North Dakota trip was great. I didn't do near as much as I had wanted but that's because I was in pain from the endo and just exhausted. But since the surgery, my pain is almost to nothing in that area. Thank God. We started fertility treatment and that is advancing this week. But please don't ask if I'm preggo. I will share the news when it's time. If I don't share anything, you can assume it's not working.
We are planning a trip to Rapid City in September because I'm speaking at a round table discussion for the Mountain Plains Museum Conference. Nothing too formal or in-depth so there isn't a lot of pressure. I'm excited to see Mt. Rushmore again and just the Black Hills in general. It will be a really quick trip. We plan on taking the doggies (more on that below) and the ratties of course will stay home.
I also finally got my photo shoot done for my entry into the Pinups for Pit Bulls calendar next year. Posing with two dogs is hard! Hell it's hard enough just on your own but holding a pose, trying to look happy, sexy and sweet while having some dogs run rampant at your feet is pretty crazy. I had to laugh though because all the wonderful people helping out were making silly noises and whistles to get them to look in the right direction. Little Laffy Taffy was one of the models and Patton also posed pretty. I can honestly say I have met some wonderful, amazing and beautiful women through this experience. I would have never stretched myself so far if I hadn't done this. It really doesn't matter if I don't make it in because I have gained some great friendships through this process. By the way, Taffy is available for adoption and I can honestly say she is a total sweetie! I hope she finds a great home soon because she is a great doggie. I wish we could adopt her but Sadie is such a dominant female that I don't think she would do well. Darn cranky Sadie.
And I got another tattoo. These flowers grow everywhere in ND and especially on the hill where mom's ashes are spread. It's a Purple Cone Flower and represents mom and healing.
Last Friday Rowdy had another seizure. I was home and kept him calm and comforted as best I could while he went through it. Ron came home from work and we thought he would get through this like he did the others. We even got him started on some anti-seizure meds that night. But despite their sleepy effect, he could not rest. He could not walk without falling and had a hard time standing up. Ron stayed up with him most of the night, dozing here and there and picking Rowdy up when he tried to walk. I knew at 2AM when I saw the pain and frustration on Ron's face that we'd have to put him to sleep. But I was hoping by morning he would have snapped out of it. I put on his little Thundershirt and covered him in my bath robe and he slept for about 4 hours. In the morning he couldn't pee because he just couldn't stand up. So when the vet opened up, I called and scheduled him to go in. I wanted so badly to be there and hold him while he passed but I couldn't. Ron was there though and he said it was very quick, painless and peaceful.
Rowdy was a great dog. He barked and bayed like the little deaf dog he was. He would hop instead of run because of his hips. When he was hungry or wanted outside, he'd put his cold, wet nose on your bare leg. And when he would stand at your feet and look up at you, his fuzzy ears flopped back and they looked like little wings on his head. We called him Angel Ears. He cried, whined, needed help up and down the stairs, ate special food, demanded cooked chicken and hated his paws being touched. But maybe God brought us Rowdy to teach us patience to be parents. Maybe we needed him more than he needed us.
Despite all the money we spent and that we took care of him almost round the clock in the end, we don't regret adopting him. I would never trade that experience for anything. We had less than two years with him but they were very fulfilling years. My heart is broken but time will heal things and maybe soon we'll be parents of a human kid. But we'll never stop advocating for and rescuing dogs. Our human kid will just join our pack and we'll all be one slobbery, happy family!
The folks at Wayside Waifs are cremating his remains on Wednesday and they told us they would try to get his little paw print for us. Maybe there will be another tattoo someday soon.
So that's about it. A lot of good things and some bad things. Here are some photos of Rowdy when he was happy and full of life. Tschus!
my wife's family just had their dog put to sleep this week too. the vet even came out to the house so the dog wouldn't have to get freaked out by being taken in. if only people could be put down like that before things got really bad...but then, who would be authorized to decide if it was your time to go?
ReplyDeleteI agree....I guess you'd have to go through a bunch of red tape so everyone's asses are covered....
ReplyDelete