The Blog Pound

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 , late afternoon

Slowly, slowly

It’s early November, and I’m slowly trying to rebuild my blog so it’s up and running again (I realize the stylesheet isn’t working at the moment). Flippy’s blog will be next, and then I’ll work on my Tired Girls site. We unfortunately lost every single one of our 150 websites in early October because of an error made by the hosting company, and it’s been a real chore to try to restore each site from backups. They’re coming though, they’re coming. Lots of news to tell about, including three new adult foster cats that were rescued from death row in a Los Angeles shelter, three orphaned kittens from three different litters (including one feral who was probably hours away from death from starvation when she was discovered), and a new senior German shepherd dog, also a death row pull from Los Angeles. Healthwise I’ve been feeling rather fragile, but was excited to learn of the discovery of XMRV, a retrovirus now believed to be the cause of the much-maligned conditions formerly known as “fibromyalgia” and “chronic fatigue syndrome” (now starting to be referred to as “XAND”: X-associated Neuro-immune Disease). XMRV is similar to HIV, causes immune suppression, and often leads to lymphoma or leukemia (and definitely plays a role in prostate cancer). It’s also contagious, so that CDC has told those of us infected with the virus that we can’t donate blood or organs, and they’re currently in closed-door meetings to determine how much of the virus is already present in the world’s stored blood supplies. A doctor who treats HIV patients went on record a couple of weeks ago to say she’d rather be infected with HIV than XMRV because at least HIV patients have treatment options, which I hope sends a very clear message to all the doubters who think FMS and CFS were simply signs of laziness and lack of motivation. Clinical trials are already starting to treat those of us infected with XMRV with the HIV drug AZT, so maybe there’s finally some hope for improved quality of life, although there’s never a cure for a retrovirus. The doctor who discovered the link between XMRV and FM/CFS has twenty years of experience as a researcher for the National Cancer Institute, so her credentials are impeccable. She feels the virus may lie dormant in people for years, and may even be hereditary, but is activated by cortisol (a hormone which is released in times of stress). While it’s scary to think that I’m infected with a virus which is proven to cause cancer, it’s exciting to know that I might finally, finally see legitimate treatment options after suffering with this for 13 years. It’s exciting to think I might be able to exercise again, to hold down a normal job, to travel, to not have to choose between showering and cooking dinner! I won’t go so far as to say “life is good” because in many ways it sucks, but I will say, for the first time in a decade, that life is hopeful.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/10 at 05:43 PM
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Thursday, July 09, 2009 , mid-afternoon

Why we call him “Frankenstein”

Our cat, Frank, is really named “Frankenstein” because of all the horrible scarring he had when we adopted him. He also had a massive head from living life as an unneutered tomcat, so he was quite the vision. Over time, many of his scars healed (but not all of them), and he became more gentle and sedate, but yesterday he had a tiff with someone in the house and came out on the losing end. At the rate he’s going, he’s going to need the “Hair Club For Cats” and a toupee. Here’s a peek at his new souvenir:

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 07/09 at 03:13 PM
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Wednesday, July 08, 2009 , lunch time

Five Little Kittens

It was three weeks ago yesterday that Eli died. I’ve been working on a blog entry about her, but I have a good excuse as to why I haven’t finished it yet: for the last two weeks, we’ve had five foster kittens. They were exactly what we needed after losing Eli, because the distraction has been great, and the laughter is always a good thing. The kittens are 31 days old, and have just started to be strong enough to wrestle, run, and bounce around, and play with toys. Their growth is amazing… I figured out that they each consume about 200 calories per day, and if you think that a dieting adult only eats about 1200 calories per day, well, it gives you an idea of how hard their little bodies are working. No wonder they play for ten minutes, eat, and then crash for about six hours! Sometimes they even doze off while eating, which is cute, but with five hungry, crying mouths to feed I appreciate it when they’re in a hurry. I’ve never had such a large litter before and it’s quite time-consuming, although there’s not much else I’d rather be doing with my time. They all use the litterbox, but I need to start to teach them how to eat solid food: it’s going to be messy! One of them already dips his paws in the water dish then walks through the litterbox to make a paste, so he’ll soon be able to add another layer to his work. There are three brown and white tabbies, one solid black cat, and one black and white kitten who looks sort of like a Holstein cow. All already have homes, except for the latter.

They’ve been so labour-intensive that I’ve neglected to upload photos, but I’ll try to add a couple in the next day or two. It may not get done tomorrow, as our afternoon involves taking Dante to the vet because of a small lump that just appeared on his right cheek. He’s had two previous growths removed, one on his ear flap and one between his toes, and I’m pretty sure this is going to be another one that requires surgery. So far they’ve all been benign, thankfully, but I still don’t want to leave this any longer than necessary.

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Edited to add this one photo of the foster kittens. No, you can’t exactly see what they look like, but at least you can see that they’re still cute and tiny enough to all squeeze into one bed:

There are more photos in my Flickr account and in Flippy’s, with a lot more to come as soon as I get them cropped and edited so they look their best.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 07/08 at 12:49 PM
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Odds and Ends

It happens all the time: I find a website I want to blog about, but I’m too preoccupied to blog, so I end up with one browser window and twenty-plus open tabs. In order to tidy up (and actually be able to shut my computer off for a rest), here’s a quick list of some sites which have recently caught my eye:

Modern Cat: A blog which reviews cutting-edge cat furniture, toys, beds, etc. There’s some really nice-looking (and expensive!) stuff here, and they have regular contests to give products away to lucky cat owners.
The Refined Feline: Cat furniture that doesn’t look like cat furniture! I’m sure you’ll pay through the nose for it, but if you can afford it, why not live it up?
Feline Furniture: These products look fairly conventional, but they’re large and full of nooks and crannies to give your cat variety. The prices aren’t bad, either, especially if you compare what you get on the site to what you’d get at Petsmart or Petco for the same cost.
Oasis de Los Gatos is a small sanctuary for ferals and handicapped cats—it sounds like they do a lot of the things we’re trying to do with Wee Paws. The owner has written a book about taming ferals that I’m sure I’d find helpful, and I just wanted to give the site a “shout out” for the good work they do!
The Pad for Paws Foundation: Another charitable group, this one focuses on providing food for the pets of the elderly, disabled, and low-income residents of Helena, Montana. I love their mission, especially in these tight economic times when pet food has become a luxury for many people. That reminds me of something else I’d read recently: the Indigo Girls are on tour, and collecting donations for local food banks at each tour stop. They’re specifically asking people to also donate food for pets, which is great.
Operation Noble Foster: Ever since we started Wee Paws, I’ve dreamed of one day being able to branch out in two other areas. One, I’d like to start a charity that helps low/fixed-income senior citizens care for their pets, by providing food, vet care, grooming, training, transportation, and a permanent home for the pet if the owner passes away. Two, I’d like to provide long-term foster care for the pets of members of the military, because I get so many requests for help in rehoming the pets of soldiers who are being sent overseas. I was thrilled to see that Operation Noble Foster already exists to help with the latter issue, although I’m sure the demand far outweighs the availability of foster homes. If you’ve got the room to foster an animal, please consider doing so… you end up saving two lives, the one that you’re fostering, and the one that gets the shelter space not used by your foster.

On an “in the news” note, there’s a scandal brewing in Houston where many volunteers at the city’s BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care) shelter claim that the animals are severely underfed and often kept in filthy conditions. The photos and anecdotes in this Houston Chronicle blog entry certainly seem to support the claims, and it’s not a stretch to believe that a city department is trying to cut corners while hoping no one will notice. The troubles at BARC aren’t new, and are sadly reminiscent of Las Vegas’ Lied Animal Shelter, the place where over a thousand cats and dogs were euthanized a few years ago because of under-vaccination and disease outbreaks. I’m mentioning the Houston situation here because I’ve been following it on Facebook (“Feed the Dogs Now”), and because a little attention from outside the city can’t possibly hurt. In my mind, “Houston” and “pets” always had a positive association because of the good work of the Houston SPCA, and it’s a shame that the reality isn’t anywhere close to the mental image.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 07/08 at 11:49 AM
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Friday, June 26, 2009 , terribly early in the morning

A “boy meets dog” story

I tend to go on week-long obsessive stints where I want to find out everything I can about some obscure topic. One time I read and researched about how to grow my own mushrooms, and when I felt I had a good grasp of the subject, I moved on to something else (like Borneo or prion diseases or carnivorous plants or pentathlon). I can immerse myself into just about anything, and lately I’ve been fascinated by Antarctica. I’ve always felt awed by the South Pole region, especially after reading about Ernest Shackleton’s adventures in the incredible book, Endurance, by Alfred Lansing, but I was recently lucky enough to stumble across a few blogs written by people who actually work at the Pole. It’s ironic that I’ve been reading all these personal accounts of life at the bottom of the Earth just as Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald passed away... you’ll remember her as the woman who had to perform a breast biopsy on herself after discovering a lump during one of her stints at McMurdo Station. Medical evacuation was impossible because of seasonal weather issues, and she was brave and gutsy and I really respect the life she lead.

As I was reading various Antarctica-themed blogs, I found an entry written by a contractor who was back in the US and enjoying the heat of Arizona. She and her boyfriend found a lost dog, and the story of the boyfriend and the dog was really sweet and made me smile. Just the photos are worth your time, so if you’re in the mood for a nice tale of the fates being kind to a puppy, please check out The Story of Sonora.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/26 at 04:45 AM
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Thursday, June 25, 2009 , mid-afternoon

Come visit us on Facebook!

I know many of you are regular Facebook users, and I’d love to be able to get to know you and your pets better via that venue. You can find me at http://www.facebook.com/lgerow, so please send me a Friend Request. I’m also very excited to announce that Wee Paws has its very own Fan Page on Facebook, and I hope you’ll take the time to join. The group is growing rapidly, and we even have a celebrity fan: Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, from the TV show, “Emergency Vets”! You can either search for Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary on Facebook to find the Fan Group, or go directly to it at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wee-Paws-Animal-Sanctuary/78639474298. Please drop by and say hello!

P.S. Wee Paws has one more celebrity endorsement in the works—it’s an Olympic athlete who not only won a gold medal, but who set an Olympic record for competing in four Olympic games in three different events. I’ll have more about this as I get all my links and ducks in order, but it’s nice to meet so many great people who want to help animals in need.

Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary

Promote Your Page Too

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/25 at 03:15 PM
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009 , early morning

Dante adjusts, plus, Some cute and cheery videos

Last week I started to write a lengthy blog entry about Eli, and let’s just say that it’s… lengthy. I’m still not finished. When I’m done, I might need to upgrade our server to handle all the text, but I promise I won’t hold it against you if you don’t read it all. I’m mostly just writing it for me, so I won’t forget anything about my wonderful dog. The past week has been challenging, but it’s been made worse as we’ve watched Dante go from a state of confused to a state of sadness, and it’s frustrating that we can’t explain the situation to him. The two dogs were never apart a single day after we adopted Dante, so for 9 years Eli was a constant presence in his life. He’s having to make even more of an adjustment than the humans in the family, I think. For the first four of five days after Eli died, Dante wouldn’t go near the bed that Eli slept in, even though when Eli was alive, “stealing” that bed was the best part of Dante’s day. He seems to be over that as of yesterday, and I found him sleeping in that bed this morning. This evening when I fed him he spun in circles and wanted to play with me for the first time in a week, too, which is also a good sign. I’ve tried to get him to play but all he’s wanted to do is lean on me and have cuddles. Dante is an emotional dog, and he truly has radiated feelings of grief at his loss. If he adjusts to life without Eli faster than I do, I’ll be very grateful. Speaking of grateful, I can’t express how much I appreciate all the condolences you’ve sent to us in email, on Facebook, and via my blog… it helps knowing that there are so many people who understand how we feel. Even the postal service was understanding—a condolence card from my Mother in Canada arrived in only 4 days, instead of the usual 14 days. It took the same amount of time for a card from the vet’s office to arrive, and they’re just a couple of miles away, so two thumbs up to Canada Post for knowing that a girl likes even a virtual hug from her Mom when she’s feeling sad.

On an unrelated note, as I’ve aimlessly wandered the Internet over the past few days, I’ve discovered quite a few cute videos that made me laugh or smile. Rather than write a blog entry for each, I’m just going to list them below. If you’re looking for cuteness, I hope this will be just what you need:

Baby Foxes Born in Tokyo Zoo

Another Cute Video of a Slow Loris

Nutty and Tony

Pet Penguin. It wears a cute little backpack!

One last thing… this isn’t a video, but a funny blog entry written by a cat about a very important subject: A Disclaimer From Mazie Grace. I’ve never been a big reader of the “cats who blog” genre (I’ve just been jealous that none of our cats have the aptitude), but I have to thank Victor Tabbycat for introducing me to the gang at Whiskers and Purrs, and the beautiful Daisy the Curly Cat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blog that has so much work and time dedicated to it as Daisy and Harley‘s blog, and I highly recommend you check it out (if only to see the photogenic cats). Love me some Mr. Shrill, too!

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/23 at 07:33 AM
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009 , terribly early in the morning

Saying goodbye to my best canine pal

This is a long story but for now, you just get the short version. This evening we had Eli, our German Shepherd, put to sleep. She was 13 years old, and we found out she was suffering from an aortic tumor and congestive heart failure. Parts of her heart weren’t beating normally… if you know about a normal heart rhythm, and how it starts with a P wave, Eli’s heart was having multiple beats where it never got past PQ. It wasn’t something we could fix with drugs, and she was destined to die in no more than a couple of weeks, and I didn’t want to prolong her suffering. I always thought of her as my best friend, as the dog who understood my moods and who stuck by me when I was sad or upset. I’d always hoped she would make it to her 14th birthday, but I’m glad I had as long as I did with her. I’m also glad her suffering was minimal, and her death was peaceful. I still clearly remember how she chose me… I went to look at a litter of GSD puppies, and while her siblings ran around and played, she came and sat quietly between my feet. She did a good job picking, because I was lucky to have had such an amazing dog.

If I sound calm, I’m not… I’m utterly distraught yet highly medicated.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/17 at 06:22 AM
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009 , lunch time

Kevin Goes Home

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/16 at 01:55 PM
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Sunday, June 14, 2009 , evening

Off to CoffeeFest!

Flippy and I are rushing off to attend our second-favourite convention of all time, CoffeeFest! It’s a shame neither of us can drink caffeine, because that’s the one limitation on a day of endless samples of exotic coffee beans, frappes, fruit smoothies, biscotti, chocolate, and all the other yummy things you’d find in a coffee shop (or on a dessert tray… mmmm, cheesecake). Most vendors have decaf samples of their coffee products, and I need to stick to those or I’ll get so agitated my head will pop off. I’m especially looking forward to the Lollicup booth, where I’ll get to try their newest flavours of bubble tea.

Our other task for the day is to collect donations for Wee Paws. On the last day of a convention, many vendors (especially those with perishable or liquid items) don’t want to ship them home, so they give them away. I find they’re always quite receptive to making donations to local charities, so I hope we’ll come home with some good coffee beans and other goodies to put up on eBay. We may not be able to drink caffeine, but you caffeine addicts know you won’t be able to resist, so I’ll keep you posted if we get anything you’ll want to try. See you in a few hours!

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/14 at 08:08 PM
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