Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

''I'm not offended by blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know I'm not blonde.''

Dolly Parton

Morning all!
I haven't been here for days. I can't think why. I usually get on Sudoku, do the easy and the hard puzzles and then across to the forums but for some reason I have skipped that step and got straight on with whatever else I have to do in the real world.
Also, I have nothing of interest to report. Life goes on day after day.
We are planning for Col's retirement in a few years ( he's younger than me). We are hoping to downsize to retirement living, and buy an RV and set off around Australia whenever the whim takes us. It depends on what we can afford too. After our trip around SW Queensland following the Silo Art Trail last year, we are anxious to further that interest. Because as well as Silo Art, there is street art, sculpture, museums, art galleries as well as historical sites and ever-changing scenery to see. Rolanda and her husband are hoping to do the same when he retires so hopefully we will be able to meet up occasionally and tour together at times. Col and Peter, Rolanda's hubby have become great friends over the years.
Our dog will not be a good traveller so she will have to stay behind but Sue, who is her groomer, will take her, only while we're gone. Sue is Jewel's favourite person, she will be happy there.

Jewel might like traveling in an RV instead of a car, CynB. Try her before leaving her behind.

Off to the feed store. It's a good thing to do today since i have no appointments and the rain (light) is supposed to start any minute.

The chickens are delighted. I came back home not only with plenty of their feed, but also 8 lbs of freeze dried grubs.... their favorite treat. I put some in a bowl inside for them, and they're pigging out.

Stressful day today. I got up this morning, looked out into the front pasture, and saw what looked like a dead alpaca. Chloe, the white one. I watched her for a while, and saw no movement. So I went to fire up the tractor to pull the body out and dispose of it. It was then that I saw some movement from her head. So I called Mike the Vet and asked for help ASAP. Unfortunately, it was a mind bogglingly busy day for him and he couldn't make it out here until 5:30. Meanwhile, I kept checking on Chloe and trying to get her to sit up. She has no use of her back legs. She is really weak and shaky. Mike is baffled, too. He treated her for everything he could think of. Then I hooked up my small trailer with the ramp, drove it out into the pasture, and we rolled her up the ramp and onto the trailer. Then I backed the trailer up to the barn door and we dragged her into a horse stall. We've got her propped up against a wall so she has to sit up, and she has hay, feed and water in front of her. Mike gave her painkillers as well as other meds, and she seems to be feeling a little better. She's presently eating.

I think I'll feed early today. The rain is due to start around 2 pm, and I prefer feeding when it isn't raining.

Chloe is doing a little better today. She's able to sit up on her own now and has eaten some feed and hay, and drunk a little water. She's even chewing her cud. But I can tell that she's still hurting, and she still has no use of her back legs. Mike could find no sign of injury to either leg, and there's no spinal injury because she's flipping her tail around. He'll be by a little later today to check up on her.

You've probably done it already, Heidi, but check for paralysis ticks. I hope you find the problem and Chloe improves quickly. Cheers.

My Vet has done that already. But I appreciate the suggestion. All ideas are welcome.

My first Covid-19 shot is scheduled for this Saturday morning, and my second on is scheduled for April 17th. I'm so glad I'm getting this done.

Thanks for reminding me Heidi. They are starting Covid shots on over 70's next week so I rang my doctor's surgery and got an appointment for 6th April. They will schedule my second when the first is done.
Nice to see you're still around Saltie. How's life in Rocky? Bit wet up there at the moment? Wet here too but only 10-20mls daily.
Heidi, I have my fingers crossed for Chloe.

We have a tentative diagnosis of Meningeal Worm for Chloe. She's responding to treatment, but it may take a couple of weeks before she can walk again. Thank goodness she does have feeling in her back legs, just no use of them.

Hope Chloe is on the improve - had a similar event with Truman years ago - turned out to possibly be a bee sting and the vet wanted to put him down but I refused - 3 days later he was up and walking.
You are lucky to get in so quick Cynthia - I went to renal Dr yesterday and some overseas creeps have hacked all the Eastern Health system ( large hospitals and their outreach centres) and all patient records, pathology etc unable to be viewed - it is affecting so many patients in the hospitals - absolutely disgusting. the rolout here of Covid is pathetic - they couldn't organise a chook raffle. Daughter (Pathology Scientist) is getting the Pfizer jab tomorrow, I am in end-stage renal and probably wont get it until end of April at the earliest so stuck being careful all the time still. Mr Dr is in the same position. Looks like we get AstraZeneca.
Now have 2 cockatoos I am trying to catch. They are not around very frequently now but as the weather is getting colder I hope I can swoon. The flocks are around every day and keeping them at bay whilst they demolish everything (including my sons chilli plants - not too popular with him).
We are closing our Office of nearly 30 years at the moment - 2 sons and I with hubby suddenly having to do a business trip to Sydney - hahah - he has done this before. I am cross about him leaving everything to us but I suppose it is easier without him around acting like a labrador retriever. We have done 11 trailer trips to the tip with samples collected over the years - no wonder we ran out of space. Pointless to keep paying rent as we have been working from home for nearly a year anyway with only sporadic trips to the office. Had better sign off for now - cockies are banging on the wire-door waiting for seed with the magpies on the lines out the front waiting for their meat. My neighbours are not happy about them but nature sucks for some people.
Hope everyone is keeping well.

The more reading I do on it, the worse her prognosis looks. Once they go down. like Chloe did, they have only a 10-20 % chance of ever walking again, and they will have permanent impairment. There is no 100% recovery. I'm trying to figure out how she caught it, since the only source is White Tailed Deer, and I haven't seen one on my farm in over 20 years, and only one rushing through the pasture they live in.... and that was nearly 30 years ago.
She's trying hard to stand, and I'm encouraging her by letting some of the dogs visit her 4 times a day. She hates dogs (like most alpacas and llamas) and keeps trying to get to her feet to go after them. The dogs don't do anything except come up to sniff.

Chloe still isn't able to stand, but she's starting to move her back legs now. Mike the Vet is here every day with another series of treatments.... shots and oral meds. I just got back inside (11:30 pm) from checking on her. The rest of the alpacas were in the stall with her, keeping her company. I have the stall door open since she can't walk out, anyway. And I would be delighted if she does walk out.

After doing some internet research I've discovered that the Meningeal Worm is one insidious creature.

It's good to hear that Chloe is trying to stand (when the dogs appear) and that she is starting to move her back legs. It is a blessing that you have Mike to render the care she needs...

Dawn has decided to up the incentive for Chloe to move. Today she nipped Chloe in the butt to try to make her move. She was so mad that when Mike showed up, Chloe threatened to spit at him. She hasn't succeeded in standing yet, but she's getting more and more movement in her back legs.

Julie..... where are you? It's been 11 days since you last posted!

I leave for my first Covid shot in 1 1/2 hours. Robert asked me to pick him up on the way there and drop him off at the barber shop, which is 2 blocks before the pharmacy where I'm getting the shot. I don't know if they plan on keeping me there under observation in case of anaphalactic shock, so he may have a wait to be picked up afterwards.
But first, I need to check on Chloe and collect eggs.

I've had the first shot. It was uneventful, which is what everyone hopes for. Because I've had serious problems with sulfas, they asked me to wait for 25 minutes after getting the shot to make sure I didn't have a reaction.

Chloe didn't look as good this morning. She was laying on her side and couldn't right herself. I had to do it. I'm starting to think that she has not beaten the odds. I will give her as much time as she needs, though.

I try to carry an extra kn 95 mask with me, in case, wherever I go. The pharmacy has a big sign on the door saying that everyone who enters is required to wear a mask. While waiting to get my shot, a man walked up to the desk without a mask. I pulled out my spare mask, handed it to him saying it had never been used, and I sat down again. He put it on. After he left, the rest of the people waiting for their shots applauded me. I felt so proud.

The second time I checked on her, after I got back from getting my shot, Chloe looked worse. She was a lot weaker, and wasn't even trying to sit up. And she was grinding her molars, a sign of pain. By the time Mike got here, Chloe had given up. The only humane thing to do was euthanize her. She passed peacefully.

I had my chicks in a 100 gallon metal livestock tank in the bird room. The plan was to move them out to a 12' x 8' pen on the barn (enclosed in 1 inch chicken wire) next week. I just moved them out there early. I discovered one of the chicks had flown out and was running around my kitchen. I do have a heat lamp om them since it's going to be a cold night. It might drop as low as 40˚F / 4.4˚C. That's why I wanted to wait another week. They are mostly feathered now, but still tiny.... only about 3 to 3 1/2 weeks old. But they have a better chance of survival out there than if they get eaten by the dogs.

Does anybody have Julie's contact info? I'm getting worried.

The chicks made it through the night in their new home and are enjoying all of the space. Raleigh, my barn cat, seems to think they're out there for his amusement but the pen they're in is covered by 1 inch chicken wire as well, and nothing can get in or out, except fresh air. Tonight will only get down to the mid-40's, and after that the lows will be in the 50's at night. With the heat lamp, they'll be very comfy. The 2 Marans pullets (4 weeks old) will arrive next week and go out with them. There's plenty of room.

I'm working on taking down a dead cherry tree in the yard today, cutting it up into manageable sizes, and adding it to my burn pile. I'll probably burn it Tuesday if it isn't windy. I'm taking Robert to a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I won't leave a fire unattended.

Heidi, I don't have Julie's contact details. She hasn't been on FB either for 11 days. I have sent her a private message. I think they've had their Covid jabs so I'm hoping they're safe.
Fingers crossed we hear soon. If she answers my FB message I will immediately come here to let you know.

So sorry about Chloe.

Thanks, CynB.

I ended up doing the burning today after getting home from taking Robert to his GP. We're supposed to get rain tomorrow, then every other day for a while, so the pile would have been too wet to burn well for some time. Besides a bunch of dead trees and lots of cardboard boxes (I get all of my bird food and my bariatric drinks and food through the mail) I also had a couple of couches, 2 mattresses and a chair, belonging to various friends, to burn. It's been burning for 7 1/2 hours so far, and is down to embers in the middle of the burn area, so it won't spread during the night. I also hosed down the surrounding ground to prevent spread.

Still nothing from Julie? I'm getting scared!!!

Me too, Heidi!
I just checked on FB. Nothing there.
I'm sending you a private message.

I sent you one back, CynB.

News of Julie... she is in hospital.
on Sudoku Friends on Facebook.
from Jane's post

contacted Patricia, one of her sisters, and this is the response I got:
'.thank you for your concern.
Julie has been in the hospital for wound care. She had oozing from both shins, cellulitis. Finally a Dr. she saw realized the severity and sent her to ER who admitted her. She has now been admitted to a rehab facility about 10 minutes from home. I don't think they have set any timeline, but possibly a week +/- depending on the healing. They moved her there as they felt she needed more than oral antibiotics.
I just called her to get permission to send this msg. to you and I received a !
Julie only has her phone with her, no laptop, and for whatever reason, she doesn't do Facebook or messaging on her phone.
You can now message and call each other and see info like Active Status and when you've read messages.
I suggested I forward your msg to her so that she could respond herself. I guess none of us will see anything from her until she's back home.
Sorry if cyberspace jumbles my messages all up for you. Makes deciphering messages a real challenge!
Thanks again for your concern!
And, I hope this answered your questions.'
I asked Patricia for an address where get-well cards can be sent. I'll pass that along when I get it.

Julie Basrak
c/o Inverness Health and Rehab
1800 Colonial Parkway
Inverness, IL 60067

Rolanda, for the update on Julie. Even though the news isn't the best, at least we know...

Thank God! With this pandemic, I was worried about the worst. She may be a very sick lady, but she's getting the care and help she needs. I can't even express just how relieved I am. My eyes are filled with tears from the emotion.

Thank you, Rolanda. You are an angel.
Please don't be such a stranger here. I don't like it that it takes something this serious for you to come and post.

I just spoke to Julie. She's feeling a lot better now and has high hopes of going home soon. Sh's basically in rehab for ease of giving her IV meds. The cellulitis is improving, and this is also keeping her off the broken foot. She sounds really good and strong and upbeat.
Her phone is like mine. It makes phome calls, texts, and takes a few photos. No internet. She didn't mean to be out of touch so long. She had gone to a check-up with her doctor and like most people, wasn't carrying a cell phone charger with her. She was sent straight to the hospital from the doctor's office and couldn't recharge her phone.

Thank you to Rolanda for posting the news. I was out at yet another Opthalmologist appointment and couldn't get the message to you Heidi, so I sent out a distress call on FB and Rolanda answered the call.
And thank you for contacting Julie. It's nice to know that someone has actually spoken to her and that she feels much better.
Get well soon, Julie

That should read 'thank you Heidi for contacting Julie' ...
I must learn to proof read before pressing 'submit'.

Actually, someone tried to contact Julie... I suspect it was DOrA (Julie doesn't know who it was).... and Julie called me, since I had once given her my cell number.

I now have Julie's number on my cell phone. That gives me some piece of mind knowing I can check on her.

Oops.... that's PEACE of mind.

Glad to hear Julie is ok and on the mend. Nice that somehow friends from this site can check on her.
Sorry about Chloe Heidi.