Sunday, November 22, 2009

Two staples side by side ... Ugh!

Yesterday I came home from work and Maggie had eaten a pair of my sandles. My bad, I left them by the couch when I took them off the night before. I cleaned up the mess and didnt think a thing of it ...

Today Maggie is feeling a little under the weather ... She's not eating or drinking ... we went for a walk and she was dragging ... I'm getting worried about her ... she's not herself at all. In fact, I couldn't find her and there she was outside in her igloo ... not coming when I call her. I'm in tears now because I know Mom always said when dogs are ready to die they go off to be alone ... I made a vet appointment for tomorrow and tonight we are just going to ride this storm.

So, today we're seeing the vet and Maggie is still feeling bad. He decided to take some blood and then I remembered about the stupid sandles. He took an x-ray and low and behold there are two staples in Maggie's tummy ... one on each side ... no wonder she has a tummy ache ... he recommended I give her fiber bread soaked in broth and some pumpkin pie filling (regular, without the spices in it) ... it took a day but she's feeling much better ...

Now, I don't know if she passed the staples as I wasn't going to go that far looking at her poop but I think they've passed ...

Whew, another day with my Maggie Mo !!!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Do You Think She Will Ever Get Invited Over Again?


Today Maggie's friend, where she has been swimming all summer, decided to clean the pool filters ... low and behold I received a picture of what was found in the filters ... now I know darn well that's not all Maggie's hair, but I do think some of it may well be ...

I guess we'll lay low for a while ... glad the weather is getting cooler now ... maybe the filter hair will be forgotten by next summer?

We hope so !!!

We Got A Burglar, A Spotted Dog and an Old Bone


Yard work today and low and behold look what was found under the bushes from Maggie ... some of her old toys ... the killer is, I washed them and she still loves playing with them. As long as she has something hanging from her mouth she is happy ... doesn't matter if the stuffing is gone ... I guess it's kinda like a security blanket of sorts ... She is so funny!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Over the hills and thru the woods to the doggie park we go ...




I'm a little apprehensive about taking Maggie to the park ... not sure how she will act or what she will do. She still has a lot of "puppy" in her and I don't want her to get hurt trying to play with the other dogs ... I know, I know, call me paranoid.

Seems she had a great time but she was a little jealous when other dogs came around me ... there for a while she didn't leave my side ...

All in all, I think she had a good time and that's what it was all about ... I love my Maggie Mo !!!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A Golden Retriever Can Never Get Enough Water!






Maggie is so lucky because she has a friend, from her school days when she was a puppy, who has a pool. Luckily, she gets invited over during the hot summer days ... Maggie can never get enough swimming and I know it's really good for her hips ... she will stay in the water all day if you let her ... she's been known to do so much that she's worn her little pads "raw" on her feet from running around the pool deck ... Today she is just relaxing and enjoying the water ... I just love this dog of mine!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Maggie and Her New BFF, Andy ...


Every one in a while I get a call from Kim to see if I want to watch Andy. Andy is also a golden retriever, red in color, and a few years older than Maggie. He is such a good dog but I'm sure if he hangs out with Mags, it won't be long before he picks up a few of her habits ...

The doorbell rings and in comes Andy ... Maggie is so excited ... they "storm" thru that dogie dog and play outside with each other ... in and out they go, just having a great time ... Maggie won't leave him alone ... "come on, let me show you this," she's saying ... it's so nice to see them get along so good and see Maggie so darn happy ... it's not that she's lacking for affection ...

I will say one thing though, Maggie never went on the couch before Andy came over. I guess he has the love seat at his house that is all his ... needless to say, this is what I walked in on ... "Hey, where do I get to sit?"

Love you both!

ps Thank you Kathy for the throw you gave me for Christmas for the couch ... as you can see, it's really comfy!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Oh, Did I Mention My Glasses?

Now, ever since I turned 45 I've become blind as a bat as far as seeing near. It may be because I made so much fun of my sister, Michelle, who I always call "Mrs. Magoo."

So today I came home and probably placed my glasses in Maggie's way. Needless to say, I found my glasses on the floor ... they were so mangled and crooked ... I tried to straighten them out but they were too far gone ... Oh, she didn't break anything, they were just so crooked I couldn't fix them. I had to shamefully wear them until I got another pair of frames ... I guess people wouldn't notice it if I cocked my head to one side while I was talking to them ...

Thank you Maggie, my money tree outside is starting to loose it's leaves ...

July 4th and those awful fireworks!

Today is July 4, 2008 and I'm a little leery about how Maggie is going to cope with the fireworks ... you see in California you can buy fireworks at the stands (all over) ... they aren't the kind that go up in the air, (illegal ones from back east), but they make lots of noises.

So, I called my vet and found out I can give Maggie a Benadryl to help calm her down ... I was a little leery, again, but I purchased a bottle at the grocery story and came home ... the vet said with her weight she could probably have two, but once again I decided to become a vet and I think I only gave her a half of one, (after all, I know what it does to me.)

We're outside on the patio and I'm sitting on the chair with Maggie next to me on the leash ... it's just now getting to be dusk and yep, all of a sudden you can start to hear the neighbors start lighting their fireworks ... Maggie got so scared she took a beeline for the dogie door, my hand was wrapped around her leash so when she ran, I fell over... I get up off the cement, and go in the house and I can't find her ... of all places to look, she's in her crate all curled up, not coming out ... I'm thinking, "she hasn't been in that stupid crate since she was sick." Of all places to hide, I guess she felt safe there ... we closed all the doors and put the TV on loud to drown out the noise ... she seems to have settled down.

Two lessons I learned today ... I think I waited too long to give her the Benadryl and I probably didn't give her a big enough dose ... all in all, we survived 4th of July ... but I do have some big bruises on my arm where I fell off the chair when she got scared ... looks like I got beat up !!!

Once again, "Thanks Mags, hopefully next year will be better!"

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Happy First Birthday Maggie Mo!






It's
June 1, 2008
and today is a huge day ... a day I didn't think I was ever going to celebrate. Maggie turns one today and we are going to the park for our "obedience" class and then afterwards, having a dog party! We get to class and everyone shouts "Maggie's here!", I'm so glad to hear everyone welcome us (but I'm sure it's their signal to each other to look out, Maggie is here). We have our class and yes, Mags is still the worse one in the class, gets out of line when we're walking (to usually take a pee break), lays down when she should be sitting, you get the picture ... I don't care though, it's her day!

After class was over we all got in a big circle and the trainer called Maggie and me into the center of the circle. She talked about how sick Maggie had been and how we almost lost her and then they all sang Happy Birthday to her ... afterwards, we had frosty paws ice cream (ice cream for dogs) and cookies I bought on-line thru a dog barkery ... you should have seen all the dogs licking up their ice cream and eating their treats ... Maggie got tons of gifts and after an exhausting day, we went home.
She really did have a large time!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Balloons and Kites


Maggie is getter better day by day ... She's now on my bed at night, I just make sure I put some 24"x36" pads down, with a blanket or sheet over it, and she's good to go. It feels so good to have by best friend lying besides me, and not in the crate looking at me with those "sad" eyes. Sure, she's on meds now ... but it's a small price to pay to let her finally be the dog and companion that she's meant to me.

Today I came home from work and Maggie was outside just barking up a storm. She came in to eat and was back outside barking ... I didn't quite know what was wrong with her and then I finally figured it out. The neighbors next door put their umbrella next to the fence and there are two things in this world that Maggie, that I know of, does not like, balloons and kites. I think that she thought the umbrella was some kind of a kite, since it was flapping in the wind some. I finally bite the bullet and walk next door to tell them, "I'm sorry for all the barking, if you want any sleep tonight, you might want to move the umbrella from the fence." "Oh, they said, we didn't hear her bark at all" ... "Oh my gosh, I'm thinking, tell me you didn't hear all that!"

They moved the umbrella and Maggied settled down for the night ... "Good-night my sweet Maggie Mo, sleep tight!"

P.S. And that's the way I met my neighbors!

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Carpet Ripper ...

So today I'm getting ready for work, you know, the usual ritual we now have ... get Mags out of her crate, feed her, dispense meds, wash her little "tush" in the back from her bladder problem, put the blankets in the wash, etc ... it's a lot to do before I even get in the shower!

I let Maggie have the run of the house while I jump in the shower before work. Just as I'm getting out of the shower I heard this "ripping" noise ... "what the heck can that be?" "Maggie?", No answer (like she would) ... I run into the living room with the towel around me just in time to see Maggie pulling on a string in the carpet ... "Oh my gosh Maggie", "NO!", I yelled as she continued to pull and tug away at the string ... How she even found that little string is beyond me but she managed to pull it right up ...

Today I need to find a carpet man to fix this ... the good thing is that it's at the seam and probably can be repaired (for a mere price, I''m sure) ... back to that tree outside to get some more bills ... "Gee whiz Mags, I just left you alone for a little while" ... "someday I will laugh about all these escapades of yours" ... "but not today."

I shared what Mags did to Daddy and all he can say is "tell me some good news about Maggie." I think he feels bad for what I've been thru with her health and I assured Daddy that I wouldn't have it any other way ... She's meant for me as I am her ...

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Mad Dash to the Bedroom


Maggie is getting bigger and bigger by the day but she is still a puppy and enjoys jumping on people when they walk in the door ... The days when I come home from work, I carefully open the door (trying not to awaken Maggie), and slowly walk in the kitchen ... it doesn't matter, no matter how many times I try to sneak up on her she is usually looking at me thru the patio door ... now I know what's gonna happen ... she's gonna dart thru her doggie door and jump up on me to greet me ... some days it's okay but other days I have clothes on that need dry cleaning ... I usually make a mad dash towards the bedroom, close the door, change my work clothes and then I let her in so she can get a proper greeting ... whew, but there are days I don't quite make it to the bedroom in time ... "ah Mags," "you and those big paws" while she says "Gottcha!"

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Is that my ... Oh No!

It's now April, 2008, two months from bringing Maggie home. I have a friend that consulted with Dr. B about a medication called Proin, a supplemental product for urinary incontinence for dogs. We decide to put Maggie on this medication, after all, what can it hurt? Only time will tell ...

In the meantime, Maggie doesn't have a clue that she is sick ... she's getting around so good after the hip surgery and just enjoying life playing with her toys, my dishtowels (ugh) and everything else she can get her paws on ...

Today I was watching her play outside while I was doing the dishes ... she was so happy running around in the backyard ... dancing around, lifting her head up and down ... I just love seeing her happy ... but wait, "oh no, not my phone Mags" ... needless to say, I no longer have a phone ... she has this phone so chewed up it won't work ... it's my fault for leaving it on the patio chair :-(

I e-mail all my family to let them know that I will be "out of pocket" tonight ... if anyone needs me I guess they will have to come by ...

I wonder what time AT&T opens up tomorrow ...

The Slow Healing

Maggie is slowly getting better. She's been to the vet for check-ups and is on so much medication ... prednisone, zenoquin, clavamox, and radiographs from her hip surgery to see how she is progressing. It seems every time I go, I end up in tears ... I hate to hear that Mags will probably never sleep on my bed and she will have to be in a crate or be an "outside" dog due to her bladder issue ... My poor vet, Dr. B., he is so wonderful and understanding ... he just comforts me and hands me tissues ...

Good thing she is a trooper about taking her pills ... just a spoon full of peanut butter and they all seem to disappear. It seems every time we visit the vet it costs a lot of money, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining ... I just go outside and pick the bills off of my tree outside ... I just hope the tree doesn't die ...

Monday, September 28, 2009

Maggie Loves Her Dishtowels (Rags) ...


Like I said, dishtowels seems to be the fav for now ... I do hope she grows out of it sometime as all my dishtowels have holes in them!!!

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Dishtowels ...



Maggie is very "spoiled" with lots of toys to play with but for some reason she seems to like my dishtowels that I place on my counter or hang over the stove. There have been many times that I would "catch" her taking off with the dishtowel in her mouth ... "Maggie, no" as I see her make a bee line for the doggie door ... I don't care at this point (probably a mistake), I just like to see her playing ... after all, dishtowels are a dime a dozen ...

The AM Washes


Having Maggie home feels really great although I must admit, it's a lot of work. Maggie basically doesn't have much bladder control, now don't get me wrong, she knows to go outside if she's up, but when she is laying down it just leaks out ... I truly believe she doesn't even know it ... I sat there one night and just watched as she slept and her bladder leaked ... It is so very sad ...

I have blankets all over the house for her to lay on because I am not going to keep her in a crate all day. If anyone bought stock at Walgreen's I bet they made money because I have spent a lot of money on 24 x 36" pads that I put down under her blankets.

If Maggie gets up too fast, she will just "squirt" all over ... I feel so bad for her and I do pray that God will heal her ... every morning when we get up, I open up her crate (because there is no way she can sleep on my bed), let her out, feed her, (she's on a high calorie diet), dispense meds, wash her fur in the back so she smells nice and start the washing machine ... I usually have a full load each morning of blankets to wash and I actually called my landlord and told him if the water bill is too high I would gladly pay for the excess ... (geesh, only I would think of that) ...

So this is our little ritual, one I don't like but one I will have to contend with ... after all, I love this dog of mine.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Only time will tell ...


It's February 9, 2008 and after being in the hospital for 15 days, I finally get the okay to bring Maggie home.

After much discussion, I was basically told that Maggie would almost certainly never live a normal life. She would not have much, if any, bladder control and she would most likely have to live outside for the remainder of her life. With this said, Dr. B. also stated that dogs have an amazing recuperative power. Nature (God) has granted them an amazing ability to regenerate themselves and their various organs and tissues. He stated that he had seen many, many dogs with horrible injuries and diseases recover themselves ... it may take six months to a year to know what Maggie's life would be like ... only time can tell ...

With all that said, I gulped on her bill, and took Maggie home. She's a little bit thin, (okay a lot) and her hair looks like she been through a lawnmower with all the different shaves on her from her surgeries. Tonight I made my second promise to Maggie ... "I will never put you through this again. I will not be selfish with myself. I only want what is best for you".

With that said, we finally get some much needed rest. My prayers are that I am so thankful that Maggie is home and "Dear Lord please give me the strength for the days to come."

Dr. R. and the Offer of Adoption ...

Maggie is still down south and even though I receive phone calls daily from her Drs., both Dr. B. and Dr. R, whomever happens to be on rotation, it still doesn't sound very promising. Mags has been in ICU/CCU for five days and right now they have not told me when she may (if ever) come home. The Drs. keep giving her the "cocktail" of antibiotics to fight off this terrible infection. They put her in the hyperbaric oxygen tank for an hour daily, and hopefully along with me, they pray for a miracle.

It's a Saturday morning and Dr. R. calls me to give me the feedback on Maggie. It's the usual, she's on meds, hyperbaric oxygen tank daily, supportive care, etc ... then he kindly stated that he would be willing to "adopt" Maggie. He lives in British Columbia (Canada for those of you that don't know your geography,) and he offers her a good life there. She would be an outdoors dog and play with his other dogs.

I was a little taken aback with his offer, but yet in my heart I felt that maybe he thought I was "giving" up on Maggie. I know the bill down there has to be astronomical and I haven't even gave it a thought ... all I know is that he wasn't ready to give up on Maggie and I wasn't quite ready yet either.

He is truly a great Dr. who invests his time and care for these animals ... I'm her Mom and I'm not going down without a fight.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Thank You Momma For Your Thoughtfulness!

The phone calls these days are not very encouraging ... I know the Drs. are doing all they can to heal Maggie, but how can you heal something if you don't know what you are treating? The lab was not able to "grow" the cultures they took, so they were basically treating her blind sighted. Along with her treatment, they have placed Maggie in a hyperbaric oxygen tank for an hour a day which I believe is to control her infection and help her heal ...

By now I have my vet here involved with phone calls from down south along with my dear sister, Dr. Terry. It's just sometimes I don't understand exactly what they are talking about and I need a second or third explanation ...

It's crazy right now ... I have never felt so alone but yet I know Maggie is getting the best treatment possible ... I pray nightly to God for His healing power, and then I receive this wonderful card in the mail from my Mom ... it is exactly how I feel right now (only a Mom would know) ... It goes like this ...

Your silent prayers uttered on tearstained pillows were heard before they were said... Your deepest questions were answered before they were asked. He sees you ... He hears you ... He knows you ... You have a special place in God's heart ...

Thank you Momma, that is just what I needed today ...

The Second Major Surgery of Her Short Life...

After a phone call from Dr. B, Maggie had the second major surgery of her short life.

Dr. B performed bladder surgery (with a Dr. Gregory assisting). Dr. G is a world recognized expert in the field of canine urinary surgery treatment. Dr. G, a professor at UC Davis, came out of the surgery scratching his head ... "he had never seen anything like it." Maggie's bladder was a mess .. it was scarred, malformed, infected, and even the inner lining of her bladder was dead (tissue was dead.) Maggie had a massive infection that has attacked her bladder.

During surgery, they took cultures to try to identify the critter(s) responsible for the condition. Maggie was put on a "cocktail" of antibiotics, the truth be known, the best vets in the world were firing blind. They were simply trying to kill anything and everything they could ...

I finally realized how sick Maggie is and that she may not make it ... I am so very sad ...

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Dr. B, The Russian

Dr. R, who performed Maggie's hip surgery, was on his days off so I was to meet with another Dr. to evaluate Maggie. I took Maggie into his office and was questioned by an intern resident who was working with this new Dr. I was going to meet.

In comes this new vet, Dr. B, with a Russian accent that one could barely understand. He was very tall and almost intimidating, but yet very gentle and concerned regarding Maggie's condition. He asked a lot of questions and said that he thought it may be just an infection of some sort. He suggested that I leave Maggie there to have some tests and cultures taken to find out what was going on with Maggie's bladder. I decided to leave Maggie, once again, to take whatever actions we need to do. He would give me a call tomorrow, once he gets the results of her tests.

In my mind I was thinking that just some more antibiotics would probably do the trick ... little did I know ...

Back Down South :-(

I visit Dr. B here in Bakersfield to see what's going on with Maggie's bladder. He immediately inserted a catheter in her to offer her some relief, drew some blood and took x-rays. The x-ray he took revealed that Maggie's bladder was either malformed from birth, or had suffered from some kind of terrible infection.

In short, he did not know what to offer her, surgery or medication ... he stated the best thing I could do is to take Maggie back down to All Care for further evaluation.

This is crazy, Maggie's only been home for 5 days from spending 16 days down there ... But I need to do what's best for her ... after all, I love my Maggie Mo ...

Monday, September 7, 2009

Maggie's sad eyes ...

I have two big crates for Maggie, one in the living room, the other in the bedroom. I hate to see her confined in these crates and I know she's not liking it at all. It is also a lot of work to take Maggie in and out of the crate. I have to put her on the leash, place the towel around her middle to help her walk, keep her from jumping up and getting too excited ... all this for a mere few minutes outside, then it's a battle to get her back in the crate. I spend a lot of my time on the floor next to her crate to give her some company. She looks so sad looking at me through the "bars", and I'm thinking to myself "this is gonna be a long month."

Since Maggie has to be confined, and I work about 20 miles from home, my daughter-in-law offered to come by during the day to take Maggie out for a pee break and just a short walk. I have noticed that Maggie seems to have to go a lot, but yet when she does, it's just a piddle here and there. I even noticed now that she's peeing in the crate ... I think something may be wrong, so I made an appointment to see my vet tomorrow to see what was going on.

I pray that it's nothing ...

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Maggie's Home!

So today is January 20, 2008, and I finally get to pick up Maggie Mo from her hip surgery. I am so excited to see her and bring her home. The waiting room was full of pets, some very sick, some coming back for check-ups. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that would fork out so much money for my pet. After waiting what seemed for hours, I paid my bill in full (which was five pages long) and then waited to see Mags. I have so many instructions to contend with ... Maggie has to be confined in an enclosed crate at all times for the next two weeks. She needs to be on a leash at all times outside of the crate, no running, no jumping, no playing ... Maggie can go for 5 to 10 minute walks twice a day with a leash and a towel around her stomach so I can support her ... x-rays to be taken at each recheck visit ... wow, too much to comprehend at this time ...

Finally they brought her out ... she looks a little skinny and has support with this "towel" around her but she recognizes me and is glad to see me ...

She pees on the floor, a good long one, and we say our good-byes ... Maggie's going home and it feels great!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Kid ...

Dr. R was very faithful to call me every morning to give me an update on Maggie. He always called her "The Kid" ... maybe that's his way of not having to keep up with the names of all the dogs he cares for.

Maggie's surgery went well and if all things go as expected, I will be able to pick her up on the 20th ... now mind you, she went in on the 4th of January.

It's been pretty lonely without Mags here to give me comfort or I guess I should say to give me something to clean up or fix ... I'm counting the days when I get to go pick her up ... needless to say, I don't realize the post op care she needs when I bring her home ... more to come.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

It's Just For A Little While My Dear Friend...

So, Dr. B told me that my Maggie Mo had a congenital hip condition known as hip dysplasia ... In short, Maggie's hip sockets were "shallow" and they did not properly cover the head of her femurs. He also said that once damage to the ball-and-socket occurs there would be no point of doing surgery. Maggie would develop painful arthritis and she would need pain medication for the rest of her life. He recommended that I consult with Dr. R., a canine orthopedic surgeon. I immediately decided to take Maggie down to VCA All-Care animal hospital in Fountain Valley, CA. There I met with Dr. R.

Now, Fountain Valley is approximately 2-1/2 hrs away from where I live. But Dr. R was recommended and recognized to be the "Father" of the hip surgery and the inventor of the devices that make the surgery possible and successful. So, after checking-in at VCA, Maggie and I met Dr. R. He began to examine Maggie and her x-rays. He spent time with me and Maggie: we went outside so that he could see her walk, we went inside where he examined Maggie's hips and legs (front and rear.) He then explained that Maggie was a good candidate for the surgery. Dr. R was very confident that the "TPO" procedure (tri-pelvic osteotomy) would help Maggie to live a long, happy, and pain-free life. He also explained that Maggie's recovery would require her to stay at the VCA hospital for three to four weeks! Geesh . . . this was gonna be hard on Maggie and me!

I decided to allow Maggie to have the surgery but saying goodbye was very hard for me... although this hospital was everything you would want it to be, it was very painful to put Maggie in her "kennel" and say good-bye ... I know I won't be able to visit her as it's too far for visits ... and of course it would be just as hard to have to leave her each time ... The tears kept flowing down my cheeks on my way back home ... I hope I'm doing the right thing ...

Dear Lord, I know you love animals since you are the creator of them ... protect my Maggie Mo and give me the strength for days to come ...

Sweet Dreams My Maggie Mo ...


Maggie got lots of toys for Christmas ... in fact she got so many, she didn't know which ones she should play with ... I guess she just wanted to sleep on it a while.

We have an appointment to go down south to Fountain Valley (which is approximately 2-1/2 hrs away) for a consultation with the famous Dr. R. For some reason I'm not that worried ... I guess I never gave it much thought what we would be put through ... all I know is that I love this dog of mine and I will do everything I can to make her life enjoyable ... at her age she didn't need any limps or aches, she just deserved the best quality of life possible, at least I thought she did.

ps ... please don't tell me she's just a dog ... (ugh)!

So This Is Christmas ...


Maggie's first Christmas picture. If you look closely at the picture you will see that all the candy canes are at the top of the tree for fear that she may eat them. Maggie is doing well after her surgery from being spayed (you can see in her leg where they had shaved her for the IV), and I decided to go "home" to Phoenix to spend Christmas with my family.

I received a phone call while I was in Phoenix from Dr. B who told me that he had reviewed Maggie's x-rays with Dr. R and that they had confirmed that Maggie had problems with her hips. He wanted me to follow through with Dr. R. (the specialist), and make an appointment for a consultation ... I decided that I would, after all, Maggie is only six months old,

Friday, August 28, 2009

No Puppies For Maggie and Me

Today is December 8, 2007, and Maggie is going in to get spayed ... as much as I would have loved to have puppies, I know that isn't possible. I dropped Maggie off early am and await for the call to pick her up.

I know Maggie is in good hands with her surgery because she has the best vet in the world. Dr. B called me around 3 p.m. and said that during the anesthesia, they checked Maggie's hips (routine procedure) and that her hips were "popping" when they rotated them back and forward. He asked permission to take an x-ray for further evaluation and consultation with himself and Dr. R., a hip specialist, who comes up from Fountain Valley once a month. I agreed to do whatever needs to be done to make sure Maggie is okay .

I picked Maggie up at dusk and of course spoiled her from having her surgery. Lots of instructions to follow but I will make sure that I follow each and every one ... I love my Maggie Mo you know.

McDonalds, Gage and the Screendoor

My son called me today and asked if I would watch the kids while they went out for dinner. No problem, they would stop by McDonald's to pick up some food (because they know Grandma doesn't have anything good in the house), and then come by. I put Maggie outside because she is still a puppy (pushing 50 lbs) and I know she would jump on the kids. "Outside Mags", and I close the screen door.

The kids come in with their bags filled with the aroma of hamburgers and french fries. I started to set them up at the dining room table so they can chow down, but Gage is very apprehensive of Maggie. I assured him that Maggie, as he can see, is outside and won't be bothering him. Now mind you, there is a small tear at the bottom of the screen door and just as soon as they were about to eat, Maggie poked her nose through that tear and then literally ripped her way through to come inside! Oh my gosh, the look on Gage's face was priceless! His eyes got so big! It wasn't funny at that time as I could see "terror" in Gage's eyes, and as much as he likes McDonald's, he was about to heave all of his food over to Maggie. Needless to say, we put her back outside (coaxing with a fry or two) and then closed the glass door. Gage and Aussie got to eat and now I have a screen door to contend with.

Thank you Maggie for ruining my screen door!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

It's Not A Ball, Maggie!

Maggie is a little "spoiled" shall we say and I decided to get a doggie door so she can go in and out all day while I'm at work. The only problem is that it leaves her the living room, dining room, and kitchen all to herself. I bite the bullet and install the doggie door into the slider, (Note to anyone reading this, you loose about half of your doorway when you try to walk out).

I leave for work (hoping for the best), close all the bedroom and bathroom doors and leave lots of toys for Maggie to play with ... a little apprehensive to come home, I open the door and yep, another mess to clean up! Maggie had apparently found a "dirt clod" under those darn bushes that maybe she thought was a ball(?), brought it in the house, and then proceeded to play with this dirt clod ... I had a huge mess to clean up ... In fact it was so bad, I had to pick up the big pieces and sweep the carpet before I could even attempt to vacuum (for fear it would blow up the vacuum) ...

Oh well, it's just another day with Maggie Mo.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

"Hey Number 3, You Wanna Play Some Football?"



Maggie found this football today under the bushes. It's amazing what she is coming up with each day, "Maggie, can you find momma a million dollars under those bushes?" ... Anyway she's enjoying the day playing and, believe it or not, she can put this ball in her mouth and carry it around like it was nothing! Oh by the way, this ball didn't last long either.

"Hey number 3, you wanna play some football with me?" "You can be the running back and I'll just hike the ball to you!" "And another thing, don't forget to ask the water boy to come too!"

Saturday, August 15, 2009

I Love You (More)!



I'm not sure who loves each other more ... all I know is that we're having a good time enjoying our house and yard ... Maggie is saying "Thank you mom for taking good care of me!" "Likewise, if you only knew"...

Playtime In My New Yard!


Maggie is sure enjoying her new yard and it seems that everyday she is finding something new to play with. Today she found this ball that was under the bushes in the backyard. Believe it or not, it was intact when she found it although it didn't take much time for her to destroy it ... that's okay, she is a very happy puppy right now enjoying her big backyard!

Friday, August 14, 2009

One Golden Retriever Dog Named "Maggie"


We did it!

Living in the apartment was nice but Maggie was getting big and needed a yard to play in. So, I came across a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house for rent but the only problem was the owner did not allow pets, geesh. After writing a letter to the landlord and telling him that Maggie and I would respect and take care of his property, he decided to rent this house to me. I signed the lease agreement (can you believe there are nine pages!) and under Part 18 (Pets) it says "Tenant shall keep no animal or pet on or about the premises without the landlord's prior written consent, with the exception of one Golden Retriever dog named "Maggie". Isn't that a kick? I guess no other dog can live here ... Oh, by the way, my landlord is a lawyer ...

First Time Home Alone ...

My boss, a great man, had invited our "team" to his house for an appreciation dinner. Now, since I got Maggie my social life (like I had much of one) has really dwindled. I know that it's my fault because I don't like to leave Maggie alone for very long. I decided that I should probably go for a few hours to show my "team spirit." I come home from work, and Maggie takes me for a walk! I get ready to go to the dinner, and for the likes of me I don't remember why I didn't put her in her crate. I guess that I never really liked to see her in that crate.

After a nice time at the party, and goodbye's were said to my co-workers, I leave to rush back home. A little apprehensive, I'm very glad to be home and see my Maggie (after all, I've never left her alone for this long.) I open the door and, "Oh my gosh, it looks like a war zone!" I see glass all over, my side table was knocked over, the lamp, and everything that was on it is now on the floor (broken into a million pieces.) "Maggie!" ... she's no where to be found. Finally, she peers out from the side of my treadmill and she looks so scared. I felt bad. "It's okay sweetie, Mom's here," so I pet and comfort her to let her know that this mess wasn't her fault. I think she was trying to get a toy from under the table, BUT now I'm up until the wee hours of the night cleaning and vacuuming up this mess!

How frightening her first time home alone must have been. That night, I made a promise to Maggie that I will never leave her alone again ...

Thursday, August 13, 2009

What In the Heck ...?

Yippee, we're on our last round of Clavamox for Maggie's infection and she seems to be coming along good ... I'm so glad because giving pills to a puppy isn't that much fun.

Maggie comes home from "school" and we are out on our walk ... suddenly she starts to do her business and I look down with horror ... "Oh no" ... something is really wrong with Maggie ... she's pooping these large "tumors" ... my heart is just sinking and pounding really fast (I better get a sample). By now it's too late to call the vet and I don't know what's wrong with her. Besides myself, I hurry back to the apartment to find a 24hr. emergency clinic to take her to. After a few phone calls I find out that my little Maggie Mo had found a grape vine at "school" and decided to eat a bunch of grapes (which looked like they were still whole if you know what I mean) ... whew, it wasn't some tumors after all ... man, I really think I'm losing it ...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Your Dogs Needs ...

So it's a Saturday and I decide to take Maggie to Petco, you know, "where the pets go". We're walking around in there exploring ... alright, so she's pulling me everywhere her little nose can get a sniff. I have absolutely no control of her at this time (what else is knew). All of a sudden this lady, named Maxine (who works there), looks at me and says in a very stern voice "your dog needs obedience class" ... Now whether or not this is true (which I know it is), it kinda hurt. It's like telling someone that your child needs to be disciplined (which no one really wants to admit).

I signed Maggie up, it's a mere $60 for six weeks or eight weeks (I can't remember), or $99 for lifetime classes ... "I'll take the lifetime classes please" ...

On another note ... Terry, if you happen to read this today, "Happy Birthday" ... thank you for all you do for our family ... I know your the doctor in the family and we sometimes tend to lean on you a lot ... just know how much you are loved and how much we appreciate all you do for Momma, Daddy and all of us ... I love you (more), Christy

Those Dreaded Words

Things are going pretty well. I'm a little tired with getting up early in the a.m. and taking Maggie for her walk, off to "school" and work and then rushing back home to walk Maggie ... it's pretty crazy. I'm still trying to "hide" her age where I live (remember, I can't have a dog under one year old at the apartment). When I walk Maggie people would stop and comment how cute Maggie is ... and then those dreaded words would come out of their mouths, "how old is she"? I would just look at them and say, "Oh, she's about a year old" ... yeah, yeah, who was I trying to kid. I look back now at the pictures of her and I know those tenants knew better ... but I also knew she was too cute for anyone to "give her up".

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Okay, Now I Feel Bad

Maggie is getting bigger and bigger. She's outgrown her crate, so I purchased a new one ... this one is HUGE but I'm thinking of the future you know (this new crate is probably double Maggie's size). The crate is in the living room of this 800 square foot apartment (doesn't really fit in the bedroom), so more nights on the floor (but I really don't care).

It's a Saturday morning and my grandsons came over to pay a visit (I'm thinking Gage is 6 and Aussie is 11). Maggie is just jumping all over them ... it's really a 'mad house'. Gage, the youngest, has the cartoons on but Maggie is not leaving him alone, jumping on him, licking his face, biting him with those sharp puppy teeth,(you get the picture). I went outside for a minute and came back in only to find Gage sitting in the crate with the door shut watching his cartoons while Maggie has the run of the place (something is wrong here). I know he's just trying to get some 'solitude' to watch his favorite shows and get away from this 'incorrigible dog' of mine ... Needless to say, I felt bad when I walked in and saw this :-(

"Go Maggie, Go!"


Maggie is pushing about 35 lbs and she only 3 months old. I'm still sleeping on the living room floor next to her crate but she seems to be getting better as far as the "potty training". Now she goes by the door, doesn't bark or whine just goes by the door ... so, you better be paying attention when she wants to go out.

She's also got this new thing now ... when you walk her on the leash, she always carries part of the leash in her mouth (I think that is her way of walking you, instead of me walking her). She runs while we're out for our walks, with the leash in her mouth and I would just shout "Go Maggie, Go" ... I thought she was so cute! Lesson one to anyone out there reading this ... it's cute when they are a puppy running ahead with the leash in their mouth but when they get BIGGER, it's not so cute when they are pulling your arm off ... I had to learn the hard way :-(

This picture is probably one of the last taken where I could pick her up. She needs to grow into those ears, but I still "Love My Maggie Mo" ...

Monday, August 10, 2009

How Does A Puppy Get a Bladder Infection?

I kinda got a little ahead of things by posting the Santa Barbara trip. Maggie and I are still living in this small apartment ... she goes to "school", while Mom goes to work. We seem to have a schedule now but for the like of me, she is a little harder to "potty train" as my last Golden. I've been sleeping on the living room floor next to her crate for weeks now ... taking her out at night as soon as she stirs ... sometimes two to four times a night ... We go to the vet to get our second round of shots (or is it the third, I'm not sure) and I talked with the vet about a discharge I saw when she was peeing (I know, too much information) ... sure enough, Maggie has a bladder infection. The vet put her on Clavamox and I'm thinking okay, now at least we know what's been going on with her potty training ... I hope she didn't get it from the apartment complex, you know, there are other dogs there and her immune system isn't up to par yet ... poor thing ... at least now everything will be under control.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Santa Barbara and the Obama Girls


Things are going pretty well. We have a schedule ... up at 5:30 a.m. to go for our walk, Mom gets ready for work while Maggie sits on my bed and watches ... then it's off to school and work. It's a hectic schedule but I am enjoying my little Maggie Mo.

My sisters, Terry & Michelle call and ask if I want to meet them in Santa Barbara for the weekend. It's a "dog friendly" hotel and they were going to bring Mr. Bittles, the one and only. I decide Mags and I are going on our first road trip. I put Mags in her crate (which she is barely fitting in now) and we take off for the coast ... the hotel is beautiful and the weather, of course, is to die for. I catch up with the girls on the grounds and Michelle says "that's not a puppy, that looks like a horse" ... now Mags is only three months at this time but yes she is towering over Mr. Bittles. We had a large time, hiking, taking the dogs to a dog friendly beach (which I was so scared she was going to go into the ocean and never be seen), eating out and just enjoying the weather ... a lot of people would stop us and pet Maggie and comment about her beautiful blonde hair (Mr. Bittles was having to take a back seat to all of this) ... I was so proud of this dog of mine and inside I was beaming to be her owner.

Mr. Bittles didn't take a liking to Mags (I think he had short mans syndrome) ... anyway, Mr. Bittles growled and barked at Maggie in the hotel room ... not allowing Maggie to play with "his" toys or "his" food, etc... Finally, Maggie put her "paw" down and things got a little bit better.

So it's early morning and I decide to take Maggie for a walk. I met up with a young lady that I had met the day earlier who took a liking to Maggie. She was very gracious and asked if I had a moment to spare to meet some people ... "Sure", I said. So I followed her to another hotel room and she comes out followed by two little girls. These girls are hugging and petting my Maggie Mo and I know deep in my heart they want a dog ... I then find out that these are the Obama girls and that their Dad said they could have a dog after the election (he was running for President at that time) ... win or lose, they would get a dog. Maggie and the girls bonded a little and then we said our good bye's ... (I'm thinking in my head "I hope he says something in his inauguration speech about Maggie"), good grief Christy, get a life ...

Back to the hotel room, "Guess what Terry and Michelle, I met the Obama girls" ... yeah, yeah ... what's for breakfast?

Randy to the Rescue!


Daddy and Kathy left to go back home. Apparently Daddy's baby (Shuma) wasn't eating while he was gone so he had to leave early. I'm all alone now with Maggie ... oh, I forgot to tell you that "puppies" aren't allowed to live in this apartment complex ... so I have to "hide" her while I was there ... no worries, I mean, how hard could it be to hide a small fluffy fur ball?

Okay, so what am I gonna do ... tomorrow I have to go to work ... what am I gonna do with Maggie? I heard of doggie day care but I never gave it a thought that they wouldn't take her until she had all of her shots ... oh my gosh, we're talking months from now. So I go to Petco (where the pets go) and see what I can find ... maybe a baby gate to keep her in the kitchen while I'm at work (goodbye cabinets) ... I asked the workers at Petco if they know of any dog sitters, nope ... I found this playpen that you can put up in your house ... I buy it, it's too big for my kitchen, so back it goes ... it wouldn't work anyway ... she would be whining all day long while I was gone (so much for my stealth puppy). I'm in tears by now ... I can't believe I didn't think of all these things prior to saying yes to Kathy. I don't know what I'm gonna do ... and then there is Randy ... he offers, not by choice I'm sure, to watch Maggie while I'm at work. So this is the beginning of pre-school for Maggie Mo... thank you Randy, what a God send you were ...

A Full Day and Night

Maggie got so much attention her first day in California. My son and his family came by to see this new puppy (okay, so they came by to see Aunt Kathy and Daddy) and even Kim came over. The first words out of Kims mouth were "your in trouble" ... I didn't care though, she wasn't going to be a problem. We ate pizza, visited and the kids went swimming. It took a while to name Maggie. Kathy had already named her "Mo" but that just didn't seem right for a female puppy. I thought of KC and Gage, my grandson, said Angel (yeah, right) ... We finally came up with Maggie to go with the middle name Mo ... Yep, Maggie Mo, that sounded good!

It was by far a full day in a small 800 square foot apartment. Later that night I gave Daddy my bedroom so he could get some much needed rest, Kathy got the couch and I was going to sleep next to Maggie on the floor by her crate. We turned off the lights and then it happened ... Maggie whined all night long ... I tried to put my hand in the crate for comfort but that didn't work ... took her outside ... finally Kathy picked Maggie up and laid her on her chest. It worked, Maggie went to sleep ... it had to be 2 or 3 in the morning by then ... whew, we were exhausted. The next morning Daddy came out of the bedroom and said "she sure is a good puppy, I didn't hear a peep from her" ... Kathy and I just looked at each other ... "yeah daddy, you were in the bedroom with the door closed and your hearing aids off ... no wonder you didn't hear anything!" ... we all got a good laugh on that one ...

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Welcome to California!


So today is the big day. I can hardly concentrate at work. I tell everyone that happens to cross my way "I'm getting a puppy today", "My daddy and sister are bring her out from Arizona", yea, yea, they think. By 4:00 p.m. I leave work to drive 20 miles to my apartment. I start to cry (only me) before I even open the door. I can't believe my daddy and sister would bring a puppy out to me. I open the door and there she is lying on the cool tiled floor with daddy sitting next to her ... I can't believe she's my dog ... she's a beautiful fluffy golden fur ball and I fell in love with her that moment. Life is good I think, or is it? More to tell ...

Are You Sure?

Those were the first words I read that Monday morning as I opened up my e-mail at work. I had talked with my sister Kathy the night before. Feeling a little lonely, she had told me about her friend that had puppies. They were Golden Retrievers, my favorite breed, and she had one "clearance" puppy that I could buy for only $100. The others were going for $500. My "clearance" puppy had a "mohawk" and I guess that wasn't suitable for most people. I didn't care. I told Kathy I would love one and knowing Kathy that's all it took. She told me she would bring this puppy out to me (driving 500 miles or more) and she didn't seem to give it a second thought. So Kathy and Daddy decided to bring this "clearance" puppy out to California to meet her new mom, (thank you daddy and Kathy for all you did for me) ... so now the real journey begins.

Friday, August 7, 2009

So, today I decided to create this blog so my family and friends can connect with Maggie and myself. I will try to go back when I first became a parent to Mags, afterall, this could be a book that would far surpass the book and movie "Marley and Me". It all started on June 1, 2007, the day my Maggie Mo was born.