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Posted 13 years agoRest in Peace, Squishy, my beloved ball python girl.
Posted 14 years agoSquishy my ball python recently contracted pneumonia. With the aid of injected anti-biotics, she's been fighting it for around a month or more. Her body finally gave in yesterday, bless her heart, and she died in daddy's arms.
I desperately want to have an autopsy/necropsy performed. I have a few reasons; I want to find out what caused her to develop pneumonia in the first place in addition to what I should be doing differently with my snakes. It could potentially tell me if there was a factor that contributed to her state that was contagious to my other reptiles like a bacteria or parasite, allowing me to preempt it and potentially -save- them from a similar fate. Lastly, though it may be difficult to understand, closure. There are a couple of frustrating and upsetting factors behind her death (besides the fact that she's dead) and it would make me feel a lot better to know for sure what happened, and hypothetically allow me to make the situation a little bit "righter".
I do not currently have enough money to pay for this vet bill, with or without the necropsy. Squishy's body is currently sitting in a refrigerator at the vet's office, and I have until tomorrow (Monday, March 13) to tell them what to do, otherwise she is just a body sitting there....and I don't even know for sure whether they'll give it back if I don't arrange payment for that final bill....even though they pretty much didn't do anything besides hook her up to something to check for a pulse. They could have asked for upwards of 1000 dollars in bills if I'd let them do any emergency efforts, and it was already very likely that she was beyond coming back.
The vet's office does NOT accept payment plans, but they did tell me that they accept payment from a company that basically sells you a credit card to pay for the vet bill, then you owe them money. With the necropsy, the bill would be barely over the financial threshold ($300) that allows me to take out the line of credit without interest for 6 months, and I know it won't take me more than a month to make enough money to pay the bill off. Unfortunately, my own credit is not good enough and I'd have to find a cosigner in order to do it.
Up until the moment Squishy started choking, I'd been "getting in to it with my mother." When I realized what was going on with Squishy, I immediately started yelling out to everyone in the house (my mother and sister) that she was dying. I tried everything...even forcing a little air back in to her lungs with my mouth through the mucus that had completely blocked off her airway causing her to choke. When I decided it was time to go to the vets, I tried begging my mom to take me, holding out the snake in front of me as she convulsed, and my mom was so caught up thinking about whatever it was that she was angry at me about that she refused and left me there at the house while she went out to do whatever she had planned. I fought with my sister and convinced her to take her. She didn't want to because she was being squeamish. I couldn't drive because I had to hold on to the snake because she was flailing her body around. By the time I'd gotten to the vets, she wasn't showing any signs of life. She didn't help with the initial vet bill when she first fell ill and won't even talk to me right now because (you guessed it) she's mad at me, but she did let me know that she thinks getting a necropsy is stupid, so I don't expect any change.
As for my dad, I -did- talk to him about it but he won't do anything either. This INFURIATES me, because when I originally brought Squishy in to the vet, I was told that a sudden drop of temperature was a likely cause of her condition. My dad recently took the heater out of my room because he has a high electricity bill. That occurred only a week or so before Squishy started wheezing. I explained all that to my dad when it all first happened and I had to take her in, and he didn't agree to help at all with the bill. Nothing. I didn't have the money then either, but I got lucky and got a check in the mail (from a warranty on my mp3 player that had recently broke and I'd sent in) literally the day before the appointment was scheduled. That appointment was about 140 dollars in total, and I think the check I got was for 170. Essentially, I admit to holding him indirectly responsible for her death, and feel that even though I can't know for sure (without the necropsy) that that's what caused it, he should be sympathetic to the situation and more willing to help me figure something out.
Now, my humble desperate plea: I am looking for someone who is either:
a) willing to cosign the line of credit, and I am trying to offer up to about 100 dollars up payed directly to the person who lends their name, and I'd still owe the rest of the money to the vets directly, and assuming I pay everything off, the 100 dollars would hopefully make up for the risk you'd be taking.
or b) possibly willing to lend me money any amount of money directly to help pay for the vet bill
I'm more than happy to sign a contract to you for either of these.
If you think you can help or might have an idea, please don't hesitate to call me at 858-692-5118 and if that doesn't go through which it might not, please be sure to leave a voicemail and then you can contact me on facebook (Brooks Buncher). I'll be logged in 24/7 until something happens...
I desperately want to have an autopsy/necropsy performed. I have a few reasons; I want to find out what caused her to develop pneumonia in the first place in addition to what I should be doing differently with my snakes. It could potentially tell me if there was a factor that contributed to her state that was contagious to my other reptiles like a bacteria or parasite, allowing me to preempt it and potentially -save- them from a similar fate. Lastly, though it may be difficult to understand, closure. There are a couple of frustrating and upsetting factors behind her death (besides the fact that she's dead) and it would make me feel a lot better to know for sure what happened, and hypothetically allow me to make the situation a little bit "righter".
I do not currently have enough money to pay for this vet bill, with or without the necropsy. Squishy's body is currently sitting in a refrigerator at the vet's office, and I have until tomorrow (Monday, March 13) to tell them what to do, otherwise she is just a body sitting there....and I don't even know for sure whether they'll give it back if I don't arrange payment for that final bill....even though they pretty much didn't do anything besides hook her up to something to check for a pulse. They could have asked for upwards of 1000 dollars in bills if I'd let them do any emergency efforts, and it was already very likely that she was beyond coming back.
The vet's office does NOT accept payment plans, but they did tell me that they accept payment from a company that basically sells you a credit card to pay for the vet bill, then you owe them money. With the necropsy, the bill would be barely over the financial threshold ($300) that allows me to take out the line of credit without interest for 6 months, and I know it won't take me more than a month to make enough money to pay the bill off. Unfortunately, my own credit is not good enough and I'd have to find a cosigner in order to do it.
Up until the moment Squishy started choking, I'd been "getting in to it with my mother." When I realized what was going on with Squishy, I immediately started yelling out to everyone in the house (my mother and sister) that she was dying. I tried everything...even forcing a little air back in to her lungs with my mouth through the mucus that had completely blocked off her airway causing her to choke. When I decided it was time to go to the vets, I tried begging my mom to take me, holding out the snake in front of me as she convulsed, and my mom was so caught up thinking about whatever it was that she was angry at me about that she refused and left me there at the house while she went out to do whatever she had planned. I fought with my sister and convinced her to take her. She didn't want to because she was being squeamish. I couldn't drive because I had to hold on to the snake because she was flailing her body around. By the time I'd gotten to the vets, she wasn't showing any signs of life. She didn't help with the initial vet bill when she first fell ill and won't even talk to me right now because (you guessed it) she's mad at me, but she did let me know that she thinks getting a necropsy is stupid, so I don't expect any change.
As for my dad, I -did- talk to him about it but he won't do anything either. This INFURIATES me, because when I originally brought Squishy in to the vet, I was told that a sudden drop of temperature was a likely cause of her condition. My dad recently took the heater out of my room because he has a high electricity bill. That occurred only a week or so before Squishy started wheezing. I explained all that to my dad when it all first happened and I had to take her in, and he didn't agree to help at all with the bill. Nothing. I didn't have the money then either, but I got lucky and got a check in the mail (from a warranty on my mp3 player that had recently broke and I'd sent in) literally the day before the appointment was scheduled. That appointment was about 140 dollars in total, and I think the check I got was for 170. Essentially, I admit to holding him indirectly responsible for her death, and feel that even though I can't know for sure (without the necropsy) that that's what caused it, he should be sympathetic to the situation and more willing to help me figure something out.
Now, my humble desperate plea: I am looking for someone who is either:
a) willing to cosign the line of credit, and I am trying to offer up to about 100 dollars up payed directly to the person who lends their name, and I'd still owe the rest of the money to the vets directly, and assuming I pay everything off, the 100 dollars would hopefully make up for the risk you'd be taking.
or b) possibly willing to lend me money any amount of money directly to help pay for the vet bill
I'm more than happy to sign a contract to you for either of these.
If you think you can help or might have an idea, please don't hesitate to call me at 858-692-5118 and if that doesn't go through which it might not, please be sure to leave a voicemail and then you can contact me on facebook (Brooks Buncher). I'll be logged in 24/7 until something happens...
No Subject
Posted 15 years agoSooo in connection to my last journal, I finally got an mri and know exactly what's wrong with my knee. I not only tore my acl but also tore my medial meniscus, got an impaction fracture as well as a small fibular head fracture. No wonder my knee's been hurting. :P
Anyway, yay vicodin. Oh and I'm looking for someone in my area who has a room for rent or needs an extra roomate or two. Asap btw.
Anyway, yay vicodin. Oh and I'm looking for someone in my area who has a room for rent or needs an extra roomate or two. Asap btw.
More reasons to loathe my mother (short rant)
Posted 15 years agoMy mother didn't pick me up after work the other day. She texted me an hour AFTER she was supposed to be there and said she wasn't picking me up because my uncle wasn't going to be arriving at the airport after all (which is near my work). I tore my acl while skating to meet a friend for a ride that night. I called and told her what happened, and asked her to bring a wheelchair out so I could get in to the house because I was completely unable to walk. She went back to sleep and did nothing. She's going on this last minute vacation to Colorado which means she can't drive me to work, and she said I can't be in her house at all while she's gone. She won't let me drive the extra car to work and instead is letting my sister have it. She's 16 and on summer break, doesn't have a job. I have to stay at my dad's. He can't drive me to work because he has to work and I can't walk to a bus stop, even if there was one nearby which there isn't, because I tore my acl!
Has job!
Posted 15 years agoWell, I finally got a job after my 1.5 year hiatus. I'll be working in downtown San Diego at Luth Research doing cold calling for the Scarborough survey, a very large compilation of who watches what on tv, listens to what on the radio, watches or reads what news, and when. Minimum wage (8.50 an hour) 5 days a week, 6-8 hours a day. That's the basic schedule, though things aren't always consistent. It's gonna be a lot for me, I've never had this much in the way of work before, but I'm gonna give it my all.
Now, I have to figure out a few of the major kinks before one of them costs me my job. The most obvious one right now is the transportation issue. I need a car to get to work. I need money to buy a car. I need to get to work to make money. See where I'm going with this? My mother doesn't admit or probably even know it, but she has purposely tried to keep me in a situation where she has more control over me than she should, at least considering the fact that she doesn't exercise it in a productive way a LARGE majority of the time. Every time my dad tries to get me a car, even with plans for me to pay them back, she will suddenly back out and I'll end up stuck driving the 10 mpg expedition that SHE owns and controls. Before I let myself get too in to this rant.... :P
I also need to figure out what I'm going to do when the semester starts again, whether I'll be able to keep my job, if and what classes I'll be taking, whether or not I can figure out a place to move to so I can start claiming myself as an independent and getting my government aid that I'm currently denied because my parents still claim me as a dependent, and a few other things.
Can't think of what else I wanna say right now. Squee ya later!
Oh, and GAWD people start messaging me more often! Seems like I barely communicate with a large portion of my friends anymore!
Now, I have to figure out a few of the major kinks before one of them costs me my job. The most obvious one right now is the transportation issue. I need a car to get to work. I need money to buy a car. I need to get to work to make money. See where I'm going with this? My mother doesn't admit or probably even know it, but she has purposely tried to keep me in a situation where she has more control over me than she should, at least considering the fact that she doesn't exercise it in a productive way a LARGE majority of the time. Every time my dad tries to get me a car, even with plans for me to pay them back, she will suddenly back out and I'll end up stuck driving the 10 mpg expedition that SHE owns and controls. Before I let myself get too in to this rant.... :P
I also need to figure out what I'm going to do when the semester starts again, whether I'll be able to keep my job, if and what classes I'll be taking, whether or not I can figure out a place to move to so I can start claiming myself as an independent and getting my government aid that I'm currently denied because my parents still claim me as a dependent, and a few other things.
Can't think of what else I wanna say right now. Squee ya later!
Oh, and GAWD people start messaging me more often! Seems like I barely communicate with a large portion of my friends anymore!
Found my python!
Posted 15 years agoYay! The carpet python that my bitch mother unwittingly set loose while she was rummaging through my stuff while I was out of the house just turned up, curled in a ball around the top of the electrical cord to one of the heat lamps for the larger tegu in the garage. If she had decided to crawl through the opening that the cord went through to get closer to the heat, she'd have been ripped to pieces by the tegu.
I just happened to walk in to the garage at the very moment that she was there, RIGHT BEFORE I LEFT FOR COLORADO.
She's been missing for at least a month, and I didn't expect to find her. She's only a foot or so long and a little thicker than a regular pencil. Also, my garage has basically 16 years of crap that's gathered from all the times my mother has moved. You can barely even walk in there.
I can't express how incredibly lucky I was to find her.
Not that it makes much difference as to her value to ME, but she was a 500 dollar (usd) snake, and it's not like I could afford to get another one :P
I'll post pictures of her soon
^_________________^
I just happened to walk in to the garage at the very moment that she was there, RIGHT BEFORE I LEFT FOR COLORADO.
She's been missing for at least a month, and I didn't expect to find her. She's only a foot or so long and a little thicker than a regular pencil. Also, my garage has basically 16 years of crap that's gathered from all the times my mother has moved. You can barely even walk in there.
I can't express how incredibly lucky I was to find her.
Not that it makes much difference as to her value to ME, but she was a 500 dollar (usd) snake, and it's not like I could afford to get another one :P
I'll post pictures of her soon
^_________________^
FNL or Cabaret act, need musician!
Posted 15 years agoWell, I'm putting together an act for either the upcoming cabaret or fnl at either FurtherConfusion or Califur.
The act still needs somebody who can play a ukulele well, and currently owns a -real- one or can borrow one from a friend. The alternative that will be considered is someone who can play well high up on an acoustic guitar.
PM
dizzyorca if you're interested!
Repost this journal with a link back to DizzyOrca's profile if you think you might have friends who'd like to take part!
The act still needs somebody who can play a ukulele well, and currently owns a -real- one or can borrow one from a friend. The alternative that will be considered is someone who can play well high up on an acoustic guitar.
PM
dizzyorca if you're interested!Repost this journal with a link back to DizzyOrca's profile if you think you might have friends who'd like to take part!
I won the lingerie contest at the Rocky Horror Picture Show
Posted 15 years agoHeheh, here are the links. View at your own risk!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359974800/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359975696/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359237571/ (bottom left)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359988024/ (bottom left)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359249581/ (middle)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359250849/ (left)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359990098/ (right, waving like a fruitcake.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4360010520/ (bottom right, the mushroom hair)
Yeah, it's pretty bad. Don't give me shit :P
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359974800/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359975696/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359237571/ (bottom left)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359988024/ (bottom left)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359249581/ (middle)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359250849/ (left)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4359990098/ (right, waving like a fruitcake.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazed.....ns/4360010520/ (bottom right, the mushroom hair)
Yeah, it's pretty bad. Don't give me shit :P
The Itch
Posted 15 years agoWhy...why do we tell our parents anything?
They tell us to be honest with them, ALWAYS. No matter what you say, we'll still love you.
Then you tell them you're *insert personal information*
Maybe they pretend to be accepting of it, maybe they convince themselves it's just a phase.
Maybe they flat out tell you that you don't know what you're talking about. You're confused. Oh, heheh, you're not really like that. Things go okay for a while, it's not really brought up.
Then you get in to a fight.
It's just a fight, not really anything out of the ordinary. Could be about this, could be about that.
Then they say it: "Yeah well if you weren't so *****.." or "Yeah well why don't you go hang out with all of your little **** friends!"
You think, "Damn, that kind of stung." You brush it off.
The fight passes, and life goes on.
But it's there still, that little memory sitting at the back of your mind. It's there, growing like a little moldy piece of bread in the back of your refrigerator. It's not that bad at first, you don't notice it.
But it spreads. You become more aware of your parents' disapproval of you. It rubs them the wrong way, it makes them itch.
Like any good itch, it must be scratched. But when you scratch an itch, it doesn't really stop itching. It might for a little bit, but it starts itching again, just a little more than the last time. Scratch it again, it goes away for a bit, but it comes back with a vengeance.
After a while, reality sets in.
They'll never really be okay with it. Why does it matter?
Because as much as you'd like to deny it, you care what they think, they're your parents.
I'm gonna go listen to the new Gorillaz album.
They tell us to be honest with them, ALWAYS. No matter what you say, we'll still love you.
Then you tell them you're *insert personal information*
Maybe they pretend to be accepting of it, maybe they convince themselves it's just a phase.
Maybe they flat out tell you that you don't know what you're talking about. You're confused. Oh, heheh, you're not really like that. Things go okay for a while, it's not really brought up.
Then you get in to a fight.
It's just a fight, not really anything out of the ordinary. Could be about this, could be about that.
Then they say it: "Yeah well if you weren't so *****.." or "Yeah well why don't you go hang out with all of your little **** friends!"
You think, "Damn, that kind of stung." You brush it off.
The fight passes, and life goes on.
But it's there still, that little memory sitting at the back of your mind. It's there, growing like a little moldy piece of bread in the back of your refrigerator. It's not that bad at first, you don't notice it.
But it spreads. You become more aware of your parents' disapproval of you. It rubs them the wrong way, it makes them itch.
Like any good itch, it must be scratched. But when you scratch an itch, it doesn't really stop itching. It might for a little bit, but it starts itching again, just a little more than the last time. Scratch it again, it goes away for a bit, but it comes back with a vengeance.
After a while, reality sets in.
They'll never really be okay with it. Why does it matter?
Because as much as you'd like to deny it, you care what they think, they're your parents.
I'm gonna go listen to the new Gorillaz album.
FC
Posted 15 years agoWOOOOOOO
I'm here, and I have Squishy my python with me :D
I'm here, and I have Squishy my python with me :D
Message to a large blue reptillian friend
Posted 15 years agoI have a friend, a large blue reptile. He's very dear to me, and I know that he's been going through absolute hell lately. He knows who he is. If you read this message, just know that I love you very much, and that you have a rubbery orcan "shoulder" to lean on. If you don't need it, that's fine too. Just know that I want to be here for you. You're an amazing person :)
I'm back.
Posted 16 years agoWell, I'm back from my trip to visit Keiko. I got to relax lotsa, but came back in to teh failsauce drama :P
I can't wait to visit with mah bunddy
SunshineDingo ! I hear she has something for me :D Yay, belated 18th bday present!
In other news, just taking in to account 3 people, I am owed over 1000 dollars right now, and one of those people is my mother XD
I need a job! D: Noone's freaking hiring. I've submitted applications to pretty much every establishment within a 3 mile radius of where I live, in other words, about 25 stores, etc.
I can't wait to visit with mah bunddy
SunshineDingo ! I hear she has something for me :D Yay, belated 18th bday present!In other news, just taking in to account 3 people, I am owed over 1000 dollars right now, and one of those people is my mother XD
I need a job! D: Noone's freaking hiring. I've submitted applications to pretty much every establishment within a 3 mile radius of where I live, in other words, about 25 stores, etc.
Wooo, vacation with an orca!
Posted 16 years agoI'm pounding out as much of my current essay as I can, then I gotta rush home, pack, and race to the airport to fly up to San Francisco. I'm going vacationing, spending 8 days with my buddy 
keiko It's gonna be so much fun!
I'll be taking pics :>
Oh, and I can't wait to see you all at FurtherConfusion this year!
keiko It's gonna be so much fun!I'll be taking pics :>
Oh, and I can't wait to see you all at FurtherConfusion this year!
Boa as service animal, very similar to my own situation
Posted 16 years agohttp://www.theolympian.com/southsou.....ry/980930.html
In response to the article linked above:
To start off, I have an adult female ball python named Squishy. Similar to how this snake is for this man, this snake will react if my Tourette Syndrome is acting up, wrapping around, squeezing (not constricting tightly, just a firm squeeze.) She'll writhe slowly, kneading her own body into the muscles in my neck. Taking her out is one of the best ways that I can get myself starting to calm down when I'm having a tourette's episode, jerking my limbs around, vocalizing loudly sometimes.
I guess she'd be more classified as a therapy animal, although, much like he did with his boa, I've trained her to react appropriately to others in public.
She's thoroughly acclimated to being around lots of vibration, strange smells, unfamiliar people who sometimes try to reach out and touch of poke her, often without asking me first.
I respect the fact that many are kind of pre-disposed to be afraid of snakes. It's somehow hardwired into some peoples' personalities. I will not approach someone, try to make them touch or be near my snake. If someone expresses or shows that they are uncomfortable, I politely give them some space.
what bugs me is when people like to come up to me and tell me how disgusting it is, or how I'm stupid and that I know nothing about my snake, that it's dangerous. Some idiots have even tried to tell me how my python is "poisonous." First off, snakes aren't poisonous, they're VENOEMOUS. Second, it's a CONSTRICTOR, it's not even in the same classification as a venomous snake!
In response to the article linked above:
To start off, I have an adult female ball python named Squishy. Similar to how this snake is for this man, this snake will react if my Tourette Syndrome is acting up, wrapping around, squeezing (not constricting tightly, just a firm squeeze.) She'll writhe slowly, kneading her own body into the muscles in my neck. Taking her out is one of the best ways that I can get myself starting to calm down when I'm having a tourette's episode, jerking my limbs around, vocalizing loudly sometimes.
I guess she'd be more classified as a therapy animal, although, much like he did with his boa, I've trained her to react appropriately to others in public.
She's thoroughly acclimated to being around lots of vibration, strange smells, unfamiliar people who sometimes try to reach out and touch of poke her, often without asking me first.
I respect the fact that many are kind of pre-disposed to be afraid of snakes. It's somehow hardwired into some peoples' personalities. I will not approach someone, try to make them touch or be near my snake. If someone expresses or shows that they are uncomfortable, I politely give them some space.
what bugs me is when people like to come up to me and tell me how disgusting it is, or how I'm stupid and that I know nothing about my snake, that it's dangerous. Some idiots have even tried to tell me how my python is "poisonous." First off, snakes aren't poisonous, they're VENOEMOUS. Second, it's a CONSTRICTOR, it's not even in the same classification as a venomous snake!
Obama's recent addressing of the LGBT community...
Posted 16 years agoDid you know President Obama took the podium at an LGBT equality event last night? It was the first time a sitting president has spoken at the Human Rights Campaign's national dinner in over a decade.
Watch the video and see what he had to say! Just click on the link below.
I have a newfound respect for Obama. :D
Although I feel this has all taken too long to go down, I'm immeasurably grateful that it DID happen.
I can honestly say that I shed tears while listening to his speech....it's just....so comforting to know that we have an ally.
Much love to all from your friend, Brooks :>
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site.....?ecard_id=1061
Watch the video and see what he had to say! Just click on the link below.
I have a newfound respect for Obama. :D
Although I feel this has all taken too long to go down, I'm immeasurably grateful that it DID happen.
I can honestly say that I shed tears while listening to his speech....it's just....so comforting to know that we have an ally.
Much love to all from your friend, Brooks :>
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site.....?ecard_id=1061
