FoOd!?!?

So things have been going better.  I have had a really great day yesterday, a good day before that also!  I will take it.  I definitely made the most of it.  So resting today will be very important.  My neck is already driving me nuts.  It was yesterday too.. but my energy was better so I could still do more.

Thrilled with the improvement in the weather.  I am sure that is helping.  I really could share lots more about how I have been feeling but it is so similar to how I always am that I am finding it to boring to share more of. 

However, I am frustrated.  I managed to slice my finger open yesterday while I was feeling well.. but I have no clue when I did it... I have a feeling there is blood everywhere.. I finally noticed the blood, by then it was dried all over my finger.  Thank goodness I clot!   That could have been bad.  Kind of freaks me out that I don't notice some of these things.  ( I AM A DRAMA QUEEN)  =)

Of course, now, I feel my finger.. It hurts as I type.. but obviously not bad enough to not type.  While it is puffy and sore, it is not cut where my finger bends, it is actually on the pad of the finger.. so no matter what I do with my right hand I am going to feel it.. 


The nice weather has really been a thrill.  My new knitting hobby, goes great with the sunshine also.  My Doctor had shared that he wanted me to get some sunshine.. so I sit out side and knit!  It is perfect!  I plan on doing this everyday I can.  Even if I don't feel the best I am figuring out how to do that.  Sunscreen on of course!  The knitting is something simple I can do outside.  I have not done allot of knitting but the more I do the better I am getting.  I am sure I am still making mistakes, but I am not really doing it for perfection...

Luka has been doing great too!  That is so nice.  His feet are healing!  YEA!  He is doing so good about leaving them alone.  I think they are finally almost all closed up.  In celebration we are also trying a new dog food.. FINGERS CROSSED!  As Luka is eating us out of house and home.  We've been making his food for months now.  It seems to be the only way to keep his allergies at bay.  When he has an allergic reaction it creates "HOT" spots on his feet, which he will lick raw, and then start chewing on because of the itch and sores..  it can get out of control quickly! 

So, these are the things he has allergies too.. with a reminder that you should never feed someone's dog with out asking permission first..

Grains ( all that we have tried including corn, wheat, oats, rice ) 
Poultry ( our Vet shared that we should avoid all birds as well )
Milk
Preservatives (don't know which ones specifically )


Here is what he can eat:
Potatoes White and Sweet
Squash
Zucchini
Beef
Deer
Flax Seed
Salmon (fish)
Pumpkin
Apples
Bananas
Pears
We are also giving him the same Isagenix Products that we eat as well.  They are loaded with protein and vitamins.  He even likes eating the little Snack Bites! 
Oil- Still working out which one is best, but he seems to do alright with Canola and Olive Oil..
An additional Supplement called Immunoplex that seems to be helping also! 
Eggs, but must be mixed with the Hot White Potatoes.. otherwise he can't eat those either.. grrr.

Tried beans, but boy is he stinky with those!  So we are avoiding those for now! 



He gets snacks of Beef Livers, Dried Sweet Potato, Isagenix Snacks, Deer Jerky, Dried Beef, Apples, Dried Seaweed (wierd I know!)

So that is what we are doing these days.  We've tried lots of different dog foods, many with disastrous results for his feet!  I hesitate to even try one more, but each time we try something new, I guess we are also learning what else to avoid...

I am just so thankful that our Vet figured out this solution for us!   We are trying a preservative free food now, that also avoids all of the things we know are bad for him..  Fingers Crossed...  It has been so hard to keep food made for him.  We are doing it, but WOW, having a dog food option as well would be helpful..

I swore I would never cook my dogs food..  Once again I have learned never say never!  I am just going to go with the flow!

One other great thing, since I have been feeling better, I have been able to get some cleaning and organizing done!  Oh that is a good thing for sure.  Our house while being far from "trashed" was making me nuts!  I have been saving egg cartons.  We now are back to getting our eggs from a local farmer, in fact they are supposed to be delivered today in fact! 

I chose to be preemptive this time, and have already placed my bag of egg cartons outside!  So when my delivery guy shows up I can make sure to send those with him.  YES, my local farmer DELIVERS!  Woo Hoo!!

We've got all of our recycling things out and ready to go as well, bad thing is that where we live they stopped the free collection of plastics and card boards.  Grrrr...  So we will have to look for another place to recycle those or just dump them in the trash I guess.  I am not paying extra and changing garbage companies to get that service curbside.  We don't make that much trash! 

I now just have to get my taxes in order.  I usually end up filing late anyway.  I don't mind doing that, my CPA is awesome, and has plenty of other people's taxes to get done early.  He has my preliminary stuff and so we are all set that way..  We still do the same thing essentially, but just get things done a bit later..

But I will plan to have my things to him before the deadline in case he gets done with everyone else early. 

I really work to be on time. 

I am also excited about planting things, although right now with my aching neck and messed up finger it doesn't sound fun at all.  Yesterday I did manage to get some organizing done in the garage as well.  Yes, I entered Jason's domain.  I think he wanted to boot me out of there... I was reorganizing his entire area.  I couldn't help it, I had plans..  ( we had discussed them last year.. I remembered them but had not been well enough to be able to do anything about making it happen until yesterday )

Jason to say the least was a little shocked!  But he did recall the conversation and let me do my thing, he moved what ever I asked him to and was so helpful despite being fried from working all afternoon.  When he got home I was in full swing of clean and organize!  I think he was stunned!  To be honest, I was too, I never thought a day would get here that my body would let me move and do things.  This winter was brutal! 

My migraines were under control for the most part thankfully, I got allot of them but no ER visits for them!  That is HUGE!  Yea!  LUKA!! 

Today, no matter how I feel I have to get the potatoes baked, and the squash baked too.. Otherwise, Luka is going to be starving!  That would be so bad!  Even if that is all I do! 

I'd also like to park myself outside for a while as well..  That would be good too.. So we'll see!  I am hopeful, the day is young! 

Hoping your day is productive too!  Blessings,
Pink Doberman




 

iNteRiSTiNg tHiNgS..

Insomnia... does it happen to you?  It really does sometimes.  Sometimes it happens quite often. 

It is frustrating!  So so so so frustrating...  My brain does not stop.  I really don't mind this, I have lived with this my entire life.  The thing that does bother me is when my brain is stuck on bad things.  Then I need it to stop!

Even if I would fall asleep with bad thoughts I will not sleep. 

The Dr. Oz Show is talking about this.  Hopefully I will learn some more tips. 

I also have learned that if I take my nighttime suppliment that I do sleep better.  So I really try to do that.  Jason sleeps better when he takes that as well.  That is a good thing too! 

On PBS this morning there is some discussion on
LB1014 (Haar) Create the Teacher Performance Pay Fund and provide for additional public teacher pay 
The discussion has been pretty interesting.  While we have no kids.  We always have felt that better teachers and better schools do benefit kids.  Interesting discussion on Nebraska's Legislative Floor this morning. 

Of course the LB 858 ended up stalling out in committee.  Which is frustrating.  But there is increasing support for this legislation.  People are becoming aware of the need to support this legislation!  I can't thank those who do enough!  Here are some previous posts thta I have made about the Proposed Nebraska Service Dog Legislation.  Please even if you live out of state contact the people on the committee to share your thoughts and experiences!   

Read More Here to link to my television interview, and see pictures from it as well.

Or

Here for my Speech to the State of Nebraska Legislative Committee including Nebraska Senator's Contact Information

Senator Kate Sullivan is bringing this legislation back new and improved for next year!  She welcomes your thoughts and ideas on how Nebraska's Service Dog Legislation can be the best in the land!  Kudo's to her and her wonderful staff for taking this on!

Yes, I am going to keep bringing these things up.  =)  They are important! 

Ok, so I have spoken with Jason today.  He should be on his way home from his trip tonight!  I am so glad about that.  I think it has been good for him to get away.  While I HATED not being able to go with him.  Getting out of here makes things more tollerable for me for sure.

He was able to go out to eat with fellow instructors.  Which was wonderful for him.  He enjoyed himself.  He shared that the food was not that special.  But that he had a good time.  There was even a fire station across the parking lot from the hotel.  He could not have been happier. 

In fact, on his way to his training center this morning..  He stopped by the station got to chat with the guys for a couple minutes.  It is super fun for him to do that!  He caught everyone at shift change. 

It is good to hear that his classes are going well.  A few bumps here and there, going well.  He is teaching for yet another institution.  Crazy stuff!  I sure hope that he got the name of that mattress he slept on at the hotel before he checked out this morning.  I am curious!

On another note.  One good thing about my Dr. visit yesterday.. I am going to start some new therapy!  I hope it will work.  It is something that I hope my neck and arms will be able to tolerate.  So far nothing else has worked.  I still need to keep working on the other stuff.  But at the point I am at right now, the more I do the worse I am feeling again.  I really want to get on a treadmill and walk!

We will see how it goes. 

Depressing part.. stop reading if you'd like..
The visit to the Dr. will have hopefully met most of my deductible.  While it is not paid for yet, the visit is done, and they said I could pay them in installments, not all up front.  That is good.  I asked before we even went in.  Thank goodness! 

I hate having to many bills at one time.  I hate not getting them all paid off.  It is so therapeutic to pay them off in full!  We will just have to keep chugging away at them.  Someday we will get them gone!  I live for those days!  I know bills are apart of life.  I would just like to transition to the type of life that can pay for things in CASH upfront! 

But sometimes that just is not in the cards! 

I realize this is something that everyone struggles with!  I am not alone, I am fully aware.  It is just another dream. 

I have not been talking about it much lately, but my hands and lower arms have been hurting again.  I type take a break, type take a break...  to get my posts done.  Sometimes this goes on all day long.  I do not know why they are flaring up.  They just are.  I do not know why so many things hurt with my body, they just do.  I am definitely able to live with some pain, unmedicated.  It just makes me tired and irritable.  Frequent breaks are needed as well.  But I am at least able to do some things around the house.  Or out of it depending on the day! 

But with the additional stronger pains, the little one's combined, are just more than this girl can take.  I hope the pharmacy has the medication in.  I still have to figure out how to get it.. But.. one thing at a time. 

I better end this post now, I fear that my thoughts are going to stop making sense here soon.

This girl is hurtin.
Blessings to you and I have hope that you are pain free!

Pink Doberman

FoUnD!

Impressed!  A favorite show of ours just Rocked Tonight!  Wow!  

Thanks so much to N.C.I.S. for choosing to feature how important the people are who train Service Dogs!  Abby brought on the show tonight her new Guide Dog in Training!  How Cool is that?  The show also featured a guy with TWO Wives..  Aired on 3-9-10  Check out the cute puppy that she is training!

Jason watches this show as often as possible!  We both just love it!  For sure it is one show we can both agree to watch, and my trigger finger never flicks to a different stream during this show!

He could watch this show over and over again!  If we are at a place with cable and there is a N.C.I.S. Marathon on, well there is a good chance Jason will spend part of the day de stressing in front of the flickering screen!

Here is also the link to a great rescue resource are the Pilots who fly rescue animals to their new homes!  Check it out!  Pilots N Paws 

I also want to announce I think I have found a breeder to get my next Service Dog to train from!  I did have hopes to find the correct dog through rescue.  The more I have learned about the type of dog needed the more I have also learned about what I am needing and looking for in my next Service Dog.

Physical Traits
Hair- Short very low or now maintenance..
Tall- Ideally 30 inches at the withers
Strong- Of course
Sound- Good history of hips
Health- No bad genetic health issues
Prefer Male dog.... I just do.  Personally like the boys better.  I would love a girl to but I seem to bond better with the Male dogs.

I realized since Luka has so many allergy issues, that I really need to consider genetics and breeding.  I don't want to put all of this hard work into a dog that will end up having a great chance of illness.

If I were searching for a pet, I would not be so picky...

Temperament
Not afraid
Currious
Willingness to be present and apart of my life
Calm
Strong Presence
History in the breeding line of other Successful Service Dogs..

There is more but I won't bore you..

Right now the only problem is affording to get one of the pups.  They come with a $2300 price tag... Untrained..  Yeah, you are right that is way out of my budget.

I have only spoken with the breeder once.  So there is lots more follow up to do.  But I am drawn to her as she has a very great heart and she prayed for me when we were on the phone talking.   She is a good pray-er.  I am in admiration. 

As soon as we get this latest round of bills caught up and a couple of health issues taken care of, I will be starting to save.

Cromoley!  I knew a dog like this would be a bit pricey..  So we will just see.  Maybe there will be a Miracle!

I've been searching for years now.
At least one part of the puzzle is solved!

I am happy for that!

Blessings,

Pink Doberman