It's a Rainy Day In Georgia...Feels Like it's Raining All Over The World

The constant ooze from the sky seems to match what's been going on for the past couple of days. A heaviness has settled upon this house, and as Carmella and I hunker down inside, little drafts come in all the cracks, the linolium floor barren and tracked with flecks of mud, and pieces of saturated leaves scattered about from our recent walk. Neither of us wanted to go far, making a hasty retreat from the grey light which permeated our very beings. She was glad to be finished with her bathroom activities and return to the kitchen. It almost feels like the beginning of winter.

Carmella's restlessness of the previous few days gave way to a silent gnawing tension, much as a man on death row might feel awaiting the electric chair. She did not make a move to chew on her rawhide stick, but lay down in her bed which she'd turned upside down, sprawled out and looking up at me like, "Now what?" Her right leg and shoulder jerked perceptibly as if programmed by some external remote control. She seemed almost used to it by now, nevertheless understanding the gravity of the course which lay ahead. On some level she knew that she had crossed some line in the sand and there was no turning back now for either of us.

Setting my sights on UGA I placed another call to try to verify whether I'd sent the e-mail yesterday to Dr. Schatzberg's correct e-mail address, and still the front desk staff was not sure. I was transferred to the Small Animal Clinic and spoke with a woman there about Carmella's situation and the treatment she needs, and asked whether Dr. Schatzberg was on vacation. She said he was there but just wasn't on clinic duty this week and that the three neuro vets employed there take turns rotating one week each at a time. She said that if the e-mail did not come back then he probably got it but if he didn't answer then it was probably because he got so many he couldn't get to all of them. She recommended I have my vet contact the referral coordinator and said that we could most likely find out whether they could do it before we drove all the way out there when Dr. Norwood spoke with them by phone.

I then called Dr. Norwood, and Felicia, one of the receptionists, answered the phone. I explained that Carmella's jerking was getting worse and that she needed to get the referral to UGA as soon as possible. She told me Dr. Norwood was in with a patient and did not seem to want to take down the phone and fax for the referral coordinator, but I insisted, figuring that his getting it from me later would just take extra time. I told her that they close for the day in one hour, and she said that she didn't know whether he could call them by then. I asked her to have him call me before he left.

In all, I called 4 times today, and 3 out of those 4 he was in with a patient, and the 4th time they'd put the answering machine on indicating that they had closed. My heart sank.

I wrote Dr. Sears to update him on the events of the past few days and to let him know we were going to try UGA, and asked if he could possibly put together a list of references; vets who had used this treatment either for the body or in the CNS, so that we have something organized to show them with which to make our case (if we need it). I take nothing for granted after seeing how many vets have turned us down so far.

A sudden sleepiness came over me while I paradoxically thought about the fact that I really need to make some more jewelry. Although I'd like to, I'm not sure I can stay awake much longer.

I'm still going through alot of existing inventory and listing/renewing jewelry, so if you see anything you like for yourself or for someone on your gift list, please make a purchase and help a puppy.

With love and action, all things are possible.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com