Thankful Thursday | a $500 vet bill
Hey, everyone!
Time for our weekly thankfulness exercise. And mine's going to start out with hunting for the bright sides of a $500 vet bill. Ready?
This week, I am thankful:
that we were able to get our cat seen on Christmas Eve
The night of December 23rd, we noticed that our cat was not wanting to put any weight on one of her hind legs. In the absence of any visual trauma (nothing stuck in her foot, no claw issues), we knew we had to take her to get seen by a vet.
Not to be Captain Obvious, but December 24th is a tricky time to get seen. Our regular vet was closed, so I called the pet ER, and at 7:30 in the morning, they had a 3-5 hour wait. Another pet ER was already so full, they weren't taking any more patients at all.
And a third pet ER was closed over Christmas weekend (which seems odd for an ER, but ok.)
Anyway, I started calling all the other regular vets in the area, and miraculously, one had an opening, AND it was in an office right across the street from our usual office. Yay!!!
I was so thankful to not have to wait for hours in a pet ER.
that nothing is broken
We had to have x-rays done to make sure there wasn't a break in her leg, and happily, all is well with her bones. Whew. It looks like just a soft tissue injury, with accompanying swelling.
(She had gotten super spooked the night before, and we think she must have pulled something in her haste to go hide under the bed.)
that we had money to pay for the x-rays
It's a good thing we did not have a cat in our more penniless days because back then, $500 for an x-ray would have nearly killed us. But in our current stage of life, we can spare the $500.
that our cat is slowly improving
It can take up to a month for a sprain like this to heal, but she is already putting a little more weight on it. So, we're moving in the right direction.
Since we now know nothing is broken, and that this is a slow-healing injury, we don't have to be stressed about her current limping state.
that this is our first big-ish vet bill
We've had our cat for four years now, and this is the first time we've had to pay for anything other than routine services, such as rabies shots.
For an 11-year-old cat, that seems like a pretty good run of perfect health!
that our cat has brought so much joy to our kids
The amount of delight she has given them is worth far more than $500, I'd say.
that none of our Christmas plans got canceled
I went into Christmas week trying hard to hold our plans loosely because a positive Covid test could pop up at any time and derail things.
But mercifully, all was well! Lisey got to come home, we all got to go to the Christmas Eve service, and my parents and my aunt and uncle (the ones Lisey is staying with) were able to come over for Christmas dinner.
WHEW. What a mercy!
that Zoe was able to get her braces off
Poor Z has had her entire orthodontic process during the pandemic, and there have been various delays associated with that.
So I was very thankful that this long-awaited day did not get postponed!
that we had the money to pay for braces
In the last few years, we've done Invisalign for Mr. FG and Lisey and regular braces for Zoe. Braces are expensive (!!!), and I'm thankful we've been able to swing it for these three family members.
that we were all able to get booster shots
Well, all except for Zoe, because you have to be at least 16 to get one. But hey, her birthday is happening in about six weeks. 🙂
Ah poor Kitty! Glad she is on the mend. I am happy for your cat that she has such a good home and is looked after so well.
I am thankful that despite the rising covid numbers we have still had few people falling ill in our circle. One of our grown children has not trusted the vaccine enough to get a shot. I am thankful that our different viewpoints have not estranged us. And I am also very thankful that he leads a very careful and self restricted social life with a small number of equally careful close friends. They self test regularly and meet mostly out of doors. Our son still lives at home and earlier on emotions would get high on occasion.
Writing this in the waiting room for my booster shot!
Thankfull for:
* Being able to choose to be frugal, as opposed to ''having'' to be frugal by necessity. In the same vein, I'm thankfull for both my and hubby's jobs (salaries)
* Having had the chance to cuddle my 4 weeks old niece (with mask on, after rapid covid testing) during the holidays
* That all my close and extended family, and friends, are on board with Covid vaccination, so this is not creating frictions.
* To have the means to go back to school (Uni) in january after a 15 years hiatus
* For both my daughters and for my husband. They are my life and I'm so lucky that they choose me day after day as their mom and partner
@Isa,
"That all my close and extended family, and friends, are on board with Covid vaccination, so this is not creating frictions."
I am glad with this too (outside of one member of my family whom I'm not close with anyway.) I did have some hesitation in my family but instead of outright fighting at least their response was "Well, I want to wait and see what my doctor says."
@Battra92,
Yes!
I have friends who have lost friends because of this touchy subject, and family members who are struggling because of their own extended family members decision about the vaccine. That must be hard to deal with.
@Isa,
I'm glad that your family and friends are on board with the Covid vaccine. That has not been the case in our families and I spent half of Christmas trying unsuccessfully to avoid strife and arguments over vaccines and other various controversies.
I am tempted to horrify people by telling them that not only am I vaccinated, I was in a vaccine trial and the vaccine I took has not yet been FDA approved. (FDA approval is likely coming and it has been approved in Europe so I'm not concerned.) It was probably wiser to move the conversations along to any non-contentious topic.
@Rebekah in SoCal, thank you for being in a vaccine trial. Your selflessness is so appreciated!
Such good news about your cat, and the way such big expenses do not feel that big anymore! I had to replace my washing machine in March, which cost me around $1,000, but this barely made a dent in my budget. 5 years ago, this would have meant eating pasta and rice for weeks!
I'm thankful for my family, having been able to spend Christmas with them. But also thankful for not being a NYE party fan: given the covid situation here it feels best to stay home, and I'm not devastated at all at the idea of watching a movie at home!
I've also started some freelancing jobs that are going well, so I'm thankful for the time I'm spending working my brain, speaking with my client, and I know future me will be thankful for the money when it arrives 🙂 it feels like a fresh start even though I'm freelancing for my former manager/company, while still working on my Skills Assessment on the side.
Also very thankful for a rainless, 2hr stroll along the river with my cousin!
I just wanted to say that being thankful “that we had money to pay for the x-rays” is such a great antidote to unhappiness over unexpected bills. I tend to mope, stress, and complain when I have an unexpected expense. I’m going to try harder to adopt this philosophy - we are very fortunate that we can afford to handle unexpected bills or emergencies that come our way, and it’s important to remember to be grateful for that!
*I am thankful that we are all over the sickness that passed around about half of us the week before Christmas.
* I am thankful the extremely itchy rash I got around/on my ears is gone. We are thinking this was a contact allergy from straps of a disposable mask, so I won't be using those anymore.
*I am thankful I have a doctor's appointment to discuss the secondary itchiness that sprang up (I'm thinking, as a reaction against the first? or the sickness?).
*I'm thankful for yesterday afternoon when my children drew a four square court in our driveway. I had so much fun playing with them.
*I am thankful that I have the meals planned this week.
@Jody S., I used to love to play four square. I haven’t thought about that game for years. That is a happy memory.
Our family has been taking it in turns to be sick over our entire Christmas break from school, but there are still some things to be thankful for!
Our only outside-the-home jobs are associated with the school, so all of us have been able to be home for the past two weeks without worrying about missing anything.
We didn't have a lot of plans, so other than church services and a playdate to see our friends' new house, we didn't have to miss a lot.
My kids are very healthy to start with, and are capable of getting sick and getting over it without medical intervention.
An acquaintance had seven (!) extra roosters she didn't want to deal with and dropped them off here on Monday. I made stock with two of them, which is very nourishing and soothing to throats raw from coughing. Any homemade chicken stock is good. Home-raised chicken stock is better. And home-raised rooster stock is the best. I don't know what it is about those roosters, but they absolutely make the best stock.
I turned 42 on Monday, and am just thankful to be where I am at this stage of my life.
And last, I was so thankful for all the lovely birthday well-wishes in the comments of my blog that I did a whole post to thank all my readers today. As you know, all readers are appreciated, but those that take the time to leave comments are the most appreciated. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, Happy Birthday! I hope everyone is well soon.
@kristin @ going country, I love your blog. Found out about it here. Have not figured out how to post a comment there yet. Love your photos and your attitude.
Happy Birthday.
@Bee, Thanks! Me too.
@Anita Isaac, Thanks so much. My sister also told me she can't comment, although I have no idea why. Something about her phone, I think. But I appreciate you reading, anyway.
@kristin @ going country, Happy (belated) Birthday!
I'm thankful for rapid tests (even if they're saying they may not be as accurate for Omicron). We were able to use them before a Christmas day get together.
I'm thankful I was able to do a grocery pick up this morning and give a generous tip. We mostly needed produce but it feels good to have more food in the house.
I'm thankful my charity crafting group will meet via Zoom today. My friend of mine that is in Canada will be able to join us.
I'm thankful for the availability of good masks. When we have to go out we wear them. I am scheduled to walk with a couple friends this afternoon and we will be masked despite being boosted and careful.
I am thankful for the internet and smart phones. It's hard to remember life before them. We started watching Veronica Mars (which premiered in 2004) and it's funny to see flip phones and their limited capabilities.
I'm thankful we're planning a lake vacation for this summer. There are a lot of rental house options available and we have the funds to rent something decent.
I'm thankful we have the funds to give generously to charity.
I'm thankful for good health, family, and friends.
@K D, I thought the same about the phones when I started watching NCIS (premiered 2003)! It was funny to remember what was high-tech then.
@Dianne in CO, I am streaming The West Wing and I can only imagine how the technology has changed things there.
I’m glad your kitty is improving. Animals can be expensive!
1) I am thankful that my children were able to visit over the Christmas holidays. There weren’t any cancelled flights or travel delays.
2) I am also grateful for my newly quiet home. I love it when the kids are all home, but I am happy when things are once again back to normal. I forget how much work is involved with everyone home. 5 greats under the age of 6, 4 dogs, 3 adult children and their significant others, 2 nieces and nephews, and 1 kitty cat seem to create total chaos.
3) I am thankful for the beautiful weather that we experienced over the holidays. Some of the chaos extended outdoors.
4) I’m grateful for my fabulous state-of-the-art dishwasher and my helpful husband. (See #2) This crew created tons of dirty dishes.
5) I am thankful that I don’t have anything on the agenda today and I can try to put things back in order again.
Happy New Year to all of you. I hope 2022 will be a year of peace and happiness.
@Bee, the only time I even remember to use my dishwasher is when we've had people over and there are tons of dishes. I'm definitely thankful for it then even if I don't use it most of the time.
@Bee, late this afternoon I saw water across the floor. Long story short it was from the dishwasher. Our garbage disposal broke a month ago and now we think it is affecting the dishwasher.
I know I have to call a plumber but was waiting to get through the holidays. Anyway I was thinking if an appliance had to break I was glad it is the garbage disposal, dishwasher or the dryer. I feel you can get along for awhile without them. Now the refrigerator is another story.
Much love to the poor cat.
I am thankful that, even when times are tough the universe can surprise me. I was expecting to spend Christmas Day just with my dog, instead we found a badly injured hunting dog and were able to get him some care.
Related: I am grateful my vet agreed to open the clinic on Christmas Day afternoon AND that the on duty vet is the orthopaedics specialist because this guy has been walking around on a broken leg for a month. Also related: much gratitude that the budget/savings can cover the cost of his future surgery.
@Mands, Thank you for showing such kindness to the injured dog. My rescue pup — a bird dog— was found in the woods by a Good Samaritan like you. She and a companion had been left behind when the companion was injured. She is a wonderful dog and has enriched my life,
oh thank you so much for helping that poor dog! My coonhound Betsy was found starving (looking like a skeleton) with gunshot wounds in Arkansas. A rescue found her, helped her, I fell in love with her beautiful face and sweet, darling personality, and now she lives in the Hamptons eating schmancy dog food and sleeps on my bed.
@Bee, I’m so glad you found your rescue pup. My girl is from a shelter (abandoned there at 3 weeks old) and I am nervous how she will behave while we foster the interloper between now and his surgery. But we will make it work somehow. Best wishes to you and yours x
@Rose, I love the idea of your girl eating fancy food, sleeping on your bed and living the high life! I’m so glad you found each other.
@Rose, We, too, have a rescue who came to us starved and so abused that a raised voice on the TV freaked him out and we learned not to move hands suddenly when around him because he would cower and sometimes wet himself. He has been with us a few years now and is the most loving creature you could want. Sometimes he still flinches if you surprise him with a sudden arm movement and in those times I fantasize about meeting the previous owner and clubbing him a few times.
The cat is so cute.
1. I’m thankful that we all were able to gather for Christmas, right down to the out-of-towner grandchild.
2. I’m thankful my office is closed this week and that I have PTO accumulated to cover the non-holiday portion of this week.
3. I’m thankful this has given me time to accomplish a few time consuming tasks that I needed done but had not had time for.
4. I’m thankful that a stretch of dry weather has sweetened the loquats on the tree. They are smaller but so delicious.
5. I’m thankful for family who supports and prays for me when the waters get rough.
Glad your kitty is ok! I also have an expensive vet bill to be thankful for this week. Our dog was vomiting a lot and not eating anything. We had similar difficulties finding a vet. My husband called 18 different vets offices and could find no one with availability, even many emergency vets were too full. Finally he found an emergency vet and was able to drop him off there so didn’t need to wait hours. He had an intestinal blockage that fortunately passed on its own so didn’t require surgery but he had to stay in the hospital overnight and our bill was $3,000! We do have a savings account for him which covered it and until recently, he really hasn’t had any expensive health issues. Plus given his age, we are glad it was not something more serious.
I am also grateful that we were able to mostly maintain our Christmas plans and had a really lovely time with family. We got together with our parents and siblings, who we see somewhat regularly anyways but I also saw my aunt and cousin whom I hadn’t seen in 2 years. It was so emotional, in a happy way, seeing them after so long and they met my 1 year old for the first time. So far after all these visits everyone is healthy, I did decide to postpone visiting my grandparents though since we did see a lot of people over the Christmas holiday. My son and I are scheduled for Covid tests on Friday too, just to ensure he’s clear before returning to school.
Thankful that my work is allowing us to go back to 100% telecommute for the next couple weeks, to reduce any potential omicron spreading after all the holiday travel and visiting.
Kristen, we had a similar issue with one of our cats a couple of weeks ago. Suddenly she wouldn't put any weight on one paw the day after we heard a "cat scuffle" outside in the night. Unfortunately, she is still half feral and we can't pick her up or get her in a carrier. We tried to trick her but she outran us every time.
I asked the vet if we could just purchase some antibiotics to put in her food because we couldn't get her in, but the vet refused. Eventually we could see a large puncture mark in her paw so she had been bitten, but we couldn't think of anything else to do. Over the next week it slowly improved and she's fine now. But honestly, for a number of days we realized she would either die or get better. Fortunately, she chose the latter.
@Anne, You can buy "fish antibiotics" on sites like Chewy without a prescription. They're quite literally the same antibiotics for any animal or human. (Preppers buy them for human use.)
I used some on one of my feral kitties who had an infected eye earlier this year. My ferals won't allow me to touch them--they are too scared--otherwise I would have brought him to the vet--but I mushed up the antibiotics in canned cat food and made sure the sick kitty was the one eating it. He's fine now.
Yes, we were instructed to use those for hamsters a few years back!
@Rose, thanks, I never heard of this. How do you know how much to give?
@Anne, I just google it. Like, I bought 100 mg amoxicillin tabs, how much for a dose for a ten pound cat? (It's about 50 milligrams or half a tablet or capsule.) Then I just wing it. It's not like a little bit less or more is gonna hurt an animal.
I live in the boonies, so not sure, but you might be able to find this stuff in a large pet store like Petco in the aquarium section. It's worth it to keep on hand.
also, while I'm at it, a lot of people don't realize, but if you have a dog who has a pulled muscle or arthritis or a pain you're fairly sure isn't serious, aspirin, particularly Bufferin, is perfectly fine to give to a dog in pain. Google the dosages.
I'm a very very experienced pet owner so I don't necessarily run to the vet every time one of my pets has a bit of an issue, any more than I go to the doctor because I slept funny and my neck hurts, etc. Cats can't have aspirin, though. But Zymox for ear infections, aspirin for pain and antibiotics for minor infections can be very useful to have at home.
Fortunately, all my animals (except the cat this year, sigh) have lived to ripe old ages, so I have gained some confidence in knowing what can be treated easily at home versus what needs a vet. I also have pet insurance.
I'm thankful not only that I was able to see a doctor but that he wasn't super critical like most doctors in my experience are. I always feel like I'm being judged at the doctor's office. Even when I had lost 75 lbs my doctor was never happy with my weight (despite being a healthy BMI then.)
I'm thankful that I finally have an appointment with someone to deal with some mental health issues I've been dealing with. They weren't caused by Covid (they go way back but had receded to a point where I was managing them) but the last two years have been very difficult for me for a lot of reasons.
More medical stuff: I'm thankful that my daughter will be able to get some treatments for her allergies that the allergist said may result in her having more manageable allergies or may eliminated them altogether! Here's hoping she doesn't go down the route of pills, inhalers etc. that I deal with.
I'm thankful that my eyesight hasn't changed again. I do need to buy new glasses as mine are getting a bit worn out and scratched.
I'm also majorly thankful that after months and months of no stock I was finally able to get a home improvement project completed that we started in the spring. Now I just have to paint and I admit I'm dreading that so maybe we'll just hire a painter.
Oh, Battra, I am so glad to hear that you are going to get some support for both your physical and mental health. Yay!!
I feel for your daughter with her allergies; Sonia's have been quite an issue. Thankfully, we are in the last year of four years of allergy shots to help her with her tree/grass allergies. Then she has to decide if she wants to embark on another four years to deal with the cat/dog allergies.
@Battra92, mental health is just as important as physical health and I'm glad that you have an upcoming appointment. I'm also glad that Kristen and her commenters have created a safe environment here for sharing difficult issues.
@Battra92, I know what you mean @ doctors - why wouldn't they get that a little encouragement goes a long way... Anyway, congrats on all that progress in a year of so many things that made progress difficult! (unpainted walls in my own home, I'm looking at you)
@Battra92, I am impressed that you finished a home improvement project. Honestly, I feel like the isolation of the past two years has meant I have fewer obligations so less to do. And yet even though I have less to do, I want to do even less than that.
@Battra92, cheers to addressing your mental health! Our society and medical system make so it difficult to do so. Hoping your appointment and treatment go as planned.
I'm going to make this a one thankful thing since its such a big one. Dh and I are both fully vaccinated and were eligible for a booster mid-December. On 12/12, Dh started sounding nasally and had a slight cough. The next day, I followed suit. I truly thought it was a bad cold because we started sneezing, having post nasal drip - you know, cold or allergy stuff. On 12/20, I thought it must be COVID and scheduled a test for both of us on 12/23. That day I woke up and went, but dh was too weak to get dressed, so I figured if I tested positive, he had it as well.
The next morning, Christmas Eve, I got up and let dh sleep. He woke up 30 minutes later screaming "help me". He was drenched in sweat, white as the proverbial sheet and panting. I called 911 and thankfully they were there in just a few minutes. Dh was sitting in his chair in the living room and they walked in and hooked him up to a monitor and the head paramedic said " Whoa. Bud, this is going to hurt, but I have to do it" and proceeded to defibrillate dh while he was fully awake. Y'all, I hope to never hear that scream again.
He was admitted to the hospital for a few days, but that shock put his heart back in rhythm and he is now recuperating at home wearing a defibrillating vest until he can see his cardiologist after his body recovers from the pneumonia from COVID.
I am doing much better, just tired and weak, with maybe 10% of my taste and smell returning. I have lost 10# because you don't feel like eating when you can't taste it.
Please get your vaccines, boosters and wear a mask.
Oh man, I am so sorry to hear that you guys got sick. But I am also thankful along with you that your husband is now ok. WHEW.
@Jennifer Bouknight, that sounds terrifying. Glad your husband got the help he needed. I'm sure it has been even more stressful on you since you, too, aren't feeling top-notch. Hang in there and keep us posted!
@Jennifer Bouknight,
I guess I should have mentioned being thankful for health insurance because while his bill for everything will be probably be in the mid 5 figure range, our share should only be a few hundred. If it's more, I will be thankfu! for the inevitable payment plan.
I'm thankful that our two sons have picked up the slack and didn't bat an eyelash at no Christmas. Since I was sick for the two weeks up to Christmas, I had nothing ready and all they did was clean, do laundry and Google tips to make me feel better.
Ds#2 has discovered that DoorDash and Uber Eats can be a solid source of income and is something he loves with a passion. He has a very fuel efficient car and works out of a very affluent, restaurant heavy suburb of Charlotte. He can make $200 on an average day and the last week has been crazier than that.
Tothe poster above who is happy to have more time to raise her 15 yo while dealing with inoperable cancer, yoh are a rockstar to find thankfulness in that situation and you certainly gave me an unintended attitude adjustment that I needed. Thank you.
@Jennifer Bouknight, oh my goodness, such a very scary situation. I'm glad to hear that recovery is heading in the right direction.
@Jennifer Bouknight, wow, how frightening; I'm so glad to know that you and your husband are doing ok now!
* I am grateful to have both my girls home this holiday season when many families are apart because of covid.
* I am beyond grateful for my chemo having an excellent effect on my inoperable cancer giving methe time I need to raise my youngest (who just turned 15 yo!).
* I am also thankful for our two cats and relatively low vet bills if considered over their 9 years of life (they bring much joy and laughter to our house).
* I am grateful for my small rural community and the support we've received over this past 7 months
* Mostly I am thankful for a roof over our heads, food on the table and family who love and care about us.
I hope your kitty heals quickly, Kristen. And happy new year to everyone!
@Leann, reading your comment makes me realize that so often, my complaints are about really stupid things. I hope you continue to have good results from your chemo.
@Leann, I hope you have many many many more years.
@Leann, wishing you love, peace and strength during your difficult journey.
@Leann, continuing to send extra positive thoughts your way.
@Leann, joining in all the prayers and good wishes for your health
@Leann, Your positive, thankful attitude in the midst of your health struggles leaves me speechless. I hope for many more years of life extending chemo for you.
@Leann, I think your positive attitude is going to help you along in your cancer journey. And I am going to send my positive thoughts and best wishes along to bolster you even more.
I can't believe you've had your kitty for four years now! Wow. Glad she is OK.
Today I am thankful for a nice Christmas here, that my children made it through Covid cases just fine--my daughter still has a cough, but otherwise OK--and for my replacement dishwasher. This will be the third dishwasher in 18 months and frankly I'm just a wee bit tired of not having a usable dishwasher. This one was free as the other one broke almost immediately, sigh.
This year has been nuts for me. But I'm ending it with a positive bank balance (let's pretend the new oil tank bill doesn't exist), gainful employment, actually even more gainful employment (I have 3 part time writing gigs), healthy ish kids (heh), and healthy dogs. I did give my daughter a needle-felted portrait of her cat who died in July for Christmas and she looked at it and put it away immediately. I think it may still be too painful.
Onward and upward and let's continue to give thanks. Thanks for Kristen and the community here.
As a veterinarian, thank you so much for seeing the value in what you paid, rather than bashing the vet for the prices. (We hear a lot of the latter all the time, and even worse around the holidays.) And glad to hear that kitty is improving!
There is a huge shortage of veterinarians and technicians available to work right now - many are leaving the field due to hours/wages/abuse by clients, and many have restricted their availability due to mental health/childcare/covid. So unfortunately a lot of ERs have had to close some days or cut their hours permanently due to inability to staff at a level that can properly care for the critical patients coming in. The ERs have also been hit harder because there is such demand for services, and things that could normally be accommodated by the regular clinics are going to ER due to lack of appointments. (Which also leads to abuse from clients - "I've been a client for x years and you tell me I have to wait a week to be seen?!?!?") So thank you for being understanding.
I saw a sign at the vet's office asking people to please be kind to the few employees who are working right now!
I just felt so extremely grateful to be at a regular office with an appointment, I could not imagine saying anything but, "Thank you, thank you!" to them for seeing our cat on Christmas Eve day.
@KC,
This is what is posted outside my vet. Last year I witnessed a pet owner screaming at the assistant over wearing a mask. I appreciate all that vets do. Thank you.
“Please Be Kind or Physical Abuse of Staff Will Not Be Tolerated
Our team works extremely hard to provide your pet with excellent care.
We ask that our clients do their part to create a healing environment.
Primary Care Animal Hospital has a zero-tolerance policy for verbally or physically abusing staff. Violators will
be asked to leave and will be banned from receiving future treatment at Primary Care
Animal Hospital.”
@KC, I do understand but I'm still stung at the attitude from my vet this summer. Two women (me and daughter) arrived crying with a dying cat--one who the vet assured us was fine six weeks before--and the vet tech asked if we had an appointment. No. The cat wasn't dying the day before so we somehow neglected to make one.
My daughter just ran into the car and hid and I said, "Seriously? A patient of yours is clearly dying and you can't manage five minutes to end her life? Tell me where to go then? The emergency vet? Should I just drown her myself? What?"
I do understand it's an awful, stressful job--this is the third pet in 18 months of ours who passed away--and when the vet put my beagle asleep I apologized at how awful his job must be--but a little compassion for pet owners too.
Sorry for blurting that out.
@KC, I think veterinarians are special people. I love my vet and his office staff. I have found the last two years have been especially difficult for all of us as we are negotiate this new, alternative reality that have affected all our lives. However, I think that many have learned to work through it all.my vet has too.
I have brought my animals to the same office for more than 25 years. I’ve had 7 animals during this time. When I had a dog die in April of 2020, we were all in the early days of isolation for Covid. My vet called me every 3 or 4 days for the first two weeks after the dog’s passing to make sure that I was holding up well. He was concerned that this loss would be especially difficult when coupled with the quarantine. Just so compassionate and kind
@KC, maybe this isn't the right time or place, but I have typed and deleted a few comments already about the antibiotic recommendations above. Do you have any thoughts that you could share?
Super grateful that we could safely visit my husband's family in a different state last week .... and then safely spend Christmas eve with members of my family back at home. Everyone who could be vaccinated, was, but it still feels like the wild west out there. Kristen, I like how you worded "hold our plans loosely" and I feel like that's something I do most of the time in this season of life, so it makes it even sweeter when plans actually work out! We also had a great Christmas day together as a family and have been able to do a little bit of masked venturing out for fun activities ... again, thankful we can do that.
I think the idea with holding plans loosely is that it hurts less when they get pulled from your grasp. But what you said is also true...holding them loosely also makes it feel extra special when they don't get pulled out from your hands!
my husband tested positive for covid the Tuesday before thanksgiving, and we have not been together since. And I still have a lot to be thankful for.
1) he is not ill-- he has been vaccinated, and the positive test has been annoying but not anything serious medically
2) that we have the money to have him in a hotel-- that way my adult kids and their partner have been able to spend time with me! they all moved in when he moved out to the hotel
3) that I didn't get covid. Phew!
4) that my kids want to spend time with me and we are having a good time just being together.
5) that I had several days of work cancelled (yippee to several unexpected days off) over the holidays.
It's been sad not to all be together for 2 years in a row, but I am holding on to all the good things in my life.
@Jen Welsh, Thanksgiving was over a month ago and your husband is asymptomatic so why does he still have to stay in a hotel? Hope everything is OKI soon!
I was wondering this too; he should be far past the contagious stage of Covid by now, right?
I am so glad that you found a vet that was open to treat your cat. Glad the cat is ok. What a blessing. I don't know what vet costs are nowadays. My cat passed at 17 in 2009.
It cost us $500 to put her to sleep at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. My husband put it on his credit card. I thought that was exorbitant. But we had no choice. My husband couldn't remember how old KC was. He thought she was nine. The vet felt bad about putting down a nine year old cat. Hubby called me and I told him she was 17.
KC lifted up her head to say goodbye to my husband when they took her away. Pets are such blessing. Happy New Year to all.
Thankful as always for having kind and caring in-laws. Painfully happy to have good memories a year after my mother-in-law's passing. Thankful for the constancy of good families.
On a completely different note, relieved and thankful that all the medicare advantage deadlines have passed so the constant harangue of those hard-sell commercials is no longer on tv. (The same thankfulness comes when Chicago's election season is over).
Kristen, I am glad that your kitty is okay and Zoe is getting her braces off. That's a blessing to find a vet open on Christmas Eve who could diagnose her.
I am thankful for a low-key, nearly stress-free Christmas celebration. Also thankful for the paid winter break at work that's letting me catch up on my rest and get some things done around the house. Thankful every day for my sweet, clever husband, who once again repaired a trash can with a wooden dowel and some glue.
About 9 years ago we had an emergency vet bill right after Christmas. I had gotten a bar of dark chocolate that was shoved in Christmas bags and brought back to the house and forgot about. Our dog ate the whole bar while we were out seeing a movie ( I believe it was the first Hobbit movie). We took him to our vet but because of an issue with the medication they gave him to throw up he couldn't stop. So we had to take him to the doggy ER later that evening. It was a big bill for that time in our lives but we made it through. He's an old dog today but continues to bring us joy and companionship.
I'm thankful that I got to see my college friend last week who was in KS visiting family (she lives in Boston). Our kids got to play and have fun while we got to catch up for a little while.
I am thankful we were able to go to my parents house for Xmas. It was nice.
I'm thankful I was able to find rapid covid tests to take before we went home. I had seen on the news that they were hard to get. I felt fine but I had also just gotten back from a trip to Chicago and wanted to be sure. My mom has copd (is on oxygen) and is diabetic, so we try to be very careful
I am thankful that all my family trusts the vaccine and my brother, the one holdout, had to get it for his job.
I'm thankful that my nephew's mom, who was supposed to pick them up from my brother this week, flaked again. That seems like a terrible thing to be thankful for but there are valid reasons.
And, as always, I'm thankful for coffee.
I am thankful that it looks like we’ll have a tenant by January 1st. Every month without one takes a massive bite out of our small cushion of savings and eats away at my sleep and peace of mind.
I’m grateful the beginning of the omicron surge and also Christmas are happening while I’m still in my immunity window from having covid in November. Mostly because I don’t have to worry about giving it to someone else.
I’m thankful that we have a white Christmas! And that in Shae’s job, if a shift gets cancelled because of the snow, she still gets paid.
I’m very thankful my unvaccinated son and his wife seem to be recovering from their bout of delta. He developed pneumonia and she had some symptoms that lasted two months, so there was no guarantee things would end as well as they are.
I’m so grateful for vaccines. Not trying to make this political, but at 55 and overweight, with a 60 year old spouse who is also overweight and has an immune disorder, the whole thing could have been so.much.worse. than what it was. Which was overall, a lot of fear and some substantial inconvenience.
One more on this theme: I’m thankful omicron was not the first version of covid to come along. Could you even imagine??
Happy new year, everyone!!
Thankful for the many medical memoir recommendations on this blog. I read both of Adam Kay's books - Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas and This is Going to Hurt - and regaled the family at Christmas dinner with some of his stories. Normally I wouldn't discuss such topics but they sure gave us extra merriment!
Thankful for dear husband wanting a roadtrip for all of us and made all the plans and took on all driving responsibilities. Just fun to be on the road getting a change of scene.
Thankful for a beautiful outing to a riverside botanical garden and a very informative, helpful botanist/volunteer who inspired me to try a new plant food and gave me so many helpful tips for my sunroom plants-a good reboot for me.
Thankful for boosters and the time to take care of each other this vacation. I feel renewed and ready for the next 4-week challenge.
Thankful for a pantry full of food and no need to shop for another week.
Thankful for the energy to declutter and clean at New Years. I love clearing the decks and feeling lighter this time of year.
Coffee
I am thankful that our offer on a house was accepted! We have made several offers before and lost out so we are overjoyed that this was accepted.
I am thankful that house seems to be in good shape. We have had a pipe inspection and a general inspection and both turned up good news. This will be our first house and we were really nervous that the inspections would turn up dreadful news (the movie "Money Pit" has been playing in my head). We still have the termite inspection on Friday, but I'm less concerned about that.
I am thankful for friends who are already donating house items and boxes to our moving adventure.
I am thankful that neither my husband or I were sick during Christmas and we were able to safely travel to the family Christmas gathering.
I am thankful that we were able to watch the "Behold the Lamb of God" Christmas concert with friends last night. It was a great way to complete our Christmas celebration.
Happy New Year everyone! I'm thankful to Kristen and her family, and to all of you in the FG community. I always enjoy seeing photos of kids with their parents'. I find it fascinating to see how the gene pool recreates itself, and how kids from the same parents can look alike and different in so many ways.
Tops on my Thankful list is my family's continued health. The 5 of us took at home C19 tests before visiting my parents' and family downstate. We all tested negative as expected, and it eased our minds while we stayed with my 80+ y/o parents. We will take the tests again in a few days, just to make sure that we didn't come home with anything.
I am thankful for a fun Christmas holiday with my whole family. After last year, it was nice to have some semblance of normalcy.
I am thankful to have gotten through the Christmas season. TBH, I don't like Christmas because of all of the pressure to shop and spend money, and to give the "perfect gift". I am trying to get away from that ideology by doing non-monetary activities with my family - making Gingerbread houses, watching holiday movies, having game nights (which we do year round), and participating in a First Day Hike on January 1st.
Here is a frugal win tied to thankfulness - our printer from 1995 has become harder and harder to work with. In the Fall of 2020 a co-worker passed on to me a used printer, although we didn't know if it would work. It has sat in my house, mostly untouched, since then. But just today in a matter of minutes (after getting fed up with the old printer yet again), my youngest son hooked up the new-to-us printer and it works perfectly! I am thankful for my co-worker and for my techie son.
As always, I am thankful for my supportive husband. I don't always exude thankfulness to him, and yet he knows that I am 🙂
Braces are expensive! I'm about to get braces again (20 years ago being the last run), and phewy...not looking forward to 3 kids in braces at once in a few years!
I'm thankful...
that my three kids are now fully vaccinated and as fully inoculated as they can be. It's made the holiday season a bit easier knowing that my compromised kid has some more protection.
for all the extra time I get with my kids this season. 2 kids have a full 3 weeks off which means lots of time for outside play, baking, and games. I love my little people so very much.
for a husband who is continuing to grow and become more fully the healthiest version of himself. He's a treasure.
for such unfamiliarity with the hospital routine that we forgot The Binder that allows accompanies one of my kids to all hospital appointments. (First significant hospital procedure/admission in 22 months. Longest run ever!)
Thankful for being able to see the new grand baby. So cute and quiet.
For nice weather while visiting the new grand, we were able to walk each day.
That I was able to dig out a bunch of receipts to turn into my FSA, I was worried about losing my money. I put in a request to see how much you can carry into 2022 and they said the whole balance, so I am good.
For having 2 weeks off.
That my neighbor was able to feed my feral while I was out of town.
Some vet offices accept Care Credit for payment. It is a credit card that if the balance is paid in full within a certain amount of time, no interest is charged. I have used Care Credit for an expensive dental procedure for myself as well. I had six months to pay the large bill and I appreciated being able to budget the payment over a period of time without paying a penny over the initial total cost.
Thankful for...
Books as Gifts
Debt free in 2021
Met all set goals in 2021
Cooked and Baked less this Christmas
I hope the kitty feels better soon.
Frugal things. I stuck to my plan and and didn't go wild with presents this year. My youngest daughter gave us a wonderful family time on Christmas Eve. My four month old granddaughter has been ill over the last few days. Thankfully she does not have COVID. My son's best friend has COVID and a severe autoimmune disease and is hospitalised. He feels much better now. I have spent a lot of time with my eldest granddaughter this week as her parents have finally found a home to buy. Buying your first home in Australia is very difficult. I am proud of them.
Love your sweet kitty! So happy nothing is broken.
I am thankful for
A bit more sunlight
Ability to pay my bills
Warmth in my house and cozy blankets and hot tea
My fur babies
And
Family and friends
Glad your kitty is okay! Our 15 year old tuxedo had an urgent vet visit this week too. Diagnosis is urine cystals and a UTI. So, prescription food is in our future.
I am thankful for a job that is flexible. I worked from home, to be able to care for my kiddos, while my husband took our kitty to the vet. I am also thankful for our vet, who has always been accomodating, kind, and reasonably priced. She has been our vet for 30 years.
I am thankful for kiddos that are typically quite positive. Today we took a trip to Build a Bear in the mall to use a gift card up. They were closed unexpectedly. My kiddos were totally okay with it and loved getting a pretzel and riding the carousel instead.
Mine is Frugal and Thankful
Christmas Eve my sister-in-law joined us for a small dinner. Just the 3 of us. Everyone else went to their in-laws or stayed home. It was nice. My SIL is 83 and was just recently diagnosed and started treatment for breast cancer. She declined the family gathering (our daughters, their spouses and our grandchildren) for the day after Christmas because one son-in-law was notified he had been in contact with someone who has covid. (He has since been cleared)
My friends and I had a wonderful walk the Monday after Christmas. The sun was out. It was not windy. It was pleasantly (not bitterly) cold in the early morning. We did 5.6 miles.
I am working from my yarn stash to create for others starting in Dec. Yarns, fabric, papers. I made several Christmas cards using simple construction papers and glitter. The cards cost nothing but time. It's my plan to keep this up. In fact....
One of my walking friends invited me to her house Wed. to do origami--the Chinese Sewing Book. It was so much fun. I will have to buy paper for this project but the cost is minimal. In fact, I looked at one of the sites she shared with me that has lessons. My lesson with her was a $$$ savings. She took the class from a teacher we both like through our local university which was a $$$ savings.
Today we had dinner from the Senior Center Thursday Bistro. Two dinners $10.
I picked up from the library the first season for Yellowstone. That will be my New Year's Eve weekend entertainment. Free.
Tomorrow morning I will donate blood for the last time this year. I am healthy. I can do this.
Happy New Year all on the Frugal Girl Page.
Aww, I'm so glad that you were able to provide some holiday cheer to your sister-in-law. Good for you!
So very thankful for so many things!
1. Traveled for the first time in months to visit family in Louisiana for Christmas. 3/4 sibs, 3/4 nieces and nephews, 1 elderly aunt, and assorted "in-laws and outlaws" as they call themselves, got to be together, all vaccinated and healthy.
2. We got to connect with the missing people via electronics.
3. Fun, low-key gift exchange.
4. Fantastic food and drinks. New recipes and ideas. Ate out once outside at a restaurant, since it was almost 80 degrees!
5. Unbelievably chaotic flight and airlines situations- I ended up flying both into a different place than planned, and detouring on the way home, but I survived and most people were really nice and helpful. I'm grateful that I've developed an attitude that allows this to be an adventure, rather than a disaster.
6. Extra: Lost my phone in the airport and haven't been able to get it back, but had insurance and will have a replacement tomorrow. I learned that I can survive without it, although its very inconvenient!
7. Grateful for this blog, too, it's writer, and al the great people who read and comment.
Time with my brother! Yesterday we ripped up the carpet in my girls' room and started three process of sanding and refinishing the hardwood that was underneath. My brother spent most of the day with us working on it and it's not often that I get that kind of time with him.
Also, I'm glad all of your Christmas plans worked out, Kristen!!!