Cardiomyopathy and Saddle Thrombus?

This is my child, Jeremiah Lee. I adopted him in August of 2003. He was born June 24, 2003. AMAZING cat!!! Really seriously great friend to me throughout the years. He knows how to read me very well! He has this sense that he knows my moods, you know happy and sad.

July 19, 2012 I came home from work to find him laying on the floor in the hall, infront of the bathroom. I called out his name. Jeremiah looked up at me and started to attempt to get up and come to me (like he normally does), but he couldn't. I went to him and stood him up on all fours and he fell to the left side. Not able to stand at all.

I immediately called Banfield (with only a matter of minutes left till they closed). They referred me to call Grady 24hr Emergency Vet. I took him there right away. The woman behind the counter took Jeremiah from my arms and straight to the back. About 45 minutes later the Vet came into the little room that they put us in to talk about him. She had many theories of what could have happened. The main thing that she highly suspected is that he threw a clot in his spine. For another word he suffered from a stroke in his back. She assured me that this wasn't a progression of symptoms, and that he suffered from this while I was at work that day. They wanted to keep him for a total of 48 hours, but they only kept him for 24 hours.  They kept him on IV's and started steroids and baby aspirin.

When I picked him up he was just looking amazing!! Stinky, but amazing!!!

He did SOOOOO good after that frightful Thursday!!! When he got home Friday night he walked around the house to make sure everything looked the same.

That's how he was up until I left to house sit for my cousin, at least as far as I know up till yesterday/this morning.

I was on my way to the Cincinnati Vineyard Community Church to do the Good Sam Run Outreach when I get a phone call from my dad, about Jeremiah. Having an episode like he had last month. I was on 747, headed into Springdale when I got dad's call. I immediately turned down Port Union Road to shoot up By Pass 4 then home.

The vet was looking at him for a few minutes in the back (I watched while he did this with a door between us). He came in and suggested that he "may have a Hyperthyroid" I stopped him mid-sentence and said that the blood results came back and said he didn't have that. He looked at me and pretty much said "How do you know" kind of expression on his face. I then got my cell phone out and played him the message that Dr Hardig left me regarding his results.

He excused himself so that he can throughly review Jeremiah's medical records to know a better approach to treating his condition. When he came back in his said that his blood work up was really good. And just in looking at that one wouldn't think anything is wrong with him.

He asked me if anyone has taken pictures of his chest, I told him no. Then he started talking about the possibility of Jeremiah having something wrong with his heart. I internally started to freak out. When he sent his vet tech in to talk about the cost of the x-ray, and told me that they would cost me $140's. I knew/know I didn't have the money for it. So I called my dad.

Dad and I had a talk... that I needed to be prepared to make an important decision for Jeremiah here, maybe, soon. By then I was nothing but tears. I need to think about his quality of life from here on out. Thinking and praying hard. I stick my head out the door that went back to where they kept the pets and did all their work with them, to ask the doctor to come in and talk to him more about Jeremiah's quality of life. I'm still crying, and trying to hold it together to have a, some what, civilized conversation with this vet. He told me that he couldn't give me a defiant answer with out the x-rays.

About a hour later they called me and told me that the x-rays were in and that the vet would like to speak to me. When I got back to Banfield the vet asked me to step back in the back to see both slides next to each other. He told me that it was just as he suspected with his heart. He has cardiomyopathy with saddle thrombus. He wants to keep him on his aspirin and Prednisone schedule. But he also wanted to add in there another drug; Enalapril. So he's on those three now, plus Amoxicillin and eye drops.

But that wasn't all. His G.I. system is backed up, as well it showed his bladder was full. The vet said that when the tech put the litter box in the cage with him he went to the bathroom. What concerned him was that his BM was so dark (like dark chocolate- dark). He said that it could mean that he's digesting blood, meaning he may have tumor in his large intestine. So he put Jeremiah on a laxatone gel that you can put on a cat's foot,  on their nose, or in their food. I'm going to put it in his food. To help get things moving easier for him.

While we were in the little clinic room, Jeremiah was walking around the room. Stiff legged, but walking around. He wasn't doing that when I picked him up from my dad's. Before Jeremiah and I left the vet went ahead and gave him his med's (the one that I had there with me, and the Enalapril). When I got him home he received the rest of his drugs (but they aren't the "happy kind"). The vet wanted to call me tomorrow (or today since now it's the 11th) and see how he's doing. But I won't be hom until later on. So I told them that I would call them on Monday about how Jeremiah is doing.

Needless to say that I didn't make it to the Good Sam Run today. But that's okay. I did however drive over 140 miles in all from 9 AM to about 7 PM. That would be going from my cousin's house (or in the vicinity of their house) to my dad's house, to get Jeremiah, then back to the Bridgewater Falls area, to the vet. Then from the vet's back to my dad's, because he helped me out with the cost of the x-rays. Then back to the Vet to get Jeremiah, and take him back to dad's house. Then I went to Wal-mart in Oxford to get a kitty litter box that had a top to it, then back to dad's house. To drive back to my cousin's place to feed her babies. Then I went to the Cincinnati Vineyard's celebration service tonight, then back to the house. I didn't want to go, but I did.

I called Stephanie to see how he was doing. She called me back. He's pretty much acting like he did this morning. I wish I was there with him!! I'll be home tomorrow.... I just hope he's doing better!!!

One world order = End times coming VERY SOON

Ok, so I didn't write this post. My friend Dan Stange wrote it as his status update yesterday, about Obama care:


"So I'm going to get up on a soapbox here. I highly recommend you at least read through this whether you agree with me or not. 

Having intelligent thoughts and/or conversation is always welcome.

I am going to preface this by saying a couple of things. First off, I am a healthcare provider, so I see a lot of things first hand. From health care costs, health insurance premium costs, to both proper and improper use of the Medicaid system. I also know what it is like to be unemployed for a year while looking for work.

I do not know who all has been keeping track, but one of the provisions of the Healthcare act, otherwise known as Obamacare is to require every single american to HAVE to carry health insurance. That may not sound like a terrible thing at first glance, but let us consider the facts.

The supreme court has ruled on this clause in the act. They have two choices:
Find the mandate unconstitutional
Say it IS constitutional, and counts as a 'Tax'. The only way it is constitutionally supported to force people to pay anything to the government is by calling it a tax.

The supreme court ruled that it counts as a Tax.

So now we're left with choices, either we take insurance through our work IF we have a job, you find your own insurance plan and pay for it out of pocket (an extra bill), or you are REQUIRED to pay the government for their healthcare plan (an extra bill).

So worst case scenario, Obamacare is unconstitutional.
Best case scenario, it is in fact a tax. As a tax, it is going to flat out be the MOST expensive tax in the country outside of income tax and property tax. 

What many people don't realize is that while it costs an individual about $150 a month to take insurance through a place they work, their workplace is paying for the majority of that healthcare coverage. In fact, if the workplace were not paying their share of your health benefits, it would cost anywhere from $300 to $600 per month to pay for the entire thing yourself, and that is a conservative estimate.

Let's say you have a person that does not work, but they have too much pride to take the 'free handout' of a Medicaid program. They are getting by doing odd jobs and making money on the side because they do not have a lot of bills.
Along comes Obamacare, and this person HAS to take an insurance plan. They may have been looking for a steady job for a year now with no luck, so work insurance is not an option. They cannot afford to pay the rate if they have no workplace paying a share of the healthcare. Their options now are pay this so-called tax and not have any money for themselves, or sign up for the Medicaid program they do not want.

But wait,
People argue that this is acceptable, like 'car insurance being required'. 
These things are not the same. Car insurance is required so that some jackass doesn't hit you in his car and stick you with the bill because he cannot pay you back. It is liability only that is required, not full coverage. Your healthcare is in your own hands.

If you choose to take the risk of not fully insuring your car against accidents that are your fault, that is acceptable. You have that choice.

If you choose to take the risk of not insuring your healthcare, while not necessarily the best idea, this will no longer be an option. Your healthcare is much more similar to full coverage than to liability, as your actions directly affect your risk of needing that service, and they should both be optional.

So let's look at the implications of this mandate. First off, they're requiring you to take a service you may have no interest in paying for.

Secondly, this will actually put an undue burden on people that lack jobs and/or money in an already struggling economy. 

Here are some hypothetical situations just to get people thinking about the ramifications of this act.

Situation one, a person loses their job for a year. (NOT impossible in this day and age) What if they cannot afford to pay for health insurance, and decide instead to be extra healthy and careful not to be injured while they are out of work.

Along comes Obamacare, and now this person is REQUIRED to pay for a health insurance service they do not want. They planned on being careful and staying healthy, now they have a bill for an extra couple hundred dollars a month. This now puts an extra burden on the individual.

Situation two, a person does have a job, but it does not offer benefits and does not pay well. They took a crap job in a bad economy to pay their bills.
This person does not take out a health insurance plan either because their job's plan is too expensive, and on their low income they cannot afford to take that much money out of their check each month. 

Along comes Obamacare. This person who was just getting by now HAS to take health insurance. They now can no longer afford their bills. They are left with two options now: Keep working and not be able to afford this additional bill and possibly lose their home, or stop working and apply for Medicaid and get to keep their home. The easier choice is obvious. I know not everyone is in a marginal situation such as this, but just watch, our tax payer dollars will be spent even more to support the Medicaid system, because if your choices are work and pay this extra bill you cannot afford, or don't work and have the state pay your bills, it's an easy choice, but not one that helps the rest of the taxpayers. But who can blame them? The government is essentially backing EVERYONE into a corner with this act.

So remember, 
Best case scenario is that this is a very high tax on any people that are not working, not making enough money and want to opt out of paying for healthcare, or an additional tax on people single people that cannot find a job. This will shift more and more people onto the Medicaid state systems and foodstamps simply out of lack of choice.

So Best case is Obamacare is increasing taxes by a substantial amount.

Worst case scenario, Obamacare is taking away our rights as Americans and is just flat out unconstitutional.

Say what you will, un-friend me if you must, but I say to you this:

It is unethical, and un-american to require people to take a service they have to pay for against their will. 

Romney has vowed to repeal Obamacare if elected. 
Republicans need only 4/12 open seats in Congress this year to get a majority, and they want to repeal this act as well.

A vote for ANYONE that is not Obama in 2012 is either a vote to protect our constitutional rights, or a vote to avoid unduly high taxation. 

Either way, I urge people to avoid paying this additional tax, and keep our rights from being taken away 1 step at a time.

Vote for anyone but Obama in 2012. Sure he's charismatic, but from all reports I've heard so were a lot of leaders in history that are now deemed terrible.

I am not asking you to become republican. I am simply asking you to take a step back and look at the situation objectively, and evaluate who is going to protect our liberties the most come election day.

I know who has already shown they want to take away our liberties.
I know how I will vote this year."

I really feel like this is more signs of "end times." People in politics have already started talking about changing our currency to the uro. Now health care? For the low income people who are single, have families, single and have children forcing them to pay for this is like saying, "Maybe suicide is the better option?" 

My spirit is saying that this is what it is.... Some say that this could start a revolution... I just say God may be sending his Son sooner than some of us may think. I know what will happen to me when the rapture happens, I'm gonna see my Jesus. What will happen to you?

Forgotten Letter

Okay so last fall.... early winter I wrote (yes, pen and paper) a letter to the lead singer of the Contemporary Christian Group; Addison Road, Jenny Simmons. My letter was about how the song, What do I know of Holy? challenged me as a christian, a single woman, and inspired me to keep on keeping on with where I am at right now in this journey called "life." Not to mention my letter was like 3 pages long (one sided).

TOTALLY forgot about the letter!!!!

Today with my thoughts completely submerged in my finals, if I'm going to pass with a "B" or a "C" in my ENG 336 class, the looming last final of the year this Saturday at 12:20 my brain was seriously spinning at a pace that no stress level should ever reach. When I got home this evening I walked to the mail box to get our mail (duh), opened the box to see a little pink envelope sitting on top of like 3 other articles of mail. And it was addressed to myself. I LOVE getting mail, especially if it's not a bill!!! As I'm sure all of you enjoy it too!! I look at the return address and it said it came from Irving, TX. My first thought was that it was from Premier Designs' home office, or prayer minister's of the business. But to my delight it wasn't (not that getting a card or something nice from them isn't a delight... b/c it is).

This card, with a hand written letter inside, was from Jenny Simmons. It's funny how God's timing works out sometime, and in the same way it is completely perfect!!!

She opens up her letter with the fact that her family and her are in the process of moving to Nashville, TN and as they were packing and moving some furniture when she found my letter, unopened. So she apologized that it was miss placed. She spoke about how when you are 30 one get a sense of "settled-ness" that comes with this age. Not so much in the "plans" but in the sense that - who you are starts to grow roots and flourish and all of the sudden we get it and can say, "Oh- so that is how God created me." Settling into yourself - In my case; even in the midst of going back to school, working, etc. She goes on to say/state that it is perhaps what has allowed me to finally embrace the voice & art that God had put inside of me.

Jenny goes on to quote her father, "God will not call you to something only once, but will whisper... sometimes scream it to you time and time again." She goes on to tell me that it seemed that He keeps drawing me back to be the one who captures and creates beauty. As artists we are called to express beauty, expose truth, and question everything in between.

"I wonder what hand questions God will face people with through YOUR ART?" She goes on to encourage me, "Stay faithful and be courageous."

Like I said I needed this today.

Yey God!!!! I love you Abba!!!!

A's in all my classes but one ='s no happy dance for me this semester

My week is going soooooo extremely slow. But I guess that's the nature of the beast when it's finals week? I'm doing pretty good.... I have had two, I totally rocked out a 100% on my EDT 190 (a what "teaching really means" kind of class) and I'm not too sure about my ENG 226 (a creative writing class, and I think this prof is a total creeper) but I have a really high A before the final so I'm sure I aced this as well. 2 down 2 left to go. The one today is an "Applied Learning Project" paper that has to be 5-7 pages long.... and I'm 10 lines past 7 pages. I'm freaking out just a little bit, b/c yes I will get docked points for it being over. I have spent hours pouring over the paper and have cut a lot out... as well my friend has looked over it and found nothing to cut. This is the only class I'm worried about, I have A's in all my other classes, but this class I have totally no clue what I have. The professor is not as informative as the other ones I have or have had.

For the proposal we had to submit for this "ALP" final paper, we had to have some "Works Cited" listed in the proposal. I had been looking for things I could use in my research but I was unable to locate anything pertaining to my topic of choice because it was such a very broad topic. So I submitted it with nothing cited, because I had nothing to cite. With that being said, I had noticed that under the Niihka grade book for this class (my grades) I had a 0/25 for the proposal. I had mentioned something to her about the "0," and she said that "I should look in the 'notes' section as to why it says zero. I never give zero's without a comment or reasoning." Well, I looked... NO COMMENTS. I resend her my proposal like she asked me too, and she responded with that fact that I had stated about the cited material, that she would only give me a 12.5/25 points.

I have a 40/50 for our "Group lead student discussion." NO OTHER GRADES ARE LISTED!!! I know I have to do a few blogs (at 10 pts a blog I have about 4 to do today) about some of the readings we had in class.... easy cheezy stuff. But I'm seriously FREAKING about this STUPID PAPER!!!!

For my visual for this ALP final (when we had like 15 min's to present our project in the class) I did a painting/illustration of a little slave boy.

I save the jpg to my flash drive on my key chain and took it to Wal-Mart and had an 8x10 printed. I titled the picture "Ray" and wrote the class info at the bottom right corner with my signature and year. I plan to give this too her when I return the books to her in a little bit. I guess you can say I'm "kissing up" to her better nature (or at least hope to) so I can get by with the 10 extra lines in my paper?

When I presented my project to the class, it went over good (at least I thought it did...). When I was collecting my material (books, papers, and the painting) when I was finished present it, she said "Now, you said I could have that painting right?" Um... no.... I responded with, "Ya sure you can have it... but I'll need $250's when I give it too you." After saying that I think the price should be a little higher? What do you all think?

But I'm stressed... my heart feels like it's beating OUT OF MY CHEST and my hands are shaking (at least it feels like this).

I need to get moving.... BLAH!! 

I'm out............................................................................ 

Sex Exploitation.... I THINK NOT!!!!

Ok confession here....

For the past 11 months I have been on match.com. I did the 6 months at first and didn't meet anyone, so I got my next 6 months free. My freeness will be up on May 19th, and NO I will not be renewing... more like I'll be deleting. STILL haven't met anyone worth while. Seems to be that most the guys that are on this site are looking for an easy lay.

My profile, at least I think, talks about how important my relationship with my Heavenly Father is & how I think for my spouse (or any man I date, or consider to) should be as well. I do not want to be unevenly yoked what so ever. That means just a lot of unneeded pain that I will only call upon myself if I should be.

With all that being said I woke this morning to find a notification in my email saying that someone emailed me from match. This is a screen shot from my phone of what the email said...

Needless to say I totally blocked him!! It's time like this when I feel like all hope is so lost in the dating world!

I mean what would even give this creep the idea that I would just have a radically random "hook up?"

What a way to even begin a day.... I'm seriously more than creeped out!!!! As well, I'm very highly insulted!!!

But I am NOT going to let it ruin this beautiful day!!! I'm gonna go to work (at the Goddard School) and rock the day out with some amazing 4 year olds!!! Then I'm going to come home and do homework. C'est la vie

My Mistake of going to McDonald's today!!!

My very horrible experience today at McDonald's. Don't hate, I normally don't go there but I needed to get some food in my system to take some pain med's for my headache that was getting bad. Today was the last day I ever go there again!!! This letter went to the Owner/Operator as well as McDonald's head quarter in Oak Brook, IL. 

I'm a writer.... don't piss me off!!! I can tell a person off withOUT using cuss words!!!!

To Whom It May Concern:

This morning on my way to class I had stopped off at a gas station to get some pain reliever for my headache, and had planned to swing in and out of McDonald’s drive through so I had some food in my stomach when I took the pain reliever. When I got to McDonalds on the corner of Main St and Oxford State Rd, I notice the drive thru wasn’t that long so chose to go that route rather than going inside. Boy was I entirely wrong. I arrived in the drive thru at approximately 10:30 AM. I had to wait my turn for ordering because there was a utility van ordering in front of me.  I ordered a little after 10:30; 6 count nugget and a small fry (generally speaking that was the most normal part of my time in the drive thru). I place my order, and then have to wait in my car for a very long time just to get to the first window, and I give the young lady my payment. She in turn did NOT give me a receipt. Next I had to wait again for a rather longer period of time. There were three cars in front of me (or so it looked to seem that) with a bigger car in the waiting spot after the second window. I watched as the food was being handed to each car… very slowly… and it didn’t seem like anyone had a big order. I pull out of the drive thru at 10:44-10:45 AM. An entire 15 minutes in a drive thru is not by any standards explainable!! I told another young lady who handed my food that, if I had the time now I would come in and talk to the manager. But as it was I was going to be extremely late for my first of many classes today, I told her that I would be back later on this afternoon. While driving to class I called a friend to look up this location’s phone number, because I didn’t have a receipt for the manager to reference because I was not given one. He texted it too me, and I follow suit in calling the restaurant. I called them TWO times and both times it just rang and rang, then it sounded as if someone picked up and directly hung up. BOTH TIMES!

After my last class I stopped in to the restaurant to see about getting this situation rectified. Again, this time was just as bad as it was when I was in the drive thru, if not worse. I walked up to the person taking guest’s food orders and asked to speak to a manager, and just took a step back to observe what was going on. I counted 3 drive thru orders coming back into the establishment because either their order was not right, or something was left out. As well the young lady that was handing the food out the window stated rather loudly, “After I hand this food out the window I’m clocking out and going home! My shift is over!” Pretty much her declaration that the restaurant is on it’s own, whether her relief was there or not. As well, I did notice that there were a few people standing around while a tall skinny man in a black shirt with light gray pin stripes (I will find out after a wait he was a supervisor/manager) was doing all the food expediting, while I stood there waiting to talk with him.

When we did actually speak about what happened this morning, I knew full and well that he (Bill) was not working. I explained to him that the actions that occurred in the drive thru this morning almost made me late for my class, and as well that I had tried to call the store but was pretty much hung up on both times I tried to call. He then asked me what I wanted him to do about the circumstance. I told him that he could give me some coupons to rectify the problem or give me a full refund back. He excused himself to go and look for some coupons. When he came back up to the front he had two in his hand that said in big bold print “Buy one and get another one for just one cent.” I told him that it kind of defeats my purpose for coming back to the store to have this issue resolved when I have to spend more of my own money to be treated badly yet again. He didn’t get what I was saying, so I explained my reasoning again to him, and after a few minutes he (I hope) saw my point. He excused himself again to go and look for anything else, and came back with nothing. He asked me again what he could do to make this problem correct? I said that I would take a full refund, and told him what I ordered this morning: a 6 piece chicken nugget and a small fry. He said that because I did not have my receipt that he could not give me a refund because that would make his drawer(s) short. So I asked him his question that he has now asked me two times, “So what can you do to rectify this situation, sir?” He proceeded to ask me if I wanted anything right then, I did not. I had just witnessed 3 orders messed up, a rude employee, and I was not hungry, I just wanted to have this situation corrected or receive my money back in full and get out of there to go home and study for my finals. As it was I was already there for probably a good 20 to 30 minutes trying to resolve this issue. Bill then told me that I could come back to the restaurant and order something at a later date. I was sort of taken aback by this because he did not want my name and phone number to have on file for the other management to see. He told me to just tell them “Bill said it was okay.” I feel this would make me look like a fool when and if I was to come back and say this.

I have been through this drive thru on another occasion. My wait in the drive thru was just as long if not longer. However, this time there was a line in the drive thru. So I just took that as the circumstance. But today, both times and the phone call I tried to make, was totally irrevocably totally unexplainable! I think about the first time I was there and had a long stent in the drive thru, maybe this is how this operation of a business actually runs? If this is so, it’s extremely poor; poor customer relations/service, poor timeliness, poor employee attitude’s, poor order accuracy, and very poor standards that they not even try to hold the “McDonald’s” name brand too.

A very unsatisfied customer

Running inside my brain x2 - Dedication worries voiced

For those who have been following my blogs about my painting know that it is finished now. It's 100% finished.... it's now framed and ready to be hung on my church's wall! I'm so excited about this as well!!

Well, they are having a night of dedication or a sort of unveiling for it. I haven't made a facebook invite because I want this to be kept small and very intimate night of giving thanks to Abba for what he has done in our life. I've only printed a handful of invitations that went to dear family & friends, some pastors who've had a positive impact on my Christian walk, and some of my art mentors who have had a hand in helping me become more creative. As well, the invitation is open to my church members.

It will consist of worship lead by my friend Jim, his acoustic guitar (3 or 4 songs broken down), and myself. Prayer is totally going to happen, and I'm going to be talking a little bit about the illustration itself. Where I was (emotionally) when I started it, what happened before I started, and how God had his hand in every stroke I did while I was painting. I'm going to speak about how I've grown more in love with his love and his gifts that He so freely gives to us. I'm going to talk about the next piece that I am going to get started on. This will probably started at the beginning of summer.... I'm waiting on God for the specifics of when I should move.

So what's the worry? Well, I have passed/mailed all but a few invitations out and only one person has responded telling me that they will be there. On the other hand I have had a bunch of other people tell me flat out that they won't be there. And more or less should have consulted them when I was thinking about the date and time. 

This isn't about who I can get there, or want to be shown support or anything. It's about God first and foremost. I wanted to share what has been coming together over the past year, as well as fellowship. Some of the people who I have invited I haven't seen in a very long time, and I will admit, it will be nice to see them again. Everyone that I have invited has had an impact on me in some way shape and form, as well good, bad, and indifferent. 

I have to be honest. I seriously expecting few to show.... because it seems that happens whenever I "try" to plan something those that I invite tend to not show, no matter what the invitation. It would feel nice to have that affirmation from people I consider to be close to me. PLEASE do not think that this is a sort of pity party... I've been fighting off these things for quite sometime now... and I can't contain them any longer. 

I know that who shows to this dedication is suppose to be there.... I just need to let go and let God. I'm worried about it... stressed about it... and wondering what's going to happen at it. I guess you can say that I'm trying to control it, and that's not good.