Patches Journey

And by waiting I mean waiting for the re-evaluation to see if the Palladia is helping.  However…….I am not focusing on that.  We are doing SO well.  Patches is still getting the Palladia three times a week and the CBD oil once or twice a day.  Her appetite is good, she’s snuggly, she plays, she barks and most of all, she’s HAPPY.  It’s all we could have hoped for.  I’m sure I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again.  I was so torn about whether or not to have her leg amputated.  We are SO GLAD that we did.  Patches quality of life has improved immensely.  Nothing hurts anymore and the food service menu has changed tremendously for the better.  Even her brother has benefited from everything we have learned not just about the cancer and the surgery, but also about appreciating the time you have and cherishing every new moment we’re given.

I told the vet last week when we went to have blood work (it was all good!), no matter what the outcome, I am grateful for the last four going on five months that we’ve had to make this dogs life a heaven on earth.  And we have more time yet.  Would I love for a miracle to happen?  Yup.  And I know it may not…….but it could.  I won’t give up hope but I won’t get ridiculous either.  I have learned that you do what you can but not at the expense of the quality of life.  I’ve grown a lot from this experience.  I wouldn’t wish it on anyone and I don’t want to have to go through it again.  Given the same situation I would make all of the same choices.  I think Patches would too.

And so I wait for the results but not a second goes by that I’m not loving on Patches and her brother, waiting on them, kissing and hugging them and letting them out at 2:37 am to go pee.  We keep moving forward.

xoxo

Debbie And Patches

Ok…..it’s official.  We went from “queen” to “diva” in a matter of a big thing of liverwurst.  I think I’ve found the food nirvana for my little girl.  Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve ever heard her “speak” for food.  It’s truly adorable.  But that’s all she wants to eat now and my other specialties aren’t cutting it.  For her anyway.  Her brother is all over the spoils.  Thankfully he doesn’t like the liverwurst.  Either that or he knows that if he goes near it he too will lose a paw.  Sigh…..siblings.

And that’s really all there is to report.  Still doing the palladia and CBD, still doing the Canaan thing and being the wild thing and just getting ready to see what santa puts in her and her brother’s stockings.

I’ve already decided what my new year resolution will be.  I’m going with simplicity for it’s beauty.  My goal is to be able to say “I’m glad I did”‘ more than “I wish I had”.  I had some “I wish I had”s this year and I won’t make the mistake of taking anything for granted this year.

I wish you all a merry christmas, happy new year, and happy hannukah.  And I wish you all more “I’m glad I did”s than “I wish I hads” from now on.

xoxo

Debbie and Patches

So it’s been a few weeks on the CBD oil therapy and I have to tell you, doggy is happy.  A little TOO happy.  Daddy may have been giving her a bit more than I told him.  Sort of a medication error but not in a bad way.  What went down you ask?  So……

I cooked chicken livers as a treat because I was running out of ideas.  They cooled and I decided to let her sniff them just to get a gauge on her interest in them.  She used her head to knock the bowl out of my hands, stole a large chicken liver and RAN to the living room.  By the time I caught up it was gone and she was looking for more.  Prompting my son to call her Notorious P.I.G.  I chose Piggy Smalls.  For the next half hour we chuckled and came up with more nick names.  I’ll share cause I’m still giggling.  The “Nom nom” nominator, the Nom-meister, the nomster, nomerooni.  You’d have thought WE were the ones on CBD oil.

Then the other night I got home from work and girly went NUTS.  And by nuts I mean she saw me, ran in a little circle and then rammed her head into me.  She then proceeded to lay on her back and wiggle around and snort and smack me with her paw.  I got on the floor with her and she just kept kissing, snotting and being cute.  She finally settled down and zoned out.  I’m sorry but for a Canaanite……that’s being the life of the party.

It’s hard to tell what’s the right dose with the CBD oil.  I started her off with a dollop the size of a half grain of rice.  I never really increased her and I guess I could have.  When I told the other adult human in the house how much to give her, he heard “1 milligram”.  It’s in a syringe.  Don’t know where he heard that but he gave her a few doses of one milligram.  I know they say the THC is removed.  I’m sure it is but man……….this dog feels GOOD.  She’s eating like a great dane and happier than a P.I.G. in ……..a lot of food.  She’s still on the Palladia and things are still going well.  Lots of energy, guarding the yard, awake and alert.  Really……….the dog is doing great.  Bottom line……CBD to be continued.  Follow up in January.  It’s going to be a happy holiday indeed.  I wish for everyone here the happiest of holidays.

love and xoxoxo

Debbie and Patches

Well…….yes, she did.  Patches Minerva Jane went up a flight of stairs this morning 🙂  Hm.  I saw her looking up the steps through the baby gate yesterday and I figured she was remembering when she had her own “room”- aka the walk in closet she kind of took over as her own.  Well…..this morning she spied the baby gate open momentarily and whoop there it was.  This is the first time since before June that she’s gone up those stairs.  I’d say my girl is feeling FINE.  Yesterday was her second does of the CBD.  I got the oil, more like a black-ish paste, and i put a dot the size of a half grain of rice on whatever treat she will inhale and so far she’s gotten that twice.  I don’t know if that’s what’s making her feel like Wonder Woman but for real girl is doing great.  She’s still eating like a mastiff and guarding the yard from errant and threatening looking leaves and squirrels.  She’s playing, barking, smiling, ya know, being Patches.  There are no words to express what’s in my heart for this happy little dog.  And her brother of course lol.

And the Palladia continues as well.  One thing we’ve done that we weren’t told to do but we’ve done it anyway is that we have given her a pepcid AC every day rather than just on the days she gets the Palladia.  I don’t know if that’s helped or if she just tolerates the Palladia well but she’s doing well with that too.  We make sure that she gets meat and rice for meals and more meat and whatever she wants for snacks and supplements.  She’s holding her own and her weight.  I’m trying to keep an eye on her weight and make sure she doesn’t gain but I gotta be honest…….If she wants to eat…..I feed her.  I can’t say no.  So sue me.  Just seeing her feeling great and doing great….life is short, have the snack.

The holidays are upon us and I’m repeatedly thankful that my dog has done so well.  It will still be a rough holiday.  we lost my grandmom on Monday.  She was 94, happy and adorable.  She was never uncomfortable, she didn’t suffer, she was hospitalized for less than 24 hours and knew she was loved and not alone.  On the same day 37 years ago she lost her husband.  Holidays have never been easy.  But I’m still thankful for so much.  It’s a huge reminder that life really is short, there are no do-overs, it’s not a dress rehearsal.  I feel good about how we’ve handled ourselves and our decisions.  Do I wish that people and pets didn’t have to leave?  Do I even need to ask?

That’s it for now, more to come.  Until then, get the extra hug…….sleep in…….eat the dessert.

xoxo

Debbie and Patches

Well…..everything is still going well.  Rooster and Patches played in the yard today, Patches played with me, barked, ate a bunch of lunch meat and took some hella good snoozes.  We are still waiting for the CBD supplements to get here, ETA is sometime today.  I need to figure out a dosing schedule based on some research and then we give it a go.

In the mean time, missy tutu is getting more and more spoi……well, actually, I’m getting more and more trained by her.  This morning I set up my work computer in a different spot in the house.  Well, she let me know that homey don’t play that.  She stared at me and circled and looked back……took me 20 minutes to figure out that she didn’t like the new digs.  I had to relocate back to my old spot.  In front of her little throne with soft bed and blankies.  No biggie.  Then we were hungry.  I put down a nice platter of chicken, rice and lunch meat and got her started feeding her by hand.  And by started I mean I fed her the whole platter by hand.  This dogs plays me like a harp lol and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Oh and I caught her happily munching on hard dog kibble.  She didn’t hear me coming.  She got a shocked look on her face when she saw me and then acted like maybe she was sleep eating and what the hell was with that kibble stuff.  I’m still overjoyed.  She loves that I work from home three days a week and I do too.  We have bonded more than ever  before.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t give an update for her brother.  All of the above except he’s too impatient to be fed by hand.  Boy has some eating to do so he can get back outside and watch the goings on.  Joy to the world indeed, my two dogs are happy.  And so am I.

Until next time,

xoxo

Debbie and Patches