All I want for Christmas….

… I already have.

 

Chance is still with me. I can’t ask for anything more for Christmas than that. Granted, it cost us obscene amounts of money we don’t have, but totally worth the inconvenience of eating ramen.

 

So far so good with the Chances Hound; he’s eating well, his energy level is up and his pulse has been steady. He’s been coughing a little on and off  but he had some fluid around his lungs so it’s to be expected. We go back in next week for more ultrasounds and hopefully the pericardial effusion wasn’t caused by cancer. There’s a 50/50 chance it was caused by cancer even though there was no sign of lesions in the ultrasound, but we won’t know until it shows itself(There’s also a 50/50 chance it was idiopathic, not cancer, and may/may not recur). If his ultrasounds continue to be clear and he continues to feel good then we’re in the blue:)

 

It’s kind of sad, I freak out over everything now; he burps and I’m checking his pulse…. I feel like I’m suffering from extreme OCD. 

 

My average day looks like this-

 

7:30am- Wake up. Let the dogs out. Yell at Stella for thinking about chasing the old lady walking her mop-dog across the street.

7:40am- Feed the Spawn, shove her meds down her throat. Turn on cartoons. Look at Chance. He’s sleeping.

7:50am- Find the Spawn clean clothes for school. Remind her to eat and stop laying on the dog, who is still trying to sleep.

8:00am- Find myself cleanish clothes for barn-grubbing. Remind the Spawn not to stand on her head while eating. Check on dog. Now he’s chasing the cat. Allow it.

8:15am- Scream at the Spawn for feeding her breakfast to Stella. Ask her why she’s standing in the living room without pants. Pack a lunch.

8:30am- Brush the Spawn’s hair. Ignore the anguished wails emanating from my 5yr old’s mouth. Threaten to shave her head.

8:40am- Shove the Spawn into her winter gear and hustle her out the door for the bus. Wave goodbye, hugs and kisses, and Damn it Stella, leave the squirrels alone! Chance, go get your sister. Stella, get back here right now or you’re gonna get it!

8:50am- Heave a sigh of relief as the Spawn gets on the bus. 

8:55am- Feed the dogs. Give them their meds. Put a little extra treat in Chance’s bowl. Hover over Chance as he eats. 

9:10am- Get dressed. Hover over Chance some more, does he look a little pant-y today? Better check his pulse.

9:15am- Get stethescope. Check dog’s pulse. Listen to his lungs. He flops on his back and drools.

9:30am- Try to leave for the barn. Did I put both dogs in before I left? Pull back in the driveway 3 times to double/triple check. Did he look winded before I left? Better check again.

10:10am- On my way to the barn. Stop for coffee. Momentary panic- did I put both dogs in before I left?

10:25am- Drive home to double check. Give the dogs some treats. Leave guiltily.

10:35am- On my way to the barn for real. Work my butt off in the cold for a few hours. Feel bad for leaving my dog alone. What if he collapses while I’m gone?

3:30pm- On my way home. Is he still alive?

3:55pm. Home. Let the dogs out. Heave a sigh of relief; Chance is wagging his tail nub and bending himself into pretzel shapes. He’s fine.

4:20pm- Spawn arrives home. Leaves a trail of winter gear through the living room like breadcrumbs. Begs for food like a starving street urchin. Don’t they feed these kids? 

4:30pm- Throw food at the Spawn. Turn on cartoons. 

4:45pm- Start making dinner. Fend off starving child. Yell at Stella for eating crayons. Again.

5:30pm- Feed the Spawn and myself. Fend of starving dogs. Doesn’t anyone feed these dogs?

6:00pm- Playtime/coloring/book/TV time with the Spawn. Yell at her for feeding crayons to Stella.

6:45pm- Bathtime for the Spawn. This sends Chance into paroxysms of delight, for some unknown reason. Worry about him dropping over from a coronary while he’s barking and spinning in circles.

6:50pm- Check dog’s pulse. He’s fine. He looks at me like I’m insane. Who knows, I might be.

7:15pm- Bedtime for the Spawn. Chase naked child around house wielding pj’s. Wrangle kid into pajamas. Shove meds down her throat.

7:20pm- Booktime. Read some Shel Silverstein and some Seuss. Dogs jump on bed to help out.

7:30pm- Tuck in the Spawn. Chase dogs and cats out of her room. 

7:35pm- Breath a sigh of relief. Let dogs out. Yell at Stella for barking at drunken neighbors.

7:45pm- Feed the dogs. Give them their meds. Give Chance an little extra treat in his bowl. Hover over him while he eats. Wait, did he just burp or was that…? No, he’s fine.

8:00pm- Troll the interwebs. Smile at my dog sleeping on my feet.

8:30pm- Play videogames. Smile at my dog sleeping next to my chair. Yell at Stella for eating… something. God knows what that was. Don’t eat it again!

9:00pm- Let dogs out. For once, Stella is quiet and stays int he yard. 

10:00pm- Showertime for me. Smile at my dog sleeping against the bathroom door.

10:30pm- Let dogs out for the last time. Stella is too cold to get into anything and actually just does her business. 

10:35pm- Get ready for bed. Examine my dog. Does he look a little winded?

10:40pm- Check his pulse. Listen to his lungs. He’s fine. The look in his eyes tells me he thinks I may have gone off the deep end. Who knows, I might have.

10:45pm- Try to sleep. Is he panting? I better check.

10:50pm- He’s panting because he’s WEARING A FUR COAT. He’s warm.  Go to sleep.

11:00pm- Sleep. Tuck Stella under the covers. Smile at my dog sleeping on my feet. 

 

 

Yep, the driveway don’t go all they way to garage here. I’m ok with this…

 

I got my Christmas present.