Confessions of an Internet Junkie

1. Jane went in for surgery today. The vet put her under, took full-body x-rays which showed no fractures other than her jaw. Tried to repair the jaw, but it would have only make it worse to put a wire in, so withdrew the wire. It's a little wobbly but is already healing on its own, so she decided it was best to leave it alone after all. Jane's tongue is healing on its own, which is rather miraculous. No need for stitches there, then. The vet felt terrible for putting her through all of that and then basically doing nothing constructive. But she had to try to see if it would work, and we we understand. Jane is home with a fentanyl patch on her leg and stoned out of her mind. Hyper stoned. Joy.

2. I heard from the nephrologist this afternoon. I'm assuming that she just got my blood work results because she made an appointment for next week. I take it the news is not . . . neutral. Still, I'm glad to be going down another path towards an answer.

3. I looked up the neurologist that Dr. Pope wants me to see. She specializes in neuroimmunology or the intersection of neurology and autoimmune disease. Just the perfect person to help find a diagnosis. It makes me sad that I probably won't get in to see her.

4. Dar was sick with a trigeminal headache. Q had an infection on her leg drained this morning. They're both over at Deb's farm helping with yet another hypothermic newborn cria. The vet is there, too. I have no idea when they'll be back. I didn't even know they were going. I was out the door to pick up Jane when the phone rang; got the phone, told Deb to call a vet and that Dar was sick. Handed the phone to Dar.

5. I don't know what to think about the winner of American Idol.

6. If those fucking cats don't stop fighting I'm going to throw them all fucking outside to the fucking coyotes.

7. I'm not in the best of moods.

1. Spartacus got the feed bucket stuck on his head this afternoon, setting off a widespread panic among the herd. Dar was alone in the paddock with them, but wisely we use walkie-talkies when someone goes out alone to deal with the alpacas, so she sent out the alarm and sparky77 and I came running. It took a bit of doing, but we finally cornered him and got the bucket off his neck. Silly alpaca.

2. I had an appointment with my PCP yesterday, and I was happily surprised at how much she's changed now that she's had her baby. (Babies, actually. Twin boys.) She's a completely different doctor. She couldn't seem to do enough for me. I'm getting a bone scan, because prednisone really plays havoc with your bones. She's setting me up with a referral for an exercise therapist who specializes in working with the issues we chronically ill types have. Yay! I'm really excited about this one. We had a good discussion about controlling my blood pressure, and she was informed and supportive and . . . I was pretty shocked. But happy!

3. Sunday was a lost day. I was pretty much zombified throughout the whole thing.

4. I've had it with the Clinton campaign. I'm still not a fan of Obama, either, but I'll happily take him over McCain.

5. The Wire finale was all I could have hoped for. It pains me that the show had so few viewers compared to the huge amount of crap on TV that pulls in the masses.

6. Jericho! On now. Bye!

I wasted another 90 minutes of my life at my primary care physician's office this morning. I got there at 10AM for my 10:15 appointment. They finally brought me in to the examining room at 11, and I saw the doctor at 11:15. Where he told me that no, I cannot get a prescription for oxycontin even though it's the only med that controls the pain enough at night to let me get a decent amount of sleep. Did you know that it's a narcotic?? And addictive???? Unlike, oh, liquid morphine, for which he had written me prescriptions in amounts copious enough to float a boat. I explained that I couldn't take the morphine anymore because it causes my gallbladder to rise up and try to kill me. He nodded and said he understood, but . . . no. He wants me to give the amyltriptyline/nortriptyline another try, even though I've told him that it makes me a zombie; the stuff doesn't start to wear off until the afternoon when I take it the night before. He assures me that the side effects "should" subside after a few weeks. ::head desk:: ::fist face:: I told him that I would not be able to start back on those until after the holidays at the earliest. I still have to be able to drive, eh; there are doctors appointment very frequently as well as all the Christmas shopping still to finish up. So I guess in the meantime I get to moan and whine my way through the night. Yay!

Oh, but the best news was when he told me that he'll be turfing me back to my original PCP: Dr. Tanya "Know Nothing" Norman. Who will be coming back one day a week in January. Oh yeah, I'll be getting in to see her on a timely basis. Asshats. And now I have to hope that she hasn't become Dr. Tanya "I Still Know Nothing and Now I Have Post-Partum Depression" Norman. Because you just know that it's the next spot on my dance card.

But at least the sun was out today, and the main roads were not just clear, they were also dry. Except for our sideroad, but that's nothing that we can't live with. I think it's supposed to be the same for tomorrow and Friday which will be a help because both Dar and I have more doctor's appointments on those days.

It was Mark's birthday today, so Dar spent a lot of time whipping up a special meal for the birthday guy. The crowning glory was the gluten-free chocolate layer cake with cooked chocolate icing. To die for! I'm serious, she's got a real handle on the complexities of gluten-free baking, and I think we should all encourage her to publish a cookbook of her recipes. Or bake things for us on a regular basis.

She's such a thoughtful person, my Dar. She loves to go that extra mile to please the people she loves. I'm embarrassed to say that we don't reciprocate, even though she deserves it much more than we do. If I could, I would shower her with gifts and attention and recognition and make a huge fuss. But in the words of Jayne: If wishes were horses, we'd all be eatin' meat.

TV finales. Pushing Daisies was way dark tonight. And a little to close to home. ANTM went with the safe choice. Honestly? I was still rooting for Heather; I don't care that she was booted two weeks ago. Bring back Heather, damn it. Kid Nation made me all sniffly. I really liked most of those kids, and I agree with Sophie when she said that her experience gives her more confidence in the future of the country.

Not to bed. Images of dancing sugarplum fairies shall be optional.

It was damp but above freezing which, given the snow on the ground, meant mist. Love mist. Then it started snowing. Big, wet, Hollywood snow. Not so much love for snow. It's supposed to do that for the next fourteen days according to the local long range. Oh joy?

Got a referral to a new rheumatologist. Say it with me: Yay! Of course the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, so the appointment isn't until Jan. 21, 2008, which seems so very far away. But at least it's there, on my calendar, in the margins, in ink. I am . . . resignedly glad. Glady resigned. Glorily addled which is supposed to be an anagram, kind of.

I miss the alpacas. I don't care if it will probably screw my legs up, I'm going to go visit them tomorrow. Read another horrific post on the alpacasite about a dog attack. Scares the crap out of me. I want to go sleep out there with them. I'm afraid that they're forgetting me. Don't forget me, alpacas, please.

It was wonderful to have sffan and sparky77 here. (Even if they wouldn't take a kitten home with them. Booooo.) I love them both, eh. I miss the company of girlfriends.

I am apparently a bad lesbian (by my own admission) because I never stare at Kristen Chenowith's boobs on Pushing Daisies. Fuck that - I don't stare at Dolly Parton's boobs. I just don't even really notice stuff like that. I don't notice toupes on guys, either. It always comes as a shock when it's pointed out to me. I don't see face lifts, either. They have to be really egregious, like [can't think of any names but you know how they are]. Anyway, I am clueless.

I am also tired. Night, guys.