Absolutely. I've met a lot of the folks here on BW, to a person they're great. "Community" is an accurate word. Whether it's a get together in W.VA, Little Switzerland NC, Vern's place or our fave, TWoS in Suches GA, we're a motley crewe. A Buell fandamily fo sho.
Michael, you should point your front tire east to Suches GA one day. A stretch from Texas, but a true moto-mecca. Few places like it, my favorite. Hoping to make it back this Spring, if life allows.
Solution: Both of you come, trailer the bike in with truck or car. If she doesn't ride, fine. A day well spent is simply hanging out on the porch at TWoS, watching the coming and going. Leave alone motorcycling, there's all kinds of hiking/fishing/outdoorsy stuff.
N. Ga, E. TN, W. NC, all God's country here. Plan your vacay, buddy. The peace of just being at TWoS is marvelous.
Oh, and it's worth the trip just to get some Jim's BBQ. Sure, Texas does 'cue... but Jim's is only open 3 days a week.
D'Ogee has gained quite a bit of weight, apparently due to the prednisone. He's eating very well, and drinking lots of water. We're giving him fish oil pills, turmeric, ashwagangha, and innmunokinoko. All this might be a big dose of snake oil, still worth a try.
I think/sense he's winding down. Time to plan the endgame. I've not yet actually had to euthanize a pet. Advice would be greatly appreciated.
It'll be hard BUT you should be with your furbaby when it happens. You don't want to have his last experience being surrounded by complete strangers in a strange, scary environment...
It is hard. One of the hardest things you will do. Just be with him and give him love.
We were with May when she was given the shot and she looked directly into my eyes in a way I'd never experienced before. It's a thing I will never forget.
One of the worst things in life is that these beautiful souls have a shorter life span than us.
Jaime- I've already planned to have a mobile veterinary doc and friend I've know for years come to the house and do the deed. He'll have a BIG last meal of probably some kind of fish (he loves seafood), I'll spike it with enough sedative to send him into a deep sleep before the procedure.
Anticipating life after he's gone... I'm going to want another Basenji when the time is right. I'll get pushback against that from M, she's of the mind that dogs are more of a burden than we need now. Rocky (our one eyed Jack ha ha) requires twice daily meds to control seizures, so any travel plans we make have to factor that in. He hates the vet clinic, so we're against boarding him, and in general he dislikes/hates all other humans except we two. I doubt anyone except a vet professional could administer the pills.
Rocky's 10# of shit in a 5# sack, for sure, but he's worth that weight in gold to us. I'll not have a one dog home... plain and simple.
D'Ogee had a seizure last night at 1130. Thankfully it didn't last as long as previous ones, but it still sucked. I can tell he's winding down. Can't jump in bed anymore, needs help. And, the tail.
One of the defining elements of a Basenji is the tail- one and a half curls, white tip. He's gained 4.5# since the diagnosis, pretty much on schedule.
One or two weeks out now. It's on me to work up the best finale I can muster.
Dang. It.
Hey. Sorry to lay all this out publicly. No need to "engage", as Picard might do. I'm just venting, and trying to fight out the right/best way. Heck. We're having late nite chicken nugget bedtime snacks together. All is well.
Another day. At this writing he's OK, just watching Mama in the kitchen as usual. I think that it's later in the evening that he gets tired, and I'm worried that the lipomas he's always had on his chest might be metastatizing. He didn't much like being picked up to get on the couch last night.
I guess this is just a rollercoaster, one that ends where I get off and crawl under a nice rock.