Recently...More fun!

OK - where did I leave off? My dog, Baxter, got sick again from the flea and tick meds - catatonic and wobbly for an entire week. Had to go back to the vet. Vital signs were good. He's finally recovered.

One morning I went outside with him barefoot. He got away from me and while chasing after him, I slid down a small hill and (I thought) pulled a muscle in my foot. It only got worse, 2 weeks later, so I finally went to a Doc-in-the-Box. I have a fractured bone in my left foot. I'm now wearing an orthapedic boot for 6 weeks. I will also have an MRI to find out if I tore any ligaments that will require surgery to repair.  This has been approved by insurance but I have a $180 co-pay. Better than $2,000, I suppose.

And, Baxter is going to leave me and move in with my friend's son, while my friend helps me figure out my life, finances and the Human Services department in this state. I have about 8 more days left with my dog. But he will come by for visits, almost weekly. I realize this is necessary, as I can't even take him for a decent walk and a wonderful young woman has been helping me with that for now. I can't thank her enough for all of her kindness. And it breaks my heart to have my dog go to another - possibly permanent - home. But, I am in no condition to take care of him right now. He deserves better than this. If I think about it for too long, I'll start crying again.

A few days ago, my sister invited me with her to visit a high school friend I hadn't seen in 38 years. I had such a crush on him when we were young, but of course, he never saw me that way. He always liked the small, hyper-active types. But we laughed and told stories about our recent lives, and he shared with me his dissatisfaction and compassion-fatigue from being a psychiatrist for 25 years. Such a gentle soul. I think he's happier having left that profession. Married with 2 grown sons, he lives a stable life in the hills of Central, PA.

I can't even fathom such stability. The rug has been yanked out so many times, I've lost count. I don't feel hopeless, today, and that is a step in the right direction. Has taken me weeks to get here. As the Brits say, "to brighter days".