His name is Bray.

Fridays are typically long days for the girls & I. The day before the weekend starts, the boys are at school & sometimes daddy leaves work early, but we never know quite when he'll head home. So we hang out, trying to find things to do to kill the time. A week ago last Friday, we headed to a Ft. Worth Humane Society.

We walked around aw'ing over the dogs, while covering our ears due to unbelievable loud barking, caused by the vast amount of dogs at the shelter. Employees & volunteers who work at animal shelters don't get enough praise. Even though that is something I would love to do, my heart just can't take it. Visiting animal shelters breaks ones heart in half.

As we were leaving, a volunteer walked in carrying a small dog. I looked at the dog & asked the guy if the dog was going to be placed on the floor. He said yes. We gave him some time & then went back to peek at the dog.

His tag claimed "Yorkie Mix", but to me, he looked like a purebred Silky Terrier (part of the Yorkie family). I said a few words to him - he was so scared. Trembling. I opened his cage & picked him up. I kid you not when I tell you - he wrapped his front legs around my arm as tight as he could, as if to say please lady, don't leave me here. He was so frightened, it just broke my heart. I pet him & put him back in his cage. I snapped a photo & emailed it to hubby. Before we left, I went back & got him & took him outside on a leash. He walked perfectly on the leash, & the girls didn't bother him one bit. Sadly, I put him back in his cage. We left.

I got the girls all buckled in, when my phone rang. "He's cute" hubby said. Yes, he is. But we've had horrible luck with dogs. To be quite frank, the thought of even attempting to get another dog scared all of us. It just wasn't a road I was ready to travel.

The girls were watching a movie, so in the parking lot I googled Silky Terriers. Read some information on them. Non-shedding caught my attention. Hmm. We now know, we need a hypoallergenic dog. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Even though long flowing hair, Silky Terriers do not shed. Photos also confirmed that he was indeed a purebred.

I sat in the parking lot & contemplated. For like, 30 minutes. Talked with hubby. Contemplated some more. Jaguar kept saying she wanted the dog. I just wasn't sure. Finally, I agreed. We all unbuckled, again, only for me to change my mind & buckle the girls back up. We drove off before I could change my mind again.

It was over a 30 minute drive in heavy, Friday traffic. I thought about him the entire way. Finally, I picked up my phone & phoned the Humane Society. "Can I pay for him over the phone, please?" "I'm sorry, but we can't do that." Crap! I still had to feed the girls lunch & retrieve the boys from school before I could head all the way back. I asked the girls at the shelter to secretly hold him for me, as it would be a few hours before I could return. They told me Fridays are usually slow days & they were sure he would still be there. And if he wasn't? Then it wasn't meant to be.

I ran home & grabbed a sippy cup. Ran thru McDonald's. Waited very impatiently in the pick up line to retrieve the boys. Phoned the shelter to make sure he was still there. He was. Hubby told me a back way to avoid the interstate(s). Off we went.

And now we have Bray. Ü

Bray is sick. I knew something was wrong because I just knew he had a fever. The night before his vet appointment, his fever was so high he was shaking. We made it thru the night & the next morning the vet confirmed that he has Kennel Cough, & it had turned into pneumonia. He has been on antibiotics for 6 days now. I want to say he is improving, but the dog is so laid back, I can't really tell. Ü He is coughing that horrific cough less frequently, & there is no fever, so I know something's happening.

The vet thinks he is about 4 or 5. Already neutered. Already housebroken. He has the longest nails I have ever seen on a dog, & they, as well as his paw pads, are immaculate. He has beautiful teeth. He has been someone's pet, well taken care of - which partly explains why the shelter traumatized him so. He is the most perfect dog & an awesome bed sleeper! Ü

He also has a trick. When we first saw him do it, we all kind of looked at each other & said "oh wow, look what he can do!" LOL Never had a dog than can do a trick before. I'll try to get a photo when he feels better. Right now, I just want the cutie-patootie to get well.

(And yes, I got him the evening hubby fell ill! It was not easy, on top of hubby's sudden condition, but we made it. :)

Here is my reminder.

Where do you keep yours? Ü

Oh happy day!

Lookie lookie! Having a husband who temporarily can't lift anything sure isn't going to stop me! I finally got the sand box & not only that, I lifted & carried (many times) 4 - 50 lb. bags of sand all by myself! Woot! Happy kids. It's just a shame that it's already 175 degrees here (by 9:15 a.m.) & they almost passed out due to heat exhaustion after 15 minutes. Baha! They hit the pool quick. Welcome to North Texas. Ü

My happy place. Our backyard is actually very large, but I relocated the trampoline & toys to this one shaded area. We got rid of our jungle gym years ago (because um, you know, it got like really dirty = really dirty children ;o), but we do have a tire swing to the left of the trampoline. I like looking out to this area & watch my little ones jumping & playing. Just happy. :)

After needing a haircut for about say, 8 months (I think that was a record for me!), I got up this morning & headed to the salon. What is it about a haircut that makes a girl feel like a new person? So fresh & full & bouncy. I ♥ haircuts. As I was leaving, I headed to my car, but my body automatically took an unexpected/unplanned sharp right, right into the nail salon! Look what I got! Woot! Ü

I have not had a pedicure since last year. I give myself my own 'professional' pedi's, so it's not often I treat myself to a salon. Let.Me.Tell.You. The best $22 I've spent in a long time. Every girl should treat herself to a pedi. I know times are tough & I know many can't afford that extra $22 right now. But cut back or cut something out. Search the couch cushions. Have a garage sale. Try to dig up that money. Every girl needs the relaxation & pampering, your toes/feet need the attention, & you deserve it! So often moms tend to everyone else, we don't do much for ourselves. So go. You won't regret it. :)

Now, I know what you're thinking. And yes, I do have the most perfect toes, thankyouverymuch. I have tried to become a toe model for many years now. (It most certainly is true. Ask my husband. And Rebecca, 'cause I'm sure she recalls me making this same statement a while back. LOL) Anyway, no one will hire me. I don't know why. I mean seriously, look at my beautiful, perfectly aligned toes! Beautimous! Oh, quit laughing. Teehee.

Happy weekend! Ü

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage.

Photos taken almost 48 hours after incident, so they've had a few days to begin to clear. Doesn't he have pretty eyes? Some days hazel, some days brown, some days green. Ü

Below photo (cell phone) I snapped today, almost 96 hours after incident. You can see his left eye is worse than his right. I remember them being equally severe, so I assume his right eye is clearing quicker.


I think it's going to take a good 2 weeks before they return to normal. Other than that, he's feeling well. Ü

Sunday update!

I have received SO many emails & tweets - thank you! Thank you for all your concern & prayers. You guys are so sweet! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update. I'm so exhausted! I'm fixing to hit the shower, but here's a quick update.

The "exploratory" surgery was only because they used a camera! That was comforting to know. The problem definitely was gallstones & the surgery with the 'camera' was a success! Sometimes it doesn't work, & at that point they have to make a large incision, but it went just fine! He has four small incisions. They did some sort of dye procedure to make sure the gallstones didn't drop, & they hadn't, so basically they just removed his gallbladder! Ü

I have never seen a person just out of recovery, & I have to say, that part really threw me for a loop. Thank God my brother-in-law was there & was briefly able to help me with my kids, because when I first saw hubby after surgery, I was very disturbed. That is just awful! He was in a good amount of pain & very nauseous. It was late last night, so I/we quickly made sure he was comfortable & we headed home. I think it was almost 10:00 p.m. when we got home.

His eyes are AWFUL & I'm quite concerned! My stars, he has no whites on his eyes left. It is solid blood! I noticed yesterday his eyes were completely swollen, almost to the point they were starting to close. I asked him if his vision was ok & he rubbed my face & said he could see me fine. Aw. Ü Every nurse/doctor/whomever who saw him prior to surgery all asked "what did you do to your eyes?" The doctor has seen them & made a comment they are "horrible", but didn't say anything further, so I'm assuming in time the broken vessels will dissipate. I think it's going to take quite some time.

He called bright & early this a.m. & said he is feeling very well! Yay! He has been released by the surgeon, but they started him on another iv & he's waiting to be released by another doctor. Hopefully soon we can make the trek back up & pick him up.

He's home all week, which is just going to be a nightmare. As long as he's feeling better, that's all that matters & we'll muddle through.

If you have family and/or friends to help you in situations like this with your children, thank God for them today! You are SO blessed! I can't tell you how insanely difficult this was on myself & my children - but I have no help & they had to go with me. I've explained the best I can to them that sometimes life throws you curve balls & you have to just pony up, put on a brave face & do what you have to do to get 'er done!

Thank you again! Ü

There really is a first time for everything!

Friday was a super day & as usual, pretty uneventful.

9:30ish Friday evening hubby comes into bedroom, plops down on the bed & exclaims he has the "worst heartburn ever" (totally not common for him).

11:30ish vomiting uncontrollably. Experiencing pain he's never felt before.

2:00ish early Saturday he drives himself to the ER. (a good 30 minute drive - wouldn't let me drive him.)

3:00ish he phones to say he has an iv for dehydration, pain meds & antibiotic, & they are doing labs.

3:30ish he phones to say dr. thinks it's gallbladder or pancreas. He's getting pretty loopy at this point.

4:00ish he phones to inform me they are performing a sonogram.

4:30ish he phones to inform me it is indeed his gallbladder. Sounds drunker than a skunk.

5:00ish he phones to inform me they are actually admitting him into the hospital.

5:30 a.m. - they are doing an x-ray, white blood count totally out of whack, waiting to take him to a room & dr. consulting with other drs. "I'm not in good shape." Unsure as to when surgery will take place.

We have been together 16 years. Never has either one of us been hospitalized and/or had surgery (except for minor out-patient stuff). This is completely new, uncharted territory. The lack of sleep is not helping my decision making. Honestly, at this point I don't think I've made a decision & it's not looking promising. Just going with the flow. Ü

****************************************

Saturday, 2:45 p.m. & no surgery scheduled yet. He has an infection, so a surgeon is headed to speak with him. Surgery may not be possible at this time. The vomiting was not due to the gallstones; rather, the severe pain he was in. Ack! He looks horrible. He can't eat or drink - not due to upcoming surgery (at this point), but due to gallbladder. He has broken ALL blood vessels in his eyes & it's horrifying. Dr. was checking his eyes earlier. He also is completely swollen - don't know if this is from the iv/fluids or what.

For now, we wait!

Insensitive.

Let's see if I can type this half legibly - I am emotionally zapped today but thought I would make some notes.

Yesterday Mercedes complained about her tummy again & right then I decided enough was enough. I phoned my dr. this a.m. to see if they did x-rays & they do - but they were going to have a nurse call me back so we could discuss 'if & why'. I waited 2 hours & they still hadn't phoned. I decided to go ahead & take her to Cook Children's because I know they do x-rays. I wanted x-rays done to rule out any abnormalities.

Got right in @ Cook's & saw the same crappy dr. we got the last time. Ugh! I stressed my concern(s) & immediately about Mercedes' tummy pains & the dr. gave the "oh don't be so silly" look. She performed a little physical on Mercedes & told me all felt fine - she figured we were just dealing with the gas/constipation thing (which is exactly what my friend was told time & time again & ultimately, her little girl had Stage 4 Neuroblastoma!). Nonetheless, she wanted to do a urine sample to check for an infection & then some x-rays to see inside. Cool. I was getting my x-rays regardless of what she thought of my "silly notions".

I couldn't get Mercedes to tinkle in a cup (a children's hospital with no changing table in the bathroom! I had to lay Mercedes on the cold, dirty floor to get her diaper back on! Are you kidding me?) so they had to catheretize her. I know what this is all about & I got so sad. Two nurses came in, Mercedes began to freak as they began their work, one nurse shouted "no kicking your legs!". Hello, she's 28 months old being confined. She's gonna kick. I consoled her the best I could & we got thru it.

Off to x-rays. Unlike past experiences, this time I was instructed I could not be in the room with Mercedes & I was sent out into the hall. I felt completely uncomfortable, but out I went. As my baby freaked out. I sat in the corridor listening to her fight, cry & scream "mommy!!! mommy!!!" because I was no where in sight, she had no idea what those nurses were going to do to her & they were strangers. I sat out in the corridor not knowing if I should barge thru the door or what. I sat there confused & hysterically cried all the while listening to my baby so helpless, screaming for me. This went on a good 10-15 minutes before they let her out. It was one of the worst experiences of my entire life & I'm not kidding.

I got her calmed down, we went back to the room & they gave both girls (Jaguar was with me) popsicles. The dr. came back in (a little nicer at this point) & said the x-rays confirmed what she thought - gas/constipation. Fine then. Even though she initially was agitated with me, I asked again about seeing any masses. By george be mad at me & think what you want - but answer my question. She said she saw no "shadows", but that a Radiologist would be viewing the scans, as well. That comforted me some & if no one calls, I shall put all of this (concerns about a mass) to rest, unless Mercedes' tummy issues continue. At least I have some peace that x-rays have been performed.

I am so very angry with myself that I let what happened to my baby transpire. Sometimes I just don't know what to do; I should have barged my fat butt in that darn room, grabbed my baby & headed for another facility. We seem to have the worst luck with physicians/medical facilities that I'm really getting irritated. And for my 28 month old baby to be put thru unnecessary stress that could have been avoided makes me furious. I have cried all afternoon - this has been so stressful.

I think I should have been allowed in that room, so at least my baby could have known mom was there. Maybe it would have helped, maybe it wouldn't have, but if nothing else, I could have offered her some sort of security since three (they called in another nurse) strangers were manhandling her, pinning her down & holding her down on a table. My baby is a person & she deserves better than that. Remember at the last drs. appointment, the nurse staring her directly in the face saying "Are you finished (crying) yet? Are you finished? Because I'll wait until you are." I'm tired of my baby being treated like crap! Stop it!

Tomorrow I'm filing a formal complaint.