Champion of My Heart
Lessons in hard work, hope, and teamwork
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Champion of My Heart
Short, Pre-Holiday Update
I started writing a regular Friday training update, but I simply don't have the energy for it. SO, here are just a few quick notes before the big summer holiday.
Tom is off motorcycling with pals today, so the pups and I went back to bed for a couple extra hours of sleep, which is always NICE.
Ginko continues to keep his food down. We give him just a few spoonfuls of the special bland canned food every couple of hours. He slept well last night and even played a little a few minutes ago. In fact, after a few fetches, he soaked himself in the pond and is standing here next to me dripping. I hope both dogs dry enough before the rains come, so they don't drip all over the clean house.
Lilly and I ran up to visit Katie since Ginko is in no mood for company. The girls raced around for about 20 minutes, then Lilly and I came home. Since it's not very far, I let Lilly walk home off leash on the road, and she was great. Only walking a bit ahead of me and staying off to the side.
Tom reported that GInko was super sweet in the lobby at the vet hospital last night during checkout. The place was packed, since Thursday is their weekly big discount day, so there were tons of people and dogs, and not a single concern from Ginko. Clearly, he was focused ONLY on going home.
People petted him. Dogs sniffed him, and Ginko was totally fine.
Even the doctors said he really mellowed out during his stay. I'm sure it stems from NOT being able to eat, so when they did start feeding him, the only contact he had involved food. That's the best way I know to make friends wtih Ginko.
Other than the sound of wind in the aspens, it's complete quiet here today. We're always thankful to live in a somewhat remote location, but it's especially nice on this particular holiday becuase fireworks are SO rare in our community.
One less worry in a week filled with far too much.
Happy Independence Day, from a girl who just got soaked from a dripping wet Lilly hopping in my lap!
Now ... she's trying to convince Ginko to chase her. I think she's glad he's home too.
Tom is off motorcycling with pals today, so the pups and I went back to bed for a couple extra hours of sleep, which is always NICE.
Ginko continues to keep his food down. We give him just a few spoonfuls of the special bland canned food every couple of hours. He slept well last night and even played a little a few minutes ago. In fact, after a few fetches, he soaked himself in the pond and is standing here next to me dripping. I hope both dogs dry enough before the rains come, so they don't drip all over the clean house.
Lilly and I ran up to visit Katie since Ginko is in no mood for company. The girls raced around for about 20 minutes, then Lilly and I came home. Since it's not very far, I let Lilly walk home off leash on the road, and she was great. Only walking a bit ahead of me and staying off to the side.
Tom reported that GInko was super sweet in the lobby at the vet hospital last night during checkout. The place was packed, since Thursday is their weekly big discount day, so there were tons of people and dogs, and not a single concern from Ginko. Clearly, he was focused ONLY on going home.
People petted him. Dogs sniffed him, and Ginko was totally fine.
Even the doctors said he really mellowed out during his stay. I'm sure it stems from NOT being able to eat, so when they did start feeding him, the only contact he had involved food. That's the best way I know to make friends wtih Ginko.
Other than the sound of wind in the aspens, it's complete quiet here today. We're always thankful to live in a somewhat remote location, but it's especially nice on this particular holiday becuase fireworks are SO rare in our community.
One less worry in a week filled with far too much.
Happy Independence Day, from a girl who just got soaked from a dripping wet Lilly hopping in my lap!
Now ... she's trying to convince Ginko to chase her. I think she's glad he's home too.
Ginko @ Home
Ginko is HOME!!!! We may never know why he was vomiting so much. Tom only got to talk to the doc for a few minutes, so I don't have much info, but It seems that since the bloodwork was clean, then we're not looking at pancreatitis. He'll be on antibiotics for a few more days since he did have a fever and did have a slightly elevated white cell count. He also will take some pepcid each morning (we've learned it's a better/safer choice than pepto for vomiting) for a few days. Ginko is only allowed tiny spoonfuls of special bland food every once in a while and only sips of water.
The first thing he did when he got out of the car was pick up a ball. Silly!
He also has had several very LONG pees since he got home, in addition to two on the way home. Tom stops frequently because Ginko gets VERY carsick coming up the canyon.
SO, that tells me perhaps he did NOT get to go outside much, even though they were pumping him full of IV fluids. Poor boy just held it.
That's it for now. Must kiss the big boy.
Thanks to everyone for support and encouragement!
The first thing he did when he got out of the car was pick up a ball. Silly!
He also has had several very LONG pees since he got home, in addition to two on the way home. Tom stops frequently because Ginko gets VERY carsick coming up the canyon.
SO, that tells me perhaps he did NOT get to go outside much, even though they were pumping him full of IV fluids. Poor boy just held it.
That's it for now. Must kiss the big boy.
Thanks to everyone for support and encouragement!
Ginko @ Hospital, Part 2
I'm still waiting for adequate information on Ginko's health status. The best I've gotten so far is that he's doing "OK" or "fine" and that his bloodwork was "good." I'm trying VERY hard to be patient and NOT freak out from worry, but I still have major crying jags when things get to be too much ... because I'm the kind of girl who needs details not only on his medical status but his emotional one as well.
I called at 8:30 am to check on him and got merely name, rank and serial number answers. He was doing OK. He was still on fluids. He indeed does get to go outside to potty, etc. Tom stopped by the hospital around 11 am and got to hang out with him in the courtyard for a while. Tom said Ginko seemed hungry and frantic. This visit is how we know the bloodwork showed pretty much nothing, which is good, but I have a million other questions. At that point, they said they were going to try and feed him a little and see how it went. They told Tom they would make decisions about futher testing or him maybe getting to come home tonight after that.
I waited and waited and waited. I even held off calling for a full hour past when I wanted to call. But at 4:00 pm, I still got virtually no information and anothe promise that the doctor would call me. That was 2 hours ago. I have no idea if he's been vomiting, if his vitals are stable, nothing. The hospital is open for 2 more hours tonight.
So far today, I've:
Tom plans to stop back by the hospital before he comes home, which is great, but he likely won't ask the MANY questions I have. So, Ginko may get to come home, if he had a good day. If not, then he has to stay. And, since I have no news on either front, I have no idea which option it will be, or if it's option #2, what our next step in diagnosis and/or treatment will be.
I kept waiting to post an update until I had SOMETHING to say, but all I can truly report is that the bloodwork seems to show nothing.
*sigh*
I called at 8:30 am to check on him and got merely name, rank and serial number answers. He was doing OK. He was still on fluids. He indeed does get to go outside to potty, etc. Tom stopped by the hospital around 11 am and got to hang out with him in the courtyard for a while. Tom said Ginko seemed hungry and frantic. This visit is how we know the bloodwork showed pretty much nothing, which is good, but I have a million other questions. At that point, they said they were going to try and feed him a little and see how it went. They told Tom they would make decisions about futher testing or him maybe getting to come home tonight after that.
I waited and waited and waited. I even held off calling for a full hour past when I wanted to call. But at 4:00 pm, I still got virtually no information and anothe promise that the doctor would call me. That was 2 hours ago. I have no idea if he's been vomiting, if his vitals are stable, nothing. The hospital is open for 2 more hours tonight.
So far today, I've:
- Burned a good 4-6 hours with full-on worry
- Done 4 loads of laundry
- Written a 1200-word magazine article
- Cleaned the entire main level of the house
- Watered the greenhouse and all the house plants
Tom plans to stop back by the hospital before he comes home, which is great, but he likely won't ask the MANY questions I have. So, Ginko may get to come home, if he had a good day. If not, then he has to stay. And, since I have no news on either front, I have no idea which option it will be, or if it's option #2, what our next step in diagnosis and/or treatment will be.
I kept waiting to post an update until I had SOMETHING to say, but all I can truly report is that the bloodwork seems to show nothing.
*sigh*
Quotes from Novel Gilead I Like
I finished reading the novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson this weekend. It's a book about a dying minister, who is leaving a diary for his young son. While the context of these situations in the book are different, I found these excerpts amusing and applicable to my life with Lilly (and even the current medical drama with Ginko).
USING THE WORD JUST
(bad habit I have in writing)
People talk that way when they want to call attention to a thing existing in excess of itself, so to speak, a sort of purity or lavishness, at any rate, something ordinary in kind but exceptional in degree.
FINDING THE MEANING IN TOUGH THINGS
(our ongoing theme)
"I am confident that I will find great blessing in it." And that is what he said about everything that happened to him for the rest of his life, all of which tended to be more or less drastic ... he told me once that being blessed meant being bloodied, and that is true etymologically, in English, but not in Greek or Hebrew ... he did it in order to make account of himself, I suppose, as most of us do.
AFTER SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENED IN A REMOTE TOWN
(made me laugh in comparison to what goes wrong in training)
All this seems preposterous. But, in fact, one lapse in judgment can quickly create a situation in which only foolish choices are possible.
ABOUT ARGUING MATTERS OF FAITH OR BELIEF
(which felt like debates between positive reinforcement & dominance trainers)
In the matter of belief, I have always found that defenses have the same irrelevance about them as the criticisms they are meant to answer. I think that the attempt to defend belief can unsettle it, in fact, because there is always an inadequacy in argument about ultimate things ... So creating proofs from experience of any sort is like building a ladder to the moon. It seems it should be possible, until you stop to consider the nature of the problem.
A DESCRIPTION OF LOVE BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD
(or in our cases, guardians and our dog friends)
"He would protect him as a father cannot, defend him with a strength he does not have, sustain him with a bounty beyond any resource he could ever dream of having."
A DISCUSSION OF HOPE IN THE FACE OF WEARINESS
(again, our ongoing theme)
This whole town does look like whatever hope becomes after it begins to weary a little, then weary a little more. But hope deferred is still hope.
USING THE WORD JUST
(bad habit I have in writing)
People talk that way when they want to call attention to a thing existing in excess of itself, so to speak, a sort of purity or lavishness, at any rate, something ordinary in kind but exceptional in degree.
FINDING THE MEANING IN TOUGH THINGS
(our ongoing theme)
"I am confident that I will find great blessing in it." And that is what he said about everything that happened to him for the rest of his life, all of which tended to be more or less drastic ... he told me once that being blessed meant being bloodied, and that is true etymologically, in English, but not in Greek or Hebrew ... he did it in order to make account of himself, I suppose, as most of us do.
AFTER SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENED IN A REMOTE TOWN
(made me laugh in comparison to what goes wrong in training)
All this seems preposterous. But, in fact, one lapse in judgment can quickly create a situation in which only foolish choices are possible.
ABOUT ARGUING MATTERS OF FAITH OR BELIEF
(which felt like debates between positive reinforcement & dominance trainers)
In the matter of belief, I have always found that defenses have the same irrelevance about them as the criticisms they are meant to answer. I think that the attempt to defend belief can unsettle it, in fact, because there is always an inadequacy in argument about ultimate things ... So creating proofs from experience of any sort is like building a ladder to the moon. It seems it should be possible, until you stop to consider the nature of the problem.
A DESCRIPTION OF LOVE BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD
(or in our cases, guardians and our dog friends)
"He would protect him as a father cannot, defend him with a strength he does not have, sustain him with a bounty beyond any resource he could ever dream of having."
A DISCUSSION OF HOPE IN THE FACE OF WEARINESS
(again, our ongoing theme)
This whole town does look like whatever hope becomes after it begins to weary a little, then weary a little more. But hope deferred is still hope.
Ginko Hospitalized!
We are worried sick! Ginko has not kept any food down since about mid-day Tuesday. Between dinner Tuesday night and lunchtime today, he threw up 7+ times. At first, he could keep the food down for 2 hours, then 1 hour, then only 10 minutes. So, off to the veterinary hospital we went, and the doctor hospitalized him pronto. We don't know for sure, but it sounds an awful lot like pancreatitis.
I was upset they had to keep him, but then I was completely bawling when I read the following online when I got home:
"Canine pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening disease..."
The good news is that he does NOT vomit, as long as he doesn't eat. Veterinarians keep dogs being treated for pancreatitis off food for as many as three days. Poor boy!
At last report, he put up quite a fight when they drew blood and put the IV catheter in, but after that, he was resting quietly and comfortably thanks to a big blanket in his cage.
When I checked on him 2 hours ago, I learned he had NOT vomited since being admitted. They were going to try feeding him a tiny bit to see what happens, but I guarantee he'll throw it up.
We'll know more when the blood tests come back in the morning. Until then, he's on a IV and probably some IV meds. Basically, they've giving him "supportive" care in hopes he pulls through on his own.
We have several suspicions on the cause, including some new dog treats I bought recently, but at this point, I only care that he recovers. We'll worry about the rest later.
So, please keep Ginko in your thoughts and send him all the GET BETTER mojo you can muster!
Lilly has NEVER been without Ginko. She is at a total loss tonight.
More updates as news warrants.
I was upset they had to keep him, but then I was completely bawling when I read the following online when I got home:
"Canine pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening disease..."
The good news is that he does NOT vomit, as long as he doesn't eat. Veterinarians keep dogs being treated for pancreatitis off food for as many as three days. Poor boy!
At last report, he put up quite a fight when they drew blood and put the IV catheter in, but after that, he was resting quietly and comfortably thanks to a big blanket in his cage.
When I checked on him 2 hours ago, I learned he had NOT vomited since being admitted. They were going to try feeding him a tiny bit to see what happens, but I guarantee he'll throw it up.
We'll know more when the blood tests come back in the morning. Until then, he's on a IV and probably some IV meds. Basically, they've giving him "supportive" care in hopes he pulls through on his own.
We have several suspicions on the cause, including some new dog treats I bought recently, but at this point, I only care that he recovers. We'll worry about the rest later.
So, please keep Ginko in your thoughts and send him all the GET BETTER mojo you can muster!
Lilly has NEVER been without Ginko. She is at a total loss tonight.
More updates as news warrants.
Emotional Roller Coaster
We're thinking about the fear-recovery cycle in a different way after our follow-up behavior consult. While Lilly's fear responses are smaller than a year ago, we'll be working in the coming weeks and months on resetting her fear cycle frequently so that her emotional roller coaster never leaves to station. ...<< MORE >>
Tend and Befriend Overcomes Fight or Flight
A shout out to my friend Audrey for sending me this research on how women handle stress differently than men. Apparently women "tend and befriend" to overcome feelings of "fight or flight." ...<< MORE >>
Flowers & Other Gardening Weirdness
With Independence Day looming, I finally got around to shopping for a few flowers for our front patio. But, before I could plant, I had to get rid of these creepy mushrooms that had cropped up in the mulch from all the rain this spring and summer.
...<< MORE >>
...<< MORE >>
Andre (Dog With 2 Prosthetic Feet) Needs a Home
Andre, a dog from Alaska who chewed off two of his feet after getting caught in an illegal trap, needs a new home. He is currently in Denver, Colorado, with OrthoPets (a company that makes custom prosthetics for animals). Please help him find the right forever home. ...<< MORE >>
Weekly Training Update (June 26)
Last Saturday, we met with Jennie (our behaviorist) for a follow-up consult. We first saw her in summer 2008. I had hoped to check in earlier this year, but time and financial constraints made that impossible. So, we spent a year doing the behavior modification work that many people do in 2-3 months. We're working on a new plan to take Lilly's training to the next level — with an eye toward returning to agility training (and maybe possibly competing, even though we'd be the oldest novice team in history). I'll be reporting on the various details in ...<< MORE >>