A to Z Challenge: I is for Illness

We are blessed, we are a generally healthy bunch.  Mostly we've had the typical bumps, bruises, stitches on occasion, a couple of broken bones, and the normal range of colds, ear infections, and etc.

This last couple of weeks, though, has been a bit of a bump.  As i noted a few days ago, Brother-in-Law, The Mouth, got sick, passed it to Sweetie, who passed it to Little Girl.  She was out of school for 3 days.

Then, as she put it, the "time of the month" took over where the illness left off, and as soon as the cramps subsided, she came down with a sore throat.

Back to the doctor we went.  The good news is that it's not strep or mono, they tested for both.  The bad news is that this means it's just one of those red, raw, sore throats that make you feel awful.  She will be back to scx=hool today, though.

On the note of illnesses and surgeries and such, a kitten update.  We took Lorax to the vet specialists, one of whom fell flat out in love with him.  They said it's a severe cleft that can be repaired.  They want me to continue to bottle feed him for at least 4 weeks, maybe even up to 6.  Then they will do surgery, and they've promised to make it cost as little as they can get away with, because it's for the rescue group.

They also noted that, because he's a Persian and their faces tend to grow wider not longer as they grow older, there is a good likelihood that he will need another corrective surgery in the future.

Carol is going to tell all of this to the family that wants to adopt him, and ask if they are willing to wait or want to chose another cat.  Either way, he's so cute and fuzzy and there won't be a problem adopting him out.


Today is

ASPCA Day/Humane Day -- anniversary of founding in 1866

Birthday of Cybele -- Ancient Roman Calendar (great mother goddess)

Commodore Perry Day

Dust the Ceiling Fan Day -- before it gets hot and you have to turn it on and find out you forgot how dusty it gets up there the hard way

Encourage a Young Writer Day -- can't find out who started this, but it sounds like a great idea; one website says this year's theme is "Write Your Autobiography"

Feast of Bau -- Ancient Babylonian Calendar (date approximate, around the same time of year the Romans honored Cybele)

Feast of Ezekiel the Prophet -- Roman Catholic

Feast of the Rivers and Seas -- Ancient Sumerian Calendar (mother of Ea[Earth]; date approximate, around the same time of year the Romans honored Cybele)

Fiesta San Antonio -- San Antonio, Texas, US (annual celebration that honors the memory of Texas heroes who fought in the Texas war for Independence. More that 150 events, with sporting events, fireworks, dances...all culminating with the traditional "Battle of Flowers" parade! through the 27th)

Founder's Day -- Salvation Army (birth anniversary of the founder, William Booth)

Frances Perkins Day -- US (birth anniversary of the first woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet position)

French Quarter Festival -- New Orleans, Louisiana, US (celebrate all that makes the Vieux Carre special, antiques, food, and 275 hours of musical entertainment; through Sunday)

Golfer's Day -- anniversary of founding of the Professional Golfers' Association of America in 1916

Iroquois Thunder Ceremony -- Iroquois Native Americans (week long ceremonial thanksgiving for the rain, which brings new growth in spring; date approximate, but most tribes celebrate in mid-April)

National Alcohol Screening Day® 2014 -- US (find a way to get screened here)

National Cinnamon Crescent Day

National Farm Animals Day -- UShttp://www.farmanimalsday.com/

National Siblings Day -- US http://www.siblingsday.org/

Safety Pin Day -- patented this day in 1849 by Walter Hunt

Spring Fair in Puyallup -- Puyallup, WA, US (fun for the family, every year since 1900; through Sunday)

St. Macarius of Antioch's Day (Patron of plague victims; Ghent, Belgium)



Birthdays Today:

Haley Joel Osment, 1988
Mandy Moore, 1984
Ryan Merriman, 1983
Liz McClarnon, 1981
Shemekia Copeland, 1979
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, 1957
Peter MacNicol, 1954
Steven Seagal, 1952
Paul Edward Theroux, 1941
Joe Don Meredith, 1938
John Madden, 1936
Omar Sharif, 1932
Dolores Huerta, 1930
Max Von Sydow, 1929
Chuck Connors, 1921
Robert Burns Woodward, 1917
Harry Morgan, 1915
Frances Perkins, 1880
Joseph Pulitzer, 1847
William Booth, 1829
James Bowie, 1796
Commodore Matthew Perry, 1794
Hugo Grotius, 1583(O.S. date)
Cybele, Roman goddess (traditional, year unknown)


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Entertainer"(Play), 1957
House of Wax(Film), 1951 Note:  first full color 3D film from a major studio
The Great Gatsby(Publication), 1925
Ein deutsches Requiem, nach Worten der heiligen Schrift/A German Requiem, To Words of the Holy Scriptures, Op. 45(Brahms' Requiem), 1868


Today in History:

Halley's Comet and Earth experienced their closest approach to one another when their separating distance equaled 0.0342 AU (3.2 million miles), 837
the lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded with the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma, 1407
The Charter of the Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America, 1606
The first law regulating copyright is issued in Great Britain, 1710
The Mount Tambora volcano in Indonesia begins its peak eruption period that lasts until July 15, 1815
The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town Messolonghi start leaving the town after a year's siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive, 1826
The NY "Tribune" begins publishing under editor Horace Greeley, 1841
The safety pin is patented by Walter Hunt of NYC, who sells the rights for only $100, 1849
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh, 1866
The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska, 1874
The Titanic leaves Southampton, England, 1912
Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos, 1919
Warner Brothers debuts the first 3-D movie, "House of Wax," 1953
Adolf Eichmann is put on trial as a war criminal in Israel, 1961
In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, the People's Republic of China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a weeklong visit, 1971
A 7.0 earthquake kills 1/5 of population of Iranian province of Fars, 1972
H J Heinz, Van Camp Seafood & Bumble Bee Seafood say they would not buy tuna caught in nets that also trap dolphins, 1989
A rare tropical storm develops in the Southern Hemisphere near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites, 1991
President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo announces he will suspend the constitution and assume all governance in the country, creating a constitutional crisis, 2009