Pulling It Together (Sort Of)

Actually, I've not been falling apart, really. Monday's events took a bit of a toll and it's very weird being dogless for the first time in 16 years and UPS delivered today a harness I had ordered for Rosa last week near the start of her problems, but we're okay, for the most part. Mostly.

David called me here at work well after midnight and well after he would have gone to bed to tell me he had been having severe abdominal pain for an hour. Once I ascertained that no, it wasn't lower right quadrant pain, I called Paula and Wendy, and Wendy whisked him off to the ER. The pain suddenly stopped right as they were getting there, and a short time thereafter he peed out a kidney stone. He said it was very jagged. And, not unsurprisingly, that they had found blood in his urine on urinalysis.

He also said that when he came out of the bathroom with it he announced to all present, "I got the prize!" Which was a huge relief to all of us.

And I've decided to keep the harness. It will fit another dog someday, perhaps (hopefully?) a standard poodle of moderate size.

When I got to work this afternoon, this little guy was back for a bandage change (one of our techs is fostering him). See how well he's doing?



He's lost a couple of toes and will end up with some scarring on his right leg, but he's getting around great and I'm told was very good for the bandage change. Seeing him now, I'm even more convinced that he'd be a perfect companion for Tolo, who has been tormenting Sylvie even more now that Rosa's gone.

Tolo is a kitty who needs to have someone to hang with, and even though Rosa didn't really play with him, I think he at least saw her as company once Poqui wasn't around for him anymore. Now with Inga sleeping in the kitty condo at night to keep her from pissing on the carpet, all he has is Sylvie, and she's not liking it one little bit. So I'm thinking a buddy for Tolo would be a good thing for all of us, and after a few nights of listening to Sylvie scream, I think David may be starting to agree.

The Big News, Though, Is...

...that in the midst of what has turned out to be a rather chaotic and difficult week, David's cousin Greg is arriving today from South Dakota for a visit. This is a very significant visit because Greg is the first member of David's family aside from his parents to visit since David moved east in '94.

We've got a good bit planned for this visit. I've taken the entire weekend off (first time since April) and tonight will be making dinner. David's decided that it should be Indian, so I'll have to do a bit of shopping and thinking about menu beyond naan and daal. Before I get in a nap.

Then tomorrow we'll be off to the Fryeburg Fair. Maine doesn't have a state fair, but this is the closest thing to it, being the largest fair in the state. I haven't been in about 20 years, and David's never been. Then we'll continue north into the mountains and spend the night in Bethel, near Sunday River ski resort, which is having a fall festival, and not far from Grafton Notch State Park, which has some hiking trails with nice summit views to see the fall color.

Photos, of course, will be posted. After I get around to getting those kilt photos up.

One More Thing (Not for the Weak)

In thirteen years in practice, I have seen a lot of dogs with porcupine quills. Despite worrying about the possibility, though, I have never seen quills actually embedded in a dog's eye. Until tonight. I'm not posting this one on here because I realize that not everyone can handle eye stuff well, but you may see it on Flickr here if you are so inclined. Embiggen at your own risk.

The eye, of course, was not salvageable, but it's a surgery that I've had a lot of practice at and Tippy should do quite well with the one remaining eye. And now all she needs for Halloween is a pirate hat and eye patch.