The end of a long week

Jamie got home last night about 7 p.m. He was sleepy from the anesthesia but he was hungry, too, which is good.

He's on several different meds. At this point, we're just treating the symptoms until biopsy results come back (hopefully by middle of next week) and the vet(s) can formulate a plan for treating/managing whatever is going on in his gut. I'm not setting myself up for tragedy but I'm not expecting miracles either. It is what it is.

I finally sat down and made a list of what meds he takes and when he should take them. One of them (to calm the stomach) needs to be given 30 minutes before another one (which coats the stomach, helping it heal but preventing much absorption of any other meds given at the same time), which needs to be given three times a day, one hour before or two hours after eating. Plus two different antibiotics, which thankfully can be given together. It practically required an algebraic equation to get it all calculated and you know how good I am at math. There's a reason I write for a living!

Everyone had a good night's sleep and the Farmer has been pressed into the 2 p.m. medication distribution today, with careful instructions. Jamie could probably tell him which bottle to open and where to get the squishy treats to hide the pill in.

Jamie is now a top contender in the Tervuren With Horrible Haircut contest. He has shaved "anklets" on all four legs from IVs and blood draws, a bare tummy from the ultrasound and I'd whacked off his britches (an excellent idea in spite of the aesthetics and it made life much easier for both of us). He's got more bald spots than a Rogaine convention.

When I picked him up last night, the vet techs had thoughtfully wrapped his tail to keep it clean during the scope and for any post-procedure "leakage." It was bright pink vet wrap. Trust me when I say it's a startling look.

Phoenix has gotten away with some very outrageous behavior this week, mostly because I haven't had the energy or discipline to enforce the usual rules. Malinois are sure rules can change at any moment and should be tested frequently. He has helped me fix every single dog meal with his paws on the counter and at this rate, it's only a matter of time before the whole dog is up there. If you give him an inch he takes a mile.

When Jamie and I got home last night, I noticed there were socks scattered over the entire house. They were dirty socks out of the laundry hamper in the bathroom, which is usually open in spite of the obvious risk. When I asked Jeff about it, he rolled his eyes and said, "Your dog has been hauling socks since you left."

Cute huh? At our house, we talk about hauling cattle, hauling hay, hauling manure and hauling grain. Guess Phoenix was just being a farm dog. I've noticed he does this when he's anxious or bored. He just carries them around from place to place, never chews them, just re-purposes and re-distributes them. When he's getting a lot of attention and regular training and when life is not a stressball, the dirty socks generally stay where they belong.

We are all looking forward to a quiet weekend and THANK YOU EVERYONE for your continued e-mails, comments and phone calls. It means a lot to me and it would to Jamie, too, if he could read. Which I'm not entirely sure he can't.