summer is over

I was hoping to keep more on top of daily blogging, but I'm having a problem getting back into the swing of it. Part of it is, that I have so much I want to say but don't know where to start. Last week I spent a lot of my free time uploading vacation photos to my kids facebook accounts. I know! I'm a total enabler. I, myself loathe facebook. I am proud to say I am close to 4 months clean of facebook!!! YAY!!! I was an addict. I was constantly checking it... as I would sit down at the computer my fingers would automatically try and log into facebook! ACK! It was out of control. I am glad to have severed that connection. There is much better things I can be doing with my time than reading peoples status updates. Sorry facebook lovers... I do think it has it's good points, re-connecting with old classmates and looking up businesses and such. But honestly, I like being anonymous some what in this world. So no chance of me getting back on there.

I can't believe summer is over tonight. Why must my favourite season end??! Our tans are already fading from our trip to Hawaii, which saddens me and makes me want to run straight to my neighbourhood tanning salon. Okay not "this" neighbourhood - someone else's nicer neighbourhood! My neighbourhood consists mostly of massage parlours fronting as other businesses and car lots. I would be so scared that there was a camera in the room uploading on to some porn site, if I went to one in my area of town. LOL!! Back to my love of tanning. I do love being tanned. I love the warmth the sun gives, wrapping it's loving rays around me. Even the fake rays from the tanning salon make me happy. I know I am not meant for this rainy cold weather, but it's coming, I know it is. It's sunny today, but this morning was so chilly. You could see your breathe in the air. Time to pull out the fall jackets and more sensible shoes, no more sandals. Waaaah! I love summer time... please don't go!!! I actually was totally not ready for the weather the other day. I dropped the girls off at school and it started raining so hard... I was just wearing a little sweatshirt and sandals, oh yeah and pants. Needless to say when making my trek from North Van to Richmond I was soaked to the bone. No umbrella. No nothing. I promised myself last year when I got caught in the rain like that, I would always wear more sensible clothing and footwear from now on. Forget fashion & just go for function! I am all for that train of thought again. "Hello, full piece rain gear and hip-waders!!!". It's not pleasant feeling and looking like you just crawled out of a storm drain.

Ahhhh, the postcards! I am terrible. I just sent them off today. I was having a heck of a time finding cool local postcards. It was slim pickings and I had to bite the bullet otherwise I would have never gotten them in the post. I hope they all make it safe & sound and that people can read my writing! I am normally a pretty large bubbly type of printer, but on those small postcards I have to contain my bubbliness. It ended up looking like someone elses printing altogether. I was channeling a grade 4 boy, I think. I hope they like them. I sent 5 postcards out. 4 over seas, only one went to the States. I babbled, unsure of what these people care to hear from me! Once I get some in return, then I will more of an idea of what people expect. I can't wait to see where our postcards will come from.

I bid you aidieu summer!!! 

And

Hello, tanning salon! (maybe)

I'm here

Oh wow! It's been a long time!
Hello world!!!

I am excited to be back in the blogshpere, YAY!!!

Just a quick note today, I have to be running to go get my kids from school soon.

I just came across Postcrossing. I was on the prowl for a penpal in Kauai. (We just came back from vacation there - I want someone who can supply me with an endless supply of coconut syrup & candied coconut balls! Not to mention Li hing mui! YUM!!) Anyway, when all I could come up with was weird listings for men from Hawaii looking for Japanese women to email. Feeling like I wish things were a little more old school and not so creepy, I stumbled upon Postcrossing. YAY!!!

 I am not entirely sure how it all works, but you register and create an account. When you request to send a postcard to someone, you get the address emailed to you & a postcard i.d number. You put the i.d number on your postcard so then when the person receives it, your card can be traced. The site keeps track of all your incoming & outgoing postcards.

Seems neat.

People have more details on their profile about the type of postcards they would like and so on.
I can't wait to tell the girls about it.

I also can't wait to get one!!!

I've got our first postcard recipient and our first postcard is going to Mendon, MA!

YAY Mendon, MA!

Where is that?

I better go look it up.

2009 Kicked my ass....

I'm glad it's over.

I'm hoping that 2010 will be kind to me.

Wishing you all a safe & a fanstastic New Years Eve!!!

I will be back.

We are still alive & well!!!

Sorry to disappear on you guys! Last week was just one of those first week of the month freak outs. Because May was such a crazy month with Luke getting sick & myself & the shop not being open because we spent a lot of time at the vet office, well... I fell behind on so many things, so I have been trying to catch up on everything around here.

Luke. Oh my baby Luke. He is enjoying his time at home I think. But, our home is very small compared to the shop. We live on a floating home that is only 800 sq.ft. on the Fraser river. Luke just hangs out in the upper part of the house (400 sq. ft.). Because we have a small dog that would be way too much in Luke's face & the dog would probably loose an eye! Because Luke likes things mellow (I don't blame him!). But, thankfully we have a huge upper deck & Luke has been going out to eat grass and enjoy fresh air ans catching some cool breezes in the night. I do get very nervous about him up there though, because he is very nervous outside (he stays low LOL). If he hears something, he is always on guard. But, he does get to a point where he can relax, but he is very aware of what's going on around him.

Luke spends most of his day sleeping in hiding. He had been finding his way under the bed, even though I had filled all the spaces under it with blankets and such. So we gave up & just took the blankets away from under the bed. And since we did that, he stopped going under there!!! I swear I had to take apart the bed 6 times, at least to get him out from under there. It was such a pain. Silly boy.

His evenings are spent jumping over my face many times as I try to sleep. I don't know why he ends up doing this every night. But I always seem to wake up to his belly dragging across my face at some point through the night. LOL!!!

All in all, he seems to be doing better. His weight is holding steady. But, he is not the same weight he use to be. And he is not as small as he had been when he was taken from the 1st vet's office. He's in the middle somewhere. And no more pink ears with a fever! YAY!!!

Administering his medicine has been a whole other issue. The drops are no problem. But, the powder that is suppose to go into the wet food!!!?? This has not been going well. He ate it for a couple of days. But, then became turned off of the wet food again. So, I have just been watering the powder down and putting it in the syringe and giving it to him orally. He is gaining his strength back this is for sure, because he is fighting me on this one. It's terrible. We have had quite the battles together just trying to get him to be still. I really, really hope these two medicines are helping his gall bladder stones. It's so hard to tell. But he isn't getting worse, so something must be going right. I kept giving him the high calorie paste until it was gone, which was just a few days ago. He didn't mind taking the paste. But, the watered down powder... whole other story! Actually, maybe I should mix it with chicken broth! Why didn't I think of that before?!!! I'm going to try that tonight for him.

Luke has had quite a few visitors at the shop looking for him. It's sad to tell them he is not here, but I am glad that he is just at home relaxing on his own terms & not feeling like he is obligated to say, hello to people when them come in looking for him. Not that he doesn't love people... But, it's better that he just rest. I don't know when I will bring him back to the shop.
I guess after we do the x-ray 3 weeks.
I pray, pray, pray those gall bladder stones have disappeared!

Part of me can't wait to have this blog be about visitors with Luke & maybe pictures of Luke WITH the visitors! It will be nice to have him back here at the shop. I am very lonely, business has been very quiet. I think Luke must be good luck! BEcause things have been dreadful with out him here.

Once gain, sorry for being away last week! Don't worry, we're still here and doing fine.
Also we are working on your little packages for the people who did donate to help Mister. Luke out.

I know some of you said, "Don't worry about it!".
BUT
It's just a small token of our appreciation!
AND
We really just want to do it!!!

Thanks so much for being there.

*Hugs*

The results are in!!!

Luke has acute pancreatitis

No tumor. Which is a huge relief to hear.

We went in for the ultra sound and there were 8 other anipals in to get ultra sounds too (4 cats, 4 dogs). I met a sweet 22 year old cat named, Anthony. He was so handsome. He had gone deaf about 3 years ago. He's apparently had a rough 3 years. But 22!!! Wowza. That is amazing! He was in getting his kidney's looked at. I hope he will be okay. His parents were so sweet.

It was hard meeting many others that were there with their babies... So many stories to tell. Everyone was so open, we were all just worried sick over our babies. The love we all have for our animals is so strong. It is clear that most of us would do almost anything for them. Our babies/best friends... life without the is just pure sadness.

Luke went in for the ultra sound & I had to wait out in the waiting room. Thankfully no sedation was needed. He came out & I was hoping we would get the results right away. But, the specialist faxes the findings to our VET. Then our VET contacts us with the results. Which was driving me crazy with the waiting! He finally called me close to 6pm and gave me the low down. It was kind of hard to hear him (my cell phone sucks) So I made plans to visit with him this morning to get all the info of Luke's game plan.

The bottom line is that Luke has an over active pancreas. He also has those gall bladder stones. He will be on a special dry food & wet food. As well as a some holistic medicine (see above picture) to thin out those gall bladder stones so they can be passed, or just break down. We are scheduled to come back to the VET office in 30 days for an x-ray to see how those stones are doing. He offered the holistic medicine instead of the "conventional" medicine, because he said there are some risks with conventional medicine. Being that this is his first case in 20 years of a cat with gall bladder stones, he wanted to do more research on the drugs. He was going to be contacting another VET for a recommendation if these holistic medicines to do not so the trick.

For now Luke is on:
Liquid Hepato: It contains a standardized extract of milk thistle along with full complex of B vitamins and antioxidants to help promote normal liver function. The active bioflavonoid complex in milk thistle, silymarin, increases the uptake of hepatic glutathione and stimulates hepatocyte protein synthesis. It's bacon flavored liquid that is to be given orally. Hope he likes it!

Rx Biotic: Which is just a pro-biotic. It helps maintain normal, healthy intestinal micro-flora and normalize bowel ecology. I am suppose to mix a scoop full of this in his wet food. I am not sure if he will take to the wet food. Since he started eating again, I haven't given him the option of the wet food in a few days now. Hoping he will like the new wet food prescribed. Because, if he doesn't I will have to add water to it & give it to him orally. Fingers crossed he likes the wet food!

(If anyone has an experience with these medicine's for their cat or dog, please comment. I would love to know the out come.)

The out come for Luke is pretty positive right now! I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. His condition can be reversed. We just have to hope that those stones will not rupture anything. That with the aid of the meds they will just dissolve and/or pass.

I am so glad that Luke is going to have more time with us & hopefully be able to come back to work someday. Thank you everyone who hung in with us during the last couple of weeks. It was such a roller coaster ride. So crazy. I think I added 50% more gray hair to my head with all the worry.

I am so glad I listened to my gut & went to the other VET for a second opinion. The other VET had me thinking it was a tumor - because he had no clue what anything was in the x-rays. He had been trying to convince me to put Luke down at more than one visit with him. I can only imagine how many people who would have listened to his advice. Terrible thought. To think that your baby could have had their life taken away unnecessarily. When all they needed was someone more knowledgeable & with proper care. I am curious how long that fellow has been a practicing VET.

I totally recommend Lonsdale Animal Hospital in North Vancouver, BC!!! They are such a great team there. They are super stars in my eyes.

As for Atlas over on Marine Drive in North Vancouver. I am not so sure. Maybe a good clinic for a minor concern. But, if your animal is really sick - seek elsewhere! I hate to kind of bad mouth them, but I know I would not return there. I also did find some questionable reviews online about them here & here. But it was a long weekend when we took Luke there. No one else was open.

I am just glad it all worked out for now.

Thank you so much to everyone that helped get Luke to the ultra sound appointment!!!
His bill for the ultra sound was $400.00. His bill for the meds and food was $107.50!
We had just enough to cover that! It couldn't have worked any more perfect.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!

You all have been so amazing with all your financial contribution, advice & positive healing vibes you sent our way. We couldn't have made it with out you. We give you the biggest hug EVER!!!
We hope that we can continue the friendships we've made here foreverness!

XOXOXOXO

Ultra sound day!

I brought Luke to work today because we have to leave early to get him to his ultra sound appointment. The appointment is officially at 1:30 , so send us some positive healing love at that time! We got a call to come in at12:30 though, to get Luke's little belly fur trimmed.

He was nervous at first to be at the shop, sniffing around at everything. I had moved his beds around and he was giving me the eye roll about his favorite bed not being is his usual spot. I got the hint, and easily placed his bed back where it was. He hopped on in & is very content.

Our neigbour next door from Bruce Eyewear was very excited to see him at his old stomping grounds! I wasn't sure if he would really be up to saying hello to her. But, she called him over & he couldn't resist! He was going in circles around her legs - rubbing his head on every part of her lower leg! He is such a sweety. I love my Luke!

I'm trying to keep positive. I don't even want to think of anything bad right now.

He seems like the old Luke. Just a little thinner.

Thanks for everyones help that made this ultra sound visit possible!
*hugs*

Luke has been eating!

Sorry about not updating yesterday. I was so busy with trying to catch up with work that I let slide, because I was so pre-occupied with Luke.

But 2 nights ago Luke ate dry food on his own!!! I was just getting his wet food ready for him. I offered him the wet food whole. But, he was not interested at all in it. So I took his food to go get it ready for the syringe. As I was doing that my daughter decided to offer him a little piece of dry food. He accepted it! So she got a small handful for him & he kept cleaning up the little pile of food. Slowly he was gobbling them all up. We were all very excited! And he has continued to eat the dry food! YAY! I have stopped giving him the wet food completely, because he just wasn't all that into it. I went to the VET yesterday to tell them the good news & she said that was fine that he was eating the dry food & maybe he is just turned off of wet food, because in his mind it made him sick.

I am still giving him the high calorie paste, he is still on one antibiotic medicine & I give him the B12 shot in the morning. Which is now a total breeze to do! I think he only has one more of those shots to take.

I still haven't heard from the VET office about the time of his ultra sound appointment tomorrow. But, they are just squeezing us in at the last moment. Hopefully they will be calling today. We thankfully don't have to go very far for it. Just to West Vancouver.

He is getting around a little easier. The little bugger last night was trying to get downstairs. We have a gate at the top of stairs and he kept knocking on the gate to pull it open. I don't know where he thinks he was going. Because there is nothing down there for him! Silly boy.

I think he is kind of enjoying life laying around bed all day & basking in the sunshine. Everyone needs a break from work, he had been working non-stop for 2 years at the shop. I'm sure he kind of misses saying hello to visitors at the shop, but he has lots of little distractions at home and lot's of constant love and attention. I love Luke.

I am feeling a lot better about his recovery... but I guess we'll just have to wait and see the results of the ultra sound.