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Comfort dogs

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited April 2014

    FDM  - LOL full spay. Girl you crack me up. I wish you a completely uneventful recovery. I would like to hire you to help me with Olivia when you're ready and have time. She is crazy protective and it is getting really bad. 

    Love the cat family at your house. For some reason I figured you had a cat or two or six!

  • FairyDogMother
    FairyDogMother Member Posts: 154
    edited May 2014

    FarmerLucy-

      My doctor loved the "full spay" too.  I'm healing nicely, but I'm so tired. I think for the last 9 months I have been going non stop in this Felix (cancer) journey from treatment to treatment and now my body is like I need a rest.  I'm chopping at the bit to start running again but OBY/GYN ONC said not until June or July.  Maybe between the Letrozole (Femara) which I don't want to take and my running I can sweat all this weight I gain from chemo (20lbs)

    We have a retired Army donkey, another donkey, and donkey someone gave us because they moved and couldn't take it with them. 4 cats, 8 dogs, 14 sheep, 4 herding goats (because the owner couldn't bare sending them to the slaughter house), 5 ducks, 2 horses that came from the dog rescue I work with, and 8 Canadian Geese (they just had 6 goslings).  My husband and I are a halfway house for any lost or unwanted soul.  My doctors laugh when I ask them: when can I go back to taking care of the farm animal. They think I'm joking. 

    I would be more than happy to help you or teaching you some new things.  I hope all is well. I'm scared to start taking my Letrozole. Worried about the long term side effects of someone 37 y.o. taking it. I'm just tired.

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2014

    FDM - "I'm just tired."  I know you are sweetie. (hugs)

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2014

    FDM - We're looking at fostering/rescuing a horse or donkey (or two) from Blaze's Tribute Equine Rescue. I have heard that donkeys are dog stompers. Is that true? How do you deal with that? Thanks so much for any advice. Also do you recommend a pair of animals, or are them some who are OK being the solitary type of their species?

  • FairyDogMother
    FairyDogMother Member Posts: 154
    edited May 2014

    FarmerLucy-  

    Donkeys are dogs steppers, but our three don't do that. The horses do. If you are going to foster a donkey I would get two just to keep them company. If you are looking for a protection then only get one donkey.  We inhereted the donkies because we had sheep. 

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited May 2014

    I am glad to read everyone's updates.  It reminds me that life goes on.  Through our trials and tribulations there are many moments of joy.  Trips, health improvements and additions to the family.  I just got out of the hospital again.  I had an infection after my exchange surgery.  I may lose my implant.  But I am finding moments of joy in the garden and cuddled in a puppy pile in the evenings.  They missed me terribly as I missed them.  They keep checking on me now to make certain I haven't disappeared again.  I'm looking for my next book to read.  I loved The Art of Racing in the Rain and I love books narrated by dogs.  I don't want anything where there is abuse or too much loss.  If anyone has happy dog books to suggest please do so.  

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2014

    WW- So sorry about the infection. Wow - it must have been bad to put you in the hospital. :(  Fingers crossed for the implant.

    Sorry- no book suggestions. The irises are beautiful this year in Oklahoma. 

  • FairyDogMother
    FairyDogMother Member Posts: 154
    edited May 2014

    WW- well that sucks but you
    will overcome.

    Here are some great books to
    read about dogs and training

    For the Love of a Dog - Patricia
    McConnell     You will need tissues.

    PLENTY IN LIFE IS FREE -
    REFLECTIONS ON DOGS, TRAINING AND FINDING GRACE You will need tissues.

    Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with
    Dogs Paperback by Susanne Clothier

    George Knows by Mindy Mymudes (written from dog’s prespective)

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited May 2014

    Lucy - Thank you for the well wishes.

    FDM - Great.  I have them on my list.  I usually download onto my kindle.  I just started one about a dog's adventures in a dog park.  Nice, simple, easy...nothing to do with life's troubles.  

    I'm going to plant some flowers in the garden today.  I'm sure my dogs will be running around me with excitement.  Nobody is allowed to dig those flowers back up!

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2014

    image

    This is Clairabelle. She is not exactly a comfort dog, but already she follows me around like one.

  • spookiesmom
    spookiesmom Member Posts: 8,178
    edited May 2014

    Love that purple on her! Rock on little girl!

  • spookiesmom
    spookiesmom Member Posts: 8,178
    edited May 2014

    this is Spookie in the yellow bow. Her friend in the red hat got a matching dress that day. 

    image

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2014

    oh my goodness! They are cutest things!!

  • spookiesmom
    spookiesmom Member Posts: 8,178
    edited May 2014

    Thanks & woof!

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited May 2014

    Yea for Spookie and Clairabelle!  Love these photos.  

  • FairyDogMother
    FairyDogMother Member Posts: 154
    edited May 2014

    Love the photos.

  • NatsFan
    NatsFan Member Posts: 1,927
    edited May 2014

    Great photos, everyone!

    Ran a 5K last Saturday to benefit the local humane society - it was called Paws on the Pavement.  Dogs were invited to run with their owners and it was so much fun seeing them - everything from a HUGE Great Dane to a tiny Chihuahua (who was carried the whole way by her owners) and everything in between.  It was pretty much controlled chaos with all the dogs, but that just added to the fun.

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited May 2014

    Natsfan - I did what they called the 5 K9 with my girl and even though I've run a half with her, this was such a zoo that our time was terrible.  It was a lot of fun and a great fundraiser.  Lots of dogs in costumes.  Personally, I think any dog (or owner) who is carried over the finish line should be disqualified.  

  • DiveCat
    DiveCat Member Posts: 290
    edited May 2014

    Here is a new photo of my comfort cat. Her official name is Jackie, but she is usually just called "Kitty". She likes to hang out with me on my recliner, so kept me good company when I was spending more time in there after surgery. Even now she usually wakes me up in the middle of the night and cries until I come downstairs to hang out (a.k.a. give her rubs and sleep) on the recliner with her. My husband starts pushing me out of bed when she starts up so that she will quiet down and let him sleep!

    I think she is going to be a little sad when I go back to work next week and can't hang out with her all day, she likes to follow both of us around the house and hang out near us all the time. Definitely not aloof in nature!

    This picture is from today, she is all tuckered out from going on a "walk" on her leash in the backyard today...all that stalking and not being allowed to catch birds is tiring work!:

    image

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited May 2014

    What a purrrrrrrrfectly wonderful girl she is!

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546
    edited May 2014

    I LOVE the pictures- thanks for making my day everyone! Spookie looks almost exactly like my Lewie- darling! and I love Clairabelle's pic- what a beautiful property and barn to live in. lucky girl to be adopted into THIS family! :)

    And "kitty" is so precious. I am so glad we all have the wonderful creatures (great and small) to bring us our smiles as we go through the ordeals that this diagnosis brings us.

    I just had my one year scans and my bones are clean. The pain I have been having is just degenerative disc disease. I will take it.  I can get my port out now. Sun is shining, and my favorite horse from Nor-Cal, not far from where I grew up- California Chrome- gets to try for the triple crown. It is a good day!


    Hugs to all


  • spookiesmom
    spookiesmom Member Posts: 8,178
    edited May 2014

    My other fur kid, Spookies brudder!

    image

  • Laurais50
    Laurais50 Member Posts: 51
    edited June 2014


    I have a question... I worry about my lil girl Annie 6lb yorkie/pom mix. I also have Riley a chorkie, the one in my profile pic. He is a grumpy pup,  but Annie she wants to lick me over and over and over...I worry the chemo will come out my pores and make her sick. Can that even happen?

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited June 2014

    Laura - Somewhere on here, and of course I cannot seem to find it now, there is a discussion of this concern.  You may want to check with your MO to be certain but I seem to recall it's nothing to worry about.  My dogs licked me and I didn't give it any thought until someone mentioned it.  They seem fine.  I had chemo this past winter.  Right now my dogs are asleep in the sun after taking a dip in the pool.  

    image

  • Pandabear
    Pandabear Member Posts: 4
    edited June 2014

    warrior woman - I was reading through the posts as I love to see pics of dogs and I saw you like books about dogs. Have you ever read the Spenser Quinn mystery series? The book is narrated by Chet the dog. They are fun! 

    I have two rescue medium sized rescue dogs. They are my girls. Since I don't work, they are with me all the time. They are my loves. I won't post pics because they are no way as cute as all the dogs and cats on this thread! ;)  And I don't know how :( 

  • SlowDeepBreaths
    SlowDeepBreaths Member Posts: 6,702
    edited June 2014

    sciencegal, congratulations on the clean scans!! That's awesome news!!

    Funny how we celebrate ONLY having degenerative disc disease. It sure puts things in perspective. :)

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited June 2014

    Thanks Panda Bear.  I am putting it on my summer reading list.  I am so traumatized by cancer that all I want to read are happy stories about puppies.  

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 596
    edited June 2014

    image

    Ok Ok - This is not a comfort dog either, but it is comforting. Smile

  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 819
    edited June 2014

    I still wish BCO had a "Like" button.  Good one, Lucy.

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 6
    edited June 2014


    If it wasn't for the dog and two cats I had during treatment, I would not be writing this today.

    I learned at a very young age about the unconditional love and comfort that pets bring into our lives.

    I could go on and on...

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