[Dailydrool] Back from a few years in neverland

[Dayna]

It has been several years since I read or posted on the drool due to
work/financial issues/time/etc. Pierre is getting old and crotchety. It's
difficult to realize that he won't be with me much longer. Even when I think
about it, I get misty-eyed. I will truly miss him like I've never missed
anything before when he's gone. 

 

I served in the military from 1984 through 1992. During that time, I hurt my
back a couple of times performing my duties, but, being young and
indestructible, didn't think much of it. About 12 years ago, I started
feeling a twinge in my lower back. It got worse through the years until I
had some clamps and pins installed (laminectomy). It seemed to correct the
problem and for the first time in years, NO PAIN!!! Then it got a whole lot
worse and I couldn't work. I couldn't stand, couldn't sit, etc. We lost the
house and one of the cars. Worst of all, we lost our self-respect.
Thankfully we could move in with my mother-in-law. I finally got my VA
disability and disability from Social Security and we purchased a house.
We're still trying to pick up the pieces, but everything is working out
finally. My poor husband has to do a lot for me now, but does help. I live
in fear now of becoming addicted to RX drugs from the pain, but will cross
that bridge when I come to it. One of the side effects of the RX, however,
is severe double vision, so if I need to drive, I can't take it for about 2
weeks before. That means dealing with some severe pain for an extended
period of time. 

 

I had left fostering when I decided to keep my foster, LaBelle (failed
fostering 101 there!). My mother-in-law became disabled about 2 months after
taking Bubba, another foster I had at the same time as LaBelle. Bubba should
have been shown. He is one of the most handsome basset hounds I have ever
seen. I always watch the shows on TV and went to a couple over the years.
Pierre's parents were both finished so had a good idea of what the breed
standard should be. As much as I love my Pretty Pierre, he would never have
gotten many points. I missed fostering terribly, but knew that we had too
many dogs for where we lived. 

 

When we moved into our new home, we had to leave our oldest fur-baby,
Nikki-not-a-basset, with Dianne because she is wheelchair-bound and has a
ramp. Nikki can no longer climb stairs. He also had cancer earlier this year
and late last year. There was an approximately 9 # mass growing on his
spleen and had to be removed along with the spleen which set us back a great
deal. The down payment required on our new home was $15,000.00 so we cut
into savings for Nikki, but was able to pull it off. We ended up making a
deal with the seller for $10,000.00 at closing with $5,000.00 to be paid
later when we received our income taxes back because we qualified for the
$6,500.00 second time home buyer credit (not sure what it was really called,
but fell into the first-time homebuyer credit for people who purchased a
home previously). Had to replace the furnace ($3584.00) and the water heater
(Power-Vent, $1420.00). We wanted a tank-less, but not enough water pressure
for it. 

 

Things are so much better for us, even though I'm homebound. I have Pierre,
my sweet, beautiful boy, LaBelle, a rescue I could not resist, Bubba, whom
my mother-in-law originally took, but became wheelchair bound shortly after
who was also a rescue, Elke, another not-a-basset, my mother's doxie/beagle
mix (she had a stroke so is now in a skilled nursing facility temporarily,
and Lily, a foster puppy (we estimate her age at less than a year). Lily is
a WILD CHILD! We're working on manners, training, listening, etc. She
doesn't have accidents in the house, but deliberately holds her stool until
she can go into the basement and leave a mess. I can't believe how much that
little 40# girl can produce!! I've resorted to bribery with her. Every time
she goes No. 2 outside, she gets a couple of training biscuits. I wouldn't
mind some advice on that, please.

 

Thank you for listening and look forward to the drool.

 

Dayna

mailto: Dayna.Whitehead at sbcglobal.net

 

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way
its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

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