Please help these friendly, tame ducks who have been showing up with numerous injuries.  Public awareness needs to be raised, as these animals carry no known diseases and are efficient at insect control.  They also enjoy feasting on weeds along with bugs. You may contact me at this site for more information.

For Sallie

　
The local paper read, “Senior cat needs a home,”
Your owner passed away, and you were left alone

That day at the shelter, I felt myself melt
Words can’t express the emotions I felt

Precious, happy girl, you always gave a kiss
And when we would snuggle, you were really in bliss

You gave so much love, it made my heart ache
And when you got sick, that same heart would break

You fought a brave battle with all you could give,
Against all the odds, with a strong will to live

I tried to protect you, to shield you from harm
But fate had its way and you died in my arms

I hope your heaven’s full of treats, and lots of cozy beds

I hope someone is hugging you and scratching your sweet head

　
ã Rebecca DeWinter-Abdow 2012
　
　

　

After this important day which marks the beginning of a legacy for President Obama, I am grateful that our country will benefit from his presidency.  The Obama camp stayed tight with supporters, who never doubted his sincerety or vision.  I am very proud to be an American today.  I wanted to share this e-mail that his supporters received before he gave his acceptance speech.

Rebecca --
I'm about to go speak to the crowd here in Chicago, but I wanted to thank you first.
I want you to know that this wasn't fate, and it wasn't an accident. You made this happen.
You organized yourselves block by block. You took ownership of this campaign five and ten dollars at a time. And when it wasn't easy, you pressed forward.
I will spend the rest of my presidency honoring your support, and doing what I can to finish what we started.
But I want you to take real pride, as I do, in how we got the chance in the first place.
Today is the clearest proof yet that, against the odds, ordinary Americans can overcome powerful interests.
There's a lot more work to do.
But for right now: Thank you.
Barack

----------------

I just spoke into my Android and this crazy app AutoRap transformed my speech into a sick rap beat: http://khu.sh/autorap_50535a958b753&v2

Blogging at the kitchen table

Blogging at the kitchen table

I just spoke into my Android and this crazy app AutoRap transformed my speech into a sick rap beat: http://khu.sh/autorap_504ff8020b602&v2

I just spoke into my Android and this crazy app AutoRap transformed my speech into a sick rap beat: http://khu.sh/autorap_504ff8020b602&v2

Sallie's Brave Battle

Sallie is my 15 yr old cat that I brought home from the Humane Society in 2008.  I had seen her picture and read about her in a newspaper article under the "pets needing homes" section. Her owner had died and she cowered in her cage, too timid to venture out. She had been languishing in a cage at the humane society for almost a year. Now Sallie was a robust 17+ lb. and was rather cramped in her quarters. I put my hand inside to pet her and she immediately kissed it and did so the several subsequent times I reached out to reassure her.  We could not imagine her living out her life at the facility after being a companion to someone in their final days. The Humane Society does a wonderful job with these animals, but was no substitute for a forever residence. My husband and I also brought home two felines from animal control who were exhausting their multiple lives. After Sallie tired from spending her initial days here, under the bed, during which I made numerous forays to feed her, pet her, cajole her, etc., she began to enjoy her new life.  In 2009 she was diagnosed with feline diabetes. Now as I mentioned, Sallie was a big girl when she joined our household, a tuxedo with rather short legs that carried her quickly to the food bowls.  She was and is absolutely adorable.  The problem with her diabetes was that it seemed inconsistent.  I didn't realize how much so, until one evening when I returned from taking pictures for one of my real estate clients. I heard one long meow when I came in through my back door.  I found her immobile.  I immediately suspected foul play and admonished our solid black male, Voo Doo.  He was one of the animal control recruits, days away from an imminent journey to the big litter pan in the sky.  He can be rambunctious and liked to ambush the older cats.  I scooped Sallie up, bed and all and my husband and I headed for the emergency all night clinic.  She nearly died on the ride there.  Her body was totally rigid and she jerked her head up twice, gasping for air.  After a harrowing interlude in the waiting room, we learned that she had experienced a hypoglycemic attack- which unchecked is lethal and can lead to death in just hours.  I had been giving Sallie 5 units of insulin twice a day, which the vet had precscibed after reviewing her  glucose test results at that time.  I also had her on special dietetic food.  This see -saw of wildy vacillating lucose test readings continued for 2 years with intervals of full blood work ups.  Eventually she was diagnosed with pancraeitis which explained the rather frequent bouts of vomiting.  That however went away as her condition worsened.  Last fall she had an ultra sound which showed that she has one operational kidney.  The specialist told me that her survival would depend on several things, the main being daily in home glucose testing to determine whether or not she required an insulin injection or not.  It would also enable me to know how much insulin  to inject each time. This is done morning and night @ 12 hour intervals. She also needs daily sub-q fluids administered under the skin, to help hydrate her.  Several weeks after buying the glucose monitor and test strips, I conjured up the nerve to do it.  I saw the rapid wasting away of an animal so full of love it made my heart hurt.  She and I adapted more easily than I anticipated. But then suddenly she could barely walk.  I had been logging onto a web site called www. feline diabetes.com, from England.  The web master is brilliant, and is a doctor for people, not cats.  It is an amazingly informative and accurate site.  The members explore every facet of the illness and also diseases related to and resulting from the diabetes.  Members offer one another support and exchange ideas and experiences. A common thread of great love for their feline companions quickens their efforts to provide them with some quality of life.

I found out that failing kidneys in some cases result in neurapathy, a weakening of the hind quarters.  Methyl B-12 was suggested as having almost miraculous results in some instances when administered to cats suffering from this condition.

You usually have to get it in a health food store. I found it here locally at Ada's.  Within 48 hours of her first dosage, her walking ability improved.  She was so depressed and lethargic before that.  Walking had been just too much trouble.  Now I watch as her little bony behind makes the rounds, mobile again.  She gets three 100 micromiligrams a day, equal to 3 milligrams.  The suggested dosage is 3-5 miligrams a day.  I crush it along with potassium (which is depleted in conditions like hers) and about 1/8 of a 500 miligram vitamin c tablet. I add that to water and administer the rejuvenating cocktail with a syringe.

There you have it.  Today is my birthday and to still have this little angel with me is the best present I could wish for.  Sallie somehow managed to acquire an extra life and we are the better for it. 



Rejuvinating vitamin Methyl B-12



Virtual Tour 2Go

Virtual Tour 2Go

Check out this beautiful Florida condominium!

Watch "What's a Sister to do?" on YouTube

Vintage Family Recipes

Here are some favorite family recipes from the 1950's-1960's

                                          copyright, all rights reserved     Rebecca DeWinter 2012

           copyright, all rights reserved                Rebecca DeWinter 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbICz_FF7zk

http://links.causes.com/s/clzFjp




Please help the animals!

Sister

                                             Sister

    

            I never really understood these feelings and this pain       
            They generated long ago, and we are what remain
             No memory sings for us hypnotic lullabyes

             Our baby's breath in gasping tears provides a true reprise 
             Days turned into months frozen by the distance

             Cruel facilitator of familial resistance
             Which is now more tragic, this current state of mind

              Or is the deepest cut of all the loss of ties that bind?

                   © Rebecca DeWinter 2011
                                                                     

  

                                  

                                                                © Rebecca DeWinter 2011