The Rainbow Bridge

Thank you for all your condolences. This has been a very hard week. We picked up Cesar's ashes on Wednesday and they sent this poem with him. I had a real hard time getting through this even now.

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called The Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail are made young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth. So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches! The eyes are staring! And this one suddenly runs from the group.

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.

.....Author Unknown

R.I.P. Cesar

Monday, August 4, 2008 at 5:35 pm Cesar went to sleep and did not wake up. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But, he is now playing with his toys, chasing his favorite ball, eating and meeting old friends.

I really, really miss him!

Sick Dog, Part Deux

It looks like we are going to try and "kick start" Cesar's red blood cell production.

Which means he will be getting 3 shots a week of Procrit, which is used in Cancer patients to increase their red blood cell count. We will have to give him three shots a week, (well not we, Not a Grampy will be doing that honor, I pass out at the sight of a needle) for two or three weeks. Testing his blood levels once a week. If the red blood counts are going up we can decrease the shots to twice a week, keep testing and if everything else goes up, keep decreasing until we find a leveling out area.

This is the best way of trying something that won't cause any major problems elsewhere if it doesn't work. I feel really guilty not doing the bone marrow test. I wish I had the extra $$ available.

We will go in next week to learn how to give Cesar shots. Well, Not a Grampy will learn, I will get to be the one soothing Cesar from the big, mean, man.

Sick Dog

My dog is sick. We aren't sure what it is.

It started out with Cesar not eating. Then he became lethargic. (I hear no food could cause this)

So, I made him an appointment with the vet. They did a blood test ($245) and said they would call me the next day with the results. They did, white blood cells are very high, red blood cells are very low. They couldn't find any "immature red blood cells". Plus a bunch of other medical terms and counts. So, they want to X-Ray his liver to make sure there are no masses ($145). X-ray results showed no mass.

Now, they want to refer him to a specialist to do a bone marrow test. ($600-$800).

I don't have that kind of money. I can't afford the test.

After explaining to the vet that I really could not afford another small fortune she suggested that we try to boost his iron levels. So a vitamin B-12 shot and twice daily liquid iron supplements for a couple of weeks and then bring him back in for another blood test.

Now, the damn liquid iron is messy, thick, stinky and he has to have it twice a day. We can't squirt it down his throat because he spits it back out. So, I am using hotdogs. Yup, I slice up a couple of chunks of hotdog, hollow our a little center and put the crap in there.

He loves it.

I know the bone marrow test would tell us whether or not he has leukemia but what happens then? Would the treatments be worse than the disease?

Too Much Noise

Tomorrow is the 4th of July!

A day off from work. A day to enjoy time with your family, friends. A day to picnic, swim, and set off fireworks.

I love fireworks. I live watching people with their necks craned to the sky "oohing" and "aahing" over the amazing displays. I don't care if they are the professional displays or the home displays they are great.

What I don't love is the fact that some people feel the need to start their 4th of July celebrations two weeks before the actual date.

For the past two weeks our neighborhood has been a war zone. Every night someone is setting off more and more. They are building up to the Big Night.

Why am I so upset over people starting so early? Because I have a dog who panics during thunderstorms. He has been known to chew through bathroom doors, scratch through the drywall or just run around the house like a madman when thunder sounds. (have I mentioned that he is a Shih Tzu?)

Can you imagine what the last two weeks have been like?

So today, I had to contact my vet and get a prescription for doggy downers for him. Hopefully, they will help him survive tomorrow night. Because let me tell you, if it doesn't there is going to be some destruction in my neighborhood the next holiday that rolls around...

and it won't be caused by the dog!

New Years!

Not a Grampy and I spent New Years Eve at home enjoying each other. We stayed up until midnight, watched the ball drop in Times Square, gave each other the New Years kiss, drank our champagne, went to bed for New Years sex.

I wish I could say it was because that is our tradition. That we are romantic people and like to spend this special time with just each other.

It isn't even because we are responsible adults and don't like to go out with all the others who only go out one night a year and make perfect asses out of themselves.

Nope, I can't say any of that.

We spend New Years at home because our dog goes ballistic when there are fireworks going off. Yup, he has been knows to eat and scratch his way through bathroom doors during thunderstorms or fireworks. Big Shih Tzu size holes in bathroom doors during loud noises.

So, while everyone around my neighborhood (and it seems the whole damn city) was oohing and ahhing over the fantastic lights and booms going on around them. I had a 23 lb Shin Tzu whining, barking, jumping on my lap and off my lap. Scratching to go out, scratching to come in.

Fun Times.

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Not a Grampy and I will be staying home this evening, sitting in the backyard at the tiki bar, watching the ball drop in New York and toasting with some champagne. Then we will watch the neighbors try and blow themselves up with fireworks. They actually do have some pretty neat displays, but rednecks and fireworks always make for some fun.

With this damn cold I am not even sure if I will be awake.

The evening will also be spent comforting my dog who despises loud noises, such as thunder and fireworks. He will start out with us in the screen enclosure, start whining, want to go inside. We will put him inside and then he will want to come out. He will want to be in our lap and then down on the ground. The poor critter just can't stand the noise. We have tried closing him in the bathroom, he just eats and claws right right the door. Yup, Shih Tzu with an attitude.

I have made a few resolutions, well maybe not resolutions, but changes to my life.

I want to quit smoking...again.

I want to decorate/paint my bedroom.

I want to clean the computer room so it is a computer room and not a junk room.

Now resolutions last for the entire year. So, I can work on these at my leisure!

Everyone be safe and take care. Hug your loved ones and friends!

It's A Rough Life

Dogs can be such little pains in the arse, sometimes.

I come home from work and I am greeted by the little bundle of joy I call Cesar. I let him go outside to make his "piddle." At the sound of his demanding little bark, I let him back in.

I go into the bedroom to change my clothes. My bundle of joy follows close behind. We leave the bedroom, he tags along.

I stop at the computer to do a quick email check. He brings me one of the 999,999,999,999,990 toys he has scattered throughout the house. I toss the toy, he returns it, I have to tug it out of his mouth, toss it, he returns it, I toss it....you get the drift.

I continue to check the emails, the dog is now running around behind me like a madman. He has one of my shoes from my closet. No, he doesn't "drop it" when told to do so. Why should he? He's a dog. We chase through the house briefly, he drops said shoe when I pick up the chair.

I begin dinner preparations in the kitchen. Dog sitting on kitchen floor, staring lovingly at me. My bundle of joy begins a slight whining noise. I ask him to be patient, just a moment, I have egg, breading, goop all over my hands. Whining noise increases an octave. I ask him to please wait just a moment, whining becomes little barking noises. Please stop.

Doesn't work, barking is now in full force. In fact, wine glasses hanging in the glass rack are now making lovely pinging noises from the high pitched barking sounds. I yell at dog. He barks back.

I give up, time to feed the dog.

Dental work on dogs.

My poor little Cesar had to go to the vet yesterday and have his teeth cleaned. He had some pretty bad breath and some really nice infection pockets around the teeth.


Now, unlike humans, dogs don't sit well and hold their mouths open. In fact, from what I understand, dogs have a bad habit of snapping their mouths closed when the vet is inside there trying to clean the teeth. I can understand that, I am not real thrilled about the dentist wandering around in my mouth either.


So, to clean a dogs teeth, the dog must undergo anesthesia. Plus, they require a catheter. If teeth need to be extracted that is an additional charge.


So, I dropped off my poor baby this morning.


Let's see:



Biomedical Waste Disposal Fee $ 3.00

Fluoride Treatment 0.00

Teeth Scaling & Polishing 76.40

Pulse Oximetry Monitoring 0.00

Fluids Intravenous 74.50

Pain Relief 33.50

Anesthesia (add. 15 min) 24.00

Anesthesia (inhalant) 54.20

Anesthesia (intravenous) 69.90

Surgery IV Catheter 0.00

Pre-Anesthetic CBC/GHP (IH) 85.50

Extraction (3 Minor) 47.40

Metacam Oral Medication 0.00

CET Hextra Chew (Sample) 0.00

CET Toothpaste Poultry (Sample) 0.00

Hills T/D treats sample 0.00



Discount -25.33



TOTAL $443.37



Notice they did throw in some "freebies". Toothpaste and toothbrush. Yup, I get to try and brush his teeth. Like he will let me anywhere near his mouth.


He has pain medication that I am supposed to be able to squirt in his mouth. Yeah, right! Like any dog, let alone my spoiled rotten one, is going to let anyone near a sore mouth.



I need a glass of wine!