Elvis Will Be Back In The House

Happy 236th Birthday America!

I love the 4th of July.  I often vacillate between Thanksgiving and 4th of July being my very favorite holiday, because they have something in common for me.  I have always loved the 4th, with the exception of the past 5 years being in NV, and even then I loved the fact that fireworks were banned in NV*.  You might be wondering, how can the 4th be THAT special to me?  That is because the 4th of July has always meant "family" to me (just like Thanksgiving).  This would be the annual holiday when I could see most of my relatives in one place--my parents house.

*Yes, fireworks and the desert don't really go together, so it's the safest state to have your pup. We loved the fact that very few firecrackers were heard this time of year. Our dogs had no idea that in the rest of the country all the dogs were scared shitless.

Growing up in my teen years, my parents had a pool (now filled in and the house expanded over where the pool used to be), so our place was THE place to be for the 4th.  We'd swim all day, adults would drink all day, BBQ was consumed, and delicious desserts were shared.  At night, we'd do some fireworks, and everyone was happy.  I didn't appreciate it growing up--what teenager would?  But looking back, it was always fun.  As an adult, I realized I looked forward to that holiday more and more with each passing year, because I rarely got to see my aunts and uncles and cousins any other time of year.  It became a family reunion to me, and thus my favorite holiday.

When we moved to NV, it put an end to the party because it just became work for my parents.  Now that we are back, they've picked up the festivities again.  But sadly, we may not be there for it this year.  And that's OK.  We have something bigger happening right now.

We realized last Saturday morning that Abbytail was acting more unusual than normal.  She wouldn't take a treat.  Ladies and gents, this girl LOVES HER TREATS.  Well, she loves her Daddy too, but let me tell you, treats are VERY important to her.  Sometimes she just doesn't look like she feels well, so we thought she'd snap out of it.  Saturday night, she didn't want a bite of STEAK.  This has never happened before.  Then on Sunday, she still wasn't eating.  She passed on a garden fresh TOMATO.  I might get her to eat one bite, but then she would not want any more.  She was sluggish and lethargic with no energy at all.  Todd used the ear thermometer and we knew Sunday night she had a fever.  Her ears looked pale to me.

So Monday morning, Todd adjusted his schedule and took her into the vet.  They did tests on her and said something isn't right because she seems to have an infection and her immune system seems to be fighting itself.  They thought they saw a mass on her spleen and she was septic and anemic.  IMMEDIATE panic set in, because when we heard "mass" the thought of cancer immediately came swimming across our memories.  Cancer is prevalent in Goldens. They kept her overnight and gave her fluids and antibiotics intravenously.  She was only a little better the next day, Tuesday.  So we took her to a specialist in KC.  She is still there right now.  Our beloved Abbytail is in the doggy hospital. 

The vet says Abby has Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia.  Her blood is "clumpy".  This could be caused by a tick bite, or not.  We may never know what caused it.  But the good news?  It can be treated.  She is receiving steroids and antibiotics and fluids at the best place she could possibly be receiving care.  It happens to be the very same place Keystone as a puppy over 8 years ago received surgery to correct eye ulcers and eye lashes that were growing toward his eye instead of outwardly.  We have high faith in these people, because they are about the best you can possibly find.

That gives me comfort knowing where she is.  Right now, it's very hard for Todd and I to know our baby girl is in the hosptial and not home with her brother and both of us.  It's weird going to bed at night and only tucking one dog into bed.  It's horrible only handing out 2 treats in the morning instead of three.  Abby is our LEADER OF THE PACK.  She is ALWAYS the FIRST out the door.  Now Stones is sort of... leaderless.  It sucks.  We want our Tails back.  Our Boo-bette.  We miss her and our hearts ache for what she's going through.  But we have faith she will get better and be back at home any day now.  It might be today.  It might be tomorrow.  But she'll come home, I just know it.

Again we are so very thankful to be back in the KC area.  We might have to miss the party in Oklahoma this weekend, and that's just fine.  As long as we get our daughter back safe and healthy, that's all we want.

And now?  Here is our Abbytail doing her best Elvis impersonation (she can do a DOUBLE Elvis too where both sides of her cheeks go up):

Elvis, a.k.a. Abbytail, will be back IN THE HOUSE!