Pillow Fort

[Operetta]

Goodness, MA! That is terrifying! I'm so glad that you WEREN'T caught up in that. *snugs*

[Angel_of_Music]

So tonight has become a sad night, but I knew it was going to happen at some point this week, just wish it had happened on a different day. Trace, our beloved Alaskan Malamute for nearly 12 years pictured above, has passed away tonight. He started to go downhill and we knew it wouldn't be long. For the past couple of months, old age was REALLY kicking his butt and not being kind to him. He wouldn't want to use his hind end most days, so we had to give him a helping hand. There were days he wouldn't want to eat at all or wouldn't eat a lot, but we'd get something into him by way of at least some fruit or other little treats. Then the passed few days, he just didn't want anything at all, Mom was trying to hold out hope, I was too, but we both knew it wasn't going to be long.
Then yesterday before I left for work, I had put Blake in his crate and had Trace on his bed in the living room, I did my usual. I gave them both a scritch, said I loved them, told them I'd be home and I left. When I got home, I walked in the door and went 'Hi guys!!!' as I normally do and while Blake made noise, there was no response from Trace, not even an ear flick. He was still breathing, but he didn't even acknowledge I was home. I put my stuff in my room, got changed and came out to let Blake out of his crate, then pet over Trace's head, still no reaction. Mom was at work, would get home around 7. When she got home, I tried to give Trace a whiting fillet and he just...he ad absolutely no clue that it was there, made no move to take it at all. I told mom and she tried seeing if he'd react to her voice...nothing. I fixed dinner and added in the heated beef bone broth she had gotten, brought it out and put it before him and there was no reaction, he didn't lift his head, no nose twitch...nothing. Mom took a syringe and got some of the broth from his bowl and tried to get it into him, but he wasn't swallowing. We both knew. We let him rest, get him moved into her room for the night, set him on his bed and we kinda hoped he would have passed in the night, but when I woke in the morning, he was still breathing. Good. I went to work and when I came home, he was still on his bed in mom's room, she didn't want to move him so she didn't disturb him, he was comfortable. I went back to my room, put my stuff down and went across to where her room is and said 'hey buddy' as I pet him. When I went back to check on him before I got the ice cream for mom and I, I didn't hear him breathing as he had been, so I put my hand on his chest....he had gone. He had made his choice and let go, crossed Rainbow Bridge. *wipes at eyes*

This dog gave mom the world, like our others, but he really shone for her. He was named for Trace Adkins, the one country singer and his registered name was Kloud Burst's I've Got My Game On after one of Trace's songs. He lived up to that name. When he was in the agility ring, he showed that he had his game on. He gave her the world. He took her to the AKC/Eukanuba agility invitational three times down in Florida. He took her to the Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility shows twice. He did tracking with her, granted they didn't get into any trials, but he WAS certified, which was a plus she got with him. She did agility with him, tracking, obedience, rally obedience, had done a little weight pulling with him. He was an awesome boy.

I admit that he and I were not good buddies for the first 8 years of his life, but after we lost his Uncle BeeGee in 2018, he turned a page and he wanted to be my buddy, he wanted to play with me, wanted to snuggle with me, he was goofy with me where as before he just tolerated me and would often be a grumbly jerk. He was happy being the only dog in the house, he enjoyed playing more and when I took him for walks he was perky. Then when we brought Blake into the picture December of 2018, he went back to being a grumbly jerk and we really had to watch him around Blake. He had his good days to where he wasn't a total jerk and tolerated Blake, but when he started to get hit by old age, he mellowed a little. Old Age just hit him like a Mack truck and wasn't kind to him. Wish it hadn't run him over so badly, but at least he passed the best way possible, in his sleep. That's all we could ask for. We took him for car rides with Blake, took him camping. He got ice cream and Rita's custard. He was loved and at least now he's at peace. It's hard on mom, I knew it would be, he was her dog, one of her special boys.

Rest well Trace, run those fields with BeeGee and your friends who have passed before. Enjoy those special treats and soft beds. Remember us as we remember you. September 1st, 2009-August 10th, 2021

[wolfrysk]

I'm sorry for your loss, AoM -hugs-

[melodysangel]

Oh, Aom--im sorry to hear that It hurts when a floofball leaves us to cross the rainbow bridge. Give your mom a big hug<3

Just a mini update on my end. Mom actually knew the teenager that was gunned down. He volunteered at the same organization her work does. That just solidifies things in my mind. This was not a bad kid. He must have been an innocent in the crossfires.

[Angel_of_Music]

Thanks wolf, thanks MA. It hurt my mom a lot more than me, but I'm still feeling the pain of the loss. I went to work today and it was a good distraction. I made it through the day and was able to go as I normally would. Had one woman come through with her 11 year old dog and it had me starting to choke up a little. After I handed out her meal, I closed the window and I was close to crying. I had to smack my fist against my leg to keep myself from losing it. I pulled myself together and went to stocking.

oh wow...sorry to hear about that. It's never easy hearing about such a thing.

[Hedge]

AoM

~ hugs alot ~ AoM and Mom. Sorry to hear about Trace. No words can help when you loose a companion such as him. Time will pass. You'll keep memories in your hearts. Give an extra hug to Mom for me.

[Angel_of_Music]

Thanks Hedge. Mom took him up to be cremated earlier this morning. I've got a couple pictures I'm going between as to which one I want to print out, frame and sit on the shelf, but I want to do that on a day when mom's not home. This way it'll be a surprise of sorts

[melodysangel]

My brother just called me.

Mom landed herself in the hospital again.

He said its probably the acid reflux that acts like a heart attack. Hopefully thats it.

Ill be in the corner rocking myself until I know shes ok kbie.

[PookaWitch]

I haven't peeked in here for awhile. So much heartache, I figured that I would mention my general sympathies.

Angel_of_Music My condolences. Trace sounds like he was wonderful.


melodysangel have you heard back about your mother yet? Is she okay?

[Angel_of_Music]

PookaWitch Thank you, he was a good boy. There are days it still feels a little strange coming home to only one dog, but I have something special planned. There's an artist in this one discord group I'm in and they're offering pet portraits. I'm going to get one done of Trace and surprise mom with it for Christmas. Mom has a nice headshot done of BeeGee, I figured she needs one of Trace as well. I just know she's going to cry when she unwraps it.

[melodysangel]

PookaWitch it thankfully was as we thought. GERD that mimics a heart attack.

Shes out of it, but ok. And cranky she can no longer have her bubly (club soda that has fruit flavouring)

I have the same thing only it acts a bit different. I told her she could have carbonated drinks IF she decarbonates them. Then I told her that bubly tastes nasty when gone flat. She wasnt amused.

[Angel_of_Music]

Uuuuggghhh!! Why us?! I know everyone has this problem at some point in time or another, but why does it have to hit mom and I now? So last week while mom was away at a dog show, the toilet started to leak a little. It was only small at first, but then it got a bit worse. Turns out the wax seal underneath the toilet...which could very well have been the original or been one that was replaced before we bought the house...finally gave out and had to be replaced. Now, instead of calling someone out to replace it or asking our neighbor's son if he could come over and help, she looked up online how to replace it. She went out and bought the new wax ring and guess what> She said that we could do it ourselves. This does not bode well. So yesterday after we got home from seeing a movie and running a couple errands, mom watched the video again and we went to take care of it. We emptied the toilet, got the bolts undone and we managed to carefully move the toilet. Oh yea, it was gross under there. Mom got the old one scraped off, careful not to let anything go down the hole, we got the new one put on, moved the toilet back and got it all situated. Everything hooked up and screwed back down, mom sat on it and put her weight on it, I helped with that. Mom filled it, flushed it, it wasn't going down. We figured it was just air in the pipes. So we took to just emptying what we had to, then flushing again, emptying and flushing. At one point I smelled sewage. Oh great, it was coming up from the one area that we have a washer/dryer hook up! So we stopped, cleaned everything up, mom wanted to cry and scream...so did I. Mom called our neighbor to ask if we could use her bathroom and she said it was fine. So mom went first, talked to Shirley afterwards and Ed, our neighbor's son, came over while I was over using Shirley's bathroom. I talked with Shirley for a little before I went back over. Ed looked at the toilet and everything and he said that the sewer line could be backed up. Unfortunately, when the people we called back in 2016 to replace our sewer line put the cap on the external clean out thing, they put it on wrong, so Ed couldn't open it to look. Well, there goes more money because no mom had to call the company and make an appointment. Mom has had enough of this crap and so have I. Every time she tries to get ahead, something comes along to knock her down and she has to use money that she has saved to take care of whatever it is. So with this, money that she has saved to get her car repaired, has turned into money to replace her car, but now with this having happened, she has to use that money to get this cleared up. I've already offered to help her with some of the money as well if she needs to borrow from me, so when I get done work, I have to check for a text or call her to see how much she has to borrow. So last night before I went to bed, I stuck in the card that my tax refund was loaded to into my wallet and I'm dipping into that. I'm just hoping they don't go charging her too much. She really doesn't need this right now and it's not fair to her. I wish she could just get a break and have a string of good luck, no more bad luck. She's supposed to also go look at a minivan today to replace her current car that they can't find replacement parts for. *sighs* I really wish she could have a string of good luck u.u

And an update on this: Holy crap! My mom just hit a break!! The clearing of the pipes didn't cost her an arm, a leg and her eternal soul, so she didn't need to borrow that much from me!! Not only that, but she had gone up to test drive a Honda Odyssey van that a man was looking to get rid of. Well things weren't quite what they seemed with it, but mom still test drove it. While she was gone, the guy...who happens to also be a notary...had looked at her car and contacted a buddy of his about parts. This guy had two Envoy's on his lot and they had everything they needed to repair my mom's car!!! The hood, the one side fender, the frony bumper and the headlight fixture and a water pump....they had it all!! Mom's only going to be without a car for 3 days while they do what they need to! Even better, it's only going to cost her $2900 dollars!!! The dealership was quoting her 7 to 8 THOUSAND!! OH MY GODS!!! Mom told me this and she told me that she pulled out of the place and she started crying, she felt like she had hit the lottery!! FINALLY!! Something good came to her!! Yes it was something small, but it was something good!!!

[PookaWitch]

I probably have skin cancer again. It took months to get to see the doctor (a couple months of their appointments backed up) and the first doctor thought the huge growth on my ear was a cyst and cut it. Then two weeks later on a follow up it had gotten worse but I had another appointment with my dermatologist the next day. And she said it was most likely cancer. So another cut, a biopsy, and I'll hear about it soon. Apparently if it is (she thinks so) they're going to need to do some serious cutting and scraping of my ear with a skin graft. It's supposed to be pretty painful and takes over half a year, with frequent attention, to heal. >.< I'm guessing that I'll loose my earrings at this time as well.
Depending on what the biopsy says she told me that I may even need radiation therapy. *sighs* I read up on that and if that's the case I will need to go for it daily for weeks to months. It's hopefully just basal cancer and hasn't spread much (the growth is apparently pretty big), but there is a chance it could be worse.

This is all on top of other appointments (seriously we've had four... FOUR separate doctors appointments just this week) and I was originally going in to see her about something else with my hidradenitis suppurativa which I need yet another minor, in office surgery to have cut out... which is happening in a few weeks.

On top of all of this Mr. Pooka is going for an MRI in a couple of weeks (I don't know if he wants me to say why, but he's been waiting for this appointment for over a year at least). But it's appointment after appointment, some that we need to drive hours into the city for, and then in between I feel so down, and so scared, that it's difficult to work on RP plots or templates... but I'm trying.

So, wish us the best. I was aiming to try and start the Heb on May 1rst (in a few days), but am not writing that in stone due to all of this and keep feeling as if I can't catch up in time. This year's Heb is going to be interrupted a lot and that sucks. >.<

[tierasa]

I'm so sorry to hear that Pooka. That sounds really scary. I hope you both get good news, and we'll be sending positive vibes your way. Don't be afraid to rely on us to help you both in whatever ways we can. We may not be able to template, but we can definitely help with organization and running games. We could play in thread Yahtzee during down times if it comes to it. (I've really been wanting to try that XD) *snugs*

[wolfrysk]

Warm love and wishes to both you and Mr. Pooka. <3 I hope everything works out the best possible way and that recoveries are quick, but please take your time and don't feel pressured about the Heb. We'll all be here to support you!