Riding Through Hurricane Ida….All the Way to Florida

Are we in Florida Yet?

Hurricane Ida’s tears were punishing. From the time we rode into West Virginia, through Virginia and both North & South Carolina, the wind increased and the rain fell harder. A trucker told to to avoid the 15 mile backup on I-77 by taking Hwy 20, which we did not know wound through and around The Jefferson National Forest and was worse than if we had steered the course on 77.

But Bailey was perfect. Her second trip by car down to Southwest Flordia since her adoption in July 2008. I just think  she is so grateful for experiences in her senior years. It’s as though she just retired and is spending her pension doing new things. I am her fund through which she withdraws her adventures, the sights she gets to see. We are here two weeks today. Tomorrow is her favorite activity, The Saturday Farmer’s market, where other dogs come to strut their stuff amongst cucumbers and heads of lettuce and freshly made baked-goods. She always looks for crumbs from the popcorn maker, the bagel guy and the key lime pie creator. She knows where to look and she stops at many a booth where people tell her how soft she is, how beautiful she is and how sweet a personaliy she exhibits. There is is nary a dog who loves praise as much as she.

 

She loved the ride down here and the stops at the two hotels. Now that Bailey is a member of our furry family, we stay at suite-hotels so we have more space. Safari always keeps us up at night. The first night was bad but he behaved the second one. I dislike having to stop twice. We probably won’t do that on the way back to PA in in the Spring. At least I hope not.

 

But Bailey is a great traveller. I wonder if all dogs are? I appreciate the quality in her that makes her ready to go on any adventure. Almost daily we go to our little independent coffee/wine shop, CGrape, here in Bonita to see Mai & Drew, the owners. They have two dogs. Bailey gets to walk right in. I get my coffee and she gets a little, 1/2 mini dixie cup of whipped cream. She LOVES that she gets to go inside a “people” place. For some reason, dogs are allowed inside all kids of  places. Yesterday there was a Boston Terrier riding in the cart at Home Depot!

 

Thanksgiving just passed and I am so thankful for Bailey and Safari, of course.  There are certain women out there who think you are nothing if you don’t have a child. They are usually over-the-top people who I don’t care for anyway, but it is amazing that they think they are superior to us women whose “children” have paws and fur. I prefer it that way. My “kids” appreciate all that I do for them. They love unconditionally. We communicate without words and that takes a special ability and I am proud to have that in my soul. My greatest passion aside from loving my husband as much as I do, is my love for animals and it always will be. The ride down here is simply part of the journey of the many furry kids that have touched me.  I don’t need a special time of year to be greatful because it’s part of who I am.

A Blade of Grass, A Pile of Leaves, Many Scents…

I am always amazed by Bailey’s sense of smell. While her vet thinks she is all Border Collie, I feel she is mixed with a bit of Beagle. Maybe she got most of the Border Collie genes, but there has to be Beagle in her. Beagles have the most acute sense of smell of all dogs and Bailey’s nose is like that of a winemaker. She knows what is good and what isn’t. When she walks she might sniff at a blade of grass for minutes at a time before we move on. Now that it is Fall, a certain leaf may captivate her attention as she soaks up its aroma through her adorable black, wet nose.

I love her acute curiousity about the world and people she sees on the street. “What do they smell like?” And, she must think, why do they smell that way? A person can smell bad, or good, or of perfume. Perhaps they smell old or dirty. If she is lucky they smell like another dog and usually she can sniff those people out in a crowd within a minute. Since adopting Bailey, I see the world a bit differently. Before I had Bailey, I once read that you should let a dog lead you where they want to go and I agree with that. I do let her lead, although dog “experts” might not agree with me. They tend to think “the person” should do the leading. If I did it that way, I may never get a chance to view the world through Bailey’s dark brown eyes on our walks and then I think I would truly be missing a great deal. We are together so much because I work at home and I love that I can be there for her. I want to take in her world as she does mine. We have formed a special bond that I suppose, makes for one world all of our own.

Now I Know Why They Call it “Boarding…”

I love to be home!

We had planned a trip to Toronto. Initially Bailey was going to my friend Bev’s home and Safari would be staying at home alone and my neighbor Bobbie would be watching and feeding him. Then I thought, why not keep them together? I had learned about a certain “boarding facility” through Angels For Animals, which is where I had adopted Bailey. The owner had been to several Angels events, promoting his service.

I have never liked the idea of boarding and having cats my whole life, I have always had people come in to stay/feed/watch if we were going out of town. I thought perhaps I was being too critical of the process and decided I would try it and then they could stay together. This place allowed Bailey and Safari to stay in a private room they had right off the lobby. It was really for cats, but at least they could be together and Bailey would not have to be in a traditional kennel. My stepmom, Harriet, said dogs do not rationalize, but I had wondered, would Bailey think she was being sent back to shelter? The thought of that made me sick and I did not want her to think that, so if they were together, I thought she would not think such a terrible thought.

It’s a long story, but I did not like anything about their experience. When I called to check in, I learned Safari was not eating his wet food and this is a 19 lb cat who DOES NOT miss a meal! I knew he was sad and depressed. Since I work from my house, these two are horribly spoiled. I am around all the time so they are used to being around Russell and I all the time! I felt so guilty.

They said they play with the “residents” every 2-3 hours, but I think they were bored.  I am sure that our Border Collie was Bored in the Boarding facility as was our beautiful cat! I can honestly see why it’s calling boarding! They are bored with strangers they do not know.  I think this is whay they think-”When the heck are they coming back? “Why didn’t we get to go?” “Where are they anyways?” “Who the hell are these weird people?” “I want to go HOME!”

I have to admit that I am a complete homebody. Yes I enjoy going out during the day, but I am always happy to get back home as well. I LOVE being around them so much and I know they feel the same. I can never imagine not being the parent of furry kids. Pets. Even the word is nice. You “pet” an animal and you can instantly conjure up someone relaxing and stroking the little head of a cat or dog. The word “boarding” makes you think of a cage or confined situation. All I can say is never again!  I will go back to finding people to help me. That is the better way. That can be the only way!

Kiss Me, Love Me, Feed Me

It turned out that Bailey does not have Cushings disease. After numerous test, she is happy and healthy person. I think she just loves to eat. Maybe because her mommy does public relations for restaurants. I write about food all day and she thinks about eating food all day! Russell says only I could find a dog just like me!

A day does not go by that Bailey does not teach me something. She has the type of personality that just craves love and attention. Was it because she was given up or abandoned? I will never know that, but we are here to fufill that need in her; especially me. She is happy to be touched, kissed and played with all day long except for when she is eating. She is such a gentle soul. Today some friends came over to watch football with Russell and one guy said, “what a sensitive face,” she has. Yesterday after taking her to a Fall Festival, every single person we passed told me how beautiful she is. “What kind of dog is that,” they asked. “She is just so beautiful.”

Bailey is special. I know that. I guess everyone who has children with paws thinks that, but it’s just over a year since we adopted her and I am still amazed at how interesting the interactions with her are on a day-to-day basis. I have loved cats my whole life and my little Safari boy is truly my little boy but I have learned the vast differences between cats and dogs. The one thing I know, however is that I give and get unconditional love eveyday from both of them. I love that about animals more than people. That is their gift that no “human” can give you. They only wanted to be kissed, loved, to be fed and to be near you. What is better than that? It’s a perfect relationship.

Something a simple as a bite…

Yesterday I had just returned from picking up Bailey’s special ultra allergenic food from our vet and when I came home we went for a walk, but we did not get far. Bailey got bit by something because she started biting at her paw and then she could not walk on it and she had to hobble home. I ran her to an emergency vet who gave her an antihistamine and an anti-infammatory. The pills have made her way too sleepy and her little cute furry foot still hurts. I hate when she does not feel good. She is so much like having a child. She is my child and I will do anything to help her feel better as soon as possible. She was better late this afternoon but still not right. I love her so much.

Happy Anniversary, Bailey

 

Dear Bailey,

A year ago today, I saw your big brown eyes at Angels for Animals in Canfield, Ohio. You were so overjoyed that someone came to visit you.  I always thought that you thought, what am I doing in this shelter anyway? It was certainly apparent immediately that you did not belong there and that you deperately wanted to go for walks, be played with all the time and be with people who would love you forever. After meeting you I knew that we would be perfect for each other. It was a a Friday night and our new porch was being built, so Russell could not come with me to the shelter. After playing with you, walking you and having our first “kissing exchange,” I knew I had better call him to say that you were going to share our world. Like a commercial for poor cell phone service, Russell could not hear me well, for he was at the Home Depot getting some materials that the workers needed. I was yelling into the phone how cute you were and he kept saying, “what?” I figured I would take my chances and bring you with me that very night.  After driving the 35 plus miles back to our house, Russell was outside and his first comment was, “she’s big.” Weighing 35 pounds and were quite underweight for a border collie.

When we first discussed getting a dog we talked about a small dog. You were not small, but you certainly were not big, either. The first few weeks took Russell a lot of getting used to. He was doubting that he even wanted a dog, but he quickly saw that Safari and I were madly in love with you and your ebullient personality. You need us and and we needed you. Safari wanted his new pal to stay and I was not going to let that adjustment period be an issue. We got through all that and your many bouts of tummy trouble and visits to the vet. Here we are, we are both a year older. A lot wiser and much more in love. When I first thought of adopting an older dog, I had to deal with the fact that you never know how long you will have with each other. I soon realized that you never know how long you have with anything in life and you just have to be greatful to just “be” and enjoy all the happiness that comes your way. I think that is the gift we give each other every single day, don’t you?

It is my responsibility as your mommy to give you lots of my love and the very best care and in the world. I know that you are aware that I do that and you are deserving of such attention. You are a joy to be with each day, Bailey. We love you and we are glad that you feel the same about us.

Attached to Each Other…

On our walks, Bailey’s long nose is our guide.  Often, when we first step outside she pauses and tips her nose to the sky to breathe in all the world can offer her. She inhales the earth and all of its scents and I wonder what she thinks. It seems like each blade of grass brings a new thought to her mind – who was here before her, what were they doing, when were they walking in this same spot and with whom?

Bailey loves to walk and looks forward to that everday. With 42 acres, she has plenty of room to roam and grass to smell, but we only walk and run on a portion of that. One path leads to our road and she walks unleashed down the path, but waits for me to attach the leash before we get there. She knows there are whizzing cars and motercycles. She dislikes those the most and barks loudly at them as if to say if you are going to make so much noise then I am going to as well! She knows the leash also attaches us and she loves to be attached. I always think, that unlike most dogs, she likes being leashed more than not. She protects me and in turn I protect her and she likes that.

I don’t know if it’s because she is my first dog or not, or it is because of her personality that we are so attached. I think it is perhaps a sweet combination of both. I think Bailey is forever grateful that I picked her from the shelter – a dog that was adopted and then returned by someone and then adopted again by me. That is a turbulent existence for man or dog. The big difference is that I was never returning her. We were now mother and daughter.

She loves that I dote on her and vice versa. My husband complains about all the time she “takes up.” I look at it differently since I feel I am “devoting” the time to her. I feel she is deserving of all the love I have to give her and she loves me right back. She kissed me first and I accepted.  An unconditional relationship begins. So as we walk, I look at what she looks at and think about what she is thinking. I ask her what it is that she smells and sometimes she replies by circling her nose around and around in a certain patch of grass and I know right there it’s something good and I am glad I can witness the enjoyment she has in such a simple act.

A Vet Just Has to Know…

On a recent Sunday morning, earlier in the month, Bailey woke up and would not eat. Of course, this is not normal dog behavior, especially for Bailey, who likes to get up and eat as soon as possible. She had also been panting hard in the middle of the night and that too, was not right.

We went to see Dr Hakim Hamaci at 24/7 Emergency Vet Clinic, who decided to do bloodwork to see what was going on. The results showed that Bailey’s liver enzymes were elevated and diagnostically speaking, it could point to various problems. He wanted to get an ultrasound done but would have to wait to call his specialist to set up the appointment.

On Monday, I was told his guy could not come until Thursday which for me was unacceptable as we were leaving to go back up North for the summer on Sunday and I did not want to wait.

I found Dr. Larry Scrabis at Estero Animal Hospital and luckily he had a cancellation for Tuesday to do the ultrasound. We went in at 9am on Tuesday and instead he wanted to do a STIMM test, thinking Bailey has Cushings Disease. It’s a simple blood test done in two part, which ultimately cam eout nortmal. The next day we did an ultrasound to rule out a mass or other such horrible things.

We could clearly see her liver was slightly enlarged and even though he thinks she has what is known as Cushing’s Syndrome, it is now two and  a half weeks later, we are back in Pennsylvania for the summer and I still do not know if she has Cushing’s. Last week a sample of her blood and urine went off to Michigan State and I will find out sometime this week what the Cortisol test shows. It can only rule out Cushing’s, not rule it in. It is a very tough illness to diagnose, even though Bailey has all the  symptoms. It is a very treatable disease,  but it has to be diagnosed because you cannot give the drugs to a non-Cushing’s dog.

Dr. Thomas Crago, our vet here, has been very patient is helping and listening to all my woes about Bailey. Although he is not an endocrinologist, he is willing to talk to one at Michigan State to see what to do for Bailey next. So all this has got me thinking about vets and how they just have to know what is ailing a furry child. I too, just have to know when something is wrong. There is a sixth sense that is extremely hightened when you have furry kids.  Human kids can say, ouch. I hurt.  My Bailey & Safari do not have that option. I must be keenly attuned to their needs at all times, which makes me exceptional, I think. And what is most amazing about vets is that they have to be so many things – a general practioner who has to heal all sorts of body parts which is most admirable.

The other aspect which makes all this so mystifying is that she was a rescue. I do not know her medical history. I do not know anything about her past. Maybe I don’t need to because we can only start from June 20, 2008 when we cme into each other’s lives. I feel like love helps heal everything and if there was ever a dog who was well loved, it is my Bailey girl. I could not adore her more and I will continue to provide her with all the love I have and all the best medical care there is because she deserves it. Together, the vets and I will figure this thing out for her and she will be grateful as she already is, gracing me with as many kisses she has in that big heart of hers.

By Sherri Maddick

When we readied the boat this morning, Bailey was watching us. She saw us hook up the boat and put things into the car. When I reached for her leash, she knew she too was included in whatever adventure we were up to. Bailey is always ready to have an adventure and that is what I love about her. Being that I have had cats my entire life and Bailey is my first dog, I do not know if all dogs are like her. She loves to be with us and takes such pleasure in being in our company.

We had never taken her on the boat before. Frankly, the boating weather here in South Florida has been less than appealing. With windy conditions our little 17 footer is not the most accomodating. However today was a lovely day with cool winds and temps only in the 70’s so we thought it would be a good day for her. She gets hot and panty easily with the fur coat she so proudly wears like a rich woman, so we were waiting for a cooler day and today was just that day.

She loved seeing the giant Pelicans swooping into the water for their lunch and she even witnessed dolphins at play. I wondered what she was thinking when she saw those large black shapes plunge in and out of the waves. A couple of ducks landed close by and she barked at them and as we neared Doggie Beach, a place that she has come to know and love, she probably wondered why she was in the boat and not romping with the other dogs on the sand. On Monday she will be going there, she just forgot.

She did good. She drank a lot of water but even though I put paper down for her to be able to pee, she would not go and waited till we got back to the dock and got off.

With the wind in her hair she looked so beautiful to me. When I look at her I can never imagine what would have happened if I had not adopted her. Would someone else given her as great of a life as she now has? I guess I do not like to think so. I am so positive that she and I were to meet, just as sure as I am of anything else that happens. She and I were destined to be together, just like Safari and all my cats that have graced my life. I feel so lucky to share my days with such wonderful people. Yes, I call them people and I know what people who don’t share their lives with animals think and I really don’t care. She is better than most people I know, so is Safari boy. They love you unconditionally and all they expect is that you do the same and I certainly do with all my heart and love.

Today was tiring, but here as I write this at the end of a long day in my life I can be happy and proud that I made a difference in the life of one lovely little girl.

After She Finished the Book

Mommy finished The Art of Racing in the Rain By Garth Stein this morning. She was crying so hard she could not even breathe and it was scaring me. I decided to write again because she was just so worked up. She said it was one of the top five best books she has ever read–and she has read a lot of books!

Of course she was hugging and kissing me so much while crying because it was told by Enzo the dog, whom I think she became very fond of, even though it was simply a charachter. But I think she felt Enzo could have been anyone’s special dog companion.

I love that mommy loves me and Safari so much. We love her too. I kiss her on the lips all the time. I like her bright pink MAC lipstick best. She told me its name was maaaarvelous (spelled like that) which they do not make anymore, so I am getting in all the licks I can while she still has some. She really has become so enthralled with me. Safari gets mad sometimes, but he likes me in general cause I kiss him too. I am a big kisser just like mommy. She notices the funniest things about me like when I go outside to pee. She told me this morning while I was doing my business that I go into a pleae, just like a beautiful ballet dancer! I think she tells me how beautiful I am at least 100 times a day. She is always wanting to photograph me and I don’t really mind, so I let her even though the flash on the camera is too bright for my big brown eyes.

I know I could not have gotten rescued by anyone better. In the book she was reading, Enzo was Denny’s from the time he was a puppy. We did not have that luxury. Last night she was staring into my eyes (which look much like hers) and telling me that I must have been THE CUTEST puppy ever. And when were at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday (one of my favorite things to do!) everyone tells me what a cute puppy  I am! HA!  They think I am a puppy! I like that! I guess I look good for my age – which will be 8 on May 23rd. She takes excellent care of me and that will help keep me young!

Today we went to The Garden Corner so daddy could look for some supplies for the garden and then we went running and playing in the park which was a lot of fun. I smelled everything. A lot of dogs go there and when I walk my nose is like a vacuum, inhaling every scent on each  blade of grass and patch of sand. I have to say that the grass is much better in Western, PA where we live in the summertime. I LOVE the grass there. It is lush and so green and I want to eat it all the time, although she won’t let me because I tend to throw it up – so I do not blame her!

I just had to write today because she loved that book so much and I know she thought of me being an older dog. But I want her to know that I will be with her as long as I can because I love life with her and Russell and Safari, but most of all her. She said the book had a lot to do with destiny and I completely believe we were meant to be together. We both feel that everyday – especially when we are kissing.