Tuesday March 18th 2025

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 18

It's 2's-daie. Sunny and 66, going up to 73, no rain for a couple of days.

Gotta fill my medisets so I can remember to take my pills......I THINK I took them earlier and then went back to sleep....an empty box for today should be my clue, except I haven't filled them yet. C'mon, Stars, get with the program!

My horror-scope sez I "should take at least 5 minutes for myself today". Yup, because 'self-care is important." Yuh, like 5 minutes would even be enough or be close to helpful. Five minutes! And Nannie's sez that her "family is holding you back today." PPfftt! That's 'our' job, y'know. And truth be known, SHE is holding ME back!

I am hoping she goes back to sleep now. She sometimes looks tired, and sometimes looks bereft. Don't blame her, it must be a boring life not to be able to see, read, or hear well enough to be able to keep herself occupied. But since her mind is almost 'gone', I don't think she is aware enough to actually know she is bored. I mean, what choice does she have? Seems all she wants is to go out in the car. She told me yesterday on the way back home that she really likes riding around. I said I knew that, and wish we could rent her a limo and driver to just drive her around all day long. ('cause it ain't me, babe!)

Naturally after we got back yesterday and I got her inside, my groceries unloaded from the car, and parked the car under the carport, she wanted to know where the car that was outside was. Aren't we getting ready to go out? I was asked that 4 times in 15 minutes, so I had to turn the TV on to distract or derail that question.

Momo acted this morning like she hurt when I picked her up off the bed to take her downstairs. I have to carry her DOWNstairs now, as she will stand at the top of the stairs, barking and whimpering at me, and even squealing some. I don't know if it is from her injection yesterday or if something else is going on. The vet told me yesterday that Momo has a heart-murmur that was not noted in the last visit (August). She said it is a chronic thing which has no cure, but.....BUT, they can maybe 'see' what is causing it if they do an ultrasound.....for approx $400 ! The murmur is chronic and degenerative and there is no 'cure', but it can be treated with medication (at what cost, I do not know). She does have the symptom of a dry cough, and she does get tired easily, but I figured it was her age.

I have so many things on my 'needs' list that all cost around $500 or so, plus the tires which are around $700+ or so, plus 're-booting' my hearing aids ($400), teeth ($$$$), and some more etceteras. I do have my nose above water, but it's close to going under. I am undecided about using a card to get the tires...I will have to sign on for a new one, though I hate to take on more debt. I really do hate thinking about finances because I don't have the cushion of money to soften the blow of any of the needed needs! And as we all know, it is ALWAYS SOMETHING! More like several somethings at a time!

Nanny was quiet after her breakfast, staring at her shoes and out the window. Now she has her eyes closed and she is tipping over to her right. Guess I should get up and put a pillow behind her neck and a light blanket over her. She looks uncomfortably awkward!

🤔 Not sure how I will spend my "5 minutes for self-care" today! 😳😛

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 18

Forgot to tell you that yesterday afternoon, Nannie called my attention to something on the patio.....which she said was a DEAD RABBIT. I got up to take a look, and she said that it just jumped up and ran into the woods beside the house. Don't ya just hate it when a dead rabbit runs away before you can see it?

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Mar 18

Ah, the miraculously re-alived rabbit.

No news here. 80 degrees, windy, tomorrow's high will be only 52 😞

Binx takes enalapril and lasix because he has a heart murmur (I never did hear how severe -- I really can't hear it because a- he purrs when I try to listen and b- cats have fast hearts) and does cough. I remember that when Darby was near the end the vet said she had a 4th degree (or stage 4?) heart murmur. But Darby was 16 and not well.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 18

G'day.

Joe, hope you had another decent day.

Stars, hope Momo is okay. Hopefully it's just the shot. I've had some drama queen dogs that limp around but then when something catches their attention they go running and barking at the intruder.

My Ellie had a heart murmur. I knew when she was two and it progressed as the years went by. The last two years she was on three medications and I believe it was a 6. They wanted to get a baseline echo when she first when into CHF, but I decline. No point as she was 11 years old by then. Her kidneys failed and they weren't able to pull off any fluid. She was 13 years old and had a nice long life.

Went to yoga class this morning and then took it easy and had vegan pizza for lunch and watched a movie and some TV.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 19

Nice day here. Did a bit of yard work. Started the taxes.

I hope Momo is feeling better soon.

When the vet wanted to do an echo on Angus, it would have cost $800, and he was 12 years old. I didn't get it right away, but when I scheduled it, it was an 8 week wait. We had to put the poor little guy down before he ever got it. He was on Lasix for the last week, but it didn't seem to help.

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 19

Hello all.

Didn't sleep well last night, Oh Well. Took a little nap while dh was feeding the cats, around noon. I did some upper body and core exercises while he took a post-lunch nap. We just got back from a 45-min walk around the neighborhood (yay for us). It was very nice out, not too cool but not too hot. He says the cats are starting to behave more like their usual selves, after losing one of the "pack."

I have an appointment to do taxes on Thursday afternoon.

I hope Momo improves soon.

Joe, is weather scheduled to cooperate for your trip? 😉

Tweety, ENJOY your days off!

Have a good evening!

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 19

No Stars In My Eyes said:

It's 2's-daie. Sunny and 66, going up to 73, no rain for a couple of days.

Gotta fill my medisets so I can remember to take my pills......I THINK I took them earlier and then went back to sleep....an empty box for today should be my clue, except I haven't filled them yet. C'mon, Stars, get with the program!

...Momo acted this morning like she hurt when I picked her up off the bed to take her downstairs. I have to carry her DOWNstairs now, as she will stand at the top of the stairs, barking and whimpering at me, and even squealing some. I don't know if it is from her injection yesterday or if something else is going on. The vet told me yesterday that Momo has a heart-murmur that was not noted in the last visit (August). She said it is a chronic thing which has no cure, but.....BUT, they can maybe 'see' what is causing it if they do an ultrasound.....for approx $400 ! The murmur is chronic and degenerative and there is no 'cure', but it can be treated with medication (at what cost, I do not know). She does have the symptom of a dry cough, and she does get tired easily, but I figured it was her age.

Your beloved Momo's symptoms go with a dog heart murmur. Adopted a 17lb 7yo dachshund last Sept. with grade 4 murmur (due mitral regurg) who was on Vetmedin BID: cost $89/mo for 50 tabs. January, sleeping all the time so saw Cardiologist Feb 2nd : exam w echo/BP/cardiogram - added Furosemide, $850 for visit!. Because dog dose = 12.5mg/day, can't get at CVS but Vet pharmacy: $20/month supply. He acts like a puppy and my lap buddy again. Vetmedin will extend his life by about 1 1/2 years. So I've stepped up # clients seen and aide supervision visits /month to cover dog medical costs!

Heart Murmurs In Dogs: Grades, Symptoms, Treatment & More

Heart Medicine for Dogs: 9 Vet-Prescribed Options

Thankfully, my foster diabetic Wheaten Terrier's care covered by rescue: insulin $ 50/mo, syringes $30 per100, glycobalance food $ 100/mo along with vet exams.

Anything for my furbabies who make me laugh, smile, snuggle --and tries to trip me with his blankets. BUT got to pay high taxes, so full retirement will be in 2 years after 50 years nursing.

((HUGS))) for all you do!

Hello to all who participate in thread -- enjoy reading your activities and meals --more adventurous than me.

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 19

Thanks for that info, Karen. I don't know that I can carry the expenses for tx of Momo's heart murmur. She isn't at a point where I have to decide RIGHT AWAY, but if the budget is the same when she gets to that point, it doesn't look promising. So sad to have to be depending on the monetary situation, but I just don't have it. *sigh* It feels cold-hearted, but I have no magic wand to miraculously come up with it, and that's just a fact of my life. UGH.