7 and counting!

   Thanks to Olivia & Kelly's contributions, I'm up to 7 different dry foods. And although Gyp isn't eating a large quantity of anything, she is sampling most of them. And Allyson & Amy said they'd bring food too.

   Gypsy purred & purred while I gave her the fluids tonight--more than usual. How she can be so happy with a 2" needle in her neck is beyond me!

   I'll count kibble again in the morning to assess the past 24 hours. I may have to invest in an abacus or make a fancy spreadsheet. Hopefully things will keep looking up. Meanwhile, I'm going to need a bigger table!

Progress Vs. Perfection

   I'm happy to report that Gypsy made some much-needed progress last night! At the vet, we learned that the fluids we've been giving ARE helping: there was a very modest improvement in her BUN & creatinine levels. And this morning I counted the food pieces remaining on the plates to learn that she had eaten FORTY-SEVEN pieces!!! She left all the k/d (her most recent food), and ate some of the Science Diet Healthy from my vet, and some of the Nutro indoor adult salmon food, which was what I was feeding prior to the switch to k/d.
   Additionally, a couple of friends have already answered my pleas to bring samples of their cats' food. So tonight Gypsy can sample a different Science Diet blend (light) and some t/d (dental care) from Olivia and some Iams tuna flavor from Kelly. Here's hoping she loves it all. THANKS, FRIENDS!!!

   At work we have been using the mantra "progress vs. perfection" to remind ourselves that we need to be pushing forward and making an impact even when the results aren't perfect. I think that works for my Gyp, too. She's fifteen years old, and kidney disease and cancer are terminal, so I can't realistically expect a miraculous cure. But we will focus on making a little progress every day, so that she remains healthy and happy for as long as possible. I'm reminding myself to spend every free moment I have with her and be thankful for whatever time we have left. Life is precious!

Random Hallmark Moments: Donut Day

 Blueberry donut handlebar moustache! Thanks, Olivia!!!

Random Hallmark Moments: moving day approacheth

   While I was relaxing in Cali, Olivia MMS'd this photo and message: "Mike and i decided to take out your drawers, encase them in cardboard and packing tape and label them."

   At first I was like, "How lucky am I to have such thoughtful coworkers?" But upon second thought, here's what worries me about this: Olivia and Mike are both troublemakers. I am half expecting to return to work next week to find every object that I left in my office to be painstakingly, individually wrapped and possibly organized in a hilarious way. They both have wicked senses of humor, which clearly means they can't be trusted. Especially if they put their heads together. I mean, Mike is the guy that created his own crucifix, holy water and stake set to protect himself from Ginny, whom we believe to be a vampire. Oh, Lord...

GPS delivered!

   This cracked me up. Olivia's dear husband, David, works at Garmin & used his lunch hour to drop off a GPS unit that he is loaning to me. And he sent me an MMS with the message "GPS delivered!" and a photo proving that he had been there. Also, please note that my trash & recycling had not yet been collected. LOL!
   Thanks, David—you're the best!

44,000 calorie day

   As if an incredible & ginormous 4-course lunch wasn't enough, tonight I had a ticket to a 4-course dinner! (Yeah, I skipped breakfast today in case you were wondering.) It was the Team Lucy Beer Dinner & SIlent Auction, an event to help raise money for Lucy Weber's medical expenses. Lucy is a 1 year old who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I don't know the family personally, but Lucy attends the same daycare as my friend/coworker Lexie's daughter. The cause was so compelling, as was the menu and the company (Lexie & Ryan, Olivia & David), that I couldn't resist. 

   This photo gives a good hint as to the event's location.

The beer was flowing all night long, and we had some neat views of the facilities, too:

   Chef Michael Smith (of the self-titled restaurant as well as Extra Virgin, a Mediterranean tapas delight, and one of my personal favorites!) prepared a 3 course dinner paired with fine Boulevard beers. Beer isn't generally my drink of choice, but it's amazing how good it tasted with the pairings. Mmm... heirloom tomato salad with basil, sprouts, watermelon & cantaloupe:

(Not pictured: wild mushroom risotto with Maryland blue crab)

Roasted pork loin with summer ratatouille & homemade hash browns:

   ...Followed by the 4th course: dessert by Christopher Elbow. Salted pretzel flavored Glace ice cream + beer float paired with Elbow chocolates.

   By the end of the evening, the dinner & silent auction had raised $25,000 for Lucy's medical care, and I was skirting the edge of a food-induced coma. What an awesome event. If you're the praying type, say a few words for little Lucy:

   Update: Unfortunately, on 11/20/10, this little lady lost her battle with cancer. Her parents' post on CaringBridge was eloquent. When it was evident that she was slipping away, they unhooked her from all the machines that had been working round the clock to keep her stable, and her Mom & Dad simply held her. No doubt the way they wanted to hold her for her whole life, but this was for the last time. It's not fair. But she inspired a lot of people and will be remembered for the sweet little girl that she no doubt was, if only she'd been given a chance.

Shameless plug for Garmin

   It's not as if I try to hide my geekiness for gadgets, but I have to say, this Garmin GPS unit was as fun as it was functional. David & Olivia generously loaned it to me for both weeks that I was on vacation (Maine & New Mexico), ensuring my survival. I just kept the device in the pocket of my cargo pants & was able to check my course & mark landmarks in case I got lost. It shows a trip odometer, maximum speed, total ascent, etc.

   Here you can see the route I took around Jordan Pond, hitting 4 peaks: Penobscot, Sargent, and both Bubbles.

And the 5th peak, The Beehive. (I also marked the Inn just in case.)

   Unless cell phone technology progresses to a point where it has all these features, I'll have to invest in a Garmin before my next hiking trip...

Random Hallmark Moments: Omniture

Apparently in my new group we use "Omniture." It must be a program or a service or something... I wouldn't know, because I haven't been trained yet. I hypothesized that it meant, "Furniture that serves multiple purposes" but Olivia set me straight: "Close. Actually, it's furniture that eats both plants and animals." Well that clears it right up.

Random Hallmark Moments: lunch edition

Today in the Crown Room: World's biggest pork tenderloin & sweet potato fries.
If my heart stops, it's been nice knowing you.
I blame Olivia.