Eight Months

Tomorrow it will be eight months since my LID. Time continues to pass quickly. I am grateful for that. Unfortunately, I think one of the side effects of the long wait for me is that I have become somewhat detached from the whole thing. When I began this process the wait was eight months long. Then it stretched to 12 months by the time I was DTC, and I was okay with that. But, as the wait continues to grow, it's hard to maintain that level of excitement and enthusiasm I once had. I don't feel angry or discouraged so much anymore, just disappointed. Like everyone else on this slow boat to China, I just wish I knew when we'd be arriving.

Last night started out great. I had dinner out with a friend I work with. We splurged big time on dinner at Walt's Wharf in Seal Beach - one of my all time favs! It's a zoo there on the weekend, even when you get there early. I was there by 5:40 and we still had to wait more than an hour for our table. We were lucky to find a spot at the bar and we shared some calamari and champagne. I love champagne! Once we were seated, I ordered these amazing scallops that were sauteed and dusted with black truffles. They melted in my mouth! I love seafood, even after my recent trauma with the crab cakes!

By the time I got home, I let the dogs in, gave them each a Milkbone and crawled into bed to watch TV for a bit. A couple hours later, Buffy got me up for the first time of the night. I thought she went out to "get busy" (that's my euphemism for a potty break), and I expected that she'd come back in and sleep until 4 or 5 am (she doesn't sleep in...). But, she got me up three more times, and each time she went out and drank lots and lots of water. I took a good look at her and her abdomen was swollen. I felt her belly and it was tight as a drum - bloat, again!

By 2:30 am, we were on our way to the emergency animal hospital fifteen miles from here. She's been admitted and they are medically treating her condition - no surgery, so far! I'm really perplexed as to how she got "backed up" this time. When she had this in November, she had consumed a large amount of rawhide. I don't give the dogs rawhide anymore, and they eat small quantities of food (1 c.) in the morning and evening. I do remember reading that once a dog has had bloat, that they are likely to have it again. I guess I'll be switching her over to the same easy to digest food that Taylor eats, and supplementing her diet with the glucosamine and chondroitin pills. The food she currently eats has the glucosamine and chondroitin in it for her knees - she's got expensive knees...

Let me tell you, this dog is a money pit! I love her to bits, but she has cost me a small fortune. Not including the food, grooming, dog bedding, and toys ($$), her medical bills in four years have been outrageous. She required knee surgery when she was ten months old ($$$$), and has been hospitalized twice for bloat now ($$$).

Oh, yeah, I've spent another small fortune on training ($$$) for her, as well. We've been to puppy kindergarten, had one (pricey) consult with a trainer over her sleeping issues (worthless), and finally I hired an expensive (but worth every penny) trainer from Los Angeles when she was a year-and-a-half old because she was so hard for me to deal with.

In spite of all that, I do think Buffy, more than any of the four dogs I've owned on my own, has prepared me in someways for motherhood. She has challenged me with her behavior, required financial sacrifices, denied me a full night's sleep in the last four years, and loved me unconditionally. Come to think of it, her birthday is on Tuesday! She'll be four.

Happy birthday, Buffy. Get well and come home soon.

Well, maybe you could stay one more night at the hospital so that Mommy can get some rest.

;-)