Think I'm having a blip

[YoullNeverWalkAlone]

Good luck for today Catkins, I’m sure everything will be fine, just pace yourself and try and relax your whole body as much as you can, no sitting at the computer wearing your shoulders for earrings.
Im going to have to try this barefoot thing, better when the grass dries and you can walk barefoot over that...

[Carnation]

Just be yourself and remember feeling nervous on such an event is normal, so don't overthink how you feel.
You are a bright and capable person and you'll get through this.

[Catkins]

Thank you all. It was a long stretch, but despite being convinced I was going to cry a couple of times and feeling incredibly anxious at points I didn't throw my hands in the air shout out 'I can't do this anymore'.

YNWA - I have to admit my shoulders are most definitely becoming attached to my ears at the moment, I'm really working on relaxing them.


We had a couple of group case studies to discuss in breakout rooms and in one we were discussing how we feel about the course just now. I'm not alone feeling so shit about it, apparently it's quite common in the second year. Doesn't make me feel any less anxious but it is reassuring that I'm not alone.

This afternoon I have been working on a revision plan and started my revision from the beginning again, hopefully I'm looking at it in a slightly more organised fashion instead of flapping. We'll see. I'll get back to rheumatoid arthritis in a minute.

[Carnation]

Well done catkins

As I was reading the 'wearing the shoulders as earrings' I realised I actually was myself, lol.

Catkins, you managed today, you've changed your yoga class and the barefoot sitting on a step is your refuelling.
Improvements already.

[Catkins]

Well I've just had a difficult conversation with the vet. They prescribed some pills for our dog yesterday to help with her leaky bladder and they asked us to take a pee sample in today. Well the vet just phoned up to give us the results, nothing untoward in the pee sample, but her pee is too dilute so they said her kidneys aren't working effectively. This didn't alarm me too much as last year they said her kidneys weren't great. So I asked what we do next and she said a blood test to see how bad they were now, so I asked if I should book her now for that and the vet said we could keep her on these pills for a couple of weeks, see how she gets on, then do the blood test and consider quality of life for her. I was OK until they said 'quality of life' as that to me just means one thing. Feeling very lost and sad now. She can be a pain in the bum but she's my little furry friend.

[Catkins]

Well done catkins 


As I was reading the 'wearing the shoulders as earrings' I realised I actually was myself, lol.


Catkins, you managed today, you've changed your yoga class and the barefoot sitting on a step is your refuelling.
Improvements already.

My shoulders are right buggers.


Although the vet phone call has really upset me, I do think overall I'm going in the right direction. II'll keep at it.

[Carnation]

As a pet owner all my life and a little experience in animals in general, I use my own judgement when it comes to decisions. You will know when your pet is suffering and has little quality of life. I don't think you are at this stage right now. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't see an animal suffer but at the same time, I would be reluctant to rush into any decision I felt was wrong or not needed.
You know your own pet better than anybody and sometimes an adjustment in diet or some treatment can help matters tremendously.
Catkins, vets are like doctors, they don't always consider someone's emotions and they are sometimes more blunt than they should be.

[Catkins]

I think you're right Carnation, we're going to wait and see.

[Lencoboy]

I can relate totally to what you're going through right now Catkins.

We have been through the same ordeal with all of the dogs we have had over the years; most recently last October (2023) when our last dog was PTS as he had developed severe epilepsy and in the end was having seizures several times per day (and night), and a mutual agreement was eventually reached by the vet, myself and my dad to have the dog PTS, mainly on the basis of QOL issues for both the dog and us.

Dead horrible at the time, of course, but at least the poor dog is now at peace, and was humanely PTS by the vet.

[Catkins]

It's such a difficult situation Lenco, hoping she stays happy and not in pain a while longer. We're giving her a bit of time before the blood test and then take it from there.