Oh my Gag!! I never could stand even the smell of it when my mom used to make it for supper …. yet tonight I found myself cooking up a batch of it for the 3 of them. Not sure exactly what it was (the splattering sound while it cooked? the smell in the air??), but MaggieMay took to her kennel shaking and refused to eat at all. Once Zoe and Barks finished gobbling theirs up (even without the ketchup I always needed to try and disguise the taste … ), I let Maggie out and she darted behind the chair in the sun room … finally taking bite size pieces by hand,and eventually polishing off the bits in her bowl. You know you love your canine kids when you’re willing to tolerate the lingering stench of cooked liver ….
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Canine Cancer ....
I haven't told her, but I think she knows. Zoe Lucille I mean. She is our almost 10-yr old Westie. The sweetest tempered, best behaved of the bunch (not that I'd be able to pick one over the others ...). But she has always been without a doubt the princess. She started having accidents in the house which is so not like her ... for awhile I thought she was depressed that my older daughter had moved out after having lived with us for 5 months or so. Zoe is 'her' dog and she was definitely mopey and not herself when her person left. ( Never mind that I'm the one who has fed her, sheltered her, cared for her the past 9 1/2 years - and 5 of those when her 'mother' was away at college!) But Zoe just wasn't herself. Then one Sunday while laying on my outstretched legs she wet ...and I knew we had a problem. The next morning I called the vet and had an appointment that very afternoon. Already I had read enough on the internet that I was positive she had diabetes - her symptoms just fit. And I'd made up my mind that I was was willing to try ... giving her insulin shots, checking her urine daily (multiple times a day??) ... she deserved it, and I just would. The diagnosis instead was a raging bladder infection. And suspicious clumps of cells in the urinalysis. Was I willing to have them do an ultrasound of her bladder? Of course. But unfortunately her bladder was empty, and there has to be some urine in there for them to get a good picture. We went home with antibiotics for the infection, and 3 days worth of steroids to help with that 'gotta go gotta go gotta go right now' urge, and an appointment for a re-check in 2 weeks. She responded quickly to the meds, and there were no more accidents in the house. For about 10 days. Then all 3 dogs went to my folks' house for the weekend while YD and I made a weekend trip to visit older daughter, and the problem continued at their house. Monday Zoe and I headed back to the vet. The bladder infection was mostly under control, and this time the ultrasound was .. helpful? It showed a mass in her bladder, and it's pretty advanced. Inoperable they said - though I don't know that I'd have chosen to go that route anyway it made the diagnosis sound that much more terminal. Zoe has not aged one bit in all her almost 10 years. She plays, and loves their walks, and dances and 'talks' excitedly when she hears the sound of their food bowls. She was not the one I expected to lose first. There's a prescription medicine - Piroxicam, peanut butter flavor that she loves - which will help with any discomfort, help with that 'urge', and could help slow down the growth of the tumor if it weren't already so far advanced. Already the tumor has invaded her urethra making it hard for her to pee.. she hates that I invade her privacy I know, but I can't help but watch, and I can tell she is straining to 'go' sometimes and leaving barely a few drops to show for it. I've also been back on-line and found some interesting articles. For instance a mixture of cottage cheese and flax oil is supposedly good for humans and pets alike with cancer. Who am I to judge? And she loves it! On the days she's already started to turn her back on breakfast she will eat the cottage cheese & flax oil. (I bought 6 containers of cottage cheese on sale at the market the other day ... and would guess the checker thought I'm probably starting a new diet for myself! ;) I've also switched from their usual lamb & rice dog food to a high protein, low carb brand. They eat it, but not with as much enthusiasm (just like people - what's good for you might not taste as good). Tuna has also become a regular treat added to their food, and I bought - but have yet to make - beef liver for them. Ugh. Also supposed to be good for them, but don't know that I can stand the smell! The prognosis was a few months to a year ... I intend to make however long she still has the best I can for her.
Monday, April 21, 2008
I do ... except when I don't
Funny how that works. Deciding to do something, doing it for awhile, and then not doing it. Commitment phobe? Or just a little ADD. Call it what you will, I’m back for another round!
A lot has happened since last I blogged.
Barkley had his 11th birthday, Zoe Lucille had her 9th birthday, and MaggieMay, well, I honestly think she thinks every day is her birthday. J
Work is messy. The main contractor at work lost their bid to re-up for 5 more years so while having worked at the same place for nearly 30 years, I’ve worked for …. never mind, too many different companies to keep track of. Some good friends/co-workers – also with 30 years (some more, others not quite as many) whose contract was totally separate from any others, are out of there after having given most of their adult lives to that place. Based on how it happened, and the fact that it was allowed to happen, one has to wonder – are they actually the lucky ones???
Younger daughter, with her history of major depression, and etc, is holding steady. And that, is saying a whole hell of a lot, thankyouverymuch! Last year at this time, no, even just 5 months ago, her peace of mind, her continuing education, heck, her every effort to survive – seemed in question. So to say she is holding steady is aMAZing. It’s end of the semester, end of her second year in college, and she’s on track. By the grace of God, and Larry, she is still there. Sounds like her cello isn’t fairing as well, but hopefully it will get her through juries and the final concert of the year (both happening this week) before having to be attended to. Younger daughter will also be changing roommates end of this semester … Anna will go back to
Older daughter is fast approaching many different things in her life. She is wrapping up her fifth year of college, and only has 1 more semester to go before graduating with her B.S. in nursing. Before that last semester she has a lot going on … she will be packing up and leaving the cozy apartment she’s lived in for the last 2 years, packing up and heading to NY for the summer to intern at a camp for kids with special needs, she will be giving a baby-shower for her BFF since grade school, participating in the wedding of another good friend, and finally moving back home to live with me for her last semester of school. We are both independent, set in our own way, strong-willed women, and we will both have to promise to try really hard to stay out of each other’s way respect each other’s privacy! OD’s prone to anxiety attacks though I thought she had conquered them mid-way through her sophomore year in college. But with everything that’s going on, they’ve gotten the best of her a time or two recently which freaks her out. And frustrates the hell out of me, but that’s my issue not hers. :-/ I am so excited for her, and indescribably proud of her. She is going to be an awesome nurse! And it will take her, literally, wherever she wants to go. I can’t say it loud enough or often enough, but … Go, honey, go! Follow your dreams, go where your heart leads. And I’ll be here, silently hoping it takes you to the coolest places so I can visit them (yes, and you, of course J ), on my vacation!
I’d go on longer, there is much to tell. But tonight is Oprah night, and the 8th of 10 web events for the book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.
So I’m off … catch you later!
j.
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