Sad...but happy?

The Avett Brothers are finally getting the attention they deserve. They were recently signed with a major label and the latest album (I and Love and You) was produced by the mega-giant in the industry, Rick Rubin. The album is genius, beyond anything. On the other hand, I'm sad at how polished it is. Something I've always loved about the Avetts is the rawness of their sound - the absolute rough around the edges, hoedown quality. Still, they deserve this success, and the album is awesome.

"There's a darkness upon me that's flooded in light, and I'm frightened by those who don't see it. There was a dream, and one day I could see it - like a bird in a cage. I broke in and demanded that somebody free it. And there was a kid, with a head full of doubt...so I'll scream till I die and the last of those bad thoughts are finally out."

Listen here, you won't regret the time spent: NPR First Listen

Going to see them at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It's going to rock my world!

MY KITTY IS HOME! She is dirty and thin and hungry and has fleas, but it's her!

Shutter Island

I like Leonardo DiCaprio. I really like Martin Scorcese. I also love good film. I was intrigued when I saw the previews for Shutter Island a couple of months ago. It wasn't until recently that I realized it was written by Dennis Lehane. I've only read one of his books - Mystic River. It was exceptionally good pop crime fiction, and I thoroughly enjoyed it (as well as the movie). So when I saw the book for Shutter Island, I decided to give it a shot.

Save your time. The plot is contrived and obvious from pretty much 30 pages in...maybe sooner if you're faster than I am. Truthfully, I had a decent handle on what was going on relatively soon...but it was so obvious that I thought to myself...SURELY that's too simple of an explanation.

It wasn't.

I'm still excited for the movie.

In other news, our beloved kitty has not returned. We have posted fliers, been on every internet site possible, including Craigslist, emailed everyone in our neighborhood, made the rounds, and called the shelters. She is really and truly gone. I've never lost a cat before, and I can't really mourn her, because I can't believe that she is dead. It's a sad state of limbo. I'm trying to focus on the hope that she found a family to love her.

Work is going well, although my sleeping schedule is abysmal. I guess that's pretty obvious, since it's 5:30am, and I have yet to go to bed tonight (my night off). Next week is my 9 day stretch without work. In that time, my parents are coming to visit (VERY excited about that), and then the husband and I are going back to the old stomping grounds to see his brother and wife, as well as watch some good 'ole college football. I'm looking forward to that time off immensely.

Last week, I rode a $50,000 dressage horse for 3 hours. My thighs still haven't recovered. More on that later.

The kitten I'm bottle-feeding is a thriving, fat as a tick, squealing monster.

That's the quick summary of my days.

Dear kitten

Dear 1 week old, blind, deaf, helpless kitten,

I find it hard to believe that you magically showed up in someone's backyard, as you seem incapable of supporting your own weight. But fine, we'll accept the impossible. We need to get a few things straight.

Yes, I am a sucker for a homeless, motherless kitten. Yes, I will bottle feed you and stimulate you to use the bathroom. BUT... and this is a BIG but...I will not pick you up every time you cry for attention. You have a perfectly nice warm box, complete with towels and a heating pad all your own. There is no reason for you to cry between feedings. Sure, I understand that you have no warm momma cat to curl up against and no littermate siblings with which to sleep...but that DOESN'T mean that you can be in my lap all the time, no matter how much you nurse on my palm and curl your warm little paws against my hand. And further, there will be no-----....

Oh fine. I give up. You can sleep in my lap.

Signed,

Dr-I-guess-I'm-unleashing-another-bottlefed-monster-on-the-world-but-really-I'm-not-since-I'll-wind-up-keeping-you-undoubtedly.

Not so amusing

I'm so depressed right now that I want to curl up into the fetal position and sleep for about 2 months. You know what makes depression better? Working in the ER on Labor Day. I can't think of anything more fun.

This weekend was supposed to be great. My best friend and her husband (coincidentally, my brother-in-law) are here for the weekend. We had planned a big trip to our local amusement park that is very similar to 6 Flags. It was part of a 30th birthday extravaganza celebration (mine in June, hers in July).

The weekend was kicked off by the realization that one of our cats - the youngest, never been outdoors, completely timid/scaredy cat, that I've had since she weighed a mere 6 oz snuck out of the house. She has been gone for 4 days. I've posted on craigslist, put fliers on every box in our neighborhood, called work several times to ensure that no one showed up with her injured, and posted fliers at our local vet clinics, and yet NO ONE has seen her. We live within about 40 yards of a busy road, which my husband and I canvass daily. I'm devastated and keep lying in bed at night thinking of terrible scenarios.

To top it off, I foolishly exposed myself quite liberally to a nasty infectious disease at work last weekend - leptospirosis. So, I'm taking antibiotics, which I think are making me sick. This isn't a precaution. I was literally covered in this dog's urine, and urine is the main method of transmission.

To top off the intermittent diarrhea and nausea, as well as the general poor-doing, today was the big amusement park day. I haven't been to an amusement park since I was 13, and our class took a trip to Opryland. At the time, I loved roller coasters. I woke up feeling very poorly this morning, but I didn't want to bail on the 30th birthday trip. Off we went. I made it onto 3 roller coasters before being overwhelmed by the MOST intense nausea, light-headednes, and vertigo that I have EVER experienced in my life. I could barely make it to the bench to lie down. Granted, it was hot today, we stood in lines (but not THAT long), and the final roller coaster had 4 or more upside down loops and went around 60 miles an hour...but still...I have been incapacitated ever since. My husband brought me home so our friends wouldn't miss out on the experience.

I think I'm going to lie in bed and cry.

Dear client redux

Dear Mr Farrier,

Thank you so much for not complaining about the $1500 you footed for your dog's care for ONE night. I am so sorry that he developed DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation - see sidebar) and anaphylactoid shock as a result of a rattlesnake bite.

Thank you for not complaining about the money even after we had to euthanize your dog. I especially appreciate how - even though you had to wait to check out - you never once griped. Oh, and that while you quietly waited, you offered to carry a woman's cat carrier to her car for her, since it was so heavy.

I'll admit, it did make my job a little harder to do when you mentioned while we euthanized your dog that he was your 15 year old daughter's best friend and she doesn't make friends easily. It's hard to see what you're doing with a needle when you're crying yourself. I'm sorry to hear that she couldn't be there herself because she was too sad. I hope for her sake that you find her another companion very soon. Try not to worry too much about the fact that she's a loudmouth and alienates people frequently - I was (am), too - and I turned out okay.

Signed,

Dr You are one of the nicest people I have met in a very long time.