Fulfilling a need

Spending every summer on Keuka Lake in upstate New York has created in me this inner need that must be fulfilled every year.  Lake time.  I need to smell the water, hear the grumbling of boat engines, ducks quacking and the sound of the waves hitting the pylons as boats pass by.  Sadly, this year, we won't be making that trek up to Keuka, so we have found a slight alternative that just might get me through the year.  Blackjack Cove on Old Hickory Lake.

This was our second visit and have pretty much decided that if I should go missing this summer...you will find me here. Boat drinks, fried catfish, bands playing and good friends...yep, basically I am set for the summer.  We took Anna to Keuka Lake last year and I imagine she doesn't quite remember it, so her lake love will be instilled starting this year and will be (hopefully) solidified next year at Keuka.

Seriously.  Cutest kid ever.

John's parents are in town for the Easter weekend, so we called up our "brunch crew" and all made a night of it.

The men-folk solving all the worlds problems.

Mom!  I want to eat!

Anna fell in love with the ducks and we even got to see a couple fish...her new obsession.  Don't even mention Nemo...

The ladies gabbing about jobs, babies, pregnancy and life in general.  Oh...and just how great the evening was.

 

Anna getting to spend some great time with her Grandma and Poppa.  All was well in her world.  And my lake need was slightly fulfilled and left me yearning for our next visit to Black Jack Cove...and even more for next summer's adventures at Keuka.

34 weeks and 5 days

I can't believe I am actually posting this pictures...but the belly must be documented.  It has been a rough day, nay, a rough week but the belly keeps growing.

I thought it looked like he had dropped since this post, but I am not so sure anymore.  He feels to finally be head down (based on hiccup location) and he certainly seems to trying to be kicking his way down.  I will have my first exam and Group-B strep test next week...so we will see if I have any progress!

Abbie update

We started steroids yesterday in hopes that will help reduce inflammation and further discomfort.  She can still be on muscle relaxers but must refrain from any pain relievers while taking the steroids. 

Praying this will work and help her relax and hopefully allow whatever is out of place in her back/neck to go back.

Just found this image in my library...she was none too happy with us.

A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

That about sums it up.  I had to take Abbie back to the vet this morning for a follow-up and to inevitably hear bad news.  For those that don't know she has had some problems with her back knees and went to the vet about two weeks ago for shots and follow-up diagnostics.  From that appointment, we actually had pretty decent news, she wasn't limping and surgery did not seem eminent.

That next weekend we traveled to Atlanta where she quickly went from sad to screaming.  No eating, barely moving...etc.  After returning home, we called the vet to give an update and he thought maybe she strained her neck from the stress of the appt, travel and anxiety.  So we started some muscle relaxers (this coupled with a daily pain pill, fish oil and glucosamine for her joints).  Well, it just hasn't helped and both John and I knew something else must be wrong.

That brings us to this morning.  Back to the vet we go, after an examination he suspects a slipped  or herniated disk in her neck.  We are wisked over to a vet Neurologist (I didn't even know this existed!) at another practice for a consultation.  Dr. House was very sweet and basically gave us three possibilites and outcomes.

1. Herniated disk.  Most likely after reviewing her symptoms.  This is a VERY expensive surgery with about a 4-6 week recovery time in a crate.  :(

2. Tumor.  Probably worst case as it would more than likely end her life very quickly.

3. Spiral Meningitis.  This is the least likely problem but the easiest to fix.  Dr. House said it would be very rare for a bulldog her age to contract this but steroids would completely cure her.

The diagnostic testing alone will be about $2,000 plus the expensive (VERY expensive) surgery on top of that. 

As hard as it is to figure out what we need to do since that really isn't in our budget right now, it is even harder listening to her cry every time she moves.  We did get some better pain medication to help her over the next couple days. 

For those that know us, you know our dogs hold a very special place in our heart.  For me, I want to do anything and everything I can...if only money trees existed.  It truly is breaking my heart to know she is suffering right now.

Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts.  I know this isn't going to be easy.

my love

Last Friday was our 5 year anniversary and I actually started this post weeks ago...just now making it relative after the fact. 

I heard this quote the other day and I believe it is from a movie..

Love is a temporary madness. 

It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. 

And when it subsides you have to make a decision. 

You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. 

Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.

 

For some reason, this really struck a cord with me and sat with me for awhile.  What a wonderful way of expressing how love changes and grows and soon your lives become one together.  Living, working, loving...everything you will share.

 

 

 

John, I hope you find that our tree roots intertwining like I do.  We truly have been through so much and yet our roots remain strong.  We now have a beautiful daughter and a little boy on the way, every day bringing a surprise and a comfort that only the lives we have built can provide.  

 

I love you beyond comprehension.

 

Here is to 5 and hopefully many more.