The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Day 41/90 – Rosie goes to the Vet

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    Ruth Carter

    If you want to feel small, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge and look down at the water and see how big all the cables are compared to you. If you want to feel helpless, get a sick dog.

    I didn’t have anything planned for Day 41 of the 90 Days of Awesome, which turned out to be a good thing since Rosie and I spent over two hours at the vet this afternoon.

    Poor Rosie Doesn't Feel Well Today
    Poor Rosie Doesn’t Feel Well Today

    This morning Rosie didn’t have much of an appetite and she was panting and peeing like it was her job. I thought she might have a urinary tract infection. I hate seeing her uncomfortable. I don’t think she slept all morning.

    Thankfully our vet was able to get us in the same day. I love that they’re open seven days a week. The vet diagnosed her with an ear infection in both ears and they collected samples of her blood and urine for additional testing. They are testing her for a urinary tract infection, diabetes, and Cushing’s disease (which can result from her glaucoma meds). We could have results from those tests as early as tomorrow.

    They sent us home with two different ear drops which are making her significantly more comfortable. She still has no appetite, but she isn’t peeing as often, and she’s sleeping comfortably on the floor of my office as I write.

    Was today awesome? No. However, the part that was awesome was I was able to see that my baby needed help and I was able to provide it with the help of her medical team. I thought it was very sweet when they took her in the back to draw blood and urine, I could hear another vet and I think some techs gushing over Rosie. They remember Rosie from earlier this year when she was in a lot for her glaucoma and eventual eye removal.

    In case you missed it: Day 40 of the 90 Days of Awesome – AA Meeting Under the Stars.

  • Day 21/90 – Resetting my Priorities

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    Ruth Carter

    Day 21 of the 90 Days of Awesome is in the bank! What made today awesome? Resetting my priorities after watching Saving Mr. Banks!

    I love this dog.
    I love this dog.

    I thought I was going to tell you about my hyper-productive day. I often call Sunday “Susie Housewife Day” because it’s when I do laundry, clean house, and do prep cooking for the week. Today was it clearly productive; I went running, finished grades for the class I taught this past semester, and washed Rosie’s car seat cover on top of my regular Sunday tasks. (I’ve been accused of being a “human doing” rather than a human being.)

    At dinner time, I popped Saving Mr. Banks into the DVD player, thinking I would watch it for maybe an hour before getting back to work. Based on a true story, the interactions between Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as Walt Disney and P.L. Travers was captivating. In their own ways, they each used the story of Mary Poppins to process their own life experiences with their respective fathers. How apropos that I watch this on Father’s Day.

    At the end of the movie, Rosie started poking her nose into the blinds by the sliding glass door. This is her way of saying she wants to go outside to lay out and smell the smells of the neighborhood. I looked at my dog adoringly and said, “I can do one better.” I grabbed her leash and took her out for a bonus walk. I sat on the grass and she plopped down next to me, rolling onto her side for a belly rub. Watching Saving Mr. Banks reminded me of my priorities, including my promise to make Rosie’s life awesome.

    Following this story was mesmerizing, even though I knew the ending. Their separate but mutual love of Mary Poppins was enchanting. I had to watch the whole thing.

    Here’s a random thought I had while walking Rosie: My nurse says I have a touch of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder); my friend Peter Shankman has ADOS (Attention Deficit – Oh Shiny); Rosie has ADWTS (Attention Deficit – What’s That Smell?).

    In case you missed it: Day 20 of the 90 Days of Awesome – I Love to Ride my Bike!

  • Day 7/90 – Sleep

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    Ruth Carter

    Day 7 of the 90 Days of Awesome is in the bank! What made today awesome? Getting some much-needed rest!

    Rosie's my role model when it comes to the importance of naps.
    Rosie’s my role model when it comes to the importance of naps.

    Due to nightmares and evening activities, I haven’t slept well for the last few nights. When I crashed last night, I didn’t set an alarm for the morning. It was glorious.

    Of course, Rosie the basset hound had other ideas. She jumped up on my bed at 5:24am. (She can’t get all the way on my bed but she can get her front paws up there.) I shuffled outside with her for a few minutes before crawling back into bed until 7am. Usually my alarm clock goes off at 5:15, so 7am is sleeping late for me.

    Still groggy, I poured myself a cup of coffee and spent most of the morning on the couch watching Jerry Maguire. I needed a mellow half-day to recharge my batteries.

    Eventually I got my act together, took a shower, and did some chores to prep for the week ahead. I have a lot of client work and networking activities on my calendar this week. I’m especially excited for The Minimalists to come to town on Tuesday – love those guys, looking forward to reading their next book.

    Sometimes the best thing you can do is a whole lot of nothing. Today was one of those days; I needed to rest up for what’s to come this week.

    In case you missed it: Day 6 of the 90 Days of Awesome – Michael McDonald!