9-12 project

Almost died b/c of downed cable line??

I almost died last night. NOT REALLY, but close.  I was driving home from Amy's birthday gathering , which was supposed to include cake that i made and bowling at the AC on campus, but the bowling lanes were closed b/c of maintenance problems... so i was driving home down I-27 and then McCormick and about...a quarter of the way down McCormick, something smacked my windshield!  I realized that it was something long and rope like that went parallel to the ground across the car about mid way up the windshield.  Mom had already told me that the Cable was out at home, so after I recovered from the stun, I turned around to go check out what, if it was still there, had hit me.  It was either a power line or a cable line that was sagging so low that SUVs were hitting it.  Cars could slide under i think, but it hit an expedition right as i stopped near it.  I got to call 911 and tell them about it and the stupid lady asked me if i knew if it was power or cable...it was dark, rainy and i couldn't tell the thickness of the cord, so she just sent out a patrol car to check it out.  it was EXCITING! and it scared the BEEJEEZUS out of me.  interesting story though.

it's been awhile...

to start somewhere, my granddad passed away on Jan 17th at the age of 90 (his birthday is in February). He was sleeping most of the past couple days, so he went peacefully. My grandmother is taking it remarkably well...the day after the funeral (which was on my mom's birthday and inauguration day) she asked to clean out all granddad's clothes and give them to someone who was in need of them. She also told my dad and me that when it gets warmer, she wants to come visit us in Amarillo--mind you there are pictures of my grandparents at my house from when Anne was a baby, but never in my recollection have either of them been here--the just don't travel, so her saying this is very very cool to me. Keep praying for her though--Josie Palitza.

Dusty, on the brighter side, *just* got his stitches out. While we were gone for the funeral, he wiggled out of his cone and bit out some of the stitches in the middle of the scar (from first surgery) and due to necrotic tissue, the vet wouldn't resew it, despite that the hole was the size of a half-dollar. We just had to betadine it and put pink wound medicine on it (greatest stuff ever). Now he is 98% healed and stitches are out and he only has to sleep in his cone--cone free the rest of the time. horrah!

I got a new job--as a graduate assistant, GA, at WT. I will be working at the Amarillo Campus, in the Chase tower and doing odd jobs and such. The income will be so nice. I meet with my "boss," I suppose, tomorrow morning.

In other news, Donald is out on the MEU now (Marine Expeditionary Unit). It's like a mini-aircraft carrier. He has email and has called once, during the superbowl because military don't get off all federal holidays, but they darn well got the morning off for the superbowl (due to time difference, it was monday morning for them). He is doing well from what I can assertain, just subject to a very motonous life.

A short note to say hi and encourage him in his Walk would be great, but just that, NO forwards or cutesy emails...just letters. His military email is GUY.CAPRA@essex.usmc.mil.

I miss him terribly and wish his time overseas was over... I have people all the time tell me that they couldn't do it, but I'm really learning that with God all things are possible...Him and great family and friends. I put up a great front, but sometimes it is soo hard. Especially to watch my other close close friends get engaged after me and married before... :) But, all will be well in time.

Sarah Capra asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding :) which i'm excited about. Donald won't be able to be there, so I will represent "us." there's a pic of the dresses below.

I think that's about all I have...? yep!

Dusty is doing better--today he had some necrotic tissue removed from his belly-incision.  He's still pretty drugged and of course still has his bladder cath in.  We're all getting very weary in my house from having to change his diapers (yep) every so often--night and day.  Despite all the frustration and drama, I am SO glad that my puppy is still alive and doing better by the day.

more later maybe...i'm weary, as I said...

no word on granddad lately...keep praying on the front.

update on Dusty

We took Dusty to an emergency vet clinic on new years day, which is open when other vets aren't--this weekend 24 hours a day until Monday morning.  they ran blood work again, which was normal on Wednesday, but Thursday had skyrocketing levels of creatanine (spelling??) and one other that indicated his bladder had ruptured or was leaking--something we tried to test for in the beginning (see last post).

After an exploratory surgery, we learned his bladder is fine--why we didn't catch something wrong the first time on x-rays.  He had a hole in his urethra!!  So when we had the first cath in to air up his bladder, it was working fine--his bladder function is fine--just it's leaking into his body cavity when he does urinate.  They ended up getting over a gallon of urine out of his body cavity--which explanes why he was swolen up like a tick.

The lady who did the surgery, was a stranger to us and very pessimistic of Dusty's outcome--we were worried and wished our trusted vet could do it, but thankfully Gregg (our horse vet--who's been taking care of all this) came by after bowling with his son up the street and, with permission, watched a bit of the surgery.  He said Dusty's insides looked like hamburger meat and that it would be tough due to swelling, but very possible to fix him!.  He also shared bear-hugs all around which really was helpful when you're worried your dog might die. 

They ended up putting in another cathedar--backwards, because they couldn't get it to go in from outside-in correctly without poking through this "hole" where-ever-it-may-be.  He is recovering at their clinic in a ICU ward with round the clock service and care now.  They said this morning that they are "cautiously optimistic" that he will be okay now.

What a ride!!! and thank goodness he is doing okay.  He's my baby you know.

No word lately on Granddad--last I heard they still had him hooked to IV fluids and he was doing okay. not great, but okay. which we'll take