Dad felt cold for some days even though the house is like an oven.
My nose told me something was up. I’d have given him my coat if I could!
Big ears also sensed something strange was going on. She hasn’t a great snout but man those ears are like sonars.
On Friday morning Ma took him to have his blood work done for his regular check up scheduled for tomorrow.
All went well.
Well that was until we got the results. They came in just as Ma got home from work. Everything looked great with lipids and minerals and all those good things. EXCEPT his hemoglobin was extremely low. Ma was pondering what to do when the doctor who monitors clinical chemistry at the laboratory called.
He said get Dad to the emergency room immediately for a transfusion. So off they sped leaving the monster and me to our own devices.
They took Dad immediately and pumped in some of the red stuff.
He needed two units so had to stay overnight to get the second.
They then decided since he was at the hospital they’d do an endoscopy to see if he was loosing blood in his stomach. So he stayed yesterday too.
The endoscopy results showed nothing strange. That’s good news!
So now the dilemma is where did the blood loss come from. We know it’s not the upper GI and we know from September it’s not the lower GI so it must be somewhere in the middle.
The only way to find out is have him swallow a camera. That would mean another two days fasting!
Fortunately this can be done as an outpatient.
So Dad is back home again. They’ve stopped his anticoagulants so he will have less chance of bleeding and we’re going to monitor his hemoglobin over the next days to make sure it’s stabilized.
There have been major storms across the Midwest overnight. Our neighboring state of Kentucky got particularly badly hit by huge tornadoes and many people are dead.
So far our only issue is half the Christmas decor is in the yard. It looks like some sort of alien golf game.
The forecasters say that central Ohio will get high winds today and we have got to be on the alert.
That scuppered a long walk.
Benefit was though that I got to go alone with Ma as the bro took Mega out first thing. Divide and conquer!
We only went to Denise’s house and then turned around as the sky turned dark.
Now we just sit and wait! Cousin Krishna had a good suggestion for us though! We might just work on that!
After the exploits of yesterday we are being as good as Beatrix Potters Bunnies.
After almost strangling big ears Ma decided to try a different tactic.
She is rewarding good behavior rather than threading murder for bad one. She has said come and sit so many times I fear she has cracked up completely.
You know me though if there is a treat to be had I’ll do anything. It goes without saying mega would also except she’s not that smart and it’s taking her a while to catch on. On this occasion only I’m coaching her.
The wrinkled ones leg is less swollen than it was but is beautifully colored.
Looks a bit like a tattoo but we’ll spare you any more graphic detail.
She even chopped us up a dodgy pink lady as part of our training perks as a mid morning snack!
Who’d have thought that injury would lead to such reward!
Having a good layer of fat around the bones can be helpful.
It’s paid off for my Mom who looks as though you have gone ten rounds with George Forman.
It started with her pinky about three weeks ago as you may recall when we got into that tangle of leashes.
About ten days ago the devils spawn tripped her up on the way to the sofa with her morning brew and she fell onto the side of the coffee table. Still has a massive bruise from that one.
Yesterday we (make that I) pulled her off her feet trying to chase our neighbors car as she left for work. She was in the process of picking up the Princess’s poop in our yard and fell into the drainage ditch. Fortunately not into the horrifically smelly material the creature emits.
We were then put in a strict training protocol beat on reward of good behaviors.
We (make that I again) did great with that this morning and didn’t chase a single vehicle. Aunt Denise saw how mature I’d become overnight.
Ma was feeling excessively proud of her dog training skills until that is we reached home after our two mile trot.
As it was icy she decided to take us across the grass instead of down the hill.
Big ears took this as a cue to play.
Tore off in one direction and her retractable leash in the other.
It hit Ma so hard on the inside of her shin that she nearly fainted.
Puffed up that like a postprandial Pitty it did. Heaven knows what color it will be this evening.
She has vowed this is the end. The demon was immediately returned to her father and he who was snoring will need to get a pair of walking shoes because Ma has had it.
We have to buy dog food by the ton. Not exaggerating Ma can hardly lift the bag. it weighs more than me!
We keep the big one in the garage and a smaller one in the pantry.
We restock the small one from the big one and usually this routine happens in the garage. With temperatures at 20F this morning it was a tad too chilly for poor Ma to stand there scooping kibble from one bag to another at 6:30am.
So she hauled the big one into the kitchen and I supervised the transfer.
I cleaned up any spills like a good son.
Downside of all this industry was that it woke up big ears. She heard the noise and of course thought it was feeding time at the zoo.
When she wants out of the bros room she makes this high pitched little “I’m such a tinny little baby please help me” noise.
Of course Ma can’t listen to it for more than a second and caves in.
The “Dyson” then devours a pound of kibble in the time any normal critter could say crunchies.
This must immediately be followed by a trip to the yard. Since it’s pitch black I’m left inside as Ma says she can’t walk two dogs till it’s light.
That’s when I hear her barking like a big old bloodhound. This deep down masculine sound is sent out of her to terrify Skeeter and Nina the nice Labradors who live across the road.
Would frighten the life of you. Who knew that any single entity could have such vocals.
Is she the canine version of a Diva. Please send help!
Booming Banter 