Thankful Thursday - Even If It Hurts...

Mom can haz diagnosis? Yes! Today I am thankful that Mom finally got to a good orthopaedist type doctor human and is going to start getting treatments for her huge pain in the neck (I told her it wasn't ME!) and her huge pain in the knee, before her insurance runs out in a couple of months.

Dr. Bloze, Mom's Spine &
Sports Medicine Doctor

Right now Mom says she's on a COBRA! I don't know why she calls it a COBRA, 'cause it has nothing to do with a snake, but that's what she insists on calling it. It's really a health insurance program that she pays for herself, so she can keep her same health insurance she had back when she worked for a company that paid for her insurance. Does that make any sense? I know, me neither. And where's the snake?

Mom's not on this COBRA.
I don't think.

Anyway, she's been having these terrible neck pains for about six months. She thought it was just because she had bad posture when she was helping me with my blog and with The Anipal Times. Way to blame it on me, Mom.

Mom looks like this ALL THE TIME.
Except for her fingernails.
And she might have a few years on this woman.
Just sayin'.

Turns out it wasn't, it is from a pinched nerve in her neck, and she's not crazy. The doctor confirmed that what she has would cause sharp stabbing pains in her neck and burning pains in her shoulder. Her x-rays look good, so probably no surgery - YAY! She'll have an MRI on Saturday and then probably a series of gigantor shots in her neck! OUCH! But they should make her feel a lot better. YEAH! (She is going to get a 2nd opinion 1st, though.)

That's what I'm talking about!!
Hey, I think I could use one of those...

Meanwhile, her knee gave out a few times at BlogPaws and was very painful. OUCH! Then it got better, just in time for her to walk Maggietkat's mom's butt all over Washington D.C. YAY! Then this week it started going out again, it's like it slides off-track. OUCH! But the doctor took x-rays and they look good, so no surgery. YAY! But she starts physical therapy on Friday and has a LOT of work to do to build up the muscles around her patella (that's a knee cap), cause she's injured it so many times she's starting to walk like me. YEAH! Well, that's not really a good thing cause I walk kind of funny. Ok, I walk really funny, but I've got a freaking spinal injury people! Work with me!

I think this guy has the same knee problem Mom has.

Anyway, I'm very thankful that Mom's going to be getting treated by a good doctor so she can get rid of the pain in her neck (NOT ME!) and the pain in her knee, and of course, be better able to help me write on the computer and pick me up and give me big lovings and stuff.  =^..^=

All Things Must Pass

Yes, All Things Must Pass, my friends. That is the name of a wonderful George Harrison album. It is also the title of this post.

George loved his garden. And his gnomes. 

The thing that is passing in this particular instance appears to be what was left of my continence.

I'm just going to talk straight here. You probably know the story, but folks never seem to tire of hearing it. Basically, I fell out of an 80' palm tree when I was just one year old, right after I was adopted from the shelter. Don't ask me what I was doing up there, because I really don't remember at this point. It was almost seventeen years ago, after all.

Not the tree I fell out of. These are the trees
where I live now. But it looked just like this.

Anyway, I did, and I hurt my back, but the vet didn't find anything in particular to treat, and said I'd probably walk a little funny and get arthritis early. Well, I do walk a little bit funny, especially for the last several years, but all in all I've done pretty well.

Four and a half years ago something gave out and I was paralyzed for a little while - something to do with that original accident. I got better, but I never got the feeling back in my tail, so it just follows me around like a pony tail. I've also been more or less, lately more, incontinent, ever since.

Mom tried everything and eventually we settled on a system of using Simple Solution 'washable diapers' that are made for girl dogs in heat. I take a medium. Just sayin'. They're really pants and I prefer to call them that, if you don't mind.

That dog is NOT a Medium. 

Mom puts on my pants every morning and changes the Poise pad in them a couple times during the day, then takes them off so I can sleep naked in my bathroom at night.

It's worked fine and at night I've made it to the litter box about 50% of the time - sometimes more. I always knew approximately when I needed to go, but sometimes it would happen just as I was heading toward, or walking away from the litter box. This is not an exact science, people. Hopefully, you'll never experience this yourself. Those pads are made for humans, you know...

So this past week, Mom noticed that she hasn't had to clean the litter box at all. It's been clean every morning, which sounds like a good thing, but it really means I just can't tell when I have to go at all anymore. Well, I can, but not in time to actually make it to the box.  My warning time has gotten much shorter that it used to be.

Hello? Simple Solutions? Your cat model is waiting for your call...

Which is good news and bad news, really. Good news in that no one needs to clean a litter box anymore, or buy cat litter for that matter. Bad news in that Mom has to put towels and training pads down on the floor of the bathroom every night. It's not that big a deal, though. She just picks up the towels and the pads and does whatever it is that she does with them, cleans the floor with Lysol wipes, puts on my pants and we're off to the balcony to check the weather and eat some kitty grass.

It is a little sad, admitting that I am almost, pretty much - OK, completely incontinent, but hey! I'm here, I'm loud and I'm proud. I'm eating and drinking and taking my meds. I'm peeing and pooping, not necessarily where most cats do, but it's better than not peeing or pooping at all!

I'm almost always in a good mood and I have two people who love me as much as they love each other and a beautiful young Bengal in England who adores me, and an old man cat like me really can't ask for more than that.

=^..^=

Thankful Thursday Blog Hop

Thursday's sure do come fast and furious around here... And here it is, Thursday, again. Today I am appreciating a lot of things. I love Fall! This is the beginning of the holiday season for me, and all the tissue paper, good smells and table scraps that implies.

L.A. liquid amber tree photo: Angel City Art

I'm happy that my mom has finally chosen a blog name and published her first freaking post after talking about writing her own blog (for humans - MOL!) for years, now. That does mean something has to give on my end, and that something is that I'm stepping down from my Editor in Chief position at The Anipal Times.

This is a good thing, as it will give me more time to nap in the empty bathtub, but there will be no shortage of  'lying under the momma at the computer' time, which is equally important.

I'm not leaving The Anipal Times, I'll still be writing articles - probably more articles, now - and I'll still 'represent' the AT as a Co-Founder.

If you want to write for The Anipal Times, have story ideas, promotion or advertising questions, tweet Publisher @snick_the_dog or email him at snickers at anipaltimes dot com.

If you want to follow Mom's new blog, it's at NotesForMyNextLife.com. She's going to be talking about (some of) her adventures and escapades, sharing things she'd do differently next time - and things she'd do sooner! She's all ears, if you'd like to share your stories, tips and tricks with her.

From Mom's new blog: www.notesformynextlife.com

What's good for you, this week?

Wordless Wednesday

OK, but just a few words: 

 PetFinder.com

 Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week

Sara and Abby, Mom and daughter really want to stay together.

They're at The Forgotten Dog Foundation in L.A.

I'll help pay for transport!

Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week!

It's time again for Less Adoptable Pet Week!

Last year, Mom painted a digital portrait for Boomer, a 'less adoptable pet'
at our local shelter who we were trying to help get adopted.

Boomer!

And this was my post at the end of the week,

when we found out he'd been adopted!

Click here to read my "Adopted!" post.

I'm happy it's Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week again now, because this gives me the opportunity to showcase these two adorable dogs who need a home, already!

Super sweet mom and daughter Abby and Sara were rescued after living on the streets in Watts for six months by Eldad Hagar from Hope For Paws, and are now staying at The Forgotten Dog Foundation, but they need to find their forever home soon to make room for new rescues, and they really want to be kept together!

Sara and Abby

Who could use two sweet dogs' worth of unconditional love about now??
You? Someone you know?

If you're in the Los Angeles area, you can meet Abby and Sara in purrson this weekend at the super cool NoHo Taco Cook-off Festival

Check out the 'less adoptable pets' gallery at PetFinder!

Blog Like A Pirate Day

"Arrrr"

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here...

Prepare to be boarded.

Savvy?

Avast ye mateys! 

Only a bilge rat would be caught dressed as a 'lubber on a great day such as 'tis! Ye might just be caught'n ye belly shaved wit' a rusty razor.Arrr. 

Shiver ye humans' timbers with a Salty Dog:
Salt th' rim o' their fav'rit vessel.

Pour 5 oz o' grapefruit juice 'n 2 oz o' vodka over ice.

Salty Dog

Discover ye Pirate Name by takin' this quiz.

I be the BLOODY ROGER BONNEY!!

Fer me mateys who be bloggin' 'n Tweetin' today, 

ye might be best t' use the POST LIKE A PIRATE pirate translator.

In honor o' all o' ye scoundrels 'n scurvy dogs celebratin'
International Talk (Bark, Meow, Tweet) Like a Pirate Day, 
me mateys be hereby, hereunder 'n hereafter invited
t' place ye pirate pics among th' others belowdecks
where they shant be scuttled nor blown away fer posterity.

25 Anipal Acronyms

Join Here

For those of you who may be new to the online animal/anipal world (and those who aren't so new, too), I've created a helpful list of Twitter abbreviations. Please feel free to add any I may have left out!


1. ATV  AT THE VET


2. ITC IN THE CAR


3. WMH WALKING MY HUMAN


4. BOL BARKING OUT LOUD


5. MOL MEOWING OUT LOUD


6. BMTO BARKING MY TAIL OFF


7. ROFB ROLLING ON THE FLOOR BARKING


8. JM JUST MEOWIN’


9. = O SQUIRREL!


10. OMD OH MY DOG!


11. OMC  OH MY COD!


12. CP CUDDLEPILE!


13. === BACON!


14. 8/ NEUTERED


15. : P PEDIGREED


16. IRU I RUV YOU


17. ^@ HIGH PAW!


18. HIR HUMAN IN ROOM


19. IMHO IN MY HUMAN’S OPINION


20. NT NAP TIME


21. OO HAVE TO POOP


22. PB PEE BREAK


23. BOR                BARFED ON THE RUG


24.   BYOB              BRING YOUR OWN BONE


25. BAYL BARK AT YOU LATER


Did I forget any??  


=^..^=
 Cokes

Thank You, Michele & Pepi Smart Dog

Today's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop is in honor of Pepi Smart Dog, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge two years ago on Sept. 16th. Pepi was and is my best friend and I want to make Pepi and his mom's week a little brighter, after all the smiles and comfort they've given all of us.

Pepi Smart Dog

Pepi's dear mom, Michele, will be feeling pretty sad and sentimental, despite her dauntless demeanor. She (and Pepi) have given SO MUCH to our community - when he was alive and even more after he moved on to become the official Ambassador of the Rainbow Bridge, taking on singlehandedly and of his own accord the heartbreaking, time and energy consuming duty of virtually transporting countless numbers of our loved ones to the other side. 

Pepi's Pram Escorts Bunny Jean Cook
to the Rainbow Bridge

The pomp, humor, ceremony, and unlimited kindness Pepi and Michele offer has helped so many deal with sadness and heartache, the depths of which they might have been unable to process in a healthy way without Pepi's pram and the Rainbow Bridge welcoming banquet and party to lighten an unbearable situation. 

RudyTKat's Welcome Pawty
to the Rainbow Bridge

Pepi's Rainbow Bridge 2010 Christmas Card

Michele and Pepi encourage all animal lovers in the Twitter community to share thoughts and feelings they very likely couldn't with others outside our circle. We are all very fortunate to have Pepi as the guardian, spokesdog and keeper of the flame for all of our furry loved ones happily ever after.

Michele and Pepi

Michele's love and dedication to animals - and people - doesn't stop with Pepi or Twitter. You may have read her investigative journalism regarding the animals left behind in Fukushima in The Anipal Times, where Pepi writes both real news stories and a regular Rainbow Bridge page - or heard about her cat rescue in Greece or her ongoing roo wrestling kangaroo rescues. 

Of course, Pepi still barktends at all the #PawPawties with an enthusiasm and flair only he and his Las Vegas showgirls could manage, and we're all grateful to his mom for helping him with all that Tweeting and Photoshop at all odd hours of the night and morning!

Pepi and his Show Girls!

Two Wild and Crazy Guys!
Pepi Smart Dog and Cokie the Cat

Here are a few ways you can say thank you to Pepi and his mom during this week of his second Angelversary:

1. If you see Pepi online, to say hello and tell him you love and appreciate him - especially when it's Friday in Australia.
2. Post a comment on his blog at www.pepismartdog.com.
3. His Facebook page was taken down, which broke his heart, so please re-like him on his new page and leave a comment at http://www.facebook.com/pages/PepiSmartDog/153493788050623.
4. Post on your own blog about Pepi and link it to this Thankful Thursday Blog Hop any time this month.
5. Leave a comment here, whether you have a blog or not.
6. Put the 'Remembering PepiSmartDog' Twibbon on your Twitter or Facebook pic http://twibbon.com/join/Remembering-PepiSmartDog.

Thank you for joining me in my appreciation of Pepi Smart Dog and his mom. They so appreciate all of you.


Love,
Cokie  (Still your cat brother, Peps)

Mom's Pepi Portrait

Wordless Wednesday

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY BLOG HOP

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE HOP!

What Mom Didn't See In Washington D.C.

MaggieTKat suggested to Mom that she should see the Pentagon Memorial first off, when they were discussing sight seeing in Washington, D.C., the day after BlogPaws. Mom didn't have her head on straight and thought - Pentagon Memorial? No, she wanted to see the White House, the Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Jefferson Memorial...

All of those are amazing, of course, but Mom didn't put two and two together and 'get' that the 'Pentagon Memorial' was a '9/11 Memorial' to the people who died there as the result of the hijacked plane crashing into the Pentagon.

Ohhhhhhh..... Yeah. Now she wishes she'd gone there. She did try, the second day, after Maggie had left for home, but after an hour of trying to figure out where to park, she gave up, and thought it must but the three giant spires in the air near the Pentagon that were the Memorial, so she paid her respects, sort of, while driving by, and headed back to Virginia.

Air Force Memorial (background) & Pentagon 9/11 Memorial (foreground)
Photo courtesy Wikicommons

It turns out the three giant spires are an Air Force Memorial - and pretty awesome - but that the Pentagon Memorial is something different altogether. She'll have to make that one a priority (by public transportation) on her next trip to D.C, as she really wants to go back now - and has a summer house in the Berkshires if she wants one, since she did such a good job of farm-sitting last month.

So she'll be sure to see the Pentagon Memorial next time. You can see from the photograph that it's beautiful, elegant, profound, and we really wish it didn't have to be there at all.

Oh, Homer!

Eldad Hagar from HopeForPaws.org got a call at 6am Thursday from a woman who'd come across this guy in South L.A., where he'd been hit by a car. She wasn't able to pick him up, as he'd tried to bite her. He was obviously scared and in terrible pain.

Eldad got there and got him to an emergency vet. His pelvis was broken in four places and his femur was fractured, poor thing! I'd bite, too!

Hello. My name is Homer.

Homer turns out to be a really sweet dog, and he'll need a special foster mom or dad once we raise enough money for his surgery ($2000+), because he'll need to stay in a cage for some time so he heals properly.
If you want to help, you can make a tax deductible donation (even just $1 to the cheeseburger fund) and help get Homer get into surgery right away before his bones start to set wrong, by going to www.hopeforpaws.org.

OUCH!

If you want more info or want to foster Homer, please email Eldad Hagar at eldad75@gmail.com or you can call him directly at 310-869-3680.

Meanwhile, he's on his way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida Saturday night, where someone's asked him to help rescue a dog there! 

You can also help by ordering a copy of "Our Lives Have Gone To The Dogs" - a gorgeous hard copy book of some of Hope For Paws' 'before and after' success stories - for only $15 - including U.S. shipping.

I gave some of them away at #BlogPaws and they were VERY popular. They're really great books and make great gifts. (Just sayin'...)

Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

I'm thankful today that we have air conditioning. It's really hot in Hollywood, not as hot as in the Valley or some other places, but it's hot. I've spent the whole day, in fact a lot of the past few weeks, napping in the bathtub. It's cool and more comfortable than you'd think, and sometimes Mom relents and let's me drink out of the faucet.

I still have my high end drinking fountain, but I don't want to drink out of the stream of water. I just drink out of the water in the bottom, and let the stream of water roll off the side of my head. What?? =^..^=

This is NOT me. This is how Mom
WISHES I would drink from my fountain.

I also like lying in front of the air conditioner next to the computer while Mom's blogging for me. I know it's probably not good for the environment, but AC rules. Just sayin'.

I'm especially appreciating it, since I just heard about the crazy huge power outage in San Diego, Palm Springs, Imperial County and as far as Tijuana and Arizona from some transformer explosion at the Salton Sea.

I feel for all those really, really hot people and animals right now. Especially Mom's new BFF, Dr. V from Pawcurious and all the people and animals at the Helen Woodward Animal Center. Are you guys OK?

OK, I'm also thankful Mom's brother's family and Cheshire Kitten and Teeny's Friends are alright and I'm really sorry about the terrible brush fires in Texas right now. I hope they get a big rain and put out all those fires right away!

What are you grateful for today??

Wordless Wednesday... More or Less

Time again for the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop, so I'll shut up and let this wonderful video from Hope For Paws do the talking... (Press the PAUSE button on my stereo up above.)

Happy Labor Day to all the Staff of the Anipal Times!

I should have written this as an Editorial in The Anipal Times, but I missed the boat and so I'm posting it here on my blog.

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every past, present and future member of The Anipal Times' staff for all the wonderful work you've put into making the AT the wonderful publication that it is.

I know how much time, energy and serious effort you put into our newspaper, to inform and entertain our dear animal and human readers.

It seems sometimes like we're operating in a vacuum and we may have doubts anyone is actually reading, please know that we are appreciated by our community. I wish you could have heard all lovely things people had to say about us at BlogPaws.

So, Happy Labor Day! And thank you for your professional, responsible, dedicated, unpaid but not unappreciated participation in The Anipal Times!

In fact, heck, let's make this a blog hop! 

If you work at The Anipal Times - or are a dedicated reader/supporter - please leave a comment below and join the hop so we can see who we are! Who are our writers, editors, managers, and who are our readers?? Let's see your links!

Sincerely,

Cokie the Cat
Proud Editor in Chief
The Anipal Times 

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