Maggie dog

My sweet Maggie, a dog everyone thinks is one of the sweetest dogs they've ever met, is in pain.

For the past couple of weeks she's been yelping occasionally when she takes a step. It's nothing I could see or feel, nothing that bothered her when I moved her front leg around, palpated her leg, shoulder, foot. Just the occasional yip of pain. Ok, so she's 10 years old and maybe arthritis is setting in. I wasn't terribly concerned.

Until I moved her neck.

She began to shiver in pain, holding her head to the right and holding her foot off the ground.

She went to the vet yesterday on an emergency visit and they drew bloods. Her kidney problems are at least stable (a month of k/d, herbal kidney support pills and lots of water). Thinking it's a pinched nerve and having limited time yesterday, we took her back today for x-rays.

There's definitely something on the films and it's with a disc in her neck. She's either got a disc that's calcifying, an infection, or, worst case, cancer.

For an additional $150, the films are being sent to a radiologist to see if s/he can further refine a diagnosis without being invasive.

She's on an anti-inflammatory - Deramax - I think it's a steroid - for 2 weeks and when the senior vet comes back from vacation, depending on the probable diagnosis, we're going to discuss accupuncture and chiropractic for her. Yup, he does those things for dogs. If it is cancer, god forbid, we're going to discuss palliative care.

The vet brought up something else as well. Maggie has had adult onset parvo, off and on kidney problems for years, and a host of other issues that generally healthy dogs don't get. She brought up the idea that maybe her immune system isn't normal. Whether it's genetic or acquired who knows, but it's an interesting thought. Not one I'm happy with, but not something to ignore, either.

If we can and do go ahead with the accupuncture and chiro for her, that means she's going to have to stay relatively calm for 6-8 weeks. Uh huh. It's roughly like telling a 3 year old they can't run and play. She may be 10 but she's got a lot of puppy in her. She's gonna need it.

Mini-Intervention

I want your honest opinions about this, both the idea of it and what I plan to say.

At some point in the next week or so, probably after the closing when there's less chance for her to fuck it up, I want to approach my SIL and essentially have a mini-intervention. It doesn't have to include Debbie. In fact, it's probably better if it doesn't. SIL is more likely to hear me if she's not also stressing with Deb. You might think they're like oil and water...they're more like kerosene and a match.

Ok, so here's what I plan to say:

B, I know you might not want to listen to me, I'm sure you don't, but I have to say something to you. Before you say anything, please hear me out. Let me say all of it before you respond.

I've been a part of this family for 18 years. I am really honored and blessed to have been accepted by your parents and you as a member of the family. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

I know you've got to be absolutely terrified right now. I can't imagine being in your shoes. The last few years and especially few months have been extremely hard on everyone and I've been worried about you for a while. I've watched you become more and more depressed, withdrawn and angry. The house was never that clean or organized, but at least it was liveable. There was always running water, heat, and looked like a house. We had no idea it had become so bad. If we did, we would have intervened/helped, something, a long time ago. You have to admit, you were living in dangerous, unhealthy, horrible conditions. I really think you need professional help. I think your depression has gotten way out of control. I really wish you would go for help. I know you don't have insurance and money is really tight, but the women's center in Danbury is a really good start. I think they can even see you for a limited time for free. At least it's a start. I'm not telling you what to do, it's your life, but I just hope you'll get the help and support you need. I don't have much family left.

Then hand her a card with the phone number.

So...what do you all think? Keep in mind she's extremely sick right now, not thinking clearly, and definitely NOT the sharpest tool in the shed.

Reprieve

Well we have a reprieve. The closing has been pushed off to March 5th or so, not next week. Good thing since we didn't do much at all today.

Who am I kidding, we? It was myself and one woman we hired to sell stuff on eBay. Deb works every Sunday, so she can never help, and all my/our friends who have been helping are either burnt out or going on with their lives. It's our problem, not theirs, and I can't blame them for running far and fast. Hell, if I wasn't in the middle of it, I'd run too.

So today our new eBay friend filled her SUV yet again with stuff to sell and I took only a box or two home. After walking up and back down the steps twice, my legs were jello. I had nothing left. I suppose if I really pushed myself I could have done a storage run, but I would have paid for it all next week. Not worth it.

I'm not used to this taking care of myself thing. So torn between being proud of myself and feeling guilty and lazy. I'll work on that.

So we have another week and weekend of work ahead of us. I just hope we have the guys we hired working during the week. That's the ONLY way we'll have any chance of being close to done.