AMAZON

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Mishmash & Updates


Our delightful little rabbit guest has hopped out the door and is hopefully enjoying all the joys of spring. I rather miss seeing him dash through a room to one of his many bolt holes.



I have made no progress on fixing my computer although I have learned volumes about programs, the registry, and drivers.  I still have no audio, Windows refuses to shut down, and  I am told my one program (Windows One Care) that I have no firewall and by another (Windows Control Panel) that I do have a firewall. It would be nice if I could get them to agree.


I have completed the series of steroid pills and my sleep is returning to what it was. I now have returned to taking an average to three naps a day.


This month of sticking my finger twice a day (for a month) to determine if I have diabetes is a literal pain. It’s taking me about three jabs each time in order to draw enough blood. Yuck!


Alex is teaching me new tricks. The latest is how to know what cat food he wants to eat. If he jumps on the table, then Alex wants dry food with a side of treats; if he leaps up on the counter, then I am to give him a packet of wet food with grave and, of course, a side of treats. Also, if he jumps up on a kitchen chair but does not jump up on the table, then I am to pick him up and cuddle him.

22 comments:

  1. Wow - Alex really does have you trained, doesn't he?

    Hope you're feeling better, Nick!

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  2. Pricking fingers. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
    Glad the sleep is finally returning.

    I may be stating the obvious but you must have a virus in your computer. Yes?

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  3. So Alex is finally teaching you how to communicate with him. :-)
    And look at him sleeping right over your heart. He knows the best spot.

    I hope the steroids have done their job, and I hope that you don't have diabetes. Here's to the end of bloody fingers.

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  4. Nick,sorry that the 'puter is still giving you grief.Doing daily finger stick are a neccessary evil for MRS MIKE(MY BH)she has been a type one (juvinile diabetic) for almost 40 years.

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  5. That has to be a pain in the butt with all the pricking. Don't they have better methods of testing the numbers? My father has to do it but he slacks. For my breathing problems, the steroids make me irritable and hyper, as well as bloated. Glad Alex is there to take care of ya! He is a cutie!

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  6. How fun that Alex is communicating with you!! I love that!

    I'm glad the bunny found his way outside, although if he remained a few more weeks, he would probably begin communicating with you, as well. but perhaps 2 talking pets is more than one household can endure!

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  7. Great communication tricks from Alex! Glad the bunny is safe - I know you will miss him but he is probably reunited with his folk now. :) And no longer at risk of being an Alex meal.

    The finger pricking for the blood test - squeeze the part below where you are going to prick it so plenty of blood is already squeezed into it before you prick - a big blob of blood should appear where you prick your finger. HTH.

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  8. Callie: Alex is an excellent teacher. He is also very presuasive. At least until I decide to trim his exceeding long and sharp claws.

    Mimi Lenox: Yeah, the finger pricking is getting old. I hope that the results after this test month indicate I don't have to continue doing it.

    Nope, a virus isn't the problem. In my my search for solutions, I've found that every problem I have is endemic to Windows XP. Strange, but I never had these problems until MS starting pressuring folks to switch to VISTA. I wonder if there is a connection?

    Squirl: Yep, Alex is always teaching me something new. Tonight's lesson was: Do not eat a piece of cheese within range of Alex's nose unless I want to share.

    I, too, hope the steriods did whatever they were supposed to do, which I think was keeping me from sliding into pnuemonia. I still have two days of the antibiotics left. I think they have somehow affected my sense of taste.

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  9. Akelamalu: I think Alex has always been the boss, although it took me a while to realize it. At the moment he is sitting in the open front doorway looking for a pal with whom to cat around. If he finds one, he won't even tell me he's going out to play; he'll just scat. (This morning he was out catting around until almost 4:00 AM).

    Mike Golch: Thank you. Does Mrs. Mike have any suggestions to help me not need 3 pricks and 3 test strips each time I do this?

    Deb: I hope science does come up with a simpler way to get the reading without pricking! That would be very nice. The steroids are dangerous to me. I, too, get hyper and more than irritable; a few years I went into what's called "steroid rage" and came close to being self-destructive. Of course, if we need them to stay alive, I suppose we have to accept those side issues.

    Yes, Alex knows he is cute. He knows it too well. This afternoon he was spotted by a couple of (very attractive) young women who stopped in front of the house to look at the darling. I knew my old dog, Muffin, was a "babe magnet." That Alex also attracts women is something I'm just learning.

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  10. Lynilu: As you may have noticed, if I do not learn what Alex is saying to me, he claws me. That is an excellent reason to learn quickly how to interpret the furball's words.

    Yes, I am missing the bunny. His departure has given me incentive to spend more time outside looking for him and his family.

    Two talking pets making demands on me? I don't think I could survive that!

    Thumbelina: Yes, Alex is a marvelous communicator. He rather reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt: speak softly and carry sharp claws .

    Thank you for the finger pricking advice! It makes sense and I'll give it a try with tomorrow morning's pricking.

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  11. At last, Alex is getting you properly trained, Nick. He must be so pleased.

    Oooh, after all that needle sticking, I hope you're not diabetic. Can't you have the glucose tolerance test...saves a lot of time and pain.

    Have you tried AVG Free virus protector? It has a few other apps. too and I've been using it for two or three years now and never had a problem. Anyway, good luck with getting your computer sorted. I had Windows One Care and got rid of it...it stuffed things up royally.

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  12. Hi Nick,

    I don't like giving blood at all and can't imagine what it would be like to have to prick oneself 3 times a day! Needs must though, so --hey would freezing the spot first with an ice cube help?

    Glad to see Alex is keeping you busy with some mind games. At least if you keep your brain active like that there's less chance of senility setting in, right? That's my theory and I'm sticking to it!

    Hope you're having a "good health" day today.

    Kat

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  13. Wow, Alex has taught you the ways of food service, he MUST be a god! :D

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  14. I emphathize with your computer issues. I'm having a few of my own these days.

    Glad to hear Mr Bunny made it back outside.

    Cheers Nick!

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  15. Ah yes, our furbabies do have us well trained don't they.
    Sorry bout the finger pricking thing- wouldn't a sugar-curve test be a lot faster? Those are the ones I have to do every year... and I dread them!

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  16. Now that is one smart cat and it has trained you well.

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  17. You are a complete softy - but you know that.

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  18. You remind me of my brother. He knows by the bark, what kind of food his dog wants. It's quite comical, really.

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  19. I'm still here.
    Life keeps getting in the way of blogging.

    Give Alex a cuddle from me:)

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  20. This is a wonderful idea!

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