ozzy's post

Welcome to www.ozzyfoundation.org
Tuesday, August 5, 2008

I'm rather new to the blogging world, so I have to get used to posting on a semi-regular basis. I'm sure these first posts will be sporadic and rambling, but I'll do my best to get into a rhythm of sorts and perhaps even share some useful information!

I suppose it makes the most sense to begin with an Ozzy update. I am thrilled to report that Ozzy has been doing really well. His blood tests from 2.5 months ago were approaching the normal range. For those new to this kidney business, there are two main levels we must keep our eye on to check how Ozzy's kidneys are functioning: BUN and creatinine. When Ozz was first diagnosed, both levels were sky-high. As we experimented with amounts of fluids, they would flip flop a bit: one would rise, the other would fall. Now both are finally evening out a bit. The other thing we've had to keep our eye on is his blood pressure. It's common for a pet with kidney failure to have high blood pressure, I'm told, so he's on blood pressure medication once a day, too.

So how are we doing with all of this? There are some nights when the last thing we want to do is try to first catch Ozzy (we've gotten to the point where we can't say certain words around him such as "fluids," "juice," or even "Ozzy" - especially after it's dark out because he knows that we do his fluids at night). Even after nearly two years of practice, sometimes the needle goes in just right and other nights it seems to take forever for those 200 ccs to flow. Then there are the times (warning for the faint hearted, I get more graphic here) when the needle seems to go through one layer or skin and out the other and I don't know it's done that until fluid starts pouring out of Ozzy... I get frustrated sometimes that we have to think about this fluid business 5 nights a week.

Of course, I'd rather have to think about the fluids than deal with the alternative - not having Ozzy around. I was reminded of that just a couple of months ago when Ozzy managed to escape through an improperly locked window. He got out sometime during the night or in the early morning and we couldn't find him all day. After hours of pounding the pavement calling his name, about 50 Lost Cat signs hung around the neighborhood and numerous phone calls from concerned family members and friends who were trying to keep me from going into a full panic, Ozzy finally returned home around 11:30pm that night, dirty and hungry, but alive.

All I kept thinking that day was, "this is NOT how Ozzy's story ends! After all of this energy, heartache, and let's be honest, MONEY, I am not going to lose my beloved Ozzy by - well - LOSING him!" When he returned, I was so thankful to have to think about going to the vet to get more saline and giving Ozzy his "juice." When I get cranky about having to go through our routine after a long day, I remind myself of those 12+ hours when I thought he was gone, and I tell myself to "suck it up." I'm not the one with a needle in my back for 15-20 minutes almost every day!

Alright, changing subjects for a moment. I just wanted to publicly (not sure how many people will actually read my blog, so this might not be as "public" as I would have hoped) thank (picture me doing the Wayne's World "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy" thing) Andy Levine, the creator of our website. Andy has so graciously donated him time and talents and put up with my tons of emails (e.g. "Uh, what is my 'operating system' again?") to create the coolest, most wonderful website I have ever seen (Okay, I'm a bit biased)...Andy, your support means so much to me. His wife, Sheila, who is a board member is equally wonderful for everything she is doing to help us get ready for our first fundraiser...

SPEAKING OF...PLEASE come join us at Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood for Legendary Bingo on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 9pm! A $20 donation at the door gets you bingo cards and the prizes are fantastic (e.g., $100 gift card to Sushi Roku!). If you want to get double the bingo cards, sign up for Bingo Boy's Legendary Bingo list at www.legendarybingo.com. We hope to see you there.

Until the next posting...

posted by Ozzy at 7:47 PM

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