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Thursday, December 4, 2014

Not as planned...

Today didn't go as planned but that's okay because our "veterinary situation" turned out to be minor.

Late yesterday afternoon, Shyla started squinting with her left eye. Shyla was also doing this odd one-eyed rapid blinking. If I didn't know better, I would've thought that she was winking at me. Of course, she waited to show these symptoms until after our regular vet had closed for the day.

I did the usual home-first-aid. I examined her eye for foreign bodies and saw none. Then, I irrigated her eye profusely with eye wash. That didn't help. So, then I moved onto putting a drop of an eye antibiotic into her eye. When we woke up this morning, her eye didn't look much better. You can see it in this photo.
That's in contrast to her right eye which looked clear and as beautiful as ever.
I put in another antibiotic drop early this morning. (I was confident in the steps that I took because I had a dog, years ago, who had really serious chronic eye problems - so I know the ophthalmology "drill").

I called the vet at opening time. As I expected, we needed to go have Shyla's eye examined to make sure that there wasn't an injury to the cornea. That wasn't how I was planning to spend my afternoon but eyes are important. At least there was good news - it appears to be simply a tough infection that will take a couple of days to respond to antibiotics.

I've devoted this week to being my "anti-migraine" week, and a long drive to the vet wasn't part of the plan. I'm trying to do everything in my power to slow down the train of these awful migraines that I've been having. So, I'm not going to try to write the post that I had planned for today because my head has a hint of that "pre-migraine buzz" that I know so well.

Instead, I'll share a few star photos from our desert trip. This is one of those intricately carved buttes that make the red rock desert so beautiful. The moon had already set so the sky was dark, showing off billions and billions of stars.
Even though I had to point my camera to the south (so the North Star was behind me), I decided to experiment with star trails over the butte. I did a long series of photos. This one was after 33 minutes of camera exposures. It looks mystical to me.
And this one was after 2.5 hours of the world spinning under the stars.
Even though these photos are not the "classic" star trail photos with concentric circles around the North Star, I was pleasantly surprised by pattern that emerged with the beautiful red rock of the butte glowing in the foreground.

Several of you have mentioned wanting to try star photography. When I first started, I simply experimented with almost no guidance - and I didn't learn very fast. Then, I bought a book about Night Sky Photography that has helped me immensely. I highly recommend it (and no one is paying me to do so!). I still refer to it regularly.

Tomorrow, if my head is okay, I hope to be able to tell you about an amazing sunset hike we took in the desert.

23 comments:

  1. Oh KB, were glad that nothing serious is going on with Shyla's eye. She did her best to tell you- didn't she? What a good girl for letting you put medicines in her eye!
    And were sorry that dang migraine feeling is coming again!!
    The photos of the stars,, its just unimaginable to even think of getting one star to show up- let alone zillions of them!
    love
    tweedles

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  2. Shyla is lucky you knew what to do for her. I'm sorry you still have migraines…wish the doctors could do more for you. Beautiful star photos. I'm going to post this to my son-in-law's FB wall; he would be interested in the book you refer to.

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  3. I hope both you and Shyla have a comfortable day tomorrow!

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  4. Here's hoping the migraine stayed away and that Shyla's eye improves quickly. We know she has the best nurse ever there to care for her.

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  5. So glad Shyla's vet issues aren't too serious!!!!!

    We also hope the migraine was kept at bay, and if we "must" look at star trails.... ;-).

    So very beautiful!!!!

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  6. Sounds like it is boo-boo time around your home with Shyla and your migraines. Sorry to hear about both and hope you are feeling better soon. :)

    I love your night photography. I think I like these photos better then the centrentric circles. Really makes the rock butt stand out and is just darn cool!!

    Take care of yourself and Shyla. :)

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  7. The star photos are fabulous. Hope you were able to ward off the migraine and Shyla's eye gets better quickly
    hugs
    Mr Bailey & Hazel

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  8. I hope Shyla's eye is ok. The star photos are beautiful.

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  9. I get migraines, so I wish you all the best with those. I know how that is. Hoping Shyla's eye gets better soon.

    Anne and Sasha

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  10. So happy Shyla's eye is something that can be cured. It's good when you catch something early.

    Those star photos are just magic!

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  11. Thanks for the amazing star photos, and we're glad that Shyla's eye problem is indeed minor.

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  12. Poor Shyla! Good thing you notice the eye winking and were able to get her some help. We've got our paws crossed that the infection clears sooner than later.

    We're gonna check out that book right now. Mommy is always fascinated with your photography and this might just be the kick in the pants she needs to try it.

    Hugs,
    Lily Belle & Muffin

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  13. Speedy healing to Shyla's eye and may your migraine stay at bay! I am one of those lucky people blessed with rarely ever having a headache. I mean quite literally I can go months without one. Recently I had some sort of flu that seemed centered on bad headaches. It made me think of you and how you just push through in most cases. I don't know how you do it! It was very hard to ignore the pain and I am sure mine weren't even close to migraine caliber.

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  14. We're sending healing thoughts to both you and Shyla, KB.

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  15. I'll have to check it out - your photos are beautiful!

    I'm glad Shyla's eye will be okay. I dealt with eye issues for years with my beloved Cisco.

    Monty and Harlow

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  16. I love those amazing night sky shots. Get well soon, Shyla.

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  17. I'm glad Shyla is OK. I may have to look into that book. Sounds really helpful.

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  18. We hope Shyla feels better soon. It's amazing how much the butte lights up when you expose over a long time.

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  19. We are sure glad that Shyla's eye will be okay and we hope those evil migraines leave you alone.

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  20. That glowing butte is...words fail me - magnificent! Our paws are crossed for foth you and Miss Shyla!

    The rottrovers

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  21. I once had to rush Brychwyn to the vet with a squinty eye and what I thought was a foreign body. I was right and the vet commended me for taking the correct "always get eye problems looked at very, very quickly action." If I had waited even another few hours, Brychwyn would have gone blind!

    Until very recently, I had suffered bi-monthly migraines for decades. If at any point you feel like hearing about the new regimen I have that has worked to keep the migraines at bay so far (knock on wood) as well as help with the stomach problems medicating the migraine had caused, send me an e-mail!

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  22. Hope that eye ball heals up. Thank goodness moms know everything. Gorgeous sky. We need a trip like that
    Lily & Edward

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