I'm all set to go to Eye Care for Animals tomorrow morning to show Dr. Church how much I've improved after three weeks of anti-inflammatory eye drops. Oh it's been an adventure, starting with getting the medication. The Target pharmacist said he'd never dispensed for a tortoise before, and the Bashas' pharmacist couldn't imagine how my Tortoise Mom would install the drops by herself, "afterall, it's not like she can't pull in her head." There was much hilarity, but I got my eye drops and my Tortoise Mom and Dad worked out a system to get them in my eyes with no muss, no fuss. One, two, THREE--blink. One, two, THREE--blink. It happens so fast I usually don't have a chance to get upset, and now I'm such a veteran that I don't bother to struggle.
The good news is I can see out of my left eye again. In fact, I peek over my left "shoulder" to see if I'm in the clear to escape back into the old burrow. Sometimes I'm more wily than others, but I always get caught. I'm pretty resigned to it. I know the drill by now.
After seeing Dr. Church, we're going straight over to get my pre-hibernation check-up with Dr. Johnson. Hopefully the anemia is gone and I'll be good to go. The only thing worse than staying in the winter burrow is having to stay indoors. Trust me, no one wants to go through that again. Anyway I'm hoping I'll be cleared for hibernation, which means I'm well enough to survive the big drop in immune function that happens when the metabolism slows down so much.
Well I know I'm in good hands, and that helps a lot. I wish I could go where I please, but I did get a treat from my Tortoise Dad this week. He let me "go for a walk" around the yard to get some exercise and maybe perk up a little as I have just resigned myself to sitting in the winter burrow so I don't sit out in the sun at all.
Tortellini got her pre-hibernation check up last week. She's quite a handfull and not as charming as I am, so there aren't any photos to show. But she's in great shape. The funny thing is Dr. Johnson thinks she's 5-10 years older than we thought. We really don't know her age so just guessed it back in 1987. Now it seems she could be a lot closer to my age. We are two tortoises of a "certain age." Except she's so healthy and active that she runs circles around me. And my Tortoise Mom. And she is not happy about not getting fed any more treats this year. But we can't hibernate with any undigested food. Besides treats are treats, not a substitute for grazing in the yard, which she is still free to do. But she'd rather nag at the back door. Give it up, Tortellini. They always do what helps us instead of what we want. (Sigh). But still, we are TWO very lucky tortoises. Your friend, Grandma
Blogging from the winter burrow
