Update on Beau: So far, So good!

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Carol Burnside / Annie Rayburn

Beau Jan 2013Here is Beau, home from hospital and recovering nicely from surgery, though the mass in his abdomen is inoperable. However, the new dearth of testosterone from the neuter process and the recommended treatment combo seems to be working. That is to say, (without all the yucky details) Beau’s digestive system is working and he’s eating well again.

The last week has been a series of coaxing him to eat, hand-feeding, finding the right combo to entice him (Boiled chicken, canned dog food and Libby’s canned pumpkin with a drizzle of bacon drippings and a side of fresh chicken broth to drink.)

His appetite is back, his tail is wagging and there’s a definite spring in his step again. Whew! We’re not totally out of the woods yet, but we’re very hopeful he’ll be with us for a good while longer.

That’s it for today. I’m off to cut up more boiled chicken!

Posted in Carol Burnside, Good News, Here at home, Pics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

We decided to leave Beau at the vet office one more day. He’s able to get around a bit and ate some, but with two other dogs here, we think he’ll be better off mending there a while longer. Things are looking…better. 🙂

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Carol Burnside / Annie Rayburn | 6 Comments

The Good, Bad and Uglies

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Carol Burnside / Annie Rayburn

The good:  Yesterday I woke up to sunshine and a light dusting of snow making everything appear more lovely than it was the day before. It was a rather cheerful sight, I thought. I decided it was going to be a good day. I was going to accomplish things and be creative. Yay!

Beau in Hawaii on beachThe bad: Then I went into Hubby’s office, where I was informed he was taking our eldest dog (Beau) back to the vet to re-discuss continuing bowel problems and weight loss. Beau didn’t come home with him, but instead went into immediate surgery. (Pic is of Beau in his prime during our tenure in Hawaii. He’s a terrific dog. A real sweetheart.)

The good: Hubby brought home the mail. In it was a box. Knowing it was filled with Seasons and Seashells books, which contains my short story Do Over, I tore into it. For the first time in my life, I held a print book with my name on the outside! Words cannot describe the feelings.

The uglies: Within minutes of Hubby’s return, we got a call from the vet. Softball-sized mass pushing on bowel. Possible cancer. Remove and treat or euthanize? Beau will be twelve in March, but neither of us is ready to let him go. We won’t let him suffer for our sake, but decide on the first option and will revisit the decision after treatment and recovery time.

So that’s it: The Good, Bad and Uglies of yesterday. I have to hope for the best with Beau and can’t help feeling that the good outweighed the bad. Perhaps the vision of that light cover of pristine snow put me in a positive frame of mind. Whatever the reason, I have my fingers crossed that the outcome will be good.

Posted in Annie Rayburn, Carol Burnside, Everyday blather, Here at home | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments