The Latex Gloves
Why were there two yucky yellowy slimy latex gloves in the middle of the family room floor when Mom and Elsa came home today? Why? Well...ummm...it's hard to explain WHY it happened but I know HOW it happened.
A few days ago Mom wore those latex gloves to do some cleaning of the cat boxes. Then, she threw them in the trash in the garage. In the little short trash can. And I ate them.
Then today I threw them up.
So there you have it. The
HOW. But not the
WHY.
End of story.
The Boss Around Here is...Elsa
Elsa really pushed me around today. It's only because of me that she has risen above her couch potato ways, and now she thinks I need to be put in my place. We were playing with some toys together along with Mom and Elsa claims I took her toy. First of all, the toys are for all of us not just her, but nevermind that point. Anyway, Elsa had a little fit and barked and growled and tried to push me to the floor. I'm not aggressive, so heck I let her push me around despite the fact that she is ancient (age 14), has practically no teeth, and I'm a lot bigger than her. It's just the way things are around here in this pack. Elsa is the boss and I accept it. Most of the time she's OK though and we play together well. I just gotta be sure that I do my subordinate doggy role appropriately.
You'd never know from looking at her how bossy she can be!
The Broken Ceramic Cup
Today Mom broke a ceramic cup. She dropped it on the floor in the kitchen and it broke into a few large pieces and some shards. So, naturally, I grabbed the biggest piece and ran off with it, right out the doggy door into the back yard.
Mom came screaming after me, caught me and took it away. Geez, I can't play with anything fun. While she was recuperating from that effort I chowed and chomped on some of the shards. Mmmmmm.... Mom didn't like that either! She screamed again and dragged me away and then immediately swept up what was left.
A doggy can't have any fun around here!
The Counter Surfing Dog
Today I did some serious countersurfing. I managed to grab a banana (delicious!) and even better, an entire box of dog biscuits! Mom opened the dog biscuits to get me to drop the banana peel, and then when she wasn't looking I grabbed the whole box. Frankly, I was so astonished at the fabulous results, cookies all over the floor, that I hardly knew what to do. That gave Mom an opening and she picked most of them up before Pumpkin and I could do any serious food vacuuming.
I've discovered I can put my front paws on the counter and really get my nose and mouth pretty far back, especially if I add a little jump. Mom is all worried about my new talent and she's pushed everything way, way back on the counters and put all the food in cupboards or the refrigerator.
Not me or Mom, but you get the idea. I'm too quick to be photographed.
Mom asked the rest of the GSD Rescue team for advice. Frankly, their advice stinks. They appear to have extensive experience in squelching this talent thru some rather Machaevellian mechanisms and they didn't hesitate to share their wisdom with Mom. Bummer for me.
Here's their suggestions (and stories) and you can see for yourself how heartless they are:
- Robin: SO familiar! I have a GSD who can take a bowl full of food off the back of the counter, walk it to a corner of a far room and put itdown to eat it, all without spilling a drop. He knows how to getinto the refrigerator and freezer (but unfortunately he's not considerate enough to close them when he's finished looking). He knows how to open all the regular doors, including the front andgarage, and can even unlock the sliding glass door and let himselfout into the back yard! So all these things are now re-inforced with additional locks or deterrants and all food is up in the highercabinets. Suggestions for refrigerator locks appreciated (something that looksbetter than duct tape!).
- JJ: Robin,Your dog sounds like he would have made a great service dog. They teach dogs to do that kind of stuff!!
- Barbara: I found some things at PetsMart (or Petco, can't remember which) called "Snappy Trainers" that are working to some extent with my dogs. They're mousetraps with big red plastic flaps on them. They don't hurt the dog, but they do startle it. Once my dogs had set one off a couple of times, they learned to recognize it and won't touch it now. I left some ribs on the counter a few days ago with one of these on top and they weren't touched. They also corrected Osko's getting into the dogfood container. I put three of these on top and after he'd set them off a couple of times he didn't bother it any more. Main problem I have is I forget they're there and set one off myself!
- Bunnell: Oh Cynthia. How familiar this sounds. It is like they have stilts in their legs which EXTEND. A previous GSD we had helped himself to an uncooked Diamond Jim Pot Roast. Strolled out in the garden with it. Fortunately I was right behind him, so managed to retrieve it, wash it well and did'nt talk about it at the dinner table. Our Trainer tells us to "set the dog up". Put some tasty item within reach, then have a tin can with pennies or rocks in it and as the dog goes up for the steal, shake the can and hollar "NO". Don't know if the Rescue group would authorize that approach, but it does work. Our current GSD still makes a grab once in awhile, but not often.
- Michelle: We use the soda can filled with pennies approach to squelch barking in our beginning obedience classes. It works great. Gives them quite a startle and breaks their train of thought - at least for a minute or so.
- Linda: I know this isn't funny, Cynthia, but I couldn't help smiling when I read your post and thinking that he sure must be feeling good again and enjoying the blessing of being in the house for the first time in his life!!
- Jay: I have found that a few well placed mouse traps can keep them off the counters, out of the trash can, and off the couch. They don't get caught in the traps, but the "snap" startles them real good.
- Roberta: Great idea Jay, but how do you keep them from getting caught in the traps? Is something put over the traps to protect the dogs from getting hurt?
- Sharon: My Xoe has a PhD in counter surfing -- clearly she is the smartest being in this home. We keep all food related items in the oven or microwave for storage. We try to think in terms of having opposable thumbs to access -- and still she surprises us!
There are humane "mouse traps" that can be purchased (try the major store chains). They essentially make the big noise and snap, but don't pose the same threat as a real mouse trap. The beauty of this is that you can bait your dog, the trap goes off and you're not the bad guy because you are not there when it happens. The dog will not associate this unpleasant experience with you -- just the kitchen counter or sofa or wherever you want the dog to steer clear.
Also a word to the wise, keep ALL medication on a top shelf. Xoe blew out her left back knee in August. She is slated for surgery next week and the vet had prescribed Deramaxx (similar to Rimadyl) for the inflamation and pain. Xoe managed to get to the very back corner of the counter and chomped at least half a bottle of medication. She had never crossed the line to where the medicine was stored before, but the tabs tasted like treats to her. Thankfully I came home shortly after the incident and was able to get her to the vet in time. It was several days and several $$$ before I knew that she would be okay and not suffer any long term damage. She took ten years off my life with this one...
Please be sure that anything that can be remotely tempting (whether you find it attractive or not) is put well out of reach of kids and dogs. The only thing on my kitchen counter now is the coffee pot and the mail.
- Bunnell: Yes, I have heard about the mouse traps and that they work.I believe the Humane Society recommends this as well. And, I know someone who tried it and it worked.
- Scott: If you can't find the humane mouse traps, a piece of newspaper placed over a standard mouse trap works very well. It keeps the paw or nose, as the case may be, from getting whapped, but still makes lot's of noise. Another trick I heard of, is to soak a small piece of bread in REALLY hot hot sauce. Set it on the counter and let fido get a taste of it. This doesn't always work though, as some dogs really like it hot. Not recommended for dogs with sensitive stomachs however.
I just hope their own dogs don't have internet access. They might be dreadfully disappointed at how devious their pet guardians really are.
P.S. Sorry I didn't post yesterday. Nothing happened anyway. Just another day in paradise.
The Alarm Clock Dog
I'm trying to think of a highlight for today but there really wasn't one. Just another day in paradise. Good food, good doggy friends, good job (fence border patrol).
Mom calls me the "alarm clock dog". That's because I go into her bedroom and pull on her pillow till she gets up. She tries to stop me, but then I stick my big nose in her face. If she turns over I go to the other side of the bed and bug her some more. I'm not irritating or too persistent, but we doggies need to have our breakfast!
Just for the record, I took my heartworm pill yesterday.
The Border Patrol
Today I did quite a bit of border control. Elsa seems to have slacked off and those Shelties next door are quite irritating. Mostly they yip and yap all day. And they come right up to the fence and try to stick their noses thru it. I stick my nose in there too and it's a wonder that we don't bite each other on the nose! There's a lot of activity with me running up and down parallel to the fence and periodically sticking my nose into it and the Shelties doing the same all the time barking their little heads off. I don't bark though. My approach is majestic and stealthy, not yippy. Elsa just stayed in the house I guess she thinks that I gotta earn my keep and I might as well do what used to be her job. I don't mind since I have lots of energy and this is certainly something that needs to be done right.
Oh, Mom and Elsa had a great time at "Bark in the Park" yesterday. My nose told me that they encountered 321 dogs. The Murky Snooze had an
article about Bark in the Park today, and in the print version there is a picture of poster-GSD Mariah in a ghost costumn holding a plastic jack-o-lantern. Mom is now threatening to dress ALL of us up as ghosts for Halloween this year. I think the whole thing must be a joke because Mariah is the world's best trained dog, and we range from barely trained to hardly trained at all. Well, if I'm lucky, I'll be adopted by then and with my forever family and they will be a lot more sensible!
The Medical Checkup
Today I went back to Adobe Pet Hospital for my medical checkup. While I was in the lobby I met an adorable Wheaton Terrier. Her name was Uma and she wanted to play. I kind of wanted to play too, but she was a little bit too forward for me. Cute dog though.
Then Mom and I went into one of the exam rooms and met with Dr. Shandro. The doctor was very pleased with my manner and appearance. I'm quite the lively dog now! She took an X-ray and said it was perfectly clear, but just to be safe and make sure there isn't a relapse, she put me on Clavamax for 2 weeks. I don't mind since Mom gives me my medicine wrapped in liverwurst.
I also got weighed and am down from 101 lbs when I checked in a few weeks ago, to 94.4 lbs. Dr. Shandro said I could still lose a bit more. 90 lbs and I'll be perfect. Luckily I don't have to practice self-control...Mom just feeds me whatever is the right amount and I eat it.
Dr. Shandro said I could now have a bath too. I like water but I'm not sure about the bath. Mom can't give me a bath by herself though...she needs someone to help since I am so squirmy. Might be awhile before I actually have that bath.
The Front Porch
Today Buffy and I got to sit on the front porch while Mom watered the plants. It was fun being out front for a change. There isn't much going on in this neighborhood though. The whole time we were out there no one walked by and only a few cars drove by. We didn't even see any squirrels although we know there a lots of them up in that big tree.
This is a nice front porch...it's not Mom's though although she wishes it were.
Tomorrow Mom and Elsa are going to "
Bark in the Park" to work at the SF Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue booth. Incredibly, foster doggies aren't allowed! That's why I don't get to go. And Buffy and Pumpkin are staying home to keep me company.
The Tail Wag
Today I wagged my tail. I know what you are thinking. "A dog wagged his tail!? This is supposed to be news?! It's not even news when the tail wags the dog!" But in my case it is news, because I have not wagged my tail before, at least not since I was rescued. I can't really tell you why not...maybe I'm just not much of a tail wagger, although Mom can't think of any dog she has ever met that didn't wag its tail. So maybe it's because I'm getting more comfortable.
Anyway, as far as tail-wagging, there is certainly plenty of it in this household. Pumpkin's tail really does wag the dog. His whole rear end wiggles. Constantly. Buffy also wags his tail all the time like a windshield wiper. And Elsa...she is the champion of tail-wagging, mainly because she has a tail that is as powerful as Arnold's bicep. She knocked Buffy down once with her tail. And when she lies on the floor and wags her tail, which she does all the time since her favorite position is completely flat on her side, she wags her tail onto the floor and the slapping sound is frightening. Kind of like a cannon boom. Of course I've never heard a cannon boom but if I had, that's what I would think it was.
The Walk
Finally, we went for a walk! It was going to be just Mom and me, but Buffy ran out too and Mom figured it was easier to take him along rather than get him to go back in the house. Elsa and Pumpkin were not happy about this...Elsa barked and Pumpkin whined but Mom steeled herself to their pitiful entreaties and off we went.
I am a good walker! I don't pull on the leash and I come along well. I kind of wander around though following my nose so a bit of training will be good. We encountered other people walking and even a group with an Australian Shepherd, but I didn't cause any problems. I paid attention to them but I didn't bark, pull on the leash, or show any signs of causing trouble.
Just more input to prove that I am the perfect dog.
Well, not quite perfect. Mom wasn't happy this morning when she found a puddle on the threshold between the garage and the house. She couldn't even figure out when I made the mess since I managed to pee in both the garage and the house. It must have been before we went to bed last night. I wish I knew why I did it. But one mistake is OK as long as I keep improving. I was a yard dog only before...so adapting to the house takes time. I just am so mostly perfect that Mom was pretty surprised.
The Boring Day
Today was boring. Mom either had meetings or worked on the computer all day.
Jeff put up screening around the aviary to keep mosquitos from biting the parrots and giving them the West Nile Virus. Elsa got to go to the coffee shop this morning with Mom but the rest of us had to stay home. I'm not following Mom around the house as much as before. She was really interesting at the beginning, something new and different, but now I have my own things to do, or rather, since I'm a only a dog, things not to do. Mostly I hang out in my bed or with the other doggies now.
Dinner was delicious though. I don't know how long Mom is going to make the chicken and carrot stew but I sure enjoy my meals! I jump up a bit to try to reach my dish when Mom is carrying it. She doesn't like me to do that for a number of reasons, one being that I tend to slip and slide around on the wood floor. I sure love to eat!
Maybe tomorrow I will get to go for a walk!
The Backyard Gate
Today I opened the backyard gate. There are two witnesses, Mom and
Jeff. They walked thru the gate, then Mom closed it and mentioned to Jeff that she was concerned that I had figured out how to open it. So, to make her look good, I opened it right then! I just lifted the latch with my nose and pushed the gate open and trotted right thru. I was very pleased with myself. Jeff was extremely impressed but Mom didn't look happy. While it proves (again) that I am a clever dog; Mom thinks it might indicate that I could find my way into trouble. So she got a couple of bungie cords and tied up the gate real tight.
The Photo Shoot
Well, finally today Mom took a whole bunch of pictures of me. But there was a big problem. Apparently it is impossible to take photographs of someone when he is following you around like a shadow. I tried to be photogenic but since I'm kind of stuck like glue to Mom, she could never get far enough away to get a good shot. She gave up and decided to get one of me going in and out the doggy door. That didn't work out either as all she managed to take were pictures of my behind. The "best" one, which is being kind, is now in my photo album on the right-hand side. She did get a great picture of Buffy, which is also posted, and nice ones of Pumpkin and Elsa, which she may post later.
The Foster Dog Report Card
Today Mom got a weekly report card form from the "authorities" at GSD Rescue. I didn't get to see what she wrote, but below is a copy of the report questions. Since I have been a very good dog, maybe the best dog ever, I know that Mom wrote a glowing report about me! It feels good to have so many people concerned about my welfare and working hard to find me a wonderful forever home. In the meantime, I certainly am enjoying myself with my foster family.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE
WEEKLY FOSTER HOME REPORT
Date:
Dog Name:
Completed by:
Blog:
1.Physical condition of the dog, noting any changes:
2. How is the dog with people in your house, children and adults? Note changes.
3. How is the dog with people outside the house? Note where you have taken dog and how he or she has behaved.
4. How is the dog with toys, bones, pig ears, food, etc, around people, and other dogs? Note any resource guarding issues if you see them.
5. How is the dog with other dogs out in public? Note any changes, new activities you have done with the dog.
6. How long is the dog alone when the people are gone, and where does the dog stay? Are there other dogs with him? Please describe how the dog settles in (or not) or behaves when left alone.
7. How is the dog progressing with obedience and housebreaking?
8. How does the dog travel in a car?
9. How would you describe the basic personality of this dog? Note any changes.
Note to fosterers: where something is unchanged from the previous week, go ahead and note that, rather than reiterating all you said the week before.
The Parrots
OK, it's official.
I am not good with parrots. In other words, my forever family cannot have birds in the house, unless perhaps the birds are very, very large, macaws perhaps. I demonstrated why I am not good with parrots today when Mom was feeding the cockatiels and the ring-neck parakeet in the aviary. I pretty much went wild trying to climb up the wire on the outside and get at them. They flew around screaming although they weren't overly frightened. They seemed to know that I couldn't really get at them. But still, I tried really hard and I really, really wanted to grab one of them (or maybe all of them!). I trampled all over the cacti without even noticing.
So far I seem cat-indifferent but not enough tests have been run.
The Table Manners of the Proper Dog
There is now plenty of evidence that I have excellent table manners.
- I wait for my food patiently
- I am not protective of my bowl
- I do not attempt to take the food from another dog's dish
- I clean my plate completely and I also lick the floor around the dish just in case
- I even share the drinking water bowl at the same time with Elsa (we are big dogs so this is a big bowl!)
- I do not counter surf although frankly if my back legs were just a little bit stronger and the floor not so slippery I might be overly tempted -- Mom is very careful not to put anything enticing near the edge
My appetite is now beyond excellent. I'm eating 1 cup of dried dog food with some steamed carrots and chicken mixed in twice each day. I also take my two types of antibiotics and doggy glucosamin, I get my antiobiotics covered with liverwurst and fed by spoon to make sure that I eat the whole pill.
I also get treats taken from the hand...Mom learned to make her hand into a fist and put the treat between the thumb and the first finger, that way I don't accidentally nip her fingers. I sit automatically while waiting for my treat...I don't even need to be asked.
The Laundry
We did the laundry today. I'm quite the helper but Mom says my timing is off. I took the clothes out the washer, but unfortunately before they were washed. Mom had to put them back in. Then I helped fold the clean clothes by pulling them off the table and wrestling them to the floor. My folding technique could use some improvement but my enthusiasm knows no bounds!
This isn't me (Mom still hasn't taken photos of me!) but the scenario is exactly similar.
The Nothing New Day
Well, today was a good day, but nothing new. Slept, went outside, ate, slept, went outside, slept, ate, slept, ate, and so on. Of course I followed Mom everywhere except when she left the house. The good news about today's non-news is even though Elsa and Pumpkin went to the vet, I didn't have to go! Buffy and I stayed at home. Buffy doesn't know this though, but tomorrow he has to go to the vet. But not me. I don't have to go back for another week or so.
My appetite improves every day. Mom went to the store and bought more chicken and carrots. She's going to make up a fresh batch of stew in the pressure cooker.
Life is good!
The Garden Hose
Yikes, it was hot today. It's tough being perpetually covered with a thick fur coat. But I got a real treat with the garden hose. Mom was watering the plants and I got to grab at the water spray with my mouth. I couldn't get wet because I'm still recovering from pneumonia, but it was a lot of fun trying to grab at the water. I like water a lot. Once I get better I may be the kind of dog that even enjoys taking a bath.
Today I felt pretty darn good. I ate most of my breakfast, but by dinner time I was ravenous and I ate everything very quickly. Another fresh cooked meal of skin-free chicken, carrots and zucchini, cooked in the pressure cooker. Mixed in with that is 1/3 cup of dried dog food and oatmeal. Before dinner I also get some yummy liverwurst treats with some not-so-yummy pills inside them. If I can, I spit out the pills but eventually I end up eating them. It's worth it for the liverwurst. Mom doesn't give me treats using her hand anymore...she says I need training on how to gracefully accept treats. I might have accidentally nipped her fingers a few times. So now she gives the treats to me in a big spoon. But she is going to teach me how to take a treat softly from the hand. Mom says probably I don't have much experience in getting treats. That may or may not be, but I know that I like to get them!
Mom says things are appearing on the floor that weren't there before, like a shoe, or a sock, she thinks I might have something to do with this. Well, I'm not making a confession or anything, but if a shoe or a sock is available to be moved from one location to another, shouldn't it be? It's not like anything bad happens to the shoe or sock. It just appears somewhere else. Kind of like magic. The only thing that worries Mom a bit is three times now the back gate has magically been opened. There is another gate before the big wide world but she doesn't like it that I have figured out how to open the gate. So she put some barriers up just to be safe. She also put on my new dog tag. It doesn't have my name, but it says "German Shepherd Rescue", then a phone number and then my official Rescue number.
Peggy came over today to see how I was doing. She thinks I'm a sweet and good-looking guy. She paid some attention to me but Buffy jumped into her lap and Pumpkin tried to distract her. I'm pretty fond of those little doggies though so I didn't mind.
I was a very good dog today overall. No more accidents in the house. No barking...I'm a pretty quiet dog at least so far. No chewing, no digging, no howling, no growling...the list goes on and on of all the bad things that I didn't do that some dogs have been known to do, not me or my foster siblings of course. Well actually, they all three bark, even in the middle of the night. Pumpkin has never met a piece of upholstery that he couldn't demolish. Elsa snores. And Buffy is a little bit on the timid side. So they are good dogs, but not great dogs like me. Just a little bit of a comparison in case someone reading this is wondering how I stack up!
The Nosy Dog
Yes, it's true. I'm nosy. Hey, that's why dogs have noses right?
[This isn't actually my nose but to be honest, close-up, noses pretty much look alike.]
I like to stick my nose into everything both literally and figuratively. Nothing is off limits for my nose. For instance, it's my job to check out everything that is being taken out to the trash. It's pretty shocking what wonderfully smelly things from the kitchen Mom chose to throw into the big trash barrel. I tried to get into the bag to pull out some of the treasures but Mom was too quick for me. Other nosable items are whatever Mom happens to be drinking; especially when she is at her desk working on the computer. Since I'm tall, I can either drink right out of the cup or worst case, just lick the sides. Since Mom never finishes anything I get a hold of I cannot understand why she doesn't just let me have the whole thing!
Because I'm nosy in the figurative sense too, lots of things are interesting to me. I'm quite the helper when Mom is trying to tie her gym shoes. I really am trying to help although to the casual observer it might seem I am untying the laces rather than tying them. I rather like to grab cloth items -- ranging from pot holders, nightgowns, socks (while Mom is putting them on) and my bed (as she is moving it from the office to the bedroom). I've also discovered that there are some enticing creatures in the aviary. I did my best to get a really good look at them today but incredibly they are inside a cage that has two barriers of wire and a row of cacti! The cacti didn't bother me one bit but there's no way that I can get thru the wire, especially the steel one. And there's a double door, with a lock, to get in so sneaking in there isn't going to be possible. No matter, there are plenty of other things that attract me around here. Not those cats though, at least not yet. I've looked at them casually few times and they are dull, dull, dull.
The Good Dog Day
Today I was a good dog, all day! Mainly I didn't pee on the floor. I did my duty outside like I'm supposed to. It's been 36 hours since I made a mistake so it may be that I have already learned the rules!
I just hung around the house today. I'm supposed to be taking it easy. Mom is cooking chicken, carrots, and oatmeal for me. Delicious. I'm sharing with the other dogs so that they won't get jealous.
Really not much going on. Elsa and I are getting to be buddies. The little doggies pretty much ignore me but we really aren't in the same league.
Mom keeps saying she's going to take some pictures of me...maybe tomorrow.
The First Day Home
I'm doing great.
I won't eat canned or dry dog food, too boring, so Mom is giving me oatmeal, baby food, cooked chicken and liverwurst. She seems to have snuck in some small round things that came out of little bottles into my food. I figured I wouldn't spit them out just to please her. She looked relieved that I didn't seem to notice them.
Last night Elsa and I decided to swap places. She slept in my crate and I slept in the bedroom along with Buffy and Pumpkin. Elsa sure likes that crate but I personally have no interest in it.
Turns out I am not perfect after all. I peed twice in the house, and without any warning. I was a yard dog my whole life so I don't really know any better. Now Mom is taking me outside every two hours and I've been a very good dog each time, doing my duty quickly. I'm a fast learner so I expect to master this in a day or two. Mom sure hopes so. Kelly told Mom that most of their rescue dogs need housetraining but Mom isn't experienced in doing this. Even though she adopted 5 rescue dogs (not all at once!) including Elsa, Buffy and Pumpkin, all of them were adults and they were all house-trained. But, no matter. A simple thing for an intelligent pooch like me to learn.
I'm doing just what the doctor ordered -- staying very calm and not running around or being too active. Mostly I just nap on my bed next to Mom's workstation. Sometimes I let out a little snore. I'm very happy.
Kelly suggested that my new name be
Sambo. It is an adorable name and it fits me well, being that I all black although I'm not exactly little. However there has been such controversy over the
book and the
restaurant that this may not be a good idea. They are going to think about it. The book sure has some
cute pictures.
The Homecoming
I'm home!
I'm in Mom's office helping her type this update. I feel pretty darn good but I'm supposed to take it very easy for 2 weeks. No walks, no running, as little activity as possible. I'm taking 2 kinds of antibiotics and Mom has to pat my sides 3 times a day to help me break up the congestion. Kelly helped Mom bring me home and she brought me a really big wire crate. It looks pretty comfy but I may prefer to hang out with Mom most of the time. Kelly thinks I look terrific and she is a German Shepherd expert so I feel very complimented. Well, I'm awfully sleepy...traveling home in the car was quite the experience. I haven't been in moving vehicles much before. I couldn't really figure out what was going on and why I didn't feel stable. More tomorrow.
The Intensive Care Unit - Day 3
I'm still here at the hospital. Mom and Peggy came to visit me in the afternoon. I looked pretty good -- I was standing up and when Mom came into my "cell" I tried to get out. I'm ready to go emotionally but physically I'm still recovering. The x-ray shows a lot of congestion still and the doctor doesn't want to send me home too early. I'm taking my antibiotics via an IV but I am off of the oxygen. Makes breathing a little harder but I'm hanging in there. Mom says I've lost weight which isn't a bad thing since I am a bit overweight, but it does mean I'm not eating as well as I was before. But hey, no question that I am greatly improved and well on my way to recovery. Mom took some pictures today so if some of them turn out well you will soon see what a handsome boy I am despite being a bit under the weather.
(click on the photo for a larger version)
Mom and Kelly think that I will come home either tomorrow, Thursday, or Friday at the latest. We shall see.
My new friend Betty who lives nearby and belongs to the Rescue group too called to see how I was doing. It's nice to have so many people thinking of me! I wonder if Elsa, Buffy and Pumpkin are missing me at all. They know that Mom comes to visit me because they sniff her like crazy when she comes home.
