Our Siberian Shepherd, My Mother, and Little Crow.....

Don't quite know where to begin this, so I'm going to just jump right in here I guess.  Many of you have asked for updates on various things, and I have not managed to reply to many.  (I apologize, but please know that I truly appreciate your concern.)  Yes, I'm still teaching, although I am currently in-between terms.  (Business Law II, which I was scheduled to be teaching this term, did not have enough students enrolled, and so was canceled.  The next class they asked me to teach, I passed on, as it was really out of my area of expertise.  So, the next class I'm scheduled for (Criminal Justice) won't be until June....then, Legal Issues for Health Care Administrators in October.....)

Anyways, I thought I'd cover things in one big "update."  Not my usual type of post, and yet, things are what they are, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.  Add a little family tension, and a broken toilet, and you've got one more than usually-cranky, cranky, crow.

On to the updates:

OUR SIBERIAN SHEPHERD.....

A/K/A, The Snow Dog.....

Ok....so he's not a "Siberian Shepherd...." He's just a Siberian Husky who pretends to be a shepherd. (It's his story and he's sticking to it.  All he needs is some sheep....Hey - did someone say "SHEEP?"!!! ;o))  If you recall, he was diagnosed with blastomycosis about 6 months ago.  Six months and $1,160 in meds and tests later, he is not improving.  In fact, in the past two weeks, he has taken a turn for the worse.

I love that dog.

MY MOTHER........

Not sure who knows what here, as I can't remember what I shared and didn't.....But, long story short, she is elderly and has a history of heart problems, and syncope (fainting/loss of consciousness caused by a temporary lack of oxygen to the brain).  In the beginning of March, she was hospitalized several days for a bronchial/upper respiratory infection.  She returned home, and, within 24 hours, lost consciousness, fell, cut her head open, and was hospitalized again.  She was released a few days later to a nursing home to recuperate and for therapy, where she remained since. Last Saturday, she was again hospitalized for fluid around the lungs, and a viral infection.  She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and sent back to the nursing home a week ago Monday.  She is not doing well - physically or emotionally.  Neither am I.

 I love that woman.

LITTLE CROW........

As most of you know, my son had surgery on November 30th for his wayward kneecap.  It was not successful.  He had another surgery on February 15th.  It, too, was unsuccessful.  We met with the surgeon on March 12.  The surgeon just scratched his head and recommended we see a different surgeon for a second opinion, which we did a few days later.  That surgeon, too, scratched his head and said he didn't know what to tell us.  Basically, given the number of years that Little Crow has had this issue (it happened in 8th grade and was treated by a physician hesitant to recommend surgery), and how he compensated for it, the inner quad muscle has completely atrophied. In addition, the outer quad muscle has become something of a "mega-muscle" and therefore pulls his patella/kneecap out at whim. He didn't have any answers for us either. He told Little Crow to resume physical therapy 2x/wk (he had been going 3x/wk since the first surgery and so insurance coverage has been exceeded and we're on our own), and he'd consult with the original surgeon and two others and get back to us - which hasn't happened yet.  So, thousands of dollars later (puts The Snow Dog all to shame), all we are left with is frustration - and additional pain caused by the multiple surgeries.  Looking for a miracle here.

I love that kid.

So there you have it.....I apologize....no prims, no crafts, no gardening - no funnies.  No kidding.

Prayers welcome....