Flowers, Friends, and Fur

So you all know that our rescue group saved a mom and 6 pups from a high kill shelter a few weeks ago and mom (aka Ava) was very sick and had to have the puppies taken away to survive. 
I ended up bottle feeding a total of 4 puppies when they started keeping their foster parents up all night long.  Not really an issue, I never sleep anyway.
Last week my president called me and told me her girl puppy was not doing well.  I meet her at the emergency clinic.  They know us by name now, sadly we've been there way too much the past 2 weeks.  The large chunk of money we've spent has been well worth it.  Sadly her girl puppy had pneumonia.  This is what happens when pups are born in a shelter.  We had committed to getting her 5 days prior to them being born and they wouldn't let us get her until her gassing date.  It's disgusting.
We left girl puppy to get iv fluids, antibiotics, and oxygen.  She died a little before 1 am.  Poor baby.  My poor friend, I know she is so sad.  She was planning on keeping both of her puppies.  So her boy wouldn't be alone I gave her my original boy puppy since he was the best eater.  All of the puppies have upper respiratory infections and started antibiotics.  We thought we were in the clear.  My puppies went to a foster home for last weekend since Little Man's birthday party was happening and I didn't want to not give him or puppies the attention they deserved. 
I picked my pups of Monday evening and my boy was not well.  He wouldn't eat and was very sleepy.  His breathing was shallow.  I got him home and tried to get him to eat.  He died a little before 2 am.   The larger of my girl puppies started coughing and having a hard time the next morning.  She also wouldn't eat.  I took her to Dr. F and had her euthanized.  At least all the puppies didn't die in a nasty shelter all alone.  I feel horrid, but I can lay my head down at night knowing we did everything we could for them.  So now I have the tiny little runt, that I thought would be first to go.  Nature never fails to amaze me.  She's a fighter, a tiny fighter.  The other 2 boys are 4 times larger than her and eat like pigs.  I just hope and pray we are able to keep the rest alive.  I have hated lying to TinkerBean and Little Man about the puppies dieing, but after losing Hampton last year and Hope the year before I'm not having that conversation again until I HAVE TO.
On a bright note, Ava is doing wonderful and will be going to a foster home this weekend.

And that's a good thing.  Not much to report today.  I found a nursing mom that was ready to wean her pups, but they all got Parvo before I could get them out of the shelter.  It looks like we are in the bottle feeding puppy business for at least 5 more weeks.  I hope and pray that they all make it!


I did finish Part 1 of Hampton's story.  I promise I'll have Part 2 done soon.  Sadly, there's only 3 parts. 

Yay!  Tomorrow is Friday!

I'll be the first to admit that I tend to take on too much.  I *thought* we were on the road to recovery in the virus department here.  Nope, Motorcycle Man decided to add a big bad nasty one to the mix.  I think God my immune system is on overdrive, because so far so good.  Evidently, Motorcycle Man shared with Little Man who shared with TinkerBean who shared with her PreK class!  I got a phone call from school today at 11am that TinkerBean was revisting her breakfast.  I got to school to pick her up 20 minutes later and 2 other kids were joining in the vomiting fun.  Good times!  The funny thing is, TinkerBean has felt great, not sick and eating fine.  Of course, she can't go back to school until friday, that whole 24 hour rule and all.  This by itself, not that big of a deal.

So let's add in the fact I really planned on getting some major sewing done this week-not happening-very disappointed.

Let's add in Lucy is going to accept her check for $500 tomorrow at middle school and thank all the kids for raising the money.  Ok, it's really only 3 hours out of my day with driving and completely worth it.

Can't forget the 4 drs appointments for TinkerBean:  OT, Psychiatrist, Play Therapy, Austism/Asperger's Test results (before anyone gets excited, we don't expect any answers-just another step in her journey).  Ok, so not that big of difference from any other week.

You all know I do dog rescue work.  We take in dogs from shelters and they are usually sick, not at issue.  Oh wait here's my monkey wrench.  We took a sweet little black lab, currently named Momma, from a gassing shelter on friday.  They told us she's pregnant.  Ok, so we've heard that before and haven't seen any puppies.  Her puppy taxi arrives Tuesday and so it's Momma plus 6 puppies.  Meh, we were expecting puppies, but I hate they were born in a shelter.  So Momma gets to our vet late last night.  We're worried, but she's feeding them, looks good.  I get to the vet around 9am and she's ok, but looking kind of bad.  I won't bore you with the medical jargon and long list of how things went bad very fast, but Momma is setting her pretty self at the Emergency Hospital  with a diagnosis of pneumonia and a uterine infection both very N.A.S.T.Y. and I have puppies in my bathroom.  They are less than 72 hours and in all fairness I only have 2.  My lovely and wonderful President has 2 and a very maternal receptionist has 2.  Three day old puppies eat every 2 hours.  I thought I was over the middle of the night feedings but nope.  Wait, the story gets better.

Momma cannot nurse her puppies, the vet said if we let them and don't give her the medicine she needs that she would die.  So ok we bottle feed puppies-easier said than done.  So I search out another nursing mom in a shelter.  WooHoo, she's a yellow lab.  Oh hell, she has 9, let me say that again, NINE puppies.  So we pull her from the shelter and plan to get her to nurse our 6 puppies.  Fingers Crossed!!  However, that brings our grand total of dogs to over 30.  I pray to God, yellow momma will nurse our newborns!

So that's the kink in the plans.  To be honest the only reason I've written today is to help keep myself awake so I can go feed the puppies.  Kiddos LOVE the puppies and are so gentle, but add a good 20 mins to feeding time. 

15 puppies, I blame the time change.

I really want some quiet time to sew some things.  Between TinkerBean and Little Man both being sick and now sharing it with me I have really let my housework and craft time go.  Thank God, Little Man didn't have any more fever from Saturday to Monday.  He returned to school on Tuesday!  I found out that there was another little boy who was hospitalized for 5 days for the same thing Little Man had.  I am so relieved he didn't have to be.  We started giving him inhaler medication on Saturday and honestly, I think that's the only reason he wasn't.  Of course in great sibling fashion TinkerBean shared her stomach bug with him, but he hasn't vomited since 10 am so he is off to school tomorrow.

TinkerBean has had a rough week being off her meds (vomited them) and I am looking forward to her appointment tomorrow with her psychologist and psychiatrist.  They are a hubby/wife team and have helped us like no other doctor.  They've kept me out of the padded room!

I am in serious need of either a day to myself or a date with my hubby.  Sick kids for nearly 2 weeks and now I've got Little Man's funk.  I am one tired/stressed/need a break momma!  Is it sad that I am excited to go to Joann's Fabric tomorrow because I have over 15 40% off coupons?  If it is, I'm okay with it. 

I did get my sewing organized today, so I can get to my stuff and finish TinkerBean's pirate shirt.  I hope to finish it tomorrow so if I do, I'll add a pic here.

Little Man's 3rd birthday is so close.  I can't believe how fast he is growing!  It's at the end of Spring Break so I think we will just have a family party.  I'm sure almost all his school friends will be out of town.  I might invite his best friend, but since they share the same birthday we might just have to have a playdate. 

Speaking of playdates, TinkerBean had a playdate on Tuesday with a friend she meet a few years ago at Preschool.  Her friend is an Aspie and she amazed me at how well she's doing.  Her mom is the mom that helped me get TinkerBean started in the right direction.  They played together for nearly 20 mins which is a huge deal for a kid with severe SPD (and maybe autism) and an Aspie.  I'm very proud of TinkerBean, esp since she was off her meds.  We have another playdate scheduled in a couple weeks! 

Happy Hump Day!!

Sorry, but that’s only way I know how to title this post.  Minutes after posting yesterday TinkerBean proceeded to start vomiting.  If you know TinkerBean personally, she doesn’t do anything a little bit.  We’re talking, projectile, massive puke.  Thankfully, after the first round I was able to get her a bucket (aka baby wipe container).  Sadly, her lovey “Bucky” was not saved and ended up ruined since only the cover is washable.  Since the vomit continued until well past 3 am TinkerBean missed her first day of PreK.  I thought we were out of the woods until a few minutes ago when the puking commenced again.  Once again I am in for a joyous night, full of no sleep and fun fun fun!  For those of you that know me know I am a sympathetic vomiter.  Well this is one way to diet.

Little Man has continued getting sicker so we headed back to the Pedi this morning.  He has until Monday to get better or we head to Brenner’s Children’s Hospital for chest x-rays and possible hospitalization for pneumonia.  Pray for Little Man please. 

This has been a weird, strange, odd day.  TinkerBean got a credit card application in the mail today to “help build her business”.   I rarely say this, but WTF?  She’s 5!  So after a few calls to Chase we are hopeful they got her name from a magazine subscription, but I still will be going to our bank Monday to have her credit checked.  I know I could do it online, but that just seems to scream-hey steal my SS number!!


I promise to get a story on here soon, Hampton’s Story.  It’s a story of one’s dog’s life that was
longer than any of us could even guess.   Let me know what you think I am thinking of trying to contact a publisher for it.

Every since I started this blog I have been torn on what names to use for my kiddos.  I want a sense of anonymity but not lose their identity.  If you know me personally, you know that the title has meaning.  So I tried out Sissy and Big Sister and I honestly don’t like it.  Little Man is working out and he really is Little Man.  So from here on out my daughter will be TinkerBean.  She has a great love for the Fairy and she’s always been my little bean.
    

May tomorrow be I Love Lucy Day for you too!

So Little Man is sick and very unhappy.  When Little Man isn't happy no one is happy.  The pediatrician says it's just a nasty virus with an extra side of nasty.  He was grumpy last Friday and started with a fever Sunday morning.  Today his fever is 103.7 and he's starting to make the sound of riping Velcro when I set him down.  Needless to say he's not sleeping well so neither am I.  I'm sad he won't be able to go to school tomorrow since he'll miss his school pictures.  I just hope he's well enough for Church Sunday since it's Children's Church this week.

Big Sister has a boyfriend.  Is a 5 year old supposed to have boyfriends?  Young love is such a fickle thing, yesterday she had to make sure and give him a hug and kiss before leaving school and today she didn't tell him bye.  I sense tomorrow will be a turning point in their relationship!

Big Sister had her first homework assignment today!  I have to say I am relieved she had homework and I didn't.  The first week of February was my homework assignment; I had to write a story, letter, poem, etc. on why I love Big Sister.  She may only be 5 but it was really hard to condense all I wanted to say to one 8x11 sheet of paper. 

Boxer dog finally has sweet breath and clean teeth!  It's really a nicer thing to wake up to.  I am hoping to talk hubby into fostering a dog this weekend!  Fingers Crossed!!