Jan 16, Oopps, sorry Oregon

In light of all the loss the last week, we have held off celebrating Arri's health.  But now, we need some good news.  Arri is doing fantastic.  Two weeks ago, I didn't expect to still have him around.  This week has been pretty incredible.

To say Arri has been a bit of a distraction might be an understatement.    I received an e-mail for a free 8x8 photo book.  I had 5 days to assemble and get it ordered before the offer expired.  I spent 6 hours working on it yesterday.  Should it have taken so long?  No.  I decided to make a new 'Arri' book.  Once pup #2 came along, Arri's puppy book was seldom updated.  All his pictures are found in the last 11 puppy books.  So I have spent 3 days roughly - between working - combing old albums that were pre-digital camera and searching all the digital files for Arri photos.  What I learned is that most of his photos are either by himself or  with a large group.  Not to many one on one photos with each pup.  I was trying to create a page with each of the pups he has raised.  The thing is, that after pup #3, he didn't want to have much to do with the new dog.  In addition, he is not keen on having his picture taken.  He has impeccable timing for turning his head so I get profile pictures.  To add to the time consuming task, I am not great at labeling my photos.  I have to figure out which dog it was based on the year.  Then there was the back to back black dogs.  Can I tell them apart? - not on your life.  I have to check the date to know who is who.  I so appreciate digital cameras that date stamp the file.  My first digital point and shoot did not have the date built in.  Never again, it is a requirement for purchase.

Happy 1st Birthday Oregon!

So why am I saying sorry to Oregon?  Yesterday was his first birthday.  I remembered many times during the day but was waiting for Tim to get home to have the 'party'.  Tim got home and I was immersed in the photo book and completely forgot.  I had frosty paws and everything.  So today I am going to run downtown for a special treat from the dog bakery.  We will party tonight.

Arri & Oregon

So the good news??   Puppy Arri has returned!!!! Yes, I can not believe it.  The playful pup has been around in the evening to play tug of war.  He is even picking up a nylabone.  He wants to go to the park and he barks when people come to the house.  Yesterday, a customer stopped by to drop off a package.  I must admit, I forgot I had left Arri outside in the yard.  He was just hanging out.   He greeted my customer at the front walk.  The man gave Arri two healthy rib pats and said  "Boy is he a young one" in a slight southern drawl.  I then told him Arri would be 14 in two weeks.  He couldn't believe it.  Yep, puppy Arri is back for awhile.

Yep - Arri's appetite is back, he want's the cookie!
Arri, Summer, Oregon & Glamis

We are still eating weird food on a weird schedule but he is eating well.  Meatloaf and Eukenuba are the staples but he will take some yogurt and loved Sweet Potato baby food.  He gave that 2 paws up.  The Sweet Carrots baby food only rated one paw and the Vegetable Beef got two paws. The key seems to be beefy.  He will not touch chicken or rice.  So much for the sick dog standby food.

Tonight we celebrate life!

Jan 13: hydration project

So yesterday mom decided I am not drinking enough water.  Yes, I did turn my nose up at every offering and she only caught me drinking one time.  Since I never move, she assumes I never got up to drink.  She might be right.  But if I give in and just drink plain, old tap water, I won't find out just how inventive she can be.

Today's goal for mom was to get me to drink more.  I gave her a good pee this morning but she knew I hadn't gone in 11 hours so it better be a good one.  Mom researched re hydrating dogs on the internet and now Pedialyte is on the shopping list for tomorrow but in the mean time, she is going to try some other tricks, I just know it.  She is already making my canned mush with 2:1 ratio of water to mush but I am not eating much mush.  I prefer meatloaf and Eukenuba.  Straight water?  Forget it, I'm not interested.  She hasn't offered chilled, bottled water yet.  I wonder when that will happen?  At noon, I was offered canned mush.  I ate the token 3 bites and quit.  At 2:00, I was offered the same bowl of mush.  Seriously?  You think I want leftover mush?  I took a taste and something was different.  I ate the whole bowl.  It was yummy.  Mom said something about beef bull-yon.  Not sure what it is but I liked it.

Maybe I was a little dry because awhile later, after Oregon had harassed mom about being bored silly, all the stuffed toys arrived in the room and I was ready to play.   I really wanted to destroy the toys but I was up for a game of tug.  Mom was very happy to see me playful.

For dinner, mom tried to offer me the silliest meal.   She knows I like meatloaf and Euk. - on separate sides of the plate, don't mix them.  I eat the meatloaf then the Euk.  She brings out this bowl of  lord knows what.   She called it Chicken Rice Meatloaf Eukenuba Pumpkin casserole.  I forgot to mention mom made a pumpkin pie today.  She let me have a spoonful of pumpkin and I liked it so for some reason, now it is mixed in with my food.  Give me the pie, don't mix it with the  meatloaf.   Since this whole episode began at the New Year, I have not wanted chicken and rice is gross.   One bite and I was done.  I am a food connoisseur not a garbage disposal.  The other dogs in the house will eat anything.  Not me, I don't have to.  I send the dinner back to the chef and ask for the usual.  Why do I have a feeling I am going to see that bowl again and mom is going to call it bull-yon?  Any bets on whether I eat it?  

I finally gave in and sucked down half a bowl of water.  Now maybe mom will stop messing with the menu.

Jan 11: My Friday was great - how was yours?

Arri here.  I logged in while mom is at work.  I have to tell you about my day yesterday.

breakfast in bed

It started with breakfast in bed.  Yep, I act all helpless and sad and mom brings me food and water in bed.  I had some canned mush and meatloaf and cookies.  When I am done, she leaves me to go back to sleep.

At 9:00 I went on a cake delivery with mom and then we went to the vet.  I love the vet. In my new helpless routine, I go behind the reception desk as soon as I get there.  They give me pets and loving.  Then I move over to where the cookie jar is.  Tammy is a pushover and I always get some treats.  They wouldn't give me any today because I had to visit the vampire.  I got on the scale and my weight was back up to 57 lbs.  I had lost 2 last week when I wasn't eating so this proves, meatloaf is the cure.  Into the exam room we go.  I was pretty happy to see the tech but for the first time in my life, I would not go out the back door.  Last time I didn't get to see my mom for 2 days.  They picked me up and carried me back to the vampire.  I was a good boy and wagged my tail while they bit me.  As soon as they put me down, I dragged them back to mom and did the happy dance.  I was silly happy.  Dr. Mike came in the room and he could not believe what he was seeing. He went to give me a cookie and mom warned him that my that my inner alligator was back. He tossed the cookie to me and the alligator (with incredibly bad aim) lunged for the cookie and missed. I thrashed on the floor until I found every crumb.  I don't know why they were laughing.  I can be a ferocious beast at times.  He called me 'The Amazing Arri'.  Ok, maybe it wasn't worded quite like that but it should be.  On the way out, I got more cookies and mom scheduled my next chemo for Jan 25.  With the way I am acting, I just might be around to need it.

Mom had a lot of cakes to work on so I spent the rest of the day in the basement with her, guarding her back like always.  I'm not getting as many treats now that I gained the weight back.  When it was time to go upstairs I was ready for the challenge.  Mom was a little concerned that it would strain my lungs  but our options are limited.  With mom giving me butt assist, I made it up.  I was panting pretty hard but I didn't have a coughing fit or anything.  Mom felt better about that.  She is certain that the chemo worked and has made the tumor smaller.  The negative part of going up the stairs is that mom was certain she had been sprayed by a skunk.  She started coughing and saying - Everybody Outside!.  Yes, the toxic fumes escaped me and she was in the line of fire.  I was not ashamed.  A dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do. While the sun was not out, it was in the 50's so I planted myself in the middle of the yard to survey my domain.  Everyone else went inside for dinner.  They have not learned the lessons I have.  Dinner will always be served and if you don't move, it will be brought to you.

picnic dinner

So I had a picnic dinner in the middle of the front yard.  Mom forgot the blanket for me to lay on and candles and a goblet of water but I forgave her because she brought me out a buffet of dinner.  I ate the meatloaf first, then the Eukenuba and then some mush for dessert.  The garbage disposals had to stay in the house and drool.

Garbage disposals wishing they could help me finish dinner

The rest of my evening was spent watching TV with dad while mom went back to work.

It was a Very Good Day!

Jan 10: Good news among the sadness

This week has been full of sadness.  The CCI dogs went to the Rainbow Bridge and my church lost two strong, christian men.  Half of me is sad because there has been so much loss by so many but the other half is so happy.

Glamis, Oregon, Arri & Summer

Arri has had two very, very good days.  Since starting on the appetite stimulant, he has been eating very small amounts, non-stop.  He still loves the Old Mother Hubbard biscuits. Occasionally Eukenuba nuggets are good.  A bit of apple, some baby carrots, a little chicken but by far his favorite is the Doggy Meatloaf.  Thank you Anne for sending me the recipe.  It has ground beef, chopped celery, grated carrot, diced apple, egg, oatmeal, bread, wheat germ, and tomato paste in it.  I mixed up a pound of beef and the rest of the ingredients and split it into 3 small loaves.  Arri ate two over the course of the day yesterday.   He appeases me with 2 -3 slurps of canned dog food at the 'main meals'.  Every time I pass him, I offer him some chicken or cookies.  He even ate some fruit loops yesterday.  Yep anything goes. If he will eat it, he can have it.

 His energy level is up.  Even though he sleeps quite a bit, his tail wags and his eyes are bright.  He has been barking when someone comes to the front door.  He has not really done that in months.  I had commented to Tim on how Arri's doorbell wasn't working.  I assumed it was his hearing or his vision.  It is possible that it was one of the first subtle indicators that something wasn't quite right.

Yesterday we took a road trip to Grandma and Grandpas.  Some things don't change.  Enter the house and head to the workshop to see if there is any dog food on the floor and tissues in the trash.  Visiting  cousin dogs don't always finish their food.  Arri learned that long ago so he checks every visit, even if there are no other dogs in the house.  Next stop is the kitchen to the cabinet with the dog cookie jar.  There he waits until he is successful.  He had a good visit.  The rest of his day is spent mostly resting.  We have had very few coughing attacks.

Today I did not give Arri any appetite stimulant.  I wanted to see how he was doing without it.  he is fine.  He eats cookies whenever offered.  A whole meatloaf for breakfast and a 6 oz can of puppy mush for lunch.  I could not put off working in the bakery any longer.  Customers do expect their cakes still.  I left the baby gate down to see if Arri would come guard the door.  He did.  Going down stairs has never been the issue.  I was just glad he did not have a coughing attack after the trip.  Since we were now out of meatloaf, I made Arri a meat cake instead.

Meat cake anyone?

The only real problem I am having with giving Arri all these small meals is the 3 garbage disposals that follow me around.  They are getting pretty pushy and I have to protect Arri when he eats or someone will cause a distraction while another goes for the gold....er...meat.

Even the cat wants the meatloaf.

Jan 8 Extended dog family

Yesterday was a hard day in my extended dog family.  

There are some who bring a light so great to the world 

                          That even after they are gone, 

                                    The light remains. 

                                                Annie 

                    March 27, 1999 - January 7, 2013

This morning, Arri and I are very sad.  Last night, Sweet Annie went to the rainbow bridge.  She started having seizures as a result of the neurological disease.   Combined with the cancer in her lungs, her mom made the torturous decision to ease her pain.  We will miss hearing Annie's Adventures.  I am comforted knowing she will be waiting at the Bridge when Arri moves there.

In addition, CCI also lost Service Dog Garbo.  Garbo graduated in May 2002 from North Central Region.  She was in Glamis' graduating class.  Peace and hugs to Brian.

With all the sadness, I do have a bit of good news.  Arri had a quiet night with no coughing/breathing episodes during the night.  This morning I gave him an appetite stimulant and within and hour he was looking for his food bowl.  He did not eat a huge amount of food but the was happy to be eating it.

Jan 7...back to the vet

Well, this hypochondriac mother needs to cut back on caffeine or something.  With Arri not showing an increased interest in food and what seemed to be shallower breathing.  I called and got an appointment to see the vet.

It turned out to be unnecessary but it was informative and helpful.  Arri is down 2 lbs from last week.  He showed the most energy of the day thumping his tail and wiggling while laying down.  Arri was more than happy to eat the cookies offered to him. He even left everyone's fingers attached.  One of the workers went through chemo and said that it caused her taste buds to change.  Certain things she used to love, she couldn't stand the smell.  She had cravings for other (sometimes unusual) foods.  I learned is that it very well could be more than a week before his spirits perk up - although it was good to see him so happy to see everyone at the vet.   I guess that means he needs more visitors.   Decreased appetite is not at all unusual and may take a while to come back.  I understood this much better when I was given a 14 day supply of appetite stimulant.  Oh- it can take that long.   They offered him some different canned food.  He seemed to like the baby food best.  He has been preferring small bites of food.  He is actually chewing his food but he does want to bite pieces in half.  With this said, it was suggested that I add water to any food I offer and mash it up.  Make it easier to just swallow down.  It is moments like that that mean a lot.  It seems like a very simple solution but it never crossed my mind.

And then I learned that I was taking his current condition for granted.  I was worried about slightly shallower breathing.  The vet said he was honestly amazed at how well Arri was doing considering the x-rays.  Dogs with x-rays like Arri's don't act like Arri is acting.  He also said that in talking with the people at MSU, they also were amazed by how well he was doing.

Hug your pups and cherish the time you have.  They leave us far, far too soon.

Jan 7 We made it to another day.

By the end of the day yesterday, I was happy with the food Arri ate.  We discovered he enjoyed Oregon's Eukenuba.  So he had 5 handfuls of that as well as some more cookies.  

I have to force myself not to smother Arri in hugs and pets.  Last night he sat on the sofa with me.  Started on the opposite end but ended up right next to me with his head in my lap.  Oregon is such a jealous boy.  As soon as Arri put his head in my lap, Oregon jumped up and was going to squeeze between us.   I don't think so Oregon.   So he laid down on Arri's lower half - causing a coughing fit. That got him kicked off the island.  That boy needs a day of play and out of my hair before I kill him.

We had a brief sighting of his old self last night.  Uncle Darryl, Aunt Debbie, cousins Becca and Joel stopped by.  He have them a couple of good warning barks - the kind we have not heard in months.  Once everyone was in the door, Arri laid back down to recover from the excitement.

Arri had a rough spot during the night.  Thought we were going to have to tap his chest for fluid today.  He seems to have stabled out but again, not eating yet today.  His 'happy' is also missing.  His eyes are bright but the tail is still.  I am walking such a fine line between illness and chemo reaction.   I am not sure when to stop making the chemo excuse.

Thanks for bringing me mom, but I don't think I want to walk around the park today.

The 3 garbage disposals are at daycare today.  They needed to run and play and I needed them out of my hair for a bit.  We tried taking Arri to the park.  He did get excited - jumped up and grabbed a toy ready to go.  But when we got to the park, he didn't want to get out of the car.  I pulled him to the edge but still he didn't want to get out.  When he did get out, he went to the grass, peed, walked 5 feet and sat down.  He was done.

Now he is laying with his rear in a patch of sun, guarding my back as I type.