**UPDATE AS OF -- 19.Aug.12 -- 9:19AM CST**
Man. It's been a long two weeks.
I suppose I'll start by letting you guys know that Zippo is doing much better. He's been on Prednisone for about a week and it seems to be helping to a miraculous degree. I'm so relieved that he is doing so much better. He's even going up and down the stairs by himself (when he can get past us, because I refuse to let him climb them if I can stop and pick him up). So there's that.
We're mostly into the new apartment. Still odds and ends and clothing at the old place, as well as dishes. To say the least, I'm dreading the remaining move. I'm so tired. So exhausted from stress. And just plain ready to be done. Unfortunately, when it rains, it pours. On top of the dramatic two weeks I've had, it seems I've developed an abcess in one of my molars. (Basically, I've been downing 500mg ibuprofen and rinsing with Orajel and Jack Daniels to escape the pain. What a heady mixture, right?) Aside from a tender jaw and occasional throbbing, this mixture of painkillers seems to help. Seems Jack will be my best friend until our dental insurance kicks in.
I don't really want to go into great depth about the amount of obstacles we've encountered in the last 14 days. I'll just say the the power company owes us about 75$ in food for turning off the electricity in our old place before the date I told them; on top of that little tidbit, we are going to have to go in and pack/move in the dark. Thanks APL. I hate you. And there was a wonderful storm on the day we were moving furniture and electronics (it was kind of hilarious watching 7 some-odd people scattering from apartments to cars/trucks and driving balls-to-the-wall to the new property before a new gail stirred up); my dental issue is an obnoxious, UN-NEEDED issue; and that we just don't seem to have enough time. College starts up tomorrow; I'm working two part-time jobs now to try and get us a little more caught up. I'm opening up commissions again and will work on them when I have free time*.
*Free time is going to include weeknights and weekends. My schedule is a little hectic. I work at the college for one of my professors during the schoolday between my classes. (Thank goodness 5/6 of my classes are art-related!) I'll be home around 3pm everday and can spend my evenings working on the commissions I owe/future commissions. Also, my weekend days; Friday and Saturday nights may have my working back at the pizza joint, delivering pies for a little extra cash inflow.
Thanks to my commissioners for being awesomely patient and helpful. For those of you who sent me pre-commission payments to help us with the move and taking care of Zippo, your commissions will be filled with lots of extra-fluffy love.
Man, I hope life lets up a little soon. I'm ready to be settled into a routine again, with Zippo doing well, food in the fridge, pain-free teeth, and comfortable in our new home.
**UPDATE AS OF -- 13.Aug.12 -- 8:31AM CST**
Zippo seemed to be getting better on the medicine, but was only prescribed three days worth. He was doing alright, but last night seemed absolutely exhausted. I've been taking him with me pretty much everywhere to keep an eye on him, and don't let him jump or climb if I can help it. Alas, it seems it has been to no avail.
This morning, he yelped when I took him outside on his leash to use the restroom; when I went to bend and rub his back, he cried out. Obviously, this did not hit me very well. I brought him back inside and rushed to call the vet. Our vet, who is amazing, said that it seems Zippo's affliction is worse than he thought. He had hoped that the three-day prescription would solve the issue, but informed me that he may need to have x-rays done. He told me to come in and get an extended prescription of the medicine to see if it might help (and avoid need of x-rays). As of right now, Zippo is on Prednisone for anti-inflammation purposes on his back.
I am worried now that he will need to be x-rayed and have procedures that are, quite frankly, obscenely expensive, done on him. I'm praying that the Prednisone will fix the problem, but in the mean time, I'm waiting with bated breath. Just when it seemed we were in the clear, it got worse. I have resolved to just give up paying some of our bills for the present time. Just to save money for IF, IF, IF, _IF_ (and good GOD, I am praying that IF becomes a "NOPE!") we have to take Zippo into the vet for x-rays and possible surgery.
In the meanwhile, I'm drowning in all of the packing and preparations for moving. My friend-roommate is facing possible lawsuits against our apartment manager for some really BS moves he's been making with the kid she kicked out of her apartment; (that in itself is a whole bunch of stress and unnecessary bullsnot). It's just a whole lot of legal do's and don't's hullabaloo. And I'm the ONLY friend she has sticking by her, cuz the kid is an ungrateful little prick who has silver-tongued his way into her other friends' ears.
So while trying to help my friend keep HER belongings from the THEIF she kicked out, I'm packing two apartments, preparing another, and caring for two hurt/injured animals. (Aside from Zippo, Foxy has some sort of bacterial infection in her ear, but we got medicine for that and it seems to be abating).
And I'm having to put off commissions.
This is just NOT a good month.
Original Journal: 8.August.12
This is for those who have/are waiting on commissions, as well as those who are interested in commissioning me.
The last few days have been a hellride. The apartments that I live in have gone completely crazy. The night before last, at the complex next to ours, and in full view of our door, was evacuated and crawling with cops. There were ambulances and firetrucks on the scene. A man had barricaded himself in his apartment, left his gas-burning stove leaking gas, and had a gun. My friend, and neighbor, lives in that complex and felt the waves of stress from the entire situation. They were worried about a possible bomb situation, and were keeping everyone at bay. They eventually got the man out and he is now in custody, but it is obviously tense in our area. As such, my fiance does not like me being home alone, and my friend is uncomfortable living there. So we have found a new apartment and are in the process of cleaning it up (for a discount on next month's rent) and moving in.
On top of that, last night I came home from a long day of cleaning and painting the other apartment to find that Zippo is worse.
I was sitting on my bed after having had a stressful conversation with my friend's roommate about how she is moving out (screaming, tears, etc.) and was trying to relax. I noticed that Zippo was not on the bed, but sitting at the side, looking at me. I tried calling him up, but he just circled the bed, kind of hopping, but not jumping. I called my fiance over, and he got the same result after calling Zippo to the couch. When I went to pick Zippo up, he yelped. I immediately broke down sobbing, because we don't know what's wrong. Last night, I woke up from a nightmare about losing him, and he was not laying with me (and he always, ALWAYS sleeps on the bed with me). When I called him, he was on the floor, and came over to me, but could not jump up. This morning, he did not act anywhere CLOSE to his usual self when being taken outside, and he won't come over to the bed if called. He is currently laying on a pile of blankets I arranged for him on the floor. I called the vet, and they recommended I give him one child's Aspirin. If he does not improve, she said I need to bring him in immediately. Unfortunately, the vet does not do payment plans, and just to take him IN is $50. This is just for an exam. It does not include a biopsy (which may be recommended for the mass on his hip), or any pain medications they may give us.
As such, I am both letting you guys know that, while I desperately need funds to treat my puppy, I do not have time to work on commissions much. While trying to clean the new apartment and paint it (it was DISGUSTING; smoke stains on the walls, mouse feces, dead bugs, etc.) I am swamped also with packing to get us moved.
So I'm stuck. I need money to help Zippo, but am so vastly swamped with all things involved with moving/preparing for a move, and I can't MAKE the money.
I don't know what to do.
Either way, I ask that my commissioners please be patient with me right now. Due to circumstances out of my control, and things set in motion by said circumstances, I'm facing a dilemma I don't know how to deal with.
If nothing else, please spread this word.
I am begging for help. Any and all help received will be appreciated to a degree that none of you could possibly comprehend.
But please, help.
Please.
**EDIT . EDIT -- 9.Aug.12 -- EDIT . EDIT**
I managed to get just enough money to take Zippo to the vet. GOOD NEWS: He either pulled a muscle in his back or bruised a disc. The vet was amazing and gave me medicine and instructions on how to care for him. Not only that, but he looked at the mass on his hip and informed me that it is just a swollen node of some sort; that it might just disappear randomly one day! WHEW! Got, I am SO RELIEVED. I was so scared!
Now that the stress of THAT particular scare has been abated (for the most part; I'm still worried about him, just cus he's my baby!) we are now just struggling to make ends meet for the move. I've received gracious help from a spectacular person! sabakitty wonderfully decided to pre-commission me to help out with our troubles. He has my eternal gratitude. Saba, you can bet that, when I can get to commissions again, yours will be extra, extra fluffy and special! <3
Other than that, I don't know much. Just taking care of Zippo and scrambling to pack and prepare. Today, my friend-come-roommate and I will be going over to finish paint the new place. Hopefully they got the carpets steamed and cleaned! I'm ready to get in there and make it a home. I'll be taking Zippo with me, and a nice pallet of blankets for him to rest on. <3
Thank you again, Saba, for your wonderful help and understanding!
