An eventful weekend

I attended a conference this weekend in Birmingham. It was great - I learned so much! I told Scott, it's amazing how much I have forgotten since being in school. You get so used to the routine things you see, and then you are at a loss when you see something different. I do this at every CE; I think of all the patients that I wish I could have tried something on, thought of something different.

Now, let me tell you ALL the things that went wrong this weekend. Honestly, I started a mental list - they were getting quite numerous.

• First, I never got a schedule of lecture times. Plus, it never OCCURRED to me that I needed to (yep - last week was a long week). So, after getting up early and arriving in B'ham at 9:30am, I found out that lectures didn't start until 6pm.
• Great. I had 8 hours to kill.
• That morning, my sister-in-law called to tell me that she thought my brother had a 24hr stomach virus. And, I am supposed to stay with them. And, I hate to throw up. I mean, really hate it. So, I decide that I will come home that night and drive back on Sat.
• So, in an effort to avoid their house, I decided to hit some flea markets that Scott and I visited during our trip last August.
• That was fun, except it rained HARD all day long.
• I didn't bring an umbrella.
• I got a headache that afternoon. Did I bring Advil? NOPE. I brought Reglan (for vomiting) and Allerchlor (for allergies). And, that was it.
• Stopped at the gas station. (2) Advil cost $1.30. What a rip off.
• Almost got a hotel. Sucked it up and went to Rick's house.
• Decided that since lecture wouldn't end until 9pm, I should spend the night after all. Am I really going to drive home at 9pm?
• Didn't pack any clothes. Didn't bring my birth control. Didn't bring a toothbrush.
• Scott decides that he will bring him self and the kids up, with my essentials, so that we could all spend the night.
• Remember that I didn't have to be in B'ham until 6pm? Scott took a sick day to watch the kids on Friday. Yep. A sick day that got wasted.
• So, he gets there. I take Lightning to the conference (it was parked behind the truck). Scott says he will just spend the night.
• Then, we remember that the dogs are at home and will have to GO POTTY. So, I go back to switch out the vehicles so they can drive home.
• Scott and kids get home about 10:45pm. He drove home after 9pm (just like I didn't want to do).
• He forgot to pack my pajamas.
• I slept in a tee shirt and corduroy pants.

Saturday was fine. Nothing went "wrong"! :) We did have a great visit with Rick and Brooke. Rick was feeling much better by Friday night. And, I consider myself a bit smarter today! :)

Lotsa Wrinkles = Big Dog?

Yesterday, I had a client ask me:

"Can you see all the skin on this puppy? I guess that means it will be a big dog - it's got a lot of skin to grow into!"

Another older couple was there. They are just a hoot. After finishing their appt, Mr. S couldn't find his phone. He came back inside and asked for help finding it.

I suggested we call his phone, so we could hear it ringing. When I did, they said it was "outside" - and I went out to help them. The wife kept hearing it ringing behind her. Right behind her.

His phone was in her purse. She kept hearing it behind her... her purse was on her shoulder.

:)

Whooped

Is that how you pronounce it?

I worked all week for Dr. B, who was on a trip. It was CRAZY and overwhelming at times. I don't get nervous about being by myself anymore, but I dread how tired I get after working successive days in a row.

For the most part, it was a great week. I had 1 puppy die of parvo - not unexpected. The others I've treated are managing to do well. I had another dog present with cutaneous vasculitis. It really doesn't matter what it is, except that I had never seen it before (and neither had Dr. B). I ended up euthanizing her today because she just got worse and worse. She had been feeling poorly for several days before they brought her in - so I was behind from the start with treatment.

I did have a few funny stories:

1. One lady is seriously "not right in the head". After telling me that she got her drugs for her dog from a friend "veterinarian" (Who is that? Why doesn't she just go to them?) at cost because she has no money - she can't understand why HEART VALVE REPLACEMENT isn't an option for her dog (or any other for that matter). Then she proceeds to tell me and the receptionist that "she tried her dog's organic dog food, and it didn't taste very good because there wasn't enough salt in it. Then, she tried the Pedigree food and it tasted much better because it had ALOT of salt in it!"

2. Another lady, today, was telling me how her dog suffers with a terrible anxiety syndrome. He "had a seizure and almost died" during the thunderstorms Wednesday night. And, he is afraid of wood - so he will GO OUT THE DOGGIE DOOR, but he won't go INSIDE the doggie door. Really, she has the mental problem - and it's rubbing off on the dog.

3. I had performed a plastic surgery on a bulldog several weeks ago to heal an injury. I rotated a portion of her mammary glands down towards her knee to cover the skin defect. Her owner just noticed it - 1 1/2 weeks ago was the surgery. When she saw it, she said, "Showgirl! Is that titties I see on your leg?" Of course, the tech and Dr. B were laughing with her. It was the funniest explanation from an owner ever heard! She then hugged the dog and exclaimed, "It's OK, Girl. Mama's not laughing at your titties. Mama's not laughing at your titties..."

Kate's cake recipe

You guys are so funny - and thanks... it is a Springform pan! I don't know why I couldn't remember!

Here is the cake recipe:

Kate's Birthday Cake

(Berry Angel Delight by Betty Crocker)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tb sugar

2 cups (3 containers) Yoplait Custard Style vanilla yogurt

1 round angel food cake (8 inches in diameter), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup quartered fresh strawberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1. Beat whipping cream and sugar in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in yogurt.

2. Place cake pieces into large bowl; fold in yogurt mixture. Gently mix berries together in medium bowl.

3. Spoon half of the cake mixture into 9-inch spring-form pan; PRESS FIRMLY INTO PAN WITH RUBBER SPATULA. Top with half of berries. Repeat with remaining cake mixture; press with spatula. Top with berries. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. Run metal spatula carefully along side of dessert to loosen; remove side of pan. Cut into wedges. 10-12 servings.

It costs me an average of $20.00 to make this cake. When the fruit is on sale, it is cheaper to create. It's worth the effort and tastes fabulous.

Birthday party pictures!

This is Kate's birthday cake. I make a special cake for my kids for their birthday - not a traditional cake. I'm just waiting to hear those words, "But Mom, I want a cake like everyone else has!" But, she does love this cake. It's very easy to make, consisting of angel food cake, vanilla yogurt, homemade whipped cream and fresh berries (I use strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries). What is this pan called... anyway, the sides slide off and you have a pretty presentation. Like a cheesecake. This year I had the idea to use some strawberries as holders for the candles, and it was precious!

We (and she) kept saying that she wasn't 4 until she blew out her candles!

We have a 4 year old!

It was rainy all night, but we got outside for a few minutes. The kids ended up popping the balloons and that was a hit. Scott's parents came up, and all her friends from Sunday School came - we had a great time!

Kate and Kate

I got these pants at our latest consignment sale last week. They are Hannah Kate. I just couldn't resist with all the dogs on them! And, she looked beautiful wearing them. Sometimes I just can't believe that she is our daughter. Oh, to have half her hair!

Kate turned 4 years old yesterday! It's hard to swallow that your child is 4. But yes, I know - just wait until she gets older... but I just got to get used to it! Her birthday party is on Saturday, so I will have many, many more pictures to share then.

Oh - a funny story about Kate and Mousey (our cat):

Yesterday, for some reason, I noticed that I hadn't seen Mousey. I thought one of the kids may have let her outside, but after looking outside, no cat. So, I then I stared looking around the house. I asked the kids if they had seen her, and they hadn't. The search was on - opening doors, closets, beds... no Mousey. Then I heard Kate yelling from across the house, "Mama, ...... Mousey...." I found her and asked where Mousey was - and she said:

"She is in the second DRAWER of MY BATHROOM"...

So, I go down the hall, to the bathroom, and open the drawer. Mousey stretches her legs out, starts purring, hops out and struts down the hallway. Needless to say, we had a "talk" about not putting Mousey ANYWHERE. But, I secretly had a laugh about it...

Prayer request!

All you blogger girls out there - please pass this along.

My college roommate and husband have a 3 month old daughter who is having heart difficulties. Emma was born with several holes in her heart, and her heart is turned at an awkward angle. She has been having trouble gaining weight since she was born.

Emma had a heart catherization yesterday (yep! - a heart cath!) at a Children's Hospital in Charleston, SC. It showed that she has significant pressure in her lungs (4 times normal). She will have a procedure in 2 weeks to place a ring around that artery to decrease the pressure of bloodflow going into her lungs.

Emma and Angie have a blog where she keeps us updated. I am asking you all to place the bloggy link on the side on my blog on yours, spread the word - and PRAY FOR EMMA. To have people all over the country praying for her will be a great comfort to their families!

Thanks, guys!

Just being silly!

So, I haven't blogged much. I think I'm not the only one that can say that!

The kids are well - have been for 2 weeks! Yippie! Scott had a long week at work last week, but he did great. I cooked him a special supper Friday night: Parmesan crusted chicken breasts, mashed potatoes and baked green beans. It was fantastic, if I do say so myself.

I had an incredible surgery day on Thursday:

1) Reconstruction skin surgery on a bulldog. She was missing about a 5" of skin on her inner thigh. I used a rotational pedicle flap to close most of it, leaving a hole about the size of a silver dollar. I was pleased but was sure hoping that I could have closed it the entire way.

2) 4 month old puppy who had eaten a towel. An incision into her stomach, duodenum and jejunum yielded my prize. The puppy is now doing great.

3) An adult Lab who cut her face on metal (I think). Her nose was split through the frenulum and split her sinus cavity, while pulling the tissue off of her maxilla. She also had a broken tooth. That one came together really well - I was very happy with it.

Anyways, we are getting ready for Kate's birthday party next Friday. She will be 4 years old on Wednesday! We love that girl with all our hearts!

Ta Da!!

Here is our new acquisition!

We drove down to Ft. Walton Beach (yes, you read that correctly) to get it on Saturday. It really is everything that we wanted, and feel like we got a great deal, and that we were NOT taken advantage of.

It's an '06 Acura MDX.

It is taking some getting used to - it's so much bigger than Bullet!

And, yes, we traded Bullet to the dealer. Made me so sad! The entire drive down I kept thinking, "I can't believe that this is my last drive in Bullet!" The kids have even asked about it a few times, but they are liking the new truck.

We are going to name it Lightning.
Prissy was also a great suggestion that I liked, but the kids have decided they want it to be Lightning.