Chip update & NYC

[aceofkittens]

Chip update: no change, he is still limping horribly. He otherwise seems happy and perky, and is behaving fairly normally. He doesn't seem to be getting worse, but he's not getting better, either. The vet on Wednesday said to give it time, but he had no answers. He didn't think it was a blood clot, but had no real ideas beyond that it's "neurological." I am at a loss as to what to do. I guess I'll wait. :(

Ok, so now I've got this quandary and I honestly don't know what to do about it. My company has won a major award for the project that has been my "baby" for the last year, the company Intranet. The award ceremony is in NYC on June 12 and my boss said that I can go if I want to. If we don't send someone, they'll just ship us the award — there's not much real "benefit" to the company to send someone (the networking opportunity is minimal). So this would primarily be a "reward/recognition" thing for me for all the work I've put in on this project.

However, I would essentially be going to NYC for one day. I'd fly out on the red-eye on Wednesday night, get there Thursday morning - bum around all day, go to the awards ceremony at night, then go back to LA Friday morning. It would cost approximately $1,000 between the ticket to the award ceremony, the airfare, etc. It just doesn't seem worth it... on the other hand, I've always wanted to give an acceptance speech and this is probably the closest I'll ever come to an "Oscar." :) There's also the possibility of going to some cool museum during the day on the 12th, or trying to meet up with some of the friends/family I have around NYC (though not as many as I used to...). But then, I'll be absolutely exhausted from the flight, and a zombie AND I will still have to work on Friday unless I take it as a vacation day. Plus, according to my boss, whom we sent last year, the awards ceremony itself is not all that. So I keep flipping back and forth, and currently, I'm leaning toward "not" going, but I'm sure I'll change my mind again in twenty minutes. What do YOU think?

[Poll #1196973]

Thanks! :)

Comments

[trollpete.livejournal.com]

Take the vacation day and go! You've earned, even if it is a horrible flight deal. Stick it to the man!

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

See, if I'm going to take the vacation day anyway, it would make more sense to stay out there. But then they won't pay for it. :)

[ex-chose.livejournal.com]

I said no, but that's because I would personally blow a fuse with so many miles in my legs [so to speak] being crammed in one single day.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't mind flying (and can sleep on planes), I just don't know if I want to deal with the hassle.

[spatterdash.livejournal.com]

Cool as it would be to see you, i totally wouldn't want to deal with that kind of travel schedule, were it me.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I just can't justify it in my head. Like, if I was being sent "for work," that'd be one thing, but if this is a "reward..." it's not what I would like as a reward. Bah! Hmmph...

[burningempires.livejournal.com]

wait, do you have to pay the $1,000 or does your company?

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

It would come out of our department's budget.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

The company. But if they're willing to spend a $1,000 on me, I'd rather that they appended it to my paycheck. :)

[romijordanna.livejournal.com]

Is there any way to add on a day or two?

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Not if work's paying for it, no. :/ I thought about trying to stretch it and go see some family/friends in DC, but it's not really feasible.

[aerinys.livejournal.com]

Can work just pay for your airfare and one night at a hotel? The airfare shouldn't be that much more if you add a few days. You can cover the rest of your lodging for the extra days?

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

It's just not working out with anybody I would want to go see in D.C. — and much as it'd be cool to see my one friend in NYC, staying beyond the award ceremony is not worth the extra $ for lodging and the time off that I'd have to take that I'd rather save for a real vacation. :)

To go or not to go...

[cheesehead1701.livejournal.com]

First things first: Congratulations on your award!! Omedetou Gozaimasu!
(((HUGS))) a definite dilemma. I'm so glad to hear Chip is not getting worse, that's a good start. It took Aja 4 months to slowly work her way back to being "normal" kitty. If Aunt AoK were here it would have only taken 2 months:P Be patient he is a strong boy and will be back to his old self soon.
Kitten congrats to you, too!

Re: To go or not to go...

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Kitten hugs!

[bluesilverkdg.livejournal.com]

I say go (and congrats on the award!) Even if it is rushed and crazy, the fact that you'd get to go to NYC is pretty awesome.

And I hope you hear something on Chip soon...or that he will recover. When they say "neurological", do they think that maybe he had some sort of seizure or stroke or something. That was Dexter's deal. He had his first seizure in 2000, and was paralyzed from the neck down from it. But he gradually got sensation back in his legs and was able to walk and run normally. He did have issues with it from there on out (and took meds for it), but he was able to live a basically normal life for the rest of his days. So, hopefully if Chip is having some sort of similar issue, he will be able to get past it, too. Then of course, you've got the fact that Dexter was a 120-pound dog, with lots of weight bearing on his joints (plus he had arthritis.) Since Chip is a kitty, with not nearly as much weight, and hopefully no other medical issues, he might come out no worse for the wear after the initial lameness wears off. But I'm no vet, so I probably have no clue..just my two cents worth.

I've thought about your little guy a lot, and hoped that you were able to find something out. While "not getting any better" isn't great, at least "not getting any worse" is out there, too!

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

The vet is thinking more along the lines of a pinched nerve or slipped disc, but really has no clue. Additional testing and radiography and repair would run into the thousands of dollars, so... Chip isn't paralyzed, he just isn't putting any weight down on that leg. I should do another update since we just went to the vet yesterday.