I'm Going Batty

Literally ...

This morning at 5am, Dan and I were awakened to the our cats running frantically up and down the hallway outside of our master bedroom that leads to the boys bedroom. What were they doing -- oh, chasing a BAT!

We are having our house painted and the windows upstairs were cracked let the paint dry. We guess it must have flown in one of the open windows.

Noel and Tanner were zipped into their crib tents, but Hayden was not.

Dan, my hero, was able to capture the bat in under 3 minutes, but once he got outside, it flew away. It wasn't until the bat was long gone that we began to realize, "Oh crap! We need to test that bat for rabies!"

CDC protocol when a bat is found in a room when people were sleeping, especially children, is to get the five shot post-exposure rabies vaccination series.

So Hayden, Dan, and I would have to get these treatments. I have calls into the pediatrician, our family doctor, our insurance company, and the health department. Why they haven't yet to return my frantic phone messages I left at 5:30am, I have no idea!

I know the chance is so small that it (1) the bat had rabies; and (2) had contact with Hayden, Dan, or myself, but do I take that risk?

Here is a quote from the CDC information site on rabies exposure that made the hair on my neck stand up:
"In February 1995, the aunt of a 4-year-old girl was awakened by the sounds of a bat in the room where the child was sleeping. The child did not wake up until the bat was captured, killed, and discarded. The girl reported no bite, and no evidence of a bite wound was found when she was examined. One month later the child became sick and died of rabies. The dead bat was recovered from the yard and tested--it had rabies. This case demonstrates that this child's infection with rabies was most likely the result of a bat bite. Children sleep heavily and may not awaken from the presence of a small bat. A bat bite can be superficial and not easily noticed. Remember, in situations in which a bat is physically present and you cannot reasonably rule out having been bitten, safely capture the bat for rabies testing and seek medical attention immediately."

I'm going to trust the advice my doctors give me on what to do, but honestly, I don't know if I can play games of chance and risk with my children.

What would you do? Would you give the shot series to your 2.5 year old child? Would you do the shots yourself? Would you make your stubborn husband take the shot series?

Appalachian Fest 2009

We did our annual mother's day outing to Appalachian Fest yesterday.

The most enjoyable part of the day was visiting with all the animals -- we got to see goats, pigs, chickens, turtles, cows, and llamas!

Well, It's About Time!

It's finally happened ...

Jessica wins Mother of the Year 2009

(Thanks for the nomination, Minde!)

I'm Becoming My Mother

My Mother and I did an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer this week on how I am becoming my mother. They filmed for over 2 hours, but it was only a 2 minute long video.

So, for your viewing pleasure ... Please link to here:

Cincinnati Enquirer Video

Tick Tock

I'm too busy. And I'm constantly saying, "I'll get to it when I find the time."

The problem with finding that time is that it's borrowed.

Borrowed from an hour's wage at work or running another errand.

Finding the time to find the time has become a luxury most of us can't, or don't care to, afford.

All Creatures, Big and Small

I'll admit it ... I'm a cat lover.

I support feeding feral cats populations, and I participate in "capture and release" programs where we catch feral cats, neuter/spay them, and then re-release them as they are usually not adoptable.

Right now in my city, there is an overblown worry about the feral cat population. It seems that there is a "kitty-vendetta" brewing. People are bemoaning the fact that there are free-roaming cats, who apparently have no owner, but are free to live their own lives without the confinement to the prisons of their man-decreed homes.

Nature is not subject to the whims of man. Otherwise, we would have to apply the same restrictions to other free-roaming animals and birds.

What about the hawks? They kill. The red-tailed hawk who lives in our back woods took out Thumper the other day.

And what about the raccoons, opossums, squirrels, snakes, foxes, coyotes, deer, etc.? They are also considered by man to be "destructive". (Just ask my Mom about her disappearing hostas, thanks to the deer.)

Do people really feel that man should have total control over all animals? Considering that man is responsible for the deaths of thousands of animals daily (have you checked your supermarket meat supply), I find this attitude to be highly hypocritical.

But I guess it's just a sign of the times. Some people just can't stand to be a little inconvenienced.

It almost has a familiar political ring ... these "terrorist cats" pillaging our neighborhoods!

Raccoons being referred to as "welfare addicts" since they come looking for food from our trash cans.

I'm waiting for the next outcry against the possums. What's a marsupial doing in our country anyway? ... obviously a bunch of illegal aliens!

Next the ladybugs will be congregating on our window sills ... darn bunch of socialists!

We made all of these creatures live with us; now if only we could learn to live with them.

2009 Lunken Air Show

We went to the Lunken Airport Air Show today! It was supposed to be rainy and miserable, but it ended up being a beautiful day!

Dan got stuck in Memphis overnight due to a mechanical issue on the plane, so he came right from the airport to meet us.

The boys loved looking at all the planes, the fire truck, and the helicopters!

I didn't get many pictures because the boys kept me busy asking questions, pointing to planes, and waving to helicopters flying over.

We were filmed by two different news channels, so we'll have to see if we make it on the evening news. I guess it will depend on if it is a slow news day or not.