Hi, well this has been one of the longest and at that the same time shortest weeks of my life.
Each day wrapped in what felt like a time capsule.
Moment to moment filled with hope.
Hope for a good healthy “poop.”
Really, I have never or not recently hoped for someone to have a good healthy poop.
Yes, I do remember wanting needing to have a good one for myself…. LOL.
Each day, every time that we go outside, I say to Alvin “please have a good poop.”
This whole week has been wrapped up and around “poop.”
Not really funny or humorous but at the same time how can you not smile.
So much of our lives … okay all of our lives revolve around having a good daily healthy poop.
We write about it …. doctors journal about it and test it ….. we think about it daily.
It is necessary for a good healthy life.
Yes, it does.
I cannot believe that we, I have been home with Alvin for a whole week filled with eager anticipation around a bowel movement.
But alas I have.
Still no “good poop” today so we have another appointment with the Vet for bloodwork.
Argh, I was ever so hopeful that it would have happened and we would not have come to this point.
I cannot believe that he has not had a good poop yet.
He jumps onto the sofa, sniffs when we are outside, happily eats his chicken & rice meals, drinks water and pees.
You would not know upon looking at him that there is anything wrong with him.
In all of the nine years that we have been together he has never had diarrhea for this length of time.
We started the medications on Tuesday late afternoon and I had high hopes that yes, he would have had a good “BM” by now.
Perhaps he can feel my frustration and anxiety.
I feel badly that I have left my coworkers with extra work to do for a whole week only one week after returning from vacation.
I feel guilty that I cannot magically make Alvin better.
I feel guilty that despite my days at home that I have not really done anything …
Well I have looked after my boy.
We have walked, I have cooked for him and put salve on his bum.
I am available to jump on a moment’s notice to go outside …..
Well our appointment is for 3:30 p.m. so as I am a glass half full kind of gal …. I am hoping for a miracle …..
Time will tell.
Alvin has remained patient …. more than me during this whole ordeal.
Considering it is his insides that are not functioning properly.
Considering that his life has been turned upside down for the past week.
Missing his friends …..
But that is me Alvin ….. always surprising me.
Quick little story to share before I sign off.
Yesterday morning while we were outside with hopes for some bottom end action, the good kind.
Something flew above us and landed on the railing on the deck.
I ducked while squinting in the bright sunshine to see what it was …. I was pretty certain it was not a bird.
In seconds I realized that it was a bat.
I have been carrying my phone with me to take “poop photos” here and there.
Okay I know, crazy poop lady.
That will be a handle that I will not soon lose that is for sure …..
While the bat was busy on the railing ….. I called out to my neighbour ….
Quickly made sure that Alvin was out of the way (into the house).
I managed to capture some video.
I did not see the face of the bat clearly due to the bright sunlight but definitely could see the wings when it landed and was about to fly away.
Never been that close to a bat.
It was small and we thought it was a baby or young bat for sure.
My neighbour thought perhaps it was injured but we could not tell for certain.
It was definitely trying to get out of the sunlight.
I had the umbrella open on the deck and it flew underneath.
At one point it actually was hanging upside down.
After opening the kitchen window …. the baby got active once again and flew away.
We figured that it was in my neighbour’s tree.
Later on I sent the videos to my kids and they replied with a phone number for Animal Control – with the Bat link.
So I decided to call just to ask some questions and was happy that I had called.
The guy on the phone just happened to be the “bat guy” …. yes, he was.
He said that the adult bats have already left for caves and other spots but the juveniles are still about trying to get their bearings.
Some may fly into an object and then be confused or could be sick or horror among horrors be rabid.
He said under no circumstances to get near to it and to keep my dog away as well.
He also said to watch when taking my dog to the backyard for a brown patch on the grass as it might be the bat.
ARGH.
Anyway, I have been examining the grass and the deck every time we go outside, just in case.
No baby bat.
I do hope that it survived and found its’ way to a safe place.
Also I learned if you happen to get near the bat and see that it is agitated or making clicking noises …. signs that it may be rabid so GET AWAY and call him.
So even at home waiting for poop to happen we have had visitors.
Well time to get back downstairs once again.
Time to sweep the floor and do a couple of things before we leave for the Vet.
Time for one more small meal for Mr. Alvin.
He has been eating four small meals each day.
Also he just passed some gas.
Not great.
Oh, my poor boy.
This has been the week for sure.
Showing kindness and respect to all creatures is important.
Always, Carol & Alvin
My New Life @ 51 