Hammocking

The kids had some fun playing in the hammock a little today.  I'm worried about them tearing it up, because it was not the most expensive hammock, but they really wanted to get in it.

Field Day at Jtown Elementary

The kids were having a good time today.  I was there for Logan, but I got to see Lexter too!  They were outside the good part of the day!  Logan's group got to play tug-o-war!

Splot Update

Looks like the mutt will make it. He seems to be doing ok. I put his
phenobarbital in cheese and he wolfs it down to get to the next peice.
He gets it twice a day between 6 and 7. I am so glad he's
better--the whole family was at wits end about it.

Corndogs

The kids and I were watching a bit of TV this weekend and saw an informercial.  They get worked up by infomercials....  It was for this food prep device thing.  I forget what it's called, but originally it was to make omlettes with, but now the lady who (I guess) invented it has it making everything from grilled steaks to little mini cinnamon buns.  Anyway, one of the extra farkles you can buy for it is a little pan that has little cups...like muffin cups or something.  This is what she used to make the cinnamon buns.  Anyway, instead of the pre-made cinnamon buns she pours in some cornbread batter and pushes a little peice of smoky sausage down into it and lets it cook.  She says her grandkids love these for breakfast because they can eat them with their fingers.

 

I thought that was pretty cool....

 

So last night I made a large pan of cornbread (it goes with the beans I made this weekend) and took a pkg of hotdogs and cut them all in half.  I pushed the dogs down into the batter and cooked the cornbread as instructed on the package (I used a double batch of Jiffy corn muffin mix but made it in a 9X13 pan instead of the 8" pan that it says, but I'd bet you could do it with muffin cups or the 8" too.

 

Anyway, it was not only edible, but a little novel and the kids thought it was cool.

 

Oh, and screw those three easy payments of $19.99 plus shipping and handling!!!

Splott the Seizure Dog

Much as I hate to admit it, even with the power of internet research (or perhaps specifically BECAUSE of internet research?) I am not always right. :o(

I was positive Splott had the seizure thing licked and that taking him off the Purina Moist & Meaty did it.  It was, as I have mentioned before, the only thing that had changed in Splotty's life before he started them.  Well, he's been off the food since before we took him to the vet, and was doing great, but...

...last night around 11:30pm he had another seizure.  I was up until about 2am in my room trying to sleep but staying away listening to make sure he would be ok.  He seems better adjusted when they hit him when he's sleeping, but I could hear him pacing around confused and or blind in the kitchen.  I finally had to shut my door, which didn't do much besides make it hotter in my bedroom.

I got up early this morning and did cleanup (which is really horrible because he also looses control of his bodily functions--then because he is confused and blind--he tracks through it.  It is really disgusting, but I can't really be mad at the poor thing because he can't really help it...he's just scared.

So he got his first dose of medication.  He has 50 days worth before we have to go back to the vet and get more...

Splott & Seizures

Although Splott had been doing better, the kids (and everybody) insisted I had to take him to the vet.  Friday the kids were out of school, and I figured they might actually enjoy it, so we all went.  We got to Shively Animal Clinic right at 7am when they open up.  To my dismay, there was already a crowd and they had opened and started taking people early.

 

We got in to see the vet.  I explained what I thought was the problem--the new food.  The vet told me that could not possibly be the problem.  A dog that has seizures that many times in such a short period will be a dog that is prone to them and will have to be on medication.  The did bloodwork, gave me a prescription for phenobarbital.  I had read where it is hard on their organs, and I was reluctant to put Splott on it immediately.  Plus the vet said he will be listless and sleep a lot for 4-6 weeks until his body gets used to it.  I decided to not give him the medication yet, and just observe him over the weekend.

 

I called the vet again Friday evening about 6:30pm because he said he would have the blood tests back "this afternoon".  I told him that I had not yet give Splott the medicine, and still no seizures.  He said that would be ok, but just to watch him.  They called yesterday again to check, and I explained "I have not given him the medication yet, and he's had no seizures.  I feel it must be the food."  The vet (not the one I saw but a different one--it was a woman) said that was good, but be prepared, and to let them know if he has another one.   I stopped giving him the "Purina brand Moist & Meaty on Tuesday.   Since Wednesday evening Splotty has been his normal self with no seizures or sign of seizures (loss of control of bowels, post-seizure confusion/disorientation/defensive-aggression). 

 

Upon further research, they may not have been seizures, but perhaps convulsions!

http://hubpages.com/hub/Dog_Food_Safe_To_Feed_After_The_Dog_Food_Recall

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=301046&page=1

http://www.rateitall.com/i-930743-purina-moist-meaty-dog-food.aspx

http://www.doggienews.com/2005/02/purina-recalls-pet-food.htm

 

If he can go for a month without the drug or any seizures/convulsions, I may consider just 'dealing with' the issue.

Weekend with the kids

The kids and I had a pretty good weekend.  Friday we took Splott to the vet, and I fixed dinner at home.  I fixed bbq ribs that the kids raved about, so I will have to do that again sometime.  We watched "Bedtime Stories", and they really liked it.  Friday evening, Theresia and Rachael came over and we hung out.  The kids played and Logan sacked out about midnight.  As usual I think the girls didn't go to sleep until wee morning.  That's ok, it's fun for them to do that, and Lexie really needs some social time with a girl her age without little brother around sometimes.

 

We got up in the morning and Lexie reminded me that it was the first Saturday of the month--Home Depot Workshop day!  The kids love doing that, and got to make wheel barrow planters for Mother's Day.  After that, we went to Oxmore Mall.  They have a large indoor playground where the kids can burn off some energy.  It was still too wet Saturday for the park.  We walked around the mall and I sprung for bottles of drink when they got hot, and then a short session in the mall massage chairs.  They had fun with that.  Lex and Logan got a card at Hallmark for their mom to go with the planters, and Rachael borrowed a couple bucks while Theresia wasn't looking so that she could get something.  Then it was lunch time.  We went to McDonalds and Lexie rode with the girls and Logan and I took the Alero.  They got there before us, and Theresia got us lunch.  We went to the McDonald's with the play land, of course--more calories burned there than taken in I think!  It's not like you can have a conversation or anything because of the enclosed glass room with tons of screaming kids, but it's still nice to know they're having a blast.  Theresia kept my "no carb" rule in mind too.  She got me a chicken salad--then gave me the meat off a burger too. 

 

Sunday we just sort of goofed off, played some games, watched a little TV.  Around 5pm, I told them we could play another game, so we started to set up, and Lexie says "Oh no!  I can't!!  My homework is not done!"  I was so proud of her for remembering.  She got all her Monday homework done, plus practiced her spelling words by writing them 5 times each, then worked for a while on her report on famous Kenuckian: Diane Sawyer.  We goofed around a little after she put in her time and I told her how proud I was of her to put her work first.

 

This morning, she got ready for school quickly, ate breakfast and wrote her words again.

My Saddle Sore 1000 Mile ride report

Last weekend I did a ride to Montgomery Alabama and back for my Iron
Butt Association Saddle Sore 1000 Mile ride certification.

I did my ride report in PDF format so it would be easier to publish
and have the pictures where I wanted them. If you want to see it,
please gander here: http://tinyurl.com/1K-42509 [url good this time!]

After they verify all my documentation and receipts, etc, I will get a
cool plate-back for my license plate that proclaims I am one of the
"WORLD'S TOUGHEST RIDERS"