Now I really did it :((

[missy]

Oh and look at one of our ferals from last night before sunset. Lazing about on the bench Greg built. Aww. Despite all that is happening that is awful at least our ferals are doing well knock wood.



Poor babies no rugs. Put towels down for some cushioning that we can wash every day.




Oliver right now

 

[missy]

@Tekate I am sorry I forgot to respond to you. Thank you Kate the dear and great. I cannot imagine what we are going through either and I am living it. This might be the end of me dear girl. I am not exaggerating. This is to date the most challenging time of our lives and I don't know how it is going to end. Poor Fred is terrified and old and I am beside myself with worry and fear and all that stuff. And add to the mix we all have it now and how hard it is to decontaminate the environment I just don't know what we are going to do. And yes they got us with their claws. We might not survive giving them meds let alone the entire ordeal. And yes the cost is in the many thousands now and we are not Rockefeller so there's that but I would pay whatever we need to if only we could get everyone well. Sadly that is no guarantee. If only money could fix this...

Enjoy your trip and have a blast and please share all the good stuff with us. (((HUGS))).

Hi @canuk-gal have a great weekend. Hugs.

 

[AV_]

@missy NIRDI ! - the saying fits both my side & yours ,(

I see that veterinary clinics do have impressive protocols for your sort of thing, mentioning isolation rooms & protective clothing, you'd end up runnig a sort of bootleg field hospital for months - not exactly fun. I do not see how this can be in the house.

 

[Scandinavian]

@missy, I read somewhere that it might reduce the risk of further infection/ infecting others to trim down the fur as much as possible?

No idea if it is helpful but I did a google-translate from the main veterinary institute here:

Treatment and remediation of ringworm in cat groupsIf you have got a ringworm infection into a larger herd of cats, a wholehearted effort is required with a carefully planned treatment plan. It is labor intensive, takes time and is expensive, but is absolutely necessary to get rid of the problem.This article contains information on cat remediation only. Here you will find information about ringworm in general, and here you will find information about ringworm in cattle (which is a B disease).To be successful in cat breeding is required:Close cooperation with a treating veterinarian who has an interest in and knowledge of skin diseases in cats.A strategic sampling of all cats.Establishment of clean and unclean zones.External treatment in combination with systemic treatment.A thorough environmental cleanup to prevent cats from being reinfected from the environment.Preventive measures to prevent new infection from entering the herd.samplingCultivation samples should be taken from all cats in the herd, including those without symptoms. See more about sampling in the section "Sampling and Diagnostics" under fact article on ringworm.Pending test response, the cats suspected of being infected should be kept isolated in a room that is easy to disinfect. In case of strong suspicion, topical treatment may be started.TreatmentCats should be divided into two groups;Non-infected group = symptom-free cats that are culturally negative (ringworm has not been detected by culture).Infected group = cats with symptoms and all culturally positive cats (ringworm has been detected by cultivation)Non-infected groupAll cats are treated topically / externally with a veterinary agent (eg lime sulfur, miconazole, enilconazole).Take new culture samples after a 1-2 weeks. If the samples are still negative and the cats have been kept separate from the infected group, these can now be considered ringworm-free and moved to a clean area. This should happen after being bathed one last time in a form of lock between isolated and non-isolated cats.Infected groupShould be kept in smaller groups, or one by one.Long-haired cats should be cut.Cutting makes the topical treatment more effective, and it will usually shorten the treatment period. It also reduces the amount of infected fur and thus minimizes the spread of spores in the environment. But note: mowing can temporarily aggravate the infection because it causes small microtrauma to the skin. It can also contaminate the environment if necessary precautions are not taken. Cutting must therefore be done with care and in a room that is easily disinfected. Infected hair must be burnt, autoclaved or soaked in disinfectant before being cast. Disposable clothing should be used to prevent animal and human infection. If these precautions are not possible, it is better not to cut.Treat everyone topically, 2x per week (lime sulfur, miconazole, enilconazole).Treat everyone systemically according to the veterinarian's instructions. (Itraconazole should be your first choice.)Evaluate the treatment by taking new culture samples of all cats 3-4 weeks after starting treatment and then new samples every 1-2 weeks. Continue treatment until at least two negative cultivations are achieved. NB! Cats will often look healthy (lesions healed) BEFORE being free of the fungus. It is therefore important to continue treatment until you have at least two negative cultivations.Wear protective clothing / disposable clothing in any room where cats are infected or suspected of being infected. And be careful with washing and disinfecting hands.If you have a lot of cats, during the treatment period you can collect samples for evaluation of the effect. (It is not as optimal as individual tests, but reduces costs.) In that case, there will be a group of cats being assessed, and not individuals. Wear gloves and a clean, new toothbrush for each cat. (This is important not to spread any cat-to-cat infection when sampling!) Place brushes that you want to be analyzed together in the same envelope and clearly mark them to be analyzed as a sample collection. There should be no more than three cats per sample.Cats that, during treatment, become symptom-free and culturally negative, and / or have been in two cultivations in a row for at least a week, can be declared infectious and placed in the area for ringworm-free cats. This should happen after being bathed one last time in a form of lock between isolated and non-isolated cats. If this is not possible and the cat (s) is still exposed to other cats that have not yet had at least two negative cultures, topical treatment must continue.If a cat still has lesions after 8 weeks of treatment, or is symptom free without becoming a culture negative, the following should be considered;Are treatment and environmental remediation (see below) performed correctly?Can the cat have an underlying disease affecting the immune system, or a genetic background that makes it more sensitive to dermatophyte infection?In rare cases, the killing of an individual must be considered, unless one can accept an artant infection in the herd.Resistance in dermatophytes has only been detected in very few cases and should therefore not be the first thing to consider in unsuccessful treatment, but can be considered if other causes are unlikely.Environmental remediation by ringworm infection in large cat groupsDermatophytes are transmitted through microscopic spores, which are formed by fragmentation of fungal hyphae on infected skin or hair. The fur of infected cats is full of such spores that spread everywhere, and the more cats the greater the spread. Ringworm spores can survive for a long time in the environment (several years) and are easily transported with contaminated dust. The presence of spores in the environment is an important cause of poor treatment results and constant reinfection. Environmental remediation of ringworm infection is therefore absolutely necessary to remove the infection.A well-planned program for washing and disinfection is very important. First find out how the cats should be grouped, isolated and moved around, then how the rooms should be cleaned and disinfected and in what order.All rooms must be cleanedCat beds, blankets and other fabrics must either be thrown (burned) or washed in warm water (at least 60 ° C). And dried in dryer on high heat.Vacuum frequently. The vacuum cleaner bag should be burnt or soaked with disinfectant and discarded every time. Make sure the filter in the vacuum cleaner is intact so that spores do not come out of the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner brush must also be cleaned and disinfected after each use.Clean all surfaces, floors, walls, moldings and all nooks and crannies at least once a week. The cloth must be cleaned and disinfected (or discarded) after each time.After mechanical cleaning, disinfect with an antifungal agent.During the treatment program it may also be appropriate to cultivate from the environment. Use a dry cloth where it is easy for hair and dust to collect and send to the laboratory for cultivation.Preventive measuresIntroduction of new cats with unknown infection status and participation in cat exhibitions and the like presents the greatest risk of getting infected into a herd. All new cats that are going into a herd should be examined very carefully. At the slightest suspicion it should be tested for ringworm by cultivation. The cat should be quarantined until the analysis result is clear. Wear protective clothing / disposable clothing when visiting the quarantine room, and be careful about washing and disinfecting hands. Optionally, after consultation with the treating veterinarian, topical treatment may be started before the results of the cultivation are available. The cat is released if it is symptom-free and culturally negative.

 

[Scandinavian]

Life has its ups and downs. Found two little lumps/bumps on Furbaby F a few days ago. So she needed surgery, because she had the same types two years ago and they very malignant. So we have rushed home. I just could not wait even if they were microscopic. To much lately, not taking any chances. But luckily one of my best friends is a fantastic vet and surgeon and she could squeeze her in today. Now - trying to wake up and shake of the anaesthesia. Very grateful that my baby is home again - lump free!

 

[Scandinavian]

And in other news: my mama is doing okay, all things considered. Really exhausted but okay. For now. So we are talking it one day at a time. Next week is supposed to be worse. We’ll see. So sorry for all the me me me posts. Thank you for letting me went.

 

[Austina]

Hello lovelies

@scandanavian your necklace is beautiful and is perfect for you. You can’t just post the pictures and leave out all the details, we are the bling babes after all I’m so glad to hear that F is fine, Dottie has had a couple of lumps, but they’ve proved just to be fatty and probably due to old age. Good news that your Mum is doing well, and I hope she continues to improve and cope with her treatment.

Oy @missy, what can I say, I’m so sorry that this is proving to be worst case scenario, and not best case? When are you going to get a break from all of this? It’s just so unfair that your kindness and compassion is being ‘rewarded’ this way. I really don’t know what to say, I wish there was something I could do to help and ease the problem. Poor you and Greg, you really deserve some good luck for a change.

I hope your journey is going well @Tekate, hopefully you’re nearly there by now. What a mammoth trip, but well worth it to be spending time with your family and little Autie. Would you believe it was hotter here yesterday than Texas?

Hope your flight went/is going ok @Mamabean, I used to be nervous, but now I don’t really worry about it, I can’t change things, so I just accept. Hope David has got over his grumps, and isn’t causing you any worry.

Oh for goodness sake, how could they send you a broken chain @marcy, where’s the quality control. I hope you can get it all sorted out quickly without anymore delays. What a beautiful sunset shot, just look at those colours.

I hope your stone/s aren’t bothering you @Calliecake and you’re feeling good. Glad you could go out and enjoy some shopping and lunch, sounds like the perfect day.

I hope you didn’t give up on your painting @junebug17 I’m sure you’re being over critical and it’s probably much better than you think.

It was hotter than hell here yesterday, we really struggled trying to cool the house down, had fans going etc., but it was still really hot when we went to bed. Dottie wasn’t happy and eventually came upstairs to sleep. Fortunately, it’s back to ‘normal’ temperatures for this time of the year, and far more bearable. It was the highest recorded temperature EVER yesterday So glad that we’re back in to the 20’s and not high 30’s today.

I hope everyone is doing OK, and looking forward to the weekend.

 

[Scandinavian]

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Oh myohmy NIRDIs. How life gets in the way? Strength to all who need it.

xoxo Sharon

 

[Keeliamira]

Life certainly gets in the way! Dear NIRDIs, it’s been several weeks of chaos and I simply had to circle the wagons and go heads down into the storm. More on that below. I’ve only caught up on reading the last week of posts so forgive me if I’ve missed anything major.

@Scandinavian I am so sad to hear about your mom’s diagnosis. Thank goodness she has you! I cannot even begin to imagine the struggle, both physically and emotionally, this has brought. Sending you, her, and your entire family hugs and positive energy! I love the photos of your fur babies - so beautiful! I hope your sweet one has fully perked up post anesthesia. Your necklace is a dream!

@missy I am so sorry Francesca is no longer with you. Oliver is absolutely adorable and you are so dear to adopt him. I only wish you weren’t struggling with the ringworm ridiculousness! Oy! I don’t know how you do it! I hope you’re feeling well otherwise. Hugs and love for all of it!

@Tekate I hope your drive to TX hasn’t been too difficult. How’s Autie?

@junebug17 I am in awe of your “practice pear” If that’s practice...whoa! It really is lovely!

@Mamabean I haven’t found Libby yet in the posts but can’t wait to see her! I hope you are over the moon!

@AV_ I haven’t read through enough to see what’s been going on in your world, but I hope the chaos ends soon and positively! Hugs your way dear!

@Calliecake @Slick1 @marcy @canuk-gal and anyone else I’m missing, I hope you’re well! HUGS!

Things went upside down and a bit sideways in my world for a bit.

I had my hysterectomy on June 4. On the bright side things went well and all of my tests came back clean. The next day, Dd1 was unsuccessfully discharged from the residential treatment hospital and made direct threats against family members if she was discharged. They sent her home anyway and she physically attacked my husband, son, and me (the day after my hysterectomy!) within 30 minutes of getting to the house. Dh had to pin her and hold her until police arrived. It was a mess. She was arrested and rehospitalized in a year long program that will go through her 18th birthday. She will remain there despite our move to Arizona. It was devastating.

We then had everything packed up and moved to Scottsdale. The house we were under contract for with the beautiful kitchen fell out because it didn’t appraise and we had to walk away. We close on a different house Tuesday and have been given the “all clear” so I’ve finally been able to breathe a sigh of relief there. In the meantime, Dh and I and four of our kids are living in a hotel with our two dogs and our two birds. It’s a little stressful, to say the least.

I was supposed to be able to telecommute for 30 to 60 days for the University but they reneged on that when I came back from leave after my surgery. Now I am pounding the pavement looking for a job, and paying through the nose for COBRA coverage. Not fun. Anyone have any contacts in Scottsdale looking for an attorney?

In the meantime, I am applying to everything that comes up and flipping jewelry. I’ve already found a great antique dealer and a fantastic diamond guy here. On the jewelry front, I bought a huge and ugly vintage ring that reminded me a lot of Niel’s (large old cut yellow sapphire with diamond and emerald halo). It was only $1350 so I took a chance. I sent it to my jeweler in Atlanta and he confirmed it is a 7ct natural old cut yellow sapphire that is likely unheated based on the color and old cut of the stone. A re-cut and reset is definitely in the cards but first, I have to buy a house, sell a house, get a job, and a host of other things! I hope everyone is doing well. I’ve missed you all!

Heres a pic of part of my new backyard.

 

[AV_]

@Keeliamira Your troubles are so many ,( all I understand is the word: "CLEAN" (post-hysterectomy tests) - and the picture of a promissing house.

I have complained of 'chaos' in the shortest post here, with no details; I am stuck in a way too colourful job hunt that is getting to me; I need out - somehow, anywhere, and I cannot think of anything not terror inducing.

 

[Scandinavian]

@Keeliamira oh my. I thought I had a hard week. But I think you win.. Thank you for your kind wishes! I hope you have a chance for a peaceful weekend and a better next week!

 

[Austina]

I’m so sorry @Keeliamira what a nightmare time you’re having. I’m glad the surgery went well and you’ve got the all clear on the health front. How awful about your DD, terribly sad that she and you all are going through this. I hope her stay proves beneficial to her and she receives the treatment she needs.

What a bummer the house fell through, but your new place looks great, and everything crossed it goes through smoothly and you sell your place quickly so you can get settled.

Good luck with the job hunt @AV_ I hope the perfect job and location turn up for you soon.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

@Keeliamira healing vibes across the miles

kind regards--Sharon

 

[Keeliamira]

@Keeliamira
I have complained of 'chaos' in the shortest post here, with no details; I am stuck in a way too colourful job hunt that is getting to me; I need out - somehow, anywhere, and I cannot think of anything not terror inducing.

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! I know that feeling...where doing nothing is terror inducing but so are any of the other options! I do hope you find a path forward that is comfortable and positive soon.

@Keeliamira oh my. I thought I had a hard week. But I think you win.. Thank you for your kind wishes! I hope you have a chance for a peaceful weekend and a better next week!

It’s an award I’ll pass on, thanks. I hope your weekend is starting out positively!

I’m so sorry @Keeliamira what a nightmare time you’re having. I’m glad the surgery went well and you’ve got the all clear on the health front. How awful about your DD, terribly sad that she and you all are going through this. I hope her stay proves beneficial to her and she receives the treatment she needs.

What a bummer the house fell through, but your new place looks great, and everything crossed it goes through smoothly and you sell your place quickly so you can get settled.

Good luck with the job hunt @AV_ I hope the perfect job and location turn up for you soon.

Thank you, Austina! So far, I’m loving AZ despite the heat. So different from Atlanta but so beautiful!

HI:
@Keeliamira healing vibes across the miles
kind regards--Sharon

Thank you dear!

 

[AV_]

@Keeliamira It is as you say ,( I might have just written the craziest letter of my life - barely a couple hundred words that took all of two days to put together. You - know how to live!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDI’s!

Missy, I am so incredibly sorry to hear all of you have ringworm. What a nightmare for you guys. You deserve a lot more of that delicious looking ice cream. Cute picture of the feral lounging around on the bench. Great view from there too.

Scandi, I hate to hear your sweet furbaby had more lumps; I hope she takes it easy and recovers quickly. I am glad to hear your mom is doing okay. Hoping her next round of chemo isn’t too awful for her either.

Austina, I think the chain just got really twisted up in shipping. Those little plastic prongs that hold things down fell out the minute I opened the jewelry box. The chain was knotted in several places. It will be no problem exchanging it tomorrow and I totally plan on looking at earrings while I’m there. Ha Ha. Thank you about the sunset picture. I didn’t look early enough tonight. I totally enjoy watching sunrises and sunsets. I bet you are happy it is cooling down. We had a nice rain about the time I came home from work that cooled things down to the 60’s (F).

Sharon, thank you for the very nice sentiment for all the NIRDI’s. We seem to have a lot of challenges right now.

Kelliamira, I hope you are recovering well from your surgery and what a relief your tests came back clean. I am sorry to hear about your daughter. Hopefully her year in that program will be what she needs to turn that corner. Your house looks fabulous. Good luck finding a job. Darn that you are in Scottsdale - I could have met your for lunch and then gone jewelry shopping. Oh well, maybe next time I’m down there. The vintage ring you found sounds gorgeous. I see you used to live in Atlanta - at least all the streets in Arizona don’t have the name peach tree in them. Of course they simply change names several times.

AV, good luck finding a way to land the perfect job.

Compared to many of you my troubles today were only work related. No one is going to die if their favorite team doesn’t play on TV but you’d sure think so based on the way people act. We were in scramble mode all day, removing and changing things through Monday and then about 10 minutes before we were going home they wanted us to put about 1/2 of them back. The senior boss offered to stay and put everything back. We were going out to dinner so I came home from dinner and checked things over. Naturally my stupid work laptop needed Window’s updates right now when I logged in.

Since I had work to do Marty dropped me off and ran back to Lowes. I was balancing our checking account for the day and saw how much he spent there so sent him a text I expect at least 3 teddy bears based on what he spent. He said he bought himself a present. Naturally I knew it was a tool and I was right - he got a drill he just had to have. Again that gives me a reason to buy earrings tomorrow. Ha Ha.

Have a good weekend and those of you dealing with health issues and heartaches please know I am keeping you in my thoughts and sending you mega dust.

Marcy

 

[junebug17]

Ah @missy I'm really sorry about this latest news. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. I understand how overwhelming all of this and I totally empathize with you on how hard it is to give meds to cats. They hate it and we feel so bad doing it, ugh. I'm hoping and praying that this outbreak doesn't drag on and I'm sending you and Greg lots of support and love. I wish I could do more to help. (((Hugs)))

@Mamabean, I hope David's spirits improved by the time you left and isn't causing you any more worry. Hopefully your trip to Chicago went smoothly. Have a wonderful time on your weekend getaway!

@AV_, I'm sorry your future is uncertain...and I feel badly that you might have to leave a place you love so much. Thinking of you and sending support as you go through this stressful time.

@Scandinavian, I'm keeping your mother in my thoughts and I'm glad to hear she's doing ok, and I'm sending lots of positive thoughts and love as she goes through these treatments. I know this must be so very hard on you. And oh no to your furbaby needing surgery, I'm so glad you were able to have it done right away and he's home and recovering...what a sweet picture.

Your new necklace is absolutely stunning! Perfect in every way, and also such a special and thoughtful gesture from your dh

@Tekate, wishing you safe travels for the rest of your trip. It's so exciting that you'll be seeing Autie soon!

@Calliecake, I'm so glad you're feeling well right now. Lunch and shopping is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I hope you have a very enjoyable and relaxing weekend. Thank you for your kind words too, and I'll hang in there with the painting.

@marcy, sorry about the boring task you have to do at work, ugh. I'm wishing Marty lots of luck with the gym. Oh no to the new chain being broken, how frustrating. I think it's a good idea to see what Wink has available. Sorry about your stressful day, you must be so glad it's Friday. LOL to Marty buying himself a present...dh did too, new golf clubs. He said it felt like Christmas haha. I think that means we deserve presents too lol. Wow, beautiful sunset!

@Austina, I'm glad to hear it seem to be cooling down a bit for you and I hope it continues!

@Keeliamira, I'm very relieved to hear your surgery went well and you've been given the all-clear. I am so sorry about your dd, what a traumatic and upsetting experience for everyone and hopefully she'll receive the help she needs. What a shame the University reneged on the job and I wish you all the best in finding something else. Your new home is absolutely beautiful! I hope things fall into place soon and you and your family can move in to your lovely new house and you can start feeling more settled and at peace. Xoxox

Nothing really new here...dh and I met ds for dinner, which was nice since we hadn't seen him in a while. He's been busy working overtime (yay), playing shows, and spending time with his girlfriend. Also spoke to dd today, she's doing well and might come for a few days next week.

So sorry that some of the nirdis are dealing with such tough situations, and I'm keeping you all in my thoughts. <3 <3 <3

 

[missy]

Good morning girls. It's another lovely weather day here at the shore.

@junebug17 thanks sweetie. I know and I appreciate all your support and love and good thoughts. And right back at ya. I am glad you enjoyed dinner with your son and that he is doing well. And yay for seeing DD soon and that all is going smoothly in her life too.

@Keeliamira whew what a relief your surgery went well. So glad that is over for you. I am very sorry about your daughter and glad you and the rest of the family are OK. That sucks about the job. Unprofessional of them and you are probably better off not working there because who knows what else they would pull and after you have invested time and energy. I am sending you lots of job dust and hope you find the perfect job soon. Speaking of perfect your new home is beautiful and despite the other one falling through this is just lovely. And that backyard.

Yes losing Francesca was/is devastating and as the vet we saw a few days ago said no good deed goes unpunished with what we are now dealing with. All because we wanted to save a kitty who was going to lose his eye. But we are looking forward and taking it one day at a time as I know you must do. And take things moment by moment. We are warriors. Sending you hugs and love Keeliamira.

@AV_ good luck with your job hunt and sending you lots of hugs and good luck dust.

Hi @marcy sorry you were in scramble mode at work all day yesterday but woohoo it's Saturday. Time to relax and unwind. And glad your troubles are just work troubles. You're right that won't (hopefully) kill anyone though I had to laugh yesterday when we were talking and I said to Greg OK so that is our new barometer. At least this won't kill anyone. Oy and LOL. Thanks for your support and kind words. And we did get ice cream yesterday too. Sweet. Haha I hope you get those 3 teddy bears Marcy. You deserve it sweet lady.

@Scandinavian oh no about fur baby but so glad your sweet baby girl is home now lump free. And so glad your mom is doing well. Scandi you know we are here for you any way we can be...here and offline too. Please vent and share and lighten your heavy load. We love you and care about you and your entire family. (((Hugs))).

@Austina that is hot and I am happy your temps are back to "normal" for this time of year. Summer without AC can be hard. I know our temps in the states are hotter generally in summer but some of the temps you have been experiencing have been too hot to deal with not having AC. Hope a cool wave is on your way. We have been having nice weather this week but the hotter temps are coming for next week. Have a good weekend and hugs to Dottie.

@Mamabean I hope you are enjoying your getaway and that David is doing better. Thinking of you and sending you hugs and love.

@canuk-gal hello there and thanks for your good wishes. Anything new or exciting happening in your world? How's cycling going? It is one of the few pleasures I have at the moment and we are trying to get in some cycling whenever we can. Hugs and happy weekend.

So our routine is challenging but we are getting into a rhythm of sorts and it is getting less impossible and just difficult now. LOL. Woke up yesterday morning and our med routine began. Fed all the cats. Got out the syringes and dosed each individual with the anti fungal liquid (they all get different dosages due to their weight). Trapped them all individually and used a big towel (different towels on each one and had to wash in between each dosing) and after I got them Greg held them down on the floor with the towel and I took the syringe and administered the liquid down their throats. It is hardest with Bobby as his dose is 3.5 CCs (he's a big boy) and that is more liquid than he can manage and more than fits in one syringe. So far we have done 2 days and only managed to get half his dose in yesterday and maybe 3/4 dose today. We have to do better but 4 cats and we are trying our best. We might try getting the rest of his dose later but it is super traumatic for them and this morning it was even harder to find Tommy so we might leave it alone and just do better tomorrow with Bobby. I am just relieved we are able to do this without getting killed. Then we apply the topicals to Fred and Oliver.

After the morning feeding and meds I take my meds and then Greg and I let Oliver out from his pen and he runs around like a maniac in the bedroom. I know we are putting ourselves at big risk (we already have ringworm spots on us) but he is a kitten and he needs our attention and he needs a bigger space to run and play. What else can we do? We disinfect the bedroom every day and though we started washing the sheets in hot water every day we cannot manage that on a long term basis. We cover our bed and comforter and pillows with big sheets when we let Oliver out so the bed is somewhat protected and we do wash those big sheets every day. After we have coffee and breakfast in bed and Oliver has played for a few hours we put him back in his playpen and we got ready to cycle.

We cycled yesterday and the weather was so lovely and we also enjoyed Days ice cream. Then cycled back home and our "fun" began. Vacuuming the whole house (3500 square feet) with a HEPA Vacuum and then mopping and bleaching the floors. All of them. I bought something called Rescue which is accelerated hydrogen peroxide and it foams. Not sure if it is better than bleach but it is supposed to work better on ringworm fungus. Costs $50 a gallon so I hope it is worth it. We are going through gallons of bleach and now AHP too. Took us together about 2.5 hours from start to finish of vacuuming and mopping and bleaching. We are supposed to do it daily. And that does not include walls or ceiling or even dusting which truthfully we are not really doing. Doing the best we can and that is all we can do.

And the laundry. Oy Marcy we are putting you to shame with laundry. We do 2 washing machines going most of the day. Estimating we are doing 6-8 loads of laundry a day. We have to wash everything the cats contact every day including our clothing. On super hot so you can imagine we are ruining some of our stuff as they are not made for super hot washes and drying. But again we do what we can and the best we can which is not perfect by any means but it is all we can do.

As I write this Oliver is running all over the bed and me and my computer screen. I hope Greg and I don't become covered in ringworm spots. Ollie is so sweet and he is a wild child but that is because he is a kitten. One of the things I hate most about this is it is robbing Ollie of his kitten hood. Locking him in his pen most of the day. We only let him out to play in the AM because then we have to wash everything all over again every time we do. But that is also why we are letting him stay in the bedroom with us so at least at night we are next to him and he is not alone. That is something. It's just not ideal for anyone.

And poor Fred is crying in the den and we spend time with him too but I don't know if we can continue keeping him in the den. Fred is miserable unless we are there with him and we cannot be all places at all times and everytime we spend time with any of them we are supposed to change clothes and shower. Not possible unless I only see my cats once a day. Anyway that is our life as it is now.

Ringworm can take 3 plus months to treat and I know some people who couldn't get rid of it 6 months later. Really hoping we can get this under control.

I contacted David my derm but he only was willing to write an Rx for 5 days for Fluroconazole and that does not work against ringworm. We need Terbinafine. Well that sucks but David feels the risks outweigh the benefits for me. But being around 4 cats with ringworm and this will be for months and Greg and I already have spots I dont think topicals with fluroconazole (oral) will be sufficient.

Terbanifine is for 4 plus weeks and most effective against ringworm. Yes it has side effects and yes I am sensitive to meds but you can understand why I want to take it since we are going to be around the cats for such a long time. If I get it in my hair it can cause permanent scarring on the scalp and hair loss. Anyway just sharing with you all what is happening.

I made an appointment with a derm in NJ about 45 minutes away and Greg and I are going Monday. I hope he is good (I just want a doctor's eyes on what we have and I do not think he will prescribe the Terbinafine for me and that is not the reason I am going) because my experience with most derms is not positive with the exception of David. But we cannot go to NYC with our schedules now and anyway I don't have an appointment scheduled with David til the end of the month and he isn't easy to get in to see without a scheduled appointment. In fact, David did not even suggest we come in and instead wrote an Rx for us both without even seeing us. So you can imagine how packed his schedule is if he didn't suggest us coming in before writing an RX.

Hoping this new derm is good and will be able to give us what we need to properly treat the ringworm on us. Right now Greg and I are applying the topical cat med Miconazole to our ringworm spots. I also have a cat shampoo but not sure if I can use it. I just might. Haha maybe I will turn into a cat. Right now I wouldn't mind not being me . Like we have time to start going to doctors for ourselves now in between all the vet visits and meds for the cats. I have to laugh but it's OK. One day at a time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time. Cannot look too far ahead.

Haha @Scandinavian I sure take up a lot of space here don't I so you see you have nothing to worry about with sharing and posting.

@Slick1 thinking of you every day and sending you healing hugs and much love. Hope your summer is going very well and that you and the family are having a wonderful time. XOXO.

OK if you got through all that I wrote thank you. Onto some photos.

Days!



Oliver! Right now at this moment. He's behaving for a second and not running around like a nut lol.





And Bobby and Tommy dealing with towels instead of rugs. It's just easier to disinfect/wash towels daily vs our shag rugs yanno? We did buy new shag rugs and they arrived yesterday. Keeping them wrapped in their plastic down in the basement til this ringworm episode is cleared. Hopefully by autumn but it might not even be cleared by then. Fingers crossed we will get this under control sooner vs later.

Playing on the towel. Poor sweeties. I am sorry Bobby, Tommy and Fred. We love you and hope you forgive us for putting you through this traumatic treatment.



OK girls, that's more than enough from me. Have a happy Caturday Saturday and we are off cycling in a little bit. Enjoy the day and (((Hugs))).

 

[Scandinavian]

You asked for it... I’m horrible at taking bling shots. I don’t have any specs, as it was a gift. And thus do not want them either. But I would guess about 160 stones? I got lost trying to count them. And perhaps 0.08 each? I can’t see any colour or inclusions.

 

[missy]

You asked for it... I’m horrible at taking bling shots. I don’t have any specs, as it was a gift. And thus do not want them either. But I would guess about 160 stones? I got lost trying to count them. And perhaps 0.08 each? I can’t see any colour or inclusions.

Stunning @Scandinavian, I love it.
Even if you don't want to know the deets make sure your dh has an appraisal so in case of loss or theft...I am guessing you insure your jewelry. I hate we have to think of unpleasant things but better safe than sorry. It's a gorgeous necklace Scandi sweetheart. So glad you have it.

 

[Austina]

Morning lovelies

@Scandinavian your necklace is simply beautiful, it looks lovely on you, and what a gem of a husband to organise such a wonderful surprise. Keeping you all in my thoughts and sending lots of good wishes and healing vibes to your Mum.

Oy @missy, what an exhausting routine. I had a thought yesterday, but I don’t know if it’s something that’ll help, or something you’ve probably already thought of. I wondered if you have a steam mop/steamer and whether this would help at all? I know you probably don’t like having to use all that bleach and chemicals on your surfaces, and I wondered if steam would be effective in killing the ringworm fungus? Also, we have a product that you add to laundry to kill 99.99% of bacteria and germs, again, don’t know if this is effective against the ringworm fungus, but just thought I’d mention it. You are doing everything you can, I’m sure a lot more than people used to do in ‘old days’, you’ll get on top of this I feel sure of it.

What a lovely evening @junebug17 catching up with your DS and hearing he’s doing so well, and hearing from your DD. To your DH feeling it’s like Christmas because of his new clubs, men are easily pleased.

Ugh, sounds like a day you were glad to see the back of @marcy, thank goodness it’s the weekend now. Not long now til Marty’s gym opens, does he have a list of clients waiting to start training with him? I hope you get your chain sorted this weekend,

Enjoy your time in Austin @Tekate, glad you arrived safely after that mammoth trek.

Hallelujah, it’s COOL here today What a relief, we all slept better last night, although I got a real fright this morning when I went to get Dottie up. She was laying on her front, head between her paws, and I stroked her and called her and she didn’t move. She was so sound asleep, but for a split second, I thought she was gone It’s her 9th birthday tomorrow, so in Spinone terms, she’s quite an old lady now.

First load of washing is just finishing, so I need to go and sort it out, and put the next load on, what a whirlwind of fun my life is

I hope all the lovely NIRDIs have a good weekend, we’re out all day tomorrow at the annual Spinone BBQ.

 

[Scandinavian]

Missy, I know it is probably not possible. But would it be possible to isolate the cats for example in big dog crates for a short period of time and then get this over with within a week or so? Just thinking that perhaps a short period of anxiety/ crying might be better than a 6 months nightmare? Because if I understand this thing, they/you/the house will just keep reinfecting each other and that is why it will take so long to get rid of this horrible thing? I’m so sorry about all this. Hugs!

 

[AV_]

@missy Do you have a spare room? Or two? If the chores do not do you in, the story of repeated re-infection is real. Darn!

@Scandinavian The diamond hairband is surprising enough to go anywhere.

-

Thank you NIRDIs for the good wishes... I expect to be teetering on uncertain work for quite a while - but, it is already clear that I can stay in Granada for months to come. So be it.

 

[missy]

Missy, I know it is probably not possible. But would it be possible to isolate the cats for example in big dog crates for a short period of time and then get this over with within a week or so? Just thinking that perhaps a short period of anxiety/ crying might be better than a 6 months nightmare? Because if I understand this thing, they/you/the house will just keep reinfecting each other and that is why it will take so long to get rid of this horrible thing? I’m so sorry about all this. Hugs!

Thanks Scandi. Appreciate your brainstorming. Just not possible. I wish there was a better way. You’re quite right. Challenging to get rid of for 2 reasons. The spores are viable for 2 years sometimes longer. And the cats shed the ringworm spores constantly and now so do we. So it goes. Praying the meds help decrease the spore shedding soon. It’s a long process to say the least.

@missy Do you have a spare room? Or two? If the chores do not do you in, the story of repeated re-infection is real. Darn!

@Scandinavian The diamond hairband is surprising enough to go anywhere.

-

Thank you NIRDIs for the good wishes... I expect to be teetering on uncertain work for quite a while - but, it is already clear that I can stay in Granada for months to come. So be it.

It’s an open concept house with only a few definitive rooms and those are too small for all the cats. It’s a challenging situation. Hope your work hunting goes smoothly. Thanks for all your support. XO

@Austina thanks for your ideas. I appreciate all of them. Unfortunately steam does not kill ringworm. Bleach and accelerated hydrogen peroxide are the best bet. After one cleans everything then one disinfects everything with either bleach or AHP. Every day. No shortcuts. I just ordered swifter for walls and ceilings. Oy is right.


Sorry for the brief replies just wanted you to know I appreciate everyone’s input. Cycling now and it’s a beautiful day. Enjoy this Saturday and catch up with you later. (((Hugs)))

 

[Austina]

Enjoy the good weather and your ride @missy.

I found this article which says that steam cleaning does help, might be worth a try if you have a steamer.

https://www.vapamore.com/steam-cleaning-and-disinfection-for-ringworm/

 

[Calliecake]

@missy, I’m sorry you are dealing with all of this. I’m glad to hear you are able to get out and cycle. I know having multiple cats makes this more difficult but it sounds like you and Greg have a plan and are able to get out and some fun which makes this situation more bearable. Is it possible to confine the cats to just a few rooms while they are infected? We stayed in 3 rooms. A TV room, our bedroom and the kitchen. I washed the floors in those rooms twice a day, covered the furniture with sheets and her blankets and washed those twice a day, our bed sheets everyday and did a load or two of clothes laundry every day. It ended up being about 5 or 6 loads of laundry a day a day. It was 21 days before we knew she was infection free and then it was over. Keeping us all confined to three rooms helped greatly as did keeping her in her crate when we left the house. Our adventure sounds like a walk in the park compared to what you are going thru. There is a huge difference with only one furbaby getting sick and no one else catching it to what you are going thru. I’m sorry Missy.

I’m sorry, I started posted and kept adding to it while doing other things. Doesn’t sound like confining them to a limited spaces will work for you. I think we are all throwing anything we think may be helpful hoping something will work for you and this situation. Have fun cycling today! You need and deserve a break.

 

[Calliecake]

@Scandinavian, I hope all is going well with your mom, furbaby and family.
The necklace looks gorgeous on you!!!!

I’ll catch up with everyone tonight.

 

[AV_]

@missy This sort of thing is a small-ish room WWW - contains airborne stuffs (frolicking cats, not so sure) & must be cleanable / disposable. I am thinking that there must be similar items that are not intended for this use, but might make your labours of love bearable ,(

back to work

 

[Scandinavian]

Ordered a new perfume from Hawaii
It came today, and I love it!