It's amazing to me that I am still blogging about "waiting". Maybe that's what cancer world is all about: waiting for blood tests, physicians to call, the next treatment decision, recurrences.
This past week was about indecisiveness. We are presently caught between two physicians who see Joanne's situation very differently and are having difficulty talking to each other.
Joanne has still not had her final chemo treatment. Her oncologist, Dr. Rubin, is not willing to authorize it until her infection is over and she has surgery for the fistula. Jeffrey is saying to us that it is OK to have chemo and that he is unwilling to do surgery in her compromised state.
Since she has not had further chemo, her strength is coming back and she is feeling better every day. Meanwhile, we wait for the doctors to talk to each other and agree. We want to finish chemo - the sooner, the better, as my surgery date approaches. Joanne is eager to start detoxing and getting her health back.
We are dealing with a new challenge in our home on the Bay. We have two new four-legged creatures in our home - a rat and a baby rat (hopefully only one). They are quite brazen, scampering around the kitchen on the counters while I cook ( I cannot catch it!). OK, new news. One of our cats got the baby. One down. We'd like to trap it live and drive far up north and release it. I know that it's difficult to imagine a house with five cats and a live rat. But it's been co-habiting with us for almost a week now. We want it evicted. Any suggestions???
I am leaving you with a link if you want a good belly laugh. I don't know how to directly put the video on this blog, so click on the link if you want a delightful treat. Enjoy.
http://birdloversonly.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-i-have-this-dance.html
Janet & Joanne
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4 comments:
Ladies,
There is a rat catcher that is a sticky strip. I believe you can catch and release with it. My uncle put one in his cabin and came back to find a whole family of babies (mice) stuck to it. Unfortunately it was several weeks later.
Thirza
Well, Janet, what I understand is that it's very difficult to catch and release mice and rats (we, too, have our share over here, 'cept they are outside in the barn due to the new construction and wire meant to detour their crafty teeth).
A few years ago, at our old pad, I consciously rescued, at all hours of the night, the little sweet critters who worked their way into my live traps . . . And, in the dead of winter, mind you . . . I would take them outside as far away from our house as possible, and in very strange positions as the mice were very adept at finding their way out of the trap on our journey outside across the hilly and sometimes frosty slopes. I did this over and over and over.
Hmm.
Somehow, more always appeared.
Fast forward people who know about this kind of stuff come to aid. Hmm. Mice and Rats have an oil-based scent that may be sniffed for up to a couple of blocks away. The good news is that if you take this Mama Rat up North far enough, she may not be able to find her way back to YOU. The bad news is that another RAT will find you, regardless. It takes years for this scent trail to be destroyed, and, according to this expert, man has not come up with a way to help quicken that time period, or, alleviate the problem.
So, I learned that the mice I kept catching were likely the same ones I kept releasing, and releasing and releasing.
We resorted to inhumane traps indoors and poison was placed out of doors, by request of the land owner. The poison is food they retrieve in a box and it's got a metal in it that causes them to become thirsty (maybe it's copper). They seek water, and thus leave your pad (that's the thought anyhow) to find water. They die.
As for the tape . . . I've only heard horror stories about all sorts of critters being caught on it and having a very, very long and painful death.
Some say catch live and drown. Another not friendly way to die.
The other idea is getting cats to do the job. Hmm. 5 cats and they only want the baby . . .
Cats have been over-ruled at our new pad in favor of the poison as cats tend to get lazy and the problem critter just needs to get gone . . . our new land owner has battled the war before and doesn't want to again. One of my friends said, "Well, what about 50 cats? That many shouldn't get lazy?"
So, unfortunately, I don't have a good solution other than this:
Kindly demand this and these critters leave your home or else they suffer the consequence in whatever manner you choose as their result. Freedom or, Or, or . . . There is chance they just might listen . . .
The other thought is to consider what their message is--- I recall mouse is one that reminds us to "take care of the details in life" and I don't know what Rat's message is.
Wishing you success, with rats and with this waiting game. We're still over here visualizing vitality and a full return to health for Joanne (great to hear those CA markers are normal), with agreement between Docs and completion to this process.
What's this surgery you're having? For your foot again?
In advance, I will also trust a successful surgery, and a speedy return to your activities for you.
Enjoy.
Tess
I don't know about rats, baby ones or otherwise. But I do know I love you both, and think of you often--only I've been out of touch as we were having trouble with our internet the last 10 days. Appreciated hearing your rant, and your other news. Our thoughts are with you, much love, Ruth and Bob
Hi Gals,
Hope you now have some resolution from the doc's...how frustrating!
Well, we don't have much to offer on the rat problem. Over the years we've had similar experiences in different homes and states, and there was always a cat or two involved! My only positive results were not pleasant, so I wish you well on this one.
Still moving forward one step at a time down here in Houstan land, which drives Sheila a bit crazy. Now comes all the hard work to get ready to sell our house and move!! We just keep thinking about being home again.
More to come. Love and many hugs,
C&S
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