First World Problems: My husband won't allow me to purchase new carpet. He says that I have to wait (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT) until at least October.
I walked in to work this morning feeling sorry for myself: It's Friday and I'm stuck indoors, I wish we were on our boat, I want new carpet, I want a new wardrobe, etc. etc. etc.
And within minutes my entire perspective changed. Beauty does that to me. She makes me so grateful for what I have. And also, so thankful for the little amount that we're able to give her. I stare at her in amazement. Just from looking at her pictures, you can tell she is so full of spirit.
I logged into gmail and saw her bright, smiling face. She looks so happy. She is an orphan, who never knew her parents and who lives in an orphanage. Who has nothing more than maybe three articles of clothing and a pair of ratty old shoes. But she is happy.
1.4 million children in Ghana aren't even able to attend school. And here Beauty is, learning how to write. The pure joy I get from knowing that we're helping this sweet, little angel is like no other. Humbling, to say the least.
I think about her often, and Gosh, I wish so badly I had the chance to meet her. Sometimes I daydream of Matt and I adopting her. Then reality sets in. The expenses of adopting. And not only that - bringing home a six year old. From Ghana. I don't even know of an international adoption program that works with Ghana. Heck, I don't even know if Ghana allows international adoptions. But this never stops my heart from dreaming...
She truly is a Beauty. And I love her with all my heart.
And since we're on the topic of beauties...
I'll bring you up to speed on our other [delicate flower] beauty - Pappy
From the VERY beginning -
Easter Sunday - April 5th - People were about fifteen minutes away from arriving at our house for dinner when Pappy has explosive diarrhea all over our family room. Matt quickly takes him outside, then shampoos the carpet, then takes him on a walk to finish his "business."
We see Dr. Gerbig a few days later because his symptoms and loose stool didn't stop - and she prescribes him on antibiotic to help with his stomach issues.
I go to North Carolina to visit the Lamanos and Pappy is still sick at home with Matt. His meds were making him throw up, but after a few days he had adjusted and his stool got better (only while on meds).
About a week after that - we decide to stop his antibiotics to see how he does. Very loose stool again. We put him back on his antibiotics and add in a prescription dog food (EN) because we think its a food sensitivity. Symptoms disappear and we're good to go.
Two days later - Pappy starts itching his old mange spots and his ears REALLY badly. Dr Gerbig finds one dead mite on his skin, so we start up his mange meds again.
Pappy stops itching his mange spots, but still continues to itch his ear a lot. I talk to Dr. Gerbig on the phone, and she prescribes him ear drops to help alleviate any infection he might have gotten from itching so much.
Two days later, we're back at the vet (this time for his yearly heartworm test) and the vet looks at Pappy's ears to confirm an infection. Wrong. Pappy had two ruptured eardrums. We stop the ear drops and go to a stronger dose of ear gel.
And now, we're to present day. Pappy is still itching his ears. He is still on prescription dog food for his tummy, and now, we think he has possible crystals in his urine. For the past couple of weeks, he has been walking around the house leaving little trails of pee everywhere he goes. Matt and I think he doesn't even notice he's doing it. He also pees in his crate almost every time he's in there. Then! One night - he peed (not over-exaggerating) every 3 minutes or so. Little drops. All over the house (Hence, why I want new carpet).
We have an appointment at 1pm today to discuss his food sensitivity, recheck mange, recheck ears, and check his urine. We'll likely need to re-medicate his mange and his ears - and do something (I don't know what) for his crystals, or whatever they are. So, in the past month - we have been to the vet or tried a new medication at least once a week.
And it's gotten to the point where the vet bills aren't even the biggest issue anymore. My poor baby doesn't even know what it feels like to be just healthy.
When he was super young, it was a urine infection, then mange, then constantly throwing up, then diarrhea, then a food sensitivity, then ruptured ear drums, and now crystals??
I have Dr. Gerbig's personal email address and we communicate regularly. We are hoping in a couple of weeks, we can wean him off his prescription dog food and back to his normal Taste of the Wild. And throughout all of this stress, we've had the boys' dog-sitter, Sharon (who is 100x more than just a dog-sitter - More like a Grandma!), who has been absolutely wonderful. We are so thankful for her and the love she has given Pappy, Wally, Ernie, Lulu, and US!
My heart breaks for Pappy, and I'm praying that he will eventually get to 100% and just be the happy, loving puppy that he is.
Prayers are welcome. As always, I will keep you updated.
I'll bring you up to speed on our other [delicate flower] beauty - Pappy
From the VERY beginning -
Easter Sunday - April 5th - People were about fifteen minutes away from arriving at our house for dinner when Pappy has explosive diarrhea all over our family room. Matt quickly takes him outside, then shampoos the carpet, then takes him on a walk to finish his "business."
We see Dr. Gerbig a few days later because his symptoms and loose stool didn't stop - and she prescribes him on antibiotic to help with his stomach issues.
I go to North Carolina to visit the Lamanos and Pappy is still sick at home with Matt. His meds were making him throw up, but after a few days he had adjusted and his stool got better (only while on meds).
About a week after that - we decide to stop his antibiotics to see how he does. Very loose stool again. We put him back on his antibiotics and add in a prescription dog food (EN) because we think its a food sensitivity. Symptoms disappear and we're good to go.
Two days later - Pappy starts itching his old mange spots and his ears REALLY badly. Dr Gerbig finds one dead mite on his skin, so we start up his mange meds again.
Pappy stops itching his mange spots, but still continues to itch his ear a lot. I talk to Dr. Gerbig on the phone, and she prescribes him ear drops to help alleviate any infection he might have gotten from itching so much.
Two days later, we're back at the vet (this time for his yearly heartworm test) and the vet looks at Pappy's ears to confirm an infection. Wrong. Pappy had two ruptured eardrums. We stop the ear drops and go to a stronger dose of ear gel.
And now, we're to present day. Pappy is still itching his ears. He is still on prescription dog food for his tummy, and now, we think he has possible crystals in his urine. For the past couple of weeks, he has been walking around the house leaving little trails of pee everywhere he goes. Matt and I think he doesn't even notice he's doing it. He also pees in his crate almost every time he's in there. Then! One night - he peed (not over-exaggerating) every 3 minutes or so. Little drops. All over the house (Hence, why I want new carpet).
We have an appointment at 1pm today to discuss his food sensitivity, recheck mange, recheck ears, and check his urine. We'll likely need to re-medicate his mange and his ears - and do something (I don't know what) for his crystals, or whatever they are. So, in the past month - we have been to the vet or tried a new medication at least once a week.
And it's gotten to the point where the vet bills aren't even the biggest issue anymore. My poor baby doesn't even know what it feels like to be just healthy.
When he was super young, it was a urine infection, then mange, then constantly throwing up, then diarrhea, then a food sensitivity, then ruptured ear drums, and now crystals??
I have Dr. Gerbig's personal email address and we communicate regularly. We are hoping in a couple of weeks, we can wean him off his prescription dog food and back to his normal Taste of the Wild. And throughout all of this stress, we've had the boys' dog-sitter, Sharon (who is 100x more than just a dog-sitter - More like a Grandma!), who has been absolutely wonderful. We are so thankful for her and the love she has given Pappy, Wally, Ernie, Lulu, and US!
My heart breaks for Pappy, and I'm praying that he will eventually get to 100% and just be the happy, loving puppy that he is.
Prayers are welcome. As always, I will keep you updated.
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