We Passed!

The weekend of Oct 23 – 24, we were in Columbia SC at PAALS for annual public access recertification. I’m happy to say that we passed! I need to work with Emmy on a couple of things, to “spiff” her up before next year.

We got back and I went into a series of flares. The Ol’ Curmudgeon was not in the best of shape, so we spent about 3 days resting. I had cases due, so I had to work, and he, too, had to work, but we were simply in horrible, horrible shape. I didn’t get any grocerying done until that Thursday.

Then the time change hit. Double whammy! So this week I’m trying to “unbleary” the eyes. YIKES!

Emmy is trying to develop an ear infection, and I’m staving it off with thorough ear cleaning and Momentamax. I think we’ll have to put her on Atopica pretty soon. She wakes up sneezing every morning, is gnawing her feet and obsessively licking her feet and legs, scratching her head and jaw. I was hoping to hear from IAADP about the possibility of getting a break on the cost of Atopica. Oh, well, we’ll have to just bite the bullet. Have to have my Emmy feeling good!!

It’s about stopped raining long enough for the yards to dry out, so I’ll have to call my new acquaintance and see about getting Emmy and her Border Collie together to play. And now, it’s time for me to say good night!

There are Some Other Dogs Out There . . .

Although Emmy is the only dog for me, there are some other wonderful and amazing dogs “out there” in the world.

For instance, HERE is an article about “Seven Amazing Famous Service Dogs” – but they weren’t really service dogs, they provided services of various kinds to people in rural or heavyweight industries.

I was intrigued by the story of Dorsey, the mail-carrying dog!

Yikes! The Basement is a Disaster!

With the subsiding of the water, we have discovered new varieties of mildew and mold. I’ve used 7 cans of Lysol so far, and will have to use even more in the next few days. FEMA has been here, confirmed that we have problems – extent to be determined shortly. We are awaiting their determination of whether we “qualify” for a FEMA disaster grant. We are just too old and feeble at this point to even consider trying to “DIY.” Wallboard will have to be stripped off and trashed, mold and mildew under the wallboard will have to be treated and new wallboard mounted. We may have to replace some uprights, too. Not to mention getting some people in to de-mold the books in the library. At least 7 shelves will have to be replaced.

So what does all this have to do with Emmy? Well, poor little Emmy was unable to run on the treadmill for over a week! An unexercised Labrador Retriever is an unhappy Labrador Retriever. She desperately needed more exercise than we could supply – and the son, DIL and grandchildren next door have been passing flu around to each other! We can’t risk being exposed, so couldn’t ask the well ones to run her up and down the street.

I’ve been adding extra “work” sessions as I could, but all the weather fronts coming through recently have stimulated flares of my RA, so even that hasn’t been as good as it should be.

An unexercised Lab is a Lab that gets into trouble. Add to that a cat that is like Rumpelteaser, and it is a scenario for potential disaster.

Gentle readers, please remember that no matter how extraordinary a service dog is, she is still a dog.

Well, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteaser created their own little mess, and by the time I realized it, it was too late to do anything about it. We have a supposed “pet-proof” trashcan in the kitchen. Don’t believe it. I heard some strange noise in the kitchen before we went to bed, and it was Magnus trying to get into the trash. I just laughed up my sleeve. But that little 16# feline is STRONG! At some point during the night, he managed to unlatch the top and get in. When I went into the kitchen this AM, I heard crunching. I turned on the light and there was Emmy – chowing down on lamb bones! I got them away from her, and found the trashcan unlatched. I put the bones back in the trash, latched it, and put a 2gallon bottle of vinegar (unopened as yet) on top. The extra weight should keep them out until we can find a better trash can or a better solution – like emptying the trash every – single – night.

Of course, “when the crime’s discovered, McCavity’s not there!” Magnus was no place to be found – he left Emmy to take the heat. She was quite ashamed of herself when I said “NO!! NO!! LEAVE IT!! YOU KNOW BETTER!!” Her little ears dropped, she hung her head and went to her kennel. About 20 minutes later, she was back out in the kitchen wagging her tail and ready to play! Bless her little heart! She’s been very good today. And I took her down into the library to run. The Lysol seems to have done some good – no detectable mold or mildew. Emmy ran for 30 minutes at varying speeds, then, when her tongue started hanging out, I walked her for another 20 minutes until she wasn’t panting any more. She’s been much calmer since then. I’ll repeat it tomorrow morning and she’ll get another little “walk” tomorrow afternoon when I take her to the grocery.

Here they are – the culprits:

Mungojerrie AKA Emmy

Rumpelteaser AKA Magnus

Yikes! The Basement is Flooded!!

Awoke this AM and was making coffee and our micro-breakfast when I received a call from eldest son who lives next door. “Are you up?” “Yeppers!” “I was greeted this morning with 2″ of water all over the basement! Better check out yours!” “YIKES! I’ll do that.” Click.

A quick look down the stairs showed an ominous puddle. So I put Emmy into a “down-stay” and rode down the stairlift to check out just how bad it is. Water was leaking in from all along the back wall and forming little rivers that culminated in an inch of water in – the LIBRARY!! Only one book on floor, so that’s ok. Sort of.

This happens from time to time – this is about the 4th time in 10 years. So, I guess I’d better see about some flood insurance. The Ol’ Curmudgeon will not be able to do this again, and I certainly cannot. And we wil need to see about getting that back wall and the basement floors sealed to prevent this kind of awful event in the future.

Emmy can’t run on the treadmill for several days, now. Guess grandsons will be earning some money to run her! Actually, Emmy should enjoy that even more than the treadmill!

So, Emmy lucks out, and we will have several hours (in 30 – 45 minute spates) of work to get it cleaned up – O Joy and Rupture!

A Note From Emmy

Mom suggested I write you and tell you how things are going here.

I’m busy, but not as much as I used to be in SC when I was “in school.” This is real life. Mom works in her reclining chair – she reviews medical cases for attorneys. She has to set a timer to remember to get up and move around some every so often. That’s when she practices our cues with me. She says I’m very good!

About four times a week, we go out somewhere – the grocery, to get her hair done, to visit Miss Genny (her daughter) or to have lunch with Mr. Loch (her youngest son). Mr. Loch tries to pet me when he shouldn’t and Mom scolds him about it, but he just grins at me and tells me I’m a wonderful girl! Miss Genny really likes me, too, but she’s more obedient about not petting me when I’m working. Mom had me “say hello” to Miss Genny when we went to the store where she works. Then Miss Genny got to pet me some. She thinks I really help Mom a lot!

About once a month (when Mom is up to is) I go to a Red Hat meeting with her. I wear my red-feather clip on my Gentle Leader – like a little red hat! With my purple cape I’m right in fashion! The ladies are so nice to me! They all “say hello” to me, then I doze and “dream doggie dreams” as Mom says. At the end, we usually have snacks, but I don’t get any – just the treats Mom gives me for being very obedient!

We went to a really big Kroger the other day. The electric cart ran out of “juice” and Mom had to walk to the front of the store. She was trading hands for her cane and – klang! She dropped it. She said, “Cane!” and I went right to it, picked it up and put it right into her hand. She was so pleased! I got a little bit of a jackpot – I think because it had fallen under the shelves and I had to paw it out from under in order to pick it up. We have worked out a routine – if it’s something up high, and is unbreakable and that I can pick up, then Mom reaches her cane up, hooks it off the shelf or the rack, and I pick it up and bring it to her to put in the cart. I picked up two of those folding laundry baskets last week! Mom was so proud of me!

My allergies have made my immune system low, and I got an infection around my mouth. At first Mom thought a yellow jacket had “zapped” me, but when the sore got larger and spread, she took me right in to the vet. He gave me an antibiotic and put me on Prednisone. I don’t like that Prednisone! It makes me sooo thirsty! But I’m almost tapered off of it, and I’m feeling a lot better. The antibiotic worked real fast. Once Mom knew what was going on, she washed around my mouth twice a day with plain soap and water. That helped a lot, too.

Mom brushes my teeth every day – she sings a little song about brusha-brusha-brusha while she does it. When she starts singing it, I know what’s coming up, and I try to hide from her, but she calls me and I come, and get my teeth brushed. Yuck! And my ears get cleaned at least once a day – sometimes 2 or 3 times, if I’m working on a yeast infection. Mom really works on keeping my ears and teeth clean. I wish she didn’t, but she tells me it’s to keep me healthy so I can help for for a long time! I like that, so I try to cooperate – but it’s very hard!

Today is a “down” day for Mom. She is hurting a lot and is very tired. But we went downstairs and practiced paying at the counter. I like lower counters – I don’t like high counters at all. But Mom reminded me that we never know what kind of counter we’ll be at, so we practice both high and low.

Poppa has not been well this spring and summer. He gets out of breath and tires so easily, and his chest gets uncomfortable. Mom worries about him, but she says there is nothing else we can do for him than the doctor is already doing. Poppa worries about not being able to take care of Mom right, and Mom worries about not being able to take care of Poppa right. They love each other an awful lot. They told me they had been married for 32 years this year. That’s a long time!

I trot on the treadmill nearly every day – even when Mom doesn’t feel real good, she takes me down to the library where the treadmill lives and I trot on it. After a rest, I get my breakfast. That’s a BIG treat!

I wish you could see my latest task – whenever Mom is through with the dishwasher, I “flip” the door closed! Mom says I’m really saving her back on that one!

Mom loves the way I help her with the laundry, and I think it’s fun! I’m kind of sad when we are done. I’m attaching a few pictures Mom took of me doing the laundry. She says it’s very hard to take pictures of me when I’m standing and working so close to her, but I think they came out OK!

Love
Emmy

Getting items out of the laundry basket

Handing an item to Mom

Getting items out of the washer

I can even handle delicate items safely!

Judge rules to allow service dog for Columbia, Ill., boy with autism

By Nancy Cambria
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
08/21/2009

WATERLOO — An Illinois school district will have to at least temporarily allow a service dog into one of its special education classrooms, but not in time for his partner’s first day of school.

Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Dennis Doyle granted a preliminary injunction against the Columbia Community School District, which told the parents of a 5-year-old autistic boy in June that he would not be allowed to bring his new service dog to school. |–MORE–|

The Allergies March On!

We’ve spent the month of June and first part of July working on abating Emmy’s allergies. There are no “magic bullets” either for a person or for a dog with inhalant allergies. The best we can do is reduce the symptoms. If we had thousands of $$$$$, I suppose we could have her allergy tested, and then get allergy shots for her. But that is too major an expense. We already are having a major problem with medical expenses for the Ol’ Curmudgeon and for me, not to mention the increased costs of living. Food goes up and up. Gasoline is hovering between $2.25 and $2.75 a gallon at the moment, with no hopes of it going lower anytime soon.

So, with the vet’s direction, I’m “experimenting” with various combinations of antihistamines. Looks like the best combo so far is Atarax at night (it’s fairly heavy duty, so she sleeps really well!) and Claritin in the morning. I also spray the areas that seem to itch with Lanacaine. For areas on her face, I spray it in my hand and rub it in really well. This combination seems to be helping.

We got the backyard cleared out – finally – and she can go out with no worries. I send her out in the AMs before it gets too hot, then again in the late afternoon or early evening after the worst heat of the day is over. She’s finally gotten so she’ll stay out there without me for more than 15 minutes! Such a “velcro dog!” She wants me to sit on the back patio while she wanders around. But the heat and humidity makes me feel awful, and if I am in the sun too long, even early or late in the day, I can get pretty sick for days afterward. So I mainly stay out only on cloudy days.

Emmy’s latest behavior is to push the medicine cabinet (one of those little Iris Cabinets on wheels) over to me so I can dole out the medications we are all on. Then she pushes it back into the general area where it is supposed to live. I can’t begin to tell y’all what a great help this is! In addition, she has practically taught herself to “flip” up the door to the new dishwasher (much lower than the other one) and close it! She can get her feeding pan out of the dishwasher in the mornings, and would probably try to get the plates, too, if I would allow her to.

IRS116063 – Mini Chest Office, 4 Drawer, 12-1/16×16-1/8×26-3/4, Black

Looks like we will be doing some demonstrations for some of the public schools in our county. Met up with a teacher the other day, and we talked about it for her school, and she’s passing out Emmy’s cards to other teachers she knows. I really hope it works out!

Firehouse Subs and Allergies

Yesterday was a looooooong day for us. We started out with GS coming over for reading practice. We’ve found a subject he really likes, and we’ll use it as unit study. It will certainly increase his vocabulary! Emmy lay nearby and avidly gnawed at her feet. As her ear infection has come back, I called and made an appointment with the vet for that afternoon.

Then, it was off to do grocery shopping. As GS likes to go to new places to eat with me, we decided to try Firehouse Subs. Not only did they welcome us, they helped us by pushing two tables together, offered to get water for Emmy, and asked if she needed any food!! The sub was very tasty, well prepared. The floor was clean – so clean Emmy wasn’t interested in sniffing around – until GS spilled a little bit of cheese from his sub!

Then we went across the street to Publix. As usual, nearly everything stopped at the cashiers’ stands as all the cashiers and baggers heard someone (not I!) call out – “Emmy’s here!” They all looked around and smiled at her and said things like “Hi Emmy!” It was very friendly and very nice.

We did our shopping with an eye on my watch. Golly, groceries have gone up!!! I notice a difference each time we shop. Good thing the Ol’ Curmudgeon is once again gainfully employed! Emmy picked up my cane several times. I handed out her “business card” to some people who were interested in her.

As we were checking out, the lady behind me was chatting about Emmy – how beautiful she is, how quiet she is, how she watches me all the time, how happy she seems to be. Of course, I thanked her, and we continued to chat as GS unloaded our groceries, and I made out my check. As I moved out of the check-out stand, I was able to see the woman. She, too, was in an electric cart and had a cane. She said she was losing the ability to walk due to a spinal injury that was progressing. She anticipated not being able to walk in a few months. I gave her a card for PAALS as well as Emmy’s “business card,” and told her to call me – that I’d be delighted to come to her home and show her how a mobility service dog could help her. I hope she calls me!

I couldn’t help thinking that I’m moving into the same situation – my back is getting worse, and I have more numbness and tingling in my legs as time goes on. Some functions that are controlled by the lower spine are starting to deteriorate. Once we get the insurance stuff straightened out, I’ll have to go to the neurosurgeon the rheumatologist recommended. Hope I don’t need surgery, but if I do, these guys use the microendoscopic kind of surgery that is less traumatic, less invasive and more likely to be successful over time. We’ll see.

Then to the vet. He carefully went over Emmy and quizzed me about her symptoms. Emmy lay down and proceeded to gnaw her back foot when the exam was over – so I could point to her behavior right there. He agreed with my assessment – she has allergies. Most likely these are seasonal allergies, but he is carefully testing out everything. First, he suggested Omega-3 Fatty acids to help reduce the inflammation that makes her itch. Then some antihistamines. First we’ll try Benadryl. It that doesn’t work well, we will work through Claritin-D and Tavist and a few others. He also suggested a trying a hypoallergenic diet for 6 weeks in case her responses are due to food allergies. I’ll try anything to help Emmy, so she started on her fatty acids and the Benadryl last night. Although her lamb and rice diet is about as hypoallergenic as it can be, other ingredients that may work their way in could be a problem. We’ll try that for a while. Her treats will be those kibbles. I’ll stop using the Pet Wipes for 3 weeks after she has her quarterly bath next week. They will use a hypo-allergenic shampoo with an extra soothing and moisturizing hypoallergenic conditioner. After that, for 3 weeks I won’t use the Pet Wipes. Once she’s feeling better, I’ll add each of the old products one at a time with 1-2 weeks between to be sure she isn’t reacting to them. Baseline, however, the vet thinks pollen and dust. I’m going to get the GSs in to vacuum thoroughly (more carefully than usual!), and I’ll re-wash all her bedding and her woobies. I’ll use the hypoallergenic stuff on Magnus (the Magnifi-cat) – maybe that will reduce his dander a bit. Hope Emmy isn’t allergic to cats!!

I’ll do anything I possibly can to make Emmy more comfortable.

The yard people are supposed to come by sometime in the next week or so (that’s what they’ve said for 3 weeks now, but all the rain has prevented them doing the work needed) and will use industrial Round-Up in the back yard. A week after that, they will come in and clean off all the dead stuff – should take it down to the dirt. That will certainly reduce the pollen in the back yard (won’t help the trees, but taking all them out would be prohibitively expensive, and would be a bit of overkill when all the neighbors have the same trees in their yards). At least the poison ivy will be gone, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to let Emmy play in the backyard again. I’ve had to keep her on a flexi-line for the last 3 months – both because of poison ivy and because of her penchant for eating cat skat. But the cats will be moving soon, so that should stop that!

Today Emmy is doing a LOT of sleeping from the Benadryl. When she’s sleeping, she isn’t gnawing her feet! Right now she is sleeping with her head on my feet. She is doing less scratching already! Yeaaa! Benadryl and Omega-3 Fatty Acids are certainly low cost! I hope this will work for the long term. I can deal with a sleepy service dog better than an itchy one who drops down to scratch uncontrollably before she can execute a cue!

Getting Clothes Out of the Washer

Lost Photo Connection!

Looks like a trip to Wolf Camera is in my very near future! I’ve lost the USB connector for my camera – YIKES! I have a number of great pics of Emmy “stuck” in that camera, and I want to get them out!

Emmy is “putting up” with our fatigue and “blahs” over the last several weeks. Seems our only trips are to doctors and the grocery.

Since the Ol’ Curmudgeon is now – AHEM! – employed!! And he has a project to work on!! I’m hoping he will be feeling better once money is coming in again, and that we will pick up and get on.

In the meantime, however, here are some old pics:

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Herky-Jerky

As Emmy can’t be trusted in the backyard (she finds and gobbles cat skat), I have a nice 26 foot flexi-lead for her. I go out and can stand (on good days) or sit (on not so good days) while she has “free time” on her lead. And I can see if she starts to nibble anything and pull her away (or at least give a tug on the lead) – she gets the idea, reluctantly. Unfortunately, I seldom can actually get down the steps into the yard. A ramp is in the planning stages, but is not yet built. Also, most of the back yard (and the front, for that matter) is too uneven for me to safely navigate by myself – even with Emmy.

Last night, however, our daughter-in-law was in her backyard next door along with two of the grandsons. She came to the fence and we were talking about various things. I was standing at the steps from the porch / patio to the yard. The boys joined her.

Now, Emmy adores the boys and decided to run to the fence – 30 feet away. Well, I was holding the lead too tightly. Should have been holding it lightly and allowed her to jerk it out of my hand. But I wasn’t. ZING! she raced across the yard. JERK! my left shoulder practically came out of its socket. SHRIEK! I was nearly pulled down the flight of 5 concrete steps! I managed to brace with my cane and not fall. That was a strain on my back. But I did manage to keep Emmy’s lead in my hand, and she didn’t get near the fence. (That’s one of the cat skat places.)

She was properly scolded – NO! You Know Better! – etc., and she was properly subdued for the rest of the evening. In the meantime, I was not feeling very well – shoulder, back, neck all experiencing sharp, stabbing pains that radiated into my arm, and down the backs of my legs. OK – pinched nerves.

One muscle relaxant and one Lortab later, I was tucked into bed and drowsing off. Emmy was still trying to “make nice,” by nuzzling my hand and sounding like a nest of mice. I got her quieted down, and she curled up on her bed “place.”

This morning, she had forgotten the entire episode, of course, but I’m rather confined to my comfy chair, wrapped up in my teal fleece robe with alternating heat and cold on shoulder, neck and mid-back. Should have done cold packs last night, but I felt too miserable to fool with them.

The Ol’ Curmudgeon and I talked about it, and I’m going to order another Gentle Leader. I hate to do it to her, but she’ll have to wear it during “free time” on lead from now on. It won’t keep her from enthusiastically running toward something – or someone, but I will have better control and am less likely to be “herky-jerky’d” around. IN the meantime, I’ll bring the Gentle Leader we already have upstairs (I keep it with her “going places” lead in the garage near the car) and put it on her long flexi-lead. Another thing we have talked about is getting a strong post installed that I can simply slip the loop of the 30′ lead over and if she runs I won’t be on the receiving end of “herky-jerkys.”

Plan in place. Order accomplished. Now, time to heal, time to wait for the new Gentle Leader and the installation of the post. Hope there are no more Whoopsies! or Herky-Jerkys!