So I spent a few hours today at the lab getting blood drawn.  Just a glucose tolerance test, which means you drink something sweet and they draw your blood every half hour or so to see how you're handling the whole glucose/insulin thing.  Also had a simple fasting insulin level check - which meant, all total, seven blood draws in three hours.  These guys were really good at their jobs, very nice, no big deal.  I took How to Agent Your Agent with me, so I was fine.   Basically, I'm fat so they figure I might have some insulin resistance going on, and since fat people end up with diabetes, they wanted to check me out.  'Scool.

After THAT I took Teddy (my fabulous chow/golden retriever mix, who is shaved and looks like a cross between a sheep, a pig, and a dog at the moment) to the vet.  Now, Teddy's really only fabulous at home when no strangers are around.  At the vet or with STRANGERS (very scary), he's a little less-than-fabulous.  He goes up and sniffs people, then when they try to pet him he growls and runs away.  He's very fear-aggressive with strangers, though thankfully more inclined to run than bite.  The vet's office was a madhouse - lots of (thankfully well-behaved) kids, dogs, cats, people - all smooshed into a tiny waiting area.  It was like Grand Central Station in there, really.  Lots of coming and going.  Dog was nervous, but seeing the other dogs was such a treat that he calmed down and perked up quickly when each new friend came in.  When we finally went in to see the vet though, fabulous things happened.  This guy is a ROCKSTAR vet - the best bedside manner for nervous dogs I've ever seen, very very patient, very thorough, very encouraging, definitely interested in ensuring the dog has a good experience, ends the visit on a high note, etc.  After shots and checking out some lumps n bumps (fatty tumors, Teddy's 10), Teddy got 4 sticks.  Total needles for the two of us today:  11.  Oh, and two for the diabetic cat - brings the household total to THIRTEEN NEEDLES.  And none of us minded a bit.   Oh, we're so brave.

Hey, but I just realized - Teddy's estimated birthdate is June of 1996 - so it's his 10th birthday hereabouts!  Yay dog!   Happy Birthday, Teddy!   I think I should buy him something... any ideas?