Day 4034

Another uneventful Saturday. I had a hard time finding fruit at the grocery store this morning. I don't think that people are panic buying strawberries. I just hit the store at the wrong time. I ended up finding everything I needed, but I had to go to several different stores. Janet shops multiple stores every week. I don't know how she had the patience.

Walking Dawn was a strange adventure this morning. She was enthusiastic leaving the house and we ended up walking several miles before she realized that she was lost and panicked. When she froze this time it was very hard to get her moving again. I thought that I would have to go get the car again, except this time we were not in a place that was accessible to cars. We finally got Dawn moving again by having Janet sit in the grass about twenty yards ahead of her. It seemed to take forever, but eventually Dawn would run toward Janet. We had to repeat this process about four times before Dawn got to an area of the park that she was familiar with. She seemed to remember that the road home involved a left turn and tried to go up every road to our left. When we refused to head up these roads, which actually headed in the wrong direction, Dawn would freeze again. As soon as Dawn knew where she was, she headed confidently back to the house.

All this weird behavior is new and she never behaved like this before she had that seizure. Dawn doesn't have a fever and acts completely normally at home, but something is wrong. When you combine extreme stubbornness with extreme fear, you've got a mess. I guess we could get an MRI of Dawn's brain, but we did that with Dot once and the results were very inconclusive. All we really learned was that dogs have very small brains.

Since Dawn didn't walk far this morning, I had to take another long walk by myself. I'm learning that my new shoes work great on pavement but aren't so good on rough ground. By the time I returned home today, I had some very sore feet. I guess I could go back to wearing heavy hiking boots, but I've gotten used to having something light on my feet. The easy solution would be to just walk a little less. I really don't have many problems until I start walking over five miles.

I started watching Season 5 of The Expanse this afternoon. Somehow the show doesn't seem nearly as exciting as it did when I first discovered it. Maybe the world has changed. Maybe I have changed. I suspect that I'm just not very interested in watching TV anymore. I doubt that I'll even finish watching the other episodes in this new season.

It is supposed to snow tomorrow. One forecast says there is a 100% chance of snow. Another says we will get a wintery mix of rain and snow. Either way, I'm glad I finished running all my errands today and have no need to be out on the roads tomorrow. I'm curious what Dawn thinks about snow. Some of our dogs have loved it and others have hated it. I'm not a big fan of snow myself. I'm not a fan of anything wet on the roof.

Mack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3928

Dawn is sick. She was fine yesterday, but she woke up this morning very lethargic and didn't want to eat her breakfast. We initially thought she had an upset stomach and might have eaten something bad in the yard. When we went on our morning walk she walked about a block and then refused to go any further. We went back home and she immediately went back to the bedroom. When she still refused to eat anything at lunchtime, we began to get worried. She felt a little warm, so we took her temperature and were shocked when it was 105 degrees. This was serious. We called the vet and made an appointment. When we described our situation, they told us to come in immediately.

Dawn is still under observation. Her blood work looks good, but the vet initially thought that she might have had some sort of seizure. If she did have a seizure overnight, it wasn't like anything we've experienced before. We've had dogs who have had both epileptic and vestibular seizures and Dawn wasn't acting like this at all. She occasionally had a mild tremor in her body that appeared like she was having hiccups. She had some rapid eye movement as well. The thing that scares me is the last time we took a dog to the vet with a 105 degree fever, we discovered two days later that she had abdominal cancer and required immediate surgery.

Each of our dogs has had to deal with very serious health issues at some point during their life. After dealing with cancer, epilepsy, neurological and spinal cord problems, torn cruciate ligaments, and attacks by other dogs, we were worn out. The sadness that comes from dealing with serious and often incurable health issues was one of the reasons that we didn't think we'd get another dog after Dot and Dash passed away.

Dawn is such a sweet dog with such a troubled past that we were really hoping that we could offer her a happy, trouble free life where she could forget her former life. Hopefully we still can. The vet thinks she might have a neurological problem and wants to get an MRI done of her brain as soon as we get her fever under control. We've taken one of our dogs to see a neurosurgeon before. If there is a problem in the brain or spinal cord, it often doesn't end well. 

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Hopefully, we can bring Dawn home later tonight and the vet will be able to figure out exactly what is going on. In the best of worlds, we'll all wake up tomorrow morning and everything will be fine. Dawn has always had some muscle atrophy on the top of her head that you usually don't see until a dog become very old. I've always thought this was strange. Up until this morning she has seemed perfectly healthy though. She routinely gets a clean bill of health when we take her to the vet. This is 2020 though so anything could happen.

Well, it's two hours later now. We just returned from the vet with Dawn and a big bag of meds. They managed to get her fever down, but still don't really know what caused it. The vet suspects that Dawn had a mild seizure last night and might have brain lesions. This is just a guess though. We'd need to do an MRI to know for sure. Other things could have caused a sudden high fever as well. It could be a viral infection. It could be a wide variety of things at this point. From past experience I know that a conclusive diagnosis can be quite difficult. Dawn is eating again though. That's a good sign. Oops. Janet said she just threw up. That's not a good sign.

I'm glad I didn't go to Florida. I'd feel even worse if I was far away. We'll see how Dawn feels in the morning. She's resting calmly now. This is all very familiar territory that I was hoping to avoid for a while.

Rosie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2046

We had to decrease the amount of time that Dot spent in the underwater treadmill today. She just didn't have the same amount of energy that she did last week. The vet confirmed what I've been observing all week. Dot's left rear leg is definitely growing weaker. Why? We don't really know for sure. The problem could be caused by the Palladia medication. The vet suspects that the weakness is a neurological problem caused by another shifting disc in her spine. It could be something else entirely. The only way to know for sure will be to systematically eliminate each possible cause. After her next Ultrasound scan, we will stop the Palladia for a while and see if her condition improves. If discontinuing the Palladia makes no difference, we can have another MRI done to see if one of the other discs in her spine has slipped or ruptured. If we can find out what is going on, there may be something we can do to reduce any discomfort Dot may be feeling. I don't think further surgery is an option though. Dot is too old and has been through too many major surgeries already.

I feel kind of helpless at this point. Dot still has the desire to be active. She just doesn't have the strength. It's hard not to feel that I'm letting her down in some way. I had the same feelings during my Dad's last days. I knew he wanted to get out of the critical care facility and go home. The doctors wouldn't release him though. Once certain things have been set in motion, they can end up being almost impossible to reverse. At least Dot is still happy and in good spirits. She may never walk unassisted again, but I'm happy to assist her for as long as she's willing to continue this journey we've embarked on.

The Summer has returned with a vengeance. The air conditioner runs pretty much non-stop now and I'm having to run the sprinklers in the yard almost every morning to keep things from drying out. Friends who spend time on the water say lake levels are still high for July, but other than that our wonderfully wet Spring is becoming a distant memory. Just about everybody was complaining about the rain in April and May, but a lot of people, including myself, would like to see some of that rain return. The only real reminder of the massive Spring rains are all the potholes in the city streets. It will probably take several year to fix all these potholes. My roofer tells me that one of the reasons he hasn't been out to fix the defective elastomer coating on my roof is that his company had an unprecedented number of leaks to fix this Spring. I'm just glad that my own roof wasn't one of them.

I remembered to take the trash out to the curb this evening, but it's hard to remember everything. I forgot that the brush and bulky trash truck was coming last Wednesday and I continually keep forgetting to wear my retainer at night. I never forget the dogs pills or my own meds. I never forget my keys when I leave the house. And I never forget a work deadline. I think my brain is too crowed with routines and details though. For everything I do remember, there's something else I forget.

I'll definitely remember to go out for breakfast tomorrow. My Friday breakfast outings are often the high point of my week. I was excited to learn that one of my favorite downtown restaurants will soon be adding a second location in my neighborhood. By Fall I may have two restaurants to tempt me.

Jewel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1887 - Valentines Day

After viewing Dot's MRI scans with the neurologist this morning, it became painfully clear why she is having problems. Several spinal discs were visibly deformed, but one in particular was pressing directly against the normally round spinal cord, squeezing it into a squashed oval shape. There was a tiny shard or fragment from this damaged disk that looked like it was poking into the spinal cord itself. I was going to show you the image this evening so you could see for yourself, but unfortunately the DVD the hospital burned for me was another damaged disc. When I got home, my computer said the DVD was blank.

I typed up a list of questions this morning before we drove up to the hospital to pick up Dot. The neurologist was very patient, answering every question and much more. The only thing that she wasn't able to do was promise me that Dot's problems could be resolved. Could the little shard that had broken off from the disc be successfully removed without damaging the spinal cord? It is very likely that it could. Could something go wrong during surgery, making her condition even worse? Yes that could happen too. Could steroids alone reduce the inflammation around the spinal cord enough to allow Dot to resume a reasonably normal life. Possibly. This appears to be one of those things that you just don't know until you try. One of the keys to non-surgical treatment is 100% bed rest for up to eight weeks. Nerves are very fragile, are easily damaged, and can take a very long time to regenerate.

I felt a little better about the possibility of surgery after talking to the neurologist today. I felt a little worse about the whole recovery process after I read a website that described in great detail the many ways that dogs can screw up their own recovery by just being dogs. Dogs don't understand the concept of 100% bed rest and will do everything they can to resume their old activities. You have to watch them like a hawk at all times to ensure that they don't injure themselves.

As bad as it is, there are small signs of hope. When we took Dot to the specialty hospital her rear legs were completely lifeless. This morning, I could see small signs that she was attempting to move them. As I used the Help 'Em Up Harness throughout the day to get her outside to pee, I would often notice that her legs were attempting to move. Dot is a long, long way from being to support her own weight without assistance, but the fact that there is still a little feedback between the nerves in her legs and her spinal cord was encouraging.

I had to be the legs for my first Dalmatian during the last year of his life and it just about killed me. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this is where all my current shoulder problems originated. Spot had a different problem than Dot has now, however. With Spot, a combination of hip dysplasia and a late in life cruciate ligament tear caused most of of the weakness in his rear legs. Spot was very weak but was never completely paralyzed. It was still possible to take him on walks using a supportive harness. Dot's condition is more serious.

Helping Dot recover will test the limits of my housebound lifestyle. Even I need to get out sometime. Janet and I will figure out a way to keep Dot under supervision at all times. It's not going to be easy though. Dot has already tried to get off her dog bed unassisted three times today. She is not a good candidate for being crated though, so I will always keep her nearby and be her legs when it looks like she needs to move. So far there have been no accidents. She is pretty good about letting me know when she needs to pee. She's even better about letting me know when she's hungry, which is almost all the time.

Tonight should be interesting. Dot has always slept in the bed, but the neurologist says that she absolutely must sleep on the floor and not get in the bed with us. There is just too much danger if she inadvertently tried to hop off the bed while we were asleep. I'm such a light sleeper that I almost always wake up whenever either dog moves during the night. I don't want to risk anything though, so maybe I'll sleep on the floor with her. Dot is today's Dalmatian of the day. I took this picture on Valentines Day several years ago when she was feeling much better.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1886

After a long day of evaluations and tests, Dot is resting quietly tonight at a veterinary specialty hospital in Lewisville, Texas. Why one of the best veterinary neurological centers in the country is located so far away from one of the biggest cities in Texas is still a mystery to me. The journey to Lewisville normally takes about 30 to 40 minutes when traffic is light. Of course traffic is never light in Dallas. We spent over an hour on the road this morning, mostly because an accident on the freeway shut down everything but a single lane of traffic at one point.

The accident made us a little late for our appointment, but the neurologist couldn't have been nicer. She was thorough, professional, and patiently answered all of our questions. We had to leave Dot at the facility because the neurologist said their in-house CAT scan equipment wouldn't be able to adequately image her spine in great enough detail. After driving Dot all the way to Lewisville, the hospital ambulance then had to drive her back to Irving where she received an MRI at Animal Imaging. This advanced imaging center has an MRI machine large enough to scan a horse. Race horses are brought here from all over the country for diagnostic imaging. I have been to this center before. It is an amazing place and very expensive. After our initial exam, we left Dot in the capable hands of the neurologist and returned to Dallas to pick up Dash from another veterinarian where he was spending the day in doggie day care. Life becomes very complicated when you can't leave your dogs alone for long periods of time. Dash is still prone to seizures and of course Dot currently can't even walk.

Late this afternoon, the neurologist called us with the results of her MRI scan. It was worse than I thought, but not totally unexpected, especially considering her slowly deteriorating condition during the past year. Dot has multiple bulging disks, including one severely damaged disc that is already pressing against the spinal cord. Considering Dot's age and the length of time her spine has been injured, there is at best a 60% chance that surgery can correct the problem. That leaves a 40% chance that surgery will accomplish nothing or even make the situation worse. Spinal surgery is risky even with a younger dog. In the short term, treatment with cortisone or steroids has almost exactly the same rate of success as surgery, but the benefits aren't permanent. The hard thing with an older dog is determining exactly what "short term" and "long term" mean. If cortisone and anti-inflamatory drugs can keep Dot mobile for another two years, that might be all she needs. She is, after all, a very old dog. On the other hand if surgery is the only way she'll ever have a chance of walking again, it changes the equation entirely. It's a very tough decision.

We will drive to Lewisville again tomorrow morning to pick up Dot and take her home with us. We will also begin her cortisone treatment tomorrow and hope for the best. Usually, if anti-inflammatory drugs work, you'll see some signs of improvement in about a week. If the drugs don't work at all, we've got several weeks to make a decision about surgery. We can't wait three months to decide though. At some point the condition becomes irreversible. There is no way the neurosurgeons can even attempt to fix all Dot's bulging discs. It is far too invasive. The recommended surgery would only attempt to remove the pressure caused by the worst of these damaged discs. If the spinal cord has already been compromised, it will take a long, long time to heal even after surgery. Nerve tissue regrows very slowly. Again, there are no promises that the surgery will work at all. The 60% chance of success is as close to a promise as we are ever going to get.

All I can do at this point is hope for the best. Dot is very resilient and has bounced back from serious injuries before. The past two years have taken their toll however. The desire is still there, but I don't know how much energy she has left. We'll do the best we can. That's all anyone can do.

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1885

Dot suffered a serious setback today. The day started normally enough. Both dogs went out in the back yard to pee right after they woke up. Everything was normal. Dot and Dash wandered around the house while we got dressed to take them on their regular morning walk. Then Dot decided to stretch. I'm sure that many of you have seen dogs stretch their legs out behind them after they've been sleeping. Dash does this every morning and Dot used to stretch this way as well when she was younger. I don't know what made her feel like stretching this way today. Maybe she was feeling good. Almost immediately something went wrong. After stretching, she couldn't stand normally again and began to stumble. Within minutes, her rear legs were completely paralyzed.

An emergency trip to the vet confirmed my worst fears. By stretching this way, Dot had managed to rupture or blow out a disc in her spine. This is serious. If we are really lucky, cortisone shots might be able to reduce the inflammation enough so she could regain some limited mobility. If we aren't so lucky, surgery is usually the only alternative. We are seeing one of the best veterinary neurologists in the area tomorrow morning and are hoping for the best. Dot will probably have an MRI or CAT scan tomorrow to see exactly what is going on in her spine. We can't even begin cortisone treatments yet because she still has Rimadyl in her system and the two drugs can't be administered at the same time. She has to wait a minimum of 48 hours to clear the remaining Rimadyl from her body.

Dot is totally confused. One minute she was feeling great and the next minute her rear legs are paralyzed. She is still alert and has a good appetite, but she can't move. We still had a special harness that helped our first Dalmatian get about when his legs began to fail. Unfortunately, this harness didn't fit Dot. During her exam, our vet was able to fit Dot for a new Help 'Em Up Harness which is much better than the old Walkabout Harness that Spot used to wear. The harness can only do so much though. Dot has no sensation in her rear legs and doesn't even attempt to move them.

One of the most difficult things with a paralyzed dog is getting them to pee and poop. Our vet was worried that the injury might have damaged the nerves that control her bladder. I was worried too. Luckily, Dot can still pee. It's messy and it's difficult to get her into a squatting position, but she was able to pee after dinner tonight. A little later, she pooped as well, so there's still hope.

I canceled all my appointments, including my dental surgery, for next week. I don't know what lies ahead at this point, but I'm sure it will involve constant care and attention. You can't really leave Dot alone in this condition because she could easily injure or even break one of her rear legs without even realizing it. I've cared for a dog with a spinal injury once before and it was extremely difficult. Spot did eventually recover though and I want to give Dot every possible opportunity to recover as well. I don't know if she's strong enough for surgery, especially since she had such a difficult time recovering from her cancer surgery last year. Hopefully, the neurologist will be able to give us some hopeful news tomorrow. I'm a strong person, but this has really got me down.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1420

Today was dismal. The skies were sullen and grey, accompanied by a cold, all-day rain. I would have preferred to just have stayed under a blanket today, but I had to pick up some more phenobarbital for Dash at the vet and the dogs still needed their walks. Every time I went outside, there were muddy shoes that needed to be cleaned and wet dogs that needed to be dried off. I wish I could just train the dogs to use a catbox on days like this, but we all know that's not going to happen.

While we were walking in the rain, I noticed a film crew working in the park. There were four grip trucks, several tents, and a large motor home for the actors. Why would anyone want to film something on a day like this? Maybe they were in the park for the same reason I was. Some things just can't be postponed. On the other hand, maybe the movie had a scene that takes place in the rain. In that case, they picked the perfect day.

This would have been a perfect day for me to hunker down and write, but I seldom get writing assignments on Mondays. Usually the writing assignments start filtering in later in the week when I have plenty of other things to do. Without any pending deadlines to spur me on, I uploaded some more pictures to Shutterstock. So far, more people seem to be downloading my images on Shutterstock than on iStockphoto. Although this is encouraging, Shutterstock pays less, so I doubt that the increased activity will net me any more money in the long run.

When I saw my Hepatologist recently, he suggested that I probably ought to see a kidney specialist. Apparently, the radiologist had noticed that something had changed in my kidney on the MRI they took. I don't know why each organ in the body needs its own doctor, but that's apparently the way it works. You'd think that a liver doctor would work on kidneys too, since they both filter things. Nope! I needed to see a kidney doctor, so that's where I'm going tomorrow.

I wonder how long it will be before I see the sun again. I do much better when the sun is shining. The weather forecast isn't encouraging. It looks like there will be at least two more days of continuous rain.

Ginger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1403

Dot does not have a brain tumor. This is very good news. She still has seizures, of course, and we're not quite sure what's causing them, but seizures can be controlled. Although there's still something very wrong, it's reassuring to know that Dot's brain is as normal as a Dalmatian's brain can be. I'm always fascinated with MRI images. They're so clear and detailed. The imaging technicians took hundreds of images of Dot and if you put them together in sequence, you would have a detailed movie of what's going on inside her head. Some of these images show the eyes and the optic nerve. Others show the tongue and the esophagus. This slice seems to be centered in the middle of her head and shows the spinal cord attaching to the base of the brain. It was a stressful day, but everything is back to normal now. Dot recovered so quickly that she even wanted to take her evening walk.

Since the Animal Imaging Center isn't located nearby, I spent quite a while transporting Dot to and from her MRI appointment. The scan itself took less than an hour, but since she had to be anesthetized for the procedure, she was at the imaging center for most of the day. The place is pretty amazing. They have one of the most advanced MRI machines in the entire country. It is one of a small handful of MRI machines in the world that is large enough to accommodate horses. The facility is located in an equestrian center because most of the clients are horse owners. Lots of top race and show horses come to the facility to have injuries evaluated. Under ordinary circumstances Dot likes being around horses. Today was different though. She had no interest in horses. All she wanted to do was come home again.

Anesthesia often causes nausea in both people and animals. Dot woke up feeling a little under the weather and the trip back home during rush hour traffic didn't make things any better. She threw up in the car and seemed to feel better afterwards. I guess it was only a matter of time before one of the dogs threw up in the new car. If you have a dog and you have a car, the dog is going to vomit in it sooner or later.

The artwork of the Dalmatian without any spots came out very nice. I picked up the life-size image at the printer today and I think this will make a cute game at the children's carnival. We'll make the spots out of peel and stick black vinyl and let the kids choose where to place them on the dog. I guess we need to name the dog too.

I was lucky that there were no pressing deadlines today. I certainly didn't have a lot of time to write or make website revisions. I know that some of my clients read the blog, so maybe they just cut me some slack today. I'm hoping for an uneventful weekend. We all need a little rest around here.

Little Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1402

Today was an odd assortment of obscure tasks. Since the skies finally turned blue again, I went up on the roof and swept away a slurry of decaying leaves, pecan shells, and brownish water. I keep thinking that if I can keep the Fall leaves from turning into a big compost pile, the new roof will last longer. I could be wrong though.

Later in the day I found myself taking all the spots off of a vector art illustration of a Dalmatian. I needed to create a large image of a Dalmatian without any spots, so children at a Fall carnival could add the spots back one at a time and create their own Dalmatian. I sent the outline of the dog off to be printed on a 36" square sheet of plastic. Small kids should have fun putting the spots on a Dalmatian, shouldn't they? Hey, maybe it's a silly game, but it was all I could think of for our booth at this event.

Since work was unusually slow today, I found time to go back to the gym again. Three visits in one week is pretty good for me. I am still baffled by people who love to exercise. I don't find my workouts any different than vacuuming the floors, or mowing the grass. There's no endorphin rush for me. It's just another kind of work. I will admit that I enjoy shooting baskets on the gym's basketball court. Who would have thought? My Dad would have been pleased to see me pick up a basketball. It was his favorite game.

I just remembered that I left six of my favorite CDs in the Defender 90's CD changer when I sold the car. If the car is still up at the dealership, I should go up and get the discs while I can. You may wonder why it took me three weeks to remember that I'd misplaced my favorite CDs. I guess I don't listen to music much anymore. I certainly don't play CDs very often. Music is just files on an iPhone now.

I have to take Dot to the imaging center for her MRI first thing tomorrow morning. She's not going to be a happy camper when she discovers that she can't eat breakfast. Dogs live to eat and missing a meal is a big deal to them. She has to fast though, since they will be giving her anesthesia for her brain scan. I'll be glad when this is over with. I don't like to be anesthetized myself, but at least I know what's happening. The dogs have no idea what is going to happen to them, but I'm sure they blame me when they wake up again. They always give me one of those "how could you" looks when I pick them up after the procedure. This needs to be done though, so I hope Dot will be safe.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1399 - Columbus Day

It certainly didn't feel like a holiday today. Janet got the day off, but all our planned activities were rained out. The rain continued unabated for most of the day, so it was difficult to even find a few dry moments to take the dogs out. I'm not complaining though. The new roof continues to keep the water out, and that alone is a blessing.

Since I was confined indoors for most of the day,  I thought I might as well get some work done. I continued my quest to master the intricacies of Wordpress, and after four hours in Wordpress hell, I came to the conclusion that trying to design your own themes from scratch was not very rewarding. It is very easy to buy a pre-made theme and fill it up with your own words and pictures. If you want more control than this, lots of luck.

We made an appointment to take Dot for an MRI brain scan on Friday. I am always nervous when a dog has to be anesthetized for a procedure. I just don't like anesthesia and even getting the dog's teeth cleaned worries me. There is no alternative though. If we want the MRI, Dot must be anesthetized during the scan. The animal imaging facility where we're taking Dot is one of the best in the entire country and all the vets assure me that Dot will be safe. I still worry though. Too bad that Dot can't just stay still, like I do when I have an MRI.

Much to my surprise, the framers were super nice and were able to frame the print I'm donating to Janet's charity event while I waited this evening. Some of the guys even remembered me from the old days and treated me like a legitimate working artist instead of someone with a big pile of unsold prints in a storage warehouse. I hope a lot of people bid on the picture at the silent auction. The framers did a great job and the photo looks fabulous.

I hope the weather is better tomorrow. It's always easier to take Dash to the vet on a nice day. Actually, everything is easier on a nice day. The dogs and I got caught in a sudden downpour on our evening walk. I thought I had timed things so we could make it back to the house before the rain started again, but Dash had other plans. Dot knew it was going to rain and did her business quickly. Dash lives in the moment though. He dawdled around smelling things like it was a sunny day. Then the moment he got wet, he panicked and started tugging Dot and I back to the house as fast as he could. Even though we all got soaked, I still managed to snap a few nice flower pictures on the way home. I guess there's always a silver lining somewhere.

Abby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1388

Dot is much better today. With both dogs, if you didn't actually see the seizures, you'd never believe they actually happened. When the dogs have recovered from the seizure, they are completely normal again. Even though I have experienced multiple seizure episodes with both Dot and Dash, it is still hard to know what to do while the seizure is happening. It is important to leave the dog alone during the seizure, but equally important to get them to the vet immediately if the seizure lasts too long. Where do you draw the line? I guess the next step with Dot is to schedule an MRI scan of her brain. It would be nice to be able to rule out a brain tumor as the cause of these seizures. Of course, if she does have a brain tumor, what do you do then? I'm not sure subjecting a very old dog to aggressive chemotherapy is the answer either.

It's a good thing I don't fret about my own health as much as I worry about the dogs. There's so much wrong with me that I'd probably be totally dysfunctional if I worried at all. The dogs are different though. I feel like I'm their protector. You want to do everything you can to keep them healthy, but there's only so much you can do. Unfortunately, life is just as unpredictable for dogs as it is for people. The pretty little flowers I photographed today are called Crow Poison. They are toxic and should never be eaten. Of course, these little flowers bloom everywhere in the park right after a rain. One more hazard, in a long list, to watch out for.

Recent events have made me realize that life is chock full of unexpected hazards. You shouldn't have to worry about being attacked by a motorcycle gang while you are minding your own business driving home with your wife and two year old child. You probably shouldn't be shot and killed either, just because you forgot to take your meds and happen to drive your car into the White House gate. I was really surprised today to discover that the cause of all the panic in Washington DC was a 34 year old dental hygienist driving alone with a small child. She didn't even have a gun. Couldn't the police have just shot out her tires?

It's probably a good thing that I spend most of my time sitting at a computer and writing. If I knew what was really going on around me in Dallas everyday, I would probably be appalled. Janet and I hope to retire to an idyllic, small town with no crime someday. The only problem will be in finding such a place.

Until then, I'll just keep on working. I did some major website updates today and then wrote an article that will have to be completely re-written tomorrow because I managed to get all my facts wrong. Oh, well. At least I have something to do tomorrow. I had an out-of-the-office meeting this afternoon where I found myself actually recommending Wordpress as a solution to the client's problem. I was astounded and somewhat mortified to hear the words come out of my mouth. Was I possessed by the devil? Jeez, I hate Wordpress. Too bad it works so well

Hobbs is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1360

I spent the afternoon in a MRI machine again. Today's scan seemed to take longer than usual, but maybe I'm just not as patient as I used to be. I like the technician who does my scans. He used to be a race car driver, but switched to medical technology after he got married to provide a more stable life for his family. The only vestige of his racing life that still remains is the best selection of car magazines ever in the MRI changing room. The only thing I dislike about these scans is that I have to fully extend my hands behind my head before they slide me into the narrow metal imaging tube. Yikes! With my dislocated shoulder, I think waterboarding would be a less traumatic torture than spending an hour with my arms extended this way.

I think the Defender 90 repairs might finally be finished. There was a voice-mail from Land Rover this morning asking me to call them. When I did return the call, all I got was their voice-mail. Since Land Rover is even slower about answering voice-mail messages than they are about repairing cars, I'll probably have to drive up to the dealership tomorrow and see what's going on. I was hoping to be able to keep the loaner car until the weather turned cooler, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. This has been the warmest September I can remember. At this rate, it's not going to be cool outside until Thanksgiving. Hopefully, they really fixed the Defender this time. I've still got to take Dot downtown every Wednesday for her physical therapy sessions.

A cool stove-top short-order griddle I ordered came in the mail today. This thing is perfect for quickly cooking up a delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns and other things I can no longer eat. I'm sure it will make a nice veggie omelet too, so the nifty new utensil definitely won't go to waste. It's weird. The less I am able to eat, the more I am interested in food. This probably won't end well. One day I will use up an entire loaf of Panera Bread making French Toast which I will then drench with half a bottle of pure maple syrup. So far, I'm hanging in there with my oatmeal and kale, but I don't know how long this can last.

It looks like I'm finally going to have to learn to use Wordpress. I've got two clients who want to add things to their websites that can only be accomplished using Wordpress. I've tried to convince them that Dreamweaver is the only development tool in the universe, but they aren't buying it anymore. I don't know what has happened to me. I used to love learning new things, and now I dread the process. The pace of change has simply become too disruptive. I used to get a lot of use out of my skills before they became obsolete. Now, the obsolescence occurs before I even finish reading the instruction manual. Oh, well. Time stops for no one. Not even me.

Allie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1359

I had a new business meeting this morning. I am being asked to develop a new website, and before I got started, I wanted to get everybody's input. One guy said the website need to be a lively forum that generated lots of discussion. Another guy said it need to showcase the organization's mission and values. A third guy wanted a transaction site where people could pay for things and make appointments. One group wanted a blog, and a small contingent wondered if there was any point in having a website at all.

I had almost forgotten that this was what beginnings were always like. Most of my clients have been with me for so long that there is seldom any need to talk. My input these days usually consists of "You know our business. Just make it work."

This new project sounds interesting. It also sounds difficult. Sometimes difficulties challenge me. Other times they make me put my head in my hands and start muttering "Why me?" We'll see what happens. At least I'm being given enough time to put some serious thought into this.

Dot was back in the underwater treadmill today. She seems to like the water therapy and did really well today. When I see her move her legs during the interval training sessions, I remember how fast she used to be when she was a young dog. Dot was always a dog who loved to run. It must be hard on her not to be able to do many of the things she enjoys so much. Considering her age, Dot is still remarkably strong and agile though. She is probably the healthiest Dalmatian we have ever had.

It's been such a busy week that I haven't been able to get to the gym at all. If I want to finish my normal writing and website chores, I only have time for one out-of-the-office activity. On days like today, where I pulled out of the driveway to run errands or go to meetings on four separate occasions, keeping on schedule is a lost cause. It seems like I used to do my job much faster, but maybe I'm just imagining things. All I know is that there just aren't enough hours in the day anymore.

I have to have another MRI tomorrow. The imaging is a pretty painless process, but I'm still not looking forward to it. When they inject you with the contrast dye, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. I don't like having to put my arms behind my head when they slide me into the tube either. I've still got a dislocated shoulder and one of my arms doesn't really want to go behind my head. It could be a lot worse though. I'll take a MRI over a biopsy any day of the week.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1218

Dot went to see the neurologist today. I don't know what Dot thought, but I found the entire visit a bit unsettling. After I described Dot's symptoms, the vet asked me a bunch of questions and then proceeded to tell me that in about 40% of cases like Dots, they were never able to determine what was causing the problem. After that, she proposed a number of tests, all of which required that Dot be under general anesthesia. The MRI she wanted to do would be taken at another facility, which meant that Dot would be transported to and from the specialty clinic on some of the worst freeways in Texas while still under anesthesia. I didn't like this idea at all. She also wanted to do a spinal tap, which made me nervous as well. I guess spinal taps are safe, but I've heard some terrible things about them.

I didn't mention this to the vet, but what made me the most nervous of all is that the recovery facility where Dot would be staying overnight after the MRI had gotten some terrible reviews on the Google Maps website. I know that some of the things people say online aren't fair, and in some cases aren't even true, but multiple bad reviews does make you stop and think things over. At any rate, I postponed the MRI and other tests until I could talk to Janet and my regular vet again. Dot is thirteen years old. Certain things could definitely help her, but sometimes the cure can be more traumatic than the disease. I think she's too old and frail to even consider spinal surgery.

I think my memory is shot. I completely forgot about Dot's acupuncture appointment yesterday. I looked on the computer and discovered that I had failed to make an entry for the appointment. I've gotten to where if something doesn't beep and remind me on my phone, I don't remember it at all. I didn't even think about the appointment until I was trying to remember my vets name at the specialty clinic this morning. There are just too many things going on for me to remember them all. At least I remembered Dash's antigen shot this afternoon. It seems like I spent my entire day at the vet.

I had terrible dreams last night. I frequently have dreams where I am lost and trying to find my way back home. Sometimes I am in a hotel, or in a city that I visited long ago. This time I think I was in Las Vegas. At least I started there. Every time I went through a door, or stepped out of an elevator in this dream, the environment changed completely and I was somewhere else. Then the door disappeared. There was no retracing my steps. I became increasingly lost and disoriented until eventually I didn't even know what planet I was on. Luckily, one of the dogs woke me up and when I got up to go to the bathroom, the dream disappeared.

In between the vet visits, I managed to complete quite a few small writing assignments. Dot ended up skipping breakfast for nothing, but she is happy to be home. I skipped breakfast as well. I didn't need to fast. I just ran out of time.

Becker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1161

I had another MRI today. The massive MRI scanners are fascinating. The technology works because our bodies are largely made of water. The hydrogen atoms in our bodies can be aligned using a powerful magnetic field. Then, when radio waves are passed through the body at just the right frequencies, a radio signal is generated that varies according to where the magnet is. The distribution of protons within the body can be mathematically recovered from this signal, allowing the creation of a precise image of the body's inner workings. It would take a physicist to explain how these things really work, but I like to think it's just a giant magnet interacting with a small TV transmitter broadcasting on channel 3. One of the strangest things about the MRI is that early research was largely funded by the Beatles. Yes, those Beatles. British music giant EMI wasn't just a music publisher, it was also an electronics company specializing in medical research. Many say it was profits from EMI's Beatles albums that funded the development of the first commercial scanners.

Although MRI scans are completely painless, I ended up grinding my teeth a bit today. Before they slide you into the long cylindrical tube to begin the scan, you are asked to stretch your hands behind your head. There's only one problem with this. Since I have a dislocated shoulder, my right hand won't go all the way behind my head. I have trouble raising this hand all the way above my head standing up. It's no easier lying down horizontally on the MRI cradle. Somehow they slid me into the tube anyway, but I felt that dislocated shoulder during the entire 45 minute scan. Ouch!

Although the scan went fine, the drive home wasn't quite as uneventful. My car stalled out in a bad part of town a few miles from the hospital. I wasn't looking forward to leaving the car here. Luckily, the problem was just vapor lock. I took the gas cap off, waited a few minutes for pressure to equalize, and the Defender started up again. This is the trouble with driving a 1995 car around in 2013. It isn't very reliable. Wherever I go, there's always some sort of problem that crops up. There are oil leaks, mysterious rattles, and all sorts of minor electrical problems. Most of the problems are minor and easily dealt with, but you never know when your luck is going to run out.

Despite spending part of my day inside a giant magnet, I still managed to get some articles written. It wasn't a bad day at all. Our unseasonably warm weather continues. The dogs are happy and I haven't gotten sick of my austere new diet yet. I saw my first daffodil of the season too. That's bound to be a sign that Spring is just around the corner.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1160

It was a good day to go to the dog park. The weather was nice and all the dogs were playful. We stayed quite a while at the park because it is much more enjoyable to watch dogs play than it is to clean the house. Since Janet and I both have the little activity wristlets now, we were probably looking for an excuse to boost our step count too. I feel compelled to walk 10,000 steps a day now. I've probably always walked that much, but now that I'm being measured, I hate to be a slacker.

When we got home from the park, the dogs did the smart thing and took a nap. I decided to clean the bathroom instead. I don't know why it's so hard to get soap scum off the shower tiles. In those Scrubbing Bubbles commercials, the tiles are glistening in just a few seconds. In real life, it never works that way. It's harder to clean shower tiles than it is to clean a barbecue grill.

It's supposed to be a holiday tomorrow, but it doesn't look like I'm going to get any time off. I've already got several jobs on tap that I need to work on in the morning and then I need to go over to Baylor and have an MRI done in the afternoon. I filled out a big stack of pre-admittance paperwork this afternoon, but I'll bet there's more paperwork for me tomorrow. An MRI is pretty painless. The only thing I don't like is when they inject you with dye. It leaves an odd metallic taste in your mouth for some reason.

I'm glad Janet approves of my new diet. It would be much harder to maintain my resolve if she wanted to continue eating cheeseburgers. Luckily, she's been eating healthy all along. All I have to do it eat the same things she does. Well, almost the same things anyway. I'll have to forgo the scotch and red wine.

Too bad I've had to give up alcohol. Drinking all that extra water I'm supposed to have would be a lot easier if I could add a little single malt scotch and a few ice cubes to every glass.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1159

It was a beautiful day. On clear, unseasonably warm February days, everyone is out and about in Dallas. The roads are crowded. The stores are full. The park is filled with people who never walk their dogs on cold, rainy days. The whole town was a three ring circus. Although it actually would have been a good day for me to stay home and read a good book, I decided to join the fray and went to Guitar Center. Not surprisingly, I was already too late for the President's Day doorbuster deals. The AKG headphones that were marked down 79% from list price were long gone. I looked around, couldn't find anything else I needed or even wanted, and left.

The next stop was the grocery store. I didn't even bother to look for deals here. I just put stuff in my buggy as quickly as I could, used the handy automated check out station, and left. Probably the only fun thing I did today was photograph a new Dalmatian in the rescue program. The boy's name was Bosley, which reminded me of those hair loss commercials. This seemed like a strange name for a dog with plenty of hair, but there's no accounting for dog names.

An imaging center sent me six pages of forms to fill out for an MRI I need to have next week. Most of this information I've already filled out hundreds of times before. If we can go to the moon, why can't we figure out an efficient way to have a master patient database, so you'd only have to fill out this information once. Oops, I forgot. We can't go to the moon anymore. Maybe the medical industry can't figure out how to get beyond paper files either. It's weird. All this expensive high-tech diagnostic equipment and still everyone relies on paper records. Every doctor's office I've been to seems to have entire rooms devoted to storing mountains of file folders filled with patient records. Everyone is very particular about their forms too. I've tried Xeroxing forms from another doctor's office to save time, but it's never good enough for them. I'm always handed a ball point pen and told to fill out all the information from scratch.

So far, drinking a lot of water is proving more difficult than eating vegetables. I see people all the time who continually walk around with a bottle of water in their hand. I never understood this obsession with hydration before, and I guess I still don't understand it now. 8-10 glasses of water a day?  Wouldn't two be enough?

Joshua is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day