"Dammit, Zombie" premiere

Brendan's short film "Dammit, Zombie" just premiered tonight in Athens at Cine. Gabriel and I were lucky enough to be invited for this costume party campy film extravaganza. I was amazed to see a packed house of at least 50-60 people, all dressed up for Halloween and super-excited about the zombie movie they were about to see. I only have a few photos from us dressing up before the show tonight. I'll post the rest later. Congratulations to Brendan, Melissa, and Ali for writing, filming, directing, and editing an awesome short film!

I can't wait for the sequel.

-Shirin

I was a blue-haired Asian girl for Halloween. Don't judge; I literally created my costume within 5 minutes of getting home from work at 7.

I also helped Gabriel dress up like an army medic in about 5 minutes as well.

Thumbs up to my little dragon, who had a great time at his uncle's fabulous movie premiere and asked me tonight if he could watch it again in the morning.

Brendan turns 30.

Gabriel said yesterday that he couldn't believe his younger brother was turning 30. I guess it happens to the best of us. We were really grateful to be included in his plans for celebrating, and Melissa and I organized an art project and presents at my house Saturday evening and then dinner out at Brendan's choice, Inoko's (Japanese hibachi and sushi restaurant).

The art project Melissa arranged was awesome and it was really cool that all of us got to add to it once we were together. (See pictures below). I also really enjoyed a reason to go out with other adults and have a fun eating experience (with the chefs setting fires and throwing their knives around). It was a bunch of fun for me and Gabriel, even though we brought the kids with us. They were troupers and stayed out way past their bedtimes without meltdowns and really were in awe of the onion volcanoes and knife antics of all the chefs.

Happy birthday, little brother. Being 30 wasn't bad at all.

-Shirin

Brendan admiring Melissa's cool and creative present.

Her masterpiece before we added our own artwork to it.

The planning meeting before getting started.

Then, we all got to work. Cyrus added his hands and Kai his feet.

Allie, Melissa's good friend, drew some zombie hands, which are very appropriate since their zombie movie premieres tomorrow night.

Melissa also brought over some modeling clay for Cyrus and Kai.

Taking a brotherly shot before leaving the house.

Brendan's tsunami.

OH NO! Bren has zombie hands!

At Inoko's, awaiting our personal chef.

After a delicious dinner, we all got some red velvet cupcakes (I didn't get pics of the candles and blowing/wishing part).

Cyrus got a few bites of Gabriel's cupcake and was in hog heaven, as you can imagine.

Kai just drank some of Uncle Bren's beer (just kidding). Shortly after, we whisked two tired boys off to bed and hit the hay ourselves. Happy birthday, Brendan!

Kai and Cyrus dancing with Gabriel

This is what I came home to tonight.

Videos of Cyrus and Kai

We are proud to finally be hearing Kai saying "woof" and "quack."

I came home from work to this last night.






Gabriel teaching Kai more animal noises.

Bringing home my work

As a vet, I don't always have to bring home my work with me, although I do occasionally do research on a case at home. I just think of it as homework, which a vet will always have as long as they continue to try to stay with the times. But, lately, my work and home life have mixed more than normal.

This weekend, my parents are here to help with Kai and Cyrus after Kai's surgery, although Kai is doing fine and no one can tell he just had surgery. I worked Saturday morning and expected to be home by 1 PM. Unfortunately, I had lots of sick and emergency patients and got home closer to 4 PM, bringing home one of my sick patients with me. He required too much care to leave for the assistant taking care of the animals this weekend, so he's staying in a laundry basket in the kitchen.

I already had 2 kittens at home with me from the clinic, so we have a full house right now.

-Shirin

Nama reading to the bubsies.

Reading Blabber Mouse, Cyrus' favorite book at the moment (because it has funny jokes). Where do sheep get their hair cuts? At the "ba-ba shop."

Last night, Cyrus spent a long time with my dad, flipping through his Brain Pathology text book and discussing different parts of the human brain.

More book time with Nama last night.

This is a sad little kitty that got an overdose of antibiotics from his owner. Remember, folks, call your vet for medicine advice before giving pills to your pets. (This is him after I placed his esophageal feeding tube).

Poor little guy in my kitchen with his fluids running, just laying around feeling very sick. :(

Cyrus took a picture of me checking on the kitty with Kai. My mom has been giving him lots of love and TLC because he's such a sweet, loving cat with such a poor prognosis.

Here are Smootz and Earl at work. They live there most of the time, because they were rescues, but I try to take them home on the weekends because they would stay in their cages otherwise.

I think they would rather be laying around on the Persian rugs and having grand wrestling matches with one another.

Beware the giant baby.

They tolerate him well when he's being gentle, but sometimes he's really rough with them.

He loves them though.

Smootz trying to pretend Kai's not right there behind him.

Here's one patient I didn't bring home with me because he's doing so well. He initially came in for dog bite wounds and surgical repair of his injuries. He did great and went home, but....

He came back 2 days later having ripped open his incisions. Bad dog!

It had looked so good when he went home too, but not anymore.

Luckily, he has nice owners that let him stay with us for 2 weeks and a great vet (Dr Amy) to help him heal back up. Yes, he's wearing 2T boxer briefs over his bandage.

It's already looking SO much better. Our body's ability to heal is amazing.

And, of course, my other job at home is mommy. This is from last Wednesday when we went outside playing with chalk and trains.

Love them.

Navigating his tow truck over the train tracks while Kai looks on.

Cyrus asking Kai to hold his hand.

They stayed like this for several minutes. They warm a mother's heart.

Kai's surgery

Kai had his orchiopexy today at 8 AM at Athens Regional Medical Center (the other hospital in Athens than the one where he and Cyrus were born). He had to arrive by 6:30 AM, so it fell to me to get myself up before 6 to get him ready and head over to the pre-op area to check in. Kai couldn't have anything to eat or drink after midnight last night, so I was glad we got to go so early. There is just no way for me to explain why I couldn't feed him, and it was too early for him to care about it.

Once we got to the pre-op room, they gave him a WONDERFUL drug called Versed, which is like oral valium, and let him hang out in my arms for 30 minutes. I was hoping Gabriel would be able to drop Cyrus off at Tamala's and get to the hospital before Kai was taken back, but he didn't quite make it. Kai did so well on the Versed, though, that he didn't even cry when I handed him to the anesthesia nurse (he normally cries even when I hand him to Gabriel, who he loves when I'm not around). So, I went out to the waiting room to meet Gabriel, have some breakfast, watch poker on the iPad, and wait for the surgery to be over.

When they got Kai back to anesthesia, they gassed him down with a mask, placed an IV catheter, and wheeled him into surgery. About an hour later, we got a call up at the front desk telling us that he was out of surgery and doing well. Whew...you can't believe the relief. I really did think he'd be fine, but once I knew he would be, I allowed myself to shed a few tears just thinking about what I would've done if he hadn't made it. Hey...being a mother is half emotional craziness, so I just gave myself permission to cry.

Once he was a little awake, we got to go back to the recovery room where a nurse was rocking him with a little oxygen mask on and he was mostly keeping it together (even though they said he had been crying before that). I got to take over the rocking and humming and cooing and he fell asleep in my arms, even for his little breathing treatment they did to get his oxygen up high enough to let him get ready to be discharged. Thirty minutes later, we were in another room to discuss at-home care, give him some apple juice and crackers, and take his IV out. All the nurses were great and spoiled their cute little baby patient to death.

Gabriel and I split up after the hospital, him to go get the prescription meds and lunch for us and me to take Kai home. Other than him puking ALL of his juice and crackers all over himself and his chair, it went smoothly. Since getting home and taking a long nap, Kai has been his normal happy little self and doesn't seem at all painful (with the help of Lortab). The doctor said he actually had an ectopic testicle that migrated through the abdominal body wall (causing a hernia) and lodged right at the top of his thigh. Dr Allen repaired the hernia and then tacked all his parts in the right place. He's going to be able to have children and only has the slightest higher chance of testicular cancer than a normal boy/man. So, as long as healing continues, he is done with this ordeal and I couldn't be happier about that. Gabriel is staying home with Kai tomorrow, and he'll be back in daycare on Monday. Whew...I'm so glad it's over.

-Shirin

Still in his pajamas in the waiting room.

Ready for anything and not knowing what is about to happen.

Still happy in his hospital gown.

So cute.

Being a patient little patient.

About to get some Versed...boy, did he like that drug. He felt great.

Not sure what is going on but not too upset (thanks to the Versed).

And away they took my baby...

In the waiting room with Gabriel. We ate breakfast, talked, and watched poker.

We had a beeper that they would buzz whenever the ladies at the desk wanted to give us and update or information. Every time I heard someone else's beeper buzz, I'd shoot a look at mine to make sure it wasn't for me. They also said they might call my cell to contact me in an urgent situation. How nerve-wracking!

But, everything went fine and the updates were all positive. Whew!

And, I had my bubsy with me to help share the emotional burden and to keep me company.

Once they called us back, I was so giddy and excited to be able to see my baby again. I thought he'd be crying because they told me he was, but when I got there, this nurse was humming and rocking him and he was sort of calm.

He got really calm and happy when I took over and nursed him. He sort of drifted off to sleep and I was able to hold the oxygen and then the nebulizer over his nose without any protest.

Relieved.

He cried a little bit, on and off, but not too badly.

In the discharge room for some juice and crackers. I knew he was drinking too much (hence the vomiting later on), but he was so happy to get something into his tummy.

He got mad at his IV pad that didn't let him hold much, but he dealt with it.

Plus, crackers were a great distraction while the nurse took his temperature and took out his IV.

What's this thing on my finger?

Covered in vomit....sigh.

After a long nap and afternoon at home, we collected Cyrus and took a walk at Memorial Park.

You'd never know one of these boys had surgery that morning.