little built in sauce dish (usually oyster sauce, I add chilli sauce, too.) In less fancy places they slide the plate into a baggie. When you are finished eating they throw the baggie out--no washing up! It has become very trendy in the last year or so to carry around your own chopsticks instead of using disposable ones. I was given these for Christmas. They screw together (like pool cues) and look quite sporty in their blue cordura carrying case.

After breakfast I forgot to take anymore pictures. I don't just eat breakfast!
After taping I went to MaryJane's for lunch with my former colleague, Danny. As always it was good to catch up on the news. When he asked me how my trip to England was (November 2006) I realised that I really hadn't seen him for a long time!!
Ten minutes after he left Simon showed up. Then Constance, Sophie and Judy. Here's a photo of Judy demonstrating the infamous 'Xindian Tickle Torture' on Sophie.

We hung out for a bit then went ice skating! I haven't been ice skating for a good 15 years but was confident that it would be just like riding a bicycle: you never forget, right? Here are my skates. Yup, black skates. BOY SKATES!! Just didn't seem right, somehow.

I have photos of everyone skating except Simon. It was Simon's first time skating and he got pretty good at walking on the ice, hee, hee, hee. After about 30 minutes of walking slowly round the edge of the arena he sat down on the bleachers and took his boots off. Here are Constance and Jane:

Judy:

Andy:

Sophie:

And, very exciting to all Canadians...the Zamboni!!

My first time around I was totally spastic and fell down on my ass. Oh, man, I laughed and laughed. Any way, I got my legs cooperating, remembered to keep my weight forward, was able to do a 360 twirl when I stopped (though not sure how I did that) and was feeling good. I moved onto trying cross-cuts (I think that's what they are called). I was a bit wobbly but ok. Then I started going faster, having a blast, feeling good, when suddenly I went "THUNK!" Ok, that time it really hurt. I landed on the base of my spine which made me go "Oh, no." For readers who have been with me awhile you'll know that I broke my neck just over a year ago. Although I made a full recovery (yippee!) I like to think I am a little bit more cautious than before. I lay on the ice for a couple of seconds then flipped over onto my hands and knees doing a little internal evaluation.
I decided I was fine. I sat out on a bench for five minutes then started skating again. I kept going for another 15 minutes or so, (more cross-cuts even! But slower.) Then I decided I had had enough. We watched the Zamboni clean the ice (proud moment for the Canadians) then tootled off home.
I spent a lot of the evening resting on a hot pack. Ow.
Saturday:
Took LW to the vet. He had managed to wrench his IV out of his arm late Friday night so it had to be changed to his other arm. The thing is, his other arm has already been used and the vein has thickened so it can't be used again. His leg veins are too tiny. Result: he is out of veins but needs an IV. Secondary result: Stressed-out Amanda.
The vet tried to salvage the existing IV but it was a no-go. He got a bit stressed as I think he was having a bad morning with the previous two cases being dying dogs. I so appreciate him. I'm not sure how one can keep doing this job year after year and not freak out at all the sadness (owners) and pain/death (pets). Cheers to any vets/doctors/therapists etc reading this blog!
Since he is a super-vet he managed to use a different, minute vein in the other arm. He bandaged it up very carefully and securely, emphsizing that after this vein there really are no more other chances. LW is either in his cage or on my lap, sleeping most of the time. Go, LW, go!
By the time I got him home I was emotionally fairly drained and physically uncomfortable. Solution: a massage! Oh, it was sooooo nice. My masseuse is a wonderful person. I then went for a leisurely lunch at this little cafe that has Taiwan's most welcoming (but not obsequious) waitstaff and good, hearty meals. After which I went up to Eslite bookstore and bought three magazines. It was a thoroughly decadent and reviving afternoon.
I stopped to buy groceries then went home. I spent about an hour with LW on my lap, reading a novel. I then cooked dinner for the beasties and washed up most of the dishes (using my smashing yellow gloves). Constance came by and asked if she could bring people over to look at the stove. A good thing I had started cleaning up before she came by! I said "Sure, but give me five minutes!" I got a fire going, lit some candles, turned off most of the lights (looks lovely and hides the dirt), and sat down on the sofa with my wine and book, trying to make it look like if you buy a stove from Constance, you too, will have a life of comfort and ease. Hee, hee. After they left I turned on some lights, spot mopped the floor and washed some more dishes. Constance came over with more people to look at the stove so once again I lowered the lights and took up my position as a lady of leisure on the sofa. Well, that lady of leisure position was so comfortable that I just stayed there (so some dirty dishes remain.) Constance came a third time without visitors but with a bottle of wine. I had already had two glasses and was feeling *fine* so I didn't have anymore. We sat in front of the fire, chatting, listening to Jack Johnson and generally feeling that life is swell.
It's now two o'clock on Sunday afternoon. I must hang some laundry before going to visit Angela's cat, Kitty. I hope that you, too, are having a lovely weekend. (And if you go skating, strap a pillow to your butt!)

Repost, LW and the IV, January 31, 2007

Yeah, well, it tricked me. After fiddling for another 40 minutes (including 'refreshing' three times without success) I unclipped everything and put LW into bed with me. In the morning I got it going, sporadically.
I took Little One into the vet for a check up: Her arm is healing nicely; the cuts are no longer infected; her bowel movements are, uh, moving; she's walking well. She needs 3~4 more weeks of restricted movement while the bone finishes healing. Luckily she seems to like my downstairs bathroom!
Here, in photos, is the LW I.V. story:
1. Yesterday, before the I.V., sitting next to the radiator.

2. With I.V. attached, part 1.

3. With small incisions at the top of his bandage to ensure it isn't too tight, thus restricting the flow of fluid.

4. I.V., part 2, higher up with an extension, thus greater gravitaional pull. Tube hanging over heater making is softer and easier of controlthe flow of drops.

Let's hope this works! Off to bake peanut butter cookies at Lourdes. As TAO2004 says, 'L8R G8RS!'