Ralphie's Vet Visit

I took Ralphie into the vet at 10:30 this morning, his appointment was for 10...but I couldn't get him out of his cage and into the travel cage, and boy was he a bugger to get in his travel cage. 

It was so funny, if you can picture this:   I am trying to reason with this massively big bird to that could easily take out my eyes, ears, fingers...if he wanted to, to get into his cage.   He keeps lunging at me, he is determined not to get into that small carrier.   So, after 30 minutes, and at this point I am late for my appointment for him, I finally called the vet.   She told me to grab him by his feet and put my hand over his head.  I was like...."uh....I just got this bird, he is gonna eat me up!"  LOL  So at that point she tells me to throw a towel over him, grab him quickly and wrap him like a burrito (her words exactly...like a burrito, lol) and toss him, towel and all into the carrier.  So, I try to throw a towel on him while he is on top of his cage, he flies over my head, and smack dab into the wall.   If this were Cordy, I would just swoop her up with my hands and not worry about it.  Heck, Cordy doesn't get caged for trips in the car...she is quite different than this bird that is more than twice her size.

Anyhow, back to Ralphie, on the floor now, because he flew into the wall.  I chased him down two connecting hallways in my house, I yelled to dad..."meet me with the cage in the front room".  Ralphie is on the floor, running from me, I am in chase with a towel in  hand...Ralphie gets to the front room, where his travel cage is on the floor and runs right into the cage.  Apparently at that point...me and the towel were scarier than the travel cage.  It was quite the fiasco.  Definitely an America's funniest home videos moment.

Finally at the vet office, I check in, give them his info, tell him his old owners name, the lady had committed suicide.  And the guy I purchased her from told me that this was his vet's office...which was good because it is also Cordy's same vet.  So, I tell them the info...and Ralphie has never been seen there...they even have all the deceased woman's info there and her birds info.  Apparently the only two macaws she took in had problems...one was a feather plucker, and would never get its feathers back, they other was old/ancient as the vet said.  And Ralphie is a young bird.  They even called the Exotic Bird Clinic for me, because they knew that the deceased person also took her birds there as well...no records there either.

So, we are in the waiting room, the Vet tech comes in, and trys to get Ralphie out, he flies onto the tv.  She grabs a towel, puts it on her arm and gets him down...I tell ya, this gal showed no fear, lol.   She put him on the weighing perch and weighed him.  He sat there a good while before the vet came in, all the while I am talking sweet to him, only he and I in the room at this point.  So, I put my arm near him and say "step up".   He gets onto my arm...only the second time since we brought him home last night.  I am thinking...wow, this is way cool!  Then he proceeds to head up to my shoulder...oh no I am saying to myself, I try to keep my forearm down, he reaches up, and pulls himself onto my shoulder via my shirt.  Now on the inside, I am totally freaking out... but, I am telling myself, be calm...they smell fear.  LOL

I don't look him directly in the face, because I don't want him to break my glasses, and I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was eye  balling them.  I nervously open the exam room door, and call dad over to see what I have gotten myself into.  So, I sat with him on my shoulder for about 10 minutes, maybe a little longer til the vet came in.  She removed him for me, whew, my ears are intact! 

From that point, it was a routine well bird exam.  Blood tests, fecal tests, and vaccinations.  Since I have no proof of prior medical care, I had it all taken care of...and since I have no DNA test to prove that he is a boy, I had that done as well.  The vet told me she has a feeling ralphie is a girl because he/she is so big.  I guess males are smaller.  We will see :-)

He got back into the carrier with no problems, at that point, he wants to just leave the vet's office.  I can understand,he was poked and prodded!  But it was all necessary.  Once back at home, I was able to put my arm in his cage and get him out without any aggressiveness from him at all.  He was glad to come to me.  I held him and talked to him a bit, then put him in his cage. 

I can tell this big boy...or girl...will bring us years of joy!

 

 

I am so ecstatic! I have been blessed with a new baby boy! I have a huge playtop cage for him as well. I have to work with him, but he has so much personality. Ralphie is 5 yrs old, and when he was 2, his owner committed suicide...then he went on to a nice young man, that had him for three years. Unfortunatly, his owner couldn't keep him. Thus, I am blessed with a new feather baby! He is beautiful...I fell in love at first sight. As soon as he stepped on my arm, I was taken in by his big beautiful eyes!

Tomorrow I am going to try and get him a well bird appointment and have his wings, nails and beak done. I can tell his razor sharp nails haven't been clipped in ages, my arm has the prick marks and scabs to prove it! LOL Actually, I need to clip Cordy's nails as well, but I can do her myself. Ralphie on the other hand is huge, and we aren't that aquainted yet...so I don't want to lose a finger so to speak, lol.

He has so much personality...he dances and plays around. He was on his cage, and was standing there with is claw up as to say 'hi'. So, dad started opening and closing his own hand up in the air, and Ralphie copied him over and over. He is a smart bird. I can't wait to work with him more.

Here is Ralphie in his travel cage (took picture with my cell phone). When my camera comes back from the Casio repair people, I will post better pics. I luff my new feather baby!

wEeKeNd uPdAtE

I had a really great weekend.  Friday night I went scrapbooking with some gals from high school, I had a great time.  Only downfall of scrapbooking away from home...dragging all my scrapbooking crap out to the car and back, lol.

Saturday I had a nice laid back day, then my friend Candy came over and we scrapbooked together for awhile, had a couple drinks and chatted.  It was nice.

Sunday I woke up with a cold and slept most of the day, I still havent' gone back to bed, so I am really tired right now.  My nose isnt' really all that runny anymore, but my ear hurts for some reason, Elijah's ear was hurting too, so we both took some tylenol, seems to do the trick.

So, I had a pretty fun, casual, laid back weekend...just what the doctor ordered, lol.

 

 

funny stuff

sIcK kIdS & cRoP cRaZy!

On the way to pick up the boys from school yesterday I got a call on my cell phone, Elijah had just puked in his classroom while getting ready to leave for the parent pick up circle. Ugh. When I picked him up, he was fine, not sure if he ate something bad or not. But I do know he had been complaining of a sore throat...which he is no longer complaining of.

So, today I kept both boys home, just to be on the safe side. They both are playing hard and seem perfectly fine. We did have chicken the night before he vomited, so it leaves me wondering if that is what made him sick, cause he said there was chicken in his vomit. EWWWW!



Dad and I both woke up yesterday with our stomachs hurting as well, but neither of us got sick, and today we feel fine. So, I must assume now that it might have been the chicken.

I am so excited, I get to go scrapbook tonight with some gals I went to high school with, we were on the dance team together....feels like ages ago, lol.





It will be nice to see them again, and get out of the house to scrapbook for a change. But, I will also be scrapbooking at my house tomorrow sometime with my friend candy...so, I will have a scrap filled weekend...what more can a scrapper ask for.

Get off my fat butt!

Well, well, well...it is Wednesday...and I haven't gotten much of anything done. I have felt so fatigued and worn out (maybe I am fighting off an illness?). And I have the munchies like crazy, I think it is getting close to that time for my PMS Symptoms to kick in...moodiness, chocolate cravings, lol.

Elijah has been complaining of a sore throat since yesterday, I will be monitoring that to make sure it is nothing more serious than a cold. You can never be to careful with a child with a history of Asthma.

I got the boys report cards yesterday, needless to say, I am a bit distressed/disappointed. I want them to do much better than they are doing. Ugh.

Monday the school sent home letters saying that the Clay county school system failed to meet the requirements of the "No Child Left Behind Act." Which is no surprise to me, because the kids haven't been doing well since they entered the Florida public school system in Florida.

So, today I need to research some private schools, I would love them to both go to private/Christian schools. I want them to have smaller classrooms and higher standards of learning. Anyhow, enough of that.

I will post more later. Just had to get some of my thoughts and issues down on this blog.

Oh, wanted to add, I did finally get another appointment scheduled with a weight loss doctor...I go in on the 28th, they say they accept tricare, so hopefully I can get the ball rolling on that.

Pretty Great day!

I had a pretty darn good day today. This morning I got up early, 7:30ish. Got dressed and went out with my friend Candy. We ended up at Scrap n Stuff early, so we sat and had a coffee/drink at the coffee shop next door and we got to speak to a friend of mine (maria) that was there as well.

Once the scrapbook store opened, I got to shop and talk to some ladies. Maria introduced me to a stampin up consultant that does hostess clubs...I am now joined up, been looking for one for almost 2 years. Woo hoo! More fun and scrapbooking/stamping.

Anyhow, after Scrap n Stuff, we headed over to pictures in time, then over to JoAnn's. Got some great stuff on sale.

After swinging by the scrap stores, we headed over to Candy's house for coffee and a chat. It was a nice break from the kids and hum drum everyday life.

I left Candy's near 2pm, then came home to relax for awhile. 5ish, Mary came over to Scrapbook with me, stayed for two hours...she can't sit very long, because of hip/back pain. Then shortly after Mary left, Candy came over to scrapbook with me, have some coffee and some Irish cream. We both got tired and then she left around 1am. I enjoyed my day very much.

I am thankful for this relaxing and fun day...best Saturday I have had in a long time. I luff my friends berry mooch!

Vet Tech?

Ok, I have been searching for info on Penn Foster Schools (Online School). I want to sign up for their Associates Degree Course for Veterinary Technician. The cost is minimal in my opinion for a Vet Tech. Under $1000 for classes and tests and such.

I talked to my husband and he would prefer me to get my Associates Degree and become a vet tech, even though vet tech's essentially make the same amount of money as pharmacy tech's...which was the other option I was thinking about.

So, I am needing input, do i find a college and attend it to become a vet tech, or do I go the cheap route and sign up with Penn Foster Schools for under $1000?

I just have so many questions, like how do you get the experience nessesary to become a vet tech by doing online classes? I just don't understand completely how it will all work.

Any advice would be appreciated.

**I also wanted to add that I wanted to specialize in Avian care.