Day 4265

This will be short tonight. Literally nothing happened. The hospital drugs have worn off and I am feeling very tired and quite sore. There is nothing wrong. According to the 32 page post-op instructions I was given when I was released from the hospital, everything I am feeling is normal. The most noticible post-op complication is constipation. This is common after any type of surgery, but is almost inevitable when you've had abdoninal surgery. The intestines tend to stop working when your doctor has to move or shift your intestines during surgery. If the condition gets serious it is called ileus and can be quite serious. I don't think I have ileus because I can feel my stomach rumbling and have gas. Spot, our first Dalmatian, did have ileus after having a cancerous section of his intestines were removed and he almost died. He didn't poop for days. Maybe it was weeks. When he finally pooped, we felt like having a giant celebration.

I am following instructions and taking all my medications. Today I took two short walks and Janet is helping with any heavy lifting. The only medication I haven't take yet is the Tramadol. I don't know why they even gave me Tramadol. I have learned a lot about Tramadol over the years working with dogs and I am not a fan. Like any opioid, it is highly addictive and should never be given if there is a danger of paralytic ileus. I hope the over the counter laxatives I'm taking will work. They're safe and usually effective. It's going to be a long three days though. I"ve been told that almost nobody poops for at least three days after abdominal surgery.

I'm glad I like to walk. Walking is the one exercise that is actually encouraged after surgery. We took two short walks with Dawn today. One at sunrise and the other at sunset. Dawn likes the sunset walk, so we may add this to our regular schedule. It's the same little one mile loop, but the second walk doubles the amount of exercise she gets during the day. Dawn's early morning walks used to seem like nothing to me, buy now I feel them. It's amazing how rapidly your body can deteriorate after a week of lying in bed.

I may not feel normal yet, but I'm starting to look a little more normal. When I left the hospital I looked like the Michelin Man. My body was incredibly puffy after being pumped up on fluids all week. You gradually expel all these extra fluids, but it takes a while. I'm glad I can still pee normally. I have ugly bruises on my stomach, but this is considered normal as well. My arms look like I'm a heroin addict. At times I had three different drip tubes in me at once and I lost count of all the blood test I had. There were as many as four a day. I learned later that there was a reason for all these extra tests. The doctors had discovered bacteria in my blood and they were very worried about Pancreatitis and other infection risks. 

In the grand scheme of things, gallbladder removal is very minor surgery. I know so many people who have endured much worse. My sister once had an eight hour spinal surgery that took years to recover from. I don't think she ever fully recovered. Surgery is still very messy, despite all the high tech equipment in the operating room. We still depend a lot on the body's amazing ability to heal itself. I'm going to be fine, but I'm definitely not feeling 100% today. We'll see if I feel up to joining Dawn on her Sunday outing tomorrow. I think this slightly longer walk won't be a problem, but I'm taking things one day at a time.

Mandy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2663

It's fascinating how the same wildflowers reappear year after year. There are hundreds of varieties in the park and I've learned the names of many of them over the years. Nobody waters or tends to these flowers, but they seem to do just fine. In fact, they seem indestructible. We've had unusually wet years and unusually dry years and the wildflowers just keep blooming every Spring. Many of these flowers are actually considered weeds, but they are still quite spectacular in April. I see something new almost every day now and it makes my walks with Dash more interesting.

I saw my first Spider Milkweed plant this morning. Some people call these Antelope Horn Milkweed and they are supposed to attract Monarch Butterflies. This morning they seemed to be attracting a lot of bees.

Dot woke us up last night trying to re-position herself. When I tried to lift her up so she could move, it caused her to pee. I had to turn the light on to see what was going on. This woke Janet up and we tried to get her harness on so we could take her outside. At this point she decided to poop as well. While Dot was outside I changed all her bedding and ran a load of wash. By the time I got back to bed, I'd been up almost an hour. Luckily, it was early Sunday morning. We all slept in until almost nine AM. I wish they made large puppy training pads that would cover her entire bed. That would make cleanup a lot easier. Huge absorbent pads would probably be too expensive though, especially at the rate we go through them. I buy them by the case now.

I finally made it back to the gym this afternoon. Although I've been following exactly the same routine for several years now, I've been noticing that I'm not burning quite as many calories as I used to. I feel just as tired when I am finished, but I must be slowing down. The fitness tracker doesn't lie. I must be slowing down at everything I do. It takes longer to mow the lawn now and it's even tiring to make the bed. Don't laugh. Getting a fitted sheet on our low platform bed takes more effort than you might think.

On slow days like this I drive myself nuts trying to figure out how to get all the office computers on the same page. Some are new with the latest operating systems. Others are ancient. One of the biggest drawbacks to upgrading everything is my accounting software. It's so old now that I'm not sure that a modern replacement would be able to import my files. The old software works just fine, since the rules of accounting haven't changed much over the years. It would be nice to be able to keep all the computers in sync though. I still haven't come up with a good solution.

I had to renew Dot's Tramadol today. It's always harder to get controlled substances like Tramadol and Phenobarbital renewed. The pharmacist always has to get an OK from the vet, even if the dogs have been taking the pills forever. I guess this makes sense. You don't want to be taking pills like these for the wrong reasons. I think we're going to have to increase Dot's pain medication soon. It's complicated. Do we discontinue the Tramadol and just give her more Gabapentin? Do we increase the dosage of both meds? Or do we try something new entirely. Luckily, Dot's oncologist is very knowledgable about pain management. We'll be talking to her later this month.

My anti-virus software says I've got a virus. I did some research on Google and discovered that quite a few people think my anti-virus software is worthless and that the file that was identified as a virus is really just a normal component of the Apple operating system. Who are you going to believe? If even my anti-virus software is full of fake news, the world is hopeless.

Livy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2643

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I ventured outside the neighborhood this morning. My breakfast was delicious, but I felt oddly uncomfortable. The restaurant was crowded and nobody knew me by name. The place seemed like a more upscale version of the restaurant I frequently dine at near my house. Maybe this was it. This new neighborhood was more upscale than my own and I didn't really fit in. Don't get me wrong. This was a nice place and the atmosphere was friendly and warm. You know when you fit in though. I guess I'm just more comfortable in my own neighborhood.

After breakfast, I picked up some groceries for dinner and then drove down to the UPS service center to get the WiFi blood pressure monitor I'd ordered earlier in the week. I never bother with having the truck come to the house anymore. Shippers seem to demand a signature these days and it's just not worth the trouble waiting around for the driver. I go to the UPS service center so often now that these guys know me by name.

The WiFi blood pressure monitor is very cool. It automatically takes three readings and then averages the results and sends them to an app on your phone. My own doctor never bothers to take three readings, but this is always what the vets do when taking Dot or Dash's blood pressure. As usual, the veterinarians are more professional than the human doctors.

I was glad to see that my blood pressure was still normal, even though my doctor reduced the blood pressure medication I was taking a few months ago. Evidently, my blood pressure had been so low that it was screwing up something else. I wish someone could steer me to the perfect diet so I could discontinue all my meds. It's hard to get specific dietary advice from a doctor. They know all about pharmaceuticals, but not that much about nutrition. It's difficult to get beyond generalities like "eat a lot of vegetables." Once a doctor told me that he liked pills better, because most of his patients didn't have the discipline and self control to eat properly for years at a time. This is probably true. I'm a very disciplined person, but when I'm under stress, comfort foods call out to me. Kale does nothing to alleviate stress. Ice cream, on the other hand, works pretty well.

Dot does seem more comfortable now that we've increases her pain medication. I guess I'm going to have to acknowledge the fact that Dots cancer has grown to the point where she is starting to feel it. At this point she is still taking a rather minimal dose of Tramadol and Gabapentin. We'll probably have to increase the dose in the future. For now, Dot is comfortable. I wish the pills made her stronger. I'm spending more time than ever lugging Dot around. She wants to do more, but her body just isn't strong enough. If I were a Zen master, I could probably handle this whole situation a lot better. It takes so much patience to hold up a dog's legs all afternoon. I'm not a patient person, but I'm slowly getting better at it. Maybe when I begin to get weak and senile myself, I'll finally have the patience I need.

Ely is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2556

We didn't make it to the back door this morning, so there were a lot of rugs to wash. This one was my fault. I knew Dot had to go as soon as I woke up, but I failed to make sure that the back door was already open before we made our race for the back yard. Slowing down just a little to give Janet a chance to open the door was all it took and Dot peed all over the place.

I'm learning to get everything done in the morning now. After their morning walk, Dot and Dash will still go back to sleep for a few hours. Today, I used that time to take my invoices to the post office and run a few errands. I left the house before I took a shower or even turned on the computer. I really didn't know how long I had.

Maybe it's the Tramadol pills that are giving Dot a little more energy. Maybe it's something else. I'm glad to see her moving around more, but it sure keeps me busy. I've tried to let her wander around the house on her own, but it doesn't work very well. Dot is still very unsteady on her feet and she usually falls within a minute or two if I am not supporting her rear end. Since her incontinence has gotten worse, she also tends to leak a lot. Whenever she falls, there is usually a puddle of pee on the ground when I lift her up.

I've thought about trying a doggie wheelchair for her, but they don't work very well for larger dogs. Our first Dalmatian used a wheelchair during his last year, but he was always tipping it over. A wheelchair is terrible for a dog that likes to alternate between walking around and lying down. You spend all your time hooking them up and detaching them from the contraption. A wheelchair might be good for longer outdoor walks though. I'm almost at my wits end and am willing to try almost anything.

I think I'm coming down with a cold. I rarely get sick, but if I do it's almost always during the holiday season. Everyone seems to have a cold in December. Even though I do my best to avoid people, there is inevitably someone coughing or sneezing nearby. So far, I've just got a mild sore throat. Hopefully, that's as far as it goes. I'll see if I can shake this one off.

The large format printer is clogged again. I wish I could bring myself to just throw this albatross away. I have a lot of compassion for old dogs, but it's hard to be sympathetic to an old printer. At some point I'm going to realize that I get nothing in return for all the expensive ink and maintenance I pour into this relic. I need to find a twelve step program for people who are attached to obsolete gear. Keeping all these things running is getting ridiculous.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2521 - Election Day

I'm glad I voted early. We took our morning walk early today to avoid the rain and when we passed a polling place in the neighborhood, there was already a line. The polls weren't even open yet, so I imagine that this was a very busy day. It did rain later in the day, so I wouldn't have wanted to be standing in that line.

I went up on the roof to fix the sump pump after breakfast and was appalled at the amount of water that has accumulated overnight. There was at least four inches of standing water directly over my desk. There was nothing wrong with the pump. The extension cord has just become unplugged somehow. Even though there was more rain on the way, I went ahead and cleared away the standing water anyway. The Fall rainy season is the worst as far as roof maintenance is concerned. Since the weather is cooler, the water never evaporates and since it is Fall, there are tons of wet dead leaves in the water. The leaves create little duck ponds that make it difficult for the water to drain over the edge of the roof. Basically, it's a big mess.

Against my better judgement, I finished gluing my running shoes back together. I had only glued one shoe yesterday when I realized that I had more Superglue on me than on the shoe. This time I was much more careful. With this job successfully completed, I glued some new shoe taps on my hiking boots. I'm weird about shoes. I have a number of new shoes in my closet just waiting for someone to break them in, but I continue to wear my oldest most worn out footwear until it has been absolutely destroyed. Old, beat up shoes are just more comfortable.

I wonder what the TV news anchors and pundits are going to talk about after this election is over? For the past year I haven't been able to watch TV for more than fifteen seconds without hearing the words Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Cable news has been obsessed with this election for a long, long time. It doesn't matter whether you listen to a red station like Fox or a blue station like MSNBC, the coverage has been relentless. It's hard not to get sucked into the horse race. I'm not a very political person. My favorite candidates didn't even get nominated. Nevertheless, I'm listening to the election return coverage right now. It's early, but so far the race is remarkably close. This could end up like game seven of the World Series.

I think the Tramadol is helping Dot. Her legs aren't any stronger and the muscle atrophy she is experiencing is severe, but she is definitely more active now. In many ways, this new activity doesn't amount to much. She barks. I help her up and we wander around for a while and then she goes back to sleep. She does seem happier though. That's the important thing.

I'd sure like to see the sun tomorrow. These gray, rainy days always seem longer than usual. The dogs have never liked rainy days. It's almost impossible to get Dash to go outside to do his business. It doesn't matter with Dot, because she just poops in the house anyway. I'm always nervous about humidity buildup in the house and water on the roof. It helps if there's lots of work to keep me busy, but there is little to keep me from fretting about the rain today. You guys can continue fretting about the election if you like. All I'd like to see is some blue sky tomorrow.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2499

A lady from the sanitation department called me this morning. She listened politely as I explained the problems I've been having with trash collection. I thought we were getting somewhere when she told me that the city had hired a lot of new drivers recently and seemed to agree with my theory that the driver didn't know how to operate the fancy robotic garbage truck. When I finished my story and asked what was going to happen next, I instantly became disappointed. "I'll talk to my supervisor about this," she told me. This is going to end like every other encounter I've had with a large bureaucracy. Maybe this supervisor will talk to his supervisor, or maybe it won't even get that far. I doubt that anything will happen. The drivers are probably protected by their union and can't be fired anyway. The driver might not even be at fault. There's always the chance that the city added fifty extra streets to his regular route and he is just doing the best he can to keep up with the added workload.

A little later, a representative from SiriusXM  called and asked if I was enjoying my free trial and wondered why I hadn't activated my subscription yet. Normally, I don't even answer these type of telemarketing calls, but this guy surprised me by calling my cell phone. I explained that I only listened to one channel in the car and their package prices seemed pretty expensive if all I was going to use satellite radio for was to avoid having to listen to all the annoying pledge drives on the local over the air public radio station. I took this opportunity to complain about the tinny, compressed quality of all the voice offerings on SiriusXM. The guy thanked me for my input and agreed that I probably wasn't the target audience they were looking for. I don't know why companies like these don't adopt an à la carte pricing structure. If I could just pay for the stations I actually listen to, I'd gladly subscribe to SiriusXM. I feel the same way about my AT&T U-Verse account. Why should I have to pay for hundreds of channels when I only watch ten at the most?

I went to the vegan take-out store to buy enough meals to augment the leftovers in the refrigerator for the rest of the week. I love this store and hope they manage to stay in business. There is no way I could cook all these interesting meals myself. Cooking for one is hardly worth the trouble. It's hard to buy small quantities of vegetables and if you buy larger quantities, the stuff goes bad before you get around to eating it. I talked to the lady who started the store today and she told me that she got the idea when friends of hers kept saying that they'd love to become vegetarian, but that it was so much easier to just get a burger. This store is easier than going to McDonalds. I'm hooked.

On my way home I dropped off one of my favorite watches at my local watch repair place to get the band fixed. It doesn't matter if your wear the watches or not. Eventually, they all just fall apart by themselves. I doubt that I'll wear this watch anymore, but it was an old friend that deserved some respect. I have no idea how the watch broke. It's been sitting in a drawer for years.

Dot seemed so tired today. I don't think the Tramadol pills are having much of an effect. I had hoped that they might help her walk a little easier, but that isn't happening. We'll continue the pills for a few days longer in case there is some sort of delayed reaction, but I think this is just an experiment that failed. I wish it were easier to transport Dot. I think the water therapy still might help, but I hate to put Dot through the ordeal of getting her to the vet and back on a regular basis if all it does is cause her stress.

Maybe something interesting will happen tomorrow. I'm not counting on it though.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2496

I'm confused. When I took Dot to the cancer center today, I was prepared for bad news. To me, Dot seems to be growing weaker. She stumbled a lot this week and seems to be having a harder time walking without assistance. What do I know though? The oncologist, the ultrasound technician, and two nurses all thought Dot looked stronger and more alert than the last time they saw her. Her lab work and scan seemed to confirm their opinion. Dot's tumors are stable and haven't grown at all since her last scan. Her blood work is actually better than it was a month ago. This is all good news, but I still wonder why she seems so weak around the house.

I'm really mad at the city. For the fourth week in a row, the trash truck has failed to empty my trash. Not only was my bagged trash not removed from the can, the robotic arm on the truck actually damaged my brand new trash can. Now, there's a big dent in the can and the lid won't close. I piled the trash in the back of my car and went looking for a dumpster again. I'm tired of this. I called city services when I got home and after a long wait on hold, explained my problem to someone. Nothing got resolved today, but I did get assigned a case number and was told that someone from the sanitation department would be calling me next week.

I didn't get to go out for breakfast this morning, since a thunderstorm was headed our way. I could see lightning on the horizon and hear distant thunder, but we managed to get the dogs walked before the rain actually arrived. The short walk around the block with both dogs went just fine, but Dash almost got me struck by lightning when he refused to curtail his longer walk as the rain continued to get closer. Dash can be pretty stubborn sometimes. By the time we returned home, the sky was looking dark and ominous. I found another package of frozen waffles in the freezer and listened to the rain pounding on the roof while I kept telling Dot that everything was going to be OK.

I've been worried that the new Tramadol pills were going to make Dot constipated, but she put those fears to rest by pooping in the car on the way home from the cancer center. Poor car. Today, it's been pooped in and full of garbage within the same day. It's harder to clean Dot up after she's had an accident in the car. Since she's in a confined space, she can't move away from the mess. Sometimes, it takes me a while before I can safely pull off to the side of the road and attend to her as well. Such is life. It's hard to imagine a trip in the car without one of these accidents these days.

I picked up some Chinese take out for dinner and was dismayed to see that the restaurant had taken all the small sizes off the menu. I used to have a choice of small or large on everything. Not anymore. Absolutely nothing stays the same anymore. Oh, well. At least the restaurant is still in business. I hope we have a quiet, uneventful weekend. I need some time to rest and recharge my batteries before I resume my battle with the city over trash pickup. I'm beginning to think that the robotic arm on the truck has some kind of sensor that rejects my can when it discovers it is full of dog poop.

Abby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2494

We started Dot on the Tramadol pills today. She didn't initially seem any stronger, but she was awake and active for longer periods of time. Does this mean that she is feeling better and has more energy, or does it mean that the pills are making her agitated and irritable? I really don't know. In practical terms it meant that Dot sat up in her bed and barked for me to come help her move a lot more often. We went outside quite a bit today, only to turn around and come right back inside again. It will take a few more days to see whether these pills are helping or not. I'd be happy if the Tramadol was making her feel better, but I'd hate to add one more level of frustration to her life. The whole point of the pills is to try and make her rear legs a little stronger. If all they do is make her bark more, I think we'll discontinue them.

Since work was slow today, I thought I'd try to tie up a few loose ends. I inquired about the estate of one of my relatives that has been in probate for well over a year. The attorneys didn't seem to know any more than I did. They promised that they'd check on the status for me, but I got the distinct impression that they'd totally forgotten about the estate. I actually have no idea how long it normally takes for an estate to wind its way through the probate process, but a year and a half seems like a long time.

I called the roofers again today and practically begged them to come out and finish their repair before the next big rain. They keep telling me that they'll be out as soon as they can and that actual leaks have to take priority over potential leaks. Fine. I'm going to have an actual leak pretty soon if I can't get these defective areas on the roof patched properly.

I've quit watching the news while I eat breakfast and have started watching old Star Trek and Dr. Who episodes instead. The upcoming election is really starting to get on my nerves. Why do we have to choose between a totally incompetent candidate and a totally corrupt candidate? It doesn't even matter who wins. The next four years are going to be pretty messy because half of the country hates the other half. We have become the Humpty Dumpty nation. The acrimony and division have become so great that I don't think all the kings horses and all the kings men could ever bring us all back together again. I don't see many yard signs this year. It's like a poker game where everyone is holding their cards close to the vest. People don't want to get in a fight with their neighbors or their family, but in the privacy of the voting booth they will express their frustration. It's almost like a bloodless civil war.

I can't decide whether to move this week's trash to the new can the city provided or just wait until next week to inaugurate things. It's a bit messy to move trash from one can to another, but it's not nearly as messy as cleaning up poop. At any rate, this will probably be my big decision of the day tomorrow. The little bird I photographed today doesn't look very happy. Maybe these two birds have been arguing about the election.

Kuuipo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2493

The city delivered a new garbage can to our house today. What a surprise. I wasn't expecting them to be so responsive. The new can looks suspiciously like the old can, but we'll give it a try this Friday. If this can doesn't get emptied properly, I may have to paint a sign on the side, telling the trash truck driver to "give it a shake,"

It was discouraging to go up on the roof today and see that the special coating the roofers applied continues to deteriorate. I don't know if the problem is with the elastometric coating itself or with the way it was applied. Something is definitely wrong. I'm kind of at the mercy of the roofers, since I don't have the knowledge or ability to fix this problem myself. I need to call the roofers again, because all it's going to take is a few more good rains and my potential leak is going to turn into an actual leak.

I picked up Dot's pain pills at the vet this afternoon. The receptionist said they were still locked in the safe. I didn't know that Tramadol was a controlled substance like phenobarbital. I guess it makes sense, since it is a synthetic opiate. Dot's vet thinks that a low dose of Tramadol might help with the weakness in her back legs. I'm a little nervous, but this is a very low dose, so we'll give it a try.

I made our Thanksgiving dinner reservations. This elaborate holiday brunch has gotten very popular and the price seems to go up every year. I guess it's worth it though, since neither of us feels like cooking. Hopefully, we'll have better luck than we did last year when an unexpected dog emergency forced us to cancel our reservations at the last minute.

When I took yesterday's letters back to the post office, I mailed out my October invoices as well. My monthly billings are so small now, compared with what they used to be, that it seems pathetic to even send them. The monthly bills are relentless though, and every little bit helps. It's been a long time since I bought an expensive camera lens or piece of electronic gear on a whim. I really have to plan my frivolous purchases now and it it often takes months to save up the money. Oh, well. It was good while it lasted. I have to remember that I started my company in 1990 and twenty five years is a long time in my line of work. A lot of my contemporaries bit the dust long before I did.

I got a surprise text from a high school friend who was in town for the day and wondered if I wanted to meet him downtown. It might have been fun to catch up on things, but going downtown for a long lunch is out of the question these days. I'm glad I didn't go. Dot had kind of a bad day today. She does best when she takes her walks and then rests for most of the day. Sometimes she gets frustrated and tries to stay active and ends up tiring herself out. That's what happened today. I could tell she was getting exhausted and starting to stumble as I walked her around the house, but she just didn't want to sleep. It happens sometimes.

I have no plans for tomorrow, but I'm sure it will feel like a busy day anyway. I"m convinced that those hamsters who spend their day spinning a hamster wheel inside their cage feels like they've been busy too.

Katy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1959

When Dash woke up this morning, his limp was much worse. This was an unexpected surprise, since for several days his condition had been getting better. Dash refused to put any weight on the leg with the cut paw pad today and hopped around on three legs. This was not good. He could easily tear his cruciate on the remaining good rear leg if he continues to walk this way. It was clear that Dash needed immediate medical attention and I was lucky to be able to get him in to see Dot's vet today on very short notice. My initial worry was that he had torn a cruciate ligament, but the vet said that he was beginning to get an infection under his paw pad instead. It happens. We left with prescriptions for Clavamox, Rimadyl, and Tramadol, along with instructions to return for another exam if his condition hasn't started to improve within 72 hours. It's hard to imagine that a little cut could cause so many problems, but the vet said to imagine a paper cut on your finger, only ten times worse. There are lots of nerve endings in a dog's paw and this type of injury can be very painful.

Dealing with two dogs who are having trouble walking at the same time isn't quite as difficult as it was dealing with Dot and Dash when they both had cancer at the same time, but it definitely is tiring. Whenever you're trying to help one dog go outside, you're always wondering what the other dog is doing inside. When there's time, I always try to pen the dog I leave behind in a safe secure place. When either of these dogs has to poop though, you have to act fast. Neither one can hold it very long and there have already been a few accidents. Even the vet agrees that I have two very high maintenance Dalmatians right now.

Lately, every day of nice weather seems to be followed by a day of terrible weather. Today was grey and stormy again. Yesterday's nice weather didn't even last 24 hours. Luckily, it didn't rain while I was driving Dash to the vet. He doesn't ride well in the car even on a sunny day. Since he wouldn't go near the hammock contraption I use for Dot, I had to completely reconfigure the car and make the rear section flat again. Dash usually hops in the back when I open the tailgate, but since he can't hop anymore, I have to lift him up to get him inside. Did I mention that Dash hates to be picked up. He squirms around and squeals like something terrible is about to happen. I had a hard time even getting him in the car today. As I said, I have two very high maintenance dogs.

I hope the antibiotics kick in soon. Dash really needs to start getting better in a hurry. I have a feeling that I'll be having my own problems after the dreaded dental surgery. Maybe the dental work will go smoothly and there won't be painful side effects. I hope! I'm not expecting miracles though. Nothing else has gone smoothly this month. Why should my luck change now? It's weird that Dot was actually walking better than Dash today. It just goes to show that you should never take anything for granted.

Needless to say, work hasn't been going terribly smoothly either. There have been some miscommunication here and there this week and several things have had to be done over. I blame it on the weather. When is this rain ever going to stop? It's certainly not the end of the world, but a few days of sunshine and a little luck would definitely improve my mood.

Chance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1901

Although the weather got even worse overnight, Dot continues to get better. I was amazed that Dot's medical team even managed to get to the hospital today, since roads throughout the area were a sheet of ice when we woke up this morning. We were a little nervous when we didn't get our usual morning progress report phone call from the neurologist, but I imagine that things were pretty hectic at the hospital today. When we did get the call, everyone was all smiles. Dot continues to beat the odds with her amazing strength and determination. The neurologist told me that she and and others at the hospital find it hard to believe how old Dot actually is, since she continues to act like a much younger dog.

Dot is using her legs more than she was yesterday and appears to be in good spirits. Her appetite is good and she is sleeping well without strong sedatives. The hospital has already discontinued narcotic painkillers like Tramadol because Dot doesn't appear to need them. I'm glad they did this. I've never liked Tramadol anyway. It can be very addictive and has been responsible for many more accidental overdose deaths in humans than most people realize.

If Dot continues to improve at her current rate, she may end up being one of the lucky dogs who begin walking again in two or three weeks. Her nurse says she is already trying to put weight on her rear legs, although she still receives support from the Help "Em Up Harness whenever she tries to move. When I was using the harness with Dot before her surgery I could easily tell when she was trying to walk. There is a handle on the rear part of the harness just above the dogs hips and you hold it so the rear legs touch the ground without having to bear much weight. It feels a bit like being a puppeteer. As you get better at using the harness, you can sense when the muscles are working and when to provide more support. You can even encourage natural leg motion with subtle movement of your wrist. I think it is fantastic that Dot is already tentatively trying to walk, because I have heard that it can take up to three months before this happens.

The weather is so bad that Dot is much better off at the hospital that she'd be at home right now. Our yard is still slick and icy and the house is a bit chilly. Luckily, our furnace is working great this winter and there haven't been any problems with roof leaks. I'm used to spending lots of time in the house, but Janet is already getting cabin fever. She was determined to get out today and decided to go do her usual Saturday errands anyway despite the bad roads.

As the day progressed, the traffic in front of the house began to move faster and faster until I eventually became convinced that the roads were safe. I bundled up in a warm coat and left to do my errands as well. This was probably a mistake. The first thing I encountered was an enormous downed tree that had fallen across the road, blocking all but a single lane of traffic. When I successfully navigated this logjam, I quickly discovered that everyone in town had cabin fever. The roads were actually crowded today.

Most roads were clear and dry, except when they weren't. There were still patches of black ice here and there and they often caught people driving fifty miles an hour completely by surprise. Even though most of the ice had melted by mid-afternoon, I still saw quite a few wrecks. I drive slowly in this type of weather, never braking hard and coasting to a stop wherever I can. I'm always keeping an eye on my rear view mirror. I learned to drive in Alaska where the roads were icy all Winter. Ice is seldom the problem. It's the driver behind you who ignores the ice that causes most of the wrecks.

Dash has already appropriated Dot's special new dog bed. This is a minor problem though. Dogs are just like children in many ways. Tomorrow we will work on getting the house ready for Dot's return. If her progress continues, she could come home as soon as Monday afternoon.

Connor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1685

Dot has turned the corner. We discontinued her Tramadol last night, because it made her so loopy, we couldn't tell if she was getting better or worse. She slept well without the powerful drug, and when she woke up this morning, she was almost back to her old self. Hoping for the best, we fed the dogs their breakfast and took them down the hill to the park for a short walk. All systems were go this time. After eleven long days, Dot finally pooped. I don't think I've been so happy to see a dog poop in a long time.

We've still got a long way to go, but the surgery now appears to be a success. Every day, Dot gets a little stronger. We're starting to mix some dry kibble in with her critical care diet and she's eating it. Today, she walked about 200 yards, instead of yesterday's 50 feet. She doesn't need my assistance when getting up from her dog bed anymore. She's rather do it herself. These are baby steps, but they are important ones.

It's still not wise to leave Dot alone, but Janet and I were able to take turns running errands and got a lot done anyway. We were each even able to go to the gym. I haven't been to the gym for several weeks during this extended dog crisis and my body let me know I was getting rusty. I'll be sore tomorrow, but still not as sore as Dot. She's still got to be uncomfortable from the surgery, but from all appearances, she seems to actually feel better now than the days just before her hospitalization. This tumor must have been bothering her for a long time.

I'm still worried about the pathology report on the tumor that was removed last Tuesday. There's nothing I can do about the results. We'll just learn what Dot's body already knew some time ago. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it. We haven't come this far to give up. As Dot's life slowly returns to normal, I need to make an effort to get my own life back to normal as well. I'm behind on several projects, but I'll get caught up. I'm glad my priorities put the dogs first, but you can only ignore work for so long. There are always bills to pay.

I stocked up on food at Central Market this afternoon, so I won't have to leave the house while Janet is away at work. I can still walk Dash very early in the morning while she's getting dressed. Dash seems to prefer these early walks anyway. Long quiet days with a convalescing dog are actually pretty conducive to website work. Hopefully Dot will continue to improve day-by-day as I sit nearby, writing the code that will eventually pay her vet bills.

Deuce is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1684

Dot passed another milestone today. We took her back to the cancer center this morning, where they removed her surgical bandages and examined her incision to make sure it was healing properly. There was no leakage or infection at the incision site and the doctors were pleased with her progress. Now all we've got to do is get her to poop. We've already passed the initial deadline when her gut was supposed to start working again, but the doctors still tell us not to worry. They say that some dogs take five or six days after surgery before the intestines start working normally again. Hmm. Unless I'm doing the math wrong, it's already been five days. Dot did lose a lot of weight during her week on IV fluids. Probably a lot of the special low fiber food she's eating now is just being absorbed to help rebuild her body.

Dot's appetite is pretty good now, but we don't want to feed her too much until she starts eliminating what she's eating. After all we've been through so far, we definitely don't need a blockage. A week without eating can change a lot of things. Dot's rear legs have been weak for quite a while. That's why she's been using the underwater treadmill for physical therapy. Since she lost five pounds during hospitalization, her muscle tone isn't as good as it should be, and her legs are shaky again. She definitely can't take the long walks in the park that usually inspire her to poop. I know she'd like to eat more now, but until food starts passing through her system, it could be dangerous.

To complicate things further, the Tramadol she has to take for pain often causes constipation. We've got a dog that isn't pooping, but pees when she sleeps, since some of the many drugs she's taking impair bladder control. I'm convinced that all this is temporary and am still hopeful. Dot appears to be a little stronger with each passing day. We did go out and buy some waterproof crib pads at a baby store for her to sleep on though. She still likes to sleep on the bed and I'd hate to ruin the mattress. Needless to say, we're doing a lot of laundry.

Our cooler than normal Summer appears to be over. It got up to 103 today. The brutal heat is hard on Dot. She likes spending time outdoors, but not in this kind of weather. None of us like this kind of weather. When it got a bit cooler after dinner, we tried taking Dot and Dash on a very short walk in the park, thinking the familiar smells might put Dot in the mood. It didn't work. Dot was too tired and we returned home after a walk of only 50 feet.

Despite my disdain for Walmart, I got a prescription filled there today. My doctor told me that the drug, which is not typically covered by insurance, would be cheaper at Walmart. I didn't expect that it would be twice as cheap. It really makes you wonder what is going on in the world of medicine when the cost of a drug can vary by 100%, just depending on where you buy it.

Against my better judgement, I made a short social media comment supporting a good friend's position on Israel. Almost immediately, I was chastised by another friend all the way over in Norway for not supporting the Palestinians. I usually don't talk about politics on social media and this is why. The world has become so polarized that it is almost impossible to talk about anything without starting a flame war. I still prefer to talk about dogs. Everybody loves dogs.

Smokey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1604

It seemed important to catch up on things today. I attacked a big stack of unpaid bills, wrote checks for all of them, and took them to the post office. Utility and telecommunications bills are especially irritating, because they seem to go up almost every month, with no improvement in service whatsoever. I changed my data plan on my phone last month to lower my bill, and just one month later I discover that they've raised my rate on my new "lowered" bill. Very frustrating.

I also got a long overdue haircut this afternoon. With a busy work schedule and lots of dog problems, I haven't had time for anything but the absolute necessities this Spring. A haircut certainly isn't a necessity, but mine was getting so unruly that it was getting pretty close. It's much better now. I'll be able to go out in public for at least another month without embarrassing myself.

Dash continues to improve every day. He is stronger now and is starting to take normal walks again. He still isn't up to speed however, since Dot, who is usually the one who tires out first, is in the lead on our walks these days. This is good in a way, since it's easier now to get both dog's turned around for the trip home when Dot gets tired. It's hard to tell how much the radiation burn on Dash's neck is bothering him, since he is still taking the Tramadol for pain. The wound looks better though. It's not nearly as red and raw looking as it was last week. I don't think it will be too long before we can resume our trips to the dog park and re-join our training class.

It was hard to get excited about my writing assignments today. Call me old fashioned, but I still think the primary purpose of writing should be to educate and entertain. When the primary purpose is just to improve someone's SEO rank, it can get pretty boring. I shouldn't complain about the writing jobs though. The website design work isn't particularly exciting either.

I've started to notice that one-by-one, most of the friends I grew up with are starting to retire. The ones who spent their careers at large corporations or working for the government all retired first. Now, even the people who didn't wind up with a great pension are considering retirement. This includes most people in advertising. You might make a good salary while you're working, but you don't generally take a lot away from the table when you leave. The self-styled artists and the folks who got divorced too often are the only ones who never talk about retirement. Most of them can't afford to retire. I generally put myself in the "artist" category. Maybe that's why I occasionally find myself envying former coworkers who seem to spend all their time traveling the world after they've sold their house and moved to their beautiful mountain or seaside vacation home.

They're still predicting severe storms in the area tomorrow. That's why I got most of my errands taken care of today. If it rains tomorrow, we'll do what we usually do. I'll write articles and revise websites right up until the power goes out.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1598

Dash appears to be getting depressed. He is lethargic and spends most of the day sleeping under my desk. He isn't even interested in taking his walks anymore. I called the cancer center to explain what was going on and as expected, they told me that this was normal for the final stages of radiation treatment. They said I should put him back on Tramadol, because a lot of this behavior could be explained by pain. "Dogs don't always react to pain the same way we do," the nurse told me. This made me feel bad, because just two days ago I was convinced that his odd behavior was actually caused by the pain medication. It doesn't really help that we were warned about everything that is happening now. It is still very unsettling.

When I went to see my hepatologist today, I kind of expected some sort of graduation ceremony. Hey, I was finished, wasn't I? Instead, I just received another blood test and an appointment to come back again in three months. After the three month test, I will come back for yet another test six months after that, and then once a year for the foreseeable future. "You guys are being pretty cautious," I told the hepatologist. "Does this disease ever come back again?" "Very rarely," she said, "but it does happen."

My doctors and veterinarians have been able to accomplish some amazing things, but they are still very cautious about making promises. I guess they have good reason to be cautious. Life is complex and full of surprises. When I think of what happened with my parents as they got older and the outcomes of past illnesses and injuries, I'll have to admit that I was seldom prepared for what actually happened. Sometimes the results were much better than I expected, and other times they were worse. What doctors really offer is hope. There are no guarantees in life.

At least Dash only has two more radiation treatments to go. There is one tomorrow and the final treatment is on Monday. The oncologist and the entire team at the cancer center love Dash. They also thing he is doing extremely well, despite the discomfort he is experiencing now. This should be reassuring, but I'll just be glad when this long journey is over. If Dash could talk, I'll sure he would agree.

Work was very, very busy today. There was nothing to get excited about, but nothing that could be ignored either. Janet is even busier than I am. She leaves before sunrise and returns long after sunset. I think we both thought we would be taking it easy by now, but like I mentioned earlier, life is full of surprises and there are no guarantees. You've just got to take things one day at a time. Our dogs are still with us and a lot of hard work allows us to take care of them properly. I guess that's a fair bargain.

Betsy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1596

I took my last Sovaldi pill this morning. There are still a few Ribavirin pills left, as a result of the time when they lowered my dosage to compensate for a low blood platelet count. I'll need to call my nurse at the liver center tomorrow and see what they want me to do with the remaining pills. Your guess is as good as mine on this one. Maybe the two pills are only meant to be used together, or just as plausibly, the Ribavirin may still be useful on its own. I'm just glad that I've just about put this segment of my life behind me.

Dash has some medication issues of his own. The cancer center gave him some Tramadol on Monday to alleviate pain associated with the radiation sore on his neck. He never seemed to be in pain though, and after only one day, the medication is making him wonky. One of the side effects of Tramadol is that it can make you very drowsy, or in rare cases even appear sedated. I'm not sure Dash was actually sedated, but he certainly seemed out of it for most of the day. I think I'll discontinue the medication. It would be one thing if he was really in pain, but I think this drug is making matters worse. When I told Dot's physical therapy vet what was happening with Dash, she said that she'd be more likely to prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent a secondary infection than to use a pain pill at this point. It's frustrating that vets, like my own human doctors, rarely agree on everything. All I know is that Dash acted perfectly normally before he started taking the pain medication. Now, he is acting loopy.

Dot wasn't as relaxed as she normally is at her acupuncture session. She appeared a bit stressed today. Maybe it was just that kind of day. Everyone I encountered today seemed a bit stressed. Sadly, I'd have to include myself in this category as well. We got slowed down by road construction on our way to the vet. One of my nagging website problems has reared its ugly head again. I'm even behind on my writing assignments. It's only Tuesday as well. At least there were no tornadoes here. The weather was beautiful again today. Lets hope these nice Spring days continue for a while.

I forgot to put a large black plastic bag full of garbage in the trash can yesterday evening and awoke this morning to discover that racoons had torn the bag apart and strewn garbage all over the back yard. I don't know why I left the bag at the back gate without actually placing it in the garbage can, but that's how your memory gets when you get older. I'll certainly remember to complete this chore now. Those racoons really made a mess of things. It took me forever to get everything cleaned up again so the dogs wouldn't go looking for stray chicken bones or other things they shouldn't be eating.

It's hard to believe that April is over already. Tomorrow is the last day of the month. Before long, I'll be complaining about the relentless Texas heat and wondering how to get rid of the wasp nests that appear every June. I seriously doubt that I could go a week without complaining if my life depended on it.

Parker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 842

I took Dot to the vet today. They suspect that she has Spondylosis and want to see if Tramadol will help. I think we already knew she had Spondylosis, but it certainly could be getting worse. The alternatives in situations like these are typically anti-inflammatory drugs or surgery. Since spinal surgery is pretty serious, vets often recommend Rimadyl. I'm glad the vet didn't recommend Rimadyl again, because I think this drug was the cause of Petey's kidney failure. Tramadol seems safer than Rimadyl, because it doesn't tend to cause liver or kidney problems. It has been known to cause seizures however, and it seems a bit strange to prescribe something that can cause seizures for a dog that has just had a seizure. I probably shouldn't second guess the vet, but I tend to second guess everyone.

We got our first U-verse bill today and it was a lot higher than I thought it would be. Telephone company bills always seem higher than they should be, because when they are quoting you a price, they never include all the taxes and fees that the government tacks on to your bill. I think this bill was high because it included a partial month of service in addition to the normal full month. There were also some one time installation charges tacked on to the bill. We'll see if things average out over time. The electrician's bill for installing the mercury vapor lamp was also higher than I expected. They charged for two service calls, even though they did nothing on the first visit. They brought the wrong part and said they'd come out another day. I definitely don't think I should have to pay for that.

Being overcharged seems to be a recurring theme this month. The hospital is trying to charge me more than they quoted for the MRI I had in January. The furnace folks sent me a bill for something the technician said would be free. The electrician's bill was definitely too high. I can't wait to get the bill from my accountant for doing my taxes.

When I'm up on the roof sweeping the standing water off, I get a nice bird's eye view of the entire yard. Today, I saw all sorts of problems that need to be dealt with. Creeping vines are attacking the small trees and shrubs again. I need to pull all these vines up before they strangle the shrubs and kill them like they did a few years ago. There are still a ton of dead limbs on the trees as well. I thought I got most of them last month, but apparently not. Then there's the house itself. The gutters are rusting and need to be replaced. There's some rotting wood on the carport. I need to plug all the little holes under the eves with spray foam too, before those pesky bees return. After all the problems I had last year, I definitely don't want bees again.

I finally made an appointment with Betty for a haircut tomorrow. I think I'm about two months overdue. I've been real busy lately, but there are limits to how bad I'm willing to look. Lately, when I shave in the morning, I see Don Imus staring back at me from the bathroom mirror. That's bad! I really need a haircut.

Angel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day