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Monday’s drama, Tuesday’s sang-froid

Mondays have had a bit of drama lately.

Bear in mind that life here at the family Summers tends towards the quiet and VERY non-eventful, so a “bit of drama”…well, all is relative, Yes?

Still.

This week’s Monday drama started between 3 and 4:00 a.m. with a bit of throw up from Mr. Bob.

That is not usually a drama kind of thing except that we are dealing with the ear infection and medications… BUT, it was a one time thing and did not seem like the last week’s throw up thing related to the drug.

As I was cleaning up and watching…Bob was walking kind of funny. He was walking and then kind of stumbling…like he’d had one too many. I put 2 and 2 together: ear infection and stumbling??? – balance issue with inner ear.

This conclusion made me concerned about the steps he negotiates to get to his food.

At 3:30ish a.m. on Monday morning, I dismantled the door/sawhorse arrangement that held Bob’s food, water and “house”/photo light box.

Everything important to Bob on one low level.

We start Monday with a lack of sleep (me!), a wonky sense of balance (Bob!) and a “so what’s up with you guys?” (Bear) – frame of mind.

Emails and phone calls with the vet.

Ultimately all progressing well…ears are draining – GOOD! Short term ramification of the draining is the balance issue and little or no hearing.

Monday evening.

The forecast thunderstorms missed us.

The forecast wind did not!

The rearranging of Bob’s table, lack of sleep = aggravation of my rib stuff.

I hired help for cleanup and various grounds keeping stuff. Not my favorite chore(s) anyway, so oh, Yes!!!

Tuesday.

I kept Bob in on Monday. The wobblies, lack of hearing – they seemed like a risk for wandering about outside. But, after the wind, etc., the air was clear, the sun was warm and he wanted out.

I thought some sun would be a good thing but I didn’t want him wandering in the woods when he wasn’t hearing and not 100% footing-wise.

He mostly likes the front porch so we reached a compromise.

Baby monitor that I used with Bear post-op.

Mr. Bob…enjoying the sunshine under the watchful eye of the baby monitor.

From Monday drama to Tuesday sang-froid: Perfect.

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Roast Veg

The weekend post had a photo of things I was cooking/baking/roasting on Saturday afternoon which included a dish labeled “Greek Potatoes”. I don’t know if the Greek Potato Recipe is actually a Greek recipe. According to the source blog and several commenters, the dish is served in many U.S. Greek restaurants. What motivated me to make it was the lemon-olive oil-oregano marinade that went over all.

I’ve made 4 variations since seeing the recipe last week. I made it as written with russet potatoes twice (1/3 the quantity), but in between I made it with a combination of sweet potatoes and beets.

And this morning…

From left to right: russet potato, sweet potato, fennel, cabbage, beets and carrots.

Good golly – good!!

And the bit of herby oil left in the baking dish makes a wonderful “dip” to mop up with a piece(s) of crusty bread or even a drizzle for some fresh pasta with the veg and maybe some roast mushrooms.

Surprising, to me – my favorite of the veg were the cabbage and fennel.

Roast veg over quinoa = one excellent lunch.

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It’s Friday and we are all still alive

Mr. Bob has had a rough week.

Two vet visits and then he had a bad reaction to the first antibiotic – nausea after a bit of throwing up. He was a sad sack on Wednesday.

Bear and I made a run back to the vet and traded meds. Bob got a reprieve from all until Thursday afternoon.

He perked up yesterday and has been fine on the new stuff which is a once a day liquid so happier for both of us!

I am moving easier and more comfortable each night. Ribs tend to be a bit of a long haul but I’d rather deal with that, than a problem with a moving joint like ankle, wrist, shoulder or hip. Thankfully, the soreness in my left wrist/arm was slight. I wear ankle supporting light hiking boots in the woods and for trail walking and often carry ski poles used as hiking poles. I am ever grateful that all of me works well so that I can enjoy being outside and I’d like to keep it that way.

And speaking of things working well…the Bear boy is doing so well. He is a week off leash and doing more running and jumping every day. He has had no signs of soreness from increased activity. He has shifted easily back to our pre-op/pre-injury routine. Yea, Bear!

Yep, seems like old times :) !!

Everything is as it was.

And, per typical mid-May we are having a Montana heat wave: upper 70’s daytime, upper 40’s night time, i.e. darn near perfect.

Happy Friday.

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Bob and the Vet, Part 2

We are home. Bob survived another vet visit. His ears are clean. Once they got the gook out and looked in with their mini-ear things – no polyps – YEA! But the right ear has a middle ear infection and his poor ear drum is ruptured – it can heal, though. I’m told it may take several rounds of antibiotics. The good news is after the first round of pills, we can switch to injections (under the skin – like the insulin) if we want. We’ll see how things go.

Bob was pretty cranky and hissing at everyone so I was asked to move him from kennel to carrier. It is not the first time, I’ve been asked to do this. He quieted at my voice. I opened the carrier into the kennel and he scooted in.

I cannot repeat his parting comments.

He and Bear touched noses in the Jeep and we came home quietly.

I am relieved. The polyps are not serious but once a cat has them, they tend to keep getting them – blech. Hopefully, once we clear this infection (4-8 weeks) and the ear drum heals AND we are more vigilant about ear cleaning…this is done.

To add to the general household fun, last evening I was running with Bear…in the woods…and I fell. I really fell. It happened so fast, I’m not sure what happened except that it was a full body slam into the ground broken by my left arm (a little) and my rib cage. OW! I lay there for a full minute getting my wind and kind of doing inventory. Nothing broken, I got my breath, a few light scratches on my shin…but ribs where I hit and the left wrist are pretty sore. Sore ribs make for very tough sleeping. Don’t even think about coughing or sneezing or laughing. I’m moving pretty slow today but this afternoon feel a lot better than I anticipated -just very tired. Early to bed tonight and hopefully a better night’s sleep.

Bob will have no complaints about heading to bed early. Bear picks up when I am not feeling well and he typically settles also.

Is it only Tuesday???