Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Carmella's Long Labor Day Weekend

Just as I feared, the weekend was laborious. We did get through it, but not without some scary moments, and things are still not resolved.

Carmella's jerking has continued to get worse, and now she can no longer just jump up from a lying down position without stumbling and being very stiff.

She was beginning to jerk so hard it shook even her head, and a few times I've seen it in the crook of both back legs too.

The e-mail I sent to Dr. Norwood came back undeliverable, and I did not hear back from the two other vets I wrote last night either, although I think I had the correct e-mail address for them.

Carmella has seemed very nervous lately ever since the jerking has increased, wanting to chew on me every time I pet her, acting like a child with ADHD.
Telling her no had little effect and didn't work for long as she proceeded to try to poke holes in anything close enough to her mouth. She would have gone on that way for hours if I had not put her back in the kitchen. I could not get her to settle down as long as she was in the same room with me. I have a bruise on my left wrist from her jaws, and that was just playing, so I can imagine if she ever seriously tried to bite someone she could really do some damage! Don't let that little micro-snout she has fool you. She has some serious power in that bite! I'm thinking she might have a little bit of pit bull in her along with the other breeds she's mixed with.
Tomorrow I have to go to the Post Office to mail some earrings to a local buyer. It's a good thing she ordered when she did because my Etsy shop has been pretty slow.

Pretty soon I will need to pay some on the vet bill and I'm hoping that something among the various lines of jewelry I have available will hit the nail on the head.

I did have one very good thing happen today. When I logged onto Etsy I got a convo from the staff editor of Craft Magazine asking to use a picture of my Early Budding Vine bracelet; Northern Lights in a gallery page for an article on PMC. The editor told me that she'd put my name and Etsy shop name with it for an issue that is to come out in late October! This could bring more sales, which is just what is needed at a time like this.

Hopefully you are all still reading. I didn't post for a few days until I had something new to report because the last thing you would want to read is a mundane blog with so many others out there that are like glorified lists of household chores spoken out loud.

I am trying to come up with an idea for some sort of giveaway, and am considering getting some cute buttons made with a picture of Carmella on them and some catchy statement. If any of you can think of a good one-liner for me to use please post it in the comments section. I would like to make it something alot of people would want.

The jewelry designs I'm working on now are more minimalist and I'm exploring creative ways to make clever earwires and components that are an important part of the design; not merely a component.

Wabi Sabi

Moonlit

Tomorrow it's back to following up on UGA and the other leads. Maybe a vet will finally come through to give Carmella the help she needs. She's too great a dog to go to waste.

You too can help her by purchasing from the many styles of jewelry I have in my Etsy shop. Buy art jewelry and save a dog. It's a win/win. If you love animals then I hope you will put Giftbearer on your "To Buy From" list and stop by in the near future to collect some really unique pieces.

10 comments:

CB said...

Awwe, I hope your dog turns out being okay. We've been having problems with a pet cat too, Lance, for a while now. Went from sprained paw, to eye infection, and now ear mites. He is only seven months old as well..poor guy.

Congrats on getting your Northern Lights into an article, how exciting!

Giftbearer said...

Thanks, cb, I hope your cat gets well too.

TheresaJ said...

Congrats on the Craft Magazine thing! The bracelet is amazing and it is well deserved!

I'm sorry to hear things are not progressing well with Carmella and that your letters have thus far gone unanswered. It must be so frustrating.

Just a thought -- perhaps you could put a button/widget of some sort on your blog for donations towards Carmela's vet bills. I'm sort of broke myself at the moment (just quit my job and don't have another yet), but I would be more than happy to donate a bit. Perhaps some kind of link that takes us directly to Palpal for this purpose or some other checkout. My little bit won't be much, but if a lot of people donate a bit, it can add up to something substantial. Just a thought anyway...

I'll keep you and Carmella in my thoughts.

My little Chihoo was stung by a bee today -- on the pad of her hind paw. She squealed for a good 15 minutes and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her... until I found the stinger in her paw. Her foot swelled up and feels hot. Of course this happened after hours, so I gave her a little Benadryl and I've been observing her for possible respiratory issues. However, it's just a local reaction thus far, so I think she'll be okay. She's kinda knocked out from the Benadryl, but she cries out every now and then. Poor sweetie!

TheresaJ said...

I just Googled "donation widget" and this is one of many links that came up.

http://thirdworldchaos.blogspot.com/2008/05/add-paypal-donation-widget-in-your-blog.html

Worth a try, IMHO.

trudette said...

I hope your dog gets better real soon , he looks so sweet and cute.
Wishing you get lots of Etsy sales :)

Giftbearer said...

Hi Theresa,

That's a great idea to put a widget on here! I'll have to check it out when I've had some sleep; if I can figure out how to do it I'll definitely put one on my blog!

Thanks, Trudette for the good wishes.

Danelle (Indie Game Lover) said...

I really hope she ends up ok!

But super congrats on the article oppurtunity!

Stela said...

I hope carmella gets better :( she's simply adorable
Congrats with craft magazine!! That will definitely drive sales!!! I can't wait to see it in october!!

ThreadBeaur said...

That is great about the magazine! I am sure that will lead to some sales! That bracelet is great! Love it.

kim* said...

i know, its hard to move on when my pet is sick too. my cat has breathing problems. :( get well lil doggie