- Joined
- Jan 5, 2009
- Messages
- 63
Hi All,
It has been a while since I have posted so I figure I'd update everybody a bit.
As many of you knew I went through a Breast Biopsy back in April and was one of the lucky ones to find it benign (Though due to the biopsy a hematoma developed during one of the needle sticks, and caused complications. I was orig. trying to set up for breast reduction surg. to be done the end of June (when then boys were out of school and before Jake started summer classed.) but due to the complications and problems with healing that didn't happen.
During this all my depression seems to get a bit worse, and I could recognize that I just was not myself.
I have been being pushed by the Pain Management Dr. to try a Implanted Medication because "He doesn't like to prescribe High amounts of medications for as long as I have been on them. (Ed had a pump his body rejected, b ut it was for his lower back) I did some reading on the pump used on people with Cervical spine injuries, and it seems they don't do as well and with the back. And with the reduction surg. pending I don't want to get into it till after one procedure is finished.
I saw my Plastic Surg. in Late June, and she was happy about the way I healed and we set a date for the Surg.... Aug. 20th, 2009... so after waiting over 25 years to get this done, it finely will be.
The boys are doing well, Shawn is taking saxophone lessons one day a week through the school, and Jake is doing well with summer classes. Ed has been a trooper through all this even on days when his back pain is at it's worse. After my Surgery, He will be going in for an eval. on the back to see which levels need to be fixed. The last visit he had (just before my first surg in 2004) said there were 2 more levels thayt nees to be fixed.
We had some sadness in the family... As some of you might remember me speaking of Nightshade (My Bearded dragon) who has battled hypocalcemia since we brought him home back in June 2005. For the past 3 weeks his way of walking (which was to use what muscle he had left in his legs to push while he used his front legs to move) had changed to the point where he would flip over on his back when he tired to move about. I know it had to be the hypocalcemia progressing.
On Friday, I had gotten this really bad feeling that something bad was going to happen (I thought it was maybe it was the rainy weather affecting my depression) but I could not shake it. Then about 8pm Friday night Nightshade had been laying on the pillow next to me while I was resting on the sofa.. I went to pick him up, but he seems sluggish and not right. I placed him in his tank under the UVB Bulb figuring the heat and UVB might perk him up, but it didn't.... I figure maybe he was just tired, so we went to bed that night, but by Sat. morning things had gotten worse, he was not breathing as deeply as he should, could not support any weight, or lift his head.
We called the vet, who took as as soon as we could get there (about a 45 min. drive into NJ) She had treated him since we first received him, and was VERY shocked that he had lives as long as he did. (Most bearded dragons with Hypocalcemia don't live more the 6months to a year at most... Nightshade lived 4 years. After looking him over she noted that the light yellow around his eyes was much brighter then it should be.. meaning Jaundice. Just like in people, jaundice is a sign of liver failure... which is what the vet diagnosed that it was in it advanced stages.
After much crying, discussion with Ed, and asking the God & Goddess for guidance to make the right decision. Since he could only move his eye at this point, I knew I had to put my pain aside and go with what I knew he need... Peace.
Nightshade peacefully entered the Summerlands while laying in my arms at 3:00pm est. Aug. 1, 2009.
We knew the boys would be very sad when they found out (since they were with their dad) So we called and told them what happened and they asked if we could find another one. I wasn't sure if I was ready to get another one., but I called a shop that we normally took Shade to when we bought crickets. When I told her what happened, she said I have someone here that could use your help, so we drove up.
When we got there she showed me the smallest Bearded Dragon I had ever seen. He was about 5 inches from nose to tail... with his nose to tail base was 2inches.
His story.... He was born June 21 (Summer Solstice) at a pet shop in Milford PA (about a 20min. drive from our home) anyway on July 13th there was a fire at the store that killed MANY of the animals:
http://pikecountypress.com/wordpress/2009/07/13/smoldering-fire-kills-dozens-of-exotic-pets/
The one gal that work at the shop we go to went over with tanks to help any of the surviving animals. She sad the owner handed her this lil' bearded dragon was was pretty much lifeless, but still breathing. She said she got some waster from the firemen and let him soke in it for a bit as she figured from the heat, he/she was extreamly dehydrated. She brought him back to her store with two other lizards that survived..?(not many did... the smoke was mostly from burning plastic tubs so it was the thick heave back oily type smoke)
She named him/her Smokey. lil' by little the lil' beardie got better." She said she was going to wait a few more weeks due to his size, but she said since she knew how much I had worked with Nightshade (most people would have had Shade "put down" due to his medical problem. She took him out of his tank and said "here take him home, he needs you, like your family needs him right now." The lil' just just settled on my hadf and fell asleep. So we brought the lil' beardie home.
When we got home I made a beautiful box with butterflies to bury Nightshade in. I found a spot in the garden next to the small pond.After a few flower petals were tossed on the box i placed the dirt the placed a large tile over (to keep things from trying to dig.) I took border stones to make a frame around the site (which I will plant snap dragons in tomorrow) and I found a stone which I will paint as a marker stone. The candle I placed Stayed lit for 3 hours before the raine came and put it out.
There could have been no better day to pass on then yesterday.. It was a butiful sunny day with a light wind. And it was also the midway point between Summer Solstice and Autumnal Equinox (the day when Nights seem longer & days Shorter, it is also the 1st of 3 harvest festivals.)
As I type this the lil' one is asleep in my hand. I thought much of a name for the lil' one which I wanted to be associated with the fact the he was "from the fire" We had a bird named named Phoenix so that was out (I NEVER use a name more then once) & Smokey was OK though seemed a bit Masculine... I need a name that could be either (since you can't tell sex till they are much bigger.) As I tossed it over I was reminded of a fire, and what is still left even after the fire has been sprayed with water... Embers... It was so perfect.. jut like Embers the lil' on still tried to keep the "flame" going even after being covered in smoke.
I will post pictures soon.
Sorry this is soo long, but I wanted to let you all who have been there for us..know what was going on. I hope to get posting again as normal now that things seem back on the upswing.
Blessed Be,
Sandra/Willow & Ed/DocH
I have loved you from the day you came into my life,
and now it is time for me to let you go.
I could not watch you suffer,
I could not see you in pain.
Now you are free.
Your body is no longer sick,
or weak, or hurting.
Now you can run with the others,
playing and hunting as wild things do.
Because I loved you,
I had to let you go.
You will live forever in my heart.
It has been a while since I have posted so I figure I'd update everybody a bit.
As many of you knew I went through a Breast Biopsy back in April and was one of the lucky ones to find it benign (Though due to the biopsy a hematoma developed during one of the needle sticks, and caused complications. I was orig. trying to set up for breast reduction surg. to be done the end of June (when then boys were out of school and before Jake started summer classed.) but due to the complications and problems with healing that didn't happen.
During this all my depression seems to get a bit worse, and I could recognize that I just was not myself.
I have been being pushed by the Pain Management Dr. to try a Implanted Medication because "He doesn't like to prescribe High amounts of medications for as long as I have been on them. (Ed had a pump his body rejected, b ut it was for his lower back) I did some reading on the pump used on people with Cervical spine injuries, and it seems they don't do as well and with the back. And with the reduction surg. pending I don't want to get into it till after one procedure is finished.
I saw my Plastic Surg. in Late June, and she was happy about the way I healed and we set a date for the Surg.... Aug. 20th, 2009... so after waiting over 25 years to get this done, it finely will be.
The boys are doing well, Shawn is taking saxophone lessons one day a week through the school, and Jake is doing well with summer classes. Ed has been a trooper through all this even on days when his back pain is at it's worse. After my Surgery, He will be going in for an eval. on the back to see which levels need to be fixed. The last visit he had (just before my first surg in 2004) said there were 2 more levels thayt nees to be fixed.
We had some sadness in the family... As some of you might remember me speaking of Nightshade (My Bearded dragon) who has battled hypocalcemia since we brought him home back in June 2005. For the past 3 weeks his way of walking (which was to use what muscle he had left in his legs to push while he used his front legs to move) had changed to the point where he would flip over on his back when he tired to move about. I know it had to be the hypocalcemia progressing.
On Friday, I had gotten this really bad feeling that something bad was going to happen (I thought it was maybe it was the rainy weather affecting my depression) but I could not shake it. Then about 8pm Friday night Nightshade had been laying on the pillow next to me while I was resting on the sofa.. I went to pick him up, but he seems sluggish and not right. I placed him in his tank under the UVB Bulb figuring the heat and UVB might perk him up, but it didn't.... I figure maybe he was just tired, so we went to bed that night, but by Sat. morning things had gotten worse, he was not breathing as deeply as he should, could not support any weight, or lift his head.
We called the vet, who took as as soon as we could get there (about a 45 min. drive into NJ) She had treated him since we first received him, and was VERY shocked that he had lives as long as he did. (Most bearded dragons with Hypocalcemia don't live more the 6months to a year at most... Nightshade lived 4 years. After looking him over she noted that the light yellow around his eyes was much brighter then it should be.. meaning Jaundice. Just like in people, jaundice is a sign of liver failure... which is what the vet diagnosed that it was in it advanced stages.
After much crying, discussion with Ed, and asking the God & Goddess for guidance to make the right decision. Since he could only move his eye at this point, I knew I had to put my pain aside and go with what I knew he need... Peace.
Nightshade peacefully entered the Summerlands while laying in my arms at 3:00pm est. Aug. 1, 2009.
We knew the boys would be very sad when they found out (since they were with their dad) So we called and told them what happened and they asked if we could find another one. I wasn't sure if I was ready to get another one., but I called a shop that we normally took Shade to when we bought crickets. When I told her what happened, she said I have someone here that could use your help, so we drove up.
When we got there she showed me the smallest Bearded Dragon I had ever seen. He was about 5 inches from nose to tail... with his nose to tail base was 2inches.
His story.... He was born June 21 (Summer Solstice) at a pet shop in Milford PA (about a 20min. drive from our home) anyway on July 13th there was a fire at the store that killed MANY of the animals:
http://pikecountypress.com/wordpress/2009/07/13/smoldering-fire-kills-dozens-of-exotic-pets/
The one gal that work at the shop we go to went over with tanks to help any of the surviving animals. She sad the owner handed her this lil' bearded dragon was was pretty much lifeless, but still breathing. She said she got some waster from the firemen and let him soke in it for a bit as she figured from the heat, he/she was extreamly dehydrated. She brought him back to her store with two other lizards that survived..?(not many did... the smoke was mostly from burning plastic tubs so it was the thick heave back oily type smoke)
She named him/her Smokey. lil' by little the lil' beardie got better." She said she was going to wait a few more weeks due to his size, but she said since she knew how much I had worked with Nightshade (most people would have had Shade "put down" due to his medical problem. She took him out of his tank and said "here take him home, he needs you, like your family needs him right now." The lil' just just settled on my hadf and fell asleep. So we brought the lil' beardie home.
When we got home I made a beautiful box with butterflies to bury Nightshade in. I found a spot in the garden next to the small pond.After a few flower petals were tossed on the box i placed the dirt the placed a large tile over (to keep things from trying to dig.) I took border stones to make a frame around the site (which I will plant snap dragons in tomorrow) and I found a stone which I will paint as a marker stone. The candle I placed Stayed lit for 3 hours before the raine came and put it out.
There could have been no better day to pass on then yesterday.. It was a butiful sunny day with a light wind. And it was also the midway point between Summer Solstice and Autumnal Equinox (the day when Nights seem longer & days Shorter, it is also the 1st of 3 harvest festivals.)
As I type this the lil' one is asleep in my hand. I thought much of a name for the lil' one which I wanted to be associated with the fact the he was "from the fire" We had a bird named named Phoenix so that was out (I NEVER use a name more then once) & Smokey was OK though seemed a bit Masculine... I need a name that could be either (since you can't tell sex till they are much bigger.) As I tossed it over I was reminded of a fire, and what is still left even after the fire has been sprayed with water... Embers... It was so perfect.. jut like Embers the lil' on still tried to keep the "flame" going even after being covered in smoke.
I will post pictures soon.
Sorry this is soo long, but I wanted to let you all who have been there for us..know what was going on. I hope to get posting again as normal now that things seem back on the upswing.
Blessed Be,
Sandra/Willow & Ed/DocH
I have loved you from the day you came into my life,
and now it is time for me to let you go.
I could not watch you suffer,
I could not see you in pain.
Now you are free.
Your body is no longer sick,
or weak, or hurting.
Now you can run with the others,
playing and hunting as wild things do.
Because I loved you,
I had to let you go.
You will live forever in my heart.
