Monday Madness

The title actually has nothing to do with what I am going to talk about, but it's what came to my mind as I was working out lol. Speaking of working out, I am having to reintroduce myself to that. As I talked about in previous posts, prior to leaving for vacation I was getting my workout on. While I was on vacation there was no working out for me, other than chasing Maddy around in the sun. I'm quite sure I did burn some calories while on vacation, but it was not done in a gym or with a workout video. I really don't mind working out while on vacation if I have access to a workout room. I also am a bit sad to say that I cheated on my soft drink consumption cut down. That's a horrible sentence, but it will have to do for now lol. I started out great, but ended bad. While being home I have done even worse because we had nothing to eat or drink. We got back late and there was no going to the store for anything. It was hard enough getting up to go to work the next day, so I can only imagine how much worse it would have been had I gone to the store. No need to worry though...I did not starve or thirst Maddy to death...we just lived off gas station drinks (thanks to the .25 roo cup refills) and dollar store food. I actually told my mom that I would be so thankful for Saturday to roll around not just because I am off work, but mainly so I can go to the store and get us some real food and drinks lol. I do still have to do our vacation post. I am actually exploring the world of video editing. As I thought it's a lot more time consuming than blogging, but the results are much better in my opinion. When I first got my video camera I contemplated starting to vlog...yeah...I might post that first little clip I did to show you how painful that would be lol. I don't really want to post our vacation until I can get a video put together. I think I have found the software I want to use, but I gotta wait until I can pay for it. I'm trying to get the video put together before my 30 day free trial is up :) I'm having fun learning about editing and can't wait until I become a pro so it isn't as time consuming. I will post one video from our vacation, but if you are on my Facebook it's nothing you haven't already seen.

I wish we were back there...we had such a nice time. Maddy is STILL trying to get back into the swing of her routine...she is about there though.

The main point of this post was going to be an update on Manny. I realized I hadn't really updated on how he was doing and for my records I would like to have it as a keepsake. Normally when we go on vacation, I leave him at my mom's and either my mom or my uncle will take care of him. Since he is in kidney failure, it was best to board him at the vet's. If I could have taken him I sure would have, but traveling alone with a toddler AND a dog...that's a recipe for disaster. Once Maddy is older he will definitely be going with us...no matter what the cost. Anyways, in order to be boarded he had to be up to date on his shots as well as get a boarding cough shot...I forgot the name lol. I hadn't kept him up to date on his shots because they are quite costly and then you add the kidney disease and it was just not a priority. Technically, I should be taking him to the vet's every month for a kidney panel check...yeah..well...that ain't happenin either because it's quite costly and isn't needed...right now anyways. Thankfully his vet didn't try to get me to let him check his kidney panel, he just took information. We hadn't been to the vet since February...oops! In that time frame he has managed to keep most of his weight...he had lost about a pound or pound and a half since we last had him checked, but the vet was very pleased. His only real issue right now is his itchiness is coming back and getting worse and worse. He received some kind of shot that had received back in December that is supposed to last up to two weeks and then we are trying his original itchy medicine every day..two times a day...for a month. If this doesn't work the vet MAY give him a steroid shot. He really does not want to do that because it's so harsh on the kidney's and we've come a long way from where we were in December...I honestly don't know if I would allow him to get the steroid shot because I want him around as long as possible. His itching may be so very annoying and maybe even miserable, but it's not something worth dying over. Other alternatives is to bathe him often with some kind of allergenic shampoo I think. Since I have had him home I do not see any improvements in his itching. I'm a bit worried that maybe he has become immune to his medicine, but it almost seems like it took it almost the entire month last time before he had quit itching. He is my little buddy...my firstborn child. I'm not sure many people understand how attached I am to him and how much I want him to live for a long time. I love the fact that he literally hugs me when I hug on him. He will put his head on my shoulder and move his head towards my neck/head as if he were embracing me. I love the fact that when we are in bed, he HAS to be touching me. I love waking up to him right next to me. I love that he wants to protect me if he thinks someone is trying to harm me. I love how patient he is with Maddy and how he seems to protect her as well. I love seeing him lay with her on days she is sick. I love that he loves being in her room and often times will jump in her bed with her and look at me as if to say, "Okay mom...goodnight...see ya in the morning." I love how playful he can be. I love how he will talk to my mom by shaking his head yes or no. You can think I'm crazy all you want but it's an adamant yes or no. For example while waiting on his diagnosis back in December my mom asked him if he was okay...he shook his head no every time she asked. She asked if his numbers were going to be good and he would say no. Another month she asked him if he felt good and he shook his head yes and that was the time his numbers came up even since he had left the hospital. She can ask him if he knows she loves him and he will shake his head yes. They have a very strong connection. Now I just get her to ask him questions for me in yes or no answers if I need to know something lol. There are many things I love about Manny...he is very special and is truly just like one of my children. This week I have woken up and thought about what life would be like without him and it's just unbearable to think about. I can't imagine waking up without him pushed up against me. I can't imagine getting through work without him under my desk, laying on part of my blanket sound asleep. I can't imagine me and Maddy coming home to an empty house day in and day out. I think I think about these things because I went for 11 or 12 days straight without him around. I know his time is shortened due to his kidney disease and we are coming up on a year since he was diagnosed....he was only given up to three years to live max. That's not to say that God can't keep him around longer cause I know he can. I know that it's only the amount of prayers that went up when he was in the hospital that has allowed us to be where are now with his numbers and health...he really is doing really well. Anything is possible with God! I will continue to pray that God will help his itching and keep thanking Him for how well Manny has done so far. I hope you all are having a great start to your week :)