LadyCarrie

Our hearts go out to Butch. It seems impossible for him to endure so much pain, and still stay strong. I see him as a strong man suffering. A weak man could not be as he is. May our Lord continue to see that he is a "come back kid." Carrie

Happy feet! Oh, yes! Happy feet! Jerry, Amberly, and I join your other friends here in rejoicing with you, precious friend. God is so good. We thank Him for blessing your daughter, her husband, their children, and you with another little Love. Hugs and squeezes, Carrie

We are so very sorry. Thank you for letting us know, Kay. We will keep praying along with you all. Carrie

Dear Butch, I join your other friends here to tell you that we love you, and that we continue to pray for you every day. I have not written on the forum lately due to health happenings and changes in my life and home, yet you and others here are in my heart and on my mind. I'm glad you had a bit of a respite, and along with others, I wish the length of time could have been longer. May our Lord hold you up and close tenderly. Blessings and Warm hugs, Carrie

Hello to all, Mia, I have been praying daily that your toe will heal quickly and completely, and for your pain level to lessen to none very soon. That was quite an accident you had. Regarding my cataract surgeries, I am delighted with the outcome, although my vision did not return as it became after my first surgery. I had never seen so well in my life as after that first surgery. It was surely good while it lasted. My vision is at least as good, if not better, than I was told to expect, so I'm delighted. I am to get a new prescription on October 7. God is good, and I am so grateful to see. I asked the doctor why my vision became scary-blurred after the second surgery. He explained that this happens when surgery is done on the second eye. This confirmed what I thought had happened. They work together, and what happens to one affects the other. You know how it is with twins. I am happy to tell you that I am not in a full-fledged Meniere's episode, as I thought I might be. I believe the medications I was given likely caused the symptoms to become worse for a while. We all depend somewhat on our eyes for balance, but people who have Meniere's depend on their eyes for balance a lot. My blurred vision affected the Meniere's until my eyes began to work better. I am back to the way I was prior to surgery Meniere's-wise. Another blessing. Amberly is back from her forensic nursing class at Sacramento. She bounced in late Sunday afternoon and announced that she is now a Medical Forensic Examiner. She passed her written and practical state exams. She says that she loved the science part of the class, and found the law parts interesting. She isn't great with the photography part, but will learn. She was happy to find herself average, for she had been apprehensive about the photography test. She found parts of the information in the lectures sad and angering (e.g. antiquated laws; story of ER docs drawing straws to see who had to do the "tedious" work of examining the rape victims). Amberly will be the examiner for the clinic where she works. Her position at work didn't change. The forensic work is added. I told you in my last post that Amberly was looking forward to dinner and live theater on the Delta King on the Sacramento River. She had not anticipated becoming part of the cast for an interactive murder mystery. She had so much fun doing this, for unlike her mama, she's never been shy on stage. She and her friends enjoyed exploring Old Town Sacramento, including the museums and restaurants in the early evenings. The Butte Fire, which is 15 miles from us, is now 84% contained ("contained" usually means to have a bulldozer line around the fire). Full containment is expected by October 1. Four hundred and seventy-five homes, 343 outbuildings, and 42 other structures have burned. Most people have been allowed to return to their homes, but some evacuation centers are still open. One of the doctors with whom Amberly works had to help evacuate his parents, and her supervisor's house is now pink due to flame retardant. Amberly's supervisor's neighbor's house burned, so the plane dumped the load of retardant onto her supervisor's house. I'm sad to tell you that two people were found dead. One is believed to be the man who called his son to tell him he was trapped. Amberly said that she heard at work that he had only one leg, and could not get out fast enough. I know this has nothing to do with our much-loved and precious pets, but I thought you might want to know the update since I told you that we are near the fire. Warm hugs to each of you, and thank you for praying for me. I'm going to be just fine. Each of you is special to me. I thank you for your care and responses. I pray for each one here that God will meet your needs ~ and a whole lot of your wants ~ each day. May He heal your hurting hearts. I'm convinced He gives us people when we need them, and so He gave us to each other here on Marty's forum. Our hearts hurt so badly for our babies, Ashely, Callie, and Beauregard. I've managed to not cry after surgery, but have had some really close calls. One of the closest calls was when our neighbor Dave came to visit and reminisced about the babies. He talked about watching them romp around the front deck, even when they were so little that all three could be held in our hands at the same time. When he sobbed three times, it was almost too much for me. He meant no harm. He doesn't get along well with people, so gives his whole heart to pets. His grief is genuine. I'm having a bit of trouble with the font, so I hope this posts correctly. I do hope it doesn't look like I screamed at you. Please know it's an accident if that happens. Blessings, Carrie

Thank you, Marty❤️. Several have reached out to me, and I am grateful. I care about their hurts as well. Here on your forum is where I want and need to be. I know what to expect from arthritis, and know how to treat it (I know you understand, unfortunately; I'm sorry you understand so well). It's Meniere's that I have no control over. It has a mind of its own. My not having any control causes me to feel frustrated, for there's little I can do to help myself. If something needs to be done in order to help myself, I do it, even if I hate it. With Meniere's, there's little to do but wait. I'm praying it's at its worst now, and won't get as bad as the two major episodes. There is a difference between episodes and symptoms. Symptoms are what episodes leave behind. I was diagnosed at UC San Francisco in 1992 after I suddenly lost all hearing in my left ear (massive doses of prednisone brought it back to about 75%). I'd never had an ear problem ever. I had been to a Celtic fair, so I thought perhaps I'd gotten just too danged happy following the Petaluma bagpipe band around all day, but it was more likely the prolonged loudness that caused the nerve to object. Jerry, Amberly, and I have fun at the Celtic fairs, but we can't get Jerry to wear his kilt. He will wear other items to show his clan pride, but he won't leave his knobby knees hanging out (his words, not mine; he has cute knees). Amberly and I love wearing our outfits we had made in Scotland, but he won't join us clothing-wise. I had to learn to walk upright again after the second major Meniere's episode, because what seemed upright wasn't. I was mostly in bed for 5 months due to severe vertigo, so this is the reason I'm a wee bit nervous. Meniere's is an ugly beast, and affects different people differently, and even the same person differently. The positive thing is that thus far, I've been able to function well. Each major episode takes something away permanently to some degree. Considering, I think I've done well. Perhaps this is a time of prolonged symptoms rather than a major episode. That has happened before, so that's what I choose to expect. I believe whatever is happening is at least partially due to my not being able to cry after surgery. "Tears are God's gift to us. Our holy water. They heal us as they flow" (Rita Schiano). There is much truth to this. My doctor was concerned that I was going to have an episode due to extreme stress when Jerry was in the hospital and since. Crying helped me during that crisis and afterward. I think my not being able to cry while Beauregard was so pitifully and miserably sick and after his death was the last straw. I've worked hard at not crying as instructed, and with God's help, I've succeeded thus far. Not being able to cry is unnatural and absurd though. Jerry just has to be all right until my retina heals, for I do not have the resolve or strength to control tears where he is concerned. I'm telling the results of my not crying here so others will cry out their hurts, if possible. God gave us our tear ducts to protect our eyes, and to pray from our heart when we have no words. Blessings, Carrie

Harry, I am so sorry. I join my prayers with those of the others here. Please know I care that you all are hurting. Blessings, Carrie

Dear Butch, I cannot add to what has been said, so I will add my voice with the others. I pray for you and for your family each morning. Like Kay said, they have each other. Try your best to take care of you for this time. You are special to all of us. Carrie

Mia, What an accident! Shots in the toe sounds like as much fun as shots in the nose (or eye). What was your speed when you banged your toe into the furniture? It was probably about like mine when I got my foot caught in the tree root. It didn't feel like we were breaking the speed limit, did it? I suspect you are going to have one sore toe for a while. Your heart and spirit are in a good and right place, and God is indeed with you. I will add your toe accident to my prayer list (I need to write lists these days), and will ask God to heal you quickly and completely. I also pray He will keep you out of pain. Blessings, Carrie

Dear Marj, I am just learning about Hamish and your prayer request for him. I will pray for you, as well as for him. We've all learned to love him, you know. I haven't been on the forum a lot lately due to a combination of an arthritis flare, Meniere's episode, and cataract surgery. It's for certain suppressed stress can upend us. I've been upended before, and by the grace of God, have been able to fight my way back to reasonably good health. I expect to again. Tonight I sound like the little old lady I am. Not being able to cry for my babies pushed me into a Menieres episode. Stress and sodium are the two primary things that cause Meniere's episodes. I definitely control the sodium (500 mg), but the long-time stress caught up with me. I feel like I'm neglecting you and others, but each of you is in my thoughts and prayers daily. Please let us know how you are when you feel like it, and are ready. Warm hugs, Carrie

Dear Anne, I really enjoyed hearing your happy heart, and I'm so happy for you. Your happiness warms my heart. Kay, it hardly seems possible your little one is three months old! I'm happy you'll get to see her soon. Carrie

Carrie, You know all of us fell in love with your Chester. That boy even had a special tail! ❤️ Carrie, too

Good morning, I'm writing to say "Hi" to all, to give an update on my cataract surgeries, and to thank each of you for caring and for praying for me. God is good, and although I'm not "out of the woods" yet, I will soon be fine. The only problem I had with the first surgery was that I felt the block. I didn't even need a Tylenol when the feelings returned afterward. My vision was crisp and clear, and things were so much lighter and brighter. Because I felt the block the first time, the second block was done differently. I had the worst headache afterward than I've had since giving birth to Amberly with the help of a spinal (11-day headache then!). My head and eye hurt terribly all afternoon, and throughout the night. There was no ease or let up. I'm sure the Tylenol 3 (codeine) must have helped, but not nearly enough. I felt the first block because the numbing drop had not taken effect before the dilating drop was administered. I was supposed to have just these two drops, but I was given four drops in quick succession. Apparently, two nurses did the same job, or one did it twice. The bottom line is they washed out my numbing drops causing me to feel pain, rather than pressure, during the block. After the second surgery, I no longer see things as crisp and clear with the first eye corrected. Things are much blurrier now. My hope and prayer is that my vision will not become even blurrier. Because the second surgery took longer, my retina is "bleached out," and there is little difference in brightness than prior to surgery. The positives are that I can see, and there is hope corrections can be made with a prescription. There is also hope that my retina will heal on its own and within a few days. I am so very grateful to see as well as I do. I'm not complaining. I am explaining. I am fine and am very appreciative. I believe I will improve with time, but I could live contentedly as I am. My Meniere's symptoms are bad (I feel intoxicated and wobbly-legged ~ like walking in a small boat on water). Stress and sodium are the two major things that cause or exacerbate Meniere's symptoms. I can control the sodium, but cannot control the stress completely. The stress of the surgeries and struggling to not cry over the loss of our babies (Ashely, Callie, and Beauregard) until my eyes heal are among my stressors. We are socked in with smoke from the Butte Fire, which is still burning out of control fifteen miles from us, and ashes are falling here like fine snow. The ground is covered with ashes deep enough that when we walk, we leave footprints, and our footfalls cause little puffs of ashes to jump upward. Amberly said that the ashes seen in her headlights as she was coming home last night, looked like lightly falling snow. Melones Dam is between us and the fire, so we feel reasonably safe. We have friends who are evacuated, and friends of friends who have lost their homes in this fire. Rescue teams are getting as many horses and cattle out as they can. Between 200 - 400 horses have been brought to Sonora (where Amberly works), and others to different locations. Please remember these people and the precious, terrified, and frantic wild animals in your prayers. Many animals are in physical pain. One man called his son to say he was trapped. The latest news I heard is that he has not been heard from since. Perhaps he's found safety. My problems pale in comparison. Amberly left this morning for her forensic nursing training at the Department of Justice Building in Sacramento this morning. We encouraged her to not cancel this training, especially since her work requires her to take the class. All expenses and tuition are paid for, and as a bonus, she was given a surprise night on the Delta King in Sacramento tonight. Her evening will include dinner and live theater. We couldn't let the kid miss that. Her room is on the Sacramento River side, rather than on the city side, which is even better. I was invited to an evening on the Delta Queen, the sister ship to the Delta King, at Greenville, MS during my dating days. We are delighted Amberly has this opportunity all these years later. If you're interested in these ships (wooden paddle boats), you can find them on Google. They have an interesting history. Amberly arranged for two of her staff to be on call for us medically, and our programmer will be back from West Virginia late Tuesday night. He would get us out in case of fire. I promised Amberly that we would take only necessities if evacuated. We are surrounded by huge dead pine trees (up to 150 - 200 ft tall) that loom over us, so we are in great fire danger. California is in much trouble due to drought. We've lived in the same area for forty-seven years (over 30 in same house), and have seen nothing like the results of this drought. Not every tree will die, and after this time of being ugly, the area will become beautiful again. These mountains and this forest are an awesome place to live, and they're home to us. We stay. A big Thank You and big Hugs to each of you. Please remember me when you pray. I pray for you all also ~ every morning. ❤️ Blessings and hugs,Carrie

Thanks, Marty.❤️ I write like I talk. Sometimes I write like (as) I think, and wish I coulc suck it back in. ? Carrie

Mary, I agree that some vets need to have their license revoked. In the case of the vet who harmed Ashely due to his ego, aggorance, and high temper, I would like him to be suspended for as long as it takes for him to acknowledge to himself, if to no others, that he made a colossal mistake that cost a little Doxie to lose her life at least months too soon, and caused her horrible pain before she died. I would also want him to not be allowed to practice until he has had anger management therapy ~ successfully. He acknowledges he has a temper. He told Jerry and me years ago that he causes his wife and staff much hurt because of it. In retrospect, what appeared to be acknowledging his problem in order to help himself, appears to have been bragging. Skill-wise, he is among the best, and he knows it. That is what caused the problem. He wasn't as good as he thought he was, and he should not have played Veterinary Denistry Cowboy with my wee little girl baby. In truth, he does a lot more good than damage. He is a good man and a good vet who has some major faults. I pray he will obtain appropriate counsel, and will get well himself. He is sick. If he gets well, he will benefit many sick animals, and I will need to set my personal feelings aside. Today, I don't like him, I don't respect him, and I will tell the truth on him to anyone who will listen to me. I would like to add "only for the sake of his patients," but that's not the entire truth. I'm "mad" at him still. I confess that for a while I would not have minded much if someone had strung him up from a tall tree by some of his most precious-to-him body parts. As a Christian, I know this kind of thinking is wrong. Sometimes I struggle. I have a bit of anger myself right now. My hair is turning silver fast, but my Scots-Irish roots are still red. Carrie