Running Chick

Scout sez you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what was in the box.

Wow, has it really been since 17 Feb that I've updated? I have been neglectful of my blogging duties! Well, let's get on with it then. The Injury Front Yeah, my legs are effed up again and I'm pretty ticked off about it. There were starting to bother me about two (three?) weeks ago so I went back to Podiatrist to see if I needed an adjustment. He observed that my left leg was shorter than my right leg and added a 1/4" lift in my shoes. I had three (maybe four) really good, pain-free runs (It's been so long, I'd completely forgotten what that felt like), and then things slowly started to fall apart until everything hit the bottom last Saturday when I set off for a 7 miler and had to bail at 2.5 miles in disgust because my shins & knees were killing me. In hindsight, I should have bailed after the first mile, but I didn't. I'm stupid. Anyway, I've got shin pain and now knee pain and I've never had knee pain from running before. In fact, it's about the only thing on my legs that haven't given me problems. Hamstrings: check. Hips: check. Calves: check. Shins: check. Ankles: check. Knees: awesome! So, I'm taking this week off to do some moping cross-training and I'm going back to yell at discuss things with Mr. Podiatrist on Thursday. Last summer, he advised me that my problems were caused by over-pronation and that custom orthotics would resolve this issue and I'd be running big pain-free miles in no time. $500 custom orthotics will cure my lower leg issues, my ass! If anything, they seem like they've caused a good portion of the issues and I'm about THISCLOSE to going back to my original setup of over-the-counter cushioning insoles in my stability shoes. The Simon Front Poor little Simon has had a rough month: weight loss, appetite loss, vomiting, lethargy, drugs, drugs, drugs. He finally seems like he's leveling out and is (mostly) keeping food down and his appetite is much improved. I had to bring him back in last Friday so he could get his T4 (thyroid hormone) levels checked after being on Trapazole for the last month. He's been on & off the medicine so much in the last month, that I didn't hold out much hope for good news, but I was pleasantly surprised that his levels are back in the normal range. Woohoo, good news! He's still having bouts of vomiting in the middle of the night which I usually step in as I stumble to the bathroom in the morning (gross), but it's sporadic. And his appetite is okay. He's never had a big appetite to begin with, so as long as he's eating and not losing any weight, I'm happy. So, we continue with the two pills/day and that's that. Well, that's about it. Until next time!

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned my kitty Simon was having some issues. It's been two weeks since he was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and put on the drug Tapazole. The first 10 days went great. I had success hiding the pill in tuna or a pill pocket (more on this later), and only ended up pilling him two or three times during those ten days.  I also started to notice his behavior changing.  He wasn’t hollering so much, nor was he as clingy.

Late last Friday, Simon started throwing up.  He was still throwing up on Sunday and hadn't eaten or drank anything since Saturday.  He was looking really bad. I tried to get him to eat something - anything - but he wouldn't even look at food.  He was just too nauseated.  All he would do is throw up. And he was so exhausted from throwing up all the time, he wouldn't even walk away after he barfed. He pretty much just stood there by it or sometimes in it and look really pitiful.

After cleaning up his barf for the I don't know what number time at 2:00AM, I started to wonder if it was time to start thinking about making "that" decision. Let me tell you, having to think about doing that is depressing and upsetting and panic inducing and all sorts of other emotions that I couldn't even begin to detail.

On Monday, he looked slightly perkier, so I decided to wait to call the vet.  But, he still was refusing food and water.

So, I called the Copper Country Vet Clinic and explained the situation.  I was fearing the worst, but Dr. Cole reassured me that things probably weren’t as bad as they seemed.  The first thing we needed to address was the nausea, then possible dehydration, and then getting some calories in him.

For the nausea, Simon was prescribed Metoclopramide, which I have to apply to his inner ear twice/day.  It comes in a syringe and I have to wear gloves when I apply it.

Then, to address his dehydration and caloric intake, Dr. Cole had me buy something that I never in a million years thought I’d be buying for myself.  Pedialyte and baby food. Anyway, I got home ready to dispatch the drugs and baby food and saw this.