Dakota Update

Dakota has always been a handful since we got him in January 2009 as a puppy. He was a rescued pup and was very aggressive even at 8 weeks old. When I came home from the hospital after my bypass surgery, I expected to have trouble with him from the moment I stepped in the door. That wasn't the case. He seemed to sense that I wasn't well and was very calm and well behaved for me.

As I get stronger, he is again challenging me. A month ago, I decided it was time he learned to obey. I felt more up to handling him than I had in the past and so the battle began. Surprisingly,
a few squirts from a water bottle when he misbehaved has calmed him considerably. Here are a few photos to show you his favorite past time, which is playing with a stick.
He finds any stick that he can and holds it in his mouth just to show off.

Then he chews on it for a little while. Not to destroy it but just to chew on something.

After than, he becomes a little more aggressive with it and chews it apart.

What are you doing, Mom? You know I don't usually look directly into the camera.

Well, okay, I'll let you get a couple of good shots of me since you don't really have any.

He has now learned to lay in the grass. We have a lot of white clover in our lawn and it is soft and cool when the yard is shaded in the morning. This is Dakota's favorite time to be out in the yard. He lays and chews on a stick or tosses stones about and I sit on the porch and listen to the birds singing or watch them squabble amongst themselves. There are lots of crows around here and the cardinals and blue jays often dive bomb them.

Last month, I watched the baby cardinals learn to fly. There are many creatures around this area and the baby squirrels tease Dakota and he teases them back. I've had many a good laugh in the yard. Isn't that what life is all about?

My Friend of 36 years

Many of my friends and regular readers will remember this photo of my friend Jo Ann and myself. This was taken last year just before Jo Ann and I left for the Charley Pride concert. She had the tickets given to her and had chosen to invite me along. I'm so glad I went because now Jo Ann is in critical condition.

Last December, Jo Ann was diagnosed as having cancer of the lower jaw. They operated December 23rd and the prognosis was she was cancer free. The health care system chose to believe that, even though the cancer had spread from her jaw to her lymph nodes. They didn't do anything else except take care of the jaw...no X-rays or tests to see if the cancer had spread.

About two weeks ago, I tried several times to reach my friend. No answer. This was very unusual because she has a big family and someone is usually home. I finally got her and she told me that she's been to the ER and several doctors in those three days. They had diagnosed her with cancer of the lungs. The right lung was full stage 4 and there was some cancer in her left lung as well. Terminal, they said.

Jo Ann was in the hospital for 3 days and then went out of town for an appointment with her cancer doctor. He sent her home and said they would talk about chemo on the next visit.

A few days later, Jo Ann was on oxygen at home. She was very weak and not doing well. She returned to hospital last Friday night around midnight. I've seen her several times since then and her siblings have flown in from eastern Canada and the USA.

Today I went to see her and once again the cancer has spread. It is now in her stomach and her liver. She told me the doctor has been bugging her to have chemo but she has no desire to do that. I told her it was her choice and that she needed to stick to her guns and do what she wanted to do.

I know the inevitable. My friend is going to pass from this earthly plane. I wonder how I will cope. We have talked at least 3 times a week for all those years... more often everyday. I'm not upset because I have lost many loved ones to cancer. I'm well aware of the circle of life. However, my one desire is that she not suffer.

Jo Ann is on morphine and resting comfortably. Please pray that she will continue to live out her life without the severe pain she was feeling a couple of weeks ago.

I Can't Believe It

I can't believe that three weeks have gone by without me posting. Seems like time goes faster by the day. Not much happening in this neck of the woods.

The only exciting thing that happened was last Wednesday we had an earthquake. I would call it a tremor. The epicenter was on the Ontario/Quebec border north of Ottawa, which is a long way from here. We did feel it though and I would guess it lasted about 30 seconds.

Brandon was cutting the lawn and hubby was keeping an eye on him and doing a bit of trimming. Dakota suddenly began acting really weird, running from the computer room to the living room. I thought he was just trying to see where Brandon was. Then he jumped on the boys' bed, which is unusual in itself, and looked at the ceiling. About that time the house began to shake. Now keep in mind this is an old two-story victorian era house...built in or before 1856. (I saw the top of it in the newspaper when they showed one of the old factories down the street.) It swayed from side to side and I knew right away what it was. Unfortunately, I've experienced tremors before.

They say the earthquake was 5.0 on the Reichter Scale. Apparently no lives were lost and no damage was done. We were truly blessed. Tremors were felt from as far away as the New England States, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois...approximately 300 miles, so the new informed us.

Brandon came in the house when he was finished the lawn and said he thought he was having a heat stroke. He was dizzy for a few minutes while mowing the law. When I told him what it was, he couldn't believe it.

Other than that, not a lot of news. I did have my follow-up surgeon's appointment and he says I'm doing great. I don't have to see him again, but do have to see the cardiologist in July. I am still a little sore in the upper chest area, but that is normal.

Mom is home. She left the hospital after three weeks and went to my sister's for two. She came home last Saturday and is getting around good. She isn't completely back to normal yet but she's coming along nicely.

When I went to my follow-up surgeon's appointment, we stopped in to see Josh. I know he has come a long way, but he isn't the Josh I knew and doubt he will ever completely recover. I'm not sure he even recognized me. He seems to be very focused on one thing and that is talking to his Dad (my brother) to find out when he is coming to see him. Nothing else seems to matter to him. It's sad how a speeder can change the lives of others in the blink of an eye.

That's about all the news for now. Sorry it's taken me so long to post. So much is going on here. Hope all my friends and readers are enjoying their summer.

Etsy is going to be having a Christmas in July sale. That doesn't mean that all items on sale will be Christmas items, but rather, it's a good time to get a head start on your Christmas shopping.

Hubby's Test Results

Girly Comments & Graphics

Today hubby had an appointment at the stroke clinic. I'm not at all impressed by the doctor's diagnosis. Hubby has had several spells where his vision blurs and once he had garbled speech.

The doctor says it has nothing to do with the stroke he had last year and that he has a little hardening of the arteries in his neck. His diagnosis...it's the beginning of migraines. Not sure what migraines have to do with speech, but I'm not a medical professional. I've never known anyone that couldn't talk while having a migraine and hubby didn't have a bad headache. He has had headaches, but nothing that made him very uncomfortable. Just a nagging ache. So, I'm not sure if the news is good or bad. It's getting until I don't have much faith in doctors.

The one thing the doctor did notice is that his fingernails and fingers are not normal. He said that can be the beginning of lung or kidney disease. Now he is going to send him for a catscan of his lungs. I do know that the fingernails can indicate a plethora of diseases, so it's good that he caught that. Hubby's fingers and fingernails have been curved for many years. Hopefully there is nothing seriously wrong.

We've had cool rainy weather this week. The cool is okay with me, but not quite this cool. I like it to reach 70. LOL Today was a little better, but it's been quite chilly in the evening.

Other than that, not much news from here.