Goodbye, Cotton, and a Follow-Up
Tammy used to do volunteer work cleaning homes of elderly people who could no longer manage the task themselves. She became very good friends with one of the families she helped; Linda and Bob, and their chihuahua Cotton. Linda and Bob both passed away in 2020 leaving Cotton behind, and sadly, nobody in their extended family wanted Cotton (they were going to euthanize her). Tammy and I had talked about the possibility of this scenario playing out this way in the months before Linda and Bob both passed and we agreed that if nobody wanted Cotton, we would take her in. And so we did.
Cotton was a sweet girl who was most content by Tammy's side. Early on, she would show a playful side. She would wait at the top of the stairs to our upper level and she would happily dance in a playful way as we'd climb the steps toward her. She used to love to walk through the grass in our yard and sniff her way along. It was just a few months ago where she could still climb the steps to our upper level. She took a tumble down those stairs and never attempted the climb again. Bob and Linda used to feed her Carl Buddig lunch meats as her main source of food but when she came to live with us we started her on a more healthful diet. She was mostly deaf and blind, and while she seemed to do well in spite of her limitations, we both noticed a sharp decline in her health over the last few months. Sadly, we had to have her put down recently. It's our hope that she's back together with Linda and Bob.
I met with my doctor last week to discuss my recent osteoporosis diagnosis. I was bracing myself for the worst, expecting him to say that my outdoor riding days are behind me. As an avid cyclist, I know there's going to come a day when I'll have to put my bikes away but I was thinking more along the lines of another 15+ years down the road. Not at age 64. The meeting didn't go at all the way I'd expected. He told me that my osteoporosis would be much more of a concern if I was heavier and placed more stress on my hips and lower spine. I have a slender frame (I'm currently 5' 11 1/2" and 156 pounds (181.6 cm and 70.76 kg or 11.14 stones). I lost a half-inch of height somewhere along the way.
He told me without hesitation that I could continue to ride outdoors. He knows me well enough to know that that was my main concern. Obviously, that comes with the stipulation that I avoid higher-risk situations on the bike which could lead to a crash. I hope I can do that but I can definitely see myself getting lost in the moment and being more aggressive than I should be out on the trails on my mountain bike. It's some of my favorite riding because, as I like to say, I'm never more alive than when I'm riding the trails and hitting my lines the way I like. It's so much fun!
I'm scheduled for an infusion of zolendronic acid, aka Reclast to aid with bone strength. It's an annual infusion. He also has me taking 1500 mg/daily of calcium and 2000 IU/daily of vitamin D. I've also seen where people add magnesium to their mix of supplements for bone health. I asked him if it's possible to improve my bone density values and he assured me that it is. That was such a relief to hear. Funnily enough, he didn't recommend physical therapy or any sort of strength training exercises, saying that I was in fine shape. I'm not sure I totally agree with that as my core could use some work and I intend to make it a focus of mine. And he didn't think my osteoporosis condition had anything to do with my 3 rib injuries in an 8 month period. I did hit them quite hard each time so he may be right.
My couple of shots of Driftless Glen whisky each night is a thing of the past as I've learned that alcohol can impede bone development. I've read that anything over 2 shots is to be avoided but it seems to me that avoiding it altogether may be the best approach. I'll still be a social drinker when out with friends, tho.
Our timing couldn't have been better. Steve was just beginning the process of making a vase, allowing Mark and Becky the opportunity to watch a piece develop from the beginning. Steve has been encouraging me for a while to bring some of my stained glass sun-catchers into the studio and see if they sell in their gallery. He introduced me to Bryce, one of the co-owners. I opened up my Instagram account to show him some of my work. I met with Bryce last Wednesday to leave some of my pieces with him to sell in his gallery.
Russia's war in Ukraine continues to rage on and is now directed at civilians trying to flee the violence—nearly 2 million uprooted people so far who just two weeks ago were living normal lives like us. I can't imagine having the sort of sway Putin has over the people of Russia and using that power to such evil and tragic means. I got to thinking about the Doomsday Clock and what time it would show if the keepers of the clock were to meet now and evaluate our global condition. It was last adjusted a little over a year ago from 2 minutes to midnight to 100 seconds to midnight, the closest it's ever been to midnight in its 75 years in existence. I posted a comment about it to Facebook and a friend replied with this link. Be sure to scroll down within the link and watch the video of how the various scenarios could play out. It's quite sobering and should cause us all to keep in check any thoughts of escalating the war in Ukraine.
The video below of a young girl in a bomb shelter in Kiev, Ukraine is sadly beautiful as she sings "Let it Go" from Disney's Frozen. I'm struck by how everyone in the shelter stops what they're doing and turns their attention to her. My prayers are with these innocent people and others fleeing violence around the globe.
That's all I've got.
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