Ups and Downs

First of all - Shy has a permanent, forever home. Yes, Yes, YES! I'm in the middle of answering a million emails, so I hope a second attempt at fundraising is going to happen, as soon as I find a second to organize it! Or help some amazing people organize it!

Second of all - This year is FLYING by! I can't believe it is almost March. I can't believe that in exactly 2 months and 1 day, I will be starting clinics. Actually, I won't be starting until May 9th, since I have the first two weeks (A block) off. Then, for B and C blocks, I have Small Animal Surgery (ortho and soft tissue). Yikes. Schedule:

A = off
B = SA Sx Ortho
C = SA Sx Soft Tissue
D = Off
E = RAHMS (Farms, Large Animal)
F = Dentistry
G = Emergency
H = Dermatology
I = Anesthesia
J = Anesthesia
K = Equine
L = Equine
M = Off (WEDDING!)
N = Emergency
O = Diagnostics
P = Diagnostics
Q = SA Internal Medicine
R = SA Internal Medicine
S = Imaging
T = Imaging
U = Primary Care at U of I
V = Kremer Vet Service Humane Society Rotation
W = first week still at Kremer, second week off
X = Chicago Center Primary Care
Y = Oncology
Z = Ophthalmology

Third of all - I'm doing the polar plunge this weekend to raise money for the Illinois Special Olympics. It should be fun - freezing, but fun! And it is for a really great cause. I've been involving with various special olympics events over the years - my favorite being the year I helped out with the track events. I ended up piggy backing a really sweet 12 year old girl across the finish line when she got a little overzealous and didn't want to finish the mile event :)

Fourth of all - marathon training is going well - did a 12 miler this past weekend (indoors at the gym, it was awful) and this weekend is 13. Of course, there is snow in the forecast and I'm headed home on Sunday for my cousin's birthday... so hopefully it will be warm enough to run outside because running inside for that long is HORRIBLE. Unless something awesome is on TV, then it isn't so bad, but it seems to take forever to finish the run.

Fifth of all - and the worst of all - Ben is acting super strange lately. To put it nicely - dumber than usual and very exercise intolerant. The last two times at the farm, he didn't want to walk or play or do anything at all - very, very strange. We ran a CBC last week because his mucous membranes were almost white. Everything was normal, aside from some decreased white blood cells - which may just be the norm for him. Today, we took him back in and ran a full chemistry panel with electrolytes and pulled enough for the Michigan State thyroid panel to see if he is hypothyroid. It fits - mentally dull, exercise intolerant, heat seeking, etc. His haircoat is beautiful and he hasn't gained any weight and we haven't seen a change in appetite - so who knows? Hopefully he is either hypothyroid or just down and out about the weather. He is incredibly sensitive and HATES the cold - but this year he just seems much more intolerant of it than usual. The chem panel was completely normal too, which is good. By the way - my boy is an awesome patient - we took 10 mls of blood for all the tests (more than needed, but better safe than sorry) and he didn't even flinch and sat perfectly still. I swear, we can draw blood without even needing someone to restrain him - I could roll the vein myself and take blood and I don't think he would move - he is such an angel boy, its killing me to think that something is wrong with my perfect dog and that we got mad at him when he didn't want to walk with us.

Keep your fingers crossed for our Bubba please. And I will get to working on Shy's fund and let you all know whats going on!