Freckles Marie

Freckles passed away yesterday.   It was not as gentle and uneventful as I had hoped.   Our vet was closed for the holiday weekend, so we had to drive her 45 minutes away to an emergency pet hospital.  She did sleep on my daughter's lap on the way there and my husband and I talked to her and loved on her as she went to sleep in the vet's office.  We're all pretty heartbroken, but there is a feeling of relief as well that she is not suffering.  She really went downhill fast over the weekend, getting so much worse from Sunday to Monday. 

I'd like to say she was a "good girl" as everyone says about their dogs but she rarely got called that.  I called her "crazy woman" or "Freckie"

most of the time.  When I'd say "who's a good girl?", I'd always say "we don't know any do we?"  Freckles was loving, on her terms.  She was the queen of the world with her own boundaries, her preferences.   We loved that little tiny bundle of attitude so very much.   I'll miss the way she would suprise me with a lick in the nostril and the way she'd fake snap when you'd lean in close to love on her.  I'll miss her little underbite and the way her tongue stuck out between her  snaggle teeth.  Her little bug eyes, barrel shaped body and teeny feet.   The way she'd sit outside and pine if both of us girls were gone someplace and she'd been left with only boys to take care of her and to let her in and out and in and out and in and out.   I miss how she snored with her little crooked nose.   

I don't know what we're going to do without her.   

Sadness.

We found out Friday that our little Freckles has a tumor near her spine that is inoperable by a normal vet.  Our vet gave us the number of a specialist, but said that he did not recommend treatment.  She had a tumor removed about a year and a half ago and had to spend 5 weeks in a crate.  That time, she was vigorous and healthy going into it, but this time, she's weak.  She's been losing weight, not eating much and throwing up frequently.   We're trying to give her a gentle time here at home, carryng her out to go potty and hand feeding her.  It's sad though and I can feel the weight of it on me 24 hours a day.  She doesn't seem to be in pain.  She lies around all the time but when you talk to her, she'll roll over for you to rub her tummy and she looks at us interestedly when we walk by and talk to her.  She does not seem to be suffering all the time.   I'm not sure what to do.  Prayers please. 

Soon!

Soon, we'll get to go to restaurants and have meals with other people, I assume.  I'm not sure how it will work if I have to be 6 feet away from the people I'm having dinner with, if they're not from my household?  I'm ready though.   This past week, my aunt commissioned my daughter to make some special art for her granddaughters and yesterday they came and met us in the driveway (at a safe distance) to pick it up.  On the way, they picked up another cousin and her daughter and granddaughter, so we got to see 5 people!!    It was great.  We stood in the driveway and talked for an hour.  I miss that kind of thing so much.   

I hope you all are doing well.  If you need a pick me  up, go watch all the episodes of John Krasinski's SOME GOOD NEWS on Youtube.  It's fantastic.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXdKrtmexWU    Get the tissues handy because there might be happy tears. 

Gearing Back Up.

At work, we're starting now to do outpatient procedures, so maybe, our workload will pick up.  I've been sorting and organizing and alphabetizing and cleaning things.  It's been crazy not-busy most days.  Monday is usually an exception, pretty busy.  Come what may, I'm going in 2 hours earlier today and working for 6 hours, not 4.   I'm not really very happy about it, because I have a UTI and feel like crap.  But that's life, right.  That's just how it works.   I'm hopeful that my husband and young adults will be able to leave the house soon or at least have people over.   It's been a crazy, crazy time.  Really, when you think about it, it's not that bad.   We just have to stay home more than usual and take more precautions when we do go out. 

Here are some pictures from home.

Cosmo turning his head to the side when you say "food?".  

Everything is getting so green and beautiful.  This is from the bottom of our driveway.   

My view from inside my car the other day.  Zelda did not want to get off of my car so I could go to work.  

A different, funnier view of Cosmo.  

A piece of art I made during drive in church the other day.

The masks my daughter made and donated to the nonprofit hospital system I work for.  They sent her a very nice thank you letter.    Some people out there are wearing some very fashionable masks.  :-)  

Great article on Homeschooling.

Life Learning Homeschool

Go and read it, her experiences remind me of our homeschool, but she's a better writer than I am.