Fun In The Sun - A Sarasota Visit

Audrey is looking for a Manatee!  We missed them this visit--although

others saw them along with a dolphin!!

 Our Shadows in the Water -

 

 

 At Desoto Park with our son!

H a P p Y  26th B i R t H d A y !!

 

 

 Audrey tries out the ocean!

 

 

 ...and Audrey with a Palm

 

 

 

A piece of driftwood that I like - what does it look like to you?

 

Audrey had a fun visit to Horseshoe Cove RV Resort - our very first RV experience!  She has never been a good rider and was NOT a good rider this time.  I drove the whole way, she panted the entire way and mostly sat in my husband's lap!  He was very patient.  She was great while we were there. Lots of fun walks, a trip to the doggie park, a trip to the ocean and a few yummy cookouts.  My husband stayed for a business function and Audrey and I drove back - she was better on the way back; still lots of panting, but better.



Early Morning Tuesday For Adriamycin

February 18, 2014

5:00 a.m. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG....

There goes that darn alarm....so not a morning person.

Up, showered, dressed, primped, take Audrey out, feed the animals, drink my coffee, grab my purse and tote bag and off by 6:00 a.m.  70 wonderful minutes of driving in morning traffic and we arrive at the Vet....I am supposed to be there by 8 a.m....if I leave my house any later than 6:10 a.m., I'm SUNK - it will be more like 9 a.m. before I get there - as it was traffic was a lot heavier today than usual as this time - surely Tuesday can't be that different from Thursday.  My County's schools are closed this week for winter break, but no evidence of that by traffic standards.

Sweet Audrey went right in without any fear... I have a pic of her sitting on the bench waiting for the Tech to come get her.

You can tell a little bit that her whiskers are a little stubby.  I've noticed that she seems to be losing them.  If you click on the pic, you can also see the evidence of her runny eyes.

Another thing that happens during this treatment...particularly when she has been sleeping and relaxed, a bit of BM will ooze from her anus.  If you are choosing this type of treatment for your pet; protect your furniture, beds, etc. It isn't much, and it isn't very often, but particularly with the Vincristine, even a little is very stinky.  Audrey hates it when it happens, she gets into a bit of a panic and she wants to clean it up and hurry and go outside.  I NEVER scold her; I just quietly take care of it and get her outside to see if she needs to potty.

Snow and ice last Wednesday and Thursday....in the 70's today.

We are now on an every other week schedule.  So, we don't go back for two weeks. 

In this two week period Audrey is going to get a new experience, in fact, so will my husband and I.  At the end of October I bought a used 24' C Class RV; we are loading up for our first little trip - off to see our son in Sarasota.  Of course Audrey gets to go.  I did think ahead and two weeks ago I ask the Vet for a Vet in the area in case we have an emergency.  I was given a name today so I am prepared.

Expect palm trees in the next post!

Cost of Today's Vet Visit.................$287.25

All Snowed In

February 13, 2014

 

Appointment Day for Audrey - Postponed

 

 

                                         Look What Happened:

 

Enough ice and snow to keep us at home, plus, cancel school for the second day in a row and create havoc. I wanted to reschedule on Friday, but The Vet wanted reschedules to be on Tuesday, the 18th.  All the documentation they send out strongly stresses to stay within one day of your regularly scheduled day of treatment.

 

Mixed feelings....not quite sure why they waited all the way until Tuesday, but at the same time, Audrey has not really felt well since the last treatment.  She threw up twice one day and once the next.  It wasn't until Sunday that I felt she had energy and a little vim and vigor.

 

                                           

Early morning before the wind started blowing and before the sun came out.

The snow was very wet and heavy and stuck to all the branches.

 

So, the snow was mostly gone on Friday and in fact, by Thursday evening we could easily get out ... and did so ... a dash for Mexican . . . and then on Friday to hit the grocery store...everybody and their brother and first, second and third cousins had the same idea.  

 

 

The ORIGINAL Audrey and Clarence

Audrey, my Grandmother, in the early 1950's - and Clarence, my unusual, unique and very ORIGINAL, Grandpa! 

One of the many Redbones that my Grandparents had....I don't know which one this is, but I do know from stories my Mom told me over the years that about this time, they had a Redbone named, "Pot Licker"....!!

So, my dear sweet Audrey, is named after my Grandmother....what a fabulous Grandmother she was....I wish everyone, including my kids, could have had a Grandmother like her....the very best!  She died in 2006.

Clarence, the Bloodhound, my cousin's dog, pictured in an earlier post, was named after our Grandpa.  Grandpa loved animals; all kinds.  He once had a pair of mules named "Thunder" and "Lightning".... and a pair of twin calves named "Dolly" and "Loretta"... the mama cow was named "Frosty". 

I never saw my Grandpa in anything but overalls....EVER...my mother said she once saw him in a pair of corduroy pants.  Oddly quirky in a lot of ways...but sweet and fun.  He loved to tease the kids and I can remember him letting me comb, and comb his hair, including putting in curlers  - my Aunts have the same memories of him.  He was a good man.  He said something when I was eleven that I've never forgotten and it made an impression on me even then....

One of my Aunt's almost died after giving birth.  I was in the hospital waiting room with my Grandpa...he said, "I thought when the kids were grown, all my worries would be over...."

That certainly rings very true...

"Where the Red Fern Grows"

February 11, 2014

When we are out with Audrey, people always ask, "What kind of dog is she?".

"Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls has been required reading in the South for  Y E A R S.

All I have to say is, "Have you read "Where the Red Fern Grows?"  The light bulb turns on and a big smile lights up their face...

That's the kind of dog Audrey is...just like Little Ann and Dan from the beautifully written, but sad book.

There is a movie based on the book as well.

AUDREY IS A REDBONE COONHOUND.

Not a better breed of dog around......according to ME!!

Here's a link that for the most part, is very accurate on the attributes of a Redbone Coonhound:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redbone_Coonhound

World's Most Patient Cat - Sid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Nun16-Hk4


If you click on the link above, you will go to a You Tube Video of Audrey when she was a puppy - terrorizing Sid, my daughter's cat!

I hope it makes you laugh!! 





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Nun16-Hk4

Another Dose of Vincristine & A Surprising Fact...

This is a photo of a Vinca plant from my yard last May.  I plant them every year.

Surprisingly, the chemotherapy drug, Vincristine, that Audrey received on Thursday, is derived from this plant!  I will never look at this plant in the same way ever again.  According to what I read, 86 alkaloids are extracted from plants in the Vinca genus group.  This drug is used to treat some leukemias, lymphomas, and childhood cancers as well as several other types of cancerous and non-cancerous conditions.

 

Thursday, February 6, 2014

 

Another trip to the Vet.  Audrey willingly went inside but as soon as she sat beside me, she began to tremble a bit.  This is the first time that she has done so.  It was very slight and she still went with the technician without notable fear.

 

She was given Vincristine IV in her right front leg. 

 

While I was in the waiting room, the big beautiful Ridgeback from last week came in again; her "Mom" was wearing a military uniform. 

 

My daughter was talking with one of her neighbors about his dog and it turns out that the dog is also a patient at the same Vet.  The dog does not have cancer, but some other malady.  His "day" is not Thursday so I probably will not meet up with him; the Vet tries to keep patients on a constant schedule.  The neighbors dog loves his walks and one of his favorite stops is the window in my daughter's apartment where her cats like to hangout!  The dog likes to look and bark a little and the cats are curious too...except BIG Sid...he runs and hides.  We laughingly say it is because he was terrorized by Audrey when she was a puppy.  In a future post I'll include a funny video of Sid and Audrey when Audrey was only a few months old.

 

It has been a good week for Audrey. Not much tiredness from the chemo; just runny eyes and the horrible smelling gas...phew.

 

We are having some concrete work done at our house.  We put Audrey's footprints in it along with the date...concrete had already set-up pretty well so I don't think it will be especially good impression.  When it dries, I'll post a pic.

 

Audrey is due for Adriamycin this coming Thursday and then we will start on an every other week schedule.

 

We have ANOTHER bad weather system coming in this evening - so unusual for us.  Thursday's appointment is the one where I need to have her there by 8:00 a.m.; I am sure hoping the weather clears so I can make the appointment without any issues.

 

Cost of Today's Visit................... $182.95

So God Made A Dog

.....and I'm glad he did...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVmh-wFA1uE

Sleeps With Dogs .....

..... yes, yes I do.....

A Scare

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Last Thursday after Audrey's treatment all seemed well.  At about 11:00 p.m. she threw up three times. I immediately called the Vet's Emergency Room to get advice.

They told me that the chemo would have already passed into her bloodstream.  They advised me to remove food and water and let her stomach "rest" and to observe her for any respiratory distress.

I removed the food, however, I did not feel good about removing water.  I allowed her to drink what she wanted then removed the water for a couple of hours and then put it back for her to choose if she wanted any.

After she had her water, she was ready for bed and didn't get back up until morning.  It was a long night for me - I went to bed with my contacts in so I could immediately see her if something was needed.  I also kept a light on and propped myself up in the bed so I could see her well.  She slept peacefully through the night and all was well the next day.

Reading about respiratory distress was disturbing; I thought it was possible to lose her that night.  I am 30+ miles from the ER....whew....

I have always said, to anyone that would listen, I think there is so much more to animals than most people realize.  When Audrey became sick to her stomach, she didn't hide or go to some other part of the house.  She came right over to me.  Dogs get a queer little smile on their face when they are about to throw up.  Panic was setting in with her; I could just tell.  I patted her and told her it was ok and to go ahead.  I simply cleaned it up and did all I could do to console her.  She got up on the couch and I could see she was drooling a bit.  I went over to get a tissue to wipe her mouth; my back was turned maybe 20 seconds.  In that time she threw up right on my electric, keep me warm throw!!  Of course I did NOT realize this until I came back and SAT IN IT!!  For once, I was glad it is winter and I had on LONG PANTS!

My Vet has not provided any information about the proper protocol in cleaning up vomit or feces when your animal is being treated with chemotherapy.  Here is something I read on-line:

"Because chemotherapy drugs are excreted in feces and urine, we advise clients to wear gloves when cleaning up after their pets for up to 48 h after drug administration and wash the area with diluted bleach. Presently there are no written guidelines that exist for the disposal of pet waste."

Based on that statement, GLOVES should be used!  As always, if the owner is pregnant, special precautions should be taken!!  

If this is a road you choose to travel with your pet, please research the proper way to handle feces,etc.  Even if your dog typically goes outside for potty breaks, there is always the possibility that due to the drugs, he or she may have an accident in the house that you will need to clean up.

Another Vet visit tomorrow.

On a side note....today is my son's birthday!!!  Not a "fur" son....a real human boy! lol  Happy 26th birthday son, I love you very much and my oh my has the time flown by!

SOCHI KILLING STRAY DOGS PRIOR TO OLYMPICS

I am desperately trying to save the life of my beloved dog.....

I am OUTRAGED at Russia, The Olympic Committee, and whoever else has a part in this.

My own personal protest.....I will not watch one second of the Olympics, nor will I purchase any product that is associated with the Olympics.

I could rant for pages....you get the idea....