GERD

So apparently dogs can get gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) too! Though it seems like a no brainer now that I think about it, I never thought about it before today. :)

Here's the story... a week ago I had a friend visiting from out of town, and Abby got sick that night. She threw up four times, whole pieces of food, nearly six hours after I fed her. I was so worried about why her stomach wasn't emptying that I slept right next to her. Worse case scenario in my head was that I would be taking my dog to the animal hospital with a volvulus in the middle of the night. The next morning and the rest of the week, her energy level seemed normal and she was passing stool (thank God! No volvulus.) But her appetite was been way down, which is really out of character for her, because most days she acts like I starve her by eating her food so quickly. And she threw up three more times- whole pieces of food, hours after eating. Thinking this probably isn't a viral bug since it's still hanging around a week later, I sent my vet a message to see if he wanted me to do any blood work on her before her teeth cleaning this upcoming week. She'll be receiving anesthesia, so better safe than sorry! Anyway, he seems to think the stress of me having company combined with me working longer hours has caused my poor little girl stress and now she has GERD. I'm treating her with 2.5mg of Pepcid (famotidine, a H2 blocker).

What can I say? Like mother, like daughter. I have the same problem when I get stressed.

Love my Abby. <3

The Sweetest Race

I had such an awesome weekend! I ran my first race ever... and I didn't walk at all. Ally, my cousin/best friend, and I finished the 5K in 33.27minutes- not too bad! And now we are thinking of running a turkey trot on Thanksgiving morning. :)




We also volunteered at the Chili Cook-off for my favorite non-profit organization, The Arts of Life. I LOVE this event! The food is amazing, the people are fun, the Arts of Life band is really entertaining, and I actually feel like I make a difference! I'm so glad my friends Caroline and Steve were able to come too!

RVing fun!

The beach at the Indiana Dunes.

My dad and I went camping this past weekend, and we had an absolutely blast! My stepmom and sister, Laura, we able to join us for Saturday afternoon which was awesome too! We cooked, played football, hiked, took Abby to the beach, played board games, drank, watched movies, skipped rocks, rode bikes, and got to know each other better. I can't even begin to describe how grateful I am to have had this time with my Dad. I feel like we got to know each other more intimately, and I just have to say that he's probably the coolest guy on Earth!!! On this trip, he reminded me of the importance of GIVING in all relationships, and that's a lesson that is really going to stick with me, forever. I'm so blessed to have him and his support (though it's not always apparent) in my life. Gosh, I love my dad so so much!

FOOTBALL TIME!!!!

Hiking with Laura- ah, I love her!!!

Abby on the beach

Dad with his walking stick

On a side note, Dad sold the RV. :( So this is the last camping trip we will take in it. We are all hoping he breaks down and buys another one soon. If not, well a RV is definitely on my list of things I must have after I get a job! :) It's just so fun and liberating to be able to pick up and go anywhere with your entire family including your pets and embark on this kind of adventure where everyone is forced to work together and play together as I team. It's a trip of pure fun without all the fluff, and most importantly it brings everyone closer together.

The infamously duck- taped RV that we have grown to love so much!

I guess there is one more sad thing, and it's just that weekends as fun as these remind me of how much I miss my family. My sisters are growing up so fast. My stepmom is one of the strongest women I have ever met. I admire her so much, and I wish I was around more to learn from her. And well I've already gone on about my Dad... I just don't know how else to say it.... I really really love my family. And I wish I got to see them more.

Abby's Best Friend

Abby's best friend, Maggie, has been really sick lately. In fact, on Saturday my family thought she had died. We were all so sad, and we were mourning her loss. Later that afternoon she surprised us all by walking around, though she was blind at the time. It turns out she has a congenital hepatic shunt that prevents her liver from clearing toxic waste products like ammonia. The ammonia levels built up really high in her brain, and that's why she was having these neurologic symptoms. I understand it to be similar to hepatic encephalopathy, but she is (obviously) not an alcoholic. Anyway, our amazing vet saved her life with lots of fluids, lactulose, and antibiotics. Maggie is by no means out of the woods, but she is doing much better- even her vision is back! God really does produce miracles on Earth!! Please keep Maggie in your prayers. She's such a sweet girl, my family loves her, and (as if that's not a good enough reason) she is Abby's best friend!

The Best Thing I Never Had

I've been singing these lyrics the last 24hrs straight! It's the best Beyonce song to date, in my opinion.


What goes around comes back around (hey my baby)
What goes around comes back around (hey my baby)

There was a time
I thought, that you did everything right
No lies, no wrong
Boy I, must've been outta my mind
So when I think of the time that I almost loved you
You showed your ass and I saw the real you

Thank God you blew it
Thank God I dodged the bullet
I'm so over you
So baby good lookin' out

[Chorus]
I wanted you bad
I'm so through with it
Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
You turned out to be the best thing I never had
And I'm gon' always be the best thing you never had
I bet it sucks to be you right now

So sad, you're hurt
Boo hoo, oh, did you expect me to care?
You don't deserve my tears
I guess that's why they ain't there
When I think that there was a time that I almost loved you
You showed your ass and I saw the real you

Thank God you blew it
Thank God I dodged the bullet
I'm so over you
Baby good lookin' out


[Chorus]
I wanted you bad
I'm so through with it
Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
I said, you turned out to be the best thing I never had
And I'll never be the best thing you never had
Oh baby I bet sucks to be you right now

I know you want me back
It's time to face the facts
That I'm the one that's got away
Lord knows that it would take another place, another time, another world, another life
Thank God I found the good in goodbye

[Chorus]
I used to want you so bad
I'm so through it that
Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
You turned out to be the best thing I never had
And I will always be the, best thing you never had.
Best thing you never had!

I used to want you so bad
I'm so through it that
Cause honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
Oh you turned out to be the best thing I never had
Oh I will never be the best thing you never had
Oh baby, I bet it sucks to be you right now

Goes around, comes back around
Goes around, comes back around
Bet it sucks to be you right now
Goes around, comes back around
Bet it sucks to be you right now
Goes around, comes back around
Bet it sucks to be you right now

I am a Blue Republican

Ron Paul 2012!

Cool Song