Thursday, May 29, 2008

Best Dog Ever

My best friend passed away this morning. We had almost 11 years together. He was the very BEST DOG EVER, and I will miss him like crazy.



This is going to be hard… He was a few months shy of 11. We beat “bloat” and an oral sarcoma. But seems he likely had cancer in his spleen that was bleeding into his abdomen. The prognosis wasn’t at all promising. But he was such a good boy – he stopped breathing as the doc was telling me the options. He didn’t make me choose. He didn't die while I was out of town over the weekend. He didn’t die at a “strange” clinic, and he didn’t die at home, where it would have been nearly impossible for me to move him at 107 lbs. of literally dead weight. He waited 'til he got to his oncologist’s office, and waited for me to join him in the room. He had people around him that loved him, including the doc’s office manager, also named Kobi.(!) It was the best possible scenario given the circumstances. SUCH a good dog. SO MANY happy memories.

goodbye, my lovely boy

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Ups, downs and long roads home

Went to visit the fam-damily for a long Memorial Weekend. Saw some cousins I haven't seen in almost a decade. They have 3 beautiful little boys, ages 3-9. Folks, sister, 2 nieces and myself rented a mini-van and drove from Seattle to central Oregon. Some 6 plus hours, and/but my adorable 3 and 10-year-old nieces were terrific. Mimi (3) didn't cry even once during the drive, and Lex (10) was completely good, quiet and reasonable - didn't complain about boredom or nothin'. We stayed at a Sup*er*8 for a couple nights and swam in the eyes - are - burning - from - the - over - chlorinated - pool and ate out of the is - that - all - they - have - vending - machine and the they're - out - of - everything - beverage - machine... But it was Memorial Weekend, and the small town we were in was hosting a youth baseball tournament. Every place we went--the pool, the pizza place down the street--were packed with kiddos and out of everything. Quarters for the kid room at the pizza parlor went suddenly extinct... the quarter machine went belly up and the cashiers were out as well. Let the begging commence! All in all, though, it was a great time.

Oh, pictures... you want pictures? Yeah, me, too. But I forgot my camera. I did get a couple of copies of the portraits they just had done at Sears, so I'll scan and post those in a few days. SUCH beautiful girls.

Haven't heard anything much on the adoption front in the last couple weeks, but I understand that I will be considered for a little girl that is available. She's 10. And beautiful. And precocious. Not all fun and games, though. There are some issues that will need work. I should know in a couple weeks or less if I'll be chosen to parent her. And still have my homestudy out for a couple other placements. The difficult two-some mentioned in a previous post (involving poo on walls) are not available, so I don't have to contemplate that further. I'll post any new news as it comes! And I'll try not to be so sporadic in my posts. (And in response to a previous query as to my considering foster-adopt, I have considered it, and the group I'm working with on the adoption nearly requires it, but it's not a good choice for me at this moment. I may move in that direction in six months, a year, or two years... we'll see.)

Finally, my Kobi-dog doesn't seem to be doing very well. We go in tomorrow for a regular oncology check-up, but that's not the issue - I don't think. He's bloated (but it's not "bloat"), lethargic and his appetite is way down. He seemed pretty punk when I was leaving town last Thursday, but I thought maybe it was just because he knew I was going. Except that his tummy seemed a little full, and he didn't quite finish his food - which was odd. He stayed with a friend, and I checked in with her. He didn't get any worse, and was actually eating and was somewhat chipper. But when I got home last night, I could tell in about two minutes that he was absolutely not okay. I checked in with his regular vet, and they couldn't take him. I called to see if we could move up his check-up scheduled for tomorrow, but couldn't do that either. The doc said, though, to take him off his herbs and give him some pep*cid*ac. I also fed him a chicken breast and brown rice mixed with some baby food of similar content. And he's been drinking water fine. And hasn't been throwing up or anything. So... Hopefully, it's nothin' big and we can go on enjoying a couple more years. Even if we're livin' on borrowed time as it is. My boy...

Monday, May 12, 2008

QUICK catch up *updated*

Nothing to report kid-wise. Not a word. Not a nibble. Na-da. Just super busy with work. My bff has been working on screenplays and documentary narration writing, etc. We shot a music video Saturday that was months in the planning. It's just a fan video that will go on YouTube. I'll post it when it's completed if I'm not too embarrassed... :) I've already decided that because of my work... and because of google... I will not have my name listed in the credits for the video. That's not out of embarrassment, but rather just trying to maintain my professional env*iron*mental advocate status. Anywhoo, I'm looking forward to a short vacation and getting to see my nieces over Memorial Weekend! But now, I gotta get back to work.

UDPATE: Well, wouldn't you know it about two hours after posting I got a call from my adoption worker with 3 possible placements, including one group of 2 siblings. But wow... these kiddos are all really messed up. Of the sibling group, the 5-year-old boy has loud outbursts and meltdowns and wipes feces on the wall. Not sure if the shit-thing was a one-timer or if that's a consistent behavior. The 4-year-old girl also has temper tantrums. Don't know many kids who don't. And I'd hope that with intensive therapy over time, these kids would do better. Also a 6-year-old boy that was termed "emotionally disabled"... which frankly scared me a bit. I passed on him. The third was a soon to be 8-year-old boy who throws tantrums whenever he doesn't get what he wants. He was exposed to alcohol and cocaine in the womb, has ADHD and impulse control problems, and has terrible eating habits (likes junk - won't eat healthy food). I'm suppose to get more info soon so that I can decide whether or not I want to be considered for any of these kiddos. (right now I'm just shaking my head - not as in "no," but rather "wtf am I getting myself into?")