Day 3691

How can it be February already? It seems like I was trying to stay awake until midnight on New Year's Eve just a few days ago. Time flies. Tomorrow, we'll be watching the Superbowl again. I guess I'm for Kansas City although I don't know why. I haven't really followed either team this season. I hope the ads are better this year. I think Superbowl advertising has been going downhill for quite some time. I'm pretty old school. I still want to see a Budweiser ad with Clydesdales and a Dalmatian. I used to always go to a special game day Superbowl Sale at a clothing store that was once a client of mine. They had some great bargains, but I think the sale has been discontinued. Like almost everything else in life, Superbowl Sunday doesn't seem as familiar anymore.

When I was running errands this morning, I noticed that a little neighborhood watch repair shop I used for many years had gone out of business. The building was empty. Even the sign was gone. This made me a little sad. The owner was a nice guy but he was in poor health. The last time I saw him, he told me that he had to go in for dialysis three times a week. I wouldn't be surprised if he died. I wish I'd gone in to visit a few more times while the store was still open. I'm not all that interested in watches anymore, but I still could have stopped to say hello. Now the store is empty and I'll never know what happened. I can't even remember the guy's name.

I guess the press office folks at Kennedy Space Center don't work on weekends. I still had some questions on Friday but haven't received any answers yet. The schedule has changed so much that I'm not sure what to do now. Some of the most interesting parts of the event have been canceled and now there is a down day with nothing to do between all the briefings and the actual launch. I'd like to find out if I have the option to go to some of the events, but not all. Maybe I'll find out something on Monday. I'm reluctant to add another day to this already lengthy  trip, but I might have to.

This has been one weird winter. For now, I'm not complaining though. Today was beautiful. The sky was clear and it felt like an early spring day. I should have gone up on the roof this afternoon and maybe even washed my car, but I'm too slow for this many activities in a single day. After I ran my usual Saturday errands and took my walk, the day was essentially over. I'll probably regret not getting more done today because I just noticed that it might snow next Wednesday.

The building where Dot and Dash got cancer treatments was badly damaged by the tornado we had several months ago. I just learned that they decided not to rebuild and permanently closed the office instead. Now dogs will have to go to the clinic's Fort Worth office for treatment. I can't help but think how bad this would be if your dog was in the middle of treatment when the tornado hit. Dot and Dash had to go to the cancer center several times a week for radiation and chemotherapy treatments. It was hard enough to transport them to the nearby clinic when they were sick. Taking them to an entirely different city three times a week would have been a full time job.

No more Superbowl Sale. No more neighborhood watch repairman. No more convenient cancer center. And a whole new schedule for the Solar Orbiter launch. Why does everything have to keep changing?

Myles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3359

I started making arrangements to go to Johnson Space Center. Where did I get the idea I could fly to Houston for around $100? Seems like I've flown there for less than $100 before. Oh, well. I guess it's been a while. Uber and Lyft didn't even exist the last time I took a trip. I probably need to get with the times and download the Uber app. Janet likes Uber. I've never tried ride sharing. It's probably been five years since I hailed a cab. There just isn't much need for such things when you're going to the post office.

I wasn't always reluctant to travel. I used to travel frequently on business and even had clients in Europe. Jeez. I think I still have over 150,000 unused AAdvantage miles. Something has changed. Janet and I have enjoyed spending time in Athens, Paris, and Barcelona but now Fort Worth seems like the other side of the world. I just don't want to go anywhere. Maybe this little trip to Houston will break the travel curse. Maybe it will make me even more reclusive. Who knows. At least I'm still game to try things.

I certainly didn't go far today. The car never left the driveway. Dash did get two walks though and I managed to put 10,000 steps on the Fitbit. It was still below freezing on our morning walk and there was frost on all the vegetation. I was surprised at how quickly things warmed up. By the time we took our evening walk, the temperature was almost 60 degrees. I think it's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. That's fine by me. Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday. This seems like a good time to start Spring as well.

Dash has a big exam tomorrow morning. He's due for a complete blood panel and an echocardiogram. Fingers crossed. I really hope the vet notices the improvements we've been seeing lately. It really seems like Dash is feeling a little better but it certainly would be nice to get some medical confirmation of what Janet and I have been seeing. It's easy to imagine things that aren't really there. Wishful thinking can be a very powerful thing.

I'm supposed to get another roofing estimate tomorrow. I don't look forward to anything connected with this roof. I wish I could just limp along with the current roof for another ten years, but it isn't going to happen. I've already spent a huge amount of time and effort trying to patch this thing and it just isn't working. One way or another, a new roof is in my future. I still wish it was a new car instead.

Wow. Two things on the calendar for tomorrow. By my standards, that's a very busy day. I wish I could convince Dash not to poop in the car on the way to the vet. We haven't been very lucky recently. The last time we went to the cancer center we barely made it out of the driveway before he pooped. Maybe things will go well. A good report from the vet and a low estimate from the roofer would be appreciated.

Anne is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3203

Another month has come and gone. It's getting harder and harder to give Dash his monthly heartworm pill. The pills are large and it is difficult to hide them. When we finished the morning meds and cleaned up the poop on the floor, the first of October was pretty much the same as the end of September.

I saw some people setting up what appeared to be a small circus while Dash and I were out walking this morning. The circus folks better hope it doesn't rain. They were putting their tent in an area that routinely floods. October is packed with outdoor events. The State Fair has already started and in addition to the small circus, there was an Octoberfest celebration going on in another section of the park. I studiously avoid all these events. I don't like crowds. When the dogs were young, we took them to a few outdoor events. They usually had fun because there was almost always food involved. I don't know when the circus starts, but we'll probably change our route for a few days. It's a lot easier to deal with a dog who can barely walk and is likely to poop on your shoe in an area devoid of other people.

I was disappointed to learn that none of my trains sold in September. I was getting used to consistent sales and a check at the first of the month. Maybe October will be better. These trains would make a great gift for a railfan. Hopefully, my friend can sell quite a few during the holiday season.

I had to go to the storage warehouse and bring home another rug for Dash. Pretty soon all Dot's rugs are going to be back in the house. They're ugly, but if they help keep Dash standing, they're worth it. I took some little rugs back when I picked up the bigger ones to avoid unnecessary clutter. I got ahead of myself though. I had to go back to the storage warehouse and retrieve the little rug to fill a slippery place in the kitchen. Hopefully all is well for at least a few more weeks.

Dash has another big exam at the cancer center later this week. I wish there was something they could do that would actually make him better, rather than just monitor his decline. I hope Dash doesn't suffer from Peripheral Neuropathy in addition to all his other ailments. He's certainly starting to exhibit a lot of the classic symptoms. He definitely has a problem with his mouth. If it's an abscess or a decayed tooth, I don't know what we are going to do. Most of his doctors don't think he could survive anesthesia.

I applied for the NASA event in Houston later this month and paid a few of the early October bills. There was some last minute paperwork I needed to sign with the auction house and some routine correspondence that needed to be answered. I didn't have the energy to fight with the roofers again. I'll grit my teeth and try to do that tomorrow.

I'm glad they got a trade deal settled today. It was certainly good for the market. I'm glad Elon Musk got his problems resolved as well. I don't think he was treated fairly by the SEC at all. Few people noticed these events because everyone was fighting about other things. So far the confirmation circus has only succeeded in raising my resting heart rate. I can't think of anything else that might have caused this.

Tori is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3044

The roofers came over today. They didn't do anything of course. It had rained overnight and the roof was covered with water. Nevertheless, I was happy to see the guys. I went up on the roof with them and showed them were the damage was. They promised to come back and fix things as soon as we get some warm, dry weather. Lord know how long it will take to get warm, dry weather, but I am determined to get this roof fixed.

There's a new wrinkle in Dash's continuing health saga. He's started coughing in his sleep at night. At first I thought he might have kennel cough, but that is unlikely. Dash is seldom around other dogs and he doesn't cough at all during the day. Coughing during sleep is a known complication associated with an enlarged heart. We've known for a while that Dash does have an enlarged heart, so maybe this is the problem. There is also a slim possibility that Dash's thyroid cancer has returned and spread to his lungs. I called the cancer center and had a nice conversation with Dash's nurse. The doctor won't be in until tomorrow morning, but the nurse thought that Dash's enlarged heart was the problem too. It's unclear what the doctor will want to do at this point, but I hope Dash doesn't have to take more meds. He's taking way too much medication already.

We're waiting for a package. For the past four days the Fedex Ground has said that there was an attempt to deliver but nobody was home. Wrong! We've been home every single time. The guy never even came to the door. This has happened before with Fedex Ground. UPS, Amazon Prime, and the Post Office have no problem finding our house, but the Fedex Ground drivers don't even try. I don't know how we are going to get this package. I looked up the facility on Google and there was a seemingly endless list of one star reviews. It was clear that we weren't the only people having this problem. Fedex Express is still pretty good, but Fedex Ground is worthless. I don't know how they stay in business.

I didn't even try to walk Dash this afternoon. The weather was cold and nasty and I don't think Dash was in the mood anyway. He's seemed a bit lethargic all day. I really hope he isn't having problems with his heart again. When we got the news that his blood clot had apparently dissolved, I was elated. I thought we could finally scratch one of Dash's many problems off the list. Unfortunately, it looks like this isn't over yet. I'm not sure when we can schedule a new exam, but hopefully Dash's doctor will have a solution to the coughing problem.

I've discovered that practicing the piano is a great way to kill time. I've been working my way through some of the online lessons I've downloaded and am pleasantly surprised with the progress I'm making. It probably helps that I used to be able to play the piano, but it's been a long, long time. Interactive online lessons are pretty cool. So far, it seems like a great way to learn to read sheet music. It's probably easier than learning German too. That was the last thing I tried to learn online.

I hope the weather improves tomorrow. It seems way too late in the year to have the furnace running.

Pogo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2932

I took down the Christmas tree today. For a moment I thought about just leaving it up for the rest of the year. I wasn't feeling nostalgic about the holiday. I just didn't feel like putting everything away. On further reflection I realized that taking the tree down was much easier than removing the water from the roof or working on my website project, so the tree is gone.

I think this morning was our coldest morning yet. Our outdoor thermometer registered 17 degrees when I woke up. On our morning walk I noticed that the lake was starting to freeze over. Wow. It's been at least ten years since I've seen any ice on the lake. The ice certainly didn't last long. By mid-afternoon the temperature had risen to a balmy 47 degrees. As they say in Texas, if you don't like the weather, wait a few hours. I hope our cold spell is over for a while. It is certainly easier to walk Dash when the weather is reasonable.

I took some of the Christmas stuff back to the storage warehouse and put the rest in a closet. Dash sleeps so soundly now that he never even noticed that I was gone. I should have taken care of a few more errands while I was out, but I didn't feel like it. I'm definitely getting off to a slow start this year.

I thought that balancing my checkbook would be a good way to start the year, but Quickbooks and my bank statements just didn't agree. Usually I can find errors pretty quickly, but it gets harder if you don't reconcile very often. After much searching, I finally found an automatic payment that I forgot to enter in Quickbooks back in October of last year. Automatic payments always trip me up. I'm sure there's a way to get Quickbooks to automatically enter these charges for me, but I never learned how. After all these years, my knowledge of Quickbooks is still pretty rudimentary.

I wonder if the entire year is going to be this way? My minimal routine does a pretty good job of filling the day, but I'll be the first to admit that very little actually happens. It's kind of amazing that I can fill an entire day with three or four simple activities. Walking Dash probably takes at least two hours. On cold days you can add another thirty minutes just to get his gear on. I easily spend two hours fixing and eating breakfast. Dinner doesn't take long, because I just warm up leftovers in the microwave. Lord knows how long I spend taking Dash out to pee. I always have to go out with him to make sure he doesn't eat cat poop. I must spend an hour a day looking at Facebook, but hey, everybody does that. Add an hour or so for taking mail to the post office and picking up prescription and there isn't that much time left. I really wonder how I used to get so much done.

Tomorrow is a big day for Dash. He's scheduled for another echocardiogram to monitor the blood clots in his heart. There will probably be new blood work and other tests as well. He actually seems to have more energy than the last time we ran these tests several months ago, so I'm hoping for good results. The specialists at the cancer center have become Dash's regular vets now. There's not a whole lot we can do at this point, but at least Dash is getting the best care he can get.

I can't really avoid the roof much longer. Maybe I'll remove the standing water tomorrow.

Chase is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2884

Today's echocardiogram revealed that the blood clots in Dash's heart had not gotten any smaller, but they had become denser. "Is this good or bad," I asked the doctor. He thought it was good news because a dense clot is less likely to break apart and travel to the brain or lungs. I'm disappointed that the clots have not become smaller after two months of taking Plavix, but I'm happy that Dash appears to be doing fine. Whatever caused him to quit eating and become fearful of taking a walk appears to be gone.

The doctor told us that he was getting over a bad cold and that his voice was raspy because he had strep throat. This alarmed me a bit because I have a terrible phobia of being around sick people. I'm convinced that the only way to become sick is to be around someone else who is sick. Most normal people don't have this attitude. Teachers, doctors, and nurses are around sick people so much that they take it all in stride. I spend so much time alone that a sick person in the room seems almost like seeing a snake or spider in the room. It makes me nervous. That being said, I'm glad the doctor came in today. He's a great vet who has really helped us navigate the complexities of cancer and other emergencies with Dot and Dash.

Breakfast turned out to be lunch today. Janet and I took Dash on a walk as soon as we got back from the cancer center and by the time we returned and I started making my morning smoothie, it was already past noon. Even though it was very late, I didn't even consider eating anything else. I'm convinced that Dash is stubborn about many things because he's learned this inflexible approach to life from me.

I got asked to be part of a big website rebranding project today. I've worked with these people before and I was delighted that they still wanted me on their team. On the other hand, I've worked with these people before and know how difficult their projects become. That's the trouble with sliding toward retirement. I used to look at hard jobs as a challenge. Now, I look at them with a sense of horror. I can do this though. I've done it before. This time it just might take me a little longer.

I feel the same way about the Santa Paws pictures I take every year for the Dalmatian Rescue group Janet and I volunteer with. I'm happy that everyone still seems to like these pictures, but every year it seems a little harder to shoot them. My equipment is old and so am I. At the end of the day, I'm exhausted. Luckily, we have a much lighter schedule than we used to in the old days. This year we only have two locations in early December. This is a lot easier than when there were six.

Even though taking Dash to the vet was the only thing that happened today, the day went quickly. This week's trash has been taken out to the curb, the laundry has been done, and I'm ready to search for a new restaurant tomorrow morning.

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2835

The news isn't good. Dash has two blood clots in his heart. I asked the vet how large and he told me that one of the clots was about the size of a quarter. How is that even possible? The vet said that the whistling sound Dash's heart murmur makes and all the seemingly unrelated symptoms we described to him made sense once he saw the clots on the echocardiogram. Dash's heart isn't pumping enough blood. This leaves him fatigued and probably uncomfortable at certain times of the day. He said the heart problem could also explain the loss of appetite.

We expected to find something wrong when we took Dash to the cancer center for an extensive series of tests today. We just didn't expect this. I thought Dash's cancer might have returned. Maybe the loss of appetite was a long term side effect of his vestibular disease. I never expected to find two giant blood clots inside his heart. I asked the vet how he planned to remove the clots and he just gave me a sad look.

"If you try to break up the clot, the smaller pieces could travel to the brain or lungs," he told me. "What about surgery," I asked. "There are no blood banks for dog blood," the vet said. "Without an adequate supply of blood, you can't hook the dog up to a heart lung machine during surgery like you would with a human patient." He said there have only been a small handful of successful open heart surgeries on dogs in the entire world.

This was not encouraging news. The vet wants Dash to start taking Plavix, to prevent additional clots from forming. He said that at least 50% of the time, the body will eventually reabsorb the existing clots and the dog will be fine. I filled the prescription and we starting giving Dash Plavix tonight. I don't think we have any other alternative. The downside to Plavix, and most other blood thinners, is that the blood no longer clots. If Dash cuts himself, he could bleed to death. When I think of all the times Dash has gotten cut, including his dewclaw injury just a few weeks ago, keeping him from getting cut seems like an impossible task.

It rained a lot this morning. I got up on the roof and removed the standing water before Janet and I took Dash to the cancer center. Since the leaves are starting to drop from all our trees, the roof was a mess. The leaves turn the water on the roof into little duck ponds that never drain. It's very discouraging. I did get a writing job today. Ordinarily, this would be good news. Dash's vet bill this afternoon was ten times what I'll make from the writing job. It kind of makes me wonder why I even bother.

It was not a great day, but you can't give up. I got some little rubber boots for Dash so he won't cut his paws on walks. He's done that several times before. I'll do my pitiful writing job and hope to get more of the same. I'll call the roofer again and hope that he keeps his promise to make things right.

At least it's Friday tomorrow. I'm not even sure if I'll go out for breakfast. I'm not very hungry. I'm just tired and discouraged.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2707

Today was discouraging. Dot ate, but not nearly as well as she did yesterday. When we went to the cancer center we didn't even do the regular battery of cancer tests. Dot's oncologist agreed with us that cancer wasn't Dot's biggest problem now. It is her ability to keep eating that will determine how long she is able to stay with us.

The oncologist was very kind. She spent a lot of time talking with us about end of life issues and helped us understand the critical things we need to be looking at before we make a final decision. You'd think pain would be the most important issue, but Dot's pain medication is so effective that Dot is not in pain. The oncologist said that you have to be careful not to get over confident with a dog that is taking Dot's medications. The powerful meds could be masking some serious conditions that would otherwise be evident. We need to keep an eye on Dot's anemia. It is getting worse, but it is not critical. We need to make sure Dot is well hydrated. Even though she is drinking water, she might not be getting enough.

The doctors and nurses at the cancer center have been watching Dot's decline for at least a year now. Dot's oncologist thinks now that she has a form of canine Alzheimer's disease, along with her many other ailments. Alzheimer's would explain a lot. A lot of times Dot seems to forget the most basic things, including how to eat. Not all vets agree that dogs can get Alzheimer's disease, but many think they can. In fact, some researchers are studying dogs with cognitive problems to help understand how Alzheimer's works in humans.

The trip to the cancer center made Dot very tired, so we weren't planning on taking a walk today. I took a short nap right after dinner and much to my surprise Janet told me that she and Dot walked to the park and back while I was asleep. Dot is definitely determined. She didn't eat enough today, but at least she tried. We were able to add canned tuna and flank steak to the short list of things she likes this week. I hope she still likes the tuna tomorrow. It's actually pretty good for her. We now try to feed her some of the Dogsure liquid supplement using a syringe every day to help insure that she is still getting enough nutrition with her constantly changing diet.

I may have lost one of my last remaining clients. I learned that the company owner is planning to use one of his sons to do his marketing now. This has happened to me before. I think everybody's kid has gone into marketing. That's what they all seem to do these days. Sometimes I get hired back however when the parents discover that their kids aren't quite as sharp as they thought they were. We'll see what happens. I'm kind of at the stage where I don't really care.

The audio gear I ordered last week arrived this afternoon and I didn't even open the box. That's what kind of day it's been. I'm totally focused on Dot now. If she still wants to keep on going for a few more weeks, I'm going to try to make it happen for her.

Willie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2679

I was so optimistic yesterday and today it's the exact opposite. Dot had an extensive evaluation at the cancer center this morning and the prognosis was not encouraging. In addition to all her other problems, Dot now has anemia. The oncologist gave her a Vitamin B12 shot, but this is just a temporary solution. The combination of Dot's decreasing appetite, her difficulty swallowing, the ongoing nerve damage, the cancer in her liver, and now the anemia made the oncologist conclude that Dot's body is starting to shut down. She was very worried that Dot was losing her appetite. When I asked how long Dot could maintain a reasonable quality of life, I was told that she probably has two to three months at best.

I kept asking about the cancer, but the oncologist stopped me at one point and said "Dot is a very, very old dog. She's dying of old age." It's hard to deal with the fact that every beginning has an end. Dot has been my constant companion for so long that it's hard to imagine a time when she's no longer there. After much discussion, we all decided that the best thing we could do now was keep Dot free from pain. The oncologist thought that pain might be causing Dot to lose her appetite, because her vital signs and blood chemistry were still basically good. We're putting her on a stronger and much more effective pain medication that is intended for end of life care. Extended use of this medication can cause liver damage, but her liver is quite damaged already. If she's comfortable she might start eating normally again and if she's eating normally a lot of things will improve.

The one bright spot in a rather dismal day was that I discovered a way to get Dot to take her pills. I bought some Velveeta cheese on the recommendation of Dot's physical therapy vet and she loves it. I had no problem getting her to take her meds today. I did have a problem finding the Velveeta cheese at the grocery store. I kept looking in the refrigerated section where all the other cheese was displayed. No Velveeta there. I finally found a big stack of yellow Velveeta boxes sitting on an unrefrigerated shelf next to the chips and dips.

For some reason the Velveeta cheese brings back distant memories of the days when I lived on Ramen noodles and beer. I don't think this stuff is even really cheese, but don't tell that to Dot and Dash. They love the stuff. Actually, it's not that bad. I ate some myself while I was giving the dogs their meds this afternoon and it made me hungry for queso and chips. I may need to go buy a can of Ro*Tel tomatoes.

I walked Dot with her wheelchair again this evening. She walks really well using the device, but it's a little difficult navigating the gravel alley behind our house until we get to a smoothly paved road. Although the wheelchair protects Dot from falling, it is not a magic bullet. Dot still gets tired because she's still moving four very weak legs. We walk slow and I let her stop whenever she feels like it. All in all, the wheelchair is a big plus. I just hope she stays strong enough to continue using it.

I have no big plans for tomorrow. After back to back vet appointments, we could all use a little rest. I did manage to retrieve my jacket today, although I probably won't wear it again until Fall. Summer is definitely on the way.

Pogo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2622

I'd hate to be in the restaurant business. Customers are fickle. Reviews are seldom fair. And employee turnover is unbelievable. I ate breakfast this morning at a place I haven't visited for several months and there wasn't a single familiar face. The entire staff was new. The food had actually improved, so maybe the staff changes were a good thing. Like I say, I don't understand the restaurant business at all.

Most of the day was spent taking Dot to her appointment at the cancer center. Janet was able to take some time off work today to help me transport Dot. Having two people in the car seemed to help. Janet sat in the back with Dot and was able to calm her down when she became agitated and tried to move around. Dot arrived for her exam a lot calmer than she usually does, but her blood pressure was still a little high.

We got some more bad news today. Her cancer is progressing and there are now four tumors growing in her liver. There were only three the last time we checked. The oncologist told us that Dot's liver and kidneys are still functioning normally and that even though the cancer was growing, it was growing slowly. She is starting to feel some discomfort though, so we added Gabapentin to her growing list of meds. The oncologist also wants to go back to testing Dot once a month, since the cancer could always start growing faster at any time.

While we were at the hospital we saw a family who had to make the decision to put their dog down. It was sad to watch them say their goodbyes. The dog actually looked in better shape than Dot, but I'm sure there was more to the story than we were seeing. They always tell you that your dog will let you know when it's time to go, but sometimes they don't. It's a big responsibility when you have to make that decision for them. I dread the day when we are faced with making this decision. Hopefully, Dot will make her wishes very clear. Right now it is obvious that Dot still loves life and wants to keep on going. As the cancer continues to grow, things will inevitably become more confusing.

When we got home today Janet asked me if I knew that Dot's oncologist was deaf. "What makes you think she is deaf," I asked. "Well, she was reading your lips," Janet told me. Have I ever mentioned that I'm not very observant. I could tell you exactly what shade of brown Dot's poop was today and I would notice instantly if you moved any of the books on my bookshelf, but I'm not very good at reading faces. Chances are if I met you on the street, I wouldn't even recognize you. I can never tell when people are happy or sad either. I guess it's a good thing that I'm seldom aware when people are mad at me.

We've got a long weekend coming up. I hope this means that everybody will get a little more sleep. The oncologist wants me to watch Dot closely this weekend to make sure that the Gabapentin doesn't make Dot lethargic and lose energy. "But how can I tell," I asked? "She doesn't have any energy right now." I think all Dot's doctors are amazed that she's still alive.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2609

Dash is not much better than he was yesterday. The doctor sounded a little disappointed when he called us this morning. Dash is still unsteady on his feet and has some coordination problems when eating. They were worried that his blood pressure is still too high, even though he has been taking blood pressure medication for quite some time. The good news is that he has experienced no further seizures. During the weekend Dash will undergo further tests at the hospital to see if it is possible to pin down the cause of his seizures. Even though vestibular disease is still the primary suspect, the doctors are now investigating whether he might have had a stroke. Evidently the symptoms associated with idiopathic vestibular disease and a degeneration of the cerebellum in the brain can be remarkably similar. I did a little research myself and discovered the vestibular and cerebellar degeneration are often misdiagnosed in humans. Even an MRI is not conclusive.

It's kind of scary to realize that serious problems are not always easy to fix. High blood pressure can definitely cause problems in the brain. I know this from experience. Before I got my own blood pressure under control, I experienced several TIA ministrokes. Luckily, this temporary lack of blood flow to the brain doesn't cause permanent damage, but it was quite sobering to have a neurologist tell me what could have happened. It's too bad that dogs can't talk. A neurological exam mostly consists of the doctor asking you questions. Without the ability to accurately describe how you are feeling, diagnosis can be quite difficult.

One thing I learned today is that vestibular problems can often result from an earlier injury to the head or neck. Bingo. Many years ago, Dash was attacked and severely injured by an aggressive loose dog in the park. The large dog bit him in the neck and wouldn't turn loose. It took months for Dash to fully recover from this injury and he probably would have died if I hadn't been able to get him to a veterinarian for surgery very quickly. All the problems he's having now may be the long term result of this old injury.

Hopefully, Dash will show further improvement tomorrow. We can't visit him at the hospital on Sundays, but the doctor will call and give us a progress report. I wish she could tell Dot that everything is going to be OK. I am already noticing changes in Dot's behavior. You can tell that she misses having Dash around. She was extra needy today. I tried to vacuum the house, but every five minutes Dot would bark and demand some attention. I never ignore these barks, because I've learned that very often she's trying to tell me that she needs to pee. I did eventually get the house cleaned, but it took me all afternoon.

Sometimes I wonder why dogs are sick so often, but it is mostly because their lifespan is so compressed. I recently stumbled across one of those online calculators that converts dog years into human years. According to this website, Dot is now 120 years old. That can't possible be right, but Dot is a very old dog. If I'm lucky enough to live as long as she has in dog years, I"m sure I'll have a multitude of health problems. My Dad was healthy as a horse until his 75th birthday and then everything began falling apart quite rapidly. The guy who hardly ever had to go to the doctor eventually succumbed to prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, macular degeneration and dementia. 

Tomorrow we'll have our Superbowl dinner for the second week in a row. This time I think we've got the date right. I may go to the annual Superbowl sale at my favorite menswear store. I don't wear dress clothes anymore, but these guys used to be a client and the special one day 75% off sale is a long standing tradition. I'll probably go to the gym as well. It's been a long, tough week. Maybe a good workout will get rid of some of the stress I've been feeling.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2608

I got a call shortly after breakfast updating me on Dash's condition. The doctor was cautiously optimistic. Dash didn't have any additional seizures last night and is now able to stand up on his own. He still shows signs of vertigo or dizziness and takes very tentative, cautious steps. There is also still some involuntarily eye movement. He isn't out of the woods yet, and he'll be staying in the hospital at least one additional day. I went to visit later in the day and I have to agree with the doctor's assessment. Dash is still very shaky. They let me take him outside to pee and he was still turning his head from side to side occasionally and seemed uncertain about walking. I was glad he was wearing his service dog harness, because I needed to hold onto the handle on top to steady him. Even though I was disappointed that he couldn't come home today, Dash was still much better than when we admitted him to the hospital yesterday. I have a feeling that he'll be staying at the hospital over the weekend. He receives excellent care at the cancer center and it isn't worth the risk of a relapse on Superbowl Weekend, when it would be hard to get him readmitted to an emergency facility.

The house is very quiet without Dash. Dot depends on Dash for stimulus and sleeps even longer when he's not around. Our routine seemed different today. Dot still needs to go outside every three hours to avoid peeing in the house, but it was harder to wake her up and get her upright and walking. It is obvious that Dash is an integral part of Dot's therapy. He's the one who reminds her that she's still a dog. They eat their meals together. They smell things in the yard together. Occasional they even sleep together on the floor, although Dash still prefers to sleep in our bed. I think Dot might have given up months ago, without Dash around to keep her stimulated.

I really hope that Dash can make a full recovery. He's too young to spend the rest of his life with a debilitating disease. It would also be incredibly difficult to have two dogs who couldn't stand up and walk on their own. The thought of having to get Dash fitted for a Help 'Em Up Harness and support his rear legs while I was doing the same thing for Dot boggles my mind. I have a hard enough time getting through the day with one disabled dog. I'm going to be optimistic though. Dash has a fantastic doctor and he is definitely making progress.

I went to breakfast much later than usual this morning and was surprised to see that the restaurant was packed. Apparently the place is a hangout for slackers. I usually arrive around 7 AM and thought the half dozen customers I saw were the only ones who shared my love for the place. At 9:30 AM it's an entirely different story. I had trouble even finding a seat today.

I guess I was kind of a slacker myself today. I didn't do anything very productive. My iPhone case had a crack in it after I dropped the phone last month, so I attempted to fix it. I was able to successfully repair the case with Superglue without gluing my fingers together. Yay. Successful Superglue repairs are a rarity in this house.  I almost always manage to spill some of the nasty stuff on my skin.

The REI store gave me a gift card the last time I bought something there. The catch was that I had to use it before February 4. I stopped by the store on the way to visit Dash and got a clever little camping lantern that doubles as a USB charger for your phone or tablet. I don't know why I am so attracted to camping gear, since I have never been fond of camping. Maybe I just want to be well prepared for the apocalypse.

Casey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2607

Poor Dash. He had a massive cluster of seizures last night that quickly became a medical emergency. By the time I was able to get him to the vet, he was unable to walk. We debated whether to drive him to an emergency vet while he was having a seizure last night, or try and keep him as calm as possible and take him to his regular vet when they opened the next morning. Since each seizure seemed a little less severe than the previous one, we decided to wait. Eventually, the seizures subsided. Dash went to sleep and started breathing calmly again. We didn't discover that he was unable to walk until the next morning.

I carried Dash into the veterinary clinic at 7 AM this morning, hoping that the doctors could quickly stabilize his condition. It wasn't meant to be. It quickly became obvious that he needed to see a specialist. It wasn't clear at all that he was having an epileptic seizure. He could have had a stroke, be suffering from a brain tumor, have vestibular disease, or even have encephalitis. It is not easy to diagnose any of these conditions. You have to go through a process of elimination, evaluating for the most likely condition first, and then go on to the next condition if the tests aren't conclusive. To figure out what was going on, Dash needed a brain scan. There was a chance that he would need a spinal tap as well. I could take him to the regional neurology center 35 miles north of us and get an MRI tomorrow morning, or take him to the cancer center and get a CAT scan today. The second option seemed better, even though an MRI provides a superior image of the brain. Dash is well known at the cancer center and he would be seeing doctors who are very familiar with his condition.

I think I made the right decision. The oncologists and internal medicine specialists at the cancer center are among the best in the country. Whenever I take one of my dogs to this place I see people in the lobby who have traveled with their dogs from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and even further to see one of these doctors. We are very lucky to have some of the best specialty care for dogs in the entire country right here in Dallas.

So far, so good. The initial CAT scan showed that there were no lesions or tumors in his brain. It doesn't look like there is an inner ear infection either. Since Dash is not showing symptoms usually associated with Encephalitis, his doctors think it is likely that he has idiopathic vestibular disease. This condition is often called old dog vestibular syndrome, for obvious reasons. Young dogs rarely have these problems. Dash is spending the night at the cancer center's ICU, receiving steroids and anti-nausea medication in an IV drip to reduce the inflammation in his brain and help control the severe nausea that makes it difficult for him to stand. Hopefully, we will see some improvement in his condition when we check with his medical team in the morning.

Keep in mind that while all this is going on, Dot is still sitting at home, unable to do much of anything. I spent the day going back and forth, trying my best to monitor the condition of both dogs. It has been a very long day. Janet and I got virtually no sleep last night. Trying to arrange for emergency care and sophisticated imaging in a city full of sick dogs wasn't easy either. As bad as Dash's condition was, there were other dogs with even worse problems. While I was at Dash's regular vet this morning, a family came in carrying a dog that had just been run over by a car. They were all crying. The injured dog was their family pet. Even though the vets tried their best to save it, the dog died on the operating table. Later at the cancer center, I visited with people who had driven their dogs over 500 miles just to see the oncologist. One lady told me she made this long trip every single week.

We made it through the day. Dot is resting now. I hope Dash is resting too. Life is definitely full of surprises. I never dreamed that I would wake up one morning and find that Dot was the healthy dog. With all her incontinence problems and severe mobility issues, Dot is still in better shape than Dash right now. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I will go to bed tonight knowing that I did the best that I could today.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2495

I carefully filled the new garbage can today and took it out to the curb. I did my best to make sure that each black trash bag wasn't too heavy or too full. If the truck still fails to empty my trash tomorrow morning, I'm going to conclude that someone is fucking with me. I know there are probably better things to do than fret about my trash, but it beats fretting about whether Dot's poop is too hard or too soft, or wondering why the bananas for my smoothie aren't ripening faster.

I've got a lot of questions for Dot's oncologist tomorrow when we go to the cancer center for another ultrasound scan and recheck. Dot seems to be getting weaker, but the problems don't appear to be related to her cancer. There are just too many things going on at once. The liver cancer is still there and probably contributes to how tired she is at times, but the real problems are with her legs. The neurological damage in her rear legs has caused her to compensate and transfer more weight to her front legs. Now her front legs go out occasionally and I have to be real careful and try to provide some support for all four legs when I take her outside. Today, she slipped and cut her nose when she fell on a stick on the ground. The cut was minor, but it reminded me of just how fragile she's become.

Janet had to work late tonight, so I had to walk Dot on my own. Even simple things like trying to lock the back door while holding Dot upright seemed problematic. I need two leashes to walk her now: one for the front legs and another for the back legs. There are so many strings that it probably appears like Dot is a marionette as we slowly walk down the street. Without Dash to guide her, Dot's pace was even slower than usual. We inched along making our way down the alley behind our house. Eventually she pooped when a neighbor dog got her barking. Sometimes barking does the trick when nothing else works.

The Jewish holidays have sidelined one of my clients for a while, but I don't know what has happened to the others. It was completely silent today. No e-mails. No phone calls. Nothing. This never used to happen. I guess I better get used to it. It's a collaborative world these days and my lone wolf style of working has gone out of fashion. I used to think it might be fun to go back and work for a large agency again sometime. No one would hire me now. Even if age weren't an issue, I don't seem to play well with others.

I really hope I don't have to load the car up with garbage tomorrow and look for a dumpster again. It kind of spoils my Friday breakfast ritual. Life has become very stressful and I need a couple of hours each week to eat something tasty while I pretend I'm taking a break at roadside cafe in rural Wyoming. Wyoming sounds real nice right now.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2468

We got some bad news today. After six months of remaining stable, one of the tumors in Dot's liver has started to grow again. There is also a new small cyst in her spleen. None of this is very surprising, but it is discouraging. This is what cancer does. It progresses erratically, often staying in remission for long periods of time, only to reappear again later. Dot's oncologist said she wasn't alarmed by the rate the cancer was advancing. There's not much we can do anyway. Palladia pills aren't the only type of chemotherapy available, but they are less invasive and have fewer side effects than the other alternatives. The oncologist doesn't recommend chemotherapy for an incontinent dog anyway, because the poop becomes toxic. That's all I need right now is poison poop.

I went back to the hipster restaurant this morning. One thing about this place is that the people who eat there seem happier than at other restaurants.  It gives the place an authenticity that is hard to explain, but easy to acknowledge. Even though I don't belong here, I kind of feel like I belong. The food is good too. If these guys would just start serving their meals on real plates and quit using plastic silverware, I'd be a happy camper.

It's always kind of sad sitting in the lobby at the cancer center. We had a long wait today because the dog that was getting an Ultrasound scan ahead of us was having difficulty coming out of anesthesia. While I waited, I talked with some of the other people about their dogs. There is always someone who is visiting for the first time and is very nervous. There is usually someone else who has a dog that has been a patient even longer than Dot. There was a mother and daughter who were crying because they'd just learned that their dog had leukemia. I wanted to tell them that their dog would probably survive and that it would get easier after they'd been coming here for two or three years. I don't know whether that would have helped though. The relentless nature of cancer is what makes it so hard.

It's just as well that I didn't have much work today, since these vet appointments keep taking longer and longer. Well, I felt that way until I got my Visa bill later in the day. Then I wished I had a lot more work. I made a few minor website revisions, but that was about it. It's hard to get used to my new daily routine. Without deadlines to meet and meetings to attend, there isn't a lot of activity. I've had to trade efficiency for patience. Taking care of Dot requires lots and lots of patience.

The city picked up my trash this morning. That's always a good start to the weekend. I'm hoping that Dot continues to recover from her fall. She was walking a little steadier today, but she still has a ways to go. Probably lots of rest would do us all some good tomorrow.

Phantom is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2366

Dot's appointment at the cancer center took forever today. They were short staffed and there was only one oncologist to see a lot of sick dogs. There are usually st least three oncologists on duty, so Dot's ultrasound scan and exam took a while. Dot definitely wasn't happy about the situation, but there was nothing we could do. When the nurse took her blood pressure, I was not surprised to see that it was elevated. Dot has been to this place many times and she doesn't like it. I don't blame her. She is flipped over on her back for the ultrasound scans, strapped in a special cradle when she has an MRI, and poked with big needles when they need to get a tissue sample. I don't like to wait either, because I'm always wondering what Dash is doing at home. Usually, I can check on him with the baby monitor, but it wasn't working today.

When we eventually saw the oncologist, there was somewhat good news. The two tumors in her liver were stable and hadn't grown any since our last visit. Since we haven't been doing chemotherapy for over a month, this essentially means the Palladia pills aren't very effective and we don't need to resume taking them. The oncologist asked whether we would like to consider a different type of chemotherapy to see if it might shrink the tumor. I'm reluctant to start intravenous chemotherapy infusions though, since the side effects are often more severe. I think we'll just continue the ultrasound scans once a month to monitor things.

Today was tiring. I couldn't get Dot's harness on quickly enough when I woke up this morning and she ended up peeing on one of the big rugs in the living room. Getting the harness on is definitely easier with two people. Janet usually puts on the front half while I put on the back half and link the two pieces together. Also, I need to remember to keep Dot inside after dinner until at least ten PM. If she goes outside at 8 PM, she won't go again right before bedtime and had trouble making it through the night. That's what happened this morning. She really needed to go bad when she woke up and I just wasn't fast enough. For the record, pee is actually harder to clean up than poop.

To add to my problems, Dash wouldn't eat his breakfast this morning. He isn't sick or anything. He is just a finicky eater and gets bored with his food about every three months.  We rotate through about three brands of dog food because after a while he forgets he doesn't like a certain brand and starts eating it again. It took a while to find several brands that were equally healthy, didn't cause him to put on weight, and wouldn't create kidney stones. I just need to remember to change his food tomorrow morning.

I actually had some website revisions to make today, but the work seemed inconsequential compared to all my dog problems. It was a lot easier to update the websites than it was to clean the two area rugs that Dot peed on. I had to spray the rugs with an enzyme cleaner to eradicate the smell and then come back later and rinse the enzyme away with a garden hose. It will probably take the rugs two or three days to dry out.

Things have been working out well with the dog walker, although Dot seemed unusually tired and slow tonight. She is probably still sore from being on her back for the ultrasound scan. The dogs are both sleeping now, but they are not sleeping soundly enough. My allergies have been acting up this week and every time I sneeze, it wakes the dogs up and they start barking. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be less stressful for everyone.

Wendy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2365

Today was exhausting. I got up early to give the dogs their morning pills and make sure they were fed and ready to go when the dog walker arrived. I'd already been up twice during the night to clean up Dot's latest accidents. I don't know how Dot can sleep through pooping in her bed, but she does. I certainly can't sleep through these episodes. The smell wakes me up every time. Luckily, I can get back to sleep easily.

Things went better than I expected with the dog walker. She arrived right on time and Dash seemed to take a liking to her almost immediately. We decided that she would walk Dash and I would walk Dot. Dash seemed to think it was special to be walked by someone new. Dot barked a lot at first, but she soon settled into the new routine as well. Dot even walked a bit faster than usual, which was surprising.

Since it was a nice day and the ground was starting to dry out, I decided to mow the grass this afternoon. This might have been a mistake. The grass was still a little wet, so the mower was harder to push than usual. I ended up getting a lot better workout than if I'd gone to the gym. I almost forgot it was Sunday today. It didn't seem like Sunday. It just seemed different.

Somewhere between breakfast and dinner the dogs walker came down with some sort of virus and asked if her husband cold help with the dogs in the evening. It was fine by me. Despite their many idiosyncrasies, Dot and Dash acted like well socialized and surprisingly well behaved canines today. the went on walks with two different strangers and nothing went wrong at all. I was proud of them.

The hardest part of the day are the evenings. It's almost like a changing of the guard when Janet comes home. They look forward to when she comes home every day and generally follow her around until bedtime. This gives me time to write the blog, clean up the kitchen, and whatever else I need to do. With this routine disrupted, there is a lot of barking and standing at the front door. Eventually they both get tired and we all go to bed, but you've got to watch them like a hawk. Dot ended up peeing on a big rug last night when I let her out of my sight for a just few minutes. I wish Dot wasn't so needy, but it is almost inevitable with her lack of mobility.

Tomorrow we go back to the cancer center for our long awaited ultrasound recheck. Dot's regular oncologist is out of town, but we have an appointment with another of the clinic's oncologists. I have mixed emotions about restarting her chemotherapy. She didn't appear to get any stronger when we discontinued the Palladia pills, but she didn't get any weaker either. It is hard to tell whether the chemotherapy was doing her any good at all. Hopefully, the ultrasound scan will clarify things a bit.

It would be nice to sleep a little longer tonight. I might as well have just stayed up last night. I think we're coping pretty well, but I'll be glad when things get back to normal.

Scooby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day