Thursday, March 2, 2006
I remain sick, and tired...
...although I'm trying not to act sick and tired today. I cut back on the ibuprofen yesterday, just because I don't like the way it makes me feel when I'm fighting a fever and the fever seemed to be less vicious. I awoke twice during the night shivering, though, finally gave up and took some. Mom is doing fine. She had a lots-of-rest/little food day, yesterday, mainly because I was feeling so bad and had absolutely no energy. She was fine with that.
I'm beginning to wonder if I'm suffering "cat scratch fever", as I've got a load of small scratches all over my arms and legs from our new kit-kat, Mr. Man, and continue to get them no matter what I do. Since I'm the main cat-caretaker, I'm also the object of most of his kitten love. He enjoys Mom, but she's, the less energetic of the two of us, despite my very low energy level, so he only pays attention to her when he's played himself out. She's only received two minor scratches and I've treated both with antiseptic. If I treated all my scratches with antiseptic I'd be spraying myself all over constantly.
Mr. Man is settling down, some, now that our home is no longer "new" to him and The Little Girl has accepted his presence, even though she's not entirely affectionate toward him. Luckily, he sleeps through the night, even though I haven't been, lately.
I'm beginning to wonder if I'm suffering "cat scratch fever", as I've got a load of small scratches all over my arms and legs from our new kit-kat, Mr. Man, and continue to get them no matter what I do. Since I'm the main cat-caretaker, I'm also the object of most of his kitten love. He enjoys Mom, but she's, the less energetic of the two of us, despite my very low energy level, so he only pays attention to her when he's played himself out. She's only received two minor scratches and I've treated both with antiseptic. If I treated all my scratches with antiseptic I'd be spraying myself all over constantly.
Mr. Man is settling down, some, now that our home is no longer "new" to him and The Little Girl has accepted his presence, even though she's not entirely affectionate toward him. Luckily, he sleeps through the night, even though I haven't been, lately.
Monday, February 27, 2006
It's happening again. I can't believe it.
I don't know what it is...a cold, some type of flu which the vaccination didn't cover, I don't know. Temperature: 102.6 by the temporal arterial. My body aches all over. No breathing or sinus problems. With luck, maybe I'll avoid those. I'm really, really tired. All this started snowballing me this afternoon. Took me totally by surprise. I've been under the impression that I've been feeling excellent, lately, and doing well, physically.
I haven't been able to actually slow down, relax, take a nap (which I've been wanting to do since about 1600) yet today...although I pumped myself full of ibuprofen for the second time today about an hour ago. That seems to keep the fever under control.
I'm disappointed that this is happening. I'm extremely disappointed that this seems to be my winter of being sick here and sick there...that never happens to me, but it is this winter.
I'm assuming Mom's not going to get whatever I have, even though my understanding is that the fever is a sign that I'm contagious. Her immune system seems to be fine without any help, yet again, this year. Which is good. As I publish this, she's still up, watching something on TV. Oh, yeah, it's M*A*S*H, which is on tonight until midnight because it's the final episode of the series, so she'll probably be going to bed then. I can't wait. I've been wanting to go to bed for hours.
Figure that I may not report again for a couple of days until I'm feeling better.
Shit. I can't believe this.
Later.
I haven't been able to actually slow down, relax, take a nap (which I've been wanting to do since about 1600) yet today...although I pumped myself full of ibuprofen for the second time today about an hour ago. That seems to keep the fever under control.
I'm disappointed that this is happening. I'm extremely disappointed that this seems to be my winter of being sick here and sick there...that never happens to me, but it is this winter.
I'm assuming Mom's not going to get whatever I have, even though my understanding is that the fever is a sign that I'm contagious. Her immune system seems to be fine without any help, yet again, this year. Which is good. As I publish this, she's still up, watching something on TV. Oh, yeah, it's M*A*S*H, which is on tonight until midnight because it's the final episode of the series, so she'll probably be going to bed then. I can't wait. I've been wanting to go to bed for hours.
Figure that I may not report again for a couple of days until I'm feeling better.
Shit. I can't believe this.
Later.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
We have a new kit-kat, and...
...as MCS commented, Mom probably needed something to get her going again. Mr. Man (name still undergoing revisions, although he is always called "Mr.") has certainly done this, just since yesterday afternoon when I brought him home. He's a tiny eight week old kitten, terribly lively and innocently brave, and he and Mom have bonded like nothing else. He spends a lot of time playing and napping on Mom's lap when she's up, much to her delight. He enjoys going to bed with her, yet another delightful development for Mom.
Mom insists on referring to him as, "she", a hold over, I guess from when many kids, including me and my sisters, thought of cats as the "she's" and dogs as the "he's".
She didn't turn off her light until 0200 this morning, after retiring some time after 0100; I think, she was playing with and soothing Mr. Man. When I called her around 1300 (could have been a little earlier, I can't remember), when Mr. Man headed into her room Mom was enlivened, although she remained in her room for another half hour or so and it was almost impossible to get her into the bathroom.
The Little Girl is experiencing some trauma. It is now up to me to soothe her, which is fine with me. Mr. Man makes no distinction, yet, between whether or not I'm paying a lot of attention to him and is happy with his new, promising palsy-walsy relationship with Mom.
When I first brought him home Mom was dubious and remained so for some hours. I talked about this with MCS. We both figure that it's probably because, even though I'm now the one who does everything and having another cat who is, presently, an attention intense kitten increases my "load", not hers, as far as she's concerned she's the household madam, thus it all falls on her. I'm pleased she continues to feel this way. She remains firmly invested in her "pow-wah". She doesn't feel as though her life is not her own. This is a sign that I'm doing my job well.
I know Mom would have preferred a dog and I have no doubt but what a dog would have become devoted to her but I still haven't come to terms with the amount of unrelenting work and figuring a dog would involve, especially when we have to travel. So, for the time being, a new, young cat is doing the job and doing it beyond my expectations.
Mom insists on referring to him as, "she", a hold over, I guess from when many kids, including me and my sisters, thought of cats as the "she's" and dogs as the "he's".
She didn't turn off her light until 0200 this morning, after retiring some time after 0100; I think, she was playing with and soothing Mr. Man. When I called her around 1300 (could have been a little earlier, I can't remember), when Mr. Man headed into her room Mom was enlivened, although she remained in her room for another half hour or so and it was almost impossible to get her into the bathroom.
The Little Girl is experiencing some trauma. It is now up to me to soothe her, which is fine with me. Mr. Man makes no distinction, yet, between whether or not I'm paying a lot of attention to him and is happy with his new, promising palsy-walsy relationship with Mom.
When I first brought him home Mom was dubious and remained so for some hours. I talked about this with MCS. We both figure that it's probably because, even though I'm now the one who does everything and having another cat who is, presently, an attention intense kitten increases my "load", not hers, as far as she's concerned she's the household madam, thus it all falls on her. I'm pleased she continues to feel this way. She remains firmly invested in her "pow-wah". She doesn't feel as though her life is not her own. This is a sign that I'm doing my job well.
I know Mom would have preferred a dog and I have no doubt but what a dog would have become devoted to her but I still haven't come to terms with the amount of unrelenting work and figuring a dog would involve, especially when we have to travel. So, for the time being, a new, young cat is doing the job and doing it beyond my expectations.
