Day 3298

While I was eating breakfast this morning, a man walked over to the chef after paying his bill and shook his hand. I heard him say, "I travel all over the world and I want to tell you that this is the best French Toast I've ever had in my life." I smiled and gave the chef a big thumbs up. So did several other people in the restaurant. The chef pointed over at me and said, "He agrees. He eats these every day." The encounter was over quickly, but the chef was smiling as he went back to work. I love little moments like this. The chef wasn't invisible as he quietly worked behind his counter and apparently neither was I. I don't know who the world traveler was, but he did have an eye for quality.

It was nice to see the sun again. A sunny day can dramatically improve my mood. I thought Dash would enjoy the nice weather too, but he seemed sluggish and disoriented on his walk this morning. Maybe the additional pain pill his doctor recommended was too much for him. We've seen this reaction before when we tried giving Dash Gabapentin. We're going to try going back to the original dose for a few days and see if Dash returns to normal. "Back to normal" is a strange concept with Dash because there is absolutely nothing normal about him. Too much pain medication makes me feel terrible. Maybe dogs can have the same reaction.

I wish I knew more about medicine. I think some of my own meds are unnecessary but I've learned not to self medicate. There is too much I don't know. For a long time I thought that Adequan might help Dash because it helped Spot when his rear legs got weak. Then I did some research and discovered that Adequan injections can inhibit blood clotting and should not be administered to dogs with a history of bleeding abnormalities. I'm sure the vets probably knew this all along.

I was really surprised when the roof started leaking again early this afternoon. The last time I looked the roof was dry. The leak was small this time but there was definitely a slow drip. The roof was still dry when I went up to investigate but I could tell that there was still some residual water trapped under the silicon coating in a few places. This water was probably still looking for a way out. Strangely, this mysterious leak only lasted a few hours during the warmest period of the day.

I had to use some of Dash's Shoe Goo to repair my own boots this afternoon. The soles are starting to come apart. I'm really hard on shoes but I was hoping that these boots would last forever. I've been wearing them for about five years and they are finally comfortable now.

I think I'll take the Christmas tree down tomorrow. The holidays are over. I wish it were Winter that was over. I'm afraid we've got a lot more rain to look forward to and maybe even some snow. One way or another, the leak will eventually get fixed. I just hope it doesn't take as long as it took to fix the refrigerator. With a little luck I can postpone putting on a new roof until Spring when the weather is nicer, but we'll have to see what happens. In my world it is best to take things one day at a time.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3061

Lots of errands today. I had to get new halogen bulbs for the living room lamps. These little bulbs cost ten dollars each and I'm lucky if they last a month. It's ridiculous. Why doesn't anyone make a really bright LED bulb with a candelabra base? I couldn't be the only person who uses these type of floor lamps.

Next on the list was something to relieve the itching from chigger bites. I seem to get bit every time I walk Dash now. There used to be a product called Chigarid that worked pretty well, but you can't find it anymore. I use clear nail polish now. Chigger bites itch a lot worse than mosquito bites, but at least you can't catch Lyme Disease from a chigger.  I can tell that Summer is on the way. The bugs are biting and the seasonal allergies are terrible. I kept sneezing and my eyes were watering all day long.

I needed coffee pods today. Coffee pods are almost as overpriced as halogen light bulbs. I could save a lot of money on coffee if I went back to buying beans and grinding them myself. Sadly, I've become hooked on the single serve pods. It's so convenient to make coffee this way that it's worth the extra expense. You don't even have to clean the coffee maker if you always fill it with distilled water. I've seen ads trying to make me feel guilty about using coffee pods. I don't really understand these ads. Plastic containers can be recycled 7 to 9 times to make more plastic. The reason this plastic winds up in the ocean is that too many people don't even bother to reuse it. So there you have it. I want to be lazy and use the pods, but I don't want other people to be lazy and throw them away.

We gave Dash a Rimadyl last night, but it was hard to tell if it is working. He had a lot of energy this morning, but his rear legs are still very weak. Dash is having increasing trouble getting up and down and it often appears like he might be in pain. We'll try the Rimadyl until his next exam at the cancer center in June and then do new blood work to see if his liver enzymes have become elevated. I always worry that Rimadyl can cause liver or kidney damage. If we see anything abnormal in the lab work, we'll discontinue the drug.

It's weird that two of the most common drugs that vets give dogs for pain are in the news for having adverse effects on humans. Tramadol and Gabapentin are both getting a bad reputation for abuse and overdose problems. I wonder if dogs get addicted too. I never want a dog to be in pain, but there are so few problem free pain medications. I won't even take an Advil myself.

Jupiter is closer to earth right now than it's been in two years. I took a pair of binoculars out last night to look at the planet and it definitely appeared larger. I could see all four bright moons and was even able to detect a little cloud banding. If you have any interest in this sort of thing, you ought to go outside just before you go to bed and take a look at the planet. A month or two from now it won't be as bright or large in the night sky.

I'm pleased that the new manual focus app on my phone actually works. I can take pictures of flowers now without the camera always trying to focus on the grass behind them. I've never liked the way the iPhone's autofocus mechanism worked. Maybe I won't have to take a real camera with me on walks now.

I'm either gaining weight or the earth's gravity has increased. I'm definitely going to have to go to the gym tomorrow.

Dixie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3057

I'm glad I only had one thing on my list today. Two things would have been too much. After walking Dash and eating breakfast I went to the bank to set up the new account I needed. If you ask me, I have too many accounts already, but apparently I need this new one to serve as a conduit from my IRA account to the operating account that I pay bills with. I was surprised at the number of people who wanted to "get to know" me. One guy told me that he'd watched me come and go for seventeen years and I'd never stopped and introduced myself. Sadly, this was probably true. I never talk to anyone at the bank. I just hope I don't get stuck in the slow line at the teller window and leave as soon as I've made my deposit. The bank is like the post office to me. I could easily make deposits using my phone these days, but I like to go in person. I'm a Luddite. It's hard for me to believe that anything is actually happening if I don't physically hand the postal clerk my letters or the bank teller my money.

It took a long time to get things set up the way I wanted, but I'm ready to go now. Even if I get dementia or go stark raving mad, my bills will still get paid. I saw how forgetful my Dad became as he got older. You need to get prepared while you've still got your wits about you. I definitely don't want my electricity cut off because I forgot to pay the electric bill. I'm going to gradually set up all my recurring bills to auto pay and quit writing checks. My plan seems pretty solid unless I become a nonagenarian and run out of money. I don't think that's going to happen though. My family is not noted for longevity.

I think we're going to have to consider pain management for Dash pretty soon. The signs are subtle, but he seems more uncomfortable than he did even a month or two ago. Gabapentin didn't work, so we may have to resort to Rimadyl. Rimadyl is very effective, but it has some nasty side effects including gastrointestinal bleeding and liver disease. Hopefully, Dash will continue responding well to the Movoflex supplements and we can postpone the harder drugs for a while. I think pain management is important. It doesn't matter whether it's your dog or your Dad. Nobody should live in pain. I hope we can continue Dash's daily walks as long as possible. When he is no longer mobile, he is going to go downhill rather quickly.

Peaches are back in season. I'm always glad when peaches are plentiful at the grocery store. My morning smoothies taste better when I add a peach to the usual strawberries and blueberries. A peach makes a pretty good dessert too. I wish I could get my diet as organized as I've got my finances. I'm convinced that if I were eating exactly the right things, I would enjoy every meal and still never have heartburn. I need to talk to a nutritionist who doesn't just want me to become a vegetarian. Eating pizza is a disaster, but I can often eat pasta and spaghetti without any problems. Vietnamese Pho doesn't give me problems, but similar Chinese dishes can keep me up all night. I eat earlier now and avoid acidic foods like tomatoes. The holy grail would be a meal that provides the satisfaction of barbecue with the health benefits of kale. I'm still looking.

The weather is perfect for putting in new grass and repairing the roof. Why am I having so much trouble contacting the roofer and the landscaper? They should both be out here now. Guess who I'll be calling tomorrow.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2710

This is a weird way to live. I usually wake up tired and disoriented. Usually, I've been up several times during the night with Dot and no matter what time it is, it always seems too early. Often, Janet has already walked Dash, because she needs to get to work. Neither of us wants to wake Dot while she is calm and resting.

Lately, Janet has already left for work by the time I get Dot up for her morning pills. She has no interest in food, but often wants a walk after she is fully awake. If she won't drink water, I take her outside and hydrate her with water from a large syringe before we go anywhere. Sometimes this initial drink of water will kick start her drinking response. Other times, she just looks at her water bowl like she doesn't know what it is.

Mornings are stressful. I don't want Dot to have a dry mouth while she takes her pills, so I've been taking her outside and feeding her some of the Dogsure liquid as I put each pill down her throat. This takes a long time. If this process takes too long, Dash starts barking and often destroys the calm environment I need to feed Dot. I try my best to get Dot to eat while Dash is sleeping, but he's got a keen sense of smell and always seems to know when there are tasty treats nearby. This is not what I want. Dash is getting fat and Dot keeps getting thinner.

For most of this week I haven't had much luck getting Dot to eat in the morning. I gave up again today and fixed my own breakfast after taking Dot back to her bed. I have to make sure all the food is put away before letting Dash out of the bedroom because he is on a special diet. Everything takes so long that it is usually around noon before I have finished my breakfast and put away all the dishes.

Every day I worry that Dot has finally run out of time. It doesn't seem right for a dog to refuse food during the day and only eat after sunset. Dot was still sleeping and hadn't eaten anything when Janet returned from work around 7 PM. I took Dash for a walk and was surprised to discover that Janet was able to hand feed Dot an entire cup of dry food while I was gone. She subsequently drank a lot of water and then proceeded to eat some more dry food from her bowl.

Once again, Dot had eaten enough to survive. In one brief spurt, she had managed to consume her entire two cup daily quota. This would be the last time Dot ate for the rest of the day. When it was time for her evening pills, she had already lost her appetite.

I didn't accomplish much today. I miss going out to the restaurant on Fridays, but my homemade pancakes and sausages were delicious. I picked up the prescription I forgot yesterday and got food for the weekend at Central Market. That was it. The dogs are wearing me out. At times it's really hard to know whether we're doing the right thing. We had some good moments today, but Dot is agitated now and seems uncomfortable. Maybe we waited too long.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2686

Dot has eaten for three days now without throwing up. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be a big deal, but considering the condition Dot was in last week, it is nothing short of miraculous. I called the oncologist today to give her an update and she had no explanation for Dot's surprising rebound. She just said she was happy for us and hoped that she'd see Dot again next month for her next recheck.

I'm so glad we didn't give up on Dot when things were looking very grim last week. We came very close to thinking she had no chance and that the kindest thing we could do was put her down. I honestly have no idea how she received a temporary reprieve from what everyone thought was inevitable. It's obvious that the new pain medication is much more effective. It's possible that pain was causing her body to shut down. Maybe the cancer is in some kind of remission too. Who knows. I'm not going to spend a lot of time analyzing this. The important thing now is to keep Dot eating.

I don't think Dot will ever chew or swallow normally again. If we can get food in her though, it comes out normally on the other end. Her digestive system seems to be working just fine. I've learned to take my time feeding her. She takes tiny little bites and sometimes you have to massage her throat to encourage her to swallow. Dot doesn't appear to be hungry early in the morning anymore, so I've moved her main meal to later in the day. The goal is just to get her to eat two cups of something by the end of the day. I haven't got there yet, but we're getting closer.

While Dot was sleeping, I went over to Snap Kitchen and picked up dinner for the next several days. I'm surprised at how popular places like Snap Kitchen and Nature's Plate have become. I suspect nobody has time to cook anymore. I love Snap Kitchen. The meals are delicious. The menu is very creative. And you can microwave everything when you get home in just a few minutes.

I've got to figure out what to do about Dash. He's getting jealous of all the time I'm spending with Dot. It's not like he really wants me to spend the same amount of time with him. He just wants Dot's food. I can't really feed the dogs the same thing. Dash has always had problems with crystals in his urine and he needs a low purine diet. Also, he'd be a fat little piggie if I fed him what Dot is eating now. Since he tries to steal Dot's food, I have to pen him in the back of the house while Dot is eating. I understand why Dash is mad. Sometimes it takes hours to feed Dot.

This whole experience has got me thinking about my Dad's last days. Like Dot, he had extreme difficulty swallowing. Dad's problem was Parkinson's Disease. Doctors gave him swallowing tests and when he didn't pass, they put in a feeding tube. He didn't want a feeding tube, but they didn't give him a choice. Hospitals and doctors are so afraid of lawsuits that they would rather make a patient miserable than risk the wrath of family and relatives if death was preventable. I know for a fact that Dad would rather have choked on a plate of barbecue than be fed through a feeding tube for the final three months of his life. I have a feeling that if someone had the patience to feed Dad the same way I'm feeding Dot, he would have done just fine.

So far, the hardest thing about providing hospice care is that every day is different. I like predictability, and there is nothing predictable about dealing with end of life situations. Dot's comfort level, sleeping habits, and ability to eat change from day to day. At some point during the day, there is always a surprise that I wasn't expecting. I'd like to think that I have a plan, but I'm really just improvising. There isn't an instruction manual for this sort of thing.

Bogart is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2684

Dot bought herself another day. She was very reluctant to get up this morning and didn't want to eat. When I did get her up and took her outside to pee, she headed straight for the back gate. She wanted a walk. I continue to be amazed at the tenaciousness of this dog. We thought maybe a short walk would stimulate her appetite, so we slowly headed toward the park. Dot smelled the flowers, lay in the grass, and enjoyed herself, but she still wouldn't eat when we got home.

On the way home a lady we often see while walking the dogs stopped me and asked about Dot. She recommended some food that she said her dog loved after he got cancer. I thanked her for the suggestion and then continued on our way home. We were almost back to the house when I saw the lady running to catch up with us. She had a can in her hand.  She stuck the can in my jacket pocket and urged me to try it. I thanked her again, but was kind of baffled. We were well beyond canned dog food solutions.

I was finally able to get Dot interested in some small pieces of sliced ham I had in the refrigerator. This was enough so she could take her morning pain pills, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep her nourished. Usually she goes back to sleep after she eats, but she seemed restless this morning. I thought she needed to pee, but she just kept wandering around in the yard. Keep in mind that she's not really wandering around on her own. I'm holding her up using the harness. After an hour of restless behavior, she threw up.  Although Dot went back to sleep and rested peacefully after this, I was very worried. Dot had probably thrown up the pain pills we had given her earlier in the morning, along with whatever nutrition she'd had in the past 12 hours.

While Dot was sleeping, Janet and I wondered if this was the day. I called the vet again and asked about making an appointment later in the evening. I didn't confirm anything though, because Dot has always snapped back late in the day. On Friday she regained her appetite around 3 PM. Yesterday it was 4 PM. Today she seemed tired and listless until almost 6 PM. Since Dot didn't seem interested in cheese or the sliced ham she had eaten this morning, we opened the can the lady had given me this morning. Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix the can said. Dot loved it. She was able to swallow the bits of chicken and turkey, and lapped up the chicken broth when I put it in a small saucer in front of her. It took about an hour to hand feed her this mix, but she ended up eating almost three quarters of the can. This was great news, especially since the Ultramix stew is much healthier for her than the cheese, Fritos, and lunch meat we've been experimenting with for the past several days.

So far Dot has not thrown up her tasty meal. She took her second round of pain pills and even wanted an evening walk. I'm really glad that last night's rain brought some much cooler weather with it. Temperatures were in the 40's early this morning. Dot loves cold weather and she really enjoyed her two short walks.

Dot has a strong heart so she probably won't die in her sleep. She has a strong spirit, so she probably won't give up or go quietly. She's still dying though. It's up to us to decide when the time is right. If Dot wants one more walk and is able to eat enough to stay nourished, I'm delighted to give her an extra day. I'd love to give her an extra week.                  

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2683

Long goodbyes are the worst. Dot sleeps a little longer every day and eats a little less. She still has her moments though, and during those moments you've really got to admire her courage and tenacity. We had a hard time getting her to eat this morning. We let her sleep as long as she wanted, but when she finally woke up, she was still lethargic. I took Dash on a morning walk, thinking that Dot would be back asleep when we returned. When we were on our way home, who did I see coming toward me? It was Janet and Dot. Dot didn't want to eat, but she definitely did want a walk.

I'm amazed at how important these walks are to Dot. She can barely move, but she is still determined to make it to the edge of the park whenever she has the energy. We all sat in the grass for a while and then slowly made our way home. By the time I finished giving Dot her pills, she was exhausted and went back to sleep. A friend asked yesterday why I continue to give Dot her meds when she is obviously near the end. These are pain pills. Terminal cancer can be quite painful and our goal at this point is to keep Dot comfortable during the time she has left. A lot of the regular pills have been discontinued.

While Dot was sleeping I had my usual worries about whether she was dead. She sleeps so soundly and breathes so slowly that it's hard to tell sometimes. Yesterday, she snapped back to life and ate quite a bit of food around 3 PM. Today, she didn't wake up until 4 PM. Luckily she decided to eat again. She never did eat much this morning. Today she dined on cheese. Our refrigerator is filled with things Dot ate once and then refused to eat again. She won't eat the chicken now. She doesn't eat the hamburger either. Today she eagerly ate some new peanut butter dog treats we got for her. She wouldn't eat the treats we got yesterday though. Oddly, she still eats a little of her regular dog food at some point during the day.

This evening was a nightmare. Strong thunderstorms rolled through the area after dinner and the thunder frightened both dogs. Dash knocked over a bunch of stuff trying to climb into a closet and Dot started barking and decided that she needed to go outside in the rain and pee. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to pee and we repeated this process over and over again. The rain eventually stopped, but Dot still needs to pee.

Janet was gone this evening, so the two storm phobic dogs ended up taking priority over the blog. I still think I'll get finished before midnight though. Everybody is starting to calm down and it looks like Dot is going to make it another day.

Parker 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 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 2658

When I went to the storage warehouse today, I couldn't remember my access code. Good grief. This is pathetic. If there is any code I should remember by now, it would be this one. I tried every code I could think of, but the door wouldn't open. I thought the warehouse manager might be able to help me, but he didn't seem to be on the premises today. I was just about ready to give up and go home when I remembered a sequence of numbers I hadn't tried yet. It didn't really seem like the right number, but oddly it worked.

Later in the day I couldn't remember whether I had given Dot her afternoon pain pills. I think I did, but it was a hectic day and I wasn't really sure. The breakfast and evening meds are easier to remember because they are part of a long established feeding ritual. The meds that must be administered at odd times during the day are much more problematic. Lapses like these may not seem like a big deal, but they never used to happen. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come, but it probably is. Memory lapses are one more reason that getting old sucks.

Dot seemed agitated this morning. It took me forever to finish breakfast because she wanted to get up and go outside every five minutes. I couldn't figure out what was making her restless until she threw up after about thirty minutes of pacing around. Once again, I think she drank too much water, but I'm not entirely sure. After Dot threw up, she calmed down rapidly and slept for the rest of the morning. Eventually, the house was calm enough so I cold make a quick trip to the grocery store to look for blueberries. No luck today either.

On my way home I stopped at the REI store because the member appreciation coupon I received a while ago was burning a hole in my pocket. REI has a brilliant marketing campaign. They have lots of sales and incentives, but they don't last very long. If you don't go to the store quickly and use the coupons they mail you, they just expire. Maybe this trick doesn't work on everybody, but it certainly seems to work on me. I've been to the REI store quite a bit this year. Actually Chili's does exactly the same thing. Unfortunately, if I went to Chili's every time I got something tempting in the mail, I'd be fifty pounds heavier and have diabetes.

After making a big deal about going paperless and wanting to be paid electronically, my accountant's office manager couldn't figure out how to get their Paypal account to work and told me to just mail them a check instead. So much for technology. It didn't matter to me. I had to go to the post office anyway because I'm trying to pay my bills on time now in an effort to avoid going paperless with AT&T. I never dreamed I'd become a Luddite like my sister, but I'm well on my way. What's wrong with paper checks anyway? Even my bank doesn't want to deal with paper. They keep trying to convince me to make deposits using my phone.

I hope Dot feels better tomorrow. Today was a rough day. I'd like to think it was just the heat that made Dot uncomfortable, but it's probably the cancer too. I still don't know whether I forgot her afternoon pain meds. I hope I didn't, but she's had her evening meds now, so we're back on schedule.

Dottie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2656

I need to come up with a new plan for getting Dot outside when she wakes up in the morning. She just can't make it to the back door anymore. For the past three days I've had to wash a bunch of rugs that she peed on while making her exit. It's a mess. If I take up the rugs, the floor is too slippery and Dot will fall. She's too heavy to carry. And it's impracticable to have her sleep in the living room. Incontinence is a bitch. I've placed Dot's bed so I can see it while I'm working. I've learned that if she lifts her head and looks at me, she needs to pee. I stop what I'm doing and take her outside immediately. This usually works during the day. Nights are a problem though because she sleeps much longer than the two hours she can reliably hold her bladder. I really don't know if there's a solution to this, but it's wearing me out.

My project for the day was cleaning a bathroom faucet that seemed to have mold inside it. You'd think running water would keep the faucet clean, but apparently not. I needed to clean this thing because it was a bit disconcerting to turn on the faucet to brush my teeth and see little black flecks come out. At any rate, I took the faucet apart and soaked the parts in bleach. The faucet and the water coming out of it seem clean now, but I'm sure this is just a temporary fix. Everything I do these days is a temporary solution.

Since I was successful at cleaning the faucet, I decided to watch a YouTube video and learn how to replace the hard drive on my desktop computer. This used to be super easy on the old tower Macintosh computers, but things have changed. Even the screws that hold things together on my 27" iMac are different. To exchange the hard drive on my current computer, I'd first need to buy a set of special Torx screwdrivers and a big suction cup to get the glass off the front. Once the the components were exposed, I would risk ruining the fragile LED screen if I accidentally touched it. To make matters worse, there was a special heat sensor that only came with Apple OEM drives, so replacing the drive with a high capacity third party drive wasn't going to be easy. I learned that somebody made a replacement for the Apple heat sensor, but it was uncertain if this part was even available anymore. Basically, it took me longer to watch the video than it used to take me to replace all the drives in my old silver door Mac.

It is fundamentally discouraging to realize that I can no longer fix most of the things I use every day. I feel like a stranger in a strange land. For most of my adult life I have modified and upgraded all manner of things on my own. Modern manufacturing techniques make it virtually impossible to change components or make simple repairs. We live in a disposable society now. If something breaks, you're not supposed to fix it. You're supposed to have insurance, or Applecare in my case, and use your policy to exchange your damaged gizmo for a new model.

The adjustments we've made to Dot's pain medications have made her more alert and active, but they haven't made her any stronger. This means that I'm spending even more of my time moving Dot around when she gets restless. Dot is heavy. After a day of holding up her rear legs, my shoulder is begging for mercy. Caring for an injured dog with carpal tunnel in your wrists and a dislocated shoulder is not something I'd recommend.

We're supposed to have severe weather tomorrow morning. I brought all the rugs that were drying outdoors back inside and took the trash out to the curb. Luckily, the rugs appear to be dry. I guess I'm prepared for the rain, but I'll miss going out to breakfast tomorrow. I'm all out of bananas and fresh fruit, so hopefully there are still some toaster waffles in the freezer.

Ariel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2648

I finally started working on my taxes today. You'd think that Quickbooks would make this process super easy, especially since I've got all my expenses categorized already. Nope. I quickly learned that if you want to save time, you have to put things in the right categories in the first place. I hate all those Quickbooks drop down menus. I frequently click on the wrong thing. When I couldn't find something today, it was almost always because I'd inadvertently clicked on the wrong menu item. I found car insurance payments filed under utility bills. I found office supplies filed under lawn care. All the information was there, but some of it was definitely misplaced. I think I fixed most of the errors, but it would have been a lot better if I never made them in the first place. My accountant thinks I've defined way too many categories in my Quickbooks files. I think the categories are fine. I just need to pay more attention when I'm doing my bookkeeping.

I didn't get a lot accomplished today. I paid a few bills and went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, but I've still got more work to do on my tax files before I can drop them off at the accountant. The most discouraging thing about doing my taxes is realizing that each year I'm making a little less that I did the previous year. If your lifetime earnings are like a Bell Curve, I'm definitely on the downhill slope. They say your expenses go down and you can live on less as you grow older. I haven't seen that yet.

I'm starting to wonder why all the calls on my caller ID say "unknown caller." Isn't the whole point of having caller ID to identify who is calling you? Telemarketers must be able to hide their identity by paying a special fee. Just about all the calls I get on my land line these days just say "Unknown" or "Unknown Caller." I'm sure AT&T doesn't care. They probably love telemarketers because they make a lot of calls. The post office is the same way. I remember telling my mail carrier that he could just throw away the junk mail if he wanted. I certainly didn't want it. "I can't do that," he told me, "because somebody has already paid for me to deliver it to you."

Dot was panting a lot early this evening. Janet thought she was in pain. I thought she needed to poop. About five minutes later, Dot did poop and the panting stopped. Was I right? I have no idea. She's not pooping quite as often now, so maybe this is becoming difficult for her. I guess the point is that it is often difficult to tell if a dog is in pain. Dogs hide their discomfort well and they don't talk. I try my best to keep Dot comfortable, but I'm not sure if I'm succeeding. I'm still convinced that Dot likes her walks, but she walks so slowly now that maybe the walks are painful. Often Dot is frustrated by her lack of mobility, but frustration and pain are two different things. The problem is that it's hard to tell the difference. The oncologist will give us another evaluation this Friday. I'm not even sure if these monthly cancer rechecks mean much at this point.

The sky is clear tonight and I'm thinking of going out stargazing. Too bad there is so much light pollution. You can't see anything but the brightest stars from our backyard. There are places in the park where the sky is darker, but I'm not so sure about hiking through the park after dark. The coyotes are out. The Bobcats are out. The drug dealers are out. There are lots of places to trip in the dark and sprain my ankle. Maybe I'll just go out in the back yard.

Carmine 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 2642

I increased Dot's pain medication today. Actually, I'm only giving her the dosage the vet recommended, but it's still more than she was getting yesterday. Did the extra meds help? It's hard to tell. Dot slept well during her morning nap and actually did seem more active and engaged in the afternoon. She appeared tired on her afternoon walk though. It could have been the humidity, or maybe the pills are doing nothing at all. It sure would be easier if I could just ask Dot how she was feeling. If my own doctors prescribed pain medication the way vets do, lord knows what I'd be taking now. The doc would probably just twist my bad shoulder and when I screamed, he'd prescribe something for pain. I'm not a big fan of pain medication. A lot of it is addictive. For the most part, I've just learned how to compensate.

So, what do you do with a dog? A mild amount of discomfort will keep an injured dog from doing something stupid and injuring themselves further. Mild discomfort is kind of a reality check. Severe pain is something else entirely. Since cancer can cause severe pain, I rely on what the oncologist tells me when I take Dot for her periodic evaluations. We always run some tests to determine whether things are getting better or worse. I try to notice subtle changes too. Changes in behavior do mean something. Dot is definitely more uncomfortable than she was a year ago. She still seems happy though and rests easily without a lot of panting or muscle tenseness. I want Dot to be as happy and comfortable as possible as she completes her journey. It's hard to hit the sweet spot though. Too little medication leaves you in pain and too much turns you into a zombie.

I must really be bored. I spent an inordinate amount of time this afternoon looking for someplace new to have breakfast. I extended the radius I was willing to travel from five miles to ten miles and several new options turned up. Everybody basically offers the same thing on their breakfast menu, but the quality and price vary wildly. Who would have thought that there were so many variations on pancakes, bacon and eggs, migas, eggs benedict, breakfast tacos, and waffles. Yelp reviews aren't very much help. Some people actually seem to like crappy food. I found a place in Lakewood that sounded interesting and another in the lower Greenville area. Both are a little further than I usually travel, but what better have I got to do in the morning anyway?

Don't let me start talking about politics. Ever. Political discussion seems to be a virus that has infected most of my Facebook friends. I've never seen anything like it. The weird thing is that everyone is just preaching to the choir. I can't think of a single person I know that has actually changed someone's mind. If I did talk about politics, I'd probably just become a purveyor of fake news. It's almost too easy to rile someone up with fake news. Everyone is so locked into their preconceived view of the world that they'll latch on to anything that reinforces their beliefs. I feel like throwing a bucket of cold water over some of my friends. Good grief. The world isn't coming to an end and I doubt that we are on the verge of a new renaissance either. Ten years from now, you'll look back and wonder what all the commotion was about.

I just hope I'm still around ten years from now. People in my age range are dropping like flies. Almost every week I read about someone I know who has passed away or is fighting a losing battle with cancer. Not everyone is Betty White and quite a few folks never make it to 80. There's not much I can do to change the odds. If having a Dalmatian keeps you young, I'll live forever. If you need close friendships and a sense of community to keep you going, I'm probably a goner.

Val is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1961

Maybe I was overly apprehensive about the dental surgery. Either the procedure wasn't as terrible as I anticipated, or the drugs haven't worn off yet. My jaw is uncomfortable, but the pain is nothing compared to the time I pinched a nerve in my neck a few years ago. Regular blog readers may remember this episode as one of the worst trips to Las Vegas in recorded history. Maybe I wouldn't be so fearful of dentists if there weren't all those consent form you have to sign. They are very graphic. Today, I had to initial a paragraph that said I understood that the dentist might break my jaw if the extraction was particularly difficult. To the surgeon's credit, he told me that he had never broken anyone's jaw, but that it does happen. I also had to initial another paragraph that said the dentist might have to leave a portion of the root attached to the jaw if he decided at his discretion that it would be more harmful to remove it.

Dentistry is a messy business. Unlike most other forms of surgery you can't just put a bandage on the results. Most dentist don't even suture the hole after they remove wisdom teeth. They just wait for a blood clot to seal the wound. Until that happens, you have to keep putting a gauze pad in your mouth to soak up the blood. I went through a lot of gauze pads today. I also wore a weird elastic contraption around my head that held a cold pack on the right side of my face. It looked like something out of a 1940's horror movie, but it worked. Whenever one of the cold packs melted, I would replace it with a frozen one in the freezer. I don't think I'll wear this device out in public, but it's great for sitting at the computer. I'm not a big fan of narcotics, so I definitely prefer ice as a pain reliever to Tramadol and Codeine. The dentist gave me a prescription for Codeine. I haven't used it yet, and doubt that I ever will.

The dogs are very intuitive. Whenever Janet or I have become sick, they become very calm and act like little nurses. Today when Janet brought me home loopy and full of anesthesia I knew the only thing to do was go back to bed. The dogs quietly curled up beside me and I slept for three hours. When I woke up, I couldn't really remember what happened at the dentist. I know that I talked to the surgeon right after I woke up, but I couldn't remember a thing. Janet said he gave all the same post-surgery information to her, telling her that I wasn't going to remember a thing. Those must be some powerful drugs.

As the day progressed, I began to feel increasingly normal. About mid-afternoon I felt good enough to sit down at the computer and write an article. It may not sound coherent to the client, but it looked pretty good to me. Dash is getting better too, so I took him on a longer walk this evening. His special sock stayed on for the entire walk and he hardly limped at all. I made sure he walked at a slow, measured pace, even though he loves to run. We've all got to do things at a slow measured pace these days.

I had Mac & Cheese for dinner, because it was one of the things on my "OK to eat" list. I should have had soup. I feel little particles of pasta stuck between my teeth and I'm not allowed to brush for another 24 hours. This is going to drive me nuts. I hate having little food particles in my teeth and use one of those dental water pics every night like a miniature pressure washer to remove the debris. Jeez, I'm not supposed to use a water pic for a week. What am I going to do?

Tomorrow that attention shifts from Dash's limp and my teeth to Dot's ongoing rehabilitation. We're scheduled for another session in the underwater treadmill. Things are getting back to normal.

Parker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1835

Today was pleasant. Janet walked the dogs this morning while I went up to the Land Rover dealer to get my tire fixed. I always enjoy going to the dealership. I've been going there for almost twenty years, so everyone knows me. They have good french roast coffee and if you get there early, there is always a nice selection of pastries from Corner Bakery. Everyone was in a good mood this morning because they all got off at noon for Christmas Eve. Even though I only went to get a nail removed from my tire, they washed my car and vacuumed the interior. If only all businesses were this nice.

On the way home I picked up some dog treats for Dot and Dash and got them each a fresh chicken breast so they could have something special for Christmas dinner as well. Janet and I are having a crown roast, so we'll all be eating well tomorrow. In keeping with my tradition of saving everything until the last minute, I spent the rest of the morning wrapping a few packages to put under the tree.

I sent a confirmation letter to NASA today, telling them that I accepted their invitation. It appears that the closest airport to Vandenberg Air Force Base is in Santa Barbara. There are no direct flights from Dallas, but this still seems better than flying to Los Angeles and then making a long drive up the coastline on Highway 1. I haven't driven a car in Los Angeles since my ad agency days and I remember the traffic being terrible even back in the 1980's. Now that traffic in Dallas is just as bad as LA traffic was in the 80's, I can't even imagine how bad California freeways are today.

We have started giving Dot a low dose of Rimadyl to reduce inflammation and hopefully alleviate some of the discomfort she is currently feeling. I've always been nervous about Rimadyl since it can cause problems with the kidneys and liver. Petey, one of our previous Dalmatians, had severe hip dysplasia and took Rimadyl for many years. It did help him keep walking, but I still keep thinking that it might have contributed to his eventual death from kidney failure. After a long talk with Dot's vet yesterday, I agreed to give Rimadyl a try. She said that side effects were minimal to non-existent at this low of a dose and that at Dot's age, pain management was more important than the possibility of long-term side effects. I like to think that Dot will live forever, but if she is still with us five years from now, she will be the world's oldest Dalmatian. The goal now is just to keep her happy and comfortable for as long as we can.

I saw on the news that Sony Pictures has decided to release The Interview on Christmas Day. I guess this strikes a blow for free speech and all, but it still seems like an odd choice for a Christmas movie. Who would want to go see this on Christmas Day? Call me old fashioned, but when I think of Christmas movies, I still think of things like Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life.

Dalmatian of the Day

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