Suji was unusually cranky following her last physio appointment. Unlike many of the other canine attendees who purportedly love the water, Suji is NOT an enthusiastic underwater walker or swimmer, preferring to let the techs simply pull around as she bobs above the surface. Anyway, after picking her up – and promptly getting caught in a rainstorm on the way back home – she was unusually vocal. Then, she began to experience trouble breathing. Fortunately, we had Lulu’s old inhaler and a couple of puffs later, she was resting comfortably.
Fortunately, Suji was due for her annual check-up. We dropped her off in the morning – along with the requisite poop sample – and received a call from the vet an hour later informing us that her heart and breathing were strong, but there was definite degeneration in her overall muscle mass. Her front legs, once her strong point are now her weak point whereas her once gimpy back legs have proven surprisingly resilient. At this point, it really doesn’t make sense to have her undergo an MRI or surgery, so the best we can do is keep her comfortable, work those muscles, and hope we see some improvement.
Pictured above (massage time).
In the end, the only unusual thing about Suji’s visit to the vet was arriving home and discovering the poop sample we had dropped off with her sitting in her stroller. I can only assume they forgot rather than helping themself to a modest bit and then returning the rest to our care.
I’ve noticed I’ve developed an anxiety about checking the mail. I’ll avoid doing so, sometimes for weeks at a time, for fear of finding one of those telltale light brown envelopes, the mark of the Canadian Revenue Service with some nasty surprise and annoying trifle that will take me days to address. Sure enough, yesterday, I opened the mail to discover one such envelope – and a notice informing me that they were reviewing my 2019 travel expenses. 2019!!! So now, I have to dig up all my three year old receipts and send them “a detailed list of the transaction”, “an explanation of the reason for the travel”, “copies of invoices or receipts for the ten largest transactions”, and “”a copy of travel logs”. Hooboy. I spent most of last night and this morning going through my 2019 VISA statements and identifying all travel-related expenses. The big ones are all L.A. and San Diego business-related – pitches, meetings with executives, hotel stays, ubers everywhere – so I’m having to dig up email correspondence proving who I was meeting and when. There were a handful of fuel expenses related to driving to Etobicoke and Hamilton for the Utopia Falls production. And, finally, a smattering of uber trips to meeting with locals execs, producers, writers, and directors. It honestly feels very nickel-dimey but, from what I hear, there are a lot of people undergoing the same scrutiny. Evidently, our government is desperate for cash after crippling the economy and driving up inflation. Someone has to pay for their combined largesse and stupidity, and it sure as hell aint them!
Guess that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend. You?
Hey Joe! My fiance is at her bachelorette party and I’m riding out Hurricane Ian, armed with burritos and 16 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy to binge. Thanks for the update!
Stay safe, Kaleb!
Glad it is nothing too serious with Suji… at least nothing you and Akemi cannot handle or have already been dealing with. With people, you eat more protein to help build muscle. I wonder if that is true with dogs. She is definitely in the best hands to receive the very best care.
yeah, I hear you on the tax issues. I need to get my parent’s 2019 tax return released, file their 2020, and probably file a final 2021 return. And I saw just the other day I was suppose to file a certain form when I got my father’s estate new taxpayers identification number. That was in June!
So, this weekend I’m propping my feet up and relaxing. Come Monday it will be time to call the IRS and speak with one of their dumb let-me-ask-my-supervisor employees. Sorry. I shouldn’t say that. I think they have some that know their job, it’s just hard to luck out and get one of them on the phone.
Good luck with your tax issues! Have Akemi make something chocolaty. That will help.
She DID make something chocolatey!
How are you feeling?
I am feeling fine, thanks for asking. I can breathe. That’s always a good sign.
Sweet Suji. You are so loved.
❤️🐕❤️
She is!
Well, that sounds like a mixed bag. Good luck with Suji! It sounds like you both are keeping her comfortable. I sure wish the fountain of youth had been discovered.
Hooboy is right! Do you have an accountant? What about a tax lawyer? It might be worth it to have someone on your side during the audit.
We’ve only had one dealing with the IRS. It was over a small investment account we inherited from my MIL. Instead of dealing with them, we just paid up. It was 1/3 of the account total (highway robbery)! We figured with the time spent haggling, they would get their pound of flesh anyway. Even if we didn’t nothing wrong, it wasn’t worth the hassle/stress. May you be blessed with more Chutzpah than we have! 🍀🙏
Our plans? Hubby has a big computer project going live, so he’s on it now and will be for the next 24 hours. I deliver him food and leave him alone. As for me, I’m passing a kidney stone, so I’ll be drinking copious amounts of water. At least, I get to catch up on my reading. Eh, pros and cons.
I pray our Floridian blog members are all safe!
I have an accountant who will run point on this, but it’s up to me to dig up all those receipts.
Tam – Sorry to hear of your kidney stones. That can be very painful. I will drink extra water in your honor. Take care.
Good thoughts for Suji. Our eldest cat is a 19 year old tortoiseshell shorthair named Misty. Her same-aged sister Smokey (a black longhair) passed away while we were moving house three years ago, and Misty seemed to be on the decline too, but after putting her on a new medication she’s hung on all this time, even in spite of a scare a year or two ago where her legs stopped working temporarily. So I know how senior animals can go on in defiance of all expectations.
Wow. 19! Amazing.
Yeah! My family adopted Smokey and Misty all the way back when I was starting in high school. We called them “the kittens” the whole time until Smokey passed away since that’s how they were when we got them and we had a senior cat, Lilah, when we got them.
Just yesterday my Dad was saying to my stepsister how it’s the inverse of his own age (91).