Vacation, Updates, and New Pets!

So the past month or so has been very busy! After my last update, we went on a much needed vacation, to Pinegrove Dude Ranch. Since this was Sierra’s last vacation before turning 18, she got to pick. Of course, horses trump everything. 🙂

Pinegrove is a great all-inclusive resort. (All food and snacks were included in the price!) The girls enjoyed horseback riding, bouncing on the giant air pillow, wall climbing, games, activities, swimming, and a lot more.

As for my health, no changes. I visited the neurologist, and went over the lumbar puncture (spinal tap) test. Everything was normal! I was just approved for Botox migraine injections, so should be getting them started within the next month or so. I visited the cardiologist, regarding my prolonged QT. Apparently, on the test she gave, it was not there. But, to be safe, she sent me for more testing. I spent like a full day at the hospital for the tests: an echo cardiogram, a nuclear stress test, and I was fitted for a 24 hour holter monitor. This week I follow up with the rheumatologist, along with Sierra. I will finally get to go over the Sjögren’s Syndrome lip biopsy. I also will be going to the new endocrinologist for my low cortisol levels that showed on the last set of bloodwork. The primary care doctor suspects that since the right adrenal gland was removed due to the (benign) tumor, the other one is now under-performing and leading into Addison’s Disease. This could explain almost all my symptoms.

Buddy just started college this past week! He is studying for a computer science degree. It has been a major adjustment. He also got hired at Pet Supplies Plus, and is just waiting the background check before starting. (And this will come in handy for what news comes further on.) We just celebrated his 19th birthday yesterday! Kenzie started middle school this past week, as well. It seems that my youngest is growing up so fast! Since we moved out of my parents’ house, we are now in a different section of the school district, so she is assigned to a different middle school than she was originally scheduled to go to. She basically got a fresh start with kids she has never met before, so although she has to make new friends, it got her away from the bullies.

All three kids, as well as Brian, got nominated for the Ice Bucket Challenge, for ALS awareness! 😀 Pop Pop even did it, as well!

Dale (Pop Pop) is still undergoing chemo. Some good news, though: the hospital finally replaced the dentures he lost!

The last bit of news, we are now a bunny family. It all started with Sierra. Her friend Eddy owned a bunny named Thumper. Since she is going to college, she was not going to be able to take care of him properly. She knew Sierra loved the bunny (and we could have one now, due to the townhouse organization allowing pets!) So Eddy gave Thumper to her as an early birthday present. Thumper came home last Sunday, and was settling in.

Later that same evening, Sierra’s friend Mikey found a bunny in his backyard garden. It was obviously domestic due to the coloring and the lop ears. Knowing if he did not help her, she’d be killed by wild animals, they caught the bunny. He thought of Sierra, and we ended up agreeing to take this one, as well. Buddy started calling her Bun Bun, so it stuck.

We have one bunny in Sierra’s room, and one in mine. We have to keep them separate for now, because we are unsure of what Bun Bun was exposed to before she was rescued, and don’t want her passing a bunny disease to Thumper. (Plus, at first, we did not know their genders, and did not want an accidental bunny pregnancy. — Although, in reality, she could have gotten pregnant already while she was outside or when she was with her previous owners.) Once the vet checks both bunnies out, and we get them spayed, we can start having bunny play-dates and let them socialize.

Well, this ended up being a long post. 😀 I hope to have more updates, soon!