Day 3443

It rained a lot today. I thought I was pretty clever though. I know how long it takes me to walk specific distances and I know there are a lot of little gazebo like structures scattered throughout the park so picnickers can get out of the sun. I looked at the weather radar and plotted a path that would hopefully have me arriving at one of of these covered structures every time a storm cloud was overhead. Amazingly, the plan worked. When a rain cloud arrived I was sitting under a gazebo and staying dry. One of these covered structures was up on a hill where I could see the storm approaching from a distance. You could clearly see streaks of rain falling from a big dark cloud that was getting closer and closer. As the rain approached I could hear the raindrops falling on the water in the lake while the meadow in front of me was still dry. Then thirty seconds later, the rain was overhead. Each storm cell was small and there was lots of space in-between each downpour. I still managed to cover three miles and I didn't get wet. My walk took a little longer this morning, but I wasn't in a hurry. Actually watching the rain from a dry vantage point was quite enjoyable. While I was out today I encountered a beautiful Canada Goose. I wanted a picture, but unfortunately didn't have a telephoto lens with me. I thought about trying to get close to the goose with my phone, but geese can be nasty. I wasn't really in the mood to get attacked by a goose.

I got a welcome letter from the NASA folks today and now I finally feel comfortable that my acceptance of their invitation was received. NASA is a very bureaucratic organization and there will be further correspondence and forms to fill out before I can actually set foot inside their secure facilities. The trip is officially confirmed though and I'm definitely going. Hopefully, this will be the start of a very interesting summer.

I went with Janet this afternoon to help transport one of our rescue dogs from the veterinary surgery center to another vet where she will recuperate. While we were on our way we got a call saying that there were complications and the dog needed to stay at the hospital under observation for an additional day. Actually, this was good news to me. I always worry about taking a dog home that has just had surgery. Dogs aren't always good patients and there are so many things that can go wrong. Hopefully when we do pick this girl up, her condition will be stable and she'll already be on the mend.

Not a lot happened today but it still felt like a good day. I'm getting a lot of sleep now and am slowly becoming comfortable with the idea of living without deadlines or responsibilities. Janet has always been more involved with rescue than me, but there is nothing wrong with helping her out when I can. Hey, I may become a space and astronomy blogger yet. It must mean something that NASA has invited me to three different events. Things can change quickly, but at least for today, life is good.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 2751

When I took Janet to see the surgeon this afternoon, we were moving so slowly from the car to the lobby that it made us laugh. We were pathetic. She couldn't use her arms very well and I couldn't use my legs. Janet was holding on to a pouch with tubes hanging out of her and I felt like I needed a walker. I'm feeling better than I did last night, but this is going to take a while. Basically, it feels like someone shot an arrow through my legs.

Janet reached a milestone today. Her doctors felt that she had improved enough so that they could take out the remaining drainage tubes. She'll probably be able to drive in a few days. There is still a long journey ahead since it will take at least three months to complete reconstruction. Things are looking good though. My case is much simpler. Assuming I don't get an infection, I should be good to go as soon as the hematoma in my leg is reabsorbed. I'm not sure what to do about the hematoma, since they do tend to heal on their own. It takes a long time though and there is occasionally a risk of a blood clot. Some people say ice packs can reduce the swelling. Other people prefer heat. I'll continue taking the antibiotics and hopefully I'll notice an improvement in a couple of days. I hope that I don't have to have the hematoma drained, but that is always a possibility.

I'm seriously thinking of switching to Janet's doctor. Everything went perfectly on her surgery since they assembled such a great medical team. It's always been hit and miss with me. Sometimes I'm referred to a good specialist, other times not so good. Your realize after a while that it makes a difference where your primary care physician has hospital privileges. Some hospital are better than others. Janet has always seen Baylor physicians. I tend to go to Medical City. If something was seriously wrong with me, I'd feel much more comfortable being treated at Baylor.

Dash didn't get a walk at all today. He seemed a bit confused at first, but then he realized that he had more time to nap. Janet's doctors don't want her walking a dog yet, because it could cause some damage if the dog pulled of tugged on the leash. I just can't walk very well at all right now. Hopefully, things will improve within a week or so. I think I'll try sleeping with an ice pack tonight.

I've got my replacement hard drive formatted and ready to go. I think I'll take my computer to the repair place tomorrow and make the switch to a 4 terabyte drive. That should last me for quite a while. It took me quite a few years to fill up the 1 terabyte drive. I used to be in a panic if I was without a computer for even a day. Now, I could probably be without a computer for a week and it wouldn't make any difference. Work is really that slow.

The neighbors called me today from wherever they're spending their vacation. They seemed very concerned about the dog bite. Since they are lawyers, they were also probably concerned that I might sue them. Not to worry. I have no interest in suing anybody. All I want in life is to be left alone. That sentiment applies to most people and it definitely applies to biting dogs.

Cisco is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 2740

The last of our original neighbors died last week. These were the people who built the houses on our street in the 1940's and 50's. One by one, they've been slowly disappearing for the last thirty years. I'm pretty sure that Ben was the last. When we moved here, we were the youngest couple on the street. Now, we're one of the oldest. It feels like the end of an era. I liked our older neighbors. They all knew each other well and would sometimes have large block parties. It's rare if I ever get to know the newcomers. We'll say hello if I pass them while walking the dogs, but I really don't know who they are. Most arrived from out of state and are much younger than me. Many of the original houses in the neighborhood are being torn down now. There is nothing wrong with these houses. They just aren't big enough or fancy enough for today's buyers. I hope our house doesn't get torn down someday, but it probably will. That's the thing about change. You just can't stop it.

There are still a few things that don't seem to change. There seems to be a tradition of bringing over food when you're sick. Janet's friends have been generous and we've got enough food to feed an army now. Maybe people don't realize how little the two of us eat. Everything is appreciated and will get eaten, but we've got to figure out how to freeze some of the stuff. Dash seems to be telling us to let him help with the stash. He can always tell when there's lots of food in the house. Sorry little buddy. I know you'd like a big plate of lasagna, but you've got a sensitive stomach and are on a strict diet.

It's a good thing that I went to the gym, since I definitely needed to burn off a few extra calories today. Once I finished my workout, I came home and took a long nap. I've been really tired lately, but I was still surprised at how quickly I went to sleep during the middle of the day. I'm getting more sleep now that Dot is gone, but I'm still not getting enough. Maybe someday. I'm really glad that the home nurse comes over once a day. It makes a big difference.

The time is passing quickly. Next Wednesday Janet has her first re-check with the surgeon. If all goes well, some or maybe even all of the drain tubes can come out. I'm sure she will be happy to have this major hurdle behind her. You really can't do much with tubes coming out of your body. Years ago, when Dash was attacked by an aggressive dog in the park, he had to have drainage tubes inserted after surgery. Dash's tubes had to stay in place for almost a month. They weren't nearly as sophisticated as Janet's and every time Dash would shake his head vigorously, blood would fly out of the tubes. The house was a mess.

I'm not very organized about grocery shopping. I had to go back to the store today even though the house is full of food and I just went shopping yesterday. The one thing we really need is always the one thing I forget. Oddly, I'm not that hungry. What I'd really like to do is just go to sleep for a month.

Shiner is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 2737

Janet is home again. They definitely don't keep you very long in the hospital anymore. As much as I hate hospitals, I'll have to admit that I was very impressed with the doctors and staff at Baylor. Not only were they very well trained and professional, they were nice. This isn't always the case at hospitals. So far, everything appears to be going smoothly. Janet's doctors are pleased with her progress and the nurses reassured me that all the tubes and bandages she went home with are completely normal.

Once of the head nurses gave me a short course in wound care this afternoon. For the first week or so there are drains that must be emptied several times a day. The fluid that collects in the reservoirs is supposed to diminish each day, and when it stops the tubes are removed. You have to keep a log and measure the amount of fluid you remove each time, making sure to keep everything completely clean during the entire process. There have never been this many antibacterial products in our home before. I'm sure they are necessary. The doctors didn't mince words about the dangers of infections. Most of the complications resulting from surgery don't happen during the surgery itself. They are usually caused by infections that happen later.

I'm careful and methodical, even though my hands aren't as steady as they once were. It's going to be a miracle if we make it through the entire week without spilling some of the fluid that is removed several times a day. Everybody calls it a pink fluid but they're not fooling me. It's blood.

Dash is being very good. He was our only real worry, since he's probably the dirtiest thing in the house. He has slept on our bed the entire time he has been a party of our family, so he's not going to change now. I make sure he doesn't get too near Janet when he's active and excited. Dinner time and food seem to excite him the most, so it is pretty easy to lure him to the kitchen and out of harm's way. Basically Dash is a very lazy dog. If he's on the bed, he's usually sleeping.

I spent most of the morning getting the bed ready. There were new sheets, new pillows, new pillow shams, a new comforter, and unfortunately a new mattress cover. The old mattress cover slid over the mattress like a fitted sheet. This new one had a zipper and you had to slide the entire mattress inside it and then zip it up. Our mattress is very heavy and this was not an easy job. I almost gave up at one point, but I finally got the thing on. I didn't think anything was wrong with the old mattress cover, but Janet reminded me that dogs have peed on it several times. Basically sterilizing a house with dogs is an exercise in futility. All things considered though, I think we've done pretty well.

Things will be quite different for a few weeks and then should gradually return to normal. I don't think we'll need the home nurse for very long. Changing dressings and emptying the tubes is actually easier than we'd thought it would be. There will be follow up visits with the surgeons and an oncologist. I think there's a physical therapist too. In many ways this all seems very similar to what Dot and Dash went through a few years ago.

Kirby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 2735 - Summer Solstice

Summer is officially here. I used to think that the Summer Solstice always occurs on June 21, but it moves around a bit for the same reason that we have leap year every four years. The year isn't exactly 365 days long. I didn't need a calendar to remind me that Summer arrived today. It was really hot outside. I waited until late in the day to take Dash on his evening walk, but it was still too hot for him. Dash doesn't do well in the heat. If it gets any warmer, we will have to curtail these evening walks entirely.

I got Dash's blood test results today and they were encouraging. His triglyceride levels went all the way from over 2000 to 168. This dramatic reduction amazed our vet, but I'm thinking that the lab just made a mistake on the first set of tests. It happens. I've had really screwy results on my own blood tests from time to time. It's a shame that insurance won't pay for more frequent lab work. There can be anomalies in any test and you really need to test frequently to see if there is a trend or pattern to the results. If you only get your blood tested once a year, you may be worried all year about something that isn't even a problem.

I did some more cleaning around the house today. I'd read that you could remove lime and scale off the inside of shower heads by tying a bag full of vinegar around the shower head and letting it soak for a few hours. I was skeptical but what did I have to lose. The water did seem to come out of the nozzle a little better after I was done, but it still wasn't anything like our old shower head. Somewhere along the line, manufacturers changed the design of faucets, toilets, shower heads, and other plumbing fixtures to save water. I hate these low volume fixtures because it just doesn't seem like there is enough water pressure anymore.

Things are probably as clean as they're going to get. We've just about run out of preparation time since Janet goes in for surgery tomorrow. Life is going to be different for a while. They move you out of the hospital so quickly now that a lot of her recovery will take place at home. Hopefully, I will be a good nurse. I learned a lot during the years I took care of Dot, but this will be more complicated. Once again it will be important to stay flexible, have a positive attitude, and take things one day at a time. I've read all the information the doctors have provided, but there are still a lot of questions.

I wonder if life will ever return to normal. When Janet recovers, probably something will go wrong with me. Dash is getting older too. I really hope he stays healthy and happy for a few more years. It would be nice to have a block of time where everyone was relaxed and healthy and all the stress just disappeared.

If normalcy ever does return, it would be nice to travel for a while. Living and working in a very old house for all these years has made me feel like the captain of a sinking ship. Right now, restaurant meals and having a maid make your bed every morning sounds pretty good.

Alamo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 1683

I was Dot's nurse today. I really appreciate what the nursing staff did for Dot in the ICU last week. It is not easy keeping a sick and very tired dog on the path to recovery. I'm a worrier too, so anything abnormal about Dot's behavior freaks me out. Dot has a laundry list of meds that she needs at various times during the day. The doctors want to get her up and walking about every two or three hours. She doesn't need much activity, but staying in one place all day isn't going to help her recovery. It's dificult to get Dot up again once she's lying down on her blanket, but once she's up she seems to move about fine. There's a fine line between keeping her mobile and pushing her too hard and sometimes it's difficult to know exactly where the line is.

I walked Dash so early this morning that there was still dew on the leaves, even though it was a hot July day. When we returned, Janet left for work and I took over nursing duties for the rest of the day. I thought Dot seemed hot, but when I took her temperature, everything was completely normal. I though her heart was racing after a very short walk down the back alley, but when I compared her heart rate to Dash's, who had been sleeping, they were both exactly the same. I worry that Dot hasn't pooped yet. Up to a point, this is completely normal for a dog recovering from abdominal surgery. After that point, it can be serious though. The trouble is that I have no idea where that point is. Every dog is different.

I'm glad the weekend is here. I could really use a good night's sleep. My primary care doctor wants me back on statins again, now that my Hepatitis-C treatment is finished. I started taking Simvastatin and timed release Niacin last night and the combo seemed to have the same irritating sides effects as it did before. Niacin flushing is common and it makes me feel like I'm burning up. When I woke up to check on Dot last night, my skin felt like it was on fire. The flushing only lasts a few hours, but when I'm awake, this is two hours too many. My liver specialist wants to re-test me in 12 weeks to make sure the Simvastatin and Niacin combo aren't screwing up their good work. Both drugs can have an adverse effect on the liver. Once again I am caught between dueling doctors. Is it my heart or my liver that is going to win? I haven't got a clue. I'd much rather be having a cheeseburger and a beer.

We go up to the cancer center tomorrow morning to get Dot's surgical bandage removed. The stitches will stay in, but the doctors want to remove the big bandage covering her belly as soon as possible to help the wound heal. It is easier to check if the incision site is leaking of becoming infected if you can actually see it. I have a long list of questions for the nurses, because I hate surprises. Doctors and nurses probably hate me because I'm always asking questions and slowing them down. I know the nurses are busy, but I'm a person who needs to know. I'll be polite, but I'll still ask all my questions. I'm curious about these things. Maybe I should have gone to med school.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

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