Day: June 19, 2008

Cell Phones for Soldiers

How many times do you open a box of stuff that you’ve ordered on-line and just thrown away the advertisements?  Today, I opened the box of DVDs that my husband ordered.  I never give much thought to the ads that are inside the package–until today.

There were 2 coupons for new sandwiches at McDonald’s (which 1.  They don’t have the same sandwiches here in Germany that they do in the US and 2.  I don’t like to eat at McDonald’s!), there was a coupon for some prepackaged meat (which I may have to use since Rob loves lunch meat sandwiches) and then there was this curious plastic ad.

I gently pulled it out and there was a drawing of a Soldier wearing a kevlar helmet on a radio.  I read further and I realized that this was for cell phone donation for Soldiers, so they can call home!  I turned it over and it’s a mailer so you can send your phones in.  There’s a web address so, I go and visit it.  www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

Now, I’m thinking, wow!  I actually got something worth keeping (until I can find Rob and I’s old cells)–worth reading about and worth passing on!  If you go to the website, you can print off a label and you don’t have to pay for shipping, but come on, cell phones don’t weigh much–you can pay for the shipping yourself (it’s not going to be too much) and then more money can be put into the program to help our troops!

What this program is:  It’s a cell-phone recycling movement.  They sell the donated cell phones for money and then they use that money to buy calling cards for the Soldiers who are overseas.  This program was started by two ‘tween children who are now 15 and 16 years old.  AT & T got on board and they donated about $300,000 dollars worth of calling cards for the troops!!!  It’s amazing.

I know you all have a least one phone that you don’t use anymore, so what are you waiting for?  Donate it to our troops (and pay the shipping costs yourself–if you can)!

Get the word out and watch the videos on the webpage.  They made me cry!

The Amazing Adventures of Casey and Gizmo

Hi all!  Well, we certainly had an adventure today!  Gizmo, Casey and I went to the vet today!  Casey seemed to be doing much better.  His urine seemed to have cleared up (or so I thought–it’s still a little bloody, but I’ll just have to make sure he’s drinking a lot of water).  He does have a UTI and is still running a fever.  It came down .2 degrees from yesterday.  Still not acting sick, though.  They weighed Casey and he’s almost back up to his pre-op weight of 15 lbs and Gizmo inadvertently weighed himself and he’s a whopping 9.5 lbs.

Gizmo on the other hand, he’s not as sick as Casey is, but is acting much sicker.  We found out that he’s got impacted bowels and quite a lot of it, too.  The vet had to do some xrays on him and draw blood on him.  This was not an easy task, either.

Gizmo had an enema done.  If you’ve never witnessed one of those performed on your animal, your missing out–I’M KIDDING!  It was a nightmare!  Two of us had to hold him down while the other put the stuff in him.  He refused to go to the bathroom, so they had to do it AGAIN!  He finally went a tiny bit and then threw up.  After that fiasco was over, the vet gave him two shots, not sure what they were for, though.  I opened the kennel up for Gizmo and he was more than happy to get in–normally he hates the kennel, but he’s much more tolerant than Lilo was about getting in it.  He was also ready to leave!  I don’t say that I blame him.  The whole time he was there, they kept poking him with needles and shoving stuff up his butt.  I would have been none-too-thrilled if the doctors were doing stuff like that to ME!

As soon as we got home, Gizmo went straight for the litter box and then came back out to the living room and laid down, cleaning his wound where they drew blood.  He’s rolled over twice, but stayed in the same spot that he plopped down in.

Casey is keeping a good watch over Gizmo and walked up to him after he laid down to make sure that he was okay.  Gizmo tolerated it.  No hissing or growling.  When Casey decided that Gizmo was okay, he started to eat breakfast and now he is laying at my feet.

Both animals have to go back to the vet on Saturday morning.

The vet is an older gentleman.  A lot of the equipment that was in the office was ancient and they still used a manual filing system.  He was nice and gentle.  He has a kind heart and he didn’t frighten my animals (yeah, like anyone would scare Casey!  If you give him an ounce of attention, he’s your new best friend!)  Even getting shots doesn’t bother Casey.  They may have hurt getting them, but he quickly forgets the pain and carries on as if nothing happened.  Gizmo on the other hand…well…let’s just say I’m not going to touch hm for a little while longer…

Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts coming out to us.  I think we’re gonna be alright!