Bubba Day

Today is the LaPan's self titled "Bubba Day." What does that mean, you might ask? Well, I'm about to tell you.... Sit down, this might be a long one - it's been a few days. Also, if you aren't an animal lover and think I am absolutely crazy for obsessing over my 'kids' so much, you might not want to continue with this post....

A while back we started running with Abby, A.K.A "the puppy." We first tried to have just me run with her, and Shane take Baxter. But, Abby was a nightmare. No leash manners, random surprise bolts to the side to catch that bird, or that bunny...or that tiny little ant she saw...

Then we also realized how difficult it was fo us to run on different days, taking different dogs. They would give us these looks of complete and utter disappointment and disbelief that we would even consider leaving them behind.

So, we started to take them both at the same time. We'd try to adjust our schedules to run on the same day. This still turned out being difficult because neither dog would like to be behind, and unfortunately for Abby I run slower than Shane, so she was CONSTANTLY pulling me to catch up to her big brother. And, even though he would never admit it, Baxter LOVES his puppy, and would be turning around like every 5 seconds looking for us to catch up. Ok, he was really looking for Abby, because him & Shane have left me in the dust PLENTY of times before...

Next trial was for one of us to carry both of them at the same time. Usually Shane, because well... he would be up front and faster. Funny thing. They both started behaving. They just liked running TOGETHER! All they needs us for was to be their water biatches and pick up their poop. They had each other to run with. Little bastards....

Well, after several months of this Abby FINALLY decided that we were pretty cool. Up to this point she wasn't the snuggly velcro dog that I was expecting after having Baxter. She was pretty independent. Well, she was suddenly really starting to like us. She would nudge her way over to us on the couch, get jealous of Baxter getting attention. And, God forbid we even PET Sara and not her....

So, Baxter sees how much attention Abby is taking away from him and REALLY starts to get annoyed. You could see it in his face. He would look at Shane like, come on Dad, do we REALLY NEED to take that puppy with us tomorrow? What about the good old days when just you & I would run? Huh, Huh???

So, Shane started declaring the "long run" days as the official BUBBA DAY! You think I'm kidding when I say Baxter totally understood this, no? Well, I'm not! The second he would hear Bubba Day, his tail would start wagging and he would get his "I'm so GOOD game on." He would follow us around not letting us out of his site. As soon as the alarm would go off in the morning, we could hear the "swish, swish" of his tail wagging. He knew what it meant. It mean... Long run, like more than an hour.. usually 9 miles. Then, lazy, recovery afternoon full of naps and snuggles and oh yah GOODIES!!!!

Oh how he loves these days.... He would spend the whole day thanking Shane (Like I had nothing to do with it!) for taking him on such a fun fun fun morning run.

Well, as you all know S is in recovery mode. No running for him, despite Baxter's numerous attempts at convincing him that he is FINE... that surgery, smurgery.... it's been over a week now damn it, YOU.ARE.NOT.HURT, now take me for a run biatch!....

So, Baxter has had to resort to doing all his runs with me, and the puppy....no dad.... It's been fun for me, having some company on my runs, especially with Momo out of town and no one to do my long runs with, but in the past couple week things have gone down hill.

Abby has been shall we say, hitting a wall. It started out that she couldn't go the normal 90mins. Then it turned into at 45mins she would slow down...but after 5mins she's pick it back up. Then, this last week... we had two episodes where I had to walk nearly a mile in each of the runs because I thought I was going to KILL her.

Now, I know hot as hell here right now... but, this sudden decrease in her stamina had started to concern me. So, I made an appointment for the vet. Both she & Baxter are on the "wellness plan" at Banfield Pet Hospital. It works out great. I pay a monthly fee, and all of their shots are covered, all office visits are free, yearly extensive exams, oh and the Health Certificates I have to get them to go to Mexico are free as well. Now that is $60 a pop by the time you get out of there.

I had received a reminder in the mail that their yearly exams were due, so I decided to take advantage & get them in. Plus, with Abby's decrease in energy (most would be thrilled, I was worried) I wanted to get her "Titers" checked. Titers are what they measure to determine the amount of Valley Fever. Poor Abby was diagnosed with it when she was only 6 months old. We caught it soon enough that after only 3 months of medicine her levels were fine & she was back to being a normal crazy puppy. I was worried the levels had gone back up and were effecting her...

So, I made the appts for Friday afternoon. I was also babysitting my 4.5 year old niece that day, but figured she'd love to come along & help.

We had a couple of outfit changes... Notice the straps of her dress, or NOT because she insisted on tucking them inside the dress so hers could be like Auntie Sisas....

The exam started out fine, and I had them cut both dogs nails. After they brought Baxter back to me I was checking out how short they got them and noticed a red, swollen area on one of his paws. I kinda freaked. As soon as the Dr. came back in I had her look at it. She said, oh yes... I didn't even see that (Really, THEY are the Dr.'s.. they JUST took him back and clipped his nails, not even a cm away from where this "thing" was and they didn't even notice it???).

She said they would need to try to squeeze some of it out & look under a microscope. They didn't have time to do it while I waited, so they asked if I could leave him there and as soon as she saw the other patients they would get to him.

Ugh... Ok.... I guess... I can leave him with you....

For those of you with kids.. imagine leaving your kid at the first day of Kindergarten, or with a babysitter for the first time. This is how I felt as they DRAGGED him down the hallway, him fighting to get back to me the whole time.... I nearly cried..

This was at 11:30. It was 2pm and I still had heard nothing. So, of course... I called. The nurse told me the Dr. just looked at it and it seemed to be "JUST A CYST." JUST A CYST... what does that mean? What kind of Cyst.... why does he have it... what is it from...

Yes, I was being THAT person. They told me the Dr. would call me back at like 3 to tell me more details.

UGhh, so another hour I wait. At 3:15, phone in hand, it FINALLY rings. It's the nurse. She says the same damn thing. Cyst.. not a mass... good news.... But, he will need to most likely have surgery.. which we can do when he is under anesthesia for his DENTAL, which he REALLY needs.....

What, surgery? Dental? This is MY BOY... he's perfect. There is NOTING wrong with him.....

I said, "gh... how much is this going to cost?" - "We can have an estimate for you when you pick him up."... "OK, I'm on my way."

So, Taylor (my niece) and I hopped in the car to go pick him up.

I don't think I've ever posted about how unorganized this place is. They have people who can hardly figure out how to work the phones, let alone work a damn computer. But, they love animals, and they are good to my dogs so I endure the long wait times.

But, not today. There was NO ONE waiting but me...I wanted my DOG. The poor front desk boy must have thought I was on "the juice" or something, because I stood there staring back in the window at the kennels asking every 10seconds if he could go get me my boy.

He was trying to explain that he had to wait for the nurses in the back to check him out on the computer.

I was trying to explain that I didn't care, my dog had been there in a damn crate for what has now been lie 4 hours and I wanted him out!

I think he finally figured out if he didn't go get Baxter, I WAS GOING TO, and that my friends... would not have been a pretty sight!

So, about :30 later a nurse brings me my dog. My beautiful PERFECT Baxter. I immediately drop to the floor to apologize for putting him through this trauma, but all he cares about is getting out that door as FAST AS HE CAN!!!

Baxter is ~70 or so lbs of SOLID MUSCLE. Can you see what is going on now? I'm sure it was quite funny to watch.

FINALLY the Dr. comes out and explains that as for as she could see the "thing" was just a benign cyst, just happens when cells form into a mass. It should be nothing, she didn't see anything to be concerned about when she looked at some of the "stuff" she secreted out of it under a microscope. BUT.... plain antibiotics or squeezing it out would probably not work it out, and it would most likely come back...

So, I'm still waiting for the estimate on how much this is gonna cost me... But, I see it as if it were something that would prevent Shane or I from doing what we love, would we chance it and go the cheap route, or GET IT TAKEN CARE OF? ...... Exactly....

So, after picking out a special treat for Baxter at the PetSmart, we were on our way home. Where I spent the rest of the evening spoiling him rotten, and telling him how tomorrow (today) was going to be BUBBA DAY!!!!

And, it was.... Baxter joined me, without the puppy, for the first part of my long run. All I can say is thank God he was there. It was 90degs and about 75% humidity when I walked out the door. I literally felt like I was walking into a sauna when I opened the door. I almost turned around after the 1st mile. But, like I said... Thank God for Baxter. He was so happy to be out there with just me... after such a traumatic day, that I trekked on...

Shane picked him up about 7miles into the run. I wished for him to be with me for the next 10miles.... It was a very very tough day for me. But, when I got home and the dogs were so happy to see me, it made all my aches and pains go away!

And now.. now it's time to continue the Bubba Day. I better get off this computer and go snuggle on the couch with him :-)