Life with diabetes

Special diets, meals at the same time every day, insulin injections at the same time every day, constant monitoring of glucose levels...these have become a regular part of living with diabetes. But it's not me or the hubby who has diabetes. It's our dog, Sam.

Last summer Sam was diagnosed with diabetes. After several months of adjusting to get just the right level of insulin, his glucose levels stabilized and we were pretty much on auto-pilot taking care of him. Sure, it was sort of a hassle to make sure someone was always home at 7 am and 6 pm, every day, to feed him and give him his insulin. But the hubby and I are creatures of habit and never really went out much anyway except for school or work, so it worked out. Then about midyear we noticed that cataracts had formed and Sam was blind. But it didn't bother Sam, so it didn't bother us. He went in to the vet once a month or so to have his blood sugar checked, and that worked out okay.

Then, a couple of months ago, out of the blue his glucose levels got really high again. We increased his insulin, we had him tested for infections, we got a new bottle of insulin to see if we just had a bad batch, we re-evaluated how we were preparing the insulin and giving the injections, we made complete nuisances of ourselves with the vet. We reduced his insulin to see if he had a Somogyi effect going on. We saw improvement in a couple of urine tests, but then nothing. We've eliminated so many possibilities - bad insulin, owner error, diet issues, Cushings, infection, thyroid or pancreas issues, insulin resistence, obesity, other illnesses - and we're still without answers.

Sam goes to the vet again tomorrow for a blood glucose curve. This will at least let us know if we're on the right track.

It's been a lot of work this past year, and has cost a lot of money in vet bills over the past few months. Taking care of a diabetic dog is not for the faint of heart...or for the poor. Fortunately for Sam, the hubby and I are neither. We'll see this through with him...and become better educated pet parents.

2009 Monarchs home opener

Today was opening day for the 2009 Sacramento Monarch season. This is my 13th year as a season ticket holder - same section, same seats. I've been there since Day 1. Here are some observations from the game.

We had a nice surprise driving into the parking lot at Arco Arena. It only cost us $10 to park - $2 less than parking for the Kings games. This is a good move by Maloof Sports and Entertainment (MSE).

Having a Saturday afternoon opening day was a stupid decision by the league. Saturday afternoons do not draw well. They never have. So of course the crowd wasn't as large as it should have been.

The folks doing the music in the arena need more practice. You don't make up for a small crowd by cranking up the music too loud. It's bad enough that the music always sucks, but sucky music that's too loud really hurts the atmosphere.

The music for the Monarchs player introductions was terrible. It was too mellow for player introductions. You want something intense, maybe intimidating - to set the mood for how the team should play. The Chicago Bulls did this better than anyone.

Amanda and Sarah are still doing the hosting duties. I still hate Amanda and Sarah. How does Jim Kozamore get fired and these two idiots get to keep their gig. Armond was a good addition, though. He almost negates the annoyingness of Amanda and Sarah.

It was great to see my buddies (Teri, Deb, and Sue) in my section again. There is a core group who've been in the my section since the beginning. The first game is always like coming back after summer vacation. Every year it seems that we lose a few more. This year it was Pam and Robin. Still, it was great that Teri, Deb, and Sue were there. Margie will be back for the next game. Truth be told, we're the most fun people anyway. :-)

Jenny Boucek has gotten way too skinny. Jenny, babe, mix in a burger or a cookie or something. You're withering away to nothing.

Teri and I have a new favorite Monarch - Courtney Paris. Courtney is a big girl, built a lot like her dad - Bubba Paris. It's good to have a big girl on the team to add a little muscle.

Deb promised me 8 points from Tischa. Tischa delivered 11. Nice work, Tisch.

I'm not sure what to make of the half time show - an artist who painted to music. He had some talent, but I'm not convinced it was half time show talent. Still, it beat little kids doing gymnastics.

The game itself was a typical first game - sloppy on both sides. It's early in the season, so I know we'll see improvement. The Monarchs lost, but that's not unexpected. We played Seattle and Seattle has always owned us.

Finally, just an overall comment to the Maloofs - How about a little recognition for the season ticket holders who have been there since the beginning? Is it too much trouble to at least ask us to stand so everyone can cheer us? Your folks start hounding us before the season is even over to renew our tickets. We do. And yet, at the games we get nothing special. Look, I don't have time for the goofy ass outside things season ticket holders get invited to. How about just a little recognition on opening day? I mean really, how many of us can there be left? So come on, give us a little something...you know, for the effort.

Go Monarchs!!

Just Shut Up and Go Away

You know how some things just outlive their usefulness and it's time to toss them out? Well people are the same way. Some people we see in the news have really outlived their newsworthyness or "celebrity-ness" and really just need to shut up and go away. Here are my top candidates:

**Terrell Owens - Every day it seems there is a new drama with T.O. He can't find a house to rent because no one wants him in the neighborhood. http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/105150-homeowner-wont-rent-to-to Jerry Jones lied to him. http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/105290-owens-jerry-jones-broke-his-word. And with football season fast approaching, it's only going to get worse. Come on, TO, are you really surprised no one wants you in the neighborhood? Are you really surprised that a businessperson lied to you? Does your life ever NOT have drama? We're sick of your act. Just shut the hell up and try not to f up the Bills.

**Jon and Kate - plus 8 - Okay, I'll admit I don't get this whole rewarding of people who have too freaking many children. Jon and Kate, Octomom, those people with 17 or 18 or how many children they have. I don't understand why anyone cares about these people or wants to see them on TV. I don't see Animal Planet wanting to give me a show because I have 6 cats and 3 dogs.

...Ooooh, let's watch James and Mona clean litter boxes....uh oh, it's feeding time. What happens if we only put out 5 bowls for 6 cats? Hilarity must ensure...let's see James and Mona trying to stabilize Sam the diabetic dog's blood sugar....poor Guinness is a 15 year old black lab with arthritis who is going senile. Let's see if he can make it outside before he poops in the house...Let's watch Dolce torment Sam. Let's watch Dawson slyly steal socks. Let's see how to get 6 cats in crates for their annual trip to the vet...

See, no one wants to watch this, so why does anyone give a fat rat's ass about Jon and Kate and their much too big family? And who cares if Jon is cheating on Kate or Kate is cheating on Jon? You want to care about the family? How about this? How about we start a pool for how many of those kids will end up on drugs, how many will get arrested, how many of the girls will end up as hookers or strippers, which of the kids we'll see up in a tower with a high powered weapon?

So, Jon, Kate, go back home, get real jobs, and teach your kids how to live in the real freaking world before it's too late.

**Bret Favre - now this one pains me because I've always been a huge fan of Bret's. But for Pete's sake, Bret, quit or don't quit. Just make a freaking decision and stick with it. Do you know how many of us would practically kill to be able to quit our jobs and not have to work again? You have that. You're rich, you have a nice home, you have a nice family. Just shut up and enjoy it.

**Billy Mays - You know, I was okay with the Hercules Hook, OxyClean, the Awesome Auger, Mighty Putty, and Mighty Mendit. But when you started hocking insurance, it was time to let you go. Who buys insurance from Billy Mays? Insurance is serious, people. Billy Mays is a carnie. An amusing carnie, but a carnie nonetheless. Billy Mays selling insurance is like Ron Jeremy playing Hamlet. It's just wrong. Billy, stop it already.

**Dick Cheney - Oh yes, those who know me knew this one was coming. Why, in the name of all that is good, is this man still talking? And more importantly, why does anyone care what he thinks? Dick, buddy, your side lost....mostly because of your influence over poor, dumb W. I may not have liked W, but I'll give him credit for fading away quietly. It's time to go away, Dick. Enjoy your retirement on the taxpayers. You're like a bad ex-husband. It really is worth losing all of our possessions to make you get out of ours lives. Now just go away.

Lower Voter Turnout

The news sources have been reporting low voter turnout for today's California Special Election. Why is that news? There's a reason for the low turnout...the ballot measures resolve nothing. They're just a series of stopgap measures to prolong the real problems of the State.

It's time for the people of California to make a real decision - do you want a government that only provides the minimum required services or do you want a government that makes people's live better? You can't have both, they're mutually exclusive.

If you want a government that only provides the minimum required services, you're going to get lower taxes. You're also going to have to figure out what to do with the poor, the homeless, the sick. You're also going to have to give up telling people what they can do with their bodies, who they can marry, what they can ingest. You're also going to have to trust that the private sector will do the right thing when it comes to preserving the environment.

If you want a government that makes people's lives better, you're going to have to be willing to pay for it. When you want a new service or regulation, you'll have to be willing to pay. When you want cleaner air, protected coast lines, and more efficient transportation, you're going to have to be willing to pay. If you want nice parks, good schools, and qualified people carrying out all of these functions, you're going to have to be willing to pay.

The people of this state have wanted it both ways for too long. They want lower taxes and lots of services and regulations. It's now time for folks to realize that they can't have both.

When THAT is finally put to a vote, I'll bet the turnout will be higher.

Where is the "we"?

Our country is in the midst of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. It's a time when we need everyone to come together to try to fix the country. But what do we see from our supposed leaders? Comments like this - Having people like Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney consistently pushing divisiveness is helpful to the Republican Party. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/17/cheney-limbaugh-gingrich-not-hurting-gop-boehner-says/#comment-2701078

Oh, it's not just a national thing, and it's not just a Republican thing. We see this at the state level and with Democrats too. And it's not just the elected officials. Check out the comments section in any people. It's always Those Libs, Those Cons, You Dems, You Reps. Where is the "we"?

Unfortunately, winning has become more important than problem solving. Getting our own way has become more important than looking out for what's best for everyone. And bashing and blaming others has become more popular than looking inward to see what we can do to help.

It's sad really, and unfortunately it's a sign that the country is on the downside of its lifecycle.

Why I Have Cats

This is why I have cats...because they're do darn funny. No, these aren't my cats, but my cats have done some of these things.



And I turn the volume up loud on this one just to mess with the dogs. My cats even look around when they hear this one. They all know there are kittens somewhere...they just don't know where.

Why Al Gore invented the Internet

One Irish Rover - Van Morrison & Bob Dylan


What d I say - Van Morrison & Jerry Lewis

How else would we get to see legends playing together?

Enough with the Beat LA chants

Beat LA, Beat LA....I've heard this chant all through tonight's Giants/Dodger game. I hear it every Monarchs/Sparks game. I hear it every Kings/Lakers game (which really is just silly this year considering how bad the Kings sucked). Why must every Northern California team's fans chant Beat LA when playing a team from LA? We don't chant Beat SD when we play the Padres. There's no Beat AZ when we play the D-backs, Mercury, or Suns. It's only LA. And the LA teams don't chant Beat Sacramento, Beat SF, or anything like that. It's all on our side.

I say Stop It! Stop It Now! LA is not so freaking special that it deserves its own chant. Don't you all see that it just makes LA feel more special? LA is not special, people. LA is a crappy city with too much traffic, too much smog, and too many people with too many fake body parts. Don't reward that with a Beat LA chant. That says, "hey, it's a big deal if we beat you because you're so good and we're not". No, treat LA with the lack of respect it deserves. Try a Dodgers Suck cheer. Now that's a chant we can all get behind. It says "hey, you guys suck and we hate you". Isn't that what we really want to convey? Lakers Suck also has a good ring to it. Now it's a little harder when the Monarchs play the Sparks because Sparks Suck only has 2 syllables and we really need 3 syllables to make it sound right. So how about this...when Lisa Leslie is in the game, we just chant "Smack the Bitch".

Come on, people. Get behind me on this. Let's take back our dignity. No more Beat LA.