Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The past couple days I have been super busy trying to put together some meals to freeze in preparation for the baby coming. I have so much to do now that the whole lice ordeal is over (knock on wood AND cross your fingers). Yesterday was the day the lice were supposed to come out again and I found nothing...so far. They hatch every 7-10 days, so I still have a couple days to go before I can say we are home free. Today I am going to clean everything again just to make sure and cook some more meals.

I also have a doctor appointment. I am now seeing the doctor once a week. Last week I was still very very pregnant and hadn't progressed at all. I am pretty sure I am about the same this week too. Still never felt a contraction and the baby still is kicking me in the ribs, so I doubt he has dropped at all. Oh well...we don't want him to come yet anyway. Give me a couple weeks and I will be ready.

George, our Betta Fish, has also been really really sick. I changed his water a few days ago and since then he got worse and worse, just sitting at the bottom of his bowl. Then yesterday morning I woke up and Jeff said he was dead. I ran out to see for myself and touched him and he moved very slightly. He wasn't quite dead, just almost dead. He couldn't swim very well. His fin wouldn't move. It was like he was paralyzed and he was swimming on his side and he hadn't eaten for a couple days. I started crying and realized how sad I would be if he died, even though we have to hand feed the dang thing and he won't eat his food if it gets soggy and you have to point to it in orger for him to see eat it. I would like to excuse my tears by saying I am pregnant and emotional, but really I probably would have cried anyway. Jeff just tries not to laugh as he comforts me. I was not sure if we should just put him out of his misery or hope for a recovery. I made Jeff pray for George in our morning prayers and the thought actually crossed my mind of having him dump a little consecrated oil into George's water...Don't worry though. It was just a THOUGHT :).

Soooo, what did I do the rest of the day? I started doing research on Betta fish to see what was wrong with him and see if we could help him get better. After researching, I didn't feel like I had found the issue he was having. I thought it could be Swim Bladder Disease, where their swim bladder that helps them swim straight gets inflamed because they are consitpated. This can be caused by feeding them flake food, which we do. Still, I wasn't quite sure. I made my way to the pet store and picked up some pH balancing stuff, which I guess I was supposed to be putting in his water anyway. I have just been using Kentucky tap water...nasty! Then I went to another pet store to see if they had any medicine. The lady there said there was no use in buying anything cuz it sounded like he was doomed. I left there mad and determined to save him!

I went to Walmart later that day and bought some distilled water, which you are supposed to use and some worm food, which is supposed to help with digestion. I also tried to feel George a pea. Several web sites said it should clear up the constipation, but he didn't want to eat and it just sank to the bottom. Regardless, by the end of the day, he had started swimming around quite a bit, although it still looked like he was swimming drunk. I started to hope he was getting better!

Then last night I shined the flashlight on him to see if I could see anything wrong with him. I saw white patches all over his head. I looked that up and walla (sp?) I found out he has a fungus! I was bummed because the pet stores weren't open, so I brought him into our bedroom last night so in case he did take a turn for the worse, he would at least die in our presence and not be alone. Did I mention that Jeff was trying not to laugh at me this whole time? He has done a really good job at being patient and also mentioning we will never have another animal again. What a patient husband!

The first thing I asked Jeff this morning was, "Is George alive?" Then I took Jeff to school and went to the pet store again. I got him some medicine and we will now see if it works. He does seem to be doing SO MUCH BETTER and even ate one flake of food this morning! Maybe he will actually make it!

Signing off for now,
Pathetic Melea who will be really really sad if George dies

6 comments:

LeMira said...

You'd better not invest in anything more than a fish if you get this involved in a pet's life. I admire you, though, because I would have probably hitched a ride for him on the porcelain express rather than go to all of the effort that you did. What a caring person you are!

El Chambon said...

Get a pet rock. They don't get sick, they do get fungus now and again, but you can always wash 'em off.

Smiths said...

Melea you are hilarious! I can just picture you wanting to put concecrated oil in George's tank. haha I love you guys!

X said...

awww, poor George! I hope he recovers well for your sake!

P.S. We just did the freezer meals thing a few weeks ago with my mom and sister. Taco soup is our favorite and it freezes really really well :)

Sierra said...

I don't know if you remember me, I met you at Sarah's house last week. It was nice meeting you!

Sierra said...

We should definately get together some time! I was thinking about doing something at my house one night and invite everybody that was at sarah's house and maybe Esther. Hope to see you soon! Oh, and by the way, I think I know your brother and sister-in-law. Garrett was in nursery with my husband and I when we were in Bluegrass ward. He is so cute!