Shelter Pets: Love on Four Legs

Today is the last day of November. It is also Shelter Pets Day on Facebook! In celebration, people have been encouraged to share their own shelter pet stories, so I'd like to share mine. Both of our current cats and my service dog were shelter animals. Yes, I said my service dog is a shelter alumni, but more on that in a minute.

We adopted Meisha, a 3-year-old torti cat, on April 6, 2000. We had been to the Humane Society of Chittenden County the day before to look at cats, and had seen this shy, scared beauty huddled in the farthest corner of her cage. We didn't know until the next day that she was just getting over a urinary tract infection. Not wanting to further traumatize her, we left her alone and socialized with a few others that needed homes, but none seemed to "click."

The following day, we went back to the shelter and decided to ask if we could take the torti into a room to see if she would feel a bit more at ease. Soon after we were settled, she jumped up in my arms and cuddled against my shoulder, purring. She also let my husband and children hold her, and we knew she was the one for us.

However, when we got her home, she refused to let us pick her up and seemed rather aloof. Having had two previous homes before coming to ours, she had no way of knowing that ours would be permanent, and most likely didn't dare risk getting attached. Three months later, she developed a life-threatening liver infection. She stopped eating, her weight plummeted from 9 pounds to 7, and we rushed her to our vet, where the prognosis wasn't good. However, with the excellent care from the vets at VCA Brown Animal Hospital, and our love and support, Meisha pulled through. From that point on, she began to open up to us, but very slowly. It took two years of patience and encouragement on our part, another life-threatening illness, and surgery to remove several bladder stones (the cause of her chronic urinary tract infections) before she learned to fully trust us and blossomed into the confident, happy, "Queen of the house" that she is today.

Meisha hasn't had it easy. A couple of years ago, she developed a very rare eye condition that has caused her to lose her sight in one eye, and will at some point, most likely cause total blindness. At nearly 14 years of age, in spite of her health issues, she still gets around well, is an incredibly loving, confident companion, and we feel blessed to share her life.

In 2005, my doctor told me it was time to get a service dog. I'd had dogs growing up, but after my husband and I married, we lived in apartments where either dogs were not allowed, or pets were banned altogether. Although dogs are not allowed as pets where we currently live, service dogs are. The first place I looked was the website for the Humane Society of Chittenden County, and there I found the photo of a gorgeous Australian Shepherd-Collie mix. Having had two Border Collies in my late teens and twenties, I had a deep love for the herding breeds and knew them to be intelligent, easy to train, and good with children. Since a lot of children live in our apartment complex, this was one of my main concerns.

My husband had not grown up with dogs, and had somewhat of a phobia since he'd been attacked by one in the past. However, he trusted my instincts when it came to picking out a dog. When he saw Mindy, his first thought was, "My gosh, she's HUGE!" Weighing in at around 100 lb., she certainly was a big girl; but she was just what I needed. As we were filling out the adoption papers, another family came in to look at her. Had we been five minutes later, we might have missed out. And so, Mindy joined our family.

Service dogs usually begin training as puppies, and most training programs will not accept dogs that are older than two years of age. Mindy was six years old with a crooked paw (the result of being shot as a puppy) and no training except what they had done at the shelter. We enrolled her in an obedience class at HSCC which she passed with flying colors. Then, through a group in Arizona that helps people train their own service dogs, I began training Mindy in the service behaviors I needed her to perform. She learned very quickly, even adapting some of the procedures to make them easier on both of us. And if she saw a need, she stepped in to fill it. For example, we have railings on our stairs, but the railing doesn't extend around the landing. About two nights after she'd been with us, Mindy started up the stairs behind me, timing her ascent to arrive at the landing just as I had to let go of the railing so I could place my hand on her back for balance. Then she repeated the process at the top of the stairs, escorting me to the bedroom door.

Because we live in multi-family housing, we didn't want her to bark and annoy the neighbors, so I taught her to use her "indoor voice," a soft woof, when she needed to go out. The only time she barks out loud is to alert me that someone is at the door, or if there is something unusual going on outside so I can check it out. She even has a special UPS bark, and loves the "boys in brown" because they sometimes give her a biscuit.

Mindy will be 12 years old in January, and in spite of showing signs of aging, still fulfills her service duties, and has brought a world of love and joy into our lives--and cured my husband of his dog phobia! We feel so privileged to have her in our family.

Last, but not least, is Micau, a 3-year-old cat we adopted in January of this year from HSCC. When we arrived at the shelter, we told them we needed a cat that was good both with other cats and with dogs. One of the young women there said, "I think we have just what you're looking for," and introduced us to a beautiful, long-haired black and white female. She immediately came over to us, rubbed against our legs, began purring, and let us pick her up. She seemed equally comfortable with both of us, and she had previously lived with cats, dogs, and other animals. We needed to look no further.

Meisha immediately established her superior ranking in the pecking order, and, as she had with Mindy, stood her ground when challenged by our new addition. Mindy accepted Micau right away. Within minutes of bringing her home, Micau found and used the litter pan and began exploring her new domain. She is a very loving, affectionate cat who divides her time between David and me, but will also greet guests and, if they are willing, curl up in their laps. In some ways, Micau is more like a dog--she'll come when called (most of the time--she IS a cat, after all), will follow us from room-to-room, and has learned to tap my hand when she wants a treat. She is a healthy, playful, welcome addition to our household.

Shelter animals make wonderful companions. They truly appreciate being given a second chance to have a forever home, give unconditional love and affection, provide comfort and companionship, are loyal, and worth every penny of what it costs to provide for their care. We feel so fortunate to be able to learn from these animals, to love them, and to share our lives with them. If you're looking for a companion animal, please give those in your local shelters your first consideration. You'll be saving a life and enriching your own.

A Case of the Not-So-Warm Fuzzies

While reading an article about autumn in the Adirondacks, the photo of a granite water tub/fountain caught my eye. Since the husband of one of my online friends does sculpting, I thought they might enjoy it, too, so I sent her a message to that effect. When she replied that she'd love to see it if I would send the link, I was surprised because I thought I had; but when I checked my original message, there was no link to be found. Fibro-fog strikes again!

What is fibro-fog? People talk about the "warm fuzzies"--things that make us feel good or give us a sense of well-being. Fibro-fog is the "fuzzies" without the "warmth." You realize you have it when you start to say a word and can't quite seem to latch onto it, or you begin to share some item you've read about or seen on the news, and use a different word from the one you had intended. Sometimes I go through a bit of mental acrobatics trying to capture that word--a bit like two people on separate trapeze bars, swinging, but not quite in synch, who keep missing each other when they try to grasp hands. Sometimes a bit of word association helps: Can you hand me the...um...it's red, made from tomatoes, on the bottom shelf of the fridge door...CATSUP! Hah! Got it!

Almost everyone will occasionally forget a name or draw a blank when trying to remember something. But fibro fog is more than a momentary lapse. It involves temporary, short-term memory impairment (often in conjunction with a pain flare), that can make conversation difficult, stressful, and hard to follow or remember. Someone will tell you they're going to the store--you know what they said, you understood it, but as soon as their mouth stops moving, it's gone. For anything important to remember, it helps to write it down--just remember where you wrote it!

Fibro-fog may also cause you to transpose numbers and letters (even though you're not dyslexic), forget appointments, or temporarily forget how to do even a simple task or spell a common word. Those who experience fibro fog have occasionally found some of their possessions in unexpected places, such as their keys in the fridge and their milk in the cupboard. So, if you're having a "foggy" day, don't try to do more than one thing at a time, and try to focus on what you're doing and where you set things down. Don't tackle things like paying bills or balancing the checkbook until the fog clears.

Fibro fog can take a toll on your self-esteem. When you know in your mind what you want to say, but the message isn't getting from your brain to your mouth, it can be embarrassing, humiliating, and make you feel stupid because you know it's happening, and you can't do anything but ride it out. I used to quip that if I ever developed Alzheimers, no one would know the difference! Now, scientists have discovered that those who have fibromyalgia may have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Fibrofog can also have a negative impact on self-care because you are apt to forget to exercise or take medications consistently that would help alleviate other symptoms, such as pain. Since pain interferes with the brain's ability to process new information (as does lack of sleep, stress, and the decrease in seratonin production), it can become a vicious cycle.

Fortunately, these episodes usually only last a few hours, and disappear when the pain flare ends or when you have been able to get restorative sleep.

To minimize fibro-fog, here are some things that may help:

• Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night (easier said than done if you suffer from insomnia);
• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet that includes "brain food" like fish (especially fish high in omega-3s, such as wild salmon and tuna), blueberries, green tea, and organic dark chocolate or cacao beans; foods high in B-vitamins (especially folic acid, B6 and B12);
• Keep your brain active with another kind of "brain food"--puzzles (crosswords, Sudoku, brain teasers, riddles, etc.), reading, learning a new language, learning anything new such as knitting, crocheting, painting, wood-working, sculpting, etc.
• Aerobic exercise, especially walking (a US study found that walking appears to help minimize brain shrinkage as we age, and may offer some protection against, or delay the onset of, dementia and Alzheimers);
• Minimize stress (exercise can help with this, too, but so can calming meditation, listening to soothing music, watching an aquarium full of fish, or some other relaxing activity--or just deep breathing and closing your eyes for a few minutes);
• Keep your sense of humor--Laughter can help minimize stress, lower anxiety, oxygenate your blood, and provide an internal massage;
• Accentuate the positive--find that cloud's silver lining, look for the good, change negative thoughts into positive ones, focus on what you CAN do instead of what you CAN'T do.
• Don't take yourself too seriously--most problems eventually are solved, situations change, and something can be learned from the most devastating of life's experiences.

We can't control fibro fog (or much of what life throws at us), but we can control how we choose to handle it. We can worry about it, or we can recognize it as part of the challenge of living with Fibromyalgia, and determine to live the best life we can in spite of it.

How do you cope with fibro-fog or other challenges of living with a chronic illness? Post your thoughts, questions, suggestions in the comment section below.

Now, I'm going to go spend some time with MY warm fuzzies--Mindy, Meisha, Micau, and...David!

Seven Benefits of Adopting an Older Animal

I'm taking a "time-out" from working on my NaNo Novel to share something that is very close to my heart--animal adoption, especially adoption of older or senior dogs and cats.

Almost everyone wants to adopt a puppy or kitten because they're so cute and cuddly. Those little balls of fluff steal your heart and beg you to take them home. But there are several benefits to adopting an older animal.

1. An older animal is usually already housebroken; if not, they are easier to train than a kitten or puppy. Show the cat where the litter pan is, or take the dog outside and show it where you want it to relieve itself, and it will learn quickly what is expected. No cleaning up accidents on the floor, in your plant pots, or on your bed!

2. What you see is what you get. An adult animal's personality is already formed, so there's no guesswork as to what it will be like when it grows up. That cute, cuddly kitten may grow up to be standoffish and aloof. And that cute, energetic puppy might turn out to be a one-dog demolitionist when left at home alone.

3. If you adopt from a shelter, an older dog will already be spayed/neutered, and will be up-to-date on shots. Many shelters also give you a coupon for a free vet check-up, as well as other helpful materials such as coupons for food, non-food supplies, etc. The adoption fee is usually far less than the cost of the series of puppy/kitten shots, spaying/neutering, etc.

4. Since they have likely already lived in a household, they have better "manners." Barring an anxiety disorder, they are far less likely to chew the furniture, your shoes, or the molding on your doorways like a teething puppy would. And, they tend to be more mellow and happy to keep you company. Older cats already know what not to scratch, and usually know what "no" means. When we adopted 3-year old Micau (cat), if she started to do something that was not allowed, all I had to do was say "Unh-uh" and she'd stop immediately and understand that was off limits.

5. Chances are an older dog will already know some basic commands; but even if they don't, they are fairly easy to train using positive reinforcement and a little patience. It's not true that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Older dogs have a longer attention span than puppies, are more focused, and have some life experience in relating to humans behind them. For example, we adopted my service dog when she was six years old, and she'd had minimal training. Not only were we able to teach her all of the basic obedience commands, but also the service behaviors I needed her to perform--all within the first few months of her living with us.

6. If you have limited time, an older pet may be what you need. Training a puppy or kitten, house-breaking them, teaching them what is and is not appropriate or acceptable behavior, is similar to having a human toddler. It requires a lot of time and energy. Since an older animal has generally mastered the basics, you can spend more of your time just enjoying them.

7. Older animals, especially shelter animals, appreciate being given a second chance at having a forever home. All they want is someone who will love and take care of them. In return, they will give you unconditional love and be the best companion you ever had.

Have you ever adopted an older or senior pet? Share your experiences in the comment section below.

Let the NaNoWriMo Games Begin...

November is National Novel Writing Month, so what does that mean, exactly?

On November 1, thousands (last year it was 161,870!) people will withdraw from active participation in the "normal" world, sequester themselves in bedrooms, dens, coffee shops, or other venues, and attempt the nerve-wracking challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. Some will drop out for various reasons: illness, family emergencies, the threat of failing out of school, or the overwhelming desire to make sure the rest of the world is still out there. But others will push through exhaustion, loneliness, pressure, and the prospect of losing the continuity of their favorite TV programs (or watching the TiVo'd episodes instead of Christmas programs in December), to reach the pinnacle of word-count mania for the grand prize of having their progress bar turn purple and the thrill of placing a NaNoWriMo "Winner" badge on their webpage or blog. Oh, they may emerge briefly to partake of the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but will not truly re-enter society until December 1, when they will reintroduce themselves to their friends, family, and pets, clear out overstuffed in-boxes, and spend the next week or so catching up on Facebook and Twitter.

Last year, I did a daily blog post during NaNo. I'll be posting again this year, but am not sure I'll try to do it on a daily basis. I began this year's NaNo adventure at 12:04 a.m., and exceeded the word count for Day 1. However, for the first time in four years, I'm not sure whether to keep it or scrap it and try again. Either way, the creative juices are flowing, and it is helping me to balance the anxiety of waiting to hear if my son and daughter-in-law made it safely to their Mexican destination.

For those who are new to NaNoWriMo, you might want to read last year's posts in my archives for the history of NaNoWriMo, suggestions for preparing yourself for this crazy writing adventure, tips on the writing process, and more. And don't forget to peruse the various forums on the NaNo site and hook up with some writing buddies for mutual support and inspiration. Until next time...

Oh, the Days Dwindle Down to a Precious Few...

So sang Old Blue Eyes himself (Frank Sinatra, for those of you too young to remember the Rat Pack). Autumn is half over already, and Christmas is only two months away! I love autumn, but it seems to be on fast-forward this year--maybe because it has been so busy, or maybe because I'm getting older and the days seem to fly by. Sometimes I'd like to shout, "Hey, slow down, let me catch my breath."

October is full of special days: birthdays (daughter Jen, brother David, sister-in-law Karolee, nephew Dennis, and several friends), anniversaries (daughter Sarah and son-in-law Louie's anniversary was the 12th, and several friends also celebrated anniversaries); and we'll also be saying adios (though I prefer au revoir) to our son Davy and daughter-in-law Tracy as they make a quick trip home to Vermont before leaving for Mexico. We're looking forward to having all of the family together for a couple of those "precious few" days, but are also experiencing the parental angst of having part of our family moving so far away and not knowing for how long. So, maybe we should say "vaya con Dios" (go with God) and ask Him so see them safely on their adventure and, eventually, safely home again.

So, in one sense, the days are dwindling down; but in another sense, they're adding up. For there is another anniversary coming up on October 29--the first-year anniversary of this blog. If you have been following along since last October, you will remember that I began Creative Muse Journal in conjunction with National Novel Writing Month which begins every year on November 1, and encourages people to write a 50,000 word short novel in 30 days. (The introductory post and the daily NaNoWriMo posts from 2009 are in the archives, if you want to look them up.) This will be my fourth year participating in NaNoWriMo. Usually, I feel that the timing is not ideal, what with the pressure of celebrating Thanksgiving just when I'm struggling to finish and hit that word count goal, and Christmas looming on the horizon. But this year, maybe the timing is just right because it begins on the same day that Davy and Tracy will be winging their way to Mexico. I will need something to keep my mind occupied, and NaNo certainly does that.

Seasons of Change

Although it's not officially autumn until September 22 at 11:09 p.m. Eastern Time, harbingers of change are already beginning to appear. Some of the trees in Burlington are sporting flashes of red and orange; the mercury dropped nearly forty degrees overnight a few nights ago, and seems to be on a frenzied dash up and down the thermometer, trying to decide where to land. After setting record highs in the 90s four days in a row this past week, it barely crossed the 70 degree mark yesterday, is supposed to be 83 today, and stepping down by ten degrees each day before leveling off in the mid-60s on Friday, then rebounding into the 70s over the weekend. The early McIntosh apples have already appeared in the produce section of our local supermarket, and my taste buds are gearing up for homemade applesauce, fresh cider, and apple crisp.

The nights will be quieter, too, without the air conditioner humming; and I look forward to that economical breather between turning the a/c off and having to turn the heat on. I'm not quite as bad as Scrooge, who kept his place of business bleak and chilly, informing his poor clerk, Bob Cratchit, that "Garments were invented by the human race as a protection against the cold. Once purchased, they may be used indefinitely for the purpose for which they are intended. Coal burns. Coal is momentary and coal is costly. There will be no more coal burned in this office today, is that quite clear Mr. Cratchit?" However, I do make good use of sweaters and slacks, and usually do not have to turn the heat on until late October or early November, unless we get an early cold snap.

There are other signs of change, too. After a brief (too brief!) respite from Mindy's shedding of last year's undercoat, she is now shedding her summer coat, and that soft, tufted undercoat is growing in again. A friend said she had seen several woollybear caterpillars, looking fat and sassy with wide bands of brown and narrower bands of orange in the middle, and the squirrels are out in force with cheek pouches full to overflowing with seeds and acorns. Does that mean our hot, wet summer will be followed by an early, cold, snowy winter?

Some changes have nothing to do with the changing seasons of the year, and more to do with the changing seasons of life. My son and daughter-in-law informed us a few weeks ago that they are moving to Mexico in a couple of months. As a parent, I am sad to see them move so far away; but, also as a parent, I am thrilled that they are actively following their dreams. Davy has always wanted to live in a warmer climate, somewhere with palm trees, and had been trying to learn Spanish on his own for some time. Since the best way to learn a language is by total immersion, their move to Mexico will certainly afford him that opportunity--along with those palm trees! One of the benefits of having a web-based business is that it can be run from anywhere in the world. Whether or not the move will become permanent remains to be seen; but, in the meantime, there will be some exciting changes in store for them.

On the same day, our daughter Sarah informed us that we are going to be first-time grandparents next spring. David and I are beyond thrilled, and I'm sure my friends will get sick of hearing me talk about it long before my grandchild puts in his or her appearance on planet Earth. I have been looking online at knitting patterns for baby blankets and sweater sets (if you have a favorite pattern, please feel free to share it), started a journal called "Letters from Gramma D," and have been daydreaming of all the things I want to share with this special little one in the future--baking cookies, making crafts, coloring pictures, reading stories, playing "Let's pretend." And then there are all the childhood movies to relive, and seeing the world through a child's eyes again. This is a change I'm very much looking forward to and hope will be repeated.

Some changes are welcome--cooler weather, the approach of the holidays, a new grandchild, new adventures; some are not so welcome--declining health, the illness and death of loved ones, the disappearance of a beloved pet (our daughter Jen's, missing since September 1), having to get by without a car (hopefully not for long), and concerns about our country's economic health and the health of the planet.

How do you meet the challenges that changes bring? What changes are taking place in your life now? Please take a few minutes to share your comments below.

Just Do It!

Not long ago I read an article titled "Secrets of the Organized" by Jill Cooper. (If you want to read it (it's excellent, by the way), you can find it at http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm under the heading "Today's Frugal Living Tools.") Tip number five jumped out at me and triggered memories of doing chores on the weekends or during summer vacations when I lived at home growing up.

On any such typical morning, while I was enjoying the tart-sweet tang of a ruby red grapefruit, or the smoky flavor of sizzling bacon with a dropped egg on toast, my mother would sit across the table and begin orally reciting all the chores I was to do that day: make your bed, then dust your room, don't forget to clean the mirrors, empty your wastebasket, vacuum the floor, and then mop it. Be sure to let the floor dry before putting your throw rugs back down. Oh, and change your bed before you begin cleaning, and bring me your laundry so I can get that started. When you finish your room, you can start on the bathroom, then help me bring in the laundry off the clothesline, help fold it, and put it away. No matter how many times I had successfully performed these tasks in the past, she felt it necessary to give me detailed instructions on how to accomplish them.

Sometimes, there were other chores: washing the windows, taking down the drapes so they could be cleaned, brushing down the ceilings and walls, and other monthly or seasonal chores. Since I liked to iron and she didn't, that often fell to me, too. And, of course, sometimes I helped with the baking, which I also enjoyed.

It always seemed to me that by the time breakfast was over, I was exhausted. It took me several years to realize why. With my mother's rehearsal of tasks, it felt like doing the work twice. And sometimes, she'd go over the list a second or third time to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, and that I knew exactly what was expected. I realize, now, that this was her way of organizing her day; but it often left me feeling totally depleted of energy.

Talking about your work before doing it isn't the same as making out a "To Do List." The list is a guide you write once, then check off as you go. It's a great way to have a visual aid to what you've accomplished, and gives you a feeling of achievement. Nor am I talking about procrastination, which is a delaying tactic for putting off your tasks as long as possible. What I'm talking about is over-thinking what has to be done and mentally wearing yourself out before you even get started.

Since my strength and energy are limited now, I can't afford to waste either on just talking about what needs to be done. Sometimes I make a list; other times I don't. But when the energy is flowing, I've found the best way to get something done is to just DO it! Dive in, make a start, and keep going until it's finished.

Do you have a hard time getting things done because you think or talk about them too much first? What helps you get your tasks accomplished? Do you make a list? Do you have a household "chore chart"? Do you set a timer or put on some music? Or do you just dig in after you have that morning cup of coffee? What works for you? Please share your comments and thoughts below.