blah...blah...blah... Ginger! » Raui

my xmas cheer

Jonna — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:34:35 +0000

ta da!

So, today I finally made the fruitcake. I’ve been thinking about it and sort of preparing for it for over a month. It started when I read Joyce’s blog from Panama and earlier I read about making a Christmas pudding in Nicaraugua on Ancel’s blog. That had gotten me to discuss the details of Christmas puddings with the Brits. I hadn’t decided until today whether to make an American fruit cake or a British Christmas pudding, it seems the difference is mainly in the cooking.

My original idea was to make either but with tropical fruits soaked in dark rum. Back in October, there were dried mangos and papaya and pineapple in all the stores. When I finally got serious about it in November, they had all disappeared. In their place were lots of dried northern fruits like peaches and pears and apples. So, I continued to search and I bought candied tropical fruits which are still around.

I’ve no idea if there is a reason for these appearances and disappearances down here, it’s the way it is. I live in a kind of perpetual fog about what is going on around me. I have the major occurrences down, I know the main holidays and what foods are associated with them and usually I can find whatever I need with a little thought. Some things though never rise to the surface in my brain so I never ask and I just don’t know why or what or when. It’s a feeling I find I like, one of always walking around a bit confused and not caring much that you don’t understand what’s going on around you. Is this the secret to a happy life as an ex-pat?

Anyway, I started collecting candied fruit and eventually found some dried mango and of course, raisins and dates and prunes. As I found different things, I chopped them up and put them in a tupper (tupper is almost a verb in Spanish) with lots of dark rum to ‘soak’. I added rum whenever it looked a bit dry, this is some high octane fruit that I had aging on the counter. Collecting the stuff I need took almost a month. The last item, something to wrap it in for the curing process I found last night at Mega. They are soft white rags, I washed them in vinegar and rinsed them when I got home. Oh, and a couple of small bread pans. I guess truthfully I must have decided to go with fruit cake rather than pudding last night when I bought those pans, puddings are round. I just didn’t think that I’d enjoy a pudding steaming on the stove for 6 hours, it hasn’t gotten that cold here.

This morning I put it all together. I used the recipe that Joyce published as a start, I used cardamom instead of mace because I don’t have any mace and I like cardamom. I baked them in a tray of water on low heat for about three and a half hours. Perhaps this makes them kind of a cross between a pudding and a cake, they did steam a bit. I was a little fuzzy on the amount of fruit, I did weigh it at some point while I was collecting it but I kept adding more and didn’t want to put that gooey mess on my scale. In the end I had enough for the 2 loaf pans plus I used one of my teflon jello molds for 6 small ones. I figure I can use the small ones as tasters, you know, to see if they are aged enough. I might have to try one tonight as a base line.

I may add the dregs of some vodka I blended with fresh ginger and have had in the freezer for a month when I start soaking the cakes. I’d say this is going to be a very alcoholic cake. Just licking the bowl after putting them in the oven I got a buzz this morning. I’m also not sure they will be aged enough by Christmas but they should be about perfect when our friends Bobby and Patti get here in January. I think it is another symptom of my cultural fog, I don’t much care if they are done on time or not. Perhaps I’ll make the Christmas pudding for Stephen’s and my birthday in February, I’ll wait for the next norte to make it but I’ll start soaking whatever fruit is in the stores now.

***Raui update. She is spending another night at the vet. She ate last night but not this morning, something has to be wrong with her stomach. She is playing and acts normal in other ways. They are still giving her IM antibiotics for the upper respiratory infection and, since I get so damn confused with all the different sized syringes and the mls of medicine, I’m kind of glad. I’m not all that fond of dosing incredibly small animals with liquid antibiotics that I had to mix precisely from a powder and keep in the refrigerator. I’m just a lazy gringa I guess who wants someone else to do that part, someone who has had a lot more training than I have perhaps?

I am so tired…

Jonna — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:00:05 +0000

not happy

This kitten really needs to get healthy and have some normal life, I hope that happens soon. I’m exhausted, mainly because I don’t sleep well worrying about her and then I am up at 7am. I don’t do well getting up that early, my good sleep is after that and I was missing it.

Raui wasn’t eating, or drinking. I gave her baby Ensure by syringe, several every few hours in her mouth. Then she started throwing it up. I tried just one syringe of water and chicken broth and she threw that up immediately and then had the runs. She wasn’t looking good either, her fur is dull and sticking out and her head is very drawn and thin. So, I called Dr Tony at about 10pm and he was at the AFAD dinner. I didn’t go this year, I was too tired and too worried about the kitten. He said he’d call me when he left and I could meet him at the vet hospital.

So, after 11 last night I took her over there. I helped and he got an IV going and gave her medication for her stomach and fluids. He said he was staying there anyway and would give her fluids every few hours all night. So that she wouldn’t pull out the IV, he put one of those hoods on her. Oh, she did not like that.

He said she was about 6% dehydrated, at 8% a kitten has serious problems. I was afraid I was overreacting but he said it was good I called. It’s difficult to know what to do, she is so small.

I came home and went to bed. I feel much better today, I slept until almost 10am! I called and she is still getting fluids and he will try and feed her this afternoon. Poor little thing, life has not been easy for her. Through all of this last night she would start purring as soon as I picked her up.

Oh, the funny thing in all this animal drama! Well, it’s funny now because it turned out well but if it hadn’t I’d really be a mess. I was letting the dogs pee out in front of the house around 9pm. Like I said, I’m tired and not on top of my game. The door was open a crack and it was just enough for Barney to slip through and run under the truck on the street. I ran out in the street to keep him from crossing. I’m laying on Calle 67 calling him and trying to reach him under the truck, taxis are whizzing by, luckily the bus didn’t come.

He ran down and got under the Dodwells tiny – and low – yellow car. It is parked in front of my neighbor’s house. I’m still in the street calling him and trying to reach him. The door to my house is open and my dogs are now walking around in the street. I yell at them to go inside and that lasts until I turn away. My neighbor was having some kind of religious service – she has these all the time – and she comes to her door with her dog. Her dog runs out and goes for Barney and Barney runs… INSIDE HER HOUSE!

Holy Schmolly! I run in after him. I wish I could have paid more attention to the surroundings but it was a bit odd. It was a narrow room like my hallway, with folding chairs lined up and about 4 people sitting in them holding papers. The incense was so thick that I could barely see the other end of the room and it was choking. Barney ran for the back with the dog in hot pursuit, the neighbor lady after the dog, me after them all. The people sitting in the chairs just kind of smiled politely. At the back was the kitchen and the neighbor caught her dog, I caught Barney and tried to make polite noises as I left. Laugh a minute, eh?

When I got back outside, my dogs were down at the end of the block and the door was wide open and I started worrying that Tita had run out as well. The kitten was locked in the office so she was safe. I got the dogs and Barney inside, closed the door and ran for the living room where I found Tita sound asleep on a chair. OMG! I had a glass of wine.

Actually, I had two glasses and when I decided that I needed to get the kitten all the way across the city to the vet on the north side, I was a tad concerned that I not run into any police stops on the way. It all went well, I took the truck which has Quintana Roo plates and got there and back without a checkpoint.

I need less excitement in my life. Everybody needs to slow down, stay inside, stay healthy and sleep more!

She’s home!

Jonna — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:18:35 +0000

asleep in her chair

What an intense 24 hours for me and mostly for the little Raui kitten. We have no idea what really happened. She was OK when I got up yesterday morning, she used her box and I carried her downstairs. I did that because Tita was waiting at the door to ambush her and I wanted her to get downstairs for her breakfast.

I put her down on the terrace and went in to make coffee and get the cats food. About then, the Dodwell’s arrived with their 2 dogs and Barney the cat. Raui never came for her breakfast and Barney ended up eating it. I called her but she didn’t come and I figured there were too many people and animals there.

We took off for the grocery store and when we got back she still didn’t come. Then I got worried and Paula and I searched for her everywhere. We were on our knees looking under everything, in the yard, couldn’t find her and no response when we called.

I was calling her and walking across the upstairs terrace and I saw a small movement. She was between a planter and the railing and she was able to just push her head out a little bit and I saw her. She was limp, she cried when we moved her. Paula and I took off to take her to the vet, I was driving and at one point she kind of rolled and opened her mouth, panted and then stopped. We thought she stopped breathing, but Paula was able to see a slight movement in her body. My god, it was the longest drive across the city through rush hour traffic.

When we got there Dr Tony took her in back and but he was shaking his head. I didn’t want to keep him from her so we left. I called 3 times within the next 4 hours. She was barely alive. She would start to have a seizure but not complete it, she was unconscious but not quite in a coma, her pupils were different sizes and she screamed in pain if you touched her head. They got her on an IV of fluids and steroids and Dr Nelson started calling around to the human pharmacies looking for a particular diuretic that removes fluid in the skull. That was at 8pm last night and all I knew was either she would die during the night or if she made it that long she would have a chance. No one knew whether she would have neurological damage if she lived.

I waited until 9am this morning to call because I assumed they would not stay with her. I was wrong. They were there with her until midnight and he found the diuretic and it had a very fast effect and he said she was awake and walking and ate at midnight. They had my old cell phone number and couldn’t call me. Before she came around, she had a full seizure, stopped breathing twice and they got her started again. They admitted to me today that they were not at all optimistic that she would live last night, I also realized her chances were not good but I hoped she had not used up all her 9 lives in that Chedraui parking lot where I first found her.

hungry for her home cooked food

We’ll never know what really happened to her. The leukemia virus does not go to the brain, reactions to the vaccine are anaphalactic shock and not swelling in the brain. So, they ruled out a reaction to the vaccine from the day before. She has no lacerations, punctures, rash, or any outwardly visible signs of trauma. They considered poisoning but said she would not have recovered so quickly, she would still be lethargic and uncoordinated today. The only thing left is trauma to the head or ear. It’s possible that one of our galumphy large dogs knocked her against the wall running by her. If they had stepped on her head, we think there would have been other signs of injury to her mouth, tongue, etc. The only thing the Drs and I can imagine is that she was bowled over or knocked into the wall somehow. If she had been knocked off the stairs I doubt she would have landed on her head, cats don’t react like that. I truly don’t think the dogs did anything to her on purpose, but that fear is never far from my mind. I will be keeping her away from everyone until she is larger and stronger.

The amazing thing is that she seems to have no residual effects. She is eating, drinking a lot of water, playing a little, and purring non stop now that she is home. She seemed to recognize me, the house and went right to the chair she slept in the first week she was here. I’m going to keep her in the office alone for now, although she seems fine she needs to rest. She has no tenderness on her head, she pushed it against me and the carry cage and she seems to enjoy having it scratched. I just have no idea what happened but I am so incredibly happy to have her home and healthy. This little kitten has fought so hard to live, she has taken over my heart.

Oh, and just another reason I would never move back the USA… the bill from the vet was $510 pesos which today is the equivalent of $39.70 in US dollars. I am sure that there are vets up north that would give the same care, we’ve had some wonderful ones. I’m also sure that I would have paid an enormous sum for that kind of care and treatment. In fact, I could have paid a whole lot more for uncaring and marginal treatment and probably lost Raui.

If you are in Mérida, let me put the link to these wonderful vets up again. Planned Pethood They are the best!

Yay Raui!

stalling

Jonna — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:09:39 +0000

I have to wait another hour to find out if Raui made it through the night. She’s got the best care there is and I can hope. I should rave about how wonderful our vet is, Planned Pethood. Drs Tony and Nelson are caring, kind and smart and they give everything for their patients. Tony told me they are giving her fluids and steroids to reduce inflammation and he was calling around to pharmacies to try and find a certain diuretic that helps reduce brain swelling. That was last night, she was unconscious, having small seizures and unable to walk. Her pupils were different sizes. No external injuries, no signs of anything. She got her vaccination the day before for feline leukemia but reactions to that are not like this.

Chica

Chica and I are doing much better. I’m walking her at night, letting her out in front when she asks, and today she actually went a few feet out in the yard to poop. It was like the second coming, such celebrations and treats and pats were handed out. Hopefully, she’ll remember the rewards and forget the yard monsters.

I was up at 7am this morning, took the Dodwell’s to the airport at 7:30. I’ve got their 2 dogs, who are old and easy going and no problems, and their cat Barney, who is my favorite boy in the world, for the next few weeks. Another friend arrives this afternoon for the night and several friends were here the last few days. It’s been a busy time.

Now I’m crying for joy. I just called the vet and Raui is alive and doing much better!!!! They had to give her CPR last night, she stopped breathing and she was seizing but they kept her alive and now she can walk, see, eat and they think she is going to make it! I can’t believe it I’m so happy. I’m off to see her and maybe bring her home.

thoughts for Raui

Jonna — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:06:47 +0000

such a sweetheart

Little Raui is fighting for her life tonight. It doesn’t look good and my heart is breaking. She has a trauma to the brain, no visible injuries but definite brain trauma. Who knows what happened, perhaps one of the dogs stepped on her.

Raui update

Jonna — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:40:22 +0000

Raui

Raui went on her first vet visit yesterday, yes, I used the feminine pronoun. Raui is a girl, I’m thinking she is the good twin to Tita’s evil twin persona. She is in pretty good health but has worms and we need to keep her separate from both Tita and the dogs for 15 days. It isn’t a huge problem but I need to be careful as well when cleaning up after her until they are all dead and the eggs gone. Also, due to the possibility of a false positive from the worm medication they don’t want to test her for FIDS (kitty aids) or Feline Leukemia until then. Tita has been vaccinated for the leukemia but there is no vaccine for FIDS. Dr. Nelson thinks she is fine, he says she looks healthy and strong. The problem with her foot was a bad burn on the pad from the hot asphalt. It’s starting to heal already.

So, we are off to Akumal today and will take Raui with us and leave the rest of the pack for the Dodwell’s. It’s only for a couple days, a condo owners meeting and then Mimi is flying north to Palm Springs from Cancun.

uh oh, we have a lotto winner

Jonna — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:55:34 +0000

Today was difficult, first off my iPhone wouldn’t turn on yesterday so I thought it was busted. I went to Telcel this morning to find out. Lo and behold, when I was demonstrating to the guy in reception I saw a brief battery flash in red. He wanted to send it off for an estimate but suddenly I remembered that I’d been charging it with a taped together cord upstairs so perhaps it wasn’t really charging. I decided to take it home and use the other cord first. I was right, it’s fine now.

On the way home I went to Chedraui for a lot of stuff. As I was walking in I heard the most pitiful wailing, at first I thought it was a child or maybe a bird. It was coming from the area outside where all the carts are kept. I went on in, shopped and when I came out I heard it again. The viene viene guy who was helping me put the groceries in the car said it was a kitten. Oh but no, I couldn’t stand the pitiful cries. I went inside and got a box and bought a half glass of expresso milk from the coffee shop in front and went back out. A teenage girl tried to help me catch it but the kitten was under a couple hundred lined up grocery carts and we could barely see it. But, we could sure hear it. This kitten has major league lungs.

As we were trying to catch it, it ran across the lot and under some parked cars. It was hot and the asphalt was really hot, I know this because I had just been on my knees in the parking lot for a long time trying to cajole a terrified kitten to come out. We managed to get it to run back under the carts where it at least had shade and wouldn’t get run over. I poured the milk in a couple spots under there and told the young girl that I lived nearby and would come back when it was calmer. Today is a holiday as well as the quincena when most people get paid and this afternoon the store was jammed with shoppers and the lot full of cars.

waaaa... waaaaa....

I came home and told Mimi and we went back with a can of fish and a towel. When we first walked up all was quiet and I was afraid it had already been hit by a car or gotten by a dog. We started calling and the howling began. As we tried to get to it, it ran again across the lot under a car but one of the viene viene guys came from the other side and when it ran out Mimi caught it.

So, another kitten has won the pet lotto. This one is the image of Tita but loud and very affectionate. It’s not a feral kitten, it purrs and rubs on you and cries for attention. We aren’t sure if it is a boy or girl so we’re being vague with the pronouns but we think we will name it Raui (Rau-eee)after the store. As the evening has worn on, it has developed a limp and swelling and now will not put its right front foot down at all. We decided it was healthy enough not to call the vets in on a holiday and we’ll take him tomorrow. He or she has fleas (ugh), probably worms and the foot thing but other than that is in good shape, not at all starving looking. I assume that it was dumped there in the parking lot. It looks to be about 6 weeks old, barely weaned and it still kneads and tries to suckle on your hand. It ate a bowl of chicken and stock though and used the litter box so we are hopeful.

Tita is not happy about this. She came in and sat on the table and stared and growled at it while it was mewling full volume and running around the office. We aren’t letting her any closer until we get it checked out and it is stronger.

full and finally quiet