As a result of our NM trip, Heineken is now the proud wearer of the halti. Heineken is really good in the halti. I don’t think she really likes it, but when she has it on, she walks right next to me during our walks. There’s actually slack on the leash! She hasn’t tried to wiggle out of it either. Stella by contrast spends 97.5% of the walk trying to get hers off. I think Stella is getting more used to the halti just for the mere reason that she’s back to pulling a lot during the walks. It doesn’t help that I spend a lot of the walk holding the leash up to try to keep Stella’s head off the cement – her preferred method to removing the halti is to rub her nose on the cement – ouch. Once she tried to use Heineken as an accomplice in the halti removal scheme. Stella (as we are walking) puts her head under Heineken, so Stella is trying to rub against Heineken’s belly. Well Heineken perseveres and keeps walking. Stella stays the course though and eventually Heineken’s back legs aren’t even touching the ground, she’s just riding on Stella’s head. So at least Stella is still providing me with some laughs.
Stella has been demoted to the smaller crate again. And Heineken has pooped her way into the box as well. Last Monday Stella had an accident in her box (the large one at the time). I’m pretty sure this was a direct result of Stella eating Heineken’s food Sunday night (they’re on different foods, plus twice as much food equals twice as much poop!). So after Monday, Stella went to the small crate. (The small crate is less comfy because there’s no bed in there, and she’s probably a little cramped). Well in a true tag team effort, Heineken pooped on Tuesday. So now Heineken is inhabiting the larger crate when we leave. Stella definitely knows what she is missing though. The other night I was crating her for bed, but both crates were open. Stella decided she would go in the larger crate. Since Heineken is still a free dog during the night, I just let Stella sleep in there. Stella sleeps better in the larger crate which means that we sleep better.
Stella turns 1 year old on Saturday! This also happens to be Little Jerry Seinfeld’s birthday. AND MINE! Stella’s birthday present will be a trip to the vet to get boarded while Brian and I head to Florida. Definitely not a great present for Stella, but a terrific one for me. I’m looking forward to a week without dealing with the dogs. I’m sure by day #2 I’ll miss them miserably and be ready for their craziness again though.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving Holiday Travels with the Dogs
For the Thanksgiving holiday, Brian and I bravely took Heineken and Stella to Las Cruces with us, a 12-hour drive. Before the trip, I was extremely worried about having the dogs at my mother-in-law’s house. I thought surely they would break something in their frequent outbursts of play.
We left Tuesday morning, and Stella commenced the car ride by whining steadily for about the first hour. This was Stella’s first ride longer than 20 minutes so maybe she wasn’t sure what to expect. Heineken got in the car and laid on her bed like an experienced traveler. After the first stop (about 4 hours into the trip), Stella got back into the car and settled down. I think she even took a nap.
Stella did pretty well until we neared El Paso (with about 2 hours to go in the trip). In this area, the roads had rumble strips in the middle dashed lines. So every time we changed lanes we went over a rumble strip. This scared the living daylight out of Stella and she would try to get in our laps. For the last 2 hours of the trip, we fought with her to stay in the back seat.
Once we got to the house, there was general excitement. Heineken remembered the place and Stella was her usually loud squealing self. Once inside, we kept Stella on the leash, but we let Heineken loose. The first thing Heineken did was go upstairs. Last Christmas, we were in Las Cruces and had Heineken with us. At that time, Brian’s mom had a cat, named Smokey. Heineken apparently remembered Smokey and thus began her weeklong search for him. Heineken even spent one afternoon looking under the bed for Smokey. I think Smokey’s spirit was probably haunting Heineken all week as a form of revenge for last year.
We decided to use the chain in the backyard even though it has a fence. Last Christmas, Heineken jumped over the fence when she saw the neighbor’s dog. Plus Stella is part kangaroo and could jump over the fence easily. Stella really liked Xena, Brian’s mom’s dog. Stella was ready to play and jump all over Xena. Xena is an older dog though and Stella’s friendliness was a little too much for Xena to handle.
We took them hiking with us in an attempt to wear them out. We hiked about 5 miles. Stella was a natural hiker. Heineken did pretty well too, but pulled a lot more. While on this hike, we decided that Heineken has pulled her way into getting a halti. So I’m going to go back to Petco and buy a Halti for Heineken this week. The hike didn’t wear Stella out though. Once we got home, she was still on the go…tormenting Xena, sniffing around, eating plant leaves, storming up and down the stairs.
A couple of times they started playing - they liked to chase each other up and down the stairs – but for the most part we were able to keep them from breaking anything and tearing up the house.
They both did pretty good in the car ride back home as well. For the first 2 hours, we had the rumble strip terror when we changed lanes, but other than that Stella was a good traveler. She figured out Heineken’s spot, which is head on the console, butt on the back seat. I think this made Heineken a little more restless since her spot was taken, but sometimes she squeezed in and tried to share the console with Stella. Overall I would call the week a successful trip!
Stella's exhaustion finally caught up with her on Sunday. She took advantage of Brian's lap and slept all day!
We left Tuesday morning, and Stella commenced the car ride by whining steadily for about the first hour. This was Stella’s first ride longer than 20 minutes so maybe she wasn’t sure what to expect. Heineken got in the car and laid on her bed like an experienced traveler. After the first stop (about 4 hours into the trip), Stella got back into the car and settled down. I think she even took a nap.
Stella did pretty well until we neared El Paso (with about 2 hours to go in the trip). In this area, the roads had rumble strips in the middle dashed lines. So every time we changed lanes we went over a rumble strip. This scared the living daylight out of Stella and she would try to get in our laps. For the last 2 hours of the trip, we fought with her to stay in the back seat.
Once we got to the house, there was general excitement. Heineken remembered the place and Stella was her usually loud squealing self. Once inside, we kept Stella on the leash, but we let Heineken loose. The first thing Heineken did was go upstairs. Last Christmas, we were in Las Cruces and had Heineken with us. At that time, Brian’s mom had a cat, named Smokey. Heineken apparently remembered Smokey and thus began her weeklong search for him. Heineken even spent one afternoon looking under the bed for Smokey. I think Smokey’s spirit was probably haunting Heineken all week as a form of revenge for last year.
We decided to use the chain in the backyard even though it has a fence. Last Christmas, Heineken jumped over the fence when she saw the neighbor’s dog. Plus Stella is part kangaroo and could jump over the fence easily. Stella really liked Xena, Brian’s mom’s dog. Stella was ready to play and jump all over Xena. Xena is an older dog though and Stella’s friendliness was a little too much for Xena to handle.
We took them hiking with us in an attempt to wear them out. We hiked about 5 miles. Stella was a natural hiker. Heineken did pretty well too, but pulled a lot more. While on this hike, we decided that Heineken has pulled her way into getting a halti. So I’m going to go back to Petco and buy a Halti for Heineken this week. The hike didn’t wear Stella out though. Once we got home, she was still on the go…tormenting Xena, sniffing around, eating plant leaves, storming up and down the stairs.
A couple of times they started playing - they liked to chase each other up and down the stairs – but for the most part we were able to keep them from breaking anything and tearing up the house.
They both did pretty good in the car ride back home as well. For the first 2 hours, we had the rumble strip terror when we changed lanes, but other than that Stella was a good traveler. She figured out Heineken’s spot, which is head on the console, butt on the back seat. I think this made Heineken a little more restless since her spot was taken, but sometimes she squeezed in and tried to share the console with Stella. Overall I would call the week a successful trip!
Monday, November 23, 2009
No more pulling on the leash thanks to the halti
Hopefully I still have some readers even though I have had quite the hiatus from blogging. I will try to get back on track of regular (weekly?) updates.
There’s no better way to start back than a good Stella story. After a recommendation from a co-worker, I decided to try a Halti for Stella. A Halti is a type of restraint that teaches a dog not to pull while on a leash. Usually I am the solo dog walker. When we just had Heineken this wasn’t a big deal, but now with Stella walking the dogs has become a nightmare for me.
Here is a typical experience:
I arrive home and Heineken gets a look in her eyes and a certain wiggle to her tail. I recognize this as Heineken’s way to express that she would really love a walk right now. Despite my better judgment, I concede. Once I grab poop bags from the closet, Stella and Heineken are both cued in. Then I get a leash and chaos breaks out. Usually I get the leash on Heineken first because she is slightly less crazy at this point. In an effort not to be left out, Stella will grab onto Heineken’s leash and they both run around in tandem in utter chaos. Stella had a choke chain collar for walks which was always a hassle to get on her. She sees it coming and she opens her mouth to try to chew on it. Eventually I would get the leashes on and we would be at the door ready to leave. Stella’s level of excitement at this point is so high that all Stella can do is jump up and down and whine. Then I open the door and her excitement triples. Stella starts making this awful high pitch whine/bark and practically drags me and Heineken out of the door. To break her of the pulling, I would try stopping and pulling back on her. This was helping a little, but would make our walks last twice as long as usual, and it didn’t always help, especially if it had been awhile since our previous walk. As we would walk I am vigilantly on the look out for other dogs. Coming across another dog was my biggest fear in walking the dogs. When this happens, both dogs start pulling so much that my arms might fall off. And they both start to make the biggest ruckus ever, where it sounds like they are being tortured. So a successful walk is one where we get out the door without Stella making too much noise and we find no other dogs. Basically the amount of walks that they get is severely low because we have had so many bad experiences that it is hard for me to want to walk them even though I know that they need it and love it.
Then came the halti.
I got home from the store on Friday with the halti. I did not have plans to use it that day, but Heineken got that look in her eyes and that wiggle to her tail. I read the first page of the halti instructions which say how to put on the halti and a warning saying that the halti can be wiggled out of. Yikes. Stella un-tethered is another terrifying thought. I decide to try it though. I get the halti on Stella and tightened without too much effort. So I grab the bags and leash up the dogs. Let me explain how the halti works. There is a main strap that goes around the dog’s neck which is very similar to a traditional collar. Then attached to this is a strap that goes around the dog’s snout. This strap is attached to the leash and is tightened and loosened based on the slackness in the leash. For example, if there is slack in the leash, the strap is loose around the dog’s snout. If the dog starts to pull, the leash tightens and tightens the strap around the snout. This is much more humane than a choke collar and does not hurt the dog.
So Stella is in her halti and out the door we go. Stella is so distracted by the halti that she is no longer making her traditional high pitch bark that accompanies walking. She is trying to get it off though. At this point, two little neighbor dogs come running at us. Heineken is pulling toward them, Stella notices them and is half pulling, half trying to get the halti off and barking. I notice that the halti is over one of Stella’s ears so I get nervous that she is going to get it off and become un-tethered. I grabbed Stella by the collar and drag the dogs back inside. Usually if they become an embarrassment and we haven’t even left the driveway yet, then their walk ends immediately. But overall I was pleased with the halti because it prevented Stella’s usual announcement to the neighborhood that she’s going for a walk.
Attempt 2. The next day I read past page 1 in the halti manual to see that there is a safety latch. A way to connect the halti to the dog collar so that if the dog gets out of the halti, the dog is still connected to the leash. Brilliant. Brian and I decide to walk the dogs and try out the halti again. This time with the safety latch engaged. We walk out the door and Stella is not whining/barking like crazy. She starts to pull and then she gets so distracted by the halti that she stops walking. She paws at the halti so I distract her to get her to keep walking and get her mind off the halti. She walks, pulls, and stops because of the halti. I can tell that she does not like the halti, but when she is walking like a normal dog (slack in the leash), the halti does not bother her. She only gets frustrated and distracted by it when it’s tight on her face. This time the challenge of the walk was to keep Stella moving as opposed to keeping my arm attached to my body. By the end of the walk, she was getting so desperate that she was putting her face on the grass and rolling over. But she never got the halti loose, and she never pulled my arm off. The halti cost about $20, but I think it is the best investment I’ve made. It does all the work, and I am no longer terrified to walk the dogs!
There’s no better way to start back than a good Stella story. After a recommendation from a co-worker, I decided to try a Halti for Stella. A Halti is a type of restraint that teaches a dog not to pull while on a leash. Usually I am the solo dog walker. When we just had Heineken this wasn’t a big deal, but now with Stella walking the dogs has become a nightmare for me.
Here is a typical experience:
I arrive home and Heineken gets a look in her eyes and a certain wiggle to her tail. I recognize this as Heineken’s way to express that she would really love a walk right now. Despite my better judgment, I concede. Once I grab poop bags from the closet, Stella and Heineken are both cued in. Then I get a leash and chaos breaks out. Usually I get the leash on Heineken first because she is slightly less crazy at this point. In an effort not to be left out, Stella will grab onto Heineken’s leash and they both run around in tandem in utter chaos. Stella had a choke chain collar for walks which was always a hassle to get on her. She sees it coming and she opens her mouth to try to chew on it. Eventually I would get the leashes on and we would be at the door ready to leave. Stella’s level of excitement at this point is so high that all Stella can do is jump up and down and whine. Then I open the door and her excitement triples. Stella starts making this awful high pitch whine/bark and practically drags me and Heineken out of the door. To break her of the pulling, I would try stopping and pulling back on her. This was helping a little, but would make our walks last twice as long as usual, and it didn’t always help, especially if it had been awhile since our previous walk. As we would walk I am vigilantly on the look out for other dogs. Coming across another dog was my biggest fear in walking the dogs. When this happens, both dogs start pulling so much that my arms might fall off. And they both start to make the biggest ruckus ever, where it sounds like they are being tortured. So a successful walk is one where we get out the door without Stella making too much noise and we find no other dogs. Basically the amount of walks that they get is severely low because we have had so many bad experiences that it is hard for me to want to walk them even though I know that they need it and love it.
Then came the halti.
I got home from the store on Friday with the halti. I did not have plans to use it that day, but Heineken got that look in her eyes and that wiggle to her tail. I read the first page of the halti instructions which say how to put on the halti and a warning saying that the halti can be wiggled out of. Yikes. Stella un-tethered is another terrifying thought. I decide to try it though. I get the halti on Stella and tightened without too much effort. So I grab the bags and leash up the dogs. Let me explain how the halti works. There is a main strap that goes around the dog’s neck which is very similar to a traditional collar. Then attached to this is a strap that goes around the dog’s snout. This strap is attached to the leash and is tightened and loosened based on the slackness in the leash. For example, if there is slack in the leash, the strap is loose around the dog’s snout. If the dog starts to pull, the leash tightens and tightens the strap around the snout. This is much more humane than a choke collar and does not hurt the dog.
So Stella is in her halti and out the door we go. Stella is so distracted by the halti that she is no longer making her traditional high pitch bark that accompanies walking. She is trying to get it off though. At this point, two little neighbor dogs come running at us. Heineken is pulling toward them, Stella notices them and is half pulling, half trying to get the halti off and barking. I notice that the halti is over one of Stella’s ears so I get nervous that she is going to get it off and become un-tethered. I grabbed Stella by the collar and drag the dogs back inside. Usually if they become an embarrassment and we haven’t even left the driveway yet, then their walk ends immediately. But overall I was pleased with the halti because it prevented Stella’s usual announcement to the neighborhood that she’s going for a walk.
Attempt 2. The next day I read past page 1 in the halti manual to see that there is a safety latch. A way to connect the halti to the dog collar so that if the dog gets out of the halti, the dog is still connected to the leash. Brilliant. Brian and I decide to walk the dogs and try out the halti again. This time with the safety latch engaged. We walk out the door and Stella is not whining/barking like crazy. She starts to pull and then she gets so distracted by the halti that she stops walking. She paws at the halti so I distract her to get her to keep walking and get her mind off the halti. She walks, pulls, and stops because of the halti. I can tell that she does not like the halti, but when she is walking like a normal dog (slack in the leash), the halti does not bother her. She only gets frustrated and distracted by it when it’s tight on her face. This time the challenge of the walk was to keep Stella moving as opposed to keeping my arm attached to my body. By the end of the walk, she was getting so desperate that she was putting her face on the grass and rolling over. But she never got the halti loose, and she never pulled my arm off. The halti cost about $20, but I think it is the best investment I’ve made. It does all the work, and I am no longer terrified to walk the dogs!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
TV Problems
Last night I decided that Brian and I are not meant to be TV watchers, or maybe TV buyers.
Three years ago when we moved to Houston, we went to Circuit City and bought a TV (Samsung, I believe). We loaded it into the car, difficultly. When we got home and unpacked it, we noticed that the side of the tv where the speaker was was cracked and bent inwards. We went back to Circuit City to exchange it and go through the whole ordeal of unloading and getting the TV to our second floor apartment. (There were no issues with the replacement, however the sound does go out frequently which I am convinced indicates another defective TV).
Fast forward to yesterday. Our Sony HD tv that was on back order for three weeks finally arrives. Brian gets it out of the box and notices that the corner of the tv is broken. The screen wasn't affected, just the plastic covering, but who knows if it's more damaged than it's letting on. Brian of course immediately called the company (not Circuit City this time) to see what our options are...we are still waiting. At least in the mean time we can still watch HD TV. Even if the TV's casing is imperfect the screen is most certainly not!
So we are 0 for 2 as far as TVs go. I take this as a sign that we shouldn't be TV owners because really what are the chances that two TVs in a row show up defective?
Three years ago when we moved to Houston, we went to Circuit City and bought a TV (Samsung, I believe). We loaded it into the car, difficultly. When we got home and unpacked it, we noticed that the side of the tv where the speaker was was cracked and bent inwards. We went back to Circuit City to exchange it and go through the whole ordeal of unloading and getting the TV to our second floor apartment. (There were no issues with the replacement, however the sound does go out frequently which I am convinced indicates another defective TV).
Fast forward to yesterday. Our Sony HD tv that was on back order for three weeks finally arrives. Brian gets it out of the box and notices that the corner of the tv is broken. The screen wasn't affected, just the plastic covering, but who knows if it's more damaged than it's letting on. Brian of course immediately called the company (not Circuit City this time) to see what our options are...we are still waiting. At least in the mean time we can still watch HD TV. Even if the TV's casing is imperfect the screen is most certainly not!
So we are 0 for 2 as far as TVs go. I take this as a sign that we shouldn't be TV owners because really what are the chances that two TVs in a row show up defective?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What kind of dog is Stella?
It’s always fun to think about what breeds make up my two lovable mutts. Right now I’m convinced that Stella has a lot of pit bull terrier in her. This scares and excites me both. There’s always a lot of bad stories about pit bulls run amok, but maybe a pit bull would make a good guard dog. Hopefully Stella only has the good pit bull traits in her. As for her guard dog success, we are still evaluating.
The Iams website has a really good breed selector. There are tons of breeds listed with traits and a picture of the pure-bred dog. Here’s a side by side comparison of the pure bred pit bull (first picture) and Stella. Stella is the dog on the right. (Heineken’s on the left). It’s hard to find a good comparison picture. This weekend I took a couple pictures of Stella specifically for a comparison picture, but the little booger moves so much the pictures didn’t turn out. We have to work with the best we have. First note of comparison: the ears. I think Stella’s ears are very similar to the pit bull’s. Next, the short sloping foreheads are similar (a little difficult to see in Stella's picture). Third, the shorter snout is also comparable. Finally, the broad chest of the pit bull is similar to Stella’s (again not visual from the picture).
Pure pit bull terrier courtesy of the iams website.
Now taking some points from the description on the website about pit bulls:
30 to 55 pounds (female); Stella weighs in at 41 pounds at 9 months.
Fairly friendly with strangers. If you consider jumping and nipping friendly, then Stella is it.
Easy to train – Stella is definitely trainable, I’m not sure it’s easy though.
Dominance: High – Although I could be mistaken, I’m pretty sure Heineken is dominant over Stella.
Very dog-aggressive – Stella plays aggressively with Heineken, not too sure how she is around strange dogs.
Not much barking – Stella only barks when Heineken has a toy that she wants, or if she sees/hears another dog.
Short coat – Stella definitely has a short coat.
Vigorous daily exercise needed – I think Stella will make an excellent jogging buddy when she gets her endurance up.
Fairly active indoors – This is an understatement for Stella.
So based on these, I’d say Stella has strong pit bull traits to her. Any guesses on what other breeds she might be??
The Iams website has a really good breed selector. There are tons of breeds listed with traits and a picture of the pure-bred dog. Here’s a side by side comparison of the pure bred pit bull (first picture) and Stella. Stella is the dog on the right. (Heineken’s on the left). It’s hard to find a good comparison picture. This weekend I took a couple pictures of Stella specifically for a comparison picture, but the little booger moves so much the pictures didn’t turn out. We have to work with the best we have. First note of comparison: the ears. I think Stella’s ears are very similar to the pit bull’s. Next, the short sloping foreheads are similar (a little difficult to see in Stella's picture). Third, the shorter snout is also comparable. Finally, the broad chest of the pit bull is similar to Stella’s (again not visual from the picture).
Pure pit bull terrier courtesy of the iams website.
30 to 55 pounds (female); Stella weighs in at 41 pounds at 9 months.
Fairly friendly with strangers. If you consider jumping and nipping friendly, then Stella is it.
Easy to train – Stella is definitely trainable, I’m not sure it’s easy though.
Dominance: High – Although I could be mistaken, I’m pretty sure Heineken is dominant over Stella.
Very dog-aggressive – Stella plays aggressively with Heineken, not too sure how she is around strange dogs.
Not much barking – Stella only barks when Heineken has a toy that she wants, or if she sees/hears another dog.
Short coat – Stella definitely has a short coat.
Vigorous daily exercise needed – I think Stella will make an excellent jogging buddy when she gets her endurance up.
Fairly active indoors – This is an understatement for Stella.
So based on these, I’d say Stella has strong pit bull traits to her. Any guesses on what other breeds she might be??
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Getting sick from a really cold room
Yesterday afternoon I attended a three hour meeting. About an hour into the meeting, I was anticipating a break, which never came. I was starting to get really cold sitting in this conference room, so I was wanting to get my jacket. I never got my jacket though so I sat there getting colder and colder. I noticed that my nose felt like ice. My toes were really cold as well (I was wearing thicker socks and tennis shoes). By the time I left the meeting I noticed that my throat was a little scratchy and sore.
That evening my throat didn't feel any better and I kept sneezing. Then I woke up this morning with a really bad sore throat and runny nose - a cold. I never really thought that you could get sick just from being cold. (I was always told when I was little to wear my coat when I went outside in the winter. When I didn't, I don't think I immediately got sick).
Luckily with google, you can find any information. So naturally today I googled to see experiences with getting a cold from being cold. In my search I read that if you get cold enough you could stress the body enough to weaken the immune system. I fully believe that this is what happened to me yesterday. I guess the moral of the story is: work literally made me sick.
That evening my throat didn't feel any better and I kept sneezing. Then I woke up this morning with a really bad sore throat and runny nose - a cold. I never really thought that you could get sick just from being cold. (I was always told when I was little to wear my coat when I went outside in the winter. When I didn't, I don't think I immediately got sick).
Luckily with google, you can find any information. So naturally today I googled to see experiences with getting a cold from being cold. In my search I read that if you get cold enough you could stress the body enough to weaken the immune system. I fully believe that this is what happened to me yesterday. I guess the moral of the story is: work literally made me sick.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Things to do in Houston with Parents.
The long over due post about the visit from my parents...
My parents (Mary and Steve) got into town last Thursday (before Labor Day). To kick off the weekend, we went to Boondoggles as is tradition. There was a whole crew of us as we took Heineken and Stella. The dogs were named after beers so it only makes sense that they go to bars with their lush owners. This was Stella's second time at Boondoggles, and she did fairly well. Heineken was perfect until another dog showed up. After we had pizza and beer (St Arnold's Summer Pilsner), we went home and watched the wedding video. This was the first showing of the video. It was pretty good. I really liked watching the ceremony and of course seeing my dress again. Some of the videography was a little sub-par, but I'm happy to have all the footage.
On Friday, Brian took the day off so he was able to share in the fun. We started off the day going to Walmart. Not the best thing to do with visitors but it's pretty much mandatory as I never have time to grocery shop during the week, and people need food and beer. This also gives us a chance to pick out steaks to grill out which has also become a tradition.
After shopping, we went to the San Jacinto Monument. This was an average activity. I would say a little pricey for what's there, but it was new and different. I feel that my parents need to do something touristy each time they are here. I was excited to be able to go up to the top of the monument to see the view. This was slightly disappointing, because there were only about 4 viewing windows and all you could see was plants and refinerys. I guess I should have expected that since we were on the ship channel, but I was thinking we'd be able to see downtown. There's also a battleship there. We didn't go on the battleship mainly because it was $10 and we were all ready for a beer. The battleship was still neat to look at it.
Since it was 3 pm and we were all ready for a beer, we decided to head to Sherlock's for happy hour. We spent most the afternoon and early evening there and took advantage of their free buffet. After that we headed home and played games. Brian and I won pictionary and trivia!
On Saturday, we stayed at home and watched Ohio State play the navy. After that we played games and got dinner at Chili's.
Sunday was also a lazy day. Brian made me run with him, but I wimped out and ended up walking mostly. My parents walked to the pier while we ran so I finished my run by walking with them. It was a long walk though, and I ended up sunburning my shoulders (oops). After that we grilled out steaks and got ready for game night! Game night was a huge success. I think we had the most people that night for game night ever. We started wtih Whonu, then we played Pictionary. Next was Cranium. Then we ended with Catch Phrase. Most of the group left about 1 am, but one couple stayed and we played cards til 3 am! I haven't been up that late in a long, long time.
Monday was recovery day. I ended up going to sleep at 7:30 pm. I was worn out from the weekend. From all the drinking, but also from the lack of sleep. I had to wake up at 4:30 am on Tuesday to take my parents to the airport so Tuesday morning I was really happy that I went to sleep so early.
The summary for the weekend: 6 Heineken kegs, 1 bottle of grey goose, 6 St Arnold's Lawnmowers, 12 St Arnold's Octoberfest, 6 Sierra Nevada Anniversary IPA, 3 bottles of wine, 8 Miller Lites, and a few of Brian's Amber Ale home brew. This doesn't count the beers drunk at bars. So not bad for 4 adults and 4 days.
A dog update for those interested: We went 3 weeks. This past Friday morning Stella had an accident in the house. I am forgiving her this trangression and I think she's improving. We woke up early Friday morning because she was whining in her crate to go out. I tried to let her out, but it was pouring so she didn't really want to go out. Not long after this, Stella pooped in the house. This was slightly disappointing since she was just being wimpy about the rain. We put her back in her crate. Before Brian even left for work, she had pooped in her crate. She was sick though. We think she ate something not good (my money is on a frog) and it gave her diarhea. She seemed ok Friday evening and night. Then Saturday morning she was still having the runs. Brian and I went to soccer Saturday morning and Stella was crated. When we got home, I went to let her out and she had pooped again. This time was different than 3 weeks ago though. She wasn't playing in it, not being bothered by it. She was visibly upset that she soiled her crate. She was crouched to one side of the crate trying to stay out of the mess. I think she was embarrassed. So I think we are improving. It's Sunday and I think Stella is feeling better, but we'll see what happens tomorrow.
My parents (Mary and Steve) got into town last Thursday (before Labor Day). To kick off the weekend, we went to Boondoggles as is tradition. There was a whole crew of us as we took Heineken and Stella. The dogs were named after beers so it only makes sense that they go to bars with their lush owners. This was Stella's second time at Boondoggles, and she did fairly well. Heineken was perfect until another dog showed up. After we had pizza and beer (St Arnold's Summer Pilsner), we went home and watched the wedding video. This was the first showing of the video. It was pretty good. I really liked watching the ceremony and of course seeing my dress again. Some of the videography was a little sub-par, but I'm happy to have all the footage.
On Friday, Brian took the day off so he was able to share in the fun. We started off the day going to Walmart. Not the best thing to do with visitors but it's pretty much mandatory as I never have time to grocery shop during the week, and people need food and beer. This also gives us a chance to pick out steaks to grill out which has also become a tradition.
After shopping, we went to the San Jacinto Monument. This was an average activity. I would say a little pricey for what's there, but it was new and different. I feel that my parents need to do something touristy each time they are here. I was excited to be able to go up to the top of the monument to see the view. This was slightly disappointing, because there were only about 4 viewing windows and all you could see was plants and refinerys. I guess I should have expected that since we were on the ship channel, but I was thinking we'd be able to see downtown. There's also a battleship there. We didn't go on the battleship mainly because it was $10 and we were all ready for a beer. The battleship was still neat to look at it.
Since it was 3 pm and we were all ready for a beer, we decided to head to Sherlock's for happy hour. We spent most the afternoon and early evening there and took advantage of their free buffet. After that we headed home and played games. Brian and I won pictionary and trivia!
On Saturday, we stayed at home and watched Ohio State play the navy. After that we played games and got dinner at Chili's.
Sunday was also a lazy day. Brian made me run with him, but I wimped out and ended up walking mostly. My parents walked to the pier while we ran so I finished my run by walking with them. It was a long walk though, and I ended up sunburning my shoulders (oops). After that we grilled out steaks and got ready for game night! Game night was a huge success. I think we had the most people that night for game night ever. We started wtih Whonu, then we played Pictionary. Next was Cranium. Then we ended with Catch Phrase. Most of the group left about 1 am, but one couple stayed and we played cards til 3 am! I haven't been up that late in a long, long time.
Monday was recovery day. I ended up going to sleep at 7:30 pm. I was worn out from the weekend. From all the drinking, but also from the lack of sleep. I had to wake up at 4:30 am on Tuesday to take my parents to the airport so Tuesday morning I was really happy that I went to sleep so early.
The summary for the weekend: 6 Heineken kegs, 1 bottle of grey goose, 6 St Arnold's Lawnmowers, 12 St Arnold's Octoberfest, 6 Sierra Nevada Anniversary IPA, 3 bottles of wine, 8 Miller Lites, and a few of Brian's Amber Ale home brew. This doesn't count the beers drunk at bars. So not bad for 4 adults and 4 days.
A dog update for those interested: We went 3 weeks. This past Friday morning Stella had an accident in the house. I am forgiving her this trangression and I think she's improving. We woke up early Friday morning because she was whining in her crate to go out. I tried to let her out, but it was pouring so she didn't really want to go out. Not long after this, Stella pooped in the house. This was slightly disappointing since she was just being wimpy about the rain. We put her back in her crate. Before Brian even left for work, she had pooped in her crate. She was sick though. We think she ate something not good (my money is on a frog) and it gave her diarhea. She seemed ok Friday evening and night. Then Saturday morning she was still having the runs. Brian and I went to soccer Saturday morning and Stella was crated. When we got home, I went to let her out and she had pooped again. This time was different than 3 weeks ago though. She wasn't playing in it, not being bothered by it. She was visibly upset that she soiled her crate. She was crouched to one side of the crate trying to stay out of the mess. I think she was embarrassed. So I think we are improving. It's Sunday and I think Stella is feeling better, but we'll see what happens tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Trouble Housebreaking the Puppy
Today is day 12. Brian and I have had a rough patch with the dogs, mainly the puppy, but Heineken contributed her fair share as well. About 2.5 months after we got Stella (she was about 7.5 months), she started pooping in her crate. After a few days in a row of bathing Stella and cleaing up the mess, we decided that she could be an outside dog for awhile. This was a really hard change for me because I truly believe that dogs are meant to be spoiled ridiculously, but we were so sick of cleaning up poop I wasn't sure there were any other options.
After Stella could prove outside that she could go without soiling her crate, we'd bring her back in. But eventually she would poop in the crate, and once again we would banish her to outside. This went off and on for awhile, for a good month or more. Mid August when I had my mouth surgery we were home for a week so there were of course no issues then.
The first day I went back to work (a Monday about 2 weeks ago), I was a little nervous for Stella since she had a week that was definitely outside of normal routine. When I got home I immediately smelled the poop. I walked back to Stella's crate to see how bad it was, but the poop wasn't there. Turns out Heineken had left a present for us that day. We gave her the benefit of the doubt and assumed that she wasn't feeling well. This was after all the first accident she's had in 3 years. Monday was just the start of it though, the dogs were tag teaming us. On Tuesday, it was Stella's turn. On Wednesday, it was Heineken again. Wednesday night, both dogs lived outside. We also bought a second, smaller crate to see if that detered Stella at all.
The smaller crate didn't seem to help. Stella soiled the smaller crate Wednesday night (it's so fun cleaning up poop before work), and then she did it again Thursday while we were at work. By this point, I was questioning my love for dogs. Heineken was allowed back inside before Stella since Stella was still pooping in her crate. Heineken is used to being spoiled (see photo of spoiled Heineken above) so I think she realized we meant business when she had to endure life outside and life in a crate. (Heineken hadn't been crated for 3 years). They have conditioned me though. The first thing I do when I wake up is sniff to see if I can smell poop (since Stella was having problems both at night and during the day). The first thing I do when I get home is sniff.
Stella was eventually allowed back in as well. Brian and I decided to stop feeding Stella completely in the morning before work. We had been feeding her a small amount in the morning because she seems hungry. But at 8 months the puppy food bag feeding amount decreased by about half compared to the age 7 months amount. So I figured this was a good time to stop feeding her breakfast. I also figured, if she eats less she should poop less.
I've also been trying to walk them regularly, play with Stella more in the evenings so that she's tuckered out by bed time, and been trying to snuggle more with Heineken (because I believe H's issues were inspired by spite). I'm assuming this is working because we've made it 12 days now without poop. I'm nervous that blogging about this will jinx it, and it's been a 1 day time thing, but hopefully we have turned the corner. I guess 28 days will be my breathing point. The different things that I've read say that you shouldn't consider the puppy housebroken until she goes 4 weeks without an accident. I really hope we get there this round!
After Stella could prove outside that she could go without soiling her crate, we'd bring her back in. But eventually she would poop in the crate, and once again we would banish her to outside. This went off and on for awhile, for a good month or more. Mid August when I had my mouth surgery we were home for a week so there were of course no issues then.
The first day I went back to work (a Monday about 2 weeks ago), I was a little nervous for Stella since she had a week that was definitely outside of normal routine. When I got home I immediately smelled the poop. I walked back to Stella's crate to see how bad it was, but the poop wasn't there. Turns out Heineken had left a present for us that day. We gave her the benefit of the doubt and assumed that she wasn't feeling well. This was after all the first accident she's had in 3 years. Monday was just the start of it though, the dogs were tag teaming us. On Tuesday, it was Stella's turn. On Wednesday, it was Heineken again. Wednesday night, both dogs lived outside. We also bought a second, smaller crate to see if that detered Stella at all.
The smaller crate didn't seem to help. Stella soiled the smaller crate Wednesday night (it's so fun cleaning up poop before work), and then she did it again Thursday while we were at work. By this point, I was questioning my love for dogs. Heineken was allowed back inside before Stella since Stella was still pooping in her crate. Heineken is used to being spoiled (see photo of spoiled Heineken above) so I think she realized we meant business when she had to endure life outside and life in a crate. (Heineken hadn't been crated for 3 years). They have conditioned me though. The first thing I do when I wake up is sniff to see if I can smell poop (since Stella was having problems both at night and during the day). The first thing I do when I get home is sniff. Stella was eventually allowed back in as well. Brian and I decided to stop feeding Stella completely in the morning before work. We had been feeding her a small amount in the morning because she seems hungry. But at 8 months the puppy food bag feeding amount decreased by about half compared to the age 7 months amount. So I figured this was a good time to stop feeding her breakfast. I also figured, if she eats less she should poop less.
I've also been trying to walk them regularly, play with Stella more in the evenings so that she's tuckered out by bed time, and been trying to snuggle more with Heineken (because I believe H's issues were inspired by spite). I'm assuming this is working because we've made it 12 days now without poop. I'm nervous that blogging about this will jinx it, and it's been a 1 day time thing, but hopefully we have turned the corner. I guess 28 days will be my breathing point. The different things that I've read say that you shouldn't consider the puppy housebroken until she goes 4 weeks without an accident. I really hope we get there this round!
Monday, August 24, 2009
After Picture
Before - Notice the low gums especially on the front 2 teeth. Notice the small membrane that connected my lip to my gums (between the front 2 teeth) - this is probably hard to see, but it's there.For some reason, nothing happens if you click on this before picture. However, if you scroll all the way down to August 8 - Recuperating, then you can click on that picture and see all the details.
After - Notice the difference in the gum line. Notice how that small membrane is removed (a major cause of the massive gum recession). Notice the white stuff...those are the smaller stitches that are there for another 2 weeks. They don't bother me yet. You can click on this picture to enlarge it...it's scary to see my face that large, but you can also make out the stitches this way. Also feel free to notice those bright nicely manicured nails!
This is a bonus picture. I accidently uploaded this one instead of the before picture. This is Stella being really sleepy (her eyes are actually open in the picture). She spends the night in the crate so this night it was extremely difficult to get her to budge off the bed and into her crate. She's already really spoiled and enjoys sleeping on the bed and couches when the opportunity is there - especially when she has a human body part as a pillow (Brian's foot in this case).
My mouth is 90% free
I had my post-op appointment this afternoon. I had been looking forward to this day for about 10 days now. This appointment was to remove the stitches. I also knew that after this appointment my stent (roof of mouth protection) would come out - the stent was highly uncomfortable for me.
After I was situated in the chair, the assistant brought a cup in and sat it on the little tray. The cup was labeled "Lugsby" a poor attempt at my last name I assumed. I never verified this, but in the end I'm pretty sure that's what it was, because the cup contained my night guard (to prevent me from grinding my teeth at night). While I was waiting throughout the appointment I would look at the cup and just start laughing. Lugsby! I wonder if Brian's ever gotten that one.
I had been nervous about this appoinment because I'm always worried about bad news. The doctor said that everything looked good. Well actually he said the roof of my mouth looked disgusting but that was normal for only 2 weeks out. The gums and roof were healing as they should. Also the gums are BIG now which was the entire point. Phew...
So apparently I had 2 different kinds of stitches in. One kind was the normal kind, the black ones that you might get in your hand or knee after surgery or a really bad cut. The other ones are smaller and white and look more like thread. Only the black kind came out today, which is okay by me because some of those were loose and starting to bother me.
They didn't numb me for the stitches removal, but they did use some topical numbing agent. This process wasn't too bad. Actually it kinda tickled when the stitches came out (like it does when they are removed, say from a knee). However, there are 2 irritated spots in my mouth. When they got to the first one I flinched a little, but they got it out without too much drama. Then they got to the second sore spot and I think I about jumped out of the chair. I started crying (my natural reaction to pretty much anything), and I made the assistants feel bad (the assistants were removing the stitches), so then I felt bad for crying and making them feel bad in return. They gave me more numbing stuff and that helped a little, but it was still sore. But once the stitch was out everything immediately felt better.
The roof of my mouth...it is disgusting (it feels it)...the tissue they took was a horseshoe shape parallel to my teeth. The part that's healing feels poofy and slimy, it feels raw. It doesn't hurt though. I'm still getting used to the feeling (it's impossible for me to keep my tongue off of it!), but really without the stent in there I feel really comfortable. I just use the stent now when I eat to continue to protect the roof of my mouth.
I am in no pain now, it's just those 2 irritated spots are a little sore. I imagine they will be for a day or so. But I have no restrictions now! I can eat anything, I can brush and floss (I just need to take it easy and lay off if any spots are extra tender).
The first thing I did when I got home...brushed my teeth with my new Peanuts toothbrush! (Yes, I bought a kid's toothbrush...the head's are smaller so I won't have any stray bristles going places I don't want!) Oh, and I can also talk normal now that I don't have the stent in. I don't have to slur my "S"es!
What a trial this has been, but at least the end is in sight!
After I was situated in the chair, the assistant brought a cup in and sat it on the little tray. The cup was labeled "Lugsby" a poor attempt at my last name I assumed. I never verified this, but in the end I'm pretty sure that's what it was, because the cup contained my night guard (to prevent me from grinding my teeth at night). While I was waiting throughout the appointment I would look at the cup and just start laughing. Lugsby! I wonder if Brian's ever gotten that one.
I had been nervous about this appoinment because I'm always worried about bad news. The doctor said that everything looked good. Well actually he said the roof of my mouth looked disgusting but that was normal for only 2 weeks out. The gums and roof were healing as they should. Also the gums are BIG now which was the entire point. Phew...
So apparently I had 2 different kinds of stitches in. One kind was the normal kind, the black ones that you might get in your hand or knee after surgery or a really bad cut. The other ones are smaller and white and look more like thread. Only the black kind came out today, which is okay by me because some of those were loose and starting to bother me.
They didn't numb me for the stitches removal, but they did use some topical numbing agent. This process wasn't too bad. Actually it kinda tickled when the stitches came out (like it does when they are removed, say from a knee). However, there are 2 irritated spots in my mouth. When they got to the first one I flinched a little, but they got it out without too much drama. Then they got to the second sore spot and I think I about jumped out of the chair. I started crying (my natural reaction to pretty much anything), and I made the assistants feel bad (the assistants were removing the stitches), so then I felt bad for crying and making them feel bad in return. They gave me more numbing stuff and that helped a little, but it was still sore. But once the stitch was out everything immediately felt better.
The roof of my mouth...it is disgusting (it feels it)...the tissue they took was a horseshoe shape parallel to my teeth. The part that's healing feels poofy and slimy, it feels raw. It doesn't hurt though. I'm still getting used to the feeling (it's impossible for me to keep my tongue off of it!), but really without the stent in there I feel really comfortable. I just use the stent now when I eat to continue to protect the roof of my mouth.
I am in no pain now, it's just those 2 irritated spots are a little sore. I imagine they will be for a day or so. But I have no restrictions now! I can eat anything, I can brush and floss (I just need to take it easy and lay off if any spots are extra tender).
The first thing I did when I got home...brushed my teeth with my new Peanuts toothbrush! (Yes, I bought a kid's toothbrush...the head's are smaller so I won't have any stray bristles going places I don't want!) Oh, and I can also talk normal now that I don't have the stent in. I don't have to slur my "S"es!
What a trial this has been, but at least the end is in sight!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
One meal at a time
I ate pizza last night! I feel this was quite the accomplishment, and it was delicious. I still can't eat anything I want, but pizza was a much needed break from the boring yogurt, ice cream, soup, protein shake diet!
Brian says I'm still not talking normal. I don't like to open my mouth all the way, so my pronunciation is questionable. (For example, he heard recession when I said reception). I can talk, but not for very long because it makes me sore.
Count down til stitches and stent are removed: 8 days!
Brian says I'm still not talking normal. I don't like to open my mouth all the way, so my pronunciation is questionable. (For example, he heard recession when I said reception). I can talk, but not for very long because it makes me sore.
Count down til stitches and stent are removed: 8 days!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Nearly Recovered
So it's been 1 week since I had my procedure, and I think things are going well. I had a rough Wednesday and Thursday, but today I feel almost normal. I went to work today, but I left around lunch time. I didn't want to overdo it, but I was glad that I made it there. I think it will help me on Monday. By the time I got home, I was really exhausted and now I'm resting on the couch.
I still can't solid foods. I managed some black beans last night. It was a little challenging, but it was worth it to finally eat something new. I can manage frosted mini wheats as long as I let them get soggy enough in the milk. Tonight I'm going to try macaroni and cheese for dinner. I hope I can handle it!
Now the countdown will be on until I get the stitches removed and mainly the stent removed which is uncomfortable for me (10 days to go). I think a huge help will be progressing on to more solid foods though, and maybe starting to exercise and move around more.
I still can't solid foods. I managed some black beans last night. It was a little challenging, but it was worth it to finally eat something new. I can manage frosted mini wheats as long as I let them get soggy enough in the milk. Tonight I'm going to try macaroni and cheese for dinner. I hope I can handle it!
Now the countdown will be on until I get the stitches removed and mainly the stent removed which is uncomfortable for me (10 days to go). I think a huge help will be progressing on to more solid foods though, and maybe starting to exercise and move around more.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Almost there
Here are some pictures showing my guard dogs! In this first picture, I'm icing my face. It looks funny, but it's easier than holding the ice up there.
My goals for today are to get over my dizziness (I think from the nausea medicine), and not take any demerol. (My last dose was at 7 am). And Brian wants me to drink 2 
protein shakes today so I'll try to do that too.
protein shakes today so I'll try to do that too.Yesterday I tried to eat scrambled eggs. It was harder than it should have been, and I only had about 4 bites before I succombed to the pain and decided ice cream would be for dinner instead. I also talked to my mom for a little bit and that was nice. I must sound funnier in my head than I do outloud, because she said she could understand me fine. By the time I went to sleep last night I was in a lot of pain. Then I woke up exactly 4 hours later ready for 
more pain medicine so I took 2 demerols. I think all this soreness/pain was related to trying to eat the eggs and maybe talking more than I should have.
more pain medicine so I took 2 demerols. I think all this soreness/pain was related to trying to eat the eggs and maybe talking more than I should have.I think I'm over the worst of it (assuming I don't try to get too cocky in what I can eat), so I'll be ready to go back to work tomorrow!
Monday, August 10, 2009
On the way to healing
I am slowly, but steadily getting better from the gum graft. Yesterday was the worst day so far. I took both pain meds before I went to sleep Saturday night. Then I woke up at 4:30 am (6 hours after taking the Vicoprofen (pain med jr), and 8 hours after taking a demerol (big pain med)). I took both of the pain meds at 4:30 and hoped they would kick in soon, because I was hurting. I decided that ice would help, so I rang my little bell to wake up Brian (it's hard for me to talk, especially when I'm in pain, so forget calling for B in his sleep). I asked Brian for ice, but it was too much for me and I started crying. The really crappy thing about starting to cry is that when it turns into a sob, it starts pulling on my bottom lip and it makes everything hurt even more. But we got my chin wrapped in ice and the medicine kicked in and I was asleep.
That set the tone for the day though. All weekend I kept trying to lessen the amount of demerol I take. Sunday I tried to do that too, but it didn't work for me. So I was pretty regular on both the Vicoprofuen and Demerol for all of Sunday. The pain was pretty intense all day. I would be ready for more pain medication about 2 hours before I was allowed to take it. Sunday ended up being a long day.
Now it's Monday, and I have to wait 15 minutes before my next dosage of pain medicine. I'm going to try to skip the demerol (I did that for the last dosage)...so we'll see what happens.
Here's my pluses during this ordeal:
The dogs are extra snuggly with me
I caught up on some movies
I get to eat as much ice cream as I want
I get to ring a bell when I need Brian's attention
Here's my not so fun things:
My bottom lip and chin are still numb and this freaks me out a little
The medicine makes me dizzy and itchy
I can't kiss Brian
I can't talk to my mom
The dryness of mouth after sleeping. My tongue even dries out and it feels like leather! Gross!
That's all for now...hopefully the next update I'll report that I'm all better!
That set the tone for the day though. All weekend I kept trying to lessen the amount of demerol I take. Sunday I tried to do that too, but it didn't work for me. So I was pretty regular on both the Vicoprofuen and Demerol for all of Sunday. The pain was pretty intense all day. I would be ready for more pain medication about 2 hours before I was allowed to take it. Sunday ended up being a long day.
Now it's Monday, and I have to wait 15 minutes before my next dosage of pain medicine. I'm going to try to skip the demerol (I did that for the last dosage)...so we'll see what happens.
Here's my pluses during this ordeal:
The dogs are extra snuggly with me
I caught up on some movies
I get to eat as much ice cream as I want
I get to ring a bell when I need Brian's attention
Here's my not so fun things:
My bottom lip and chin are still numb and this freaks me out a little
The medicine makes me dizzy and itchy
I can't kiss Brian
I can't talk to my mom
The dryness of mouth after sleeping. My tongue even dries out and it feels like leather! Gross!
That's all for now...hopefully the next update I'll report that I'm all better!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Recuperating
Yesterday morning I went into the periodontist for minor surgery. I had a gum graft on my bottom row of teeth. My gum recession is significant and it was time to act. If you let your gum receed and receed, eventually your teeth will fall out. That's pretty scary to me. Before picture: 
(No after picture yet, because I can't be pulling on my lips).
We got to the doctor's office for my 8 am appointment. Before they put me under, I tried on my surgical stent (to protect the roof of my mouth), and my night guard (to be used while I sleep after I'm all the way recovered in an attempt to slow down recession on my top row of teeth). I have to admit going under was a very pleasurable experience for me. They either put the anethesia into my IV or in a breathing tube that was on my nose. They called the breathing tube oxygen, but it had a smell to it, and I don't think oxygen has an odor. Anyway, I went into that place were everything just fades away.
Next thing I new I was waking up. I don't remember much from waking up and getting home. I probably started crying as this is a general reaction for me on anethesia. Brian got me home and settled on the couch. I know I was asking Brian the same questions over and over again (how long did the surgery last, did he call my mom yet, did the doctor say anything...). I knew that I was doing that but I could not stop myself. Brian didn't hold it against me though and didn't mind answering the same questions over and over again.
All I did yesterday was slept. I would wake up and want to stay up (I was getting bored sleeping), but after about 15 minutes my eyelids would be too heavy to keep up. Really I had no chance of staying awake. I have 4 different prescriptions to take and I think they all have the side affect of drowsiness. One of them is making me itchy, but that affect has been bearable.
Today I'm definitely in more pain. Probably because most to all of the local and general anethesia is worn off. (My bottom lip and chin still feel tingly). It's painful to talk too much, and eating is next to impossible. I can get by drinking ok so I'm glad I stocked up on protein shakes.
The worst part so far was when the roof of my mouth started bleeding...gushing. This is normal and expected according to the doc's office. This did not make it any less awful. What I had to do was push on my stent (roof of my mouth) for 10 minutes to get the bleeding to stop. That's only happened once and I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.
My face is puffy, and a little bruised. I'm going to try to post a picture of my chubby face.
The dogs have been very comforting. They can tell something is going on. Heineken has been snuggling at my feet most of the time, and Stella hasn't jumped on me.
Ok...better sign off before I fall asleep midsentence.
(No after picture yet, because I can't be pulling on my lips).We got to the doctor's office for my 8 am appointment. Before they put me under, I tried on my surgical stent (to protect the roof of my mouth), and my night guard (to be used while I sleep after I'm all the way recovered in an attempt to slow down recession on my top row of teeth). I have to admit going under was a very pleasurable experience for me. They either put the anethesia into my IV or in a breathing tube that was on my nose. They called the breathing tube oxygen, but it had a smell to it, and I don't think oxygen has an odor. Anyway, I went into that place were everything just fades away.
Next thing I new I was waking up. I don't remember much from waking up and getting home. I probably started crying as this is a general reaction for me on anethesia. Brian got me home and settled on the couch. I know I was asking Brian the same questions over and over again (how long did the surgery last, did he call my mom yet, did the doctor say anything...). I knew that I was doing that but I could not stop myself. Brian didn't hold it against me though and didn't mind answering the same questions over and over again.
All I did yesterday was slept. I would wake up and want to stay up (I was getting bored sleeping), but after about 15 minutes my eyelids would be too heavy to keep up. Really I had no chance of staying awake. I have 4 different prescriptions to take and I think they all have the side affect of drowsiness. One of them is making me itchy, but that affect has been bearable.
Today I'm definitely in more pain. Probably because most to all of the local and general anethesia is worn off. (My bottom lip and chin still feel tingly). It's painful to talk too much, and eating is next to impossible. I can get by drinking ok so I'm glad I stocked up on protein shakes.
The worst part so far was when the roof of my mouth started bleeding...gushing. This is normal and expected according to the doc's office. This did not make it any less awful. What I had to do was push on my stent (roof of my mouth) for 10 minutes to get the bleeding to stop. That's only happened once and I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.
My face is puffy, and a little bruised. I'm going to try to post a picture of my chubby face.
The dogs have been very comforting. They can tell something is going on. Heineken has been snuggling at my feet most of the time, and Stella hasn't jumped on me.
Ok...better sign off before I fall asleep midsentence.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
First Real Post
I've decided that my first official post should be something humorous. That's how my life is (in general), and I think that's how I'd like the tone of this blog to be. So here we go...
I was lying in bed the other night with the dogs. As I was lying there, I heard a dog barking outside. So did Stella. This outside, distant dog that was barking started to agitate Stella. She started whining/barking in the bed. The outside dog was still barking and agitating Stella, and Stella stood up on the bed. When she stood up, she was directly in front of the mirror on the dresser. Stella started barking like a mad dog. She saw her reflection in the mirror, assumed that was the dog she heard barking and started barking back at it. It took me awhile to calm her down; she really didn't like having that other dog in her house!
This wasn't the first time that Stella saw her reflection in the mirror. One day, Stella was lying on the bed, and I heard her making happy whining noises - almost like she was gurgling and wagging her tail. I went over to her and realized that she was making eyes at her self in a mirror that is next to our bed. She was so excited to see another dog staring back at her!
I was lying in bed the other night with the dogs. As I was lying there, I heard a dog barking outside. So did Stella. This outside, distant dog that was barking started to agitate Stella. She started whining/barking in the bed. The outside dog was still barking and agitating Stella, and Stella stood up on the bed. When she stood up, she was directly in front of the mirror on the dresser. Stella started barking like a mad dog. She saw her reflection in the mirror, assumed that was the dog she heard barking and started barking back at it. It took me awhile to calm her down; she really didn't like having that other dog in her house!
This wasn't the first time that Stella saw her reflection in the mirror. One day, Stella was lying on the bed, and I heard her making happy whining noises - almost like she was gurgling and wagging her tail. I went over to her and realized that she was making eyes at her self in a mirror that is next to our bed. She was so excited to see another dog staring back at her!
Friday, July 31, 2009
100 Things about Me!
1. When I was born, my brothers said I looked like a monster.
2. In the womb, I kicked more than my brothers. I think that means I was destined to be a soccer player.
3. I have 2 older brothers. I love being the little sister, and I’m glad I never had a sister.
4. Sometimes though I would imagine that I had 7 siblings instead of just 2.
5. When I was little, my parents were having a party, and I disappeared. My mom couldn’t find me. I ended up going to my room to take a nap – in the middle of the party! I love that story and think it says a lot about me.
6. When I was 6, I quit t-ball because my teammates couldn’t hit the ball off the tee, and they demanded their mom be in the dugout with them. I was a tough little kid.
7. I started playing soccer when I was 8. In the last 20 years, the only significant off time I’ve had from soccer was when I was recovering from both ACL surgeries.
8. We got a puppy when I was 7 years old. Cinnamon used to un-tie my sneakers while I ate breakfast. This would bring me to tears. I guess I wasn’t all the way tough.
9. When I was little, I used to daydream that the man I would marry would be somewhat smarter than me, but not too much, would play soccer or at least be athletic, and would, of course, be hot!
10. I have always wanted to be a writer, but have found that the more school I have the less creative I am.
11. One my favorite games when I was little was to add numbers together. I would just ask my grandparents or my parents for a number, then I’d ask for a second number. Then watch out world I would add away! This would entertain me for hours. So I was always a dork.
12. I was not cool in middle or high school (maybe because of #11?). I was painfully shy.
13. I’m still not that great at small talk.
14. When I get nervous I start babbling. Who knows what I’ll say!
15. I had a hamster that I named Squirmy. He was always escaping his cage, but I always found him again. He lived for about 3 years which is pretty much an all-time record for hamsters.
16. I had three wisdom teeth removed. This is odd, because it’s unsymmetrical.
17. I moved from Ohio to Belgium when I was 16 and a junior in high school.
18. I was sad about moving, but I loved living in Belgium.
19. I learned how to read Flemish because of the subtitles on the TV.
20. The bus ride to school in Belgium was always an adventure. The little kids always wanted to take over the bus, but it never happened.
21. One time we (the bus) got into an accident on the way to school. Months later I had to go to the police station to give a statement. My statement was, I saw nothing, I was reading The Scarlett Letter and then all of the sudden I flew out of my seat.
22. I am an impatient person.
23. I studied chemical engineering at Ohio University, which is in a wonderfully small little town.
24. I chose chemical engineering because of career day at my high school. The chemical engineer that came to talk to us told us about his hobby of brewing beer. Really I wanted to be a brewmeister.
25. I had a swordtail fish that I named Apollo. One time I was cleaning his tank so he was in a little bowl. I went to put Apollo back into his tank, but he wasn’t in the bowl anymore. I was baffled. Turns out he committed suicide, and I found him on the floor next to the bowl. Even though I was 20 years old I still had to call my mom to come pick him up.
26. To keep my friends entertained at OU, I learned how to drink a beer while standing on my head.
27. I refuse to do this party trick now that I am out of school.
28. I was in a sorority at OU, but I quit. I did live in the house for a year though. It was quite an experience
29. I also joined the engineering fraternity which was a much more rewarding experience for me.
30. I’m pretty sure global warming is a farce. Engineering has made me skeptical in general.
31. After OU, I went to New Mexico State to study chemical engineering some more.
32. I always saw myself packing up the car and driving forever. This happened for the move to NMSU.
33. My mom did the Ohio to NM road trip with me.
34. I had no place to live when I got to New Mexico. This bothered my mom more than me.
35. I bought a manual transmission car because I knew I would never learn how to drive one otherwise.
36. Within 5 miles of leaving the dealership with the new car, I got into an accident (a minor one) and was pulled over.
37. I went to a palm reader once, and I was impressed by what she said.
38. In college I pictured that I would move to Texas even though I had no reason to at that time.
39. I used to read tarot cards for my friends.
40. I still have a deck of tarot cards, but I don’t use them anymore.
41. I lived by myself for the first time when I was 23, and it was only for a year.
42. I met Brian in New Mexico; we had a class together.
43. Brian and I were inseparable almost immediately.
44. After New Mexico, I moved to Houston for a full-time job.
45. I work for a chemical company as a chemical engineer and in general I like what I do.
46. I used to be addicted to Tootsie rolls. I would eat them all day long. I gave them up in an effort to avoid more cavities.
47. Even though I can now resist Tootsie rolls, I still eat a lot of candy.
48. I (and Brian) adopted a dog almost immediately after moving to Texas.
49. I picked out the name Heineken before we even looked at dogs.
50. When we found the right dog, I wanted to name her Einstein. Brian said she looked like a Heineken. He was right. She’s definitely a Heineken.
51. Heineken is my favorite beer, and I’ve been to the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam twice. I crawled out of the brewery the first time.
52. At OU I was nicknamed, Heineken Queen.
53. I treat Heineken like a person, and I think she (and dogs in general) are amazing creatures.
54. I absolutely hate mosquitoes, and if I had the power to eradicate them, I would. This goes for ants too, especially fire ants.
55. My grandma passed away over a year ago and it still crushes my heart when I realize she’s not here anymore.
56. On April 4, 2009, my #9 came true when Brian and I got married.
57. My wedding day was the most terrific and fun day ever, and I keep trying to talk Brian into doing it again.
58. We spent our honeymoon in London, Paris, Cologne, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Brussels.
59. My top 3 activities were (in no specific order) Stone Henge, the chocolate museum, and the Heineken brewery.
60. I scored Brian and me three free rounds of Heineken at the brewery.
61. We adopted a 5 month old puppy from the pound, which we named Stella, after the Belgian beer Stella Artois.
62. Having a puppy makes me realize I am not ready for babies.
63. I am completely entertained to watch Heineken and Stella play together.
64. I think it says a lot about us that we named our dogs after beers. We will have a different philosophy by the time we have kids to name (I hope).
65. I would adopt all the dogs in the pound if I could, but I would also regret it.
66. I’m pretty sure my mom likes Brian more than me.
67. But that’s ok, because I’m still daddy’s little girl.
68. I am slow to temper and quick to forgive.
69. I like laughing, especially when it’s a belly laugh and it makes my eyes water.
70. I love taking naps, especially with the puppies snuggling with me.
71. I really hate paying for haircuts. I usually don’t. I just make my mom cut my hair every time she visits.
72. I really like having house guests.
73. Our most frequent house guests are my parents. This is fine by me.
74. If I go into a bookstore, I almost always leave with a new book.
75. My best friends in the world are the ones I went to OU with. Now we all live too far from each other. Whenever we have a reunion, I feel so complete. When it’s time to leave, I get mad that we live too far apart.
76. My favorite band of all time is K’s Choice. Brian and I used one of their songs as a reading in our ceremony. The father-daughter dance was also a song by them.
77. I really look forward to the weekends. Not because I don’t like the week, but because I love the weekends.
78. The older I get the more I like to sleep.
79. More and more, I think I’m becoming my mom. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s extremely annoying.
80. I like to call my mom when I’m driving home from work even though I know that I shouldn’t be talking on the cell phone while I drive.
81. I could spend the whole day reading if I had the right book.
82. I got my first digital camera in 2009. I’m really behind the times.
83. I do have iPod though. Only because that was a graduation gift from my parents.
84. I hate how there’s a nail place inside of the grocery store because I have to walk past it and smell that chemical smell.
85. Sometimes Brian and I talk engineering at home. I like it.
86. I have a 105 bowling average and a pink/purple ball.
87. 87 was my brother’s high school football number. 20 was my other brother’s. I have no reason to remember that – it was 15 years ago. I did watch their games.
88. I love making lists!
89. During my 7 years of school, I only fell asleep one time in a class – a special lecture. And, I don’t understand how people fall asleep at work.
90. I’m pretty sure chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination, ever.
91. Vegas is one of my favorite cities even though I am not a big gambler.
92. I went to New York City for the first time ever this year, and I absolutely loved it, even though I was only there for about 12 hours.
93. Cities where you can walk around with an open container of beer top my list of places to be (like Key West).
94. I’m pretty sure I cuss around my parents more than anyone else.
95. I still have my baby blanket. I don’t sleep with it, but it covers my night stand.
96. I can’t remember how I learned anything without Google.
97. Anything and everything makes turns me into a Nervous Nelly.
98. I am clumsy. I’m always bumping my head, knee, shin on something. I’m always getting mysterious bruises. I’ve run into walls before too.
99. If someone shouted , “O – H” I would reply automatically with “I – O” likewise, if someone said, OU? I would answer with, “Oh yeah!”
100. I’m kinda sad this is the end of the list, but happy I was able to complete it! (I’m not the best person at seeing things through to the end).
2. In the womb, I kicked more than my brothers. I think that means I was destined to be a soccer player.
3. I have 2 older brothers. I love being the little sister, and I’m glad I never had a sister.
4. Sometimes though I would imagine that I had 7 siblings instead of just 2.
5. When I was little, my parents were having a party, and I disappeared. My mom couldn’t find me. I ended up going to my room to take a nap – in the middle of the party! I love that story and think it says a lot about me.
6. When I was 6, I quit t-ball because my teammates couldn’t hit the ball off the tee, and they demanded their mom be in the dugout with them. I was a tough little kid.
7. I started playing soccer when I was 8. In the last 20 years, the only significant off time I’ve had from soccer was when I was recovering from both ACL surgeries.
8. We got a puppy when I was 7 years old. Cinnamon used to un-tie my sneakers while I ate breakfast. This would bring me to tears. I guess I wasn’t all the way tough.
9. When I was little, I used to daydream that the man I would marry would be somewhat smarter than me, but not too much, would play soccer or at least be athletic, and would, of course, be hot!
10. I have always wanted to be a writer, but have found that the more school I have the less creative I am.
11. One my favorite games when I was little was to add numbers together. I would just ask my grandparents or my parents for a number, then I’d ask for a second number. Then watch out world I would add away! This would entertain me for hours. So I was always a dork.
12. I was not cool in middle or high school (maybe because of #11?). I was painfully shy.
13. I’m still not that great at small talk.
14. When I get nervous I start babbling. Who knows what I’ll say!
15. I had a hamster that I named Squirmy. He was always escaping his cage, but I always found him again. He lived for about 3 years which is pretty much an all-time record for hamsters.
16. I had three wisdom teeth removed. This is odd, because it’s unsymmetrical.
17. I moved from Ohio to Belgium when I was 16 and a junior in high school.
18. I was sad about moving, but I loved living in Belgium.
19. I learned how to read Flemish because of the subtitles on the TV.
20. The bus ride to school in Belgium was always an adventure. The little kids always wanted to take over the bus, but it never happened.
21. One time we (the bus) got into an accident on the way to school. Months later I had to go to the police station to give a statement. My statement was, I saw nothing, I was reading The Scarlett Letter and then all of the sudden I flew out of my seat.
22. I am an impatient person.
23. I studied chemical engineering at Ohio University, which is in a wonderfully small little town.
24. I chose chemical engineering because of career day at my high school. The chemical engineer that came to talk to us told us about his hobby of brewing beer. Really I wanted to be a brewmeister.
25. I had a swordtail fish that I named Apollo. One time I was cleaning his tank so he was in a little bowl. I went to put Apollo back into his tank, but he wasn’t in the bowl anymore. I was baffled. Turns out he committed suicide, and I found him on the floor next to the bowl. Even though I was 20 years old I still had to call my mom to come pick him up.
26. To keep my friends entertained at OU, I learned how to drink a beer while standing on my head.
27. I refuse to do this party trick now that I am out of school.
28. I was in a sorority at OU, but I quit. I did live in the house for a year though. It was quite an experience
29. I also joined the engineering fraternity which was a much more rewarding experience for me.
30. I’m pretty sure global warming is a farce. Engineering has made me skeptical in general.
31. After OU, I went to New Mexico State to study chemical engineering some more.
32. I always saw myself packing up the car and driving forever. This happened for the move to NMSU.
33. My mom did the Ohio to NM road trip with me.
34. I had no place to live when I got to New Mexico. This bothered my mom more than me.
35. I bought a manual transmission car because I knew I would never learn how to drive one otherwise.
36. Within 5 miles of leaving the dealership with the new car, I got into an accident (a minor one) and was pulled over.
37. I went to a palm reader once, and I was impressed by what she said.
38. In college I pictured that I would move to Texas even though I had no reason to at that time.
39. I used to read tarot cards for my friends.
40. I still have a deck of tarot cards, but I don’t use them anymore.
41. I lived by myself for the first time when I was 23, and it was only for a year.
42. I met Brian in New Mexico; we had a class together.
43. Brian and I were inseparable almost immediately.
44. After New Mexico, I moved to Houston for a full-time job.
45. I work for a chemical company as a chemical engineer and in general I like what I do.
46. I used to be addicted to Tootsie rolls. I would eat them all day long. I gave them up in an effort to avoid more cavities.
47. Even though I can now resist Tootsie rolls, I still eat a lot of candy.
48. I (and Brian) adopted a dog almost immediately after moving to Texas.
49. I picked out the name Heineken before we even looked at dogs.
50. When we found the right dog, I wanted to name her Einstein. Brian said she looked like a Heineken. He was right. She’s definitely a Heineken.
51. Heineken is my favorite beer, and I’ve been to the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam twice. I crawled out of the brewery the first time.
52. At OU I was nicknamed, Heineken Queen.
53. I treat Heineken like a person, and I think she (and dogs in general) are amazing creatures.
54. I absolutely hate mosquitoes, and if I had the power to eradicate them, I would. This goes for ants too, especially fire ants.
55. My grandma passed away over a year ago and it still crushes my heart when I realize she’s not here anymore.
56. On April 4, 2009, my #9 came true when Brian and I got married.
57. My wedding day was the most terrific and fun day ever, and I keep trying to talk Brian into doing it again.
58. We spent our honeymoon in London, Paris, Cologne, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Brussels.
59. My top 3 activities were (in no specific order) Stone Henge, the chocolate museum, and the Heineken brewery.
60. I scored Brian and me three free rounds of Heineken at the brewery.
61. We adopted a 5 month old puppy from the pound, which we named Stella, after the Belgian beer Stella Artois.
62. Having a puppy makes me realize I am not ready for babies.
63. I am completely entertained to watch Heineken and Stella play together.
64. I think it says a lot about us that we named our dogs after beers. We will have a different philosophy by the time we have kids to name (I hope).
65. I would adopt all the dogs in the pound if I could, but I would also regret it.
66. I’m pretty sure my mom likes Brian more than me.
67. But that’s ok, because I’m still daddy’s little girl.
68. I am slow to temper and quick to forgive.
69. I like laughing, especially when it’s a belly laugh and it makes my eyes water.
70. I love taking naps, especially with the puppies snuggling with me.
71. I really hate paying for haircuts. I usually don’t. I just make my mom cut my hair every time she visits.
72. I really like having house guests.
73. Our most frequent house guests are my parents. This is fine by me.
74. If I go into a bookstore, I almost always leave with a new book.
75. My best friends in the world are the ones I went to OU with. Now we all live too far from each other. Whenever we have a reunion, I feel so complete. When it’s time to leave, I get mad that we live too far apart.
76. My favorite band of all time is K’s Choice. Brian and I used one of their songs as a reading in our ceremony. The father-daughter dance was also a song by them.
77. I really look forward to the weekends. Not because I don’t like the week, but because I love the weekends.
78. The older I get the more I like to sleep.
79. More and more, I think I’m becoming my mom. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s extremely annoying.
80. I like to call my mom when I’m driving home from work even though I know that I shouldn’t be talking on the cell phone while I drive.
81. I could spend the whole day reading if I had the right book.
82. I got my first digital camera in 2009. I’m really behind the times.
83. I do have iPod though. Only because that was a graduation gift from my parents.
84. I hate how there’s a nail place inside of the grocery store because I have to walk past it and smell that chemical smell.
85. Sometimes Brian and I talk engineering at home. I like it.
86. I have a 105 bowling average and a pink/purple ball.
87. 87 was my brother’s high school football number. 20 was my other brother’s. I have no reason to remember that – it was 15 years ago. I did watch their games.
88. I love making lists!
89. During my 7 years of school, I only fell asleep one time in a class – a special lecture. And, I don’t understand how people fall asleep at work.
90. I’m pretty sure chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination, ever.
91. Vegas is one of my favorite cities even though I am not a big gambler.
92. I went to New York City for the first time ever this year, and I absolutely loved it, even though I was only there for about 12 hours.
93. Cities where you can walk around with an open container of beer top my list of places to be (like Key West).
94. I’m pretty sure I cuss around my parents more than anyone else.
95. I still have my baby blanket. I don’t sleep with it, but it covers my night stand.
96. I can’t remember how I learned anything without Google.
97. Anything and everything makes turns me into a Nervous Nelly.
98. I am clumsy. I’m always bumping my head, knee, shin on something. I’m always getting mysterious bruises. I’ve run into walls before too.
99. If someone shouted , “O – H” I would reply automatically with “I – O” likewise, if someone said, OU? I would answer with, “Oh yeah!”
100. I’m kinda sad this is the end of the list, but happy I was able to complete it! (I’m not the best person at seeing things through to the end).
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