The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[DogMa]

Thank you, everyone. I'm still here, if not posting, and hearing from everyone really helps. Teemu and I are doing OK, I guess. My stomach has settled down some; he's still afraid to be alone. There are some complications about when I can pick up Mojo, but I'm still hoping to get her tomorrow.

Weight's doing OK. I had a normal food day yesterday, finally, and today I'm going to at least walk on the treadmill.

[casma500]

Yay! Glad your routine is slowly coming back. You are a rock! Hopefully you can get Mojo soon! Have a great Friday! Is this your last day on the night shift??

[hawklady]

Hi Robin,
I am only here sporadically, but have followed your story from the first time I found this forum, since there are a lot of similarities to mine. Anyway, I had to say how sorry I am for your loss of Maggie. I don't know if you are familiar with the "Rainbow Bridge" but it helped all of my family last year when we lost a very loved boxer. Here it is, in case you have not seen it:
Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Hawklady

[nickieluv]

DogMa;

I hope you are doing well today. We lost our oldest cat just before Christmas last year, it's a horrible time to have to deal with this kind of sadness. I feel for you and your pet family. Good luck with the transition and I hope you can get some time for you soon.

[DogMa]

Thanks, Nickie and Hawklady. I'm very familiar with the Rainbow Bridge.

The good news: My tummy's pretty much better and I'm at work tonight. My cousin's wife has a longtime friend who's a home-health nurse in L.A., and she'll be helping my uncle with medical care plus also helping the family find the other caregivers he needs (including someone to handle cooking). One of my cousins got my uncle's shower set up with a stool and a handheld shower head and whatever else he needs (he can't get his head wet), so he was able to take a shower today. So they're doing much better.

The not-so-good news: We had horrible thunderstorms today, and Teemu was terrified. Then they subsided for a while, but he was really upset when he realized I was getting ready to leave for work. He kept following me around the house with his tail tucked between his legs and his ears back. And after I got to work, the storms kicked up again, so I just hope he was OK and didn't freak out too much. I'm still waiting to hear from Mojo's foster mom to find out if/when I can pick her up tomorrow.

[DogMa]

More good news. I called the foster mom back (since she never bothered calling ME back) and I'm picking up Mojo at 10 tomorrow morning. A friend's going to go with me in case I have a hard time. So I'll probably keep her in the car while I stop off to do a couple of errands, and then bring her home. Then I'll get to spend all day and night with her, plus a good part of Sunday, till I have to go to work.

I might crate her for a bit and run out again later, though, just to see how they do.

[mellowmom]

Oh Robin,

I'm so sorry to hear about Maggie. You are in my thoughts and prayers as you go through this difficult time.

Love & Prayers
Carmel

[DogMa]

Thanks, Carmel. How are you feeling?

[DogMa]

131.4 with some "issues," but I'm finally back to normal food and to the Activia yogurt. Walked today, not as far/long as I'd have iked, but at least I did something.

Mojo is doing well. I'm pretty sure she's in heat, which I'm not happy about. Thankfully, Teemu's been fixed. She's only had one accident since the beginning, and it didn't smell like pee so I'm not even sure it WAS an accident. She tends to drool a lot, so it could have been something else. She and Tay are getting along well, which I'm thrilled about.

She spent the night in a crate by my bed (I had to put her inside, though, because she didn't want to go), but she slept and didn't cry. Today I'm going to have to pen her while I'm at work, because I'm still not sure she can be trusted (about accidents OR chewing stuff). She's not going to like it, but she'll have to deal with it for now.

She's very sweet, though. Loves to play outside, loves to play with her toys, loves to follow me around, loves to curl up on the couch next to me (sometimes she sleeps in the exact position Maggie did, which made me tear up a little yesterday).

Anyway, things are slowly but surely getting back to somewhat normal. I still need to pick up Maggie's ashes - I'm going to try to do it Wednesday, and ask them to put them in the urn for me. I'm going to probably take Mo for her shots and check-up that day, too, but at a different vet. I wanted to take her to the shot clinic to get the shots cheaper, but I don't want to put it off so long plus I'd like her weird toes checked out. And Tuesday I'll call for an appointment to have her spayed, although I gather if she's in heat, it's best to wait till she's done. So I'll have to make the appointment for a few weeks from now.

[Jan]

HI Robin,
Mojo is a lucky puppy to have found a great home with you. She is soo cute. We accidently had Heidi spayed when she was in heat.. She went in heat and never came out.I guess she had a "female problem"... we thought she was thru it... but it was quite the challenge for the vet. It was a very very good thing we had her spayed though. So yes, it is better to wait. I am so happy you and Mojo found each other. And I'm sure Teemu loves a new playmate.
jan

[alpha femme]

the original teemu scored a goal in his 1000th game.
i'm just sharing.

you're doing good, robin. i'm sure all your furry friends are proud of you.
too bad you aren't still in socal. we could tear it up!

[DogMa]

Really. Of course, if I hadn't left OC, I'd never have met Teemu (my Teemu) OR Mo (as I've already started calling her a lot of the time). Maggie would probably have stayed an only dog.

If anyone cares to, there are pix of Mojo and Teemu together, plus some of Maggie, on Flickr.

www dot flickr dot com slash photos slash 40888910@N00 slash sets slash 72157594438287048/

or just look for username rploveman.

[alpha femme]

she's a beautiful girl.

[DogMa]

130.2, so I'm dropping back down nicely. Although I promised I'd have a "free meal" on Tuesday because some friends at work want to take me out to celebrate/lament my move to features. I'm going to make it just the one meal, though, and then right back to work.

I'm also back on target on my cardio (weights are still waiting till I've changed skeds and Mo has settled in better, since I'm not happy about confining her when I'm gone - and neither is she). Today I went 2 miles, with some running.

As for the dogs, we've had a bit of a setback, which is inevitable. Some idiots were setting off fireworks last night at midnight and later, so Teemu was spooked and didn't want to go outside while Mojo wanted to play but not alone. Sigh. Today Teemu still seems a little spooked, plus I think he's getting tired of Mo pestering him all the time. I think we'll all be happy when she's not in heat anymore. Meanwhile, last night I sent an e-mail to the head of the rescue group to express my feelings about the way Mo was treated - or NOT treated - at her foster home. The group's Web site says they take care of all shots, plus spaying or neutering and microchipping. None of that was done, and Mo's chances of getting mammary cancer are much higher now because of the delay in getting her spayed. I think the very least they can do is reimburse me for the cost of those things. I told them that I obviously am not going to give her back, though, because not only do I already care about her but I want to make sure she gets the proper care - and the only way I can ensure that is I keep her here.

I have to say, though, I haven't fully bonded with her yet. It's not like with Maggie or Teemu, where we bonded instantly. I'm not sure what it is, except maybe that she's annoying Teemu so much. Or maybe that she's so well-adjusted, she doesn't seem to need me as much as they did.

One addendum: After some hesitation today, Teemu's back to normal and they've both spent the past hour or so mostly romping around outside. She's also leaving him alone a little more, which is good.

[DogMa]

So thanks to Alex, I guess I should mention something I haven't before. I met some guy online last week in the midst of all the craziness. We haven't talked other than e-mail, but I'm going to call Wednesday night (since he has to work tomorrow and I'll be at work tomorrow night, that's really the first time we can talk).

So here's the story. He e-mailed me through jdate right after Maggie was diagnosed. I ignored it because I just wasn't up to it. So he e-mailed again, asking that I please respond because he thinks we have a lot in common. I looked, and he's actually right. So anyway, I e-mailed back and apologized for ignoring him but explained what was going on with Maggie and my uncle and said it just wasn't really a good time. He was very nice and understanding, and told me about his dog that he'd recently had to put to sleep after 14 years (even sent me a photo of her). And then mentioned that he had something like 500,000 frequent-flier miles, and offered them to me if I needed to fly out to see my uncle. So OK, either very nice or possibly stalker-ish nice, I'm still not sure.

But he sounds pretty stable. He's like a project manager or something at General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin. Jewish, of course. About my age. Never married. Lives in Fort Worth.

So we'll see. I told him I'd call once things were settled down a little, and he understood. So I've pretty much run out of excuses NOT to call.