Foster cat update: Horner's syndrome

I thought I'd give a quick status update on my foster cat, for anyone who might be interested. I brought him one back in July (a few months after our senior kitty passed away). Wildman is an old guy, and a long-term shelter resident, so I wanted to give him a comfortable place to spend his "golden years."

We think he's around 14 or 15 and based on the issues he's having, that seems pretty right. He's got chronic ear infections, so he's always on antibiotics, which help a little, but aren't ever going to completely resolve the issue. Also, the ear infections caused facial paralysis on the right side of his face (probably from all the scratching).

Horner's syndrome of the right eye.

 In the last few days, it's turned into Horner's syndrome- a condition where the top eyelid drops, the third (nictating) eyelid closes, and the pupil constrictions. He was also diagnosed with hyperthyroid (a normal cat has a range of 0.7-5, and in a senior cat, a level above 2.5 might be considered hyperthyroid (when you take signs and symptoms into consideration). Wildman's test came back at 13! Yikes. So now, he's getting twice daily pills for that too. And he's got high blood pressure, and he's on human meds for those. I crack up every time I go to the pharmacy to fill my prescription for "Wildman B."



He goes back to the vet this week to have blood drawn again. Now that he's on hyperthyroid meds, there's a chance it had previously masked some other issues (like kidney failure) so they'll check on all of that. Sorry for the long and rambling, non-book related post, but I wanted to share, just in case anyone else out there has a senior cat. I'd love to hear how things are going with your older pets (and the younger ones too)!

Best buds!

Despite all of his issues, I think he's truly happy in our home. He spends his days napping on the couch and hanging out with my other cat. He's a lot of work, but it's totally worth it. Now a plug for senior cats- if you're considering adding to your family, consider an older pet. Not only are they trained and far less destructive, I think they appreciate a good home more than the younger ones do.



Also, I'm finally decided to finish the Hunger Game series, so my librarian boyfriend brought home Mockingjay a few weeks ago. Only now it's missing somewhere in the house. We had company over last weekend and I think in the cleaning frenzy that preceded, I tossed it somewhere randomly. I've looked in all the typical places (in my nightstand, in the den that we have set up as a library, the bottom of the coffee table) and it's no where. I'm getting desperate. Any suggestions? What's the weirdest place you've found a missing book?

Update: Mockingjay has been found. It had gotten mixed in with the bf's comic books. But in sad news, it has to go back tomorrow since it's way overdue, but at least it's been found!!

My Darkest Secret

I'm going to reveal something to you that I would never tell anyone (except maybe my mother). It's a dark secret that I keep hidden away because I fear what it says to the world. And a recent turn of events has reinforced what a terrible thing this is. Are you ready for it?

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I use Internet Explorer 9. SOB!

I'm the worst. I pretend day in and day out to be tech savvy. I chat with my web developer friends about html and java and way IE sucks because pages have to be developed using non-standard code. In public, I claim to use Chrome (because it sounds sooo cool). I'm also a PC, which I stand by, but would also likely not confess to these same friends (and as I mentioned above, I would tell my mom, only because I think she might still be using IE6 on her Commodore 64).

I hate when I go to log in to blogger in my typical web browser and I get all these wonky images and error messages. I get it, you don't like IE, and you're not going to continue to cater to a non-standard web browser. But it hurts. Because it's a reminder of how not cool I am. And I swear, normally, I'm very nerdy-cool. I own every game system (yes, even a SegaCD). My basement looks like something out of a teen boys fantasy dream, equipped with a Dreamcast store display stand-up video game kiosk and three rows of comic book shelves (repurposed pantyhose shelves from a department store that went out of business).

That's it. That's my secret shame. And that means when I want to update my blog, I need to open up Firefox (I know it's just as bad!!!!! Shut up, web people) and log in again. But I'm willing to do it for you!

Hope everyone is having a great and happy March. Anyone do anything special for Leap Day? My mom donated blood and helped rescued a manatee. I saw a man taking the trash out in his tighty-whities. I think I win. Unless one of you can beat me.

Unfocused writing

You all might have noticed that I've been in a bit of a rut (i.e., stuck in an endless edit) lately. I'm taking a bit of time away from Power Trio to enjoy the other things I love in life. I'm reading some great YA- almost done with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I've been spending more time at the animal shelter, which has been really cathartic (or should I say CAThartic, ha ha) since work has been a little high stress lately. I've also delved into some other types of writing. My significant other is a rapper, and after years of him refusing to use my lyrics in his songs (I had such gems as "back up against my mad crunk" and an entire song about Gambit and Rogue's relationship), I have been driven to write and perform my own (horrible, terrible, very bad) raps. Okay, raps might be an exaggeration, but I am trying to finish one song. I'm going to record it too, in the little studio he has set up in the basement. When I do, you will be the first (and maybe the only) people to hear it. I'm also not going to use another parenthetical aside in this post. I apologize. Five is far too many. But I'm not sure that I can type any more without using my favorite piece of punctuation, so I should probably just go. Happy Friday all!

Two months?!?!?!

You will not believe this! I have been diligently writing blog posts every day for these last two months and then I guess blogger decided to delete them all. That or my cat ate them. Definitely one of the two.

I've been a bad blogger. I still have all this fun content (including a quiz to help you figure out what kind of a bee you are). I need to get back into it. But between my surgery in November, and then the holidays, and now Wildman (my foster cat's) surgery too, I have had some focus issues. I am right now watching Wildman thrash about wildly (how fitting!) in his cat carrier. He's been in it all day, but he's still loopy from the anesthesia and I am not going to be suckered into letting him out. He needs at least another hour of quiet time. Then it's off to the small bedroom which I will fill with pillows and blankets. I have to say, it's pretty funny watching the carrier rock. It looks like something from a haunted house or Gremlins or something. He's all black so I can't really see him in there, but I can see the cage shimmy-shaking constantly. He had his ear cleaned and a tooth pulled and the rest of them scrubbed. Everybody cross your fingers that this time he'll end up feeling better for a long time. He's a 14yo cat with chronic ear issues and stomatitis and he's probably never going to get rid of all of his problems, but I will make sure he is as comfy as possibly for as long as possible.

Work has also been crazy, but fun lately. There is a strong chance I will go to Omaha for a conference this summer, which is coincidentally where I set my first book. I am beyond excited to see the city I've spent the last three years researching and writing about. Not sure if I'll get much sightseeing done, but I'm going to try.

Story updates! I've continued to edit Power Trio. Like a gerbil digging a hole in a glass terrarium. Or a gerbil running on a wheel and never getting anywhere. I didn't own gerbils (or any small mammal for that matter) growing up, but I think I can really relate. Along those same lines, if anyone is in the Atlanta area and is interested in forming a critique group, please email me: bookbossblog@gmail.com.

Anyway, I'm off to get Wildman settled. I promise I'll try to be here more regularly... I mean, I'll make sure blogger doesn't keep erasing my amazing, Pulitzer-prize winning posts.

Developmental milestones

I made it through NaNo, no better than last year. Actually, a little worse- I only wrote about 10,000 words. But they really aren't bad, and I'm happy to have at least those. I think it was hard to do NaNo because I've been on such a roll with editing the first book of Power Trio that I was still in that frame of mind. But now I have two options (writing or editing) when I sit down at the computer, so I can pick whichever I'm in the mood for.

Sitting down at the computer, however, has been difficult all on its own. I had to have a minor surgical procedure (lancing a cyst the base of my spine), which has prevented me from doing anything for the last week. I was home from work and I didn't volunteer at the Santa pet photos over the weekend like I do every year (http://iwroteabook.blogspot.com/2010/12/gridlockd.html, but don't worry, I'm still going to next week!). But because I couldn't sit upright, I was barely able to do anything. I even had a hard time reading. It's tricky to read on your side without your arm going numb... But I'm back at 90% and able to sit upright for a little while at a time. I think that makes me the equivalent of a 7 month old baby. Progress!

In other news, my old, deaf cat recently found his voice and has taken to caterwauling (or the male, non-heat version of it). He made a bunch of noise when I brought him home in May, but he's been relatively quiet for the last few months. My mom came to town to help me out over the weekend, and she took to spoiling my cats (as any good cat grandmother would do). They got treats whenever they wanted, and extra wet food because she was worried the old, deaf cat was "too skinny." I think he's making a ton of noise, hoping that she's still here and will come feed him, but sadly, it's just me and he doesn't get wet food from me all the time. Only when I decide it's time, mwah ha ha (mini power trip). But if he keeps making all this racket, I'm going to have to put some food in that pie hole to shut him up...

Hope you all had a happy and productive November and are gearing up for a great December!

Staying alive, staying alive

I have a brief shining moment in my internet in my currently sad internet-less life and I've decided to spend it with you. Awwww. I wanted to give a few good updates and my thoughts:

• I'm hovering at about 5,000 words in Power Trio 2 but...
• My move is done. The boxes are not unpacked, but I have located all of the essentials (work clothes), but...
• The other life essential, internet, is not connected. Which should actually help me focus on bullet one, but thus far has only made life more complicated. Trying to coordinate all the move stuff with the old landlord, get the mail forwarded (what do you mean I should have done that weeks ago?!), and all that mess is much harder without access to email. Annnnnnd my work just changed their filter so I can no longer access personal email at work (good for them, bad for me).
• And in cat news, which I know you can't get enough of, I've found a sort of new therapy for ear infections that I think I'm going to try for my semi-feral foster cat. Laser therapy that's supposed to help with inflammation. I haven't really looked into it yet, and I'm sure it's terribly expensive (I might be starting a Wildman fund), but after the two months of antibiotics and two flushings didn't do a thing (other than make the bacteria resistant) I'm ready to try something else.

Okay, off to up that word count! Hope you're all doing well in Nano and otherwise.

Of note, "no internet" is a label that I've used before. Probably last November when I moved. I'll have to do some exploring and find it... the NEXT TIME I have INTERNET.

November Check-In #1

Power Trio, book 2- 1700 words

Move- 30% complete, family reinforcements coming Monday, movers coming on Wednesday (for the big stuff)

Dinner- thinking of making vegetarian white chili

I've already made two trips over to the new place. I moved a lot of the kitchen items, and now I'm craving white chili. I don't have measuring spoons or mixing bowls, but at least I had the forethought to leave the can opener.

After I get that started (which will probably require a grocery store run), I plan on sitting down in front of the computer and duct taping my hands to keyboard until I get a decent word count. I have to make up for the last few days of slacking.

I'm struggling with the little things in Power Trio 2. I know the main conflict/antagonist. I have a smaller antagonist. I have the love interest(s). I know where my characters are going to start and where they're going to go (mostly talking physically, but I do have some sense of character growth/change that I want to cover).

I'm having a hard time coming up with the actual scenes. Which is why it's kind of perfect that I'm doing NaNo, because the whole point is to stop thinking and start writing. I'm sure if I just open the word document, something will happen.

But, first, the chili!!!

If anyone is up for a Word War later, I'll be on twitter. : )