1. Make that three attacks! In the last post, I wrote about Mac and Harley being attacked by Danny the Devil Cat. It was the only time they had been attacked by the cat, but it was actually the third "attack" on the doggos in the past week. One day we were walking along our side of the street and a wiener-type dog that lives on the corner got out of its house and ran across the road barking and yapping at my dogs, who were leashed, by the way. My dogs are always leashed when we go for a walk. We have had multiple encounters with this little wiener dog called Coco. I worry that Coco will dash across the road to bark at us and get hit by a car. I know Coco's humans worry about that, too, but I guess not enough to make sure Coco doesn't run out of the house to get to us. Coco is not friendly.
The second time we got attacked was on the last cul-de-sac in the neighborhood. We were on the south side of the street, and on the north side of the street, two little kids were outside playing with two little dogs, neither of them on leashes. One of the little dogs saw my girls and ran across the street barking and snapping. My dogs just stood there looking interested. When the little dog ran up and snapped at Mac, Mac took a step toward the little dog, which then started howling and crying like it's leg had been ripped off. It hadn't, of course. Mac didn't even growl. She just looked confused. Meanwhile, the little boy, probably seven or so, had come running over by us. Harley was super-interested in saying hi to him, but he was freaked out by his dog yowling like it was about to die. I looked at the boy and asked him what he was doing. Did he really think he was going to catch his dog, which was now back at their house? He didn't say anything, just ran back across the road. I've never seen the little dog that yowled before. The boy and the dog must have been visiting.
It's always the little dogs that freak out. It's the same at the dog park. There is a little dog yard and a big dog yard and an entry area in between with gates to either yard. The little dogs always bark their heads off when a big dog comes in to the entry area. The big dogs just gather around the gate to see and smell whoever is coming in, then they all run around.
Follow up on Harley's injury: her nose does still have a visible scratch mark, although it is faint. She doesn't like to walk in front of Danny's house. We cross the road.
2. Update on physical therapy. My co-workers always ask how physical therapy was when I get in to the office. My answer is always the same: physical therapy kinda sucks. I never feel great when I'm done with my session. I always have a headache afterward., my shoulder, neck, and arm are in pain, and I usually feel like I won't ever have good strength or range of motion again, so I'm disheartened. Today was no different. I've had five sessions at the clinic, so it was time to do some measurements to check progress. We just did strength measurements. Pulling down and pulling across are pretty good. Lance didn't tell me the numbers, other than to say it was a little better. Pushing back is also a little better. When I started, I was pushing back at about nine pounds of pressure. Today I was up to 13. Compared to my right arm, though, I'm not close. On my right arm, I push back at 40 pounds of pressure. Plus, Lance says my neck is "a mess." I feel my neck muscles tense up and my shoulders pull up to my ears when I do anything. I have to consciously release my neck and shoulders and relax. Because of that, I have knots in my neck. For example, today, Lance was rubbing my neck and he pressed down on an area and I winced and whimpered. He asked if I could feel it. He kept pressing and told me to breathe in and out, in an out. He pressed harder and then harder still and suddenly, it felt like something burst in there. It was awful. I might have howled a little as water seeped out of my eyes. Lance said there isn't really anything I can do about it but keep trying to not let my neck get involved with my shoulder work, to use a heating pad and to have MT rub my neck (like that's gonna happen!). My next appointment is in two weeks. I shudder to think about how my neck will feel by then. Also, he gave me another exercise to do that hurt like hell, but I have to do it.
My advice to you: don't get hurt, but if you do, just go to the doctor and find out how to get better. Don't think it will get better on its own. It probably won't, and if you wait too long, everything about getting better will feel awful.
3. The Virus rages on. In Utah yesterday, Jan 12, there were just over 10K new cases of corona virus. Salt Lake County had more than half of those cases, at 5,800. The County mayor, on the advice of the County health director, who is the former state epidemiologist, issued a mask mandate for a month, through Feb. 7. The pushback has been unbelievable. The Salt Lake County Council narrowly, by one vote, decided to keep the mandate in place, but said the legislature, which convenes next week, may repeal it. People think mandating mask wearing violates their rights. I don't understand. What is the big deal? Wear the damn mask!
The line at the mobile testing facility in my neighborhood was the longest I have ever seen it today. The testing center is on the eastern-most side of the grounds, and this morning the line snaked through the fitness center parking lot all the way to the western-most side of the grounds. I drove by on my way home from work this afternoon, and the west entrance was blocked off. I bet the line this morning was out in the main road, blocking traffic.
A couple of small businesses in my neighborhood have temporarily closed due to staffing shortages likely caused by The Virus. One of them is Atlantis Burger. They have been closed for three days. I really hope they come back.
I would be happy to work from home until this surge settles down, but I don't think that is an option. In the meantime, folks are getting sick, though not necessarily with The Virus. One person has pneumonia. Another has bronchitis. It just feels like germs are everywhere and they are strong and horrible and want to harm us vulnerable humans.
Also, the thing I was most looking forward to this week, the Hamilton performance on Sunday, has been postponed. Why? Covid in the company. They say they will reschedule.
I have ordered a bunch of N95 and KN94 respirators, but I am not sure when they will be delivered. The County Library is giving out N95 masks, so I picked a couple up yesterday. I am not interested in getting sick.
If you made it this far, thanks for hanging in there! Maybe I'll be a little more upbeat on Saturday. Stay safe!
