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Hey, Cowgirl! Sorry I missed seeing you in Key West. The girls had a good time but it would have been even more fun if you were there!
We made some major lifestyle changes but Stromba is still training. I basically retired from all of the boards except for one private woman's board that I visit every few weeks or so.
I can't train anymore. :( I have several herniated and protruding disks and Ankylosing Spondylitis (a form of arthritis in the spine). I've gone to physical therapy and just do those exercises at home but no lifting anymore. I'm afraid of surgery on my back and will avoid it as long as possible. I have bad muscle spasms and the dr. just put me on vallium which helps a lot. I go for weekly massages and do a lot of stretching. Just before I stopped posting here I started having these problems after being rear ended in a car accident so Bouncer kinda hit the nail on the head when he said I was getting further away from this lifestyle. Also the meds the doctors put me on initially were causing concentration problems and memory loss issues. Not fun when replying to posts. I'm getting some bloodwork done to look for some things which may be causing me so much pain. My hormones are still out of wack with too much test and virtually no progesterone production.
Also before I retired from the boards I was "Saved." Long story short in a moment of desperation I asked God to help me although I'd lost my Christian faith for quite a few years before that. At the moment I asked for God's help I felt the Holy Spirit take over my body and a song on the radio that I'd heard hundreds of times before took on a new meaning and the song gave me the answer to what I needed help with (sex and porn addiction for Stromba and I). I went to the Christian store not knowing what to look for the first book I saw was a study Bible for Recovery which uses the 12 steps program like for AA. I didn't even know what a study Bible was before but I bought it and spent many hours learning and understanding a lot about my life. I also found a board like this for our issues and learned a lot about why our lives were so wacky. I also went to a shrink a few times to help sort some things out. Stromba and I are doing great and we're living more of the white picket fence American dream kinda life now and are about to cellebrate our 23 anniversary this month.
We lost our cat of 21 1/2 years just before Vallentine's Day and were broken hearted. He was our first "child." He died in my arms after we gave him some oral medication. His eyes rolled back and basically had a stroke. I tried to revive him by breathing into his tiny little nose and mouth as Stromba drove to the Vet. but there was nothing they could do. Just a few days earlier we had taken him to the Vet. for the first time in about 10 years because he was not acting right and started showing signs of physical problems as well as mental. Tests showed a bladder infection and lukema but the Vet thought we'd have a few more months with him. He was down to 4 1/2 lbs where his normal weight when he was young was about 8-10 lbs. After that day he stopped eating and 3 days later the medicine we gave him for the first time was supposed to help increase his appetite but it killed him. We felt very guilty and then angry at the Vet. but in hindsight it was just Sebastian's time to go. We kept some tufts of fur and had him cremated. Stromba and I had never cried so hard or so much ever before. It was really tough on us for a few months.
We always said we'd get a puppy and a kitten together when Sebastian passed because Sebastian didn't get along with dogs. On Vallentines day we adopted Rocky from a shelter. He was an older kitten with a mildly deformed paw that we thought wouldn't be quickly adopted. We didn't realize at the time how much he looked like our Sebastian but every now and then we catch a glimpse of him and call him Sebastian. His name at the shelter was Rocky and we didn't change it.
Also at this time my best friend was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. I took her out for a day at the spa before she had surgery and her boyfriend called and said he'd put a deposit down on a cocker spaniel puppy for her (she used to have cockers years ago) so she'd have a cuddle buddy to help her through recovery and the months of chemo she was going to do. I asked if her puppy had a sister and sure enough she did. I had been thinking of the cocker spaniel breed as something easy for me to handle so this seemed like fate. My friend's cocker is named Hope and is chocolate and white, my cocker is named Bella and she is chocolate brown with just a little white spot on her chest and chin and under her paws.
My daughter had wanted a golden retriever and we'd been going to the same pet store for a year playing with puppies. We got to know the owner and when the time was right we told him we'd come to him for a golden. As a kid I had a mixed golden retriever/collie and she was the best dog so I was wanting a golden as long as my daughter could handle her because of my back. The look on Stromba's face when I aproached him about getting TWO puppies was hysterical. He never had a dog and the two cats in his life lived to be 21. He agreed to two dogs as long as he wouldn't have to pick up poop. LOL My daughter named the puppy Circe as she'd just read a book in school about Greek Mythology. Circe is the Greek goddess who turns men into farm animals! Stromba wasn't thrilled at the meaning but he conceeded.
So, first we got Rocky, a month later we got Circe, and another month later we got Bella. We went through a realm of problems with Rocky having ring worm had to quarrentine him for 2 weeks so he wouldn't give it to Circe who we'd just brought home a couple of days earlier. Then he had worms. Then the dogs had worms. It was a circus here. We also still have Gavone (Maine Coon cat weighing 20 lbs.) the outside cat and he had tape worms. One day I had all 4 animals going into the vet on the same visit and my daughter was in school and Stromba at work so I had to do it alone with my little 2 door Honda Accord. Yes...I have gone insane! ;)
Rocky weighs about 8 lbs. now and will be a small cat just like Sebastian. Bella weighs 18 lbs and won't get much bigger. Circe weighs 60 lbs. and is expected to get to about 80. Bella is adorable and funny but dumb as a box of bricks. Circe is amazingly smart and we've taught her a lot of things using both hand signs and verbal commands. She chews like crazy and we're buying those jumbo toys like you would for dogs over 100 lbs. She's super strong and Stromba is the only one who can win at tugging rope playing. Bella and Rocky play really well together and she loves to clean his fur. When they play it's like Rocky is boxing just like his namesake. We also have a gerbil named Sophie in a big fish tank and he likes to try to get her through the glass. We had to put a cover on Tiny, the beta fish, to keep Rocky out but he enjoys pawing at him through the glass as well.
My daughter's growing up wonderfully and she got her driving permit so when we're together she does most of the driving. She's taking personal fitness for the first half of the year then weight lifting for the second half.
I don't have much time on the internet with my little zoo here but I wanted to at least let you know what I've been up to.
I'll try to add some pictures of the new kids here.
Originally posted by THE BOUNCER
We made some major lifestyle changes but Stromba is still training. I basically retired from all of the boards except for one private woman's board that I visit every few weeks or so.
I can't train anymore. :( I have several herniated and protruding disks and Ankylosing Spondylitis (a form of arthritis in the spine). I've gone to physical therapy and just do those exercises at home but no lifting anymore. I'm afraid of surgery on my back and will avoid it as long as possible. I have bad muscle spasms and the dr. just put me on vallium which helps a lot. I go for weekly massages and do a lot of stretching. Just before I stopped posting here I started having these problems after being rear ended in a car accident so Bouncer kinda hit the nail on the head when he said I was getting further away from this lifestyle. Also the meds the doctors put me on initially were causing concentration problems and memory loss issues. Not fun when replying to posts. I'm getting some bloodwork done to look for some things which may be causing me so much pain. My hormones are still out of wack with too much test and virtually no progesterone production.
Also before I retired from the boards I was "Saved." Long story short in a moment of desperation I asked God to help me although I'd lost my Christian faith for quite a few years before that. At the moment I asked for God's help I felt the Holy Spirit take over my body and a song on the radio that I'd heard hundreds of times before took on a new meaning and the song gave me the answer to what I needed help with (sex and porn addiction for Stromba and I). I went to the Christian store not knowing what to look for the first book I saw was a study Bible for Recovery which uses the 12 steps program like for AA. I didn't even know what a study Bible was before but I bought it and spent many hours learning and understanding a lot about my life. I also found a board like this for our issues and learned a lot about why our lives were so wacky. I also went to a shrink a few times to help sort some things out. Stromba and I are doing great and we're living more of the white picket fence American dream kinda life now and are about to cellebrate our 23 anniversary this month.
We lost our cat of 21 1/2 years just before Vallentine's Day and were broken hearted. He was our first "child." He died in my arms after we gave him some oral medication. His eyes rolled back and basically had a stroke. I tried to revive him by breathing into his tiny little nose and mouth as Stromba drove to the Vet. but there was nothing they could do. Just a few days earlier we had taken him to the Vet. for the first time in about 10 years because he was not acting right and started showing signs of physical problems as well as mental. Tests showed a bladder infection and lukema but the Vet thought we'd have a few more months with him. He was down to 4 1/2 lbs where his normal weight when he was young was about 8-10 lbs. After that day he stopped eating and 3 days later the medicine we gave him for the first time was supposed to help increase his appetite but it killed him. We felt very guilty and then angry at the Vet. but in hindsight it was just Sebastian's time to go. We kept some tufts of fur and had him cremated. Stromba and I had never cried so hard or so much ever before. It was really tough on us for a few months.
We always said we'd get a puppy and a kitten together when Sebastian passed because Sebastian didn't get along with dogs. On Vallentines day we adopted Rocky from a shelter. He was an older kitten with a mildly deformed paw that we thought wouldn't be quickly adopted. We didn't realize at the time how much he looked like our Sebastian but every now and then we catch a glimpse of him and call him Sebastian. His name at the shelter was Rocky and we didn't change it.
Also at this time my best friend was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. I took her out for a day at the spa before she had surgery and her boyfriend called and said he'd put a deposit down on a cocker spaniel puppy for her (she used to have cockers years ago) so she'd have a cuddle buddy to help her through recovery and the months of chemo she was going to do. I asked if her puppy had a sister and sure enough she did. I had been thinking of the cocker spaniel breed as something easy for me to handle so this seemed like fate. My friend's cocker is named Hope and is chocolate and white, my cocker is named Bella and she is chocolate brown with just a little white spot on her chest and chin and under her paws.
My daughter had wanted a golden retriever and we'd been going to the same pet store for a year playing with puppies. We got to know the owner and when the time was right we told him we'd come to him for a golden. As a kid I had a mixed golden retriever/collie and she was the best dog so I was wanting a golden as long as my daughter could handle her because of my back. The look on Stromba's face when I aproached him about getting TWO puppies was hysterical. He never had a dog and the two cats in his life lived to be 21. He agreed to two dogs as long as he wouldn't have to pick up poop. LOL My daughter named the puppy Circe as she'd just read a book in school about Greek Mythology. Circe is the Greek goddess who turns men into farm animals! Stromba wasn't thrilled at the meaning but he conceeded.
So, first we got Rocky, a month later we got Circe, and another month later we got Bella. We went through a realm of problems with Rocky having ring worm had to quarrentine him for 2 weeks so he wouldn't give it to Circe who we'd just brought home a couple of days earlier. Then he had worms. Then the dogs had worms. It was a circus here. We also still have Gavone (Maine Coon cat weighing 20 lbs.) the outside cat and he had tape worms. One day I had all 4 animals going into the vet on the same visit and my daughter was in school and Stromba at work so I had to do it alone with my little 2 door Honda Accord. Yes...I have gone insane! ;)
Rocky weighs about 8 lbs. now and will be a small cat just like Sebastian. Bella weighs 18 lbs and won't get much bigger. Circe weighs 60 lbs. and is expected to get to about 80. Bella is adorable and funny but dumb as a box of bricks. Circe is amazingly smart and we've taught her a lot of things using both hand signs and verbal commands. She chews like crazy and we're buying those jumbo toys like you would for dogs over 100 lbs. She's super strong and Stromba is the only one who can win at tugging rope playing. Bella and Rocky play really well together and she loves to clean his fur. When they play it's like Rocky is boxing just like his namesake. We also have a gerbil named Sophie in a big fish tank and he likes to try to get her through the glass. We had to put a cover on Tiny, the beta fish, to keep Rocky out but he enjoys pawing at him through the glass as well.
My daughter's growing up wonderfully and she got her driving permit so when we're together she does most of the driving. She's taking personal fitness for the first half of the year then weight lifting for the second half.
I don't have much time on the internet with my little zoo here but I wanted to at least let you know what I've been up to.
I'll try to add some pictures of the new kids here.
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