Wednesday, February 18, 2009

100 Days As A Tripawd!

Today marks my 100th day as a Tripawd! I know, just a few days ago Mom was bragging about my 3-month ampuversary, so you're probably thinking "Geeze, does every day have to be some kind of freaking holiday??" Well as a matter of fact, YES, when you are a Tripawd EVERY day is precious and you learn to treat every day like a holiday.

No one knows how to enjoy a holiday better than me, the couch potato queen! I am one of those girls who loves "relaxing" holidays. Mom, on the other hand, is more into the "go, go, go, see, see, see, do, do, do" type of holiday.

Soooooo... on that note, Mom told me this morning that she decided that she and I (plus Emmy and my big brother Alex) are going to go on a road trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains in early April. Our "Jerry Road Trip", she called it. I think she has been inspired by Jerry's stories (you know, my Tripawd "spirit" friend whose pawrents sold their home and business to travel all over the United States with Jerry.) I saw her eyes get all wet and sparkly when she was watching Jerry's story on that PBS special Sunday night, so I knew she was up to something.

My longest road trip so far in my life was a 4-hour car ride to Mackinac Island (plus a ferry boat ride). Yes, I know, I am a housecat! So this is going to be the biggest adventure of my lifetime. Mom wants to show me some cool stuff that she loves in the mountains and we are going to go stay at her dog-loving Aunt Margaret's guesthouse. It's right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mom says it's so beautiful there and there will be lots of opportunities to dish out sloppy Dane kisses and Dane leans to all the people I will meet there and along the way. I can't wait!

So stay tuned in early April. I am sure Mom will take lots of pictures and have lots of stories to tell.

Hey, if you haven't already, you really need to check out Jerry, Jim and Rene on the PBS "Why We Love Cats and Dogs" show last weekend, here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/why-we-love-cats-and-dogs/interview-rene-agredano-tells-jerrys-full-story/4654/ And Mom says it definitely requires a box of Kleenex, so you might want to grab one first!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

I've Been Obamiconed!

Geesh, Mom just showed these pictures to me. I'm so embarrassed! She has "Obamiconed" me! She should have asked me first.


And she has also made me the star of an inspirational poster:




Hmmmmm.... I think I like this Tripawd "Hope" thing.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

It's My 3 Month Ampuversary!

Just wanted to let you all know that today I am celebrating my 3 MONTH ampuversary. My life is great these days and I am so happy being a Tripawd that I forgot all about my old leg. It's so wonderful to have that achin' thing gone, now my life is pain-free.



As you can see, I am spending a lot of "lounge lizard" time on the couch these days. Danes are the biggest couch potatoes, so I must live up to my reputation! I find plenty of reasons each day to wag my tail, in fact Mom says I wag it as much or MORE than I did before. It's nice to be done with most of the Doctor visits. Just a quick CBC tomorrow, some chest x-rays in a few weeks, then Mom might start me on some special supplements to keep me healthy and to keep that ugly cancer monster from growing.



We've had some warm weather this week so it has been nice to get outside and breathe the warm air. I've had a fun time watching Mom clean up all my poop that was buried under all the snow! (Ha ha) I can't wait to be back in the business of licking the sweaty boys on my brother's Cross Country team! In the meantime I will have to make the best of hanging around inside. As you can see I have a nice snuggly friend, my lion blanket from Santa, who can keep me company when I need a friend to snuggle with.



Mom is sad today because she found out that some of the nice people she's met on Tripawds.com are coming to the end of their journey with their Tripawd and have to say goodbye soon, or have already said goodbye. She gets really upset every time she reads about another Tripawd reaching to end of his journey. Titan... Jack.... and now Buster. It's been a rough year so far. She's so sad because she knows how hard these guys' pawrents fought their cancer. It's hard to help humans "get it". I wish they didn't get so sad about it all. It takes a very special person to be a Tripawd parent, and we are all so blessed to have them. We know our pawrents have done everything they can for us and love us to bits. But when we tell them it's time, they just have to trust us and be at peace with it. And then when we go they need to help other Tripawd pawrents with their journey, just like our friend Jerry's pawrents. Trust us. We WILL be there waiting for you when you come to join us someday, and I guarantee it will be like we have never been apart.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Last Dose

Nova's blood work was great this week, so she was able to go have her last dose of the Carboplatin this morning. It was kind of a relief to finish up that phase. The next thing is to come back for chest x-rays in a month. So things should be quiet for awhile. Around that time I may start some additional immunity-boosting supplements, but I am going to spend a little time doing some research and getting advice. Dr. O doesn't want me to start Nova on anything that might conflict with the carbo, so I will wait for about 30 days. For now I am just going to focus on her diet, which is still EVO canned and dry foods, high protein with no grains. And the occasional can of one of the Merrick foods she loves so much.

Here is Nova sprawled out on her bear rug in front of the fire:



She loves laying by the fire and often will stick her head into the fireplace so far that I am afraid she'll get burned. She just loves warmth.




I am really anxious for the weather to improve so I can get her out more. Nova is not much for cold and snow, so she spends the majority of the time sleeping. I would like her to get more active. I am really looking forward to the summer and getting her out to be more social. At one point I considered having her go through training to be a therapy dog. She is such a lover, but I am worried that she might not qualify because she is so wiggly. She has this habit of always giving people "the butt", she can't help it, she's just that kind of girl! So when she meets someone she likes (anyone and everyone) she immediately presents them with her rear end and either tries to lean on them or sit on them. I am thinking that Emmy might be the better candidate for therapy dog. She will stand, sit, follow orders, and is not wiggly, very calm and serene.

Nova is such a good girl with all the poking and prodding at the doctor all the time. I would not have the patience. But she is such a drama queen it is so hilarious. She "talks" whenever we are at the doctor, usually in this plaintive howly language where you just know she is definitely trying to get a point across. She is such a source of entertainment for people in the waiting room.
When we got home she had a nice surprise, a Valentine's box from Grandma Barb. Inside were chocolate hearts for the boys, and for Emmy and Nova, there were 2 delicious, tasty Bully Sticks otherwise known as dried bull weiners. Yep, actual man parts. Of course the kids got a big laugh about the girls' enthusiasm for a bull's "you know what". Alex said, "Wow, is she goin' to town on that, or what?" Ewwwww.... thanks alot Grandma Barb!