Life After Sepsis

Life after sepsis is different than before.  Now my weeks are filled with doctor appointments and tests. Last month I saw all my specialists and had a CT scan and a nuclear stress test. I have bloodwork every month to make sure that all the organs are functioning normally. We want to catch any changes quickly and assess them. The most recent test showed the liver and thyroid have returned to normal but the kidneys have not. I currently have stage 3 kidney disease but the nephrologist thinks they may still improve.

I take my blood pressure twice a day and record it. I take my temperature four times daily. These are two of the early signs of infection or sepsis returning. All the doctors check the numbers.

Daily life has changed. I walk unaided, even stairs.  No wheelchair, walker or cane. I do have to concentrate on walking because I have a tendency to drift to the left if I’m not paying attention. If you were walking behind me you might think I was drunk. 

I’m right handed and my right side has always been dominant but now it’s weaker than the left. I’m told it’s because all the seizures were on the left. At first it was very weak but now it’s only slightly so.

When I left the hospital I had a noticeable tremor in both hands and when stressed a tremor in my upper lip. Since my occupational therapy the hand tremor is minor unless I’m tired or upset. The one in my lip has been gone for about a month.

I had afib in the hospital but it’s been undetectable on my last few doctor visits. They’re still watching for it.

My appetite is still poor and I’m still losing weight. I force myself to eat at least twice a day and I drink more water than I’ve ever drunk. I tire easily and have to stop and rest, often in the middle of activities.

I have trouble sleeping and have nightmares frequently. I feel as if  my mind is trying to piece together the missing weeks. I also experience severe mood swings from anxiety, depression and anger. My therapist and I are working on that. One thing she suggested was that I visit the ICU. I did and it really helped. I saw my room and met several people who had cared for me. It was very emotional but gave me some answers and made me feel calmer.

The thing that bothers me most is my short term memory loss. I have to write down anything important because I may forget it. I also have trouble finding words as I’m speaking. The doctors assure me it will improve when the anxiety and depression are under control.

I thought I was dealing fairly well with all the changes, then I got hit with a new one. My hair started falling out, something no one had warned me about. Every day more came out on my pillow, in my brush and in the shower. Last week when I couldn’t stand the patches of scalp showing, I had a friend give me a buzz cut. Will it grow back, who knows? I keep telling myself, it’s only hair. I still have my life.

I AM A SEPSIS SURVIVOR !!

Recovery from Sepsis

The statistics on sepsis are not good. People with sepsis face a 15 to 30 percent chance of death. For those with severe sepsis or septic shock it climbs to 40 to 60 percent. One in three survivors is back in the hospital within 3 months with infection or sepsis.

According to the CDC, recovery from sepsis can involve some awful stuff: general weakness and fatigue, breathlessness, body pain and aches, difficulty moving, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, food doesn’t taste good, weight loss, dry itchy skin which may peel, brittle nails and hair loss.

Survivors may avoid people and want to isolate themselves, have flashback to their illness, confusion, anxiety, poor concentration, memory loss, anger, depression and frustration.

I am one of the lucky ones, but at times it hasn’t felt that way. I spent 17 days in the hospital, most of that time in the ICU. I only remember the last two days. The rest of the time I was either in a coma or drugged so heavily that I have no memories.  Rob and I are convinced that my brain was just protecting me from the whole painful experience by shutting down any memories.

The days I do remember are fuzzy. I couldn’t sit up by myself but the nurses started putting me in a wheelchair and pushing me to the bathroom. There they would help me, then put me back to bed. The feeding tube had been removed and I guess they brought me meals though I don’t remember a single meal. They said I refused to eat. I spent most of the time sleeping.

The doctor in charge of my case sat down and had a talk with me, the first time anyone had really told me what was happening.He did most of the talking because I had difficulty speaking. He explained my diagnosis and stressed that I had to start eating. He said he didn’t care what I ate or how much as long as I ate something several times a day. As if on cue Rob walked in with a McDonalds bag with a breakfast sandwich and a milkshake. The doctor had a big smile and said “perfect “. Do you thing they conspired on the timing? I think I had two bites of the sandwich and a few sips of the shake but they both seemed pleased.

The next thing the doctor said didn’t go over well. He said I was being transferred to a skilled nursing rehabilitation center. I wanted to go home.

The next day they strapped me into a wheelchair and a van took me to rehab. I was surprised how bright and quiet it was. I spent two weeks at rehab and I can’t say enough good things about it. The nurses and aides were all wonderful, friendly and attentive. The therapists were tough but did all kinds of extras, like a manicure and brushing my hair, to make me feel better. The doctor had himself had ehrlichiosis so he understood some of what I was dealing with.

This was my room.

The first couple days I mostly slept but they helped me sit up and even to stand. Then with an aide on each side they helped me actually walk to the bathroom. 

They were concerned that I didn’t want to eat so they sent the dietician to see me. She and I hit it off and she started making special meals that she thought I might like. After breakfast each day she would bring me a big bowl of fruit to snack on and before she left each day she brought me juice, fruit, chips and cheese crackers to snack on overnight. She even sent food for Rob so he could join me for meals and encourage me to eat. During the day nurses dropped by with juices and protein drinks. They wanted me well hydrated and getting more protein. I had a strong aversion to meat, caffeine and sweets. I learned that there’s a condition known as Alpha-gal that can be a result of ehrlichiosis. It’s an allergy to meat and dairy. They tested me but I was negative. I can eat meat, it just has no appeal.

After a couple days of getting acclimated the real work began. The doctor had told me I might need a wheelchair for six months but I didn’t agree. The nurses and therapists let me walk to the bathroom using a walker as long as one of them went with me. A sweet aide came and wheeled me to the whirlpool bath and she and Rob helped me in. It felt wonderful on my sore muscles. She started washing my hair and found that my hair was full of glue from the brain sensors. She and the therapists worked on my hair every day rubbing in conditioner to remove the glue. I still had a lot of glue left when I got home.

The physical and occupational therapists walked me up and down the hall every day with a gait belt around me so I couldn’t fall. They gave me exercises to work my fingers and they sat and talked with me to improve my speech. I asked if I could try stairs and the second week with one of them on each side I walked up and down three steps. I felt exhausted but I knew I wouldn’t need that wheelchair.

Isn’t this the cutest flower arrangement? The Lapdogs and their Mama sent it. We met years ago thru the blog and though we’ve never met in person, we are good friends. 

After two weeks the therapists said I was ready to go home if I agreed to have home health care. I did not want it but the doctor and Rob overrode my objections. That morning I had a special breakfast then a real shower. Finally the time came and Rob wheeled me out of my room. A couple people who had been in therapy with me came to say goodbye. When we got to the front desk my nurses, aides and the dietitian were all waiting for me. There was a big shopping bag  on the desk and I thought it was a present. It was the worst present ever. The bag was full of medicine, a thirty day supply. 

Getting home felt good but exhausting. I was too weak to connect with the dogs, though Mackey slept next to me every chance she could. Rob insisted I eat several times a day and kept getting me juice and protein drinks. I had lost 25 pounds in the hospital and was still losing.

Next I met my ‘home team’.  A nurse came weekly for a month to check on me and go over any changes in my meds. A physical therapist came weekly for two months and helped me learn to walk on my own. There were silly dance steps to improve balance and a timed game where I had to sit and stand designed to test my strength. The second month we began walking outside which included our front steps. Again I wore a gait belt on our walks so he could catch me if I fell.

My occupational therapist and I bonded right away. We played with therapy putty, used elastic bands and lifted weights. She saw some of my knitting and encouraged me to try it. At first it seemed awkward and slow but now I can do pretty well.

We talked a lot about my fears and expectations. She felt I was experiencing PTSD and called my doctor to recommend  talk therapy for it.  I was actually sad to see therapy end but they both felt I could  continue on my own and if I needed more help, it was available.

So now I was home and healing. Life was good again, right? Well not exactly.  Next post I’ll let you in on what life after sepsis is like.

Treatment of Sepsis

Sepsis is usually treated in an intensive care unit. Specialists in many fields may be involved. Depending on the stage of the illness and the organs involved treatment varies. The first step is

stabilizing the damaged organs.

Sepsis moves fast so treatment must too. Usually it starts with oxygen and antibiotics. If the source of the original infection is known, appropriate antibiotics can be started. If unknown, then several will be used. In my case I was intubated even though I was breathing on my own. The ehrlichiosis hadn’t been diagnosed yet so they were giving me four to six different antibiotics to try and stop the infection.

Then came the tests and scans. It was determined that my kidneys had failed so they started dialysis. Because my liver was failing I had severe anemia. That had to be addressed The doctors wanted to do a lumbar puncture but my platelets were too low so first they gave me platelet transfusions. I was having  seizures so they had me on continuous brain scans to watch them. They continued for five days and lasted from 20 to 40 minutes each. The neurologist started anti seizure drugs. My heart was beating fast and began to have irregular beats so the cardiologist began heart meds. Then there were the blood tests.

They tested for everything and the infectious disease doctor sent off a blood culture that finally showed what they were all looking for, the cause of the infection ….ehrlichiosis. That damn tick bite.

My hand and arm bruises from all the needles.

As I was still unconscious thru all this I had all sorts of tubes and wires keeping my body functioning. Once ehrlichiosis was discovered they started doxycycline and I soon came out of the coma. Then I made some good attempts at removing the feeding tube and oxygen. I’m told the nurses and I had some battles about that. After two weeks in ICU, I was finally transferred to a room in the general hospital to rest and start the long recovery.

Symptoms of Sepsis

How does sepsis make itself known? While it’s doing its destruction on the inside of the body it’s showing some signs on the outside that need to be recognized and dealt with quickly. Of course not all people will show all symptoms but a combination of several should be addressed.

In this list I’ll put the symptoms I experienced in bold letters.

Rash - this is more common in children

Clammy skin

Weakness

Fast heartbeat

Low blood pressure-systolic less than 100

Fever or hypothermia- low body temperature 

Shaking or chills 

Shortness of breath 

Reduced urination

Confusion or agitation 

Slurred speech

Extreme muscle pain

Of course some of these are the “flu like symptoms” we always hear about but combined with a possible infection from any source, sepsis can be already setting in and the damage to the organs can be permanent or even fatal.

This was my diagnosis in alphabetical order:

Ehrlichiosis chafeensis

Severe sepsis

Acute posthemorrhagic anemia

Acute kidney failure 

Acute metabolic acidosis

Acute viral hepatitis

Disseminated intravascular coagulation 

Dysphagia oropharyngeal phase

Encephalitis and encephalomyelitis

Hepatic encephalopathy 

Hepatic failure 

Migraine 

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Pneumonia 

Pure hypercholesterolemia

Thrombocytopenia

Toxic encephalopathy 

Unspecified convulsions 

Sepsis affects the whole body, the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, 

liver, thyroid and of course the blood. And sepsis moves fast. I came within 90 minutes of dying. This isn’t something with which you want to take a wait and see position. If someone has a combination of symptoms and a possible infection, get them to a hospital as fast as possible.

Sepsis isn’t to be taken lightly.

Sepsis Awareness Month

 Until recently I, like most of you, was vaguely aware of sepsis. I knew it was bad and often fatal but I didn’t know the details such as the symptoms, treatments and after effects. I didn’t know the frequency of cases or the statistics on survival. But that all changed for me over the past four months. I am now a survivor of sepsis and I live with the aftermath.

September is Sepsis Awareness Month and I’ll be sharing my experience and what I’ve learned with you. You are certainly free to tune out because it doesn’t sound like much fun but if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone including someone you love or even you. We all need to know the signs. 

Septicemia or sepsis used be referred to as blood poisoning. It happens when the immune system is overwhelmed by infection. The infection can come from anywhere. It can be as big as a result of surgery to as small as a scratch from a dog. Consider that for a minute. Mine was caused by a bite from a tick carrying the ehrlichia  bacteria.

There are three stages. Sepsis, severe sepsis (which I had), and septic shock. In the United States there are 1.7million cases of sepsis annually. Of those 270,000 people die.

In my next post I’ll introduce you to the symptoms. Stay safe everyone.

Sleeps

 Ruby Rose asked a good question today. She asked where we sleep and in what positions. I’ll even show you my favorite way to sleep. But first the others.

Syd sleeps in her pen in the garage. She likes it there because she has privacy and none of the rest of us can get in. She has lots of blankets and pillows and she rearranges them every couple of days. She sleeps curled in a ball and likes to bury herself under a bunch of blankets even in summer.

Mackey has beds all over the house. She chooses which one suits her at any particular time. She also sleeps on the couch and naps on the big bed with Dad. She  usually sleeps curled in a tight ball but sometimes sleeps on her side.

Boston sleeps in his crate at night and likes to stretch out on his side or his back with his feet in the air.

Then there’s me,Thistle. At night I sleep in my crate but during the day I like to sleep on the cool tile floor in the kitchen. I sleep on my back with my feet propped against the wall just like Mom’s Water Dogs used to do. But here is my very favorite way to sleep.

Thistle

Mom’s Home

Our Mom was gone for a long time. Dad was here with us at night but in the mornings he left to visit Mom. Even when he was here he was pretty busy talking on the phone and messing with lots of papers. We were pretty nervous. Where was Mom and when was she coming back to us? 

But now she’s home and spends lots of time with us.

Everything is good again.

Mackey

Remember Me?

 Hi Bloggers,

I’m back and I’m walking, talking and breathing on my own. This has been a horrendous experience that no one should have to go thru. Please everyone, take tick bites seriously.

Back in the middle of March I noticed a bite on my left ankle. I didn’t know what had bitten me, just that it was red and itchy. I put some cream on it to stop the itch and didn’t pay much more attention to it.

A few days later I started feeling achy and lost my appetite. I slept a lot but didn’t seem to be getting any better so on March 19th I went to the emergency room. I had a fever, headache, a cough and body aches. In other words, flu like symptoms. They tested me for Covid and flu, both negative. They did a blood test, chest X-ray and urinalysis. Then they sent me home with a diagnosis of a viral infection and said to drink lots of fluids.

I stayed in bed all week getting sicker and weaker. By the following weekend I couldn’t stand up by myself or hold a spoon to eat. Rob said I needed to go to the ER but when he touched my leg to help me up I had a seizure, then lost consciousness. He called an ambulance.

By the time I arrived at the ER I had a high fever and sepsis. Then my organs started shutting down. I had kidney failure, liver failure, swelling in the brain, extreme anemia etc. My heart and brain continued to function but I was dying. Special lab tests showed that I had Ehrlichiosis from a tick bite

The doctors intubated me, did dialysis,  gave me blood transfusions and did MRIs, CT scans and constant brain scans to monitor my seizures. I had seizures for five days each lasting 20 to 40 minutes. I was in a coma for eight days. Then I woke up. 

I don’t remember my time in the ICU or much of my time in the hospital at all. I couldn’t sit up by myself or feed myself. I had trouble speaking and slept most of the time. Finally I was transferred to a skilled nursing rehab center for a two week stay where they helped me learn to walk and speak and use my hands. I was on seizure meds and heart meds and meds for an ulcer. They brought me my favorite foods and made me promise to eat.

I went into the hospital on March 26 and finally came home on April 24. I had lost 30 pounds and needed either a walker or a person beside me to walk and no stairs.

Then the real work started. A nurse and a physical therapist and an occupational therapist each came every week for two months and worked with me. I have exercises I still do daily but they all have discharged me.

So where do things stand now? I can walk unaided, no more walker or wheelchair. I still force myself to eat, no appetite. I have several specialists I see regularly. My cardiologist took me off the heart meds. The neurologist took me off the seizure meds just last week. My liver is back to normal. My thyroid is back to normal. My kidneys are almost normal. Last week I had a CT scan that showed no hemorrhaging in the brain and a nuclear stress test that showed my heart is strong. I still have a tremor in my hands but it’s better  than it was and my neurologist has prescribed B12 injections to help that and my appetite. I’m also seeing a psychologist for PTSD.

And because I’ve been working so hard to recover and because Boston was so lonely without me, this little guy has joined the family and become my couch buddy. Meet Thistle! He’s a five month old Collie/ Poodle mix.

So that’s it for now. I’ ll catch up on blog news and keep in touch. BE CAREFUL OF TICKS. They can kill you.

Just the Basics

Sue's health is improving every day even though she gets frustrated, and wishes the whole thing gone. That reminds me i have to pick out a ball of yarn, and some pairs of kntting needles. Should help regain hand and eye sync. I am going to have you wait for any details that Sue wants to share about her experience, out of respect for her privacy. The prayers and best wishes keep pouring in from all over the planet. I have just approved several dozen comments. Sue also received a beautiful arangemen of flowers from one of her onling frients, We don't have a go fund me site but the checks and money orders just come in directly. Thanks for all the support.I expect to have Sue home sometime late this week or early next week. She will then recieve home health support while she regains her strength. I have met many wonderful people during this trial, Doctors, Nurses,LPN,People that change the sheets, and run the whirlpool bath, or just a nice person in the next room.. The latest pet is getting impatient and I don't want a cleen up job at what ever hour this is so I wish you all a good night!!!!! Robert

STAYING ALIVE and LIVING WITH HOPE AND GRATITUDE

HI, THIS IT ROBERT W. HALL, NO THE W.IS NOT FOR WILCOX IT IS JUST WILLIAM AFTER MY GOD FATHER,UNCLE BILL. SUE IS NOT READY FOR E MAILS, BUT CARDS DONATIONS AND FLOWERS AND A NEW PORTUGUESE WATER DOG PUPPY, IF THERE IS ONE THAT NEEDS A FREE ADOPTION WOULD EACH AND ALL RAISE HER SPIRIT AND HASTEN HER RECOVERY. I REALLY MISS HER AT HOME DOING ALL THE WORK I AM PICKING UP NOW THAT COMPRISES HER EVERY DAY. IF YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR SUE PLEASE USE MY E MAIL ADDRESS {SAMBA771@YAHOO.COM}I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PUPPY, DEPOSIT THE CASH, WATER THE FLOWERS,FOWARD ALL THE MESSAGES {UNCENSORED},AND REPLY AS SOON AS SHE TRUSTS ME WITH HER YAHOO PASSWORD. ON RECOVERY WE WILL JOINTLY DISPOSE OF THE DECAYING FLOWERS, SPEND THE CASH ON A GREAT ITALIAN FEAST, AND LOVE THE PUPPY RIGHT UP TO THE DAY IT PASSES OVER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE AND FOEVER AFTER ADMIRE YOUR NAMES CARVED INTO OUR BORDER FENCE. SO AGAIN: 1} MESSAGES GO TO SAMBA771@YAHOO.COM 2} I WAS ONLY KIDDING ABOUT THE CASH IT WOULD BE CRAZY TO SEND CASH THROUGH THE USPS, CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS ARE SAFER 3] FLOWERS GO TO 971 EAST BLUFF DRIVE SPRINGFIELD, MO 65803 THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE TO YOU FOR THE COST OF FOWARDING THEM TO MARANATHA PREMIER REHABILATION 4} OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT IS "AVANZARI" 5} I DON'T REALLY NEED HER PASSWORD TO REPLY TO MESSAGES SENT TO MY YAHOO ACCOUNT. 6} SUE MISSES HER TIME IN BLOGVILLE WITH ALL OF YOU, WITH OVER 2MILLION READERS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS THAT NEEDED TO BE VETTED EACH DAY, AND COMING UP WITH NEW WAYS TO WRITE ABOUT DOGS,HAS LEFT ME A VERY LONELY MAN AT TIMES. I CAN COOK FOR MYSELF, DO THE LAUNDRY, CLEAN DOG VOMIT OUT OF THE CARPET, RUN THE WHOLE HOUSE VACCUUM, MOW THE LAWN AN CLEAN THE GUTTER WITH OUT FALLING OFF A LADDER. TODAY WITH OUT HER NEAR ME AT HOME I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL MY FREE TIME. WITH ALL MY LOVE TO ALL OF YOU IN BLOGVILLE SINCERELY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR ALL THE JOY AND FRIENDSHIP AND FUN OUR HOME HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH YOU TOUCHING OUR LIVES. ROBERT W. HALL PS:PLEASE LOOK UP THE 8 SERIOUS PLAGUES CARRIED BY TICKS AND TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS

ALIVE

We take it for granted that each morning we will wake up, but it is never a certainty.Sue an I laid down for our nights rest about a month ago, each of us with our current book in hand. 'I'm not enjoying this book you can bring it back to the library tomorrow", never did I comprehend those were the last words I might have listened to from the love of my life, my partner, bookkeeper,and the master of pets in our house. The next morning I got up and took care of the dogs needs as was my normal routine. Sue woudl get up about an hour later and join me for a cup of coffee while I was downing my seond cup. Not a morning person, I learned through long experience that conversation was not to be started until about ten oclock, Sue's not a morning person. Sue had not been feeling well since receiving a tick bite a couple of weeks past, Emergency, and our regular physicians thought she had a virus and would shake it in a week to ten days, but both were wrong. Not able to get Sue up, I called for an ambulance and made the trip behind the rescue team to the hospital Where I learned she was in serious trouble. The tick bite that Sue and I thought was a spider bite had caused total liver and kidney failure, and swelling of the brain. She would be unconcious for the better part of a week in a ICU bed while a team of Doctors tried to figure out what the cause was. One of the eight diseases that ticks can transmit was only an hour or two away from killing her when we made it to the Emergency Room. WARNING: DON'T IGNORE A TICK BITE. IF YOU START HAVING PAIN IN YOUR JOINTS, FEVERS THAT COME AND GO, AND A COMPLETE LACK OF INTEREST IN FOOD, GET TESTED.DONT ASSUME A VIRUS OR FLUE. SUE IS RECOVERING IN A REHAB SETTING AFTER A LONG STAY IN AN ICU BED. YOUR COMMENTS AND WELL WISHES WILL BE WELCOME. I AM ROBERT, THE OTHE HALF OF THE PORTUGUESE WATER BLOG. SORRY NO PICTURES IN THI POST. WHEN SUE COMES HOME PERHAPS WE CAN REVIVE MY ATTEMPT TO GET THIS MESSAGE OUT TO EVERYONE

My Little Puppy

Well, it's been a couple weeks since I reported on Boston. He's been very busy growing during that time. Need proof?

Remember this picture? It was taken on Christmas Day.

This picture was taken last night. 

In the first shot he weighed 6.5 pounds. At his weigh-in last week he was 27 pounds and the way he eats I'm sure he's closer to 30 by now.

Also, notice the ears. We met his mama and she is a lovely chocolate Lab. We were told that his daddy was an Australian Shepherd but we think his daddy is actually Dumbo the Elephant. Those ears are huge. The vet thinks mama had something going on with a hound dog and has revised his prediction about size. Originally Dr B thought Boston would become a small Lab but now he says that he'll be a BIG dog. That's ok with me. I like big dogs.

Boss does a great 'sit' and a very dramatic 'down'. He's food motivated but also wants desperately to please so training is much easier than with Mackey who doesn't care the least about pleasing anyone and thinks rules don't apply to her.

Here's a pic of baby Boston napping.

And here is big boy Boston.

I'm trying to keep up with blogging but as you can see I have a major distraction. Still Boston wants to show you what a good boy he is.

We'll be back really soon, We promise.

Bigger and Bigger

 This picture of Mackey and Boston was taken in January 1st.

This picture of Mackey and Boston was taken on February 4.

Boston seems to grow taller every day.

Everything in the house is moving to higher ground. Doors are kept closed and gates are up across stairs and hallways. He's curious about everything.

 

The Gnome A Month Club

 So, are you wondering where I've been and what's been keeping me busy besides young Boston? Well I guess I might as well confess. My Ravelry group had a knit-along challenge. We were given a year to make a gnome. I guess I must be a little  obsessive compulsive because when I started my gnome in mid January I suddenly had dozens of ideas swirling in my mind. Then I came up with the brilliant idea of making not one gnome but twelve gnomes, one to represent each month of the year long challenge. OK, that wasn't such a bad idea. I could make a gnome each month for a year. That would be fun.But no, here's where the OCD part come in. I made all 12 gnomes at once. I started mid January and finished the first week of February. Want to meet my gnome family?

Presenting January Gnome...

February Gnome....

March Gnome...

April Gnome....

May Gnome...

June Gnome...

July Gnome...

August Gnome....

September Gnome..

October Gnome...

November Gnome...

December Gnome....

So I'm done with my gnomes and I can go on to obsess over the next project. I'll introduce you to some other obsessions soon.

And just because I can't leave without a pic of Boston.

Oh Boy, Snow!!

 We woke up this morning to several inches of snow. Rob and I were not all that pleased but Boston thinks it's absolutely wonderful. Now when we go out he can toss snow in the air and try to catch it, dig for buried treasure such as sticks, make snow pupangels and leave great yellow markings for whoever comes by.

What do you mean we just came in and can't go out again immediately?

 Well, I'll just wait here until you drink that hot coffee, then we can go out and play again.

Fortunately, he fell asleep while waiting and I got a chance to get a few things done.

Truce

 Mackey and Boston play pretty nicely outside BUT inside there's a lot of growling from Mac and high pitched barking from Boston. However we occasionally get a truce, especially when there is food being prepared.

Then we go back to making a lot of noise.

A Puppy's Work Is Never Done

 Boston is growing fast. We can almost see his legs getting longer each day. He saw Dr B on Friday and had doubled his weight since last visit.  He's now almost 13 pounds. Another change, he didn't fall asleep during his exam this time. Instead he tried to chew the doc's hands off. 

He keeps very busy each day except for his two hour naps that happen suddenly in the middle of play. He just stops whatever he's doing, goes into his crate and sleeps to recharge the battery. When he comes out he's ready for action.

He tries to be helpful around the house, like when he helps load the dishwasher.

When he hears it open he comes running to help.

He has a full time job fighting off dinosaurs.

But he's also very busy perfecting his basketball technique.

Is that the move that made Michael Jordan famous?

Life is not dull with Boston around.