cat scratch fever

E true hollywood story: i am recently recovered from an infected cat bite, which is not the same as cat scratch fever. but since ted nugent did not see fit to sing about cat bites, this was the best title i could muster. oddly enough, i am also a victim of cat scratch fever (and have a big lymph node to prove it), and it wasn't nearly as painful/embarrassing as this.

easter weekend, we are at the in-laws. as i make my way from the bed to the kitchen, i stopped to say hi to stanley the cat. the big, orange, bipolar, hyper-aggressive cat. he did not want to be disturbed and punctured and scratched my arm to make his point. i grew up with cats. my own beloved cookie cat used to tear me to shreds, then sleep at my feet. cat attacks are not new to me. i took a shower and went on with it, even though the m-i-l tried to make a fuss over me and it was really starting to throb. the law student always says the difference between cats and dogs is this: if cats were as big as you, they'd eat you.

by the time the law student, the f-i-l and i got to church (about an hour later), my arm hurt. by the time we left church, my right arm was swollen at the bite (about 2 inches above the wrist) and really hurt. but in atypical kissey fashion, i continued to dismiss it as a mere cat bite, instead of hyperventilating and googling "cat bite" until i was paralyzed with fear. throughout easter lunch my arm moved from painful to throbbing.

by monday morning, the arm was visibly swollen and red all the way up to my elbow. i couldn't tear tape off of the tape dispenser or generally move my wrist to the right to do all those little things you never think about doing. so i called the doctor and the doctor said, "man, he really got you good." really? i felt like the biggest dweeb. i had to get an antibiotic and a tetanus shot (which was about as awesome as the cat bite and gave me a nasty bruise and further impaired my range of motion) and endure endless jokes to be fully healed. the bruises, fever, swelling and redness are gone, but the scars and snickers are not. damn cat. but at least my (future) babies will be immunized against tetanus and whooping cough. apparently that's a package deal.

actually, infected cat bites are quite common: up to 40% of bites become infected. i know this because (lame joke alert) stanley also infected me with knowledge. no, i eventually googled it, you know, just to make sure. as if redness, swelling, pain and heat were not indicative enough of infection. cats carry tons of pathogens and bacteria in their saliva. cat scratch fever, on the other hand/paw, is contracted by bite, scratch, or just petting the fuzzy thing. you end up with a fever, chills, etc., and swollen lymph nodes. i had to get the one under my arm drained. it's still bigger than the left one today.

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new topic.

i am the proud sister of TWO employed younger sisters! boo boo got a job teaching in the MS public school system, and baby sister is moving to DALLAS as a permanent sub for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children. i mistakenly called them ED children. whoops.

and now it's time for the office. it can't get any better than last week. i'm done here.

can't always get what you want

but according to google, this is what i need.

lauren needs:

1. attention (naturally)
2. this one was too dirty to post
3. someone with her when she is outdoors
4. constant care and attention
5. to grow up and get over it
6. a dentist (true)
7. to do a brand new show! (oh, fun!)
8. Jesus (always)
9. your undivided attention (sensing a theme here, aren't we?)
10. a good party night, and...
11. 3 or 4 games before a return to action

it only took an hour...

but i got a new design! hopefully someone will take pity on me and offer to re-vamp my blog from time to time, according to season, holiday and life event, as the case may be.

so, first official blog post, other than those about said blog.


oh you have missed so much. without a functioning blog, i couldn't tell you about:

1. the 2 weeks i spent trying to decide which pair of mizuno tennis shoes to keep. they sat in my house, on the barstools, while i looked at them. i finally picked the pair that fit (because, you know, it was my size, 6.5).
2. my squeal of DELIGHT in the oxford kroger when i saw this. i love cherry 7-up, with or without alleged antioxidants.
3. my online email fight with freepeople.com, whose clothes i adore and whose customer service reps i do not. i'll refrain from naming said customer service rep here. i really want to, but i could probably be sued or something. i'll ask the law student later.
   
4. the new book i am reading--Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by barbara kingsolver. it will probably change my life, simply because it has changed the way i think and totally tapped into that hippie earth mama gene. genetically engineered seeds be damned! read it if you dare.
5. our (ben's and my) joy over our niece/nephew lang! ben's brother tim and wife sara are expecting the first lang grandchild. we're so happy for them, and so glad it's not us.

well, my law student is home for the evening and i must give up the computer. g'night!


parting gift: luke 24. "why do look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen!"

good intentions

i have good intentions.

total blog makeover, complete with timely, relevant and consistent posts coming soon.

i am immune to your doubts. talk to you soon.