Well, tomorrow’s the big day for my frenchie, Lulu. In the morning, she goes in for the surgery that will, hopefully, arrest and maybe even reverse the effects of the spinal issue that has been affecting her hind quarters. I’ve noticed that she’s having an increasingly trickier time walking. She’l drag her back legs, stumble, and, occasionally, even fall over. My poor gal. Hopefully, she makes a speedy recovery – speedy enough that I can pick her up before I head out of town Thursday afternoon.
Akemi is really attached to Bubba. I mean REALLY attached. She wasn’t a dog person before coming to Canada but all that changed when she met my dogs, and Bubba in particular. The two are inseparable. She dotes over him – fixing him home made meals, dressing him up, cuddling with him for hours. And he can’t stand to be without her, wandering desperately about when she’s not around, crying like a baby when she leaves. On the one hand, it’s really sweet. On the other hand, I kind of worry. I mean, Bubba is in great health and hopefully his best years are still ahead of him, but he is 14 and, well, he aint gettin’ any younger. I keep suggesting we could, maybe, adopt another pug to add to the pack, but Akemi insists that, for now, she’s perfectly content with our twosome. Hmmmmm.
I love your puppers and hope they’ll be with us a long time yet.
I keep thinking I want another cat or two, but my two still fuss with each other, more cats would upset the balance. Sigh. Punkin is 17 or 18, and showing few signs of age. She goes to the vet tomorrow for a sinus infection (I think).
Good luck Princess Lulu. I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow and praying all goes well.
Keeping positive thoughts for Lulu’s surgery tomorrow: good results and a speedy recovery. And for Bubba’s continued good health.
Thanks for the dog pics; love the costumes!
Much good luck to Lulu tomorrow. I worry about her and Bubba and hope their health issues are soon resolved. They both need to be really old, healthy dogs someday. That’s what I tell my cats. We’ll, except for the part about dogs, of course. That wouldn’t go over well with them. 😃
Gentle scritches for your fur kids.
Will be thinking about Lulu tomorrow and that the surgery is a success!
Whereas most dogs barely tolerate “dressing up”, yours seem to thrive especially Bubba. Love the hats! Good luck Lulu! Puppy prayers and positive thoughts coming your way!
Fingers and paws crossed Lulu’s surgery goes well! -Ellie
Sending sweetest hugs n kisses for daddy’s brave girl today. XO
Love the pictures!
Good luck and {{{Hugs}}} to you, Akemi and TheOtherOne! 🍀🍀🙏. Hope all your fur babies do great.
My best wishes to Lulu and to you guys as well that everything goes well! I’m hoping for and expecting the best.
About Akemi and Bubba, their relationship is special and wonderful and for better or worse, part of having love is the possibility of pain and sadness. And I think we would choose to love every time despite the risk. It may be terrible when that day comes, but I’ve come to the conclusion that life is so fleeting it’s best to live for this day (as hard as that is for me sometimes.) You never know what may come tomorrow.
Please keep us posted as soon as you know how Lulu makes out!
Big gentle hugs for Lulu.
You both have really big hearts. We do understand the concern though because we all know no one lives forever. It warms my heart to read about Lulu and Bubba and their adventures and I’m so glad they have you as parents.
I meant to write this last night, but I crashed. I had been up at 4:15 a.m. to leave by 5 to be at the hospital by 5:30. He was supposed to be first case and despite my telling them he needed to be sedated before they tried to get an IV in him, they told me the anesthesiologist wasn’t going to be in until about 6:45 (he was supposed to be taken back at 7:00). I told Jeff I bet they would take the second case back early if they had arrived already and he would be then become second case. That’s how it works. The anesthesiologist told them to give him 20 mg of Versed liquid and within 10 minutes Patrick was sleeping and they got the IV in without any issue in the holding room. They took him back and within 10 minutes the doctor was out showing us pictures and telling us what he found. Mild gastritis throughout his stomach and a small 2-cm hiatal hernia but neither of which would be causing a 25-pound weight loss. His low point was 131 and he had gotten up to 137 but he’s down now 135. Jeff left to go to the bathroom after the doctor left and they were already coming over to get me to go back to the recovery area to help start waking this boy up. We were home by 10:00 and then I had to leave to go work. I got a small break and was able to go lay down on a heating pad and get off my foot (my scooter didn’t fit in my car with Jeff and Patrick in the back seat so I had to walk everywhere and my foot objected to that as did my back because I was walking funny). But then out again. By 10:30 I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. He’s increasing Patrick’s Prevacid to twice a day and then we’ll see if that helps him eat better. If it doesn’t, then I guess I’ll be back to this doctor to get his thoughts or see if maybe we are looking in the wrong place (maybe we need endocrinologist although his thyroid tests were normal, but there are other things that could be wrong in that area). It’s always a guessing game. I don’t know if he HAS any other symptoms because he can’t talk so I have to try to interpret his nonverbal behavior.
So now that my baby is all squared away and is now in the school van to go to school, it was a good time to sit down before I went about my day. How is Bubba recovering?
I want to send you all peace and support while Lulu is undergoing surgery today. I will say a prayer for guidance of the surgeon’s hands and to heal Lulu and restore her health as completely as possible as quickly as possible. I will pray for peace in your hearts while you are waiting to hear the news. I know I’ll be checking in as I can today to see if you have news (whether you post here or on FB). It’s going to be okay. I know how nerve-racking it can be (I think we can all relate in some way to that). Sending our love and support to you and Akemi today.
Thinking of Lulu today.
The hats are fantastic!
Well, my little ‘Pudlet’ is back home, safe and almost sound (!) after his op today. In fact, he’s a little more active than I was expecting and tucking into a small supper of grilled chicken this very moment!
Thanks @Drea for your kind words 😊
Satisfied that all’s well here, my thoughts and warmest well wishes go immediately out to little Lulu on her big day. She’s in the best of hands (from what you’ve told us before) plus, with all the wonderful wishes here, I’m sure we’ll be hearing positive news soon.
Until then, take care of yourselves. Give Bubba a big hug too 🐾
@TheOtherOne That’s great news about your little Pudlet! That’s always a great sign when they want to eat again so soon. I wish people bounced back quicker than animals.
And thank you for your kind words. I don’t know if I would cope so well if I had to do this journey by myself. When I’m exhausted Jeff steps up and when I see he needs a break, I try to figure out a way to juggle work and Patrick (like his birthday trip to Atlanta to see a Mets/Braves game with his high school buddies). Apparently they have already decided they are all coming here for Labor Day weekend next year. Guess I’m going to need to get 3 blow-up beds for the livingroom. My couch only sleeps 1. His friends Rob, Chuck and Paul (all living in separate states up in the NE) would come down. I told Jeff he better explain the “Patrick factor” and that he may wake them up very early in the morning. LOL. He said to me, “They know about Patrick.” I said, “KNOWING about Patrick is not LIVING with Patrick for a few days.” LOL.
@PBMom
I don’t know how you cope so well! Honestly, you’re truly amazing!!
Hugs and kisses and much luck for LuLu tomorrow. <3
Bubba and Lulu are ready for the Ren-Fair where tasty turkey legs await. Hugs to Lulu and lots of good wishes so that she and Bubba can continue their epic battle for doggie bed supremacy.
your dogs rule good luck tommorrow
I pop in to see what’s been up and see Lulu with a back full of stitches so I madly start going backwards through your blog days to find out WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!!! I know how much it aches to not be able to do anything other than give hugs … and fork over money. All of your dogs are so lucky to have found their home with you. May she have a speedy recovery. Fortunately she’s a size that can be picked up… I’m clutching my back today after being run off the road yesterday with Ralph and Jack in the back and having to rescue Ralph from the place he was lodged in the seat wells.
Take care Joe.