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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What a day this has been

Little did I know that last night’s post about health issues on the road would garner such a response.  Between the comments posted and several emails, I have even more things to think about.  Of course, finding a medical facility and doctor that I’m comfortable with is number one, and I thank those of you who reminded me of that fact. 

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Guess who I saw on my way to the dumpster this morning.  (I was going to the dumpster, not the bears)  The whole family was in the same spot where I watched the two cubs playing the other night.  Some of you may be getting tired of seeing bear photos, but as long as I’m seeing them I’ll be taking pictures of them and posting what I capture.  Which may mean six more weeks of bear photos.  Open-mouthed smile

One commenter mentioned that he thought the CARE program required people to have a live-in care taker with them.  I tried to check that out today, but the Escapees website appears to be down for a couple of days.  That little requirement would certainly put a monkey wrench in that idea.

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                                                          Okay kids, lets get out of the road!

I also got an email from my brother, Kurt, who recently moved to Casa Grande, AZ.  He offered to be my nurse and chauffeur, and take care of Emma, were I to have surgery in Arizona.  That opens up another possibility.

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                                                                  Single file now, and march!

A couple of other friends offered help if I were in Texas this winter.  I appreciate all the offers and advice, and truly thank you all.  Traveling solo doesn’t always mean you are alone.

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                                          Okay, it looks like that person has stopped… we’re good.

After taking care of the garbage and getting another jug of water, I stopped at Gateway to check for mail.  When I’m at a refuge for a while, I do the Netflix thing and I’ve been enjoying some older movies in the evenings.  While at the office, I also wanted to check with Cindi about changing up my schedule a little bit this week.  I was thrilled when she agreed, so on Friday I’ll be helping to feed the captive red wolf pack that is housed in the middle of the Alligator River NWR.  Sweet!!  This is probably the only way I’ll ever get to see a red wolf except maybe in a zoo.

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                                     Oops!  Hop off the road again.  I think she might drive closer.

It was obvious that this mama bear and her cubs had been coming from the woods on the east side of the road when I approached.  In order to get to the road, they had to go through the water ditch on that side, and all of them were pretty wet on the bottom half of their bodies. 

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I’m also thinking this is a different family of bears than the ones I saw a couple of weeks ago.  This mother isn’t as skittish.  She kept her eye on me, but she didn’t disappear with the cubs as soon as she saw me like the other one did.  She’s also had some experience with humans before as that is a hard to see collar around her neck.  That collar has a radio transmitter so the biologists can track her movements.  I’ll have to ask around about her.  My guess is that she’s an old hand in this cub rearing business.

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                                                                           THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

39 comments:

  1. That is a wonderful family portrait of the bears!
    How wonderful of Kurt to volunteer to help you. Hope you feel a bit better about your future.

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  2. We volunteered at CARE twice for two monthes each time. You do not need a live in care giver. There are many singles there. Its is a wonderful place. Three meals a day, do your laundry,clean your rig, take you to doctors, etc. If you need more info, email me.
    Bob and Linda

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  3. Love the bear pictures. Hope you get some of the red wolf. Now that's an exciting assignment. So glad you are finding the resources you will need to help you through your surgery. That's all very encouraging.

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  4. Bring on the bear photos!! Your pics of nature are wonderful! CARE sounds like a good option but it's great to have friends also.
    Syl

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  5. I, for one. like bear pictures. I would be creating lots of pictures if I was there:)

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  6. Judy, good thoughts and many prayers for you as you make decisions. I am also excited for you...that you will be on the mend and wondering why you did not have the surgery earlier.

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  7. Keep the bear photos coming.

    Glad you appear to have a few options for your upcoming surgery.

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  8. We absolutely love your bear pics. Keep on posting them. Hope everything works out for you with your medical problem. I think the hardest thing is just making the committment to get it done. From there it is down hill.

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  9. As a rule, I don't like bears. But with your stories, they are just downright cute. But not cute enough to get close of course. It's interesting to see the mother bear watching over her young ones. You take some really nice photos.

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  10. I will never get tired of seeing those bears and cubs! Keep 'em coming! Hope you will figure out what you need to do with the least amount of stress to you!

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  11. They're seriously cute. I could look at them a long time. Is it common for a sow? cow? doe? ra? mi? to have three?

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    1. It is a sow and it is not uncommon for black bears to have twins or triplets; 4,5 or 6 more rare.

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  12. Love the bears...I get excited every time we observe one but always glad it's never while on foot in the trails!

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  13. Love the bears, keep em coming. See, you aren't alone!

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  14. We never tire of your photos and love the bears. We want to watch them grow over the next 6 weeks.

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  15. I love the bear photos. The babies look a little thin to me, is that normal? I hope your medical issues work out. It sounds like more options are becoming available (or known) to you.

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  16. We love the bear photos and never get tired of them.

    Glad to hear some more possibilities have opened up regarding your surgery.

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  17. We can bear the bear photos, your post would be pretty bare without the bears. ;c)

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  18. If you are at all leery of surgery (other than where to go for help!), do not be. My spouse had a hip replacement last year and found it to be an almost immediate relief. The recuperation was such a cinch that he wondered why he didn't do it before.

    Emjay

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  19. I have also heard that hip replacements are not to bad. Hope connecting with your brother works out for you. It will be good to have a place to start looking for the right doctor from.

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  20. I like the bear pictures. Yesterday, I went with a group of ladies from work up the mountain to the Metate Dining Room for dinner. On the way down, we came across 2 bears on different parts of the road and a coyote. It was too dark and there is nowhere to pull over on the winding mountain road - so no pictures, but it was still exciting to see them. Luckily they moved fast enough to get across the road when they see/hear a car.

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  21. As an old Chicago girl of course you love DA BEARS! Your photos are adorable and just amazing that you seem to see them almost every day! Enjoy them and keep the pics coming! Also can't wait to hear more about the red wolf...sounds like this has been a pretty nice gig this summer (except for all the rain and hip pain). Glad to hear you're getting multiple options to think about-- nice to have choices!

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  22. Please don't stop the bear pixs - absolutely love them. What a gift to be able to see these beauties all the time. Your post yesterday has made me do a lot of thinking too, which both John and I have done in the past. One of the most often asked questions is where are we going to settle down when we can't travel any longer and we honestly do not have an answer as of yet. Maybe it is because we don't have to make that decision just yet, but it is something we know we must deal with. Even traveling with a partner doesn't make it any easier. And what if one of us gets sick or injured and can't get in and out of the rig? Ugh. We too keep CARE as an option in our thoughts. I sure don't want my son to have to take care of me although he has said he would. I would be miserable thinking about how my old age ruined his life. So, I guess there is no easy answer. Hopefully, you will find several options to choose from. There are lots of people who would help you and the hard part is letting them. Perhaps the hardest part about independence is having to give it up. Hugs. Ann

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  23. 'Triplets'!..wow..sure don't see that very often!..keep those bear photos coming!!

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  24. love your bear pics. The bear with a collar is definitely a research study bear. Triplets are quite common litters for black bears - especially if food is abundant. First time mothers usually have only one or two. Bears can also have litters of 4 or 5. The record is 6 in PA. If anyone is interested in finding out more about bears - go to www.bear.org. wonderful educational site.

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  25. I love the pictures. I will be posting lots of deer for the next month or so. Maybe I will get lucky enough to catch a bear.

    Casa Grande isn't to far from Tucson so maybe I can get there and help out a little too.

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  26. Keep the bear pictures coming ... never tire of them.

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  27. Love the bear pictures! Good luck with the surgery decision. I'm guessing your primary care doctor in Minnesota can help you find a doctor to do the surgery if you decide to not have it done in Minnesota. I think for me being confident in the surgeon would be my number one priority.

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  28. Smartest thing I have ever heard.."Traveling solo doesn't always mean you are alone"...What a social network blogland is..amazing. Best of luck with your decision...(I like the brother idea..your brother can be your "keeper" for a while..)...I want pics of red wolves!!!!!

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  29. Great Bear pics especially 'the end'.

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  30. Keep those bear shots coming. I'm lovin' it.

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  31. Judy, you just keep rolling out those Bear photos. One of my totem animals is Bear, so I never tire of seeing them. Darn it if there wasn't a visit by a mama and three cubs here while I was in hospital, so I missed seeing them and getting photos! I'm glad you have some options for places to be while you have your hip issued addressed. I bet you'll find something just right for you and Emma.

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  32. My understanding is the SKP Care Center is basically an adult day care center. They close up and go home each evening so you would be on your own until breakfast the next morning. Of course, there are plenty of other SKPs around if you should truly need something during those off hours. Just be sure to meet your neighbors and exchange phone numbers before you need them if you choose Care as your option.

    Is your brother close enough to the Arizona Mayo Clinic for that to be an option for you? That might make you more confident in having this done.

    Yes, keep posting bear pictures. I love them.

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    1. There is always someone on call. That is one of the jobs the volunteers do. Each participant has a special call button that alerts the person on call. They will call or come to your rig or do whatever is needed. I know the system has been upgraded since we were there.

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  33. What GREAT bear pictures. And what I wouldn't give to have been with you to see them. Do not stop posting them. Wolves and bears what a great job you have. You win THE END again.

    Hope your brother is close to Mayo, the one in Florida was terrific. They really know their stuff.

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  34. Love the bear pictures. You can post as many as you want, as far as I'm concerned. Each one is a little different and I love them all.

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  35. Love the triplets! I also think they're a different family, one of the previous cubs was much smaller and I don't see that with these. Unless he/she has cought up!
    Careful with those bears though, you know I'm in Denali, AK at the moment and we had a horrible scare last week as you might have heard in the news.....

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  36. You are truly blessed to have such a great brother! (and a whole bunch of other people who care about you).

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