Corn Boil

Thanks to my DSIL, C, DH and I ate in style last night...hydro cooled, peaches n' cream corn on the cob and LOBSTER! Mmmmm-mmmmm! It seems like forever since we've taken a trip down to Maine so this was definitely a nice treat :o) I can't remember the last time I had lobbies. The corn is awesome too but that has to come from the Saturday market and we don't get there very often. Apparently, I sleep in too late for DH :oP

My four legged friend seems to be quite the popular little girl lately! Not only did TC send her a toy made by Shannon but she also received another package in the mail yesterday. This time it was a pink toy purse (with squeaker) from Daisy, Tammy's little one :o)

Brie absolutely LOVES it! I made the huge mistake of squeezing it while Brie was sleeping. LOL! I swear, sometimes she can sleep through an earthquake but squeeze a toy or open the freezer door and the next thing you know, you have two beady eyes looking right at you.

Brie is now walking 100% on her own as of this past weekend. She is learning to sit properly by using the muscles in her haunches and she can now do her 'business' unassisted :o) The number of accidents is zero since the end of last week too. We 'may' have finally figured out her new schedule! It's bad enough trying to keep track of one's own. LOL!

My exchange with Sonda arrived yesterday as well and she surprised me with some adorable doggy fabric -

This will definitely get used :o) Thanks so much for the great exchange Sonda! We'll have to do it again sometime.

I'm really enjoying stitching Herb Garden -

It's such a change to actually be cross stitching again! This piece is being stitched on the recommended 32 count Lilac linen and I almost dropped when I actually had that in my fabric stash. It's such a pretty shade. I had bought a piece about a meter long when a LNS closed.

I came up against a snag with my Christmas ornament exchange idea. I know I have the fabric but...I can't find it! My computer/craft room really needs to be organized again. I've got a backup color and I'm hoping it will work out much better anyway.

Have you seen the contents of the JCS Halloween Issue yet? If not, check out their site where they have a little slideshow. I'm really loving some of those Halloween ornaments, especially the one by La-D-Da ;o)

I want to thank everyone for all the nice comments that they left regarding Stargazer. You all are too kind! I hate to say it but she will be going into storage for the time being :o( She was supposed to be framed and ready for the fair in September but that's not going to happen. Oh well. There's always next year!

She's...DONE!

If you've dropped by my Blog over the past few days you may have noticed my little note but if not then listen up...Stargazer is officially DONE!!!! Yup, you heard me right...D-O-N-E! :o) Considering everything that has been going on here, I'm proud to say that I was only one day over my goal. I estimate that I was putting on approximately 70 beads each day that I worked on her and if it wasn't for that darn Kermit, I probably would have had her done by July 31 >:o( As much as I want to stitch the Halloween Fairy, part of me doesn't want to see another bead for awhile. LOL!

Can there possibly be anything worse than a visit from 'the frog'? What is the worst thing that comes to your mind? If you said running out of fabric, you're right! As I started adding the beads in the sky, I realized that I was going to cut it VERY close on the right hand side :oS How this happened, I have no idea. She's either not centered correctly on the chart or else I made a grave error in counting. That's a good possibility because I seemed to have a real problem counting beyond ten with this project. LOL! It is tight as I only have a two inch allowance on the right but my plan remains not to have a mat but if worse comes to worse, in that instance I can always sew on a piece in order to lace her.

So, are you ready to see her? Are you sure? ;o) Here she is -

What do you think? Since the weather has been the pits, I've had quite a time to get a good picture of her. I think this one represents the colors in their truest form. I stitched her on 28 count Blue Clouds Jobelan by Heaven Lee Creations. Their colors are so soft and nicely blended. I LOVE their fabrics but they do take a long time to ship.

Now you're probably wondering what my Happy Dance looked like ;o) Well...I thought about doing the Hamster Dance... -

...or the Dancing Baby -

Then the Chicken Dance came to mind... -

...but in the end I just rocked it and it looked more like this -

ROFL!

Now, I can thankfully cross off this huge project off my list of goals for the year and concentrate on the rest :o) I've just started Herb Garden by LHN. I thought it was quite appropriate since we do have a little brown hare on our property.

The Halloween bug has bitten though and I can't wait to get a hold of the new JCS magazine! I've seen the cover and already I'm excited! I checked the stores on Saturday but they still have the Christmas ornament preview issue on the stands :o( Drat! As you can probably see, patience is not one of my virtues ;o)

Thirty-Seven And Counting...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!

Sorry, I couldn't resist ;o)

It's been an interesting week to say the least. There's been a new development with my employer. They want to arrange to have an independent doctor examine me. Wait, it gets better ;o) Their new insurance company (my employer changed providers shortly after I went on LTD) is going to bring in their own doctor to go over all the reports and documents from this independent doctor, my LTD insurance company and my family physician. Why are they doing this you wonder? This is the best part! My employer wants to make sure that my disabilities are legitimate enough to request the accommodations that I did "even though" they've been given letter after letter from my doctor. HELL- O! I've been on LTD for the past two and a half years you idiots!

To add insult to injury, I just spoke with the Human Rights Commission and they are dismissing the complaint against LTD >:o( They state it's outside of their jurisdiction when it comes down to medical information. They also advised that I should go along with the IME. My complaint against my employer is going to go forward and any loss of wages and benefits will be taken into consideration as the investigation proceeds. UGH! Honestly, my hands are tied yet again :o( Does anyone know of a lawyer in Canada that will take on a case pro-bono?

Brie is doing really well and can walk unassisted for about 80% of the time now :o) When she concentrates, she walks close to normal but when she doesn't, she walks like a drunken sailor. LOL! She is starting to sit with both legs under her so those muscles are developing again. We're still doing physio and on Sunday, DH and I took Brie to see some of my relatives and she was able to swim in the ocean water. After a malfunction, on my part, my girl took off like the little otter she is. Here she is in her life jacket -

Brie also received a Get Well card and gift from Aunty Shannon and TC :o) Shannon stitched Brie's name onto a stuffed bone that she made. Even though the note said that it was hers to chew, I still cringed when I gave it to her but I have to say, she loves it! Brie wanted me to pass on a thank you to you Shannon and TC as well -

In that same package was my birthday gift from Shannon -

The majority of it was packed into a gorgeous box, all tied up with a ribbon :o) Shannon spoiled me with an adorable notebook with a Doxie puppy on the front, Jasmine body wash by The Healing Garden, pretty pink butterfly clips, bunny clips, two magnets, TWO Mill Hill kits and a piece of fabric (Fairy Dust) by Enchanted Fabrics. Tucked in beside the box were TWO Cadbury Easter Cream Eggs!!!! I might actually make it to 50 this year! Thank you so much Shannon and please pass a scratch behind the ears to TC ;o)

I also received what I thought would be two charts (Halloween Sampler and Hop Squared by LK) from Judy but when I opened the envelope, this is what I found -

Judy decided to play dirty and add a few more goodies into the package. LOL! She also added some yummy hot chocolate mixes (Hazelnut Truffle and Double Chocolate Truffle), some adorable stickers by Mary Engelbreit and an amazing watercolour by Susan Little. Thank you so much Judy and you'll be hearing from me soon ;o)

Yesterday I was in town and wanted to track down the current issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework. I went to Chapters and wouldn't you know it, I got THE last issue! Whew! Even though I do NOT want to see another bead, Halloween Fairy will hopefully be started soon ;o)

Before I close I just want to warn you that a fully fledged Happy Dance will be underway very shortly so keep your eyes peeled for that post :oD Am I a tease or what! LOL!

A Good Ol' Fashion Western Fast Draw

"A tumbleweed rolls by as the dry, hot breeze stirs the dust. Silence falls over the street which has become quickly empty except for a couple of horses, tails lazily switching against the flies. From the shadows steps the enemy, spurs clicking on the glossy black boots, not a speck of dirt on the black pants and shirt, decorated with silver and turquoise, a hat pulled low over his eyes and the face all but hidden by the waxed mustachio - yep, a dude alright, not a man to be trusted. Our hero also steps out, a little worn, a little dishevelled, but packing a piece capable of dealing evil a mighty blow..." ~ thanks to my OT, N :o)

As some of you may recall, I've been having major issues with my employer and my LTD provider. Back in May, LTD sent a letter stating that I was to return to work on July 7, with a gradual return to full-time work schedule that would take me up until August 25, at which time my benefits would be cut off. You may remember this as being the time that P disclosed my personal medical information to my employer >:o(

Knowing I would not be returning to work full-time, I scheduled a meeting with my employer on June 20 and explained that I could not return to my full-time job as LTD stated I could but that I was more than willing to work at a part-time position. I provided my documentations (signed by my doctor) and my accommodations for my disabilities and was told they would get back to me with an answer the following week. On July 7 (the day I was supposed to start back to work) I still didn't have an answer from them.

In my June 27 post, I stated I had just sent in my final reports and documents to LTD in the hopes that they would not cut off my benefits. When I talked to my case worker, J, she stated that my report on the FAE wasn't even relevant because I should have dealt with it at the time it happened. Well, from what I can recall, my doctor never received a copy of the original FAE report AND I was in no condition health-wise to be going over it. From that point, contact with J ceased.

So...on July 16 I decided to call J on the phone since she was not answering my emails and I get this message "You have reached the voice mail of J. As of July 15, I am on an extended leave of absence. Please do not leave a message because it will not be returned." WTF? Nice of her to let me know. Even nicer of LTD to let me know who my new case worker was going to be. During that same week, my employer informs me that they are going to listen to whatever LTD says regardless of my doctor's orders. In other words, they expect me to return to my full-time position. If I want part-time hours, I have to 'resign' from my full-time position BUT they will not provide me with accommodations in a part-time position because LTD states there is nothing physically wrong with me.

It's July 28 and I am STILL waiting my fate. I REFUSE to resign from my full-time position because do you think they're going to re-hire me part-time? If you said no, you're 100% correct ;o) I have contacted LTD and my new case worker is J (a different name). We have talked and she must have the same script that my old J had because I got nowhere. She talked around in circles and so far I haven't even heard about the letter of complaint that I filed against P.

Are you still with me? LOL!

Do you remember me stating that I had a backup plan? An ace in the hole? I am happy to say that it was deployed on July 14 :o) Are you wondering what it is? Well, since we cannot afford to hire a lawyer again (and I do NOT hold this against Brie) my only other option was to go to the Human Rights Commission. As of July 21, they have a complaint against my employer AND a complaint against LTD. SWEET! Because both parties are discriminating against my physical disabilities, I am able to bring this to the attention of the Human Right Commission of New Brunswick.

Basically, it's like a court of law but you are your own lawyer. There will be a mediation service that will hear both sides of the story. What's the outcome? I don't know. I'm not going to hold my breath about anything. In the meantime, it doesn't help me with an income so I'm not sure just what we'll do. But the fact that I didn't give up or quit means more to me. 'I'M' the one in control here and that is such a good and satisfying feeling :o)

I'm Honoured

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that two of my readers (Mary Ann and Sonda) have given me the Kreativ Blogger Award -

Wow! I feel so special. You do realize that all this fame may go to my head ;o) LOL!

I really do appreciate the award and knowing that you enjoy visiting and reading my Blog :o)

I know I am supposed to pass this award on to five other people but to be honest, I just can't do that. For one, I have approximately 50 Blogs on my Google Reader and I read each and every one of them every week.

The second reason is that each and every Blog that I do read is a window into the personality of the person that hosts it. Yes, the common factor is stitching but there is so much more. A lot of these people are very dear friends and others are becoming one :o)

Thank you again Mary Ann and Sonda. I truly feel honoured!

And The Winner Is...

Since I didn't have an extra pair of hands (paws don't count) and I didn't want to waste paper, the next best thing I could come up with to draw a name was...Scrabble! LOL! Don't worry, I haven't gone completely off my rocker, yet ;o) There were 23 names that qualified for the giveaway and since there are 26 letters in the alphabet... See where I'm going with this? So I dug out just one tile for each letter from A to W, placed them back in the bag and drew a letter without even seeing the list of names. The letter P was drawn from the bag. P is the 16th letter of the alphabet and the 16th name on the comment list was...

Daffycat!!!!

Congratulations Sharon :o) Email me your mailing address and I'll get your surprise out next week!

Thanks to everyone that entered. You guys are the BEST!

Brighter Days Are Ahead

This morning I took Brie to the vet to have her stitches removed. Poor peanut was pretty traumatized when I put her in the car :o( Hey, who could blame her. Once we got there and she saw Dr. B, her anxiety quickly decreased. She likes Dr. B :o) So, the bandage and the stitches have been removed and things are looking good.

Dr. B took a look at her mobility and stated that Brie was doing very well. What was even better was that she was using both hind feet independently and that's a very positive step :o) I've got some more physiotherapy exercises that we can do now and a better idea for her swimming therapy. All in all, Brie passed with flying colors! Don't get me wrong, there's still a LOT of work ahead of us but at least we now have a positive outlook.

On our way home, I stopped in and bought Brie a stuffed toy with a squeaker in it. These are her favourites! She'll squeak that thing until the squeaker actually dies. It's a LOT of noise but it makes her happy and that's the main thing :o) Then I had to call DH and Grammy S to let them know just what a brave girl she was.

I've actually gone back to Stargazer :o) I'll be slowly working away but even though she won't be in the fair this year, I still want to see her complete. My goal was the end of July and I still 'might' make it! I've also have a great idea for my Christmas ornament exchange. I just have to pull the colors and hope they work with the fabric I have.

Since I'm trying to see the brighter side of things, I thought that I would share a few pictures with you. Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of time for my photography but I'll get a shot in here and there. This is a male Ruby Throated Hummingbird that I caught the other night -

These little guys are so quick that it's hard to get a good picture. Most of the time, the colors in the bird come out dark but I'm pretty happy with this one :o)

Here's a rosebud off of my Rugosa Rose bush -

And here's the open rose -

My grandmother used to have an old summer house that we always referred to as McKee's Mills as it was located in McKee's Mills. LOL! Down one side of the house, there was a row of Rugosa Roses and every time I smell them, I think of the summers that I spent there as a child :o)

Remember, you still have until the end of tomorrow, July 23, 2008, to enter my giveaway!!!! See the post below for the rules and instructions.

Fourth Finish For 2008

Stitching? What's that? LOL! Somehow, I've managed to fit a bit of it in this month. Stargazer has been put on the shelf but I dug out a small project, something that I didn't really have to concentrate on and that was easily transported. This is The Crab Is In by Waxing Moon Designs -

I've always LOVED this pattern and it's SO appropriate for me :o) I think it should be hung up on the door to my computer/craft room. Okay, okay, it should just be hung around my neck. LOL! This will be the second completed small project that will go towards my goal for the year.

I thought it was about time that I got back to stitchy talk before I lost all my readers. I see most of us are (im)patiently waiting for the September issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework to come out ;o) When I first saw Nora's Halloween fairy, I wasn't that impressed but then I saw a better picture of it and I think she's adorable. I'm not sure what to do because I will want to stitch her but I haven't even started the Vicki SAL yet and so far only two out of the four of us have finished her :oS

Speaking of the four of us, Katie, Faith Ann, Shannon and I have decided to do a Christmas ornament exchange. We each have the name of our secret person and now the challenge is to decide what to stitch! At first I thought it would be a breeze but the more I looked through my stash, the more ideas started to swirl around in my head. It is NOT a good idea to go stash diving when you're in a vulnerable state. LOL!

Brie is still doing well. She's one happy puppy to be home. On Tuesday I take her in to have her stitches taken out. Her bandage is still on so I haven't even seen what it looks like underneath. Surprisingly, it doesn't seem to hurt her because we've seen her sleeping on her back and she still enjoys rolling around on the carpet :o)

I really don't know how I can thank everyone for their wonderful emails and comments that have been full of support and kind words. I do know that by reading them, they have given me that extra strength that I needed. So...I'm going to do the next best thing that I can think about...I'm going to hold a giveaway! What's the prize you ask? It's a surprise but I know it's something any of you will enjoy :o)

There are a few rules though. This drawing is a way of thanking all my friends that have been there to support me during this time so rule number one...you must have left at least TWO comments from July 1 to 17, 2008. Your name will not be accepted if this step has not been done. I will ship anywhere. You have up until July 23, 2008 to leave a comment on this post and enter your name. Please leave a way to contact you should you be the lucky name drawn. The winner will be announced the next day :o) Good luck!

Welcome Home Brie!

I know you are all wondering how Brie is making out and I do apologize that I have not updated my Blog sooner but things have been much more difficult than I expected :o( DH and I are running low on fumes but at least I can say that this experience has removed any doubts about whether we should have had children or not :oS

On Monday morning we took off for another long drive to PEI and this time I brought my camera and got a few shots of the Confederation Bridge despite the fog -

When we arrived at the hospital, DH and I got to finally meet the new student that had been looking after Brie. Meeting her in person only solidified my opinions of her personality and it's not one that should be dealing with people or animals. We were displeased that she had not prepared Brie ahead of time for our visit. Taking her out to use the bathroom would have only taken a few extra minutes of her time and would have decreased Brie's anxiety level :o(

As it was, Brie was extremely upset that she could not run to us or jump into our arms. My heart just sank when I saw how listless her hind end was but the doctor still had great hopes for her. Poor peanut looked like a skunk with the long, wide, white bandage down her back ;o)

I can't tell you how relieved I was to get her out of there. She was very happy to see the two of us but still very confused as to what was going on. I think there was a bit of resentment that we had left her there for so long but we quickly got back into her good books when we all stopped for some Cows ice cream :o)

Brie's first night home was a nightmare...for all of us! She was very scared and off a schedule she had been on for almost two weeks so that equalled a very sleepless night :o( The second night DH and I became smarter and put her bed beside ours :o) She seems very happy with this new arrangement and so are we. LOL!

We are having a bit of trouble controlling her urination and starting the medication that was given to us just made things worse :o( We have since stopped it and she is gradually getting better. The second night she was up twice in the night. That was the night we saw her tail wag for the first time :o) Last night she was up only once.

DH and I are doing doggy physiotherapy with Brie :o) We do the leg movements during the day and at night we do swimming. Finally, we've been able to use the life jacket that we bought her last year! LOL! Although they are only baby steps, Brie has made remarkable improvement since we brought her home. Last night while talking to my dad on the phone, Brie walked unassisted for about three feet! It was amazing :o) She can even stand on all fours for longer period of times as well.

For the most part, we use the sling when we go out for walks. It keeps her hind end up off the ground but today I noticed that she is starting to swing her back legs to walk. In the house, she just scoots around and when she hits carpet, she can actually pull her hind end up.

So, between the dirty pee pads, learning to walk, the extra laundry, play time and nap time, it's like looking after a newborn baby. No wonder we're both exhausted! Not to mention other things that have been going on but I'll update you about that later....

I have doubted myself a lot during these past three days. There were many times when I thought I couldn't do it. But then I look at that sweet, little face and remember all the times that Brie has been there for me, to lick my tears as they fell and to sit on my lap and comfort me. Now it's my turn to look after her and I don't regret, even for a second, the decisions I made. It is going to be a long road but we brought up a fighter...a girl that never quits and that doesn't know the meaning of the word "No". :o)

Brie's Coming Home!

We got the official news this morning! Woohoo! DH and I plan to take off for PEI tomorrow to go and pick up the Little One :o)

On Friday night, the student called to tell us that Brie could sense touch on her hind end! When they went to touch her back foot, she would pull it away. Excellent sign! Yesterday, the doctor called and informed us that Brie had been transferred out of ICU and was eating and drinking on her own. That was also a really good sign since Brie 'loves' to eat :o) He also stated he was pretty sure that she had continence control but they weren't 100% positive yet. When the student called this morning, she confirmed that Brie actually did so that's wonderful!

That still leaves us with one more hurdle and that's to get Brie to walk again. She is showing all the positive signs but she has yet to use her hind legs. They have been using physiotherapy and that will have to be continued when we bring her home. To be honest, I'm scared to death :o( Brie is progressing much faster than I expected but I know I'm going to break down when I see that she still can't walk. I will try to be strong for her though. I'm just so happy that she's finally coming home :o)

DH and I went out for a bit of a walk last night and lo and behold, we came across another visitor to our property -

DH has been going on and on about seeing a rabbit in the apple orchard but every time I would go down to look, there was never one there. I guess he was telling the truth ;o) Surprisingly enough, this wild bunny was quite friendly and even jumped towards us a few times, even with Duncan there (he was on his leash). The little guy wasn't scared at all and we eventually just let him be.

We have seen our deer again but now the field is so tall that you can barely see the tops of her ears! Unfortunately, Ms. Doe has been nibbling on my apple trees >:o( Between her and the crows, I may not see any apples again this year so I took a picture just to prove that we did have some at the beginning -

LOL! Since we planted those trees, we've never been able to enjoy their fruit because it's always gone! There seems to be quite a good crop on the trees this year so maybe we'll be lucky enough to get one ;o)

Under The Knife

First thing yesterday morning, I confirmed with the new student, who I 'do-not-like' btw, that Brie was going in for surgery and that they were just getting her ready. Around 1 pm, the doctor called to let me know that Brie was doing well and that the surgery went just fine. He commented that it was "...a little boring really." I'm glad he thought so! LOL!

As the MRI showed, the location was between the last something (I forget what he said) and the first lumbar vertebrae. Thankfully, there was no noticeable damage to her spinal cord. Whew! That was one of my biggest worries. She was going to spend last night in ICU so they could keep an eye on her and have her on fluids until she was ready to eat and drink again.

We're still not sure when Brie will be coming home as the doctor said it was really up to her and how quickly she heals. They were going to start physiotherapy and he was hoping she would have some motor function before she left the hospital. That's fine with me. We've gotten this far so I don't want to start making hasty decisions now. The doctor mentioned using water for her physiotherapy and I told him that she loves to swim and could swim just like an otter. He was quite surprised and commented that Doxies weren't usually known as great swimmers. Hey, ours is special :o)

When I got off the phone, I called DH as he was still in Halifax. Needless to say, he was relieved with the good news :o) He even picked up a special something for when Little One comes home -

Isn't it cute? I almost cried on the phone when he told me about the matching pink blanket. DH has a huge heart when it comes to Brie, even though he won't come right out and admit it ;o)

Although we managed to get over a huge hurdle, we still have a long way to go and I'm still prepared for problems along the way. There are going to be LOTS of new rules for the house and any visitors because we can't afford to go through this again (not just financially but emotionally and physically as well). I imagine this will probably be the hardest part because Brie is such an active dog and 'always' has to know everything that's going on around her. She's quite a Nosey Nelly ;o)

So this means no jumping! No jumping on or off furniture, laps, stairs, rocks...whatever. I imagine if she's on the couch with us, she'll have to be supervised so that she doesn't take off and jump down when we're not looking. Her little stairs have been taken away and as you saw, she got a new bed, which will be on the ground. There will be no playing with her cousins anymore :o( This will really upset her but she's the smallest of the bunch and could easily get hurt now. But the biggest one of all will probably be no more K-o-n-g. We might even have to hide it. I guess I'm going to become that overprotective parent that I never wanted to be :oS

I have an admission to make... DH and I sent Brie a Get Well card. I hope it gets there before she leaves. We're nuts, aren't we? I wonder if she's the first patient to ever get mail there. LOL! Hopefully our Little Trooper has a speedy recovery so that she can come home soon :o)

Has It Really Been A Week?

Yup. It's been one week today since we brought Brie to PEI :o( To be honest, it feels like a month. Last night the new student (Jane had to do her rotation to radiology) looking after Brie called to let us know that the results were in but the doctor would call us first thing in the morning to discuss them with us. Huh? She stated she couldn't tell us what the results were because she wasn't qualified. Rrrrrright.

Do you know what that does to someone's imagination when left to fester? Uh-huh, it hit right about midnight and that's when I had my meltdown and everything finally came out. It's one of those cries where it feels like your heart is literally breaking and you think you'll never stop the tears. DH felt so terrible because he has to be away tonight and I felt so bad because I wasn't being strong enough. Sigh! What a vicious circle.

As soon as I could, I called the college this morning but the doctor was busy :o( I called a couple of hours later but he still didn't pick up his page. As soon as I set the phone down it rang and it was him. He confirmed that what they found was a compressed lesion outside of the spinal cord. They took an MRI of her whole spine so they would have good reference as to the location. He was still waiting for the images of the pelvis area though but would have them by this afternoon. So as of right now, Brie will be heading to surgery tomorrow. The doctor is still going to call later today to confirm this is the plan.

So...no surprises! Whew! That was my worst fear. I know the worrying is far from over but I'm trying to deal with one thing at a time. Brie has a lot of good things going for her. She's got good pain sensory, good muscle tone in her back end and she's not overweight. To me and the doctor, those are big pluses. I don't care if she's not 100%, just as long as she can walk again and have quality of life. I can see it now, there's going to be 'two' invalids on the couch now ;o)

I had to leave the house this morning and take Duncan to the vet to have his final shot. That boy never fails to embarrass DH or myself. Three weeks ago when he was there, he pooped in the examination room. Yea. Well today it was even better. While waiting for the woman to do up the paperwork (and I have to note that she was taking her grand ol time) Duncan lets out a wallop of a fart! By the smell and the way he was holding his tail to his ass, I knew he had to go. Luckily I got him outside in time but do you know WHERE he decides to poop? Right ON their signpost :oS The solid turds hit the ground but the nice, soft, smelly poo landed dead on. What a mess I had to clean up. LOL!

When I arrived home, the mail was here and what a surprise to see a package there waiting for me! Irene sent me this gorgeous breast cancer pashmina from Avon and a tin of Purdy's Chocolates -

THANK YOU IRENE! The pashmina is so soft and beautiful. The chocolates went right into the fridge since it's supposed to be 43 C here today with the humidex :oP That's okay because they won't last long anyway. LOL! If you've never experienced Purdy's Chocolates before then you've never lived a full life ;o)

On the stitchy front, I figured I had better share some recently acquired stash with you :o)

Drema sent me the JCS magazine, the two Dear Diary patterns by LHN (I now have them all!), three charts from The Red Thread by BC (along with the button pack and border chart), a skein of WDW and a lovely piece of 30 count French Vanilla Linen :o) Ranae and I did a pattern swap and I received my Shepherd's Eve by SB. Thank you again Ranae :o) That was fun!

Because I enjoyed doing this so much, I have added two posts to the Pumpkin Patch & Co. Market Blog. One contains all the items I have up for trade at the moment and the other lists some of the patterns that I am looking for. If anyone is interested in doing a swap, plmk either by making a comment on one of those posts or you can send me an email :o)

Before I close, I just have to thank everyone again for all your wonderful comments full of encouragement and support. I don't think I can ever thank you enough. You've all been so kind but that doesn't surprise me when it comes to stitchers. We definitely are a special bunch :o)

And The Waiting Continues...

This is a picture of Brie shortly after we brought her home -

The actual day we brought her home she was only two pounds and four ounces. She was such a little peanut :o) DH and I had such a hard time getting used to her because she was so small that you never noticed when she got within kicking range. Needless to say, she had her share of bumps and that's probably why she eventually became such a tough cookie. LOL!

Brie got through the MRI just fine. All they had to do was put her under so that she was still. I talked to the doctor this afternoon and I didn't realize that he wouldn't have the results right away :o( He said it would be at least another 24 hours. So you guessed it, we have more waiting and Brie is away from home just that much longer.

The doctor did mention that Brie has been a model patient :o) He was even hoping that she would teach some of her good ways to another Doxie that is there. I told him that Brie is one special puppy and she really is. There is not a single mean bone in her body. She can make the grumpiest person smile and she can make the coldest of hearts melt :o)

Things are pretty quiet around here. Even Duncan is very subdued. He must know that something is going on. Because I know that she is doing well and not in pain, I have been able to pick up my stitching again and Stargazer is looking fabulous :o) It won't be long now and I'll have the finale picture up. My hope of her being my entry to the fair is now a pipe dream but I'm not upset that this has to be sacrificed. Brie comes first :o)

I'm sorry there hasn't been much stitching news on here lately. I did receive my current issue of JCS and there are a few ornaments that will make their way onto my to-do list. I really do love the one by Country Cottage Needleworks (btw, have you seen their new pattern - The Needlework Shop?) I'm quite anxious to see the Halloween issue they're coming out with next month. What a great list of designers!

I want to thank everyone again for all their concern and support for Brie. Honestly, I can't thank you enough. If Brie could meet you, she would give you a HUGE doggy kiss. LOL! You've also helped through your Blogs because they have given me something to do to keep my mind off of things. Yes, I'm a little behind but I am catching up and leaving comments when I can :o)

The Brie Update

DH and I have been in contact with Jane, from the hospital, both yesterday and this morning and things have pretty much remained the same. We were secretly hoping for more improvement, even ever so slightly, but unfortunately that didn't happen :o( No improvement is definitely much better than having Brie's condition go backwards and we definitely don't want that!

Because there hasn't been any improvement with her motor function, the doctor felt that they would end up doing the MRI tomorrow afternoon. Since the appointment is late in the day and it takes a few hours, DH and I won't hear any results until tomorrow night. Today has been slow but luckily we have been able to keep busy but I know tomorrow will just drag on :o(

They are continuing to take Brie outside with her sling, about every four hours. Her spirits are still high and she's acquired a huge fan base at the hospital :o) They are amazed at her ability to wind herself up in her blanket and every morning they walk in there, they wonder if there's even a dog in that kennel. That's our little girl though ;o)

Not only has Brie made friends with everyone there but it seems she has many across the world as well! I love hearing stories from people who are asking about this little dog that they don't even know. Brie is an amazing little girl full of unconditional love and why this had to happen to her, I don't know. We're just blessed to have so much support from friends and family :o) It truly warms my heart and I thank you SO much!

Keep It Up!

All your good thoughts and wishes must be working :o) I spoke to Jane, the fourth year vet student that is part of Brie's medical team, this afternoon and she had some encouraging news. Finally!

Brie is doing well and has been off pain medication all day today :o) Her pain sensory is still good. Her tail even reacts when they pinch the tip of it. Jane was saying that she can now stand on her hind legs, although only for a moment before sitting back down again. This is a VERY TINY step but a good one none the less.

Apparently she is eating like a horse so DH and I know the old Brie is showing through :o) Jane stated that they took her outside today and Brie motored right along. A sling was used to support her hind end but I think it did wonders for her spirit because she is still very confused as to why she cannot move around. Just hearing that filled my heart with joy!

I know this is a very, very TINY step forward BUT I am still prepared for things to go the other way as well. I've had enough experience over the years to know that all your eggs cannot go into one basket. DH and I are prepared for this to be a lengthy recovery. Jane wasn't sure if the doctor would still do the MRI on Monday if she continues to improve but we're just taking one day at a time for now.

My little girl is giving out lots of kisses, I only wish they were to me but at least I know she is happy and she is in good hands. Jane is going to call us tomorrow morning just to keep in touch and let us know how Brie is making out. They are just so wonderful over there.

Of course everyone who is thinking about Brie is wonderful because all of your positive energy is working a bit of magic and for that I am VERY grateful :o) Thank you. To all my US friends, Happy July 4th!

Things Are Never As Easy As They Seem

I finally got word from the doctor just before lunch. They had just finished the preliminary test and the results were not what he was expecting. What else?

It seems there are three vertebrae that are involved instead of two but the injury doesn't look as severe as he initially thought it was. Unfortunately the test was not clear enough for his liking to continue on with surgery so it was suggested that an MRI be done to get more details.

Just a little while ago, one of the team members called to say that the MRI won't be able to be done until Monday, later afternoon :o( This means more waiting. A LOT more waiting. In the meantime, this is what we know...if Brie's condition remains the same, the MRI will go as planned. If she improves by Monday, then we'll have to re-evaluate things. If she deteriorates even further, then surgery will happen no matter what and as soon as possible.

I really hate the fact that she is so far away right now. I want to be able to see her and hold her to let her know things are okay. She has a wonderful medical team though so I know she is in the best place possible. I was so upset last night because I forgot to tell them that she likes to sleep under a blanket. When I told that to them today, they assured me she was bundled up like a bug in a rug.

I don't know how I'm going to make it until next week :o( I'm trying to keep myself busy but that only lasts for short bursts of time. I've been trying to read Blogs but I hate tying up the phone line just in case they try to call. I honestly cannot express how much all your good thoughts mean to me. It's been like receiving a warm hug every time I open my email. Thank you :o)

The Ugly, The Bad And The Good

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has either left a comment or sent me a personal email regarding Brie. I didn't get a chance to download my emails until late this afternoon and it was such a warm feeling to hear from you all. I can't even begin to tell you how much it meant to me! It was like one ginormous hug. So here is what we know...

The ugly ~ the vet rang early this morning to inform me that Brie's condition had deteriorated overnight and DH and I were faced with some difficult decisions :o( She had pretty much lost the mobility in her hind legs, an indication that pressure was not being taken off of her spinal cord as he had hoped would happen. DH and I were faced with three choices. One, we could keep medicating her in hopes that things would turn around 'but' if things suddenly got even worse, there would be little or no time for surgery. Two, we could take Brie to the University in PEI and have them operate on her but this would be a 'very' costly decision. And three, we could do nothing and just put her to sleep.

The bad ~ since option three wasn't even an option, we gathered more information on option one and two. It was finally decided that option two was the best for Brie so within half an hour, we were packed and driving towards the island. I had told DH that I had always wanted to cross the Confederation Bridge but not under these circumstances :oS I sat in the backseat with Brie the whole way. In order to calm her, we had to take the top off her kennel and I rubbed her ears until she relaxed enough to rest. I was so scared to move her but this worked out well. So now she's in the hands of the doctors in PEI, three hours away from us. She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning as long as the preliminary test goes well.

The good ~ DH and I love her doctor. We were both very comfortable with him and he seems very nice. After he examined Brie, he came and talked to us. He stated that she still has good pain sensory in her hind legs, which is good. She also has good muscle tone and is not overweight and that bodes well for her as well. He seemed very positive about the outcome, although as we all know, there are never any guarantees. DH and I both know she is in the best place even though we are so far from her right now.

So as of now, I won't know any more until after her surgery tomorrow morning. The vet will call as soon as he can afterwards and update me. We're not sure just when we can go and pick Brie up so that is why we elected to come home. It might be Saturday but it might be Monday, they weren't sure.

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude but part of me is scared to just because I do know reality and reality states that anything can go wrong at any time. We only want what's best for Brie and we're not going to make her suffer any more than she has to. It just breaks my heart because she is so confused as to what is going on. She tries so hard to come to you but her hind end won't allow her :o( Like I said, she's a trooper and therefore a fighter so I taught her well.

Happy Canada Day...

NOT!

There is very little good that I can say about this weekend :o( The weather has been awful. It has rained err, I mean 'poured', for the majority of the last three days but now it has turned into a very hot and humid atmosphere. This definitely limits any outdoor activity but it has also wreaking havoc on my joints. But the real upset began yesterday....

I had woken up around 5 am and went to sleep on the couch with Brie because there was a thunder and lightning storm. It really doesn't bother her too much but she was awake and it was nice to spend some mother/daughter time :o) Shortly after breakfast, DH and I had gotten ourselves ready to take a trip into town. We desperately needed groceries and there were a few other stops on our list. Brie seemed quite normal and kept circling her Kong, hoping someone would stop long enough to play with her.

I finally convinced DH to throw the K-o-n-g a few times to please Little One. He threw it once and Brie ran to retrieve it but stopped short and had no desire to bring it back. DH went to sit in his chair and Brie wasn't far behind to stretch out on his legs. I came out to see if I could entice her to play and she jumped down and ran right over. She ran and retrieved the Kong a handful of times but then stopped. We thought this was quite odd but thought that maybe she was just tired. I tried some hands on play but she yelped a few times. We examined her for injuries and couldn't find 'anything'. When we left, we put her in her kennel.

We arrived home about five hours later and as soon as I opened the door, she started whining. I got her supper but she still whined. I let her out to use the bathroom but when she came back in, she whined some more. I was at wits end and sent her out with DH and Duncan. When DH was done mowing the lawn, I called for Brie to come inside. I watched her run to the door and noticed she was running at an odd angle. I checked her over again but still couldn't find anything. But then I asked her to sit and saw that she was having a bit of trouble. When I asked her to sit up, she couldn't do it at all. I was beside myself :o(

I called the vet and she said it was probably her back and to give her half a baby Aspirin to bring down the swelling and then check her again in the morning. But as the night went on, we noticed Brie was getting worse and worse, to the point where she could hardly support her back end. I was hysterical by this point and called the vet again. At 11:30 pm, we were at their office. Thankfully, it was a vet I knew so I knew he was good. After a thorough check, he found that one of the disks in her back had prolapsed. He gave her a shot of Cortisone to reduce the swelling and a shot of Morphine for the pain and took her home with him.

It was SO hard not coming home with her but I knew it was for the best. We talked to the vet this morning but there was still no change BUT things were not any worse, which was really good. A few hours ago, we talked to the vet again and the x-rays showed there are two disks that are involved :o( She is still receiving the Cortisone shots but he's easing up on the Morphine and she's settled. I want to see her SO badly but I know that if we go there it will just excite her and make things worse so I've accepted the fact that I will have to wait until at least tomorrow. The vet was hopeful that things would be better by then.

I'm not one to ask for help, sympathy or good thoughts but now I am pleading. My little girl, Brie, means everything to me and I just want her home and on the mend. She's such a little trooper and is the bright light to anyone's day. This whole thing is going to dramatically change her lifestyle and it's going to be hard not letting her play with her cousins or let her jump on our laps whenever she wants to.

Please forgive me if I'm a bit off. Usually, I try to find humour in most situations but this time I cannot :o(

She's...Almost Done!

Okay, so it's pretty much the end of June and Stargazer is not completely finished as I had hoped BUT...I'm soooooo close! I just got done putting the last beads on her dress and backstitching her hands and face -

Here is another detailed picture of the beading that now includes the white beads -

What do you think? Does she look serene enough? My love for her has returned :o) I'm sorry the pictures aren't better but it's been dark and dreary here for the past few days so therefore lighting is just nonexistent :o(

So this is what I know...it took me 10 days to bead her top coat, 15 days for the swags in her dress and 12 days to add in the white beads. Judging by what I have left, I KNOW I can have her completed by the end of July :o) I'd say a good 10 to 12 days is all I need. I wonder if I can hole up somewhere and not come out until she's 100% done. LOL!

I am going to be sad to see her finished but it will be fun to finally start on some other projects that I have been eyeing ;o) With all the practice I've had beading, I will probably, eventually, get back to Giggles (girl) and finish her up. She really is that close to being a completed project as well -

It seems that I had a visitor today! I was putting the clean clothes away when I happened to look out the window that looks out into the pasture area and this is what I saw -

Isn't she gorgeous! Again, I'm sorry the picture isn't better but I was taking the picture 'through' a window, in the pouring rain and she was 'just' a little too far away. I have a sneaky suspicion that she has a little bundle with her as well :o) As you can see, our pasture is VERY high and ready to be hayed. When the deer was there, I saw the grass move just to the right of her and it wasn't the wind. Unfortunately because the grass is so high and it goes down over, I didn't get to see anything when she decided to move on. Maybe another day!

Blog Blahs

I guess it's not only me as I see there are others that are suffering from this as well. I have no idea why because I'm sure there is plenty to write or report about. Maybe that's the problem...there's just too much and it's just overwhelming ;o)

This past week, I got my stitches out of my gums. Dr. B had a bit of a time since the super glue held on so well. There were a few seconds of being uncomfortable but all in all, it was a piece of cake! I really wanted to kiss Dr. B because he did such a fine job and my tooth doesn't ache anymore :o) I do have a scar but nobody will know except me.

Today, I just finished off sending LTD my final request in hopes of changing their minds regarding my claim. I know they won't but at least I will have done my best. I was armed with a part time gradual back to work schedule that my OT and I did up (approved and signed by my doctor), my doctor's note stating part time work only, a document going through all my disabilities and what they limit me to, along with back up references made by my doctor (this was approved and signed by him too) AND a report on MY version of the Functional Abilities Evaluation (a report that was approximately 27 pages long), which was chalk full of discrepancies.

I have also sent off an official letter of complaint against P and her unprofessional behaviour during that meeting back in May where she divulged the reason for my being off work. I'm quite proud of what I wrote and I'm glad that I have reported this issue. It gives me satisfaction and that's a good feeling :o) I also have a backup plan for LTD but that's to remain secret until such time that I can unveil my actions. Heh, heh! Can you tell I've taken the bull by the horns again? ;o)

So let's talk stitchy! I had a wonderful surprise in the mail this week :o) I had to actually see the contents before things even registered with the old brain. LOL! Terri sent me this kit as a thank you -

I'm sorry I did not take an actual picture T but it's dark and dreary here at the moment :o( She sent the most adorable card with it and I'm so thrilled! I didn't expect this at all but I thank you from the bottom of my heart T :o) This one is getting in line to be stitched soon. I also want to add that T donated two of these kits as prizes for the Stitch Pink Blog. If you have never been to this Blog, please bookmark it. It's there for an important cause.

I've had this on the back burner for awhile now and I want to apologize to Anita for this. Back in May, she sent me a lovely package of Valdani threads and the finishing kit to her Emery Collection -

If you have never seen her Blog, go and visit Anita's Little Stitches. Anita is wonderful to deal with and I can't wait to try and make an emery. It will be a first for me but her instructions are very clear and easy to follow :o)

Stargazer's dress is almost done. I've gotten all the beads in on the ruffles of her dress so now it's just the white beads on the front of her dress that remain and I'm about 1/4 of the way through. I hate to say it but that love/hate relationship has started with her :o( Up until now, I was just loving her but I'm getting to the end of my rope with all these beads! Beads, beads, beads! I'm curious to know just how many she has on her but I'm afraid to count them for fear I may go insane ;o) LOL! Keep your eyes peeled because I should have an updated picture soon.