Texas style photography and words
This is an Amaryllis plant my sister gave me last fall she said it was one she had given to my mom.
It has been gorgeous this year. I still have it in the pot but I am thinking about planting it
with some Iris, and paperwhite bulbs at our Livingston house. Then all the bulbs come back to being family members.
These blooms indicate springtime has arrived here in Texas.
Cricket turned 3 years old on February 2.
I never did get her picture posted because I had just gotten out of the hospital on visit 1 and little did I know there would be another visit a few weeks later.
Cricket had to go on a diet. Her body was resembling a square instead of a curve in the hip area. She was eating 5 cups a day now she is getting 4 cups and as you can notice she has a dip in her side which is perfect. Cricket’s body is built deep from the top of her back to the bottom of her stomach. When you roll her over she is so wide.
I hate when I have to cut her back because she is a very big dog but at the same time, big dogs can not function if they are overweight. She can still run right at you like a bulldozer about to knock you down.
I can not believe she is already 3 years old. The next time she goes into heat she will be getting bred again. I think we figured up this should be around May.
I was looking out the french doors at the bird feeders and spotted this pair of house finches.
I have never understood the bird world and how male birds get all the bright colors.
A couple of birds just eating some seed on a warm Texas day.
I went to the specialist’s appt. on Tuesday.
They admitted me to the hospital to get as many tests ran as possible I was released on Friday.
We did a 3D echo of the heart which was the coolest thing I have ever seen. Then a transesophageal echo is also known as a TEE, then a CT of the heart, lungs, and abdomen with contrast and without.
I have a leg doppler later this month and my cardio will discuss if I need a right-left heart cath.
It’s not an emergency that I do the surgery next week but, for my symptoms to go away I have to do surgery. My worst symptoms are dizziness and shortness of breath. Next up would be how worn out I get because of tiredness.
I am not a candidate for a valvoplasty there is too much regurgitation on the valve. I have to have a mitral valve replaced it can not even be repaired.
The surgeon I met with thinks my procedure can be done using robotics and thru the right side of the ribs. This would be a lot less invasive surgery than open heart surgery. He suggests the mechanical valve and coumadin for the rest of my life. With my age, this is the best option.
I already take Coumadin/ Warfarin so that is no change you just have to monitor it closely.
In the hospital, they put me on a Heparin IV drip because my blood was too thick they said a few weeks before surgery I will need to give myself shots in the stomach 2 x a day for a blood thinner. I am not at a therapeutic level at this time. My level is like 1.8 and for surgery, it needs to be between 3.5 and 4.5.
I really like this team of Drs and I love the less invasive surgery which would also mean less recoup time.
I am ready to get back to doing things I love like walking, photography, and playing with the dogs I feel like I have had to take a step back from everything I love. Our house in Livingston is about to be built and I want to be able to enjoy this time in my life.
Right now we are just chilling out about this and will make a decision sometime soon about when we think the best time might be.
Sonya Lira Photography 