No matter what it throws at you.
Even though things didn’t go exactly as planned for our staycation, for me just being home with my hubby, the dogs, and Samantha makes for a happy time; even though it started off a little roughly.
I had projects planned for around the house, mostly painting and decorating before our housewarming/BBQ at the end of the week. We wanted to have family and friends over not to just show off the progress on our new house, but as a thank you to many people who helped us through what had turned out to be a very stressful move.
There were some projects I could do on my own, but others that I needed my hubby’s help with. As it turned out, our contractors became available that week and wanted to start on pouring a cement floor in our garage, and do the same for the pole barn we were planning to have them build. It worked out well for them to do it at a time when my hubby was available to help them with his tractor moving sand and stones, and cutting some trees that were in the way as well.
So there went many of my plans right there, my hubby helped me some but he was mostly busy with that and I also spent our first day helping him to get everything out of the garage. It was all good though, I readjusted my other plans and hubby helped me when he could too.
What really got us off to a bad start was Sheba putting us back on that roller coaster ride I wrote about recently. On Saturday she started coughing, something she hadn’t done yet and that we knew was caused by the cancer in her lungs. We had hoped she wouldn’t progress to that for a while.
On Sunday morning, just before I was headed out the door to pick up some groceries, she coughed up some blood. It was a very small amount, and she had been playing, plus seemed to be feeling completely fine otherwise. I wanted to stay home and watch her but the Dadz sent me off anyway, with the vet’s emergency number nearby just in case.
Of course, I rushed through my shopping with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, but came home to my hubby being right that it might not be anything to worry about too much. She was fine and 100% normal when I got home. She had even stopped coughing. I did a little internet research (reputable websites only!) to find out that coughing up some blood would be a normal symptom of cancer in her lungs.
I felt relieved until late Monday morning when she seemed a little quiet when we were outside playing. She laid down much sooner than she normally would. It was a pretty hot and humid day so I wasn’t overly concerned at first. By afternoon, however, she didn’t even want to move and I had to help her get up. She walked very slowly with her head hanging. She refused all treats and supper and laid in the same spots for hours. By then I was extremely worried. I got her outside to pee and poop before bedtime (all seemed normal except her stools were very soft); and then took her down to bed.
Needless to say, I got very little sleep, as I laid there watching her and planning what time I would call the vet’s office in the morning. It was probably around 4 am that she picked her head up. She was panting but that was not worrisome to me because she often pants at night when it’s warm. I was actually glad to see her head lifted and not hanging. Not long after that the Dadz got up with them. She was moving better but still refused breakfast.
I tried to get a little more sleep and maybe dozed a bit. When I got up she was still looking perkier so I got out some of her favorite treats, and she took one! Next thing I did was to put her pills she had missed the previous night (her antibiotic for her UTI and her arthritis pain pill) and put them in pill pockets, and she took both!
When we went outside a while later she acted completely like her normal self. We had wondered if she’d hurt herself playing so I went easy just gently rolling the ball to her, but she was fine. She even got into a spat with Cricket over the ball! I gave her treats throughout the day and she ate supper with gusto.
Another crisis averted, thank goodness. We honestly don’t know what was going on with her. We’ve upped her arthritis meds to the maximum dose for now and she seems far more mobile. She sometimes had trouble getting up off the wood floors but now she gets up much more quickly! I don’t think she hurt herself though, and since she did have soft stools I wonder if she had an upset stomach. Perhaps she swallowed some blood when she was coughing, and that upset her tummy? She has not been coughing since then, and even only occasionally makes the huffing sound that she was before.
I didn’t plan to go on and on about this, but it’s nice to have my readers and friends along for our roller coaster ride; it makes it a bit more bearable. I think of how much worse it would have been if we’d been planning on going away! Sheba is totally back to her old self (knock wood), even playing with Luke some yesterday! We had a very busy week with lots going on around the house and none of the added stress of any of it has set her back. Even though it was a bit hectic, the rest of the week was great!
We’ll fill you in a bit more on all of that commotion and how the dogs reacted to it tomorrow. Our party went very well, and I even have good news to report on Luke’s progress with strangers; I’ll tell you about that for next week’s Positive Pet Training hop!
Poor Sheba and what a scare for you. I am still catching up so I hope she is still doing okay. Love Dolly
She is still doing very well – knock wood – thank you, Dolly!
Maybe she had a little bug? We had to take Freighter to the vet last week for soft stool and the runs. The vet said Freighter was the 8th case of the day! We think it was either a bug or the pond water he drank the weekend before. He likes to lap it on the way to a retrieve on a hot day. I hope Sheba continues to do well.
It recently occurred to me that Cricket had an upset stomach not long before that too, so it just may have been a bug. Cricket only missed one meal and wasn’t really down and out, but she’s not dealing with all the other stuff Sheba is either, so maybe that’s why Sheba took it harder.
Anyway, the important thing is she’s still been fine since.
I hope Freighter wasn’t feeling poorly for too long either. So far Sheba is pretty good at not drinking the water when she swims, but we’re usually only there for a short time too, not out for longer training or testing times like you and your dogs are.
I can’t even get Sheba to drink water at the car, so I’m glad we don’t have to travel far either!
So, so glad that Sheba is back to her normal self! I’d have lost sleep that night, too. I lost many nights’ worth of sleep with Callie last summer. With this heat and humidity that’s gripped the entire east coast, it’s easy to understand how our pups feel out of sorts. Shadow and Ducky have had those days too.
Come to think of it, Cricket had an upset stomach recently too. She bounced back pretty quickly (only missed one meal) so I didn’t think too much of it. Of course, I worry more with Sheba whereas with Cricket I just assumed it would pass (but would have worried and taken her to the vet if it had continued!). They all take things differently too. Cricket wasn’t really down and out, she just wouldn’t eat and was munching on grass for a while.
UGH, how awful for you. You and I are very similar in coping with our dogs and illness/injury. When I suspect something is wrong, it tends to keep me awake at night.
I’ve recently learned about tapping, which I think might be helpful to me when something is weighing heavy on my mind. I also listen to some ‘guided’ meditations from this website http://thehonestguys.co.uk they do help calm me down and most times I can fall asleep, although I still have trouble staying asleep. But it does help calm my mind down.
I’m hoping it was just the heat, or upset tummy that had Sheba out of sorts and was glad to read she seemed to rebound the next day. I know how hard that was for you.
So far, so good with Sheba!
I might have to look into that tapping. I’ve tried meditations and things like that in the past but it just never works for me.
So happy Sheba is better…….it’s always scary when you see a BIG CHANGE in them……Sounds like the Staycation has had ups and downs – this is the way they usually go and in spite of our plans, things almost always turn into a “free for all” ! Point is you’re together and that makes it ALL GOOD!
Hugs, Pam and Sam
The best laid plans and all, right? There is so much truth in that quote!
How scary I’m glad Sheba is back to her old self.
Oh Jan: I’m so sorry you had this set back with Sheba but I’m glad to hear a few days later she’s doing better and back to herself for the most part. The picture of her resting in the chair is really sweet. I bet she enjoys hanging with Luke and it’s nice that dynamic keeps her moving on days when she may not feel like it. It’s so hard — and it’s easy to say live in the moment but day to day things can change so quickly. All I know is senior dogs are the sweetest and our love for them is crazy strong so reach out if you need anything!
Thank you SO much, Christine, I really appreciate that. I’ve always thought puppies were fun and adorable, but senior dogs are just so special in so many ways.
Getting Luke was one of the best things we ever did for the girls. He really gets them moving and remembering how to have fun!
Roller coasters at amusement parks are fun…this type of roller coaster is not. But under the circumstances, it’s probably not avoidable. We hope that Sheba continues to have more good days and feels well. We send lots of purrs.
You are right, it’s not avoidable, and I wish I could be a bit more accepting of it, you know what I mean? But every time she has a bad spell, I just think “please, not yet, can’t we have just a little bit longer – at least the summer?”. But of course, if we get that I know I’ll just be asking for more. :/
We also know about roller coasters and much prefer merry-go-rounds. All our best wishes go out to you.
Thank you, jan! We agree, the merry-go-round is far more fun. We prefer to always have both feet (or four paws) on the ground.
We have been on that coaster and don’t like it. Hope everything works out. Try enjoying your stay cation. Bet mom could fit in the pool too
Lily & Edward
I could fit in the pool! I just need to get in it first, before the dogs drag all the dirt in there! 🙂
I’m on this roller coaster ride right along with you. Sheba has stolen my heart, and I tear up every time I read that she isn’t feeling well or a new symptom shows up. Your diagnosis seems right about her upset tummy, and I’m so glad that’s all it seems to have been. I know exactly how you feel watching every change in her attitude, noticing every difference in eating, playing, etc. That’s exactly how we’ve been with Daisy during every serious episode she’s had, and I’m a major worrier just like you, sitting up nights watching every move, counting the hours until I can call the vet about any change. It sounds like Sheba’s enjoying her summer and you’re right, a staycation is always a wonderful time! DD is home on one this week, and we’re having a blast. 🙂
Thank you so much for being here with us! It means a lot to me to have the love and support of friends like you, that really get it.
I’m glad someone else is getting to enjoy a staycation too – I think they’re the best! And I’m glad someone coined that term, it really does work, doesn’t it (instead of saying “I was on vacation from work and stayed home)? 🙂
It sounds like a super busy staycation. I am glad that Sheba is holding her own. Hopefully, there will continue to be more good days than bad.
Right now the good days are still outnumbering the bad, so we’ll take it! 🙂
The roller coaster ride is not fun. We found those days where it seemed the end was upon us were followed by days or weeks of good times, but with time, the good times were always shorter and the bad times longer. Sheba is happy and doing well. Enjoy. She doesn’t want you to be sad. We so need a staycation, but since Mom is self employed, it won’t happen. Hope you managed to get a little rest at least.
Yes, we are going to enjoy each day and be happy that she is feeling well now. It’s hard not to worry or think about the future, but I do my best not to dwell on it. As much as the roller coaster ride is rough, I’m sure you’d rather still be on it and have your Katie with you. 🙁
It is so great to be self employed I think, except for that one thing – not being able to take a stay- or vacation! Hopefully you can figure something out and manage it someday.
Honestly, I was really exhausted by Sunday afternoon, and that was about the only time I actually relaxed! But I think it was having company at the end that really did me in – I always find that very exhausting, and it’s such a relief when we have our peaceful house back to ourselves. 🙂