Mom’s Helpful Hints Videos Launched #1 Managing Money

Mom’s Helpful Hints Videos Launched #1 Managing Money.

Chelsea

Chelsea has come back big time. For those who don’t know, she was near death a few weeks ago. I ran her to doctors, she had blood work, ultrasounds and we got a second opinion. They told me her liver and kidney were failing and that she had a mass inside. One doctor said it was in her liver and the other in her spleen. She wouldn’t eat anything. I tried a variety of foods and she was just not interested. It was an chore to get her to eat something, anything. She barely walked. I cried my heart out as you can imagine. She has been my longest companion and actually for those who are dog lovers you will understand when I say she is my “canine soulmate”. Fate brought Chelsea into my life over 13 years ago and it was a mutual rescue. I had the date when she would go to doggie heaven and then took a trip up to Hartsdale to visit the oldest pet cemetery in the country. Decided on the location, the box and made a decision I’d find someone to make a headstone with Chelsea’s image carved into it. Thinking about making the decision to put her to sleep and loosing her was excruciating. I wanted to do what she wanted and wished she could speak to me. I even went to a friend who help guides me through difficult times and she confirmed that the time was now for Chelsea. She even began crying saying she loved Chelsea, too. I was trying to prepare myself as best I could. I decided to take her off her meds. She didn’t like them anyway and if she was going to die why torment her with them. The doctors told me she should be on a reduced protein diet since she had liver disease. I decided since she wouldn’t eat anything, I would just try to get her to eat and I knew she loved animal protein.. After rejecting everything I had offered her for days, weeks, I defrosted some brisket I had made. I heated it up and hand fed her it. I didn’t have to trick her to get her to eat. She wanted the brisket all on her own. And couldn’t get enough. Chelsea has come back to life big time. Eating almost anything, running, jumping. Her limp is gone. Oh, she had developed that some months ago – arthritis. Not sure what’s going on inside her I only see what is going on outside and I feel like I have my dog-ter back in a big way. We have made three trips to the country. She is featured in the podcast which will start soon. And we just can’t get enough of each other. Perhaps she came back to help me out. I have to go in for surgery tomorrow. I believe it will be nothing. It’s outpatient and if the pathology is fine, I’m on my way.

Mom is flying in today. Yup, she is always there for her kids. My brothers have kept her busy the last few years with their health problems and I guess now it’s my time. We are going to get her up blogging (if she agrees.. how could she not, she loves attention. Yes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.) And perhaps she will teach me how to use the webcam she uses when speaking with her grandson. Mom is pretty high tech.
The staff here has grown and this is not just a working space but a living space. It is getting pretty cozy here. I’ve got to go. Love to all!

The Little Kings show

We are in production on a new show I developed and sold to Discovery  about a wonderful dwarf family, The Kings, who are adopting a dwarf child in Albania.   They are there now and have gotten the final approval.  We are all incredibly excited.

Tina and David King

Raegan and Tina

Meet my new friends.   Will keep you all posted. I am hoping to get over to Albania to help them bring home their newly adopted son.  It’s been a long haul to get this far. Adoption is complicated enough never mind international adoption and adding on that the difficulties of being “little people” and just getting around, particularly in Albania. Let’s just say they haven’t passed the Albanian with Disabilities Act and improved conditions for the disabled.  As my grandmother would say, “Oy vay!”   I pray that their time there is a stressless as possible and filled with lots of love and joy.  What a great new family match!

Podcast

With the help and inspiration of my new and astute staff, we are starting a podcast.  About time, right?  A little late on this one.  So, what are we going to do?

• Follow me around as I explore some issues in life, including critical parents.
• Step into my life — how deep and how intimate, yet to be determined.
• Mom, the star of MY NOSE will be prominently featured, mostly through the phone and webcam until she and I are together. My senior mom (can’t tell you her age because she keeps it a secret, even kept it from me until a few years ago when my brothers asked me what are we going to do for mom’s _____ (milestone birthday). I was shocked with that question, believing she was a few years younger, according to what she had been telling me, her only daughter )
  Mom is ready to go public. She loves an audience and has been known to do crazy things to get that attention.  I know you are thinking that apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. However, I do have my limits, okay!!
• Meet my prominent staff and cabinet members

And so on.

Otherwise, all is good.  We welcome any ideas or suggestions.

Hugs, Gayle

Great staff

I recently brought on new, incredibly talented and smart people to work with us.

You know what they say, you are as good as the people you surround yourself with.

Thank you Grettel, Sheila, Cara and Stephanie!

And Elliott, too for all your hard work and creativity!

Demo reel

This is the demo reel that my fabulous new agency, N.S. Bienstock, put together.

Or view in quicktime: demo reel

New Hampshire July 4th weekend

Finally got out of the city and drove up to New Hampshire yesterday.  A magical place.  Forests, green lush, mountains, and lakes.  My dear friends have a home from the 1700s here on an incredible piece of property with a stream running through it.  White caps gushing. It’s been raining SO MUCH.  It’s hard to believe it’s already July and it’s still a cool.   I LOVE IT here!  Would love to escape up here for a month and just read and write and enjoy the nature.

Chelsea was quite sick a couple of weeks ago and I thought this was it.  I was already looking into Chelsea’s resting place.  When the time comes she will be buried at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, the oldest pet cemetery in America. I already checked it out. I’m looking for a sculptor who can make a special monument with the image of Chelsea sculpted out of it.   And guess what?  You can also be buried with your 4 legged companion there.. if you are cremated.  I know where my remains are going if I end up still single when the time comes for me –  right next to my canine soulmate and partner for many years.

The vets (yes, I got two opinions) and 2 ultrasounds told me that Chelsea has a mass inside her and her kidney and liver are failing.  She was prescribed medicine that I was giving her which was a struggle to get down her.  She could barely walk, was peeing on herself and had no appetite.  I was advised that a high protein diet was bad for her due to her liver problems. I decided since she looked so miserable and her time seem to be short to take her off her meds, feed her whatever she would eat (and yes, she loved my homemade brisket) and shower her with tons of love (not that I didn’t give her plenty before) and if she held up to take her to New Hampshire, a place she loves just as much as I do.  She quite quickly did a come back.  Her energy started coming back, her appetite slowly came back and now she is behaving like a pup again.  I had her groomed (thought she would never be groomed again) and we hit the road.  I’m SO HAPPY Chelsea has done a turn around. I was a mess. Crying for two weeks.  Chelsea is 15 years old and she rescued me nearly 14 years ago when I was living in Los Angeles and traveling quite a bit as a producer. The film we made tells it all. See www.dogamentary.com

I’m sitting in the Frontside Grind in North Conway.  Free wifi and good coffee. A couple of summers ago I came here often. Hooked up with rock climbers and Mike Jewell, a legendary guide, took me out.  Felt pretty comfortable that first time. Haven’t done it again.
Looks like the rain has let up. Time to head outside.   Have fun!