Elsie and IMPA

https://www.gofundme.com/manage/vet-expenses-for-elsie/contacts

Meet Elsie, my 4 1/2-year-old Giant Schnauzer.  About 4 weeks ago, she was diagnosed with IMPA, immune-mediated polyarthritis.  This is an autoimmune disease.  It will not go away but can be managed with medications and frequent vet visits to a veterinary specialty clinic where they have neurologists, orthopedic specialists, and what have you for animals. I was referred to this clinic by my local vet.  

Elsie and I have been seeking a name to what she has since mid-August.  We have now known for two weeks what it is she has that causes her so much trouble.  At this point, all the vet bills are quickly approaching $2500 plus medications.  She is the best dog I've ever had.  She is smart and loving.  Everyone that meets her comments on how calm she is and how she leans on my every word.  I do not want to do the unthinkable to Elsie, but I also can't continue to pay out the vet bills I'm paying.  I'm semi-retired and soon to be 66 years old.  

Won't you please help me keep Elsie alive and on her medications?  We are currently making the hour and 15 minute trip to VCA Veterinary Care in Fishers, Indiana every two weeks.  Elsie's meds were just changed again and we will need to go again for the blood tests in two weeks again.  We are trying to find a medication that Elsie can take long term without damaging her in some other way.  Even the smallest amount helps.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for anything you can spare.

kate

1 year anniversary

It is fast approaching (2 days) my one year anniversary with no farm animals.  I can't say that I've been tearless.  To add to that, back in March, my beloved dog, Buster left this world.  He was 18 years old and a very good protector.  He passes through my mind daily as I think of his devotion and love for me.  He always met me at the gate and would lick my hand to let me know he was glad I was home.  I've never had any other dog be so sweet and gentle.  He would carefully remove treats from my hand so as not to nip me.  

I have only two classes remaining to receive an Associate's Degree in Applied Science (think Accounting).  One of those classes is a Calculus class that I am terrified of taking.  If my memory was as good as it once was, I would be fine, but my memory isn't that good.  Long term, I can remember everything.  Short term, well, let's just say that short-term is really really short.  I'm working on it and hope that I can once again whip my classes in short order.  After all, it is only 16 weeks.  Right?

Eight weeks remaining to school.  I am exhausted from math.  I can't remember from one problem to the next how it is I am to do it.  

April Fool's!

Yesterday was my church's, General Conference.  It is a time when we get knowledge about the church worldwide and we learn more about the Gospel. The time was filled with parables and the love of Jesus Christ could be felt throughout the chapel.  At the very end, it was announced we will be building 7 more temples, one of them at a yet unnamed location in Russia, others in places such as India, Nicaragua, and Argentina.

Later in the evening, I went to the Henrichsen's for banana splits and evening prayer.  I am always amused and amazed by all the children.  Sometimes they say things that I'm always pretty sure I wasn't supposed to know or hear, but they are children and all so innocent.

As I turned the key in the ignition to come home from their house, I took note that the temperature there was 43 and it was raining.  By the time I was halfway home, the temperature had dropped 5 degrees.  Within a mile of the house, I began seeing snowflakes.  Before I turned the ignition off, I took note that my car said it was 35 and it was snowing and sleeting fiercely.

Now, I don't know about you, but this is not a very nice April Fool's joke pulled by Mother Nature.  I had slightly more than an inch of snow but the sleet made it cover stuff completely.  Tomorrow it is to be 70 degrees here with strong storms passing through the night tonight to welcome in the warm weather.  Welcome to Indiana!