Diva in Training...

Berkley got her new shoes in that we ordered from The Polka Dot Door. They are too small but she won't take them off. Watch the video and you'll see why! They are hot pink patent leather and they...



SQUEAK!!! Wee Squeaks are the best kids shoes. They ensure that your child is walking correctly...heel to toe! I ordered hers from The Polka Dot Door. You can also find them online at www.littlemonkeytoes.com. If you live here in BG...you will find it cheaper to get them there and not pay shipping!

Brock starts soccer tomorrow! We are so excited for him. Tonight is haircut night. He has to have this mop buzzed before he can play because he gets very very hot and the hair is not helping matters! Brock has decided that he wants a hamster. I think the Easter Bunny might bring him the hamster or maybe a bird. I think birds are better...and when they bite, they don't hurt as bad as a hamster! He was so cute the other day when we went to the park. He was begging to get one because he wants to name it buddy! I miss my little parakeet, YZ. He was such a nice bird and so much fun!

Everything else seems to be going well enough. I'm still having trouble with my arms, hands and elbows but because of out insurance deductible, the test costs $479.00 and that isn't going to happen right now! Life goes on I suppose.

Hope everyone is doing well. If this video would ever finish uploading, I would actually be finished with this post!!!

Blisters...

It's official. Brock DOES have hand, foot and mouth disease...YUCK! Even though it is called a "disease", it is a virus that he will get rid of. We had to take him back to the doctor yesterday for fear he was becoming dehydrated. It is hard to get anything down him. We may have gotten 2 cups of liquid down him yesterday. I hope it's a little better today. He was pitiful yesterday...crying, coughing, gagging. He didn't want to swallow his own spit. The doctor took one look in his throat and said, "oh yeah, it's hand foot and mouth." He has blisters all over the back of his throat. He called in a script called "Magic Mouthwash" and it numbs his mouth and throat. All he has to do is swish and spit. I put it in his mouth forcefully and told him to spit, which wouldn't normally have been a problem since he spits all medicine. I was saying "just spit it out, just spit it on the towel. He gagged and threw up. Ugh! POOR BABY! I feel so bad for him. Let's hope he drinks more today or it's off to the hospital for fluids. We keep telling him that if he doesn't drink, he will have to go to the hospital for a bad shot that will hurt really bad. That just seems to make him even more upset and then he coughs and gags until he throws up. The doctor said he seemed active and he wasn't worried about dehydration just yet. This all comes at such a terrible time. Greg and I are supposed to leave for Gatlinburg in the morning. The kids are staying with mom and I PRAY that they do well. Brock becomes very clingy to me when he is sick. Berkley got up this a.m. with a sporadic cough. I only hope she isn't getting it. We have been as careful as we can by washing our hands, not letting Brock get too close to her and making sure the passies are separate. That's all we can do really. If she is going to get it, she's going to get it I suppose.

Since we are going to be gone Sunday and part of Monday, we are celebrating my birthday this evening (it's really Monday) and also Father's Day. Just having a low key cookout at mom and dad's house.

Mom and dad had to put our dog Kane down yesterday. There is a wonderful vet in town that does house calls just to put animals down. It was time. Kane had stopped eating and drinking (unless you fed him and watered him by hand). The sarcoma had taken over his lungs and he was just in agony. She did it in a very peaceful way. She first put him to sleep with a medicine they would give an animal before surgery. The bad part of this was it took 3 shots to knock him out. She said that was enough to put down a full sized cow. Finally after the 3rd shot, he got sleepy and she let him go into his house which he loved so much. She unfortunately couldn't get a vein on him to use the euthanasia med and didn't have a needle long enough to inject the med into his heart so she injected it into his chest cavity. HORRIBLE I know. He was asleep though and was in no pain. He went very peacefully but all in all, it took 2 hours to put him down. From start to finish. The longest part was actually getting him to go to sleep. The euthanasia was fast. The vet stayed the whole time with mom and dad and was very loving and caring toward them and Kane. I called mom and she said they were burying him. They were both very upset. I cried too. It's so hard to have a pet for 8 years and to have them suffer and eventually have to be put down. When Marvin dies or has to be put down (he is already 12 and is in bad shape too) mom and dad aren't getting anymore dogs for a long time. Dad said he eventually wants to get a Beagle for the kids.

Anyhow, I need to get busy. Greg went and bought himself some outrageously expensive clothes yesterday ($89.50 for a shirt....85.00 for 3 pairs of shorts...EACH...and it goes on) so we are going to get me a few things today for our trip. For some reason, all Greg wants or can buy is Ralph Lauren clothes which is completely rediculous. Oh, wait...he got a pair of shorts at Old Navy...WOW! After all, I have 2 pairs of shorts that fit and only a few shirts....seriously. I may shop but I shop for the kiddos and never for myself. I think I need new clothes too.

More fever

Brock got up this morning with a fever of 102.3 which is the highest it has been so far. His symptoms seem a little better so I'm not really sure what the problem is. Mom and I got a good dose of Motrin down him and it is finally coming down. He hasn't been eating but we've managed to get some chocolate milk (when the fever is gone) and a lot of water down him. I slept a lot after the doctor yesterday and mom stayed so I could rest during the night. Thank God for her. I really needed that. I feel a little better but not up to par. I'm afraid that once I start to feel better, it will come back like Brock's sickness. I wish I knew what this is! My doctor said I had a fever which would explain the aching. I got a z-pack and he sent me on my way. No diagnosis as usual. If I hadn't been seeing him since I was 17 years old, I would switch doctors.

Pray that Berkley doesn't get sick. Greg and I are supposed to go to Gatlinburg this weekend and if Berkley gets sick, there's no way we can go. That isn't the issue really, I just don't want her to get this too.

I think Greg is coming home sometime today...let's hope that goes well as some things in life just aren't going to well right at this point in time. I'll leave it at that.

Our dog at mom and dad's, Kane is going to be put to sleep on Friday if he makes it until then. There is a vet that does house calls just for this. He is just too fragile and in too much pain to be loaded up and taken to the vet. She does it very painless as she puts him to sleep first. Kind of like what would happen if he was to have surgery. Then she gives him the euthanasia med. I will not be present. I've had one dog put down and won't go through that again. I will miss him terribly. He's been a part of the family since he was 6 weeks old and now he is 8 years old. Sad day. Mom was rushing home to check on him. He hasn't drank at all and will take one lap of water if you take the pan to him. He hasn't moved in days. It is all so sad.

Anyhow, Berkley is starting to fuss.

Much love to all.

Cancer...

It has struck again in someone you wouldn't expect at all...my dog. He's resided at my parent's house for 8 years now. We got him when he was 8 weeks old and he is now 8 year old. Shortly after getting him, I became allergic to dogs. :-( He had something wrong with his shoulder and they took him in. They first thought he sprained his shoulder. After 2 more weeks of not getting better, mom took him in on Friday and they did an x-ray. The doctor looked at it this morning and said that it is 90% sarcoma and has spread to his lungs. The mass in his lung is huge. We could amputate his leg (above the shoulder) but the doctor requires 8 rounds of chemo afterward...$900 a pop. He said it might prolong his life for 2 years. We aren't going to do that to him. As a farm dog, amputation just isn't an option. Mom is going to get him today and bring him home. The doctor said he might go quickly but if he didn't, we would know when it is time to put him down. This is very painful for him so they are medicating him and keeping him at home. I believe when it is time to put him down, they are also going to do it at home.

This is so sad for us. It might just be a dog, but Kane isn't an ordinary dog! Mom and Dad will know when it is time for him to go. Sad day.