Hi All...

Well.. it's a beautiful day.. the sun is out, it's 47 degrees with no wind and the ground isn't muddy. Ohio weather doesn't get any better than this unless the temperature is a bit higher. Finally, maybe I can stop complaining about it.

It's absolutely amazing how well Mr. Mike is doing (I don't want to say this too loud and jinx it). He did have a few times yesterday when I was concerned about his breathing, and he did sleep a bit more than usual, but all in all, he's fine. We haven't seen any clots at all since last Saturday (WHOPPPEEEEEE!!!) , and I'm praying they stay away forever now.

His leg is wonderful... he's been very cautious using it to jump on anything though even though he's walking and running great again. He wanted to jump on the lazy boy yesterday but seemed afraid to, so I picked him up and put him on it. It was awesome to see him back on his throne. And then last night... the same thing wanting to sleep on the bed with me... picked him up and put him on. He was able to jump off of both the chair and the bed without re-injuring himself, so I'm hoping he'll be a bit more confident with it soon. I just knew that once that bitter cold was gone that his leg would heal. It was so painful to watch it all that time.... feeling better and then tightening up again... but that's over with now.... :-D

Sweet Miss Katie is learning a lot... she's discovering new things every day. It's really fun to watch her. She's just like a newborn baby who has never experienced so many things. Yesterday, she started barking viciously in the living room. I went to see what it was that was so threatening, and I laughed my butt off. You see.. it's been quite a while since we've had sun flowing through the windows around here, so when the sun came through the window and cast a definite shadow of the chair and end table on the wall... it scared the crap out of her. She couldn't figure out what that was on the wall or how it got there... but she was determined to scare it away. LOL

Haven't had a chance to check on everyone's thread yet today. I'm going to try to get there in a few minutes. I hope everyone is doing well. Please know how much I love and appreciate each and every one of you.

Love & Blessings,
Joanna, Mike & Katie

Well... the sun is still shining, it's chilly, but there's no snow.. so weather wise, it's almost the perfect day.

Mike was great this morning. This afternoon he started wheezing a little, and I've noticed (like I did last night) an odd pattern to his snoring. He's also sleeping quite a bit again today. I'm praying this isn't the start of another day like Thursday.

Everything else seems to be fine... no clots (hoooooooorrrrrayyyyy) and his leg is almost 100% fine, so I'm grateful for whatever health we can get.

Praying for everyone's health and happiness.

Love and Blessings

The sun is shining... it's only 28 degrees but suppose to go up to 47... and my two fur-faced friends seem to be fine so far this morning.

Mike seems to get an awful lot of upset stomachs lately, so I have to try to keep him from playing too much with his sister and try to keep him quiet. Dr. Kari will be gone until Wednesday, so I'll call her then and find out what's happening with that. He's eating fine, but every time he eats.. his stomach gets upset. Other than this... he's doing well.

There's really not a lot to report today... and that's good news. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and that all of you (human and furries) are healthy today and always. I'm also sending out prayers and good wishes for Sandy and Timmy... that Timmy's appointment with Dr. Rooks is a productive one.

Love and Blessings To All,
Joanna

Sorry I didn't get here sooner to post... had a few things that had to get done. This won't be too long because I've got a bit of a headache and can't stay on the computer.

Mike is doing really well. I noticed his breathing was a bit labored last night as he slept, but this morning he seemed to be back to easy breathing. I am just so very grateful. Plus, there haven't been any clots for six days, and his leg is perfect for playing with his sister. I have so much to be thankful for.

Katie is being her cute puppy self... just looking for and finding as much trouble as she can get in to. I was literally laughing out loud last night when they were playing. She leaped on Mike's head sideways... her front legs were on one side of his head, and her hind legs on the other. Mike flipped his head back, and Miss Katie did a total flip off his head. Oh my gosh.. it was so funny, and apparently they loved it because they've done it more and more since then.

Gotta get going. I pray this finds everyone having a wonderful and healthy day.

Loads of love,
Joanna

Thought you might like to see the picture of Mike that was in the paper the day I got him in May, 1997. I saw his picture in a local newspaper and went to see him on my lunch time. My boss (who also loved dogs) allowed me to leave work early to go get him and take him home with me. Before going to get him, I picked up my 4 year old grandson to bring him with me (wanted to make sure he was good with kids). He was great with Chris, and the rest is history.... he and I became like velcro after that.

If you can enlarge the print, you'll see that he was with a bigger dog (whose name was Mike), but my Mike's name was (get this) Puff. Nope... he didn't look like a Puff or act like a Puff, so that name had to change. We went through a couple of names before Chris said, "his name is Mike".. well.. he looked like a Mike and acted like a Mike.. so the name stuck. The way they described him in the article was perfect.. especially when they talked about his "gentle demeanor". He's just so special... and I've been so blessed to have him in my life.

We've got so much to be grateful for. My sweet Mike has had an entire day of easy breathing, no clots and a leg that he could actually chase the puppy with. What a beautiful day this has been.

I have to believe that this fabulous day was given to us because of all the love, prayers and good wishes that were sent up for this sweet boy. He so deserved a good day.. and he finally got it. All I could say is, THANK YOU... thank each an every one of you who cared enough to send him your love. You are so very special to us, and I know this wouldn't have happened without all the positive energy that was directed to our little guy.

Thank you doesn't seem to be enough, but for lack of anything more... THANK YOU and GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

Before you ask... the picture here is Scrappy, my Grandson Brandon's dog. They got him at a rescue a few months ago. Scrappy is about 8 months old, and boy does he live up to his name. He really keeps them busy.

I really have to thank each and everyone of you for all of you prayers and love... especially yesterday. It seems the prayer did not go unheard. Sweet Mike is so much better today. I am sooooo grateful to God and to everyone who offered up even the slightest of prayers and good wishes.

He was having difficulty breathing last night when we went to bed. I stayed awake for hours and kept waking up during the night to listen to his breathing. About 3:00, he finally started to sound "normal". I was just so relieved... you can't imagine how hard it is to hear your best friend struggle for air or breath so shallow that you have to put your hand on him to feel that he's still moving. We slept with the window open a little, and I think that may have helped open up his passage ways. The heat was on, and I'm sure the economists would have a field day with our home, because even now... to keep him breathing right, I have the heat on and the door open. My gas bill is going to be extreme.. but at least he's able to breath normally.

This morning, he seemed just like the old Mike. Went outside, begged for treats and barked at a truck making noise as it went by the house... I tell ya... I've never been so happy to hear barking in my life.

Little Katie has been really great through all of this, even though, at times she couldn't understand why she had to leave her brother alone or be in the cage.

She is such a character. She did give me a bit of relief yesterday... you would have busted a gut laughing. I let her outside and she started barking like crazy. I figured she just needed to let off steam.... but then she really went crazy, like she had seen a ghost... I looked around the corner of the house to see what was out there, and saw the dreaded object that was so threatening to her.... it was a volleyball that the wind had blown in our yard. I swear... she sounded like a pit bull going after some evil prey. As I walked her closer to it, she kept barking and straining to attack it.. but when we got closer to it, she was very cautious.. as if an alien were going to jump out of it. I laughed myself silly.... I really needed that yesterday. (Wish I had a video of it to replay when I start feeling down).

And then.... she saw her first bird yesterday... a robin. She pulled and strained and barked to get at it, but apparently this robin is use to rambuncious puppies barking at it and stood her ground and laughed at the little one having such a hissy fit. When it finally flew away.. it flew right over Miss Katie's head. Well... Katie wouldn't have that. She ran and tried to catch it... as she watched it fly, she jumped up with all fours to reach for it and did a 360 flip backwards. Oh my gosh... it was hilarious. The bird was about ten feet over her head, but she wouldn't let that stop her.

It feels so good to be able to write happy things here after having such a stressful day yesterday. I know I stressed everyone else out too, and I'm sorry about that... but I know you all understand what we're going through, and I'm so glad I have you all to turn to. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

Love & Blessings

Just a note before going to bed.
Mike slept pretty much all day. Michelle, my daughter, came over for a little while, and he got up to greet her at the door. It was the first time he had barked all day... what a wonderful sound that was. She could see he wasn't feeling good, especially since she brought Arby's over and he didn't even beg for any. He ate some when offered, but he didn't ask.

It really made his day when she asked him, "do you wanna go for a ride?"... he came to life and couldn't wait to get in the car. It felt so good to see him look alive again. We just took a ride up to the corner store and back, but it was enough to make him happy. As soon as we got home, he went right to sleep again.

It's been a very long and hard day. I truly want to thank all of you... Mary, Judy, Debs, Cindy, Jennifer and those who have e-mailed or talked to me on the phone... you are all such a comfort to me. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends who understand the love Mike and I have for each other and the bond that's been created by us throughout the years. God Bless Each And Every One Of You.

Love To You All,
Joanna

Dr. Kari just called. She said it could be that the cancer has metastasized, or could be a respiratory infection. I told her how his breathing has changed during his sleep this past few weeks (sometimes hard... sometimes shallow), she said it's most probably the cancer. Said the only thing we can do is x-ray him to see if that's what it is, but there's nothing we can do if it shows up. ;(

He was really lethargic all day... didn't want to go out.. didn't even want a treat.... about 20 minutes ago, my brother and sister in law came over a little while ago... Mike got up and greeted her and took treats from her... I was so glad to see him get up after sleeping most of the day. I figured since he was up, I'd try to get him to eat, so I put about a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of his food, and he ate pretty good. Then he played with his sister until I made them break up so he wouldn't get an upset stomach again. Oh my God.. it was so good to see him up and moving again.

He's sleeping again next to my chair (the same place as in the picture here)... oh God.. this is hard.

I can't type anymore. Thank you all so much for checking on him and especially for all your prayers.

God Bless You All

I don't know what's happening. Mike's stomach was grumbling loud all night long... it's done that before so I wasn't concerned. He woke me up at 6:30 to go potty, and it "seemed" we all felt wide awake and good this morning. I was so grateful for all of us feeling so good. Well... I let them both outside, and when they came in they immediately started playing. Within a few minutes, I realized Mike was playing so early and so hard because his stomach was upset, and he wanted to puke. (When his stomach gets upset, part of his ritual is getting overly excited). So, I put the puppy back in her cage, and Mike went back to sleep.

As I sat on the lazy boy having coffee.. I heard Mike... breathing really dry and labored. My boy just laid there with his eyes half open having the most difficult time breathing. I've noticed his breathing at night is different too lately... heavier and sometimes more shallow, but this is the first time I've heard any difference during the day.

With his stomach still grumbling, he laid by the door. I opened the door a little hoping the fresh, cool air would help clear all the passages. He sat up and just looked at me, and I just knew it was the end... I thought he was going to go to the bridge this morning. He closed his eyes with his head up (like you would if you fell asleep sitting up), and I just couldn't help the tears that started to fall. I sat on the floor in front of the open door talking to him and petting him until he decided he really didn't want to be bothered anymore and turned away from me. I couldn't even get a nose kiss out of him. I honored his wishes and got up and sat on the chair just watching him "sleep" for a very long time.

I've called the vet, but she's in with patients and will call me back. I hope she calls back soon. I'm praying she doesn't say to take him in because he is so terrified of that place, and besides, I don't know what there is that can be done for him whether he goes there or not... I guess I just have to wait and see what she says.

Again... I went and sat with him... talking and loving him. The puppy was crying desperately to get out of the cage. I let her out and she immediately went to her brother. I was able to keep them apart for a little while, but then Mike wanted to get up to play. I know the reason he wants to play is because his stomach is still upset, and it will help him purge... but I didn't want to stop him from having (at least) some fun, so I let them play for a few minutes (just enough to get it out of their systems without Mike getting overly excited) before I put her back in her cage.

It breaks my heart to have to cage sweet Katie, but right now... Mike has to come first, and quite honestly, she doesn't mind being in there if he's sleeping. It's mostly when Mike is up and doing that she begs to get out.. or when I'm on the floor with him giving him all of my attention.

They're both sleeping right now. Please pray for my sweet boy. He's having such a hard time. I've always prayed that God will heal him completely, but this morning.... I prayed that (when it's time for him to leave me) that he will just gently fall asleep.... and this morning, that's what I thought was happening. His breathing was so strange, and his eyes looked so insightful that it looked like he was getting ready to go. Oh God, no matter how much I try to prepare.. I know I'll never be ready.

Well... so far so good. :-D Other than being a sleepy puppy today, Mike has had no clots, his urination is back to a more normal level, and his leg seems fine... (Thank You Lord!!). I am just soooo happy that he's having a decent day for a change... he really deserves it.

Katie Jane is doing great too. She can't understand why Mike doesn't want to play with her today (they played a lot last night, and she thinks he should play with her "all" the time). So, she's just keeping herself busy with all of the toys all over the floor.

The sun is shining, and the snow is melting even more... hoorrrayyyy. It's 40 degrees, but the wind makes it feel like 28. At least I'm able to get warm today (have no idea why I couldn't warm up yesterday)... BUT... they say more snow is on the way on Friday and Saturday... BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Katie just loves chasing the leaves flying around in the back. When she catches them, she tries to play with them, but they just crumble to pieces leaving her very bewildered.

Hey Michelle...
Keeping me on my toes... to say the least. Now I remember why I was looking for an older dog and not a puppy (tee hee)... but I wouldn't give her up for the world.
I'm so glad that Daisy is finished with chemo now (well after the Cytoxan)... we're sending up humongous prayers that she'll never need it again.

Hi Cindy...
I'm guessing since Mike's back to a normal flow now (still mostly yellow too.. hoorrayy) that maybe he just had too much water in him.... kind of like me.. I blame all my weight on water. LOL. I'm so grateful he's so much better today.. in every way. :-D
I hope Tuckie is feeling better by now and that Justie is still on the train. I'd love to see dual trains again today.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day. Mike and Katie are sending you all lots of Wet Westie Nose Kisses, and I'm sending all of you Tons Of Hugs.

Hi All...

Today is quite a sleepy day for all three of us. I couldn't believe it this morning when I woke up, I looked at the clock thinking it was maybe 7:30.... "wrong".. it was actually 9:35... oh my gosh, it's been a very long time since I've slept in that late, and both the dogs were still sound asleep when I got up. It's not unusual for Mike to sleep that late, but the puppy didn't wake me up either. Normally, she'll start making noises around 8 if I'm not up.

All that sleep certainly didn't refresh me... I'm still "very" sleepy and gotta fight to stay awake. The kids aren't helping me at all... I think they've both been out at least 7 times in the last 2 hours. The puppy is playing her "let's pretend we have to go" game, and poor Mike... well.....

....thankfully, there are no clots, but he started last night having to go almost every ten to fifteen minutes. I was prepared to get up in the middle of the night to let him out because it just seemed his bladder was rebelling, but... apparently his bladder goes back to normal when he's sleeping because he didn't have to go out at all after we went to bed. This morning, however, it's the same thing... we're constantly going out, and he's constantly peeing. I'm so grateful that it's mostly yellow and that it's flowing easily (which is a blessing since if there were clots, it could be blocked). I know he's getting tired of going in and out, and I'm exhausted ... but I'll do anything for him, and if he has to go.. I'm right there for him.

His leg is doing really great (again)... I believe it will be back to normal soon, but like any leg or ankle injury on a human, I'm sure it will still cause him problems for the rest of his life. We just have to be careful. It will be hard on him when the weather gets better, because I have a feeling our long walks will have to be quite short... probably gonna have to just take walks to the back of the property and back again a few times like we did when his arthritis was acting up last year. I'm wondering how he'll be when (if) we finally get to the park or the lake and how far I dare walk away from the car with him. I guess, if I get a car, I'll find out.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. My prayers are with all of you, and I pray health and happiness for you and all the furkids.

Love & Blessings,
Joanna

I hope everyone had a good day and is having a good evening.
The sun was shining all day and no white stuff fell from the sky, so we had a lot to be thankful for.

Mike's leg was really good... until... I let them both out at the same time, and little Miss Katie decided to run around until her leash got Mike all tangled... oh my gosh... I could have shot her. I had to hold her down to get her to stop and set my poor boy free. When he came in, he was limping again... boy oh boy... will he "ever" have a perfect day????

No clots today, but we did have an incident. I can't figure this out, and I hope it was a one-time thing .. if it keeps up, there might be concern. Mike never goes in the house... the only time he's ever had a problem is after surgery when he lost his bladder a few times (but that was expected).. well... I don't know if he had a sudden urge and thought he couldn't get to the door or what... but he squatted and peed in the house. I'm praying this isn't the next step in the journey.

Katie is here bouncing around with a tennis ball. One of the flaps on the ball came loose, and she holds on to the flap and bounces as if she's bouncing on top of it... what a trip this little one is. I'm so glad she tells me when she has to go out... now if I could only get her to stop trying to eat rocks and poop, she'd be fine.

I'm going to check on a few threads. I'm kind of tired so I don't know if I'll post much tonight. If not, I'll catch up on everyone tomorrow.

Take Care and God Bless

Happy Easter Everyone

I got home from church a little while ago, let the puppers out and gave them their treats and had a cup of coffee. I'm going over my brother's for dinner, but I wanted to quick post before I leave.

Mike's leg is so much better... thank goodness... it's "almost" like it was before he hurt it. Just praying now that it stays this way. I was surprised (and grateful) that with the cold weather yesterday it didn't get bad again. This morning he's walking and almost running. I let him and Katie play for awhile... and no problem.

Also... (very good news!)... no clots at all yesterday or today. Just praying they don't start again. We had "almost" all yellow pee for the first time this morning, but then when he went a second time it was almost all red... my poor boy... but at least there haven't been any clots to worry about.

Katie Jane is being her cute little self. She just thinks shes soooooo smart... she's got a new game now... "let's tell mommy we have to go out.. but when we get outside, eat rocks instead".... I've gotta tell ya.. it gets tiring getting up and down and in and out... but if I ignore her telling me she has to go out... that's the time she'll pee in the house (and then it's "mommy's" fault for not listening... go figure).

Well... gotta get ready to leave. I pray all of you who celebrate Easter have a glorious one and those of you who celebrate Passover have a blessed one and those who don't celebrate... have a beautiful day.

God Bless You All

Woke up to about four inches of fresh powder on the ground again. It's beautiful... but enough!! I don't even feel guilty for complaining anymore... "everybody" is complaining, so I don't feel so bad.

Last night was tough. I was extremely tired and thought maybe I was coming down with something, so I went to bed at 9:00 and fell right to sleep. Oh my gosh... the dreams were brutal... not so much scary as constant. There were four of them... and I remember them well.

Just a brief synopsis of each.... The first dream... Cindy told me how to post to attract the attention of a lady named Mary or Marie (she couldn't remember which either).. apparently this lady knew how to create the perfect path to the Rainbow Bridge. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but once the path was there (it looked like a huge winding sliding board), I begged her to get rid of it. The second dream... a popular weather man in our area (apparently) was retiring. On TV, they did a memorial to him, and when it was over, the words "Time To Separate" were on the screen. The third dream.... my son and daughter-in-law (who have more than the perfect marriage) were separating and consider a divorce.

I woke up around 1:30... my gosh... every dream was so detailed, and the meanings came through so clearly. I got up for about ten minutes and had a cigarette to try to get over the dreams. When I went back to bed, Mike wanted to sleep with me, so I picked him up and put him on the bed. I love when he sleeps with me. I laid there petting him for awhile, but he doesn't like to be bothered when he sleeps, and (politely) moved each part of his body that I was petting just slightly to let me know he was ready to go to sleep. I had to be content to just have him lean up against my leg (but really wanted to keep petting him). About an hour later he wanted to get down, so I gently put him on the floor and fell back to sleep.

After going to sleep again... again I dreamed. This time, my older brother (who I am extremely close to) decided to leave his wife and join a cult. I begged and pleaded with him and told him "I can't go through this without you" (I woke myself up briefly yelling this in my sleep), and the dream went on to the point where I was considering joining as well (just to be with him), but I didn't because they wanted me to give up my God. (Nothing will ever make me do that).

Sooooooo..... that was my night. Gee... do ya think I might be having preliminary anxiety about Mike having to leave me??? It was just so strange that all four dreams had the same connotation. It was also quite strange that after waking up and falling back to sleep, the last dream followed the same pattern.

All day yesterday, Mike was kind of in a "blah" mood. His leg was ok, but he just didn't seem right. I'm thinking he's going through a winter depression (kind of like the rest of us now) and just needing a bit of Springtime. I never did go out to check to see if he had clots yesterday. It was a day when I felt "ignorance is bliss" was a good phrase for the day. We haven't had any clots today yet (Thank You, Lord), and his leg seems "really, really" great.... it didn't even tighten up when he went out this morning, so I'm thinking the rest he's been getting really helps. I'm hoping maybe he could start playing with his sister again soon.

The Little One is really a little putz. I'm seriously thinking about changing her name to "Kitty"... she acts soooooo much like a cat the way she loves to play with things like bathrobe ties and strings, lays on the arm of the chair and couch and pounces on every thing (sometimes with all fours up in the air). Now that she's learned to tell me she has to go out to go potty, she makes it a game (like this morning)... she tells me she has to go and then spends five minutes hopping around in the new snow. She's so tiny that the snow right now is up to her shoulders. She's just so silly.

I'm gonna go grab a shower, so maybe I'll come back and post later if there's anything new to report.

If I don't get back here later, I want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy and Blessed Easter. Christ was born, Christ died and Christ arose again.... for us... what a wonderful Gift. Because He died for our sins, we can be assured that no matter what we do or who we are God forgives us and loves us anyway (even if we don't deserve it sometimes... well... me, most of the time ;-D ) God Bless All Of My Wonderful Friends.

Love, Blessings & Tons of Wet Westie Nose & Whisker Kisses,
Joanna, Mike & Katie (Kitty?)

Good Morning Everyone...

Well... I could see the grass again (so that's good)and the birds are singing outside (and that's great).. all the signs of Spring. Now if it wasn't 28 degrees, the sun would shine and they'd get rid of the snow watch for tonight, things would be fantastic.

Mike's leg is much, much better even though he played with his sister for a little while last night (I didn't have the heart to keep them apart any longer, but I didn't let them play too rough or too long).

As far as the clots... I don't know... it was really cold outside when he went out, and I couldn't get out with him (been getting a lot of headaches again and cold makes them worse). He was at an angle where I couldn't tell... so I'm going to "believe" there weren't any. He did seem to be straining a bit the second time he peed, but truthfully, I was afraid to put my coat and hood on to see. I'm probably a terrible person for "not" going out there, but I "need" to believe we could have two days clot free. I try to let myself believe that there's nothing I could do about it anyway, so it doesn't matter if I see them or not.... BUT.. it "does" matter. I guess right now, I'm kind of in denial.. and I know that's not good, but I just need to feel that he's having a clot free day, even if it's not true... maybe if I don't see it, it doesn't exist... nothing like hiding my head in the sand huh?

Mike is sound asleep next to my desk chair. He's snoring like a big white bear... must be tired. The little one always wants to play first thing in the morning, and he tries his best to ignore her until he gets in his morning nap. :-)

Baby Kate is curled up on Mike's lazy boy. Poor Mike is afraid to jump up on it anymore, so she's taken it over (at least until his leg heals). When I see he wants to get up there, I pick him up and put him up and then watch for when he's ready to get down and pick him up again to put him on the floor. He doesn't seem to want to go up there very often anymore, and it breaks my heart because I know how much he loves it.

Last night, I couldn't help but cry for Tyson's mom and dad. Poor Tyson gave such a good fight. It kills having one you love so much go to the Rainbow Bridge. When I was reading his thread, I couldn't stop thinking that I will be in their shoes (hopefully not to) soon. It's so heartbreaking. My prayers are with them.

Hi Gabby,

Thanks for the wonderful thoughts and wishes. Mike wouldn't put up with blankets or heating pads... he's much too hot blooded for that. LOL He tries to find the coolest place to sleep at night, but I do massage his leg every day. It seems to help. Give sweet Layla some big hugs from me and nose kisses from the kids.

Hey Cindy,

It's so good to hear from you. You guys are never far from my thoughts and always in my prayers. Praying that both boys are on the train again. Give them bunches of belly rubs from me and nose kisses from the kids.

My sister-in-law is going to pick me up in a little while... used the last of my coffee and have to get a few things in case I can't get out again in the next couple days, so I'm gonna get going.

Sending loads of love to everyone. God bless you all.

Well... no clots today (Thank You Lord)... I'm praying we don't see any "ever" again. There were a couple big ones passing yesterday... I hate to see him struggle to get them out, but they "have" to come out. It seems like they are coming like every other day... I guess it takes a day to work it's way to the urethra to get out... if this is true... they'll be back tomorrow. :-(

His leg was soooooooooooo much better yesterday... until last night. He was really good in understanding when I stopped him and Katie from playing yesterday. Katie couldn't quite understand it, and it took a bit of firm "no"s to keep her away from him, but Mike listened on the first "no"... I know he knew it was for the best. Well.. it snow again yesterday (eeeeeggghhh).. and it got really, really cold last night. So, of course, after the temperature dropped, and he went outside, his leg tightened up again. My poor guy just can't get ahead of the game. It seems pretty good this morning, but I'm afraid it's going to take a very long time to heal if this stinkin' Ohio weather doesn't cooperate.

Miss Katie is doing really great. She's still trying to figure out if shes a dog, kitten or bunny... I'm still trying to figure it out too. The only attribute she has of a dog is when she begs for food... my gosh... she is relentless when she "thinks" she's going to get handouts. Outside she's a rabbit.. bouncing and hopping in the snow... she loves it (now if I could only stop her from eating the snow, ice and poop-cycles... yuck). In the house, she's a cat... she leaps on the furniture, me and Mike... all fours up in the air and she's flying. LOL She's so funny cuz sometimes she'll jump up on the chair or couch and lay on the arm instead of the cushions. Yep... she definitely has an identity crisis. I'm thinking therapy. LOL

She did learn a WONDERFUL thing though yesterday.... she "finally" realized something that I had been praying for for a very long time. She figured out that she could tell me when she has to go out!!!! She'll come and put her two front paws on my leg and bark... I let her out.. and she does her thing... HOOOOORRRRAAAAYYYY!!!! Of course, when she realized what a "good girl" she is when she does this.. she decided to make it into a game... and every time she gets bored... we go out. LOL More times than not, she "does" go potty, so that's really a plus.

Hi Judy...

Thanks again for being here for me. Mike does give me strength... but so do you and all of our friends. Like I've said over and over again... I couldn't do this without all of you.

Hey Splight...

It looks like I came here to post just after you posted. Thanks so much for stopping in and posting. I just love that Mike and Katie are getting so close... I just wish I could let them play like they want to.... oh well.. maybe when the weather warms, and his leg is back to normal. I hope you get your internet going... I know I'd be having total withdrawl.

I didn't get to check on anyone's thread yesterday... gonna go catch up in a little while. I pray everyone is doing well and all the fur-kids are healthy and getting all the care they need (I "know" they're getting all the love they can handle).

Tons of belly rubs to all the fur-kids out there and bunches of huge hugs to all our human friends.

Love & Blessings,
Jo

First I want to thank every one again for all the love, support and prayers you send our way. I honestly don't think I could do this without each and every one of you.

Mike's leg is so much better today.. even better than yesterday. It was really hard to keep them from playing last night, but somehow I managed. I'm afraid if they get going again, it will take forever to heal.

The sad news is... he dropped a major clot today. OMG.. it's so painful to watch this and still try not to show what my heart is feeling and what my mind is imagining. I've been having horrible nightmares the last few nights that I know are prompted by my fears. Last night I kept waking up and every time I fell back to sleep.. it was the same dream... I was having my boy pts. Even though I try to think past them (fears and anxieties) and just enjoy the moment, I guess my sub-concious won't let them go.

Again... thank you all for being here for me. Without my IMOM family and my CL friends and others who have been keeping in contact... I'd be totally lost right now. I thank God every day for all of you and pray that you and all the fur-kids to be happy and healthy.

Everyone... Take Care and God Bless You.

Well.. thankfully, we made it through the night. Things seem a bit better this morning.. I hope it stays this way.

I didn't see any clots this morning, so that's a wonderful sign. These are what scares me the most. I mean, even though I hate seeing him in any pain with his leg, the clots are life-threatening and make my heart stop and my stomach tie up in knots.

Mike's leg is much better (again). I talked to Dr. Kari. She seems to think that since Mike's leg has been doing really well with the warm up of the weather, that he just needs to rest it more. She ordered Tramadal for him in place of the Rimadyl. My brother took me over there, and I was able to get it this morning. Hopefully, that will help.

My biggest problem today is keeping the two of them from playing. I feel so bad because we've waited so long for them to "really" accept and feel comfortable with each other, and now since all they seem to want to do is play (which is what I've been waiting for)... I have to keep them apart .. well.. not really apart but at least stop them from the rough play. I love watching them play, and they love doing it. But.. I guess in this case it could be true when they say... "too much of a good thing really isn't good".

Hi Michelle...

Thank you so much for your love and prayers. You have no idea how much it means to hear from you. You are a wonderful friend, and I'm so grateful for your posts and e-mails. Give Blue and Daisy some belly rubs from me and nose kisses from Mike and Katie.

I want to take a minute here to tell everyone how grateful I am for all of you. You have all touched my heart so much. Never in my life would I ever have thought so many wonderful people would not only cross my path but become such a big part of my life. With everything my sweet boy, Mike, has gone through, I would have been so alone had I not found you. I praise God for you and I thank Him everyday and ask him to bless you and all the fur-kids that have become such a big part of our lives. Thank you all so much for your love and friendship.

God Bless You All,
Love,
Jo

Another Monday Update... A Horrible Day!

Well.. good and bad.
First the good.

I had some wonderful comic relief this morning. The kids were playing and having a ball. You would have laughed your tails off. Katie was trying to catch Mike's tail, and when she realized she couldn't grab hold of it... she went "under" him and tried getting... well.. you know. LOL It was just too funny. I kept pushing her away from there, and she kept going back... over and over. That little girl just doesn't give up. Mike didn't seem to mind at all. He was too busy having fun.

They played for a good long time, and I finally broke it up because I saw Mike was getting "too" excited... panting and just not right. After I broke it up, I realized he was panting and looking strange because he played so much that he had an upset stomach. Sooooo... he did the "look for a place to puke" ritual and finally threw up. Guess next time they play, he'll have to make sure he does it on an empty stomach.

About an hour later, he started the search mode again, and again, he had an upset stomach. I felt so bad for him. Apparently he doesn't like puking in the same place twice because he kept looking for a spot other than his "regular" place.

Well... now the bad news.

After his stomach settled, he laid down in the middle of the living room floor. This is just not a normal place for him to lay. He looked terrible. I could tell he was sick. His eyes were only half open, and he didn't even growl when Katie went to lick his face. All of a sudden, he was shivering. I sat on the floor and kept petting and talking to him for about fifteen minutes. Then he got up, and his leg was way up again. Not quite as bad as it was when he first hurt it, but definitely bad.

This morning it seemed fine. I have to think the rough housing caused it again. I could tell he was in a lot of pain. He took a Rimadol with some peanut butter (thank God his stomach was settled). It seemed to work.. he slept for quite awhile and rested the rest of the day. It's much better now, but still not right.

I called the vet who makes house calls to see if I could get them out here, but they said what they do is pick the dog up and take them to the hospital... that's not what they told me when I talked to someone last week. This would just defeat the purpose of a "home" visit. I'm trying to avoid another traumatic experience for him.

I called his regular vet's office. I asked them if there was a possibility if (maybe) the vet could come out to the car or out on their patio in the back of the building (there's a picnic table out there they could use) and exam him outside so he wouldn't be so traumatized. Amy (who was there the last time we took Mike in) remembered how terrified he was last time and suggested I wait until Dr. Kari comes in tomorrow.

She said since he's already had the x-rays, maybe Dr. Kari could prescribe something that would help his pain more efficiently, or... she should have a suggestion as to what can be done to see him without causing anymore fear in him. So, now I wait.

It's been such an exhausting day... especially for Mike.

Poor Katie had to be in the cage when he was going through his nausea periods because she just wanted to keep playing... and even though he had an upset stomach.. he was more than willing to keep playing. It had to stop... at least long enough for his stomach to settle.

When I was sitting on the floor petting him... she was fine... she played with all her toys and didn't bother him at all. After the meds kicked in... Mike slept, and she was fine. When she did go to him... he didn't even bother growling at her... he was bushed.

As I was typing this... just now... they started playing again. I'm glad Mike feels good enough to play... but (and I feel horrible about this) I had to put a quick stop to it. He's got to keep resting that leg. They really want to play now, and they're both whining. (bad mommy).

Well... that's about it.... I'm praying tomorrow is better for him.

I'm sorry I didn't get to anyone's threads today. Well.. actually, I got to Tucker's but as soon as I finished posting there is when all the problems started. I'll try to catch up on everyone tomorrow.

Good night my dear friends.

Monday update (please read previous post)

I just got off the phone with Dr. Scott. He was so nice and understanding, but it's really not good news (I didn't think it would be). My heart is broken, and I want to cry so bad right now, but I don't want Mike to see me.

First, he said there's really nothing to be done for the clots. He said if he took an anti-coagulant or baby asprin or anything like that, it could make his bladder fill with blood (since we already know the blood is in there).

Second, he said it's quite possible that one or more of the nodules have (or are) growing into larger tumors that is causing the clots. He also agreed that it's "possible" (but only possible) that the rough play could have jarred some of the clots from the bladder wall causing them to being eliminated. But... he said even if Mike wasn't rough-housing, eventually they would have started dropping out anyway. So, I'm not going to stop him from playing... after all.. he needs "some" fun in his life (for as much life as he has left).

Third, (and this kills me)... I asked him, "so this is the beginning of the end"... he hesitated and said, "I wish I could tell you no... but, I'm afraid so". With that.. well, my whole day turned gray. The sun might as well be black. It's warming up outside, but it might as well be 50 below zero. My boy doesn't have much longer. Oh God... I'm trying to accept the things I can't change.. but it's so very hard.

He was glad to hear that Mike doesn't have a problem urinating (even though some of it is red), at least the flow is still there (except when a clot passes). He told me not to change anything... keep the food the same, make sure he drinks lots of water and just keep an eye on him to make sure he can pee smoothly (which he has no problem doing yet). I hate this!!! I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!

Ok... gotta go now... I'm sorry, I was going to go to everyone's thread today, but there's no way I could sound up and happy right now. I'd just be a downer to everyone. I'll try later or tomorrow.

Love & Blessings To All

Hi All...

I've got a call in to the vet. I want to see if there is something (anything) we can give Mike to dissolve the clots. I kind of think I already know the answer, but I have to try anyway. Dr. Kari and Dr. Megan are both out today, so I don't know which doctor will be calling me back, but I hope they call back soon. Mike was straining to pass a clot this morning... and it didn't come out. I just want to cry for him (I "do" cry for him).

He seems ok about it though. He's acting fine and putting the baby in her place as usual, so I don't think he's in pain. His leg is doing pretty good. Actually, it was almost back to 100% when he woke up this morning, and then he went outside (it's only 25 degrees out now) and I saw him pull it up just a little while he was out there. Now, back in the house and warmer, it's almost like it was when he woke up. So I have to believe the entire healing process is based on this stupid Ohio weather. Plus the arthritis he has in his leg doesn't help the issue.

The kids were playing like crazy last night. It was so funny. They each had the end of Mike's new baby and played tug-o-war with it. Boy that little one is pretty strong for 7 1/2 pounds... but then again, I think Mike was being easy on her since I "know" how strong he is. Then they played "chase me" and "I'm gonna stalk you" and "let's jump over Mike"... I swear this puppy is a cat in disguise. She loves to crouch down and stalk like a mountain lion, then she'll leap on Mike... this is fine when he's in the play mode, but if not... well.. let's just say, he'll let her know it. LOL

Hi Cindy...

We really appreciate the prayers and love that you're constantly sending. Like I said before, I truly believe that the prayers and positive energy really do help. Thank you! I haven't had a chance to check on the boys thread... I'm going there as soon as I finish this post. I pray they're back on the train.

Well.. I'm going to check on everyone's thread (or as many as I can right now, and I'll catch the rest later). I pray you all have a wonderful, healthy, blessed day.

Love You All,
Jo

Talk about clueless. I accidentally flagged my blog. Duhhhhh... I'm not quite sure how to "unflag" it. According to the instructions, I should be able to just click on it again, but that doesn't work. Oh well... I don't think there's anything in the blog that can be considered "objectionable" so I'm not going to worry about it. I guess it's just a blond day coming at me (again).

Hi Gabby...
Thank you so much for your love and prayers. I can't tell you how much you mean to us.

Oh Cindy...
I got a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Thank you so much for your love.
I'm happy Katie is in our lives too. I know how hard it's going to be when the time comes, and (even though I don't want to put such a huge responsibility on such a little puppy) I know I'm going to need her comfort.

Mike's leg seems so much better today. I'm sure by tomorrow (it's suppose to be in the 40's for the next few days) he'll be feeling much better. I did talk to Dr. Kari about his leg taking so long to heal, and she said it was quite possible that because of the cold weather and the fact that he had to (literally) climb around and over the snow to go potty, it definitely would hold it back from healing. The only thing I've noticed is that, when he's favoring his leg, his other hip looks like it's out further than the injured one. The more weight he puts on his injured leg, the more the other hip looks more normal.

I want to thank everyone for your prayers. I didn't see any clotting this morning, and I'm praying that yesterday will be the end of it all... but, on the other hand... I have to be realistic about it (and I hate reality). Even if playing so hard with Katie caused the clots to loosen... it just confirmed the fact that there "are" clots, and eventually they'll have to pass. The day they can't be passed... well... I don't want to think of it now (or ever).

I just love my boy so much. How I hate to see him sick and in pain. It's so weird that he's had so many problems lately, because if you could see him now... he looks absolutely "awesome"!! His winter coat is really full, he's fluffy and healthy looking, his eyes are bright as ever, and he reminds me of a white lion (with a full mane)... he's just gorgeous. It's so hard to even "think" that he's sick. How I wish looks weren't deceiving but reality... then he'd be in perfect health.

Little Katie has been really good.. she's learning so fast. She knows "potty", "come here" (well she knew that from day one), "good girl", "no.. leave Mike alone" and (this is a good one) "whaaaat did you dooooo?". LOL

It was so cute yesterday... I couldn't find her (my house is small and all the doors stay closed so she can't get out of the living room, kitchen or hallway), but for some reason.. all of a sudden, when she appeared out of nowhere, she had her head down and walked right into her cage. I thought.. "ok.. she did something"... but as it happened... she didn't do anything wrong. LOL I'm thinking maybe she was "thinking" she wanted to do something wrong. She's so darn cute. She tells on herself when she messes... she goes and sits right next to Mike hoping he'll save her. But this time... she was in her cage, and nothing was wrong.

She's really good for Mike. I think, even with all he's going through, she might be part of the reason he looks so good. She's created a spark in him that I haven't seen for a very long time. And it's awesome to see them play. However, except for first thing in the morning yesterday, he didn't want to play at all... I think he realized he needed to rest and let her know he just wasn't in the mood.

Well... gonna go get something to eat. Thank you all so much for your love and prayers. I totally believe in the power of prayer... especially when it is offered up in love.

God Bless Each And Every One Of You.

Well... Michelle picked Brandon up, so now it's Mike, Katie and me again... and I finally have control of the computer. LOL Thank God for the computer... the kid's 11 years old, and there's really not much fun stuff to do around here, but he manages to find tons of games online that keep him busy for hours. I can't wait until Spring and Summer when he can go outside to play when he's here.

Since the clots this morning, Mike has gone out a few times and gone with no clots... until just a few minutes ago... then a huge one came out. He strained for so long to get it to pass that I almost cried for him. Oh my God... it's starting... I can feel it.

I'm trying not to let him see (or feel) how I'm feeling. He doesn't know he's sick, at least I don't think he does... not yet. But I know he knows something is wrong... I can tell when he looks at me as he's pushing. I just can't do this... of course I know it's something I "have" to do... but I pray that all my friends will stick with me... I need you all so very much right now, and I feel I'm going to need you even more very soon (still praying "not" too soon).

Mike is still gimpy on his leg. I wish he hadn't re-injured it. I try not to give him Rymidal except in extreme instances, even though Dr. Kari says it won't harm him. But today, he was limping really bad, and I gave him one to ease the pain. I knew he was in quite a bit of pain because he didn't want me to massage it. It didn't hurt him when I rubbed it... no cries or yelps... but it was like he just doesn't want to be bothered getting a massage. I'm going to try again in a little while and hope he'll lay by me long enough to allow it. Today was the first time he's ever turned away from my sitting on the floor with him.

Miss Katie is doing fine. She's a ball of energy. I have to say, she really has created a spark in Mike. He acts like a puppy again when they play. (This is so funny... I just wrote that last line, and he picked up his head and is staring at me... like he knows I'm talking about him).

I just tried rubbing his leg again... he was fine with me rubbing it but decided he wanted to do a happy dance instead of laying still with Mommy. He's such a good dog... there's never been one like him and never will be. My heart is so full of love for him. Just to look at him makes me realize how very blessed I am to have had him come into my life. I can't even "think" of being without him. My one and only prayer is that God, in His great mercy, heals my sweet boy and keeps him with me for a very long time. It's all in His hands... and I know He is always watching out over me... I just have to pray that His will is my will... if not... I will trust that He will help me get through this.

Please, everyone, say some prayers for the best friend anyone has ever had... he means so much to me. I can't type anymore.

Love You All

Sad news this morning. Although Mike looks great and is acting better than ever.... he passed some big clots this morning. My heart is aching right now. When I saw it was taking him longer than normal to pee (which usually takes awhile anyway), I thought I saw some clots come out. I went out and checked.. and there they were. Oh my God... why does this have to happen?

Before bed last night, he and Katie were playing like crazy.
Brandon had never seen them play that way and laughed his butt off... so did I. The air mattress was on the floor so he could sleep on it, and the both dogs were running over, around and every which way but lose to get to each other. Mike was in rare form as he chased and caught the puppy. It was wonderful to watch.... until... after running around every piece of furniture in the living room a billion times (including the desk chair). They ran under the desk chair, and all of a sudden I heard a yelp. At first I thought it was Katie, but then saw the look in Mike's eyes and his leg go up again. He re-injured his leg.

Poor guy... he was feeling so great, and his leg was almost back to 100%, and all of a sudden the fun was over. I immediately massaged it, trying to loosen it up for him, then decided it was bedtime. I took him out to pee, and it was totally red, and now this morning... clots.

Oh God... can a little bit of playtime cause so many problems. Brandon was up early and had the puppy out when we got up. She, of course, wanted to play with Mike first thing, but right now, she's back in her cage to give him a few minutes to wake up. He acts like he wants to play again... but now I'm afraid... afraid to let him play... afraid of the clots... afraid of what might be coming next. Please pray for my boy. I can't write anymore now.

Love You All

It's absolutely beautiful out today. It's 47 degrees, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing. What a great day to go on a road trip. Oh well... hopefully someday soon. In the meantime, the pups and I are happy just for some wonderful fresh air.

Katie was hilarious this morning. There were deer tracks out back near the patio... now she thinks she's a bloodhound. She hopped like a rabbit from print to print hoping to track down the animal that dared come so close to her house. LOL She was a bit upset when the leash wouldn't let her go any further.

Sir Michael is doing well. Thank God his leg is getting better and better every day. He had a bit of a setback last night with it, but this morning, he's doing great. Because it's so much warmer out now, at least the air doesn't tighten it up when it was so horrendously cold.

It looks like the comments are working now. I've been trying to put a regular guestbook on the site so it will be easier for everyone to post, but so far, I haven't had much luck with it. I think the only way I can do it is to start this entire thing all over again, and I don't think I'm brave enough to try that. But that's ok.. I am getting the comments now... at least I hope I'm getting them all.

Debbie...

I think it might have been your computer that wouldn't let you comment (maybe). Did you use the same 'puter to post the first comment as you used to try posting the last one? I hope you get to post. I reallllllllly love to hear from everyone. Give our boy Jack some big hugs from us... let him know we still have about a foot and a half of snow..... (will it EVER go away???)

Jennifer...

Yep.. it looks like we're stuck with the red. Sadly, I think yellow pee is a thing of the past. I hope Sweet Emma is feeling better today. Maybe it was just too much for her yesterday, going to the vet and all. I know what Mike is like there, and I pray I'll never have to take him again.

The mobile vet never called me back. I searched the Yellow Pages, and although I didn't find another one listed as "mobile", I did find a vet who makes house calls. They're about a half hour away (not too bad). I called them, and she couldn't give me an absolute price on coming to the house, but it would be on a case by case basis... depending on what was wrong with the pet. Apparently, they will come out for whatever is necessary (at least that's the impression I got). So I'm glad to know there's an option available for my sweet boy. I cut the listing out and put it on the refrigerator in case I ever need it.

Give Emma some gentle hugs and belly rubs.

Hey Gabby...

It's so nice to hear from you. When I went to edit the post, it showed it in webdings, and when I re-posted it is shows normally. Does it still show as webdings???? When I pull up the blog, it looks ok. I'm just wondering if everyone sees it differently than I do. I can't figure that one out.

Well... better get going. The kids are both sound asleep... hummmmmmm... wonder if I could sneak something to eat while they're in la la land. Probably not. LOL

Give Sweet Layla some hugs and skritches.

Love, Blessings and Tons of Wet Westie Nose and Whisker Kisses

P.S. The little one in the picture with Mike and me is Bo (short for Bozo). He was a rescue that I got for my daughter a few years ago. What a sweetie he was. Unfortunately, I didn't know then what I know now, and he had to go back to the rescue for lack of us being home enough to spend time with him.... BOY was I stupid back then (not saying I'm the brightest crayon in the box now, but at least I know better). Love You All!!

I'm not quite sure what's going on, but a couple of people have tried to post comments, and it hasn't gone through.

I'm still searching the site to see if they can offer some help. I'll post here if I find any answers. If you're having a problem.. keep trying.

I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!!! :-D

Well... here I am... still snowed in. I'm really not complaining (much) since I have no car to worry about driving anyway. I'm sure when the drive is cleared I'll complain much more since I "really" want to put the pups in the car and drive, drive, drive. But for now, I guess I'll have to settle for getting out on the patio in back and start cleaning up the mountains of (well you know) that are out there.

My front doorway is finally cleared with some of the snow that's melted, and I was able to get out the front yesterday and plowed my way across my driveway to the neighbor's drive. My brother picked me up at the end of their drive and took me to the corner so I could get some cigarettes (thank goodness). He had tons of things to do, so that's as far as I got. I was able to walk on the street to get the mail though. I'm gonna try it again as soon as the mailman comes.

I'm really pretty disappointed with myself right now though. With all the time I've had by myself (except for my babies), you'd think I'd get tons of stuff done around here. For some reason, it's worked the other way, and I'm really not up to doing more than is necessary to just do the basics. I hate to say this... but (even though I don't actually "feel" it), I think a little depression is setting in. I guess that's pretty normal since I really haven't seen another human face since last Wednesday (except Joe when he took me to the corner). I was suppose to have the small group here Thursday, but that's the day I fell in the driveway and messed myself up (I'm 100% fine now), so I had them meet someplace else, and then Friday it started snowing and this is where I've been since then.... (poor me.. LOL).

Oh well.. I have to count my blessings... and there are a lot of blessings to count, so I guess I can't feel too sorry for myself. It could be "much" worse. I've got a roof over my head, a wonderful alpha dog who makes my heart sing, a rambuncious puppy who keeps me going, plenty of food (been eating healthy lately) in the frig and freezer, and I haven't run out of my smokes (although I'm sure I'm smoking more right now for lack of doing other things that I probably "should" be doing).

Ooopppsss mailman just came. I'm going to try to get to the street (through the neighbor's drive again) and get my mail. If I don't come back to finish this... send out the big pups to save me.

I made it... wheeeeeee!! LOL I actually walked down my drive (until I got to the apron). The snow is only calf high now, but down by the end of the street it's wayyyy too deep to walk through (from the plows)... so I had to backtrack a bit and go through my neighbors drive after all. Oh well.. at least I know I'm not totally held captive here now. LOL

Mike's leg is so much better again this morning. It was pretty sore for him yesterday, and last night I could tell he was in pain. So again I massaged it and felt he needed a Rimadyl. That really seems to help. This morning, he's hardly limping, so I'm hoping it gets better now every day.

Katie Jane (for some reason I add on the second name when I have to scold her) is doing great. I swear she's not a dog but a cat or rabbit. She just does such kitten-type things. She loves to bring a piece of food in the living room and just bat it around. It's hilarious... especially when it rolls "under" her and she can't see where it's gone, and then when she does see it.. she pounces just like a cat. If a piece of food goes in her water bowl, she'll put her foot in the water and try to scoop it out. I swear... just like a cat. "If" she is a dog though... I think she believes she's a Jack Russell... she's really a jumper. When the snow was "really" high in the back, she'd jump up on a three foot drift and stand on top of it like the king of the mountain.

Sweet Mike wasn't in the mood to play yesterday. I think he was feeling pretty much the way I was yesterday... just blah. They had a couple of staring matches, and I saw the tails start wagging, but then he decided she wasn't worth his energy. LOL

Hey Debbie...

I'm soooooo glad you stopped in. Yea.. I'm glad that Mike and Katie are getting along so well. She's learning when he doesn't want to be bothered, so as long as she keeps her boundaries at those times, they're fine together. I still think it's funny when she goes to him for protection when she has an "accident"... she really feels he's protecting her, and he doesn't say any different. Of course, he doesn't stop me from taking her away from him to discipline her so I guess he's not "that" protective of her. :-D

As far as my aunt and cousin. All I could do is pray for them. They've both had horrible lives, and I know I can't change that for them. I just pray they could find some happiness and peace in their lives.

Yep... still red pee. It's so sad. :-( Every time he goes outside he pees at least twice before coming back in. The very first one in the morning always seems to be ok... but the second one (before coming in) always has some red in it. It gets more and more as the day goes on. I'll almost be glad when the snow is totally gone so I can't see it anymore... but I'll still know it's there.

I still haven't heard back from the mobile vet. I just left another message. I hope they call back today... I really would love to get some information from them. I'm wondering now though... if they don't return calls... how reliable are they? There's only the one listing for a mobile vet on Yahoo Yellow Pages. I think I'll go to the regular Yellow Pages and see if there are any other listings for other ones.

Ok.. well enough for now. I think I might make myself useful around here and tear my bedroom apart and give it a good cleaning. Hell, I haven't done much of anything else around here (except laundry, dusting, vaccumming, etc)... I guess I could do a little spring cleaning... maybe then Spring will actually show up???

Love, Blesssings and Tons of Snowy Westie Nose & Whisker Kisses

Hey Michelle... You and I were posting here at the same time. LOL (great minds). When I saw all the snow yesterday, I couldn't help but picture Syd and Charlie and Jack all romping in the three to four foot drifts my backyard. What a sight they would have been. :-D If I ever get out of my drive again, I'm going to get a couple cans of pumpkin and keep them handy in case of emergency. Thank you both for telling me about it.

Hey Judy... Thanks for showing Cindy how to post (tee hee). Poor Rylee... wanting to play and no one wants to play with her. It looks like the snow might start melting with the warm up coming, but there's so much of it that I'm sure she'll still have plenty left to play in for awhile.

Hey Cindy... I'm sooooo glad you got to post. I love when people post here.. kind of feels like old times (if you know what I mean LOL). I love the pictures of the furkids... they look kind of bewildered (what IS all this white stuff???) LOL. They are sooooo cute... I just want to pick them all up and give them squeezes.

I've got a call in to the Mobile Vet (got voice mail). They gave an emergency phone number that's not too far from here. I'm wondering if this vet has his own practice fairly close to me. That's what it seems like. I guess I'll find out when they call.

Mike finally gave in yesterday after I tried to clear another foot or two of snow. He is now "unbound".... thank God!!! And... some REALLY GOOD NEWS.... his leg is soooooo much better. When he woke up he barely had a limp!!! He went out, and when he came in he was still walking really well on it. I'm so happy. I hope it stays this way now and just gets better.

We had a circus here last night. Mike would "not" leave his sister alone. Of course, she didn't mind at all. I was trying to watch a movie, but all I could do was watch them play, grab at each other and run around and tackle each other. It was so funny to watch. It all started when Mike was doing his "Happy Dance" and the little one pounced right on his belly.... scared the crap out of Mike, but I laughed my butt off... especially when he got up and started chasing her. It went like that on and off for almost an hour until they were both pooped out. Then it started up again after they got a second wind.

Miss Katie is just so darn tiny... I'm hoping she grows a little bit cuz I keep (almost) tripping on her. It wouldn't be so bad but until she learned "not" to walk in between my feet, I was really afraid I'd step on her... OUCH!!! She was 6 months old on the 7th, and although I'm sure she gained a pound or two (the way she eats, I'd be surprised if she didn't )... she's still so little. She only weighed 6 pounds at the vet two weeks ago... she's probably 7 or 8 pounds now.

She follows me and her big brother around everyplace we go, and it seems like she's really alot learning from him. I've learned that if she doesn't go out to go potty, all I have to do is let Mike out first and let her watch. When he comes in, she just walks out by herself and does her thing without my having to keep "making" her stay outside until she goes. He's such a good teacher!!

When I give them a treat in the kitchen.. she use to stay in the kitchen and eat it... but now, she follows Mike into the living room and eats it right next to him. Yep... they're getting to be quite a pair. And, Cindy, you're right... Mike does seem to have more spunk in him now and more energy since she's been around. Especially in the past four or five days since he's pretty much accepted her and learned to enjoy her and the new "playing" games that he never had before by being an only child. I'm so glad I got her. Now I really "do" feel like she is "his" dog.

He's started to let her cuddle against him (as long as she stays away from his face), and when she does something wrong... she will immediately run to him and sit as close to him as she could. She doesn't realize that she's tattling on herself when she does this. LOL But he lets her "hide" there,.

Ya know, being snowed in is "not" exciting... but having the two of them here and watching them play unendingly really gives me some great entertainment.

Ok.. gonna go shower up. I'll catch you all later. If you want to comment, just click on the "comment" link on the bottom of the post. It will open up a window, and you should be able to leave a comment then... (or ask Judy like Cindy did.. she'll help you out :-D )

In case you missed it, here's the link to the kid's pictures. Link To Mike And Katie March 2008

Love and Blessings and Snowy Wet Westie Nose and Whisker Kisses

The sun is shining.. it stopped snowing and blowing, and it's a beautiful 22 degrees out. Problem is.. we're snowbound. LOL The drifts around the back of the house (where the dogs go out) is up to my shoulders, and the only reason they can even get out is because I kept sweeping a three or four foot area around the back door every hour or so yesterday and last night. I do have to say it's beautiful, even though it's confining. The traffic is going fine now, so I'm sure all the roads are 100% ok. Guess I'll have to wait for the Spring thaw to find out for sure. The pups are playing like crazy this morning.

Mike's chasing Katie and trying to act so tough, but she runs circles around him letting him know that even though he's bigger and badder, she's smaller and faster. I'm a little worried about Mike though. He seems to be constipated. I was thinking it was because he didn't have enough room cleared off in back to make his rounds before elimination... but now I wonder because... if ya gotta go.. ya gotta go. I've given him a couple tablespoons of applesauce (he loves it) hoping it will help. I just hope and pray he unplugs soon. How weired, when our kids are little, you worry about them having the poops or being constipated... when the kids grow up.. you worry about your furkids doing the same thing. The biggest difference is... my kids weren't afraid of going to the doctor.

I found a mobile vet that's located about 10 miles away. I think I'm going to call tomorrow (Monday) to see what they charge in case Mike needs a vet again (hopefully he'll never need one, but I know that's wishful thinking). Anyway, I want to prepare just in case, because with everything that's gone on with him, I don't want to traumatize him anymore than he has been by going to the vet's office again. We'll see... at least it's an option. Of course, I don't know how good this vet is either... I'll have to get some referrals at least and maybe check him out with the board.

I'm going to go try to catch up with everyone's threads. It feels like I haven't been around for awhile... actually, I've been reading but not posting much. Time just gets away too fast. I hope everyone is doing great. Love, Blessings & Tons of Wet Westie Nose & Whisker Kisses

Is there life after snow???? Well... hopefully we'll find out someday (soon). They sure weren't kidding when they issued the winter storm warning and the blizzard watch. This morning there was about 2 1/2 feet of snow (where it wasn't drifting) and almost 3 feet outside my front and back doors. I couldn't open the front door at all because it opens out. Thank goodness the back door opens in, so I suited up with boots, sweatpants, heavy jacket and hood and tried my best to sweep away enough snow for the pups to go outside.

When I opened the door, my laundry room floor had so much snow fall inside that I was slipping and sliding even with my boots on. Well... after awhile, it was finally clear enough for the kids to go potty. It's still coming down out there and not suppose to stop until after midnight. Oh well... like I always say... God has a wonderful sense of humor... He had me being born in Cleveland and too stupid to move.

Here's a link to the Channel 5 website with pictures of the storm that people have uploaded to the site if you want to check it out. You'll see that one of the pictures with a yardstick, measured it at 24"... I'm sure it's much deeper by now.
http://www.newsnet5.com/slideshow/15528279/detail.html?taf=nn5

Mike and Katie are doing fine. Mike's leg still needs a lot of massaging, but he's actually able to run (in the house) when he's warm enough. What's really sad right now is that we have so much snow that it's impossible not to see the red. I know this sounds weird, but I love to see the first pee of the morning, because it's always yellow. How I wish it would stay that way.

I've been answering the phone, "Merry Christmas" or "Welcome To Winter Wonderland"... well... how embarrassing.. I answered it, "Sorry, Frosty is in the bathroom and can't be bothered right now".... well... when I answered that way, I hear, "Is Joanna there"... a man's voice. Here it was Tom from Ladybug Rescue (where I got Katie from), calling to check on Katie. I was really embarrassed, but I laughed when I explained to him why I answered like that. They have snow down there too (closer to Columbus), but no where near what we have here.

Ok.. well.. gonna go put up my Christmas tree and wait for Santa to appear. :-D

Love, Blessings, Wet Westie Nose and Whisker Kisses and Snow Angels To All

Here are a few pictures of the kids... if you want to see them all... here's the link to Photo Bucket.. they really are great, and I'm soooooo happy my brother let me use his camera. Enjoy!!!
Link To Mike And Katie March 2008

Love, Blessings & Tons of Wet Westie Nose & Whisker Kisses

Boy.. I can't win for losing. Get this.. now my aunt is mad... AT ME!!! Go figure. She's mad because I didn't stay and "talk" with my cousin. I would have stayed and talked, but the way she came at me, I know there would be no "talking" just a horrible confrontation. Oh well... I guess they won't be calling me if they need help anymore. I'm such a horrible, evil person... I should burn in hell for being so mean to them..... (I'm not being serious here.. but I'm sure that's what they're thinking about now). I just pray for them that they could find some kind of peace in their lives. My cousin is mad at the world because she had such a horrible childhood and has never dealt with it. My aunt (God Bless her) has been essentially locked up for 53 years taking care of Pam (and a horrible and abusive marriage until my uncle died) and never having a real life. Please keep them in your prayers.

Now, on a lighter side.

Miss Katie had another poop accident in her bed last night. Eyyyuuuccckkkk. Another bath and another cage cleaning before my coffee. Oh what fun. I think I'm going to put a cork in her at night before she goes to bed. LOL I don't know why this has happened two nights in a row. I "thought" the first night was from the new treats I had given her because Mike had kind of a loose stool too, so those are now history. But.. apparently she must have had some still in her system last night. I'm hoping it's over with now.

Last night I was feeling sorry for Mike because Katie has taken over all of his toys. He doesn't seem to mind, but it bothered me. So I put Katie in her cage for awhile and gave him one of my stuffed animals that he goes after every time he starts his "possession" ritual (a Westie puppy). He LOVED it... he had his own baby again. LOL We played for quite awhile as I pretended I was going to take it away from him, and he sounded soooooo vicious at the thought of it. Then we sat on the floor and just cuddled for the longest time.

I finally let the puppy out, and Mike quickly let her know that the new baby was NOT for her. I stayed on the floor cuddling Mike with my right hand and Katie with my left. How relaxing that was.

This morning was hilarious. After the bath and general morning things were done, both pups got into the play-mode. Mike was relentless going after Katie, but Katie was just too quick for him and ran circles around him (literally). She grabbed his new baby, and he let her. I told him, "Go get that baby Mikey".. and he'd go after it while it was still in her mouth. She'd drop it, he'd grab it, she'd run... oh my gosh this went on for about 45 minutes until they both wore out. I was laughing out loud at them. I guess I really needed to see that.

Michelle... thanks for stopping in. I really appreciate the post. That's the one thing I do miss about Mike not having a thread... reading everyone's posts... but some of you have posted here and others have e-mailed me, and I am so grateful to have you all and the wonderful friendship you all offer.

Love, Blessings & Wet Westie Nose & Whisker Kisses