Two Albany Girls

 The day I went to my latest doctor appointment over my knee, I got a bill from Willamette Humane, via the Linn County Cat Fix Fund. Or rather, Happy Cat Club was billed.  I was thrilled!  Nobody had used that fund since the pandemic began, back in March of 2020, when the clinic closed suddenly, for months.   

One lone Albany female was fixed, via the fund, but hey, that's one female won't be kicking out more kittens.   I called the clinic and paid the $43.  Happily.  That is cat number 121 fixed through that fund.

A friend took me over to the doctor's office in Corvallis.   This was right by the college football stadium.   I went in and it was all business and efficiency.  I was seen within moments.  Xrays then the doctor talked to me.  He told me both my knees were quite bad, my right one being worse than the left.    He said likely I had a piece of torn meniscus locking my joint from straightening and that it may or may not flop back out on its own.  He said he'd order an MRI and then call me.

Except by today, I woke up to no problem bending my left leg.  Yesterday I had inklings something was freeing up.  There were loud popping sounds coming from my knee.  I could feel the vibration of them inside my knee.  So...as suddenly as the problem began, it has ended.   I don't know what to think.  Except I think it will likely happen again.

Corona virus ravages the area.  Hospital beds are full of covid patients.  Many surgeries are being postponed if they require an overnight in the hospital and that includes knee surgeries.   I think I'm very lucky the problem is gone for now.  The doctor told me I need my knees replaced.  Maybe when corona cases let up, if they ever do.

One day this week alone, 12 people died at the Roseburg hospital of corona.  Many Oregon hospitals are trying to find refrigerated morgue trucks.   

After I saw the doctor my friend picked me up in the her pickup (a different friend) and we went to the lake.  I only took my floaties and my zero gravity lawn chair.  We went to the beach at the lake and were there for hours just trying to enjoy the last bits of summer.

I took my crutches along and even used one for a paddle when in the tube.

Then yesterday I got a call from a young woman who had accidentally trapped a female cat.  I knew the lady.  I'd gotten a bunch fixed for her about a year ago.   Anyhow, the cat had gotten away from her once before, when she caught her and tried to put her in a cage until she could be fixed.   I told her I had no spay neuter appointments and hung up but then thought I should try with the FCCO and sure enough was approved to take her up this morning.

We arrived!  At the FCCO clinic.

I call her Little Girl

She brought the sweet small girl over and this morning I took her up to the FCCO.

Debbie, from PAL (Prevent a Litter) is picking her up this afternoon.

It's officially the last weekend of summer.  Most schools start by Wednesday, if they haven't already.  Back to boring..........humdrum of coming winter.

This article describes the state of being within the US right now very well:  Morgue truck moved in, hospital overflowing with Covid patients, protests outside hospital over vaccine mandate for health care workers.   Man alive!   How screwed are we?

Read it here!