Over the Rainbow Bridge

It's taken me a long time to convince my person to type this for me.  He's been very sad and not up to it.  However, he now is ready to tell my last story where I could sit warmly in my people's laps.

Please know.  Life is very nice here over the rainbow bridge.

The best part about being here is that my legs work and don't hurt.  I can run and play, and I can have as many treats as I want without getting sick.  I can see my people, but I can't cuddle with them.  I do watch over them closely.

I want to tell you how I got here though.  It is sad, so only keep reading if you want a sad story.

For a long time, my poop just popped out when I didn't expect it. I also needed help from my person to pee.  He would squeeze my sides and the pee would come out.  It was always a relief for me.  I was also walking a lot slower and dragging my feet more.

Despite all that, I was very happy!  My people would cuddle with me a lot and take good care of me.  

On cold days, they'd bundle me up and put me near the fire.  I felt so cozy!  The cold was bothering me more than ever those days, but when I was under blankets by the fire, I felt so good!

I also still took walks, cuddles, and, my favorite thing, ate!  I still loved eating.

Shortly before I left for the rainbow bridge, I had my last visit at camp Taurus.  I always loved it there.  I didn't wrestle and chase like I used to, but I like watching the younger pups still do that.  I also was treated very well.  The people there loved on me more than ever as I got older.  It was a happy place for me.

Don't read this last part if you might think it's disgusting.  I'm just describing what happened, but you might not like it.  I didn't like it!

One day, I was not feeling that great, and a lot of brown liquid came out of my bottom.  I never saw so much.  I was very embarassed.  While my people were cleaning up, I then threw up!  I felt so bad for making a mess, but my people reassured me it was OK.  Before they cleaned everything up, a lot more brown liquid came out my bottom and I threw up again!  I felt bad, but I was so tired that I couldn't do anything to help.

My people put me in my bed and carried me to the car.  They took me to a doctor I hadn't been to before.  It was nice that I got to stay with my person in the main room, but there were other dogs there that were very loud and scaring me a little.  They soon gave us our own room, and I was happier.

They carried me around in my bed.  I didn't have the energy to walk.

Then, I fell fast asleep for a while.

The next thing I knew, I was awake and could lift my head a little.  I noticed a tube going into my front leg by my paw.  They said it was something called an IV to hydrate me, whatever that means.

My person was petting me, which was nice, but I wanted something different.  I used the little strength I had to lift my head and guide his hand so I could rest my chin on his hand.  I wanted to comfort him.

Soon, I fell back asleep, but I knew my person was there.

Soon, blood was leaking out of my bottom.  It was going and going, and I couldn't stop.  It was uncomfortable and embarassing.  They put a tube in my bottom with a bag to catch the blood.  Not fun at all.

I heard them say something about how the hydration might work, and it could take a few days to get hydrated.  Then, I fell asleep again.

They moved me to a warm area that they called an incubator and let me rest with the IV.  I was feeling comfy and hopeful that I'd get better after I heard what the doctors said.

Then, I suddenly felt some bad pain in my chest and then I looked around and was over the rainbow bridge.  I could see the hospital, though.  Everyone was running around and trying to figure out how to help me.  They couldn't help me, though.

Maybe I'll tell some other stories later, about the last years of my life and my life over the rainbow bridge.  However, for today, this is where I where I must stop.  I love you all!

Cold White Stuff Everywhere

Hi Friends!  It has been a long, long, long, long time since I last reported on my life.  That is what happens when you get a SECOND tiny human you have to protect.  Still, I had to make time to tell you about the crazy, crazy week just a little bit ago.

Life seemed pretty normal, when suddenly, the outdoors got very, very, very cold.  I have to remind you that on very hot days, I love to lay in the sun.  When it gets just a little cooler and my people put on their thin coats, I think it's a bit too cold to go outside.  (They do convince me to go outside eventually because I hate to make messes in the house.)

Still, on this day, it was much too cold to go outside for any reason.  I was not going to go outside willingly.  It was colder than I ever felt!  

My people then got out my walking outfit, and I got excited.  Before I realized what happened, I let them put on my walking clothes and went outside.  The door locked behind me, and it was too late!

The upside-downTo make matters worse, there was cold, white stuff everywhere.  It was cold in the air, and it was cold on my feet, and it was cold everywhere.  I'm not sure what terrible thing had happened to do this to our home.  I was scared and felt a bit helpless.    I was able to take my walk, though, and was very glad to get home.

The next morning, I thought things would get better.  The sun was shining, so I looked forward to getting back outside. Little did I know that it would be even worse!!

The air was even colder than the day before, which didn't seem possible, and the white stuff grew!  However, I couldn't just walk on top of the white stuff, I kept sinking in to the ground!  Not only were my feet cold, now, my legs, and even my chest, were in the white stuff and it felt terrible.  It felt so terrible, in fact, that I sat down and cried after about 5 minutes and my person picked me up and took me inside.

Deep into the terrible cold stuff

Later that day, my person carried me out, and we found a trail through the white stuff.  It was not great, but at least the cold stuff only touched my feet I not my whole legs!

A path just for me!Friends, believe me when I tell you this was awful.  However, what was even more difficult was that each day, I woke up, and nothing got better.  Nothing.  It was this terrible world over and over again!

The only good part was that when I got back, I had the warmest spot in the house to recover!

Warming up after a miserable walkI truly thought that we'd never be warm again.  I saw a show with my little people recently where the queen froze the whole land, and I was sure that was what happened.  However, after what felt like a lifetime, the spell was broken and weather is normal again....Woof. Woof , Woof!!!

Justice for Nano

My friend Nano and her person are being unfairly attacked by the postal service.  There's a reason why dogs don't trust mail carriers, and this story just confirms all of my worst fears! Read the whole scary, sad, Kafkaesque story here: http://justicefornano.blogspot.com/

My "Scary" friend Nano

A Chance for Chester

Hello Friends.  My name is Chester.  I’m a brown 14-year-old Dachshund.  Cody invited me onto his blog to tell my story.  Thank you Cody!  

Life has been great this year.  My persons have been taking me with them everywhere! Shopping, Parks, Restaurants, and Pet Events.  We are even going to the Drive-In soon to see a movie!   And that’s not even the best part. The best part is the toys, lots and lots of toys!  

There have also been lots of doctors.  My persons say I have something called a brain meningioma.  They took me to Texas A&M University to help me.   Everyone there was so nice.  They treated me like a Prince.  I had to stay there for a week and get a special treatment to slow down the growth of the tumor.   My persons kept saying I was so brave, strong and an inspiration to them.   They cried a lot, and I didn’t understand why.  

After the treatments, I enjoyed all the special attention.   They bought me a special pet mobile that I get to ride around in.  I have my own heated bed too!  It’s so great!  The only boring part is that I’m on a strict diet now.   But, it’s ok.   

I’m doing really well now.  I run, play, and chase my persons around the house.   I’ve also been doing 5K runs with my persons in my pet mobile on the weekends.  I enjoy that.   Sometimes they run slow but if I bark, they run faster.   

A couple of weeks ago, everyone gathered to have a Yard Sale on my behalf.  It was so much fun.  All kind of persons gathered together.  The money that was collected will pay for my treatment at Texas A&M and at Westbury, where I go to camp every day when my persons are at work.

One of my favorite things to do now is to be cuddled.  I didn’t use to like that but welcome any chance I get to be hugged, kissed or petted.  I’m also working on something persons call a Bucket List.  I learned that a bucket list is all the stuff you want to accomplish during your life.  A couple of things I’d like to do is run a weiner dog race, DJ a radio morning show, meet the Houston Texan football players and go to a drive in and see a movie.  That’s just a couple of things that come to mind.  My persons have done so much for me that I can’t imagine my list will be too long.

If you would like to follow all of my adventures, look me up on Facebook at ‘Chance For Chester’.  My persons upload photos and stories there all the time.

Until then, never give up…..never, ever give up!

Blankets and Pillows

I am very thankful for blankets and pillows.  There's no place that I feel more safe and warm than under a blanket or pillow.  (It's even better if I'm on a lap under a blanket.)

Five years ago, when I arrived at my new home, one of the first things I did was jump on the couch, knock a pillow over, and slip under it.  I looked so young back then!

Safe and warm in my new home

Soon afterwards, I found that it also felt nice to be under a blanket.

Under a blanket - so comfortable

After much experimentation, I found that I could combine pillows with blankets for an amazing level of comfort.

Does it get better than this?My people are well aware of my love for pillows and blankets, so they've given me a variety of blankets over the years.  One of my favorite is my dachshund blanket.

Doxie wrapped in a doxie :-)I know that I couldn't have made it through my kennel rest without the comfort of my favorite blankie.

My comforting blankie

There wasn't much good about kennel rest, but I did get to combine two of my favorite things while on rest: eating and blankets!

Sorry for droning on and on about pillows and blankets.  When I get on a topic that I love, it's difficult for me to stop.  I have a lot more to say on the topic, but I'll save that for later!  Let me know if you need any advice on how to best use blankets and pillows.