July 25, 2009
Well, Teddy is still alive. And that's nothing short of a miracle, given his condition yesterday. He was as close to death as a creature can be, and not be dead ! Blood and mucous coming out of his nostrils, unable to breathe. Gurgling sounds as he struggles to breathe, drowning in the attempt. Barely conscious.
We decided that instead of administering 200 ml. of saline solution subcutaneously every second day as instructed by the vet, we would administer 100 ml. daily. So yesterday and today we poked a butterfly catheter needle into the scruff of his neck and injected two huge syringes of saline solution into him. And I think that's been a big help in keeping him alive. Today his condition wasn't quite as critical as yesterday, so we're hopeful that the worse is over, and he will survive. Hang in there Teddy ... the antibiotics have begun to work, and you're going to get better within a week.
This afternoon was an "extraordinary meeting" of the Riverside RV Park Society, our "homeowner's association", to deal with a voting issue which has been plaguing us for 2 years already. And because most lot owners were here today for the meeting, the Society's Board of Directors scheduled a "Volunteers' Appreciation Barbecue" for tonight. The Board of Directors was going to put on a barbecue to express appreciation for the lot owners who have, in one way or another, volunteered their time and services to the benefit of the park.
A week or two ago, I received a request by e-mail, from a member of the Board, asking if I would "bring my barbecue and help cook". I found that request rather odd, given that I'm not a member of the Board, but I considered it to be bad form to say "no" when requested to do something, so I said "well ... okay". Well, here I sit, very late at night, stunned and appalled at what took place at this barbecue.
There was no organization ... no "leadership" ... no sense of "who's on first". Pretty much a complete abdication of responsibility by almost all the members of our Board !
I showed up with my barbecue, and "reported for duty" to the member of the Board who had made the request to me. She led me to the fridge in the Lodge where there were two large boxes of chicken legs and thighs to be barbecued. And another member of the Board who apparently had also been "recruited" to cook. I surmised that he was "in charge" and I was going to be "helping" him. It soon became obvious that he thought exactly the opposite. So ... after he and I danced around the "who's on first" issue for a few minutes ... being the impatient control freak that I am ... I took charge. And barbecued chicken for 85 people ! ! !
Another resident jumped in to help out, and certainly pulled his fair share of the workload. He and I manned three barbecues, to cook chicken for 85 people. The member of the Board whom I had initially assumed was "in charge" helped quite a bit, as I barked commands at him. Of the remaining members of the Board, one was absent, despite having attended the special meeting a couple of hours earlier. One disgustingly played "hospodar"! Ask a Ukrainian what that means ! The rest of them mingled and socialized, all apparently believing that "it was somebody else's responsibility".
That's called "abdication", people ! And I say to our Board ... tonight's "Volunteers' Appreciation Barbecue" was an appalling example of lack of organization, lack of planning, and lack of responsibility ! And ... just for balance ... I can't say I'm all that impressed with the 80% of the 85 people who have never lifted a finger to "volunteer" for anything in the park, but have no qualms about attending a "Volunteers' Appreciation" event with free food !
When I was finished cooking the chicken for 85 people, I sat down by myself to eat a couple of pieces of chicken and some potato salad, then picked up my barbecue and went home to take care of Teddy. The word that Joanne thought was apt to describe what happened to me tonight was "railroaded".
DSK
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
July 21 & 23, 2009
July 21, 2009
Yesterday morning we both went to see a doctor at the Keremeos Clinic. Our doctor is on vacation, so we saw the locum doctor that is filling in for him. Joanne reviewed with the doctor all except one of the test results of the multitude of annual cancer screening tests that she gets each summer. All is fine, with one test result still to be received.
I had the stitches removed from my thumb. That hurt ! ! ! When the stitches were removed, my thumb swelled up again, and was sore and tender for the rest of the day. And the stitches, or rather the remaining stitch wounds / stitch marks, look like the stitching was done by, well ... a retarded eight year old. HA HA HA ! I guess the bleeding at the time was so profuse that Dr. Partridge was essentially stitching blindly. Either that, or it's time for him to get new bifocals ! Come to think of it ... I don't think he wears glasses. Today ( the next day ) the swelling has subsided somewhat, and my thumb doesn't look quite so gruesome. But ... I basically sliced the knuckle off from the nail bed to the base of the knuckle, so the wound, along with the stitch marks, leaves the back of my thumb looking somewhat like something from a low budget horror film. I can bend the thumb a little, so obviously the extensor tendon wasn't cut all the way through, and hopefully, with more healing, the thumb eventually will bend more or less normally.
And ... ( big sigh ) ... overnight, Teddy seems to have had a stroke. His left eye lid is drooping. And the pupil in his left eye is completely dilated ... and unresponsive. It seems as if he has gone completely blind in the left eye. Poor Baby Teddy Cat ! His vision in both eyes was already diminished significantly due to cataracts. This morning he seemed to have slight mobility impairment on one side, but by supper time that had disappeared. This evening he was ... disoriented.
July 23, 2009
Well, Teddy lives to eat toasted bagel crumbs another day.
This morning we took Teddy to the veterinarian in Penticton. We were worried that we might be returning home without him. Our primary concern was what we suspected was a bacterial nasal infection. A couple of weeks ago he developed a foul odour coming out of his nose. A week ago he started to choke and gag from post nasal drip. Yesterday a discharge started coming out of one nostril. It looked similar to the discharge in his ear when he had a bacterial infection in his ear a few months ago. Our diagnosis was correct. A week of antibiotics and he should be fine. In the meantime, his breathing gurgles, and he sounds like he's drowning.
And our diagnosis on the eye problem was also correct. He's now blind in one eye. It was either caused by a stroke or head trauma. Well ... DUH ... he didn't hurt his head, and he's over 17 years old, so ... you do the math !
The problem that we did miss, and which the vet was quite concerned about, was dehydration. Teddy's been having what we thought were intermittent bouts of dehydration ever since last November in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. But the vet thinks his dehydration is chronic, and severe. She injected 200 ml. of saline solution subcutaneously, teaching us how to do it in the process. YIKES ... that looks like enough fluid to choke a horse ! We have to do the same, at home, every couple of days until his nose infection is cured, then twice a week thereafter. And admittedly, after receiving that much fluid, Teddy quickly looked a bit better. By the time we got him to Penticton, and waited to see the vet, then he got poked and prodded, he was looking pretty much like death warmed over. By the time we left the vet's office, and were driving back to Keremeos, he was already looking and feeling better.
Well, except for that cloudy, blind eye with the droopy eyelid. He now looks qualified for a job at the Post Office. HA HA HA ( SNORT ) HA HA ... sorry ... old "inside joke" at Canada Post.
DSK
Yesterday morning we both went to see a doctor at the Keremeos Clinic. Our doctor is on vacation, so we saw the locum doctor that is filling in for him. Joanne reviewed with the doctor all except one of the test results of the multitude of annual cancer screening tests that she gets each summer. All is fine, with one test result still to be received.
I had the stitches removed from my thumb. That hurt ! ! ! When the stitches were removed, my thumb swelled up again, and was sore and tender for the rest of the day. And the stitches, or rather the remaining stitch wounds / stitch marks, look like the stitching was done by, well ... a retarded eight year old. HA HA HA ! I guess the bleeding at the time was so profuse that Dr. Partridge was essentially stitching blindly. Either that, or it's time for him to get new bifocals ! Come to think of it ... I don't think he wears glasses. Today ( the next day ) the swelling has subsided somewhat, and my thumb doesn't look quite so gruesome. But ... I basically sliced the knuckle off from the nail bed to the base of the knuckle, so the wound, along with the stitch marks, leaves the back of my thumb looking somewhat like something from a low budget horror film. I can bend the thumb a little, so obviously the extensor tendon wasn't cut all the way through, and hopefully, with more healing, the thumb eventually will bend more or less normally.
And ... ( big sigh ) ... overnight, Teddy seems to have had a stroke. His left eye lid is drooping. And the pupil in his left eye is completely dilated ... and unresponsive. It seems as if he has gone completely blind in the left eye. Poor Baby Teddy Cat ! His vision in both eyes was already diminished significantly due to cataracts. This morning he seemed to have slight mobility impairment on one side, but by supper time that had disappeared. This evening he was ... disoriented.
July 23, 2009
Well, Teddy lives to eat toasted bagel crumbs another day.
This morning we took Teddy to the veterinarian in Penticton. We were worried that we might be returning home without him. Our primary concern was what we suspected was a bacterial nasal infection. A couple of weeks ago he developed a foul odour coming out of his nose. A week ago he started to choke and gag from post nasal drip. Yesterday a discharge started coming out of one nostril. It looked similar to the discharge in his ear when he had a bacterial infection in his ear a few months ago. Our diagnosis was correct. A week of antibiotics and he should be fine. In the meantime, his breathing gurgles, and he sounds like he's drowning.
And our diagnosis on the eye problem was also correct. He's now blind in one eye. It was either caused by a stroke or head trauma. Well ... DUH ... he didn't hurt his head, and he's over 17 years old, so ... you do the math !
The problem that we did miss, and which the vet was quite concerned about, was dehydration. Teddy's been having what we thought were intermittent bouts of dehydration ever since last November in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. But the vet thinks his dehydration is chronic, and severe. She injected 200 ml. of saline solution subcutaneously, teaching us how to do it in the process. YIKES ... that looks like enough fluid to choke a horse ! We have to do the same, at home, every couple of days until his nose infection is cured, then twice a week thereafter. And admittedly, after receiving that much fluid, Teddy quickly looked a bit better. By the time we got him to Penticton, and waited to see the vet, then he got poked and prodded, he was looking pretty much like death warmed over. By the time we left the vet's office, and were driving back to Keremeos, he was already looking and feeling better.
Well, except for that cloudy, blind eye with the droopy eyelid. He now looks qualified for a job at the Post Office. HA HA HA ( SNORT ) HA HA ... sorry ... old "inside joke" at Canada Post.
DSK
Thursday, July 16, 2009
July 14 & 15, 2009
July 14, 2009
When we returned home after a day of running errands in Penticton, there was a voice mail message on our phone from Brent at Doug's Homestead. He had called to advise me, in very vague and uncertain terms, that my employment was terminated. So ... I got online, and filed an employee's report of accident / injury with the Worker's Compensation Board. As a small business owner for 14 years, I have had more than a few occasions to deal with the Worker's Compensation Board from an employer's perspective. It was never a pleasant experience. And I never did anything as stupid as firing an employee because they were injured.
Let the chips fall where they may ! ! !
Tonight I removed the dressing applied by the doctor in the emergency ward, cleaned my thumb, and applied a fresh dressing. YUCK ... my thumb looks pretty gruesome !
July 15, 2009
Well, tonight I finished the rebuilding and replacement of the lower rear quarter of one side of the trailer that was damaged by the exploding tire in Mexico. It was a huge undertaking, but ... bit by bit ... I got it done. A custom engineered and fabricated new lower side skirt and wheel moulding, wheel well, and belly panel, made mostly from a 2009 Citation fifth wheel trailer’s fiberglass lower skirt and other fiberglass panels, all of which I scavenged from the scrap pile of a Penticton fiberglass manufacturer. And the job is near perfect.
I should be ecstatic. But all I can "see" are the two extremely minor ( and not visible ) flaws / errors in the job. My obsession / compulsion with perfection is in "overdrive", fuelled by the loss of my self-esteem that bled out through the gruesome, stitched laceration in my thumb !
I have a magic show to perform in 2½ weeks. I doubt that my thumb will be sufficiently healed by then to permit me to perform magic. ( sigh )
DSK
When we returned home after a day of running errands in Penticton, there was a voice mail message on our phone from Brent at Doug's Homestead. He had called to advise me, in very vague and uncertain terms, that my employment was terminated. So ... I got online, and filed an employee's report of accident / injury with the Worker's Compensation Board. As a small business owner for 14 years, I have had more than a few occasions to deal with the Worker's Compensation Board from an employer's perspective. It was never a pleasant experience. And I never did anything as stupid as firing an employee because they were injured.
Let the chips fall where they may ! ! !
Tonight I removed the dressing applied by the doctor in the emergency ward, cleaned my thumb, and applied a fresh dressing. YUCK ... my thumb looks pretty gruesome !
July 15, 2009
Well, tonight I finished the rebuilding and replacement of the lower rear quarter of one side of the trailer that was damaged by the exploding tire in Mexico. It was a huge undertaking, but ... bit by bit ... I got it done. A custom engineered and fabricated new lower side skirt and wheel moulding, wheel well, and belly panel, made mostly from a 2009 Citation fifth wheel trailer’s fiberglass lower skirt and other fiberglass panels, all of which I scavenged from the scrap pile of a Penticton fiberglass manufacturer. And the job is near perfect.
I should be ecstatic. But all I can "see" are the two extremely minor ( and not visible ) flaws / errors in the job. My obsession / compulsion with perfection is in "overdrive", fuelled by the loss of my self-esteem that bled out through the gruesome, stitched laceration in my thumb !
I have a magic show to perform in 2½ weeks. I doubt that my thumb will be sufficiently healed by then to permit me to perform magic. ( sigh )
DSK
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 12, 2009
July 12, 2009
WHAT A ****ING LOSER ! ! ! ! !
Well ... today was my first day of work at my new job ! And I spent half my shift at the South Similkameen Health Centre's Emergency Ward, getting my severely cut thumb stitched ! ! !
First time in my life that I've had stitches ! And the first time in my employer's two year history that they have a Worker's Compensation injury claim to be filed !
( huge sigh )
I accepted a summer job with Doug's Homestead, a "Mom & Pop" meat processing and sales shop on the outskirts of Hedley. I don't know how long Doug's Homestead has existed. The current owners bought it from Doug 2 years ago. They process all their own product. They seem to be very well known throughout the B.C. Interior for their beef jerky and pepperoni. In the 2¾ hours that I actually worked today, they did a booming business in beef jerky and pepperoni.
The owners are Brent and Linette, a couple in their thirties with a baby. Brent runs the operations side of the business. Linette seems to run the "business" side of the business, while caring for their baby. This morning I met with Linette to take care of hiring details, then began to work with Brent, and an employee, Patty. While slicing sides of bacon on an electric slicer, I ... I don't know ? ! ? The damn thing bit me ! Hard ! ! ! Now, late in the afternoon, I'm still trying to figure out what exactly happened, and why !
( huge sigh )
I spewed blood all over. The slicer will have to be completely disassembled and sanitized. A huge side of bacon had to be discarded. I bled all over the apron I was wearing, and all over the floor before I made it to the bathroom. Brent applied first aid, but the bleeding was profuse ! I refused to allow him to drive me from Hedley to the emergency ward in Keremeos. I felt that I had already caused enough of a disruption and inconvenience. I drove myself. Linette phoned the South Similkameen Health Centre ( known locally as the Keremeos Clinic ) to advise the doctor on call that an emergency was on its way !
When I arrived at the Keremeos Clinic, about 30 km. from Hedley, my thumb was still bleeding profusely. Dr. Partridge put me in an examining room while he finished with another laceration emergency. What ? Sundays are the day to cut your fingers ? ? ? The bleeding continued and continued. It's now 4 hours later, and my finger still seems to be bleeding ! Dr. Partridge ascertained that I had cut into, but not through, the extensor tendon in my thumb. It took 4 stitches to close the wound.
When I left the clinic, I crossed the street, to Dave's Fruits & Veggies, to advise Joanne of how my first day of work was going. HA HA HA ( SNORT ) HA HA ! ! ! I drove back to Doug's Homestead in Hedley, as I advised Brent and Linette I would do after I was finished at the clinic. Linette was gone home for the day.
I want this job ! I hope they will give me a second chance. Brent seemed inclined to, but ... there seemed to be an implication that Linette might not. And she seems to be the decision maker in personnel matters.
I feel like such a ****ing loser right now ! AND MY THUMB HURTS !
DSK
WHAT A ****ING LOSER ! ! ! ! !
Well ... today was my first day of work at my new job ! And I spent half my shift at the South Similkameen Health Centre's Emergency Ward, getting my severely cut thumb stitched ! ! !
First time in my life that I've had stitches ! And the first time in my employer's two year history that they have a Worker's Compensation injury claim to be filed !
( huge sigh )
I accepted a summer job with Doug's Homestead, a "Mom & Pop" meat processing and sales shop on the outskirts of Hedley. I don't know how long Doug's Homestead has existed. The current owners bought it from Doug 2 years ago. They process all their own product. They seem to be very well known throughout the B.C. Interior for their beef jerky and pepperoni. In the 2¾ hours that I actually worked today, they did a booming business in beef jerky and pepperoni.
The owners are Brent and Linette, a couple in their thirties with a baby. Brent runs the operations side of the business. Linette seems to run the "business" side of the business, while caring for their baby. This morning I met with Linette to take care of hiring details, then began to work with Brent, and an employee, Patty. While slicing sides of bacon on an electric slicer, I ... I don't know ? ! ? The damn thing bit me ! Hard ! ! ! Now, late in the afternoon, I'm still trying to figure out what exactly happened, and why !
( huge sigh )
I spewed blood all over. The slicer will have to be completely disassembled and sanitized. A huge side of bacon had to be discarded. I bled all over the apron I was wearing, and all over the floor before I made it to the bathroom. Brent applied first aid, but the bleeding was profuse ! I refused to allow him to drive me from Hedley to the emergency ward in Keremeos. I felt that I had already caused enough of a disruption and inconvenience. I drove myself. Linette phoned the South Similkameen Health Centre ( known locally as the Keremeos Clinic ) to advise the doctor on call that an emergency was on its way !
When I arrived at the Keremeos Clinic, about 30 km. from Hedley, my thumb was still bleeding profusely. Dr. Partridge put me in an examining room while he finished with another laceration emergency. What ? Sundays are the day to cut your fingers ? ? ? The bleeding continued and continued. It's now 4 hours later, and my finger still seems to be bleeding ! Dr. Partridge ascertained that I had cut into, but not through, the extensor tendon in my thumb. It took 4 stitches to close the wound.
When I left the clinic, I crossed the street, to Dave's Fruits & Veggies, to advise Joanne of how my first day of work was going. HA HA HA ( SNORT ) HA HA ! ! ! I drove back to Doug's Homestead in Hedley, as I advised Brent and Linette I would do after I was finished at the clinic. Linette was gone home for the day.
I want this job ! I hope they will give me a second chance. Brent seemed inclined to, but ... there seemed to be an implication that Linette might not. And she seems to be the decision maker in personnel matters.
I feel like such a ****ing loser right now ! AND MY THUMB HURTS !
DSK
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