2011 was a year of highs and lows for me. I started out the year by recovering from surgery where I had an open wound in my back for close to 2 months. Then I broke my hand and Marley got diagnosed with a chronic lower GI condition all in the same week.
Just 2 months later Molly became very ill and lost 20% of her body weight. Then Marley got bit by a water moccasin and was out of agility for about 2 weeks. Then she had a hip flare up and was out of agility again. During this time my mom was in and out of the hospital. I was at a trial in MS when my mom became real ill and we had to race back to AR in the middle of the nite.
Marley had a severe hip flare up in August and was out of agility again. Through it all, Marley remained a happy girl. Then my mom unexpectedly died and my world fell apart. Then towards the end of 2011, Marley sprained her front leg and she sat out of agility again.
Although 2011 was a rocky ride for me, we had some great moments. Marley finished 10 agility titles, 2 rally titles and her 1st obedience title. She also got her 1st Snooker Super Q winning the entire class and earned her 1st Steeplechase Qualifying round. I wonder what we could have done if we had both had a healthy year.
Molly and Missy are both healthy and happy. They enjoy their daily outings into the woods to explore.
Here's to hoping 2012 is OUR YEAR and things go positively for us.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
THE DARKEST TIME OF MY LIFE
I know this blog is title Life with Marley, but really it's a blog about me. I haven't blogged in awhile because my world fell apart on the afternoon of Friday, September 23 at 2pm.
I was putting the last bags in my RAV preparing to take Marley to Louisiana for an agility trial. My dad had come over to pick up Molly and Missy to take them home for the weekend while I was gone. The phone rang and it was the hospital telling us that my mom, who had been hospitalized with pneumonia, was having some respiratory difficulty and some confusion. They wanted to let us know that they were transferring her to ICU. Just minutes later we received another phone call telling us my mom was 'coding' and did we want them to continue a 'full code'? I told them yes. We quickly called my parents' pastor and he left to go to the hospital to be with my mom. We threw my agility stuff out of the RAV, put the girls in and we left. It was a 2 1/2 hour drive filled with shock and tears. The hospital called a bit later and told us my mom had a heart beat back after 20 minutes of 'coding'.
We arrived at the hospital to find my mom on a ventilator and unresponsive. It was a difficult weekend and on Monday, September 26 we took my mom off the ventilator and she peacefully went home to Jesus. It was a painful time but we were surrounded by my mom's many friends and relatives. We had a wonderful turnout for her visitation and funeral. Her funeral service reminded me of the many special friendships she had throughout her life. The message was comforting to me because I know that she was loved by so many.
My girls looked for my mom while she was in the hospital. They ran into the house and checked her recliner and then ran to look for her in the computer room. It broke my heart because they didn't understand where my mom was. After my mom died, we took them to the funeral home. I took them in one by one to see and smell my mom's body. Molly went first. I picked her up and she got excited when she first saw my mom. I put her close and she looked at her and smelled her and then she turned her head back to me. Missy caught on sooner and once she got close to the casket she pulled herself back into me. Marley was a bit more of a challenge. She was a little bit harder to get picked up and get close to my mom. She too got excited when she saw my mom and she immediately caught on. It may sound morbid to some, but for me it helped me. I didn't want my girls to just wonder what happened to my mom, I wanted them to know. When we got home, Molly got in my mom's recliner and tried to bite 2 people who got too close to her while she was in the recliner. Ever since then, whenever we go to my dad's house, Molly sleeps in my mom's recliner.
There have been so many mornings since my mom died that it is all I can do to get up in the morning. I try to put on a somewhat happy face and go about my day when in reality all I want to do is get back in bed and stay there. It has been the darkest time of my life. I have tried to carry on with my life but it is so hard. I have attempted to trial Marley a few times since my mom's death with varying degrees of success. My heart just isn't into it. I hope with time things get better for me.
My mom always looked forward to the girl's blog and I would always call her when one of the girls had been on the computer. Makes me sad that she can't read about her grand dogs.
I was putting the last bags in my RAV preparing to take Marley to Louisiana for an agility trial. My dad had come over to pick up Molly and Missy to take them home for the weekend while I was gone. The phone rang and it was the hospital telling us that my mom, who had been hospitalized with pneumonia, was having some respiratory difficulty and some confusion. They wanted to let us know that they were transferring her to ICU. Just minutes later we received another phone call telling us my mom was 'coding' and did we want them to continue a 'full code'? I told them yes. We quickly called my parents' pastor and he left to go to the hospital to be with my mom. We threw my agility stuff out of the RAV, put the girls in and we left. It was a 2 1/2 hour drive filled with shock and tears. The hospital called a bit later and told us my mom had a heart beat back after 20 minutes of 'coding'.
We arrived at the hospital to find my mom on a ventilator and unresponsive. It was a difficult weekend and on Monday, September 26 we took my mom off the ventilator and she peacefully went home to Jesus. It was a painful time but we were surrounded by my mom's many friends and relatives. We had a wonderful turnout for her visitation and funeral. Her funeral service reminded me of the many special friendships she had throughout her life. The message was comforting to me because I know that she was loved by so many.
My girls looked for my mom while she was in the hospital. They ran into the house and checked her recliner and then ran to look for her in the computer room. It broke my heart because they didn't understand where my mom was. After my mom died, we took them to the funeral home. I took them in one by one to see and smell my mom's body. Molly went first. I picked her up and she got excited when she first saw my mom. I put her close and she looked at her and smelled her and then she turned her head back to me. Missy caught on sooner and once she got close to the casket she pulled herself back into me. Marley was a bit more of a challenge. She was a little bit harder to get picked up and get close to my mom. She too got excited when she saw my mom and she immediately caught on. It may sound morbid to some, but for me it helped me. I didn't want my girls to just wonder what happened to my mom, I wanted them to know. When we got home, Molly got in my mom's recliner and tried to bite 2 people who got too close to her while she was in the recliner. Ever since then, whenever we go to my dad's house, Molly sleeps in my mom's recliner.
There have been so many mornings since my mom died that it is all I can do to get up in the morning. I try to put on a somewhat happy face and go about my day when in reality all I want to do is get back in bed and stay there. It has been the darkest time of my life. I have tried to carry on with my life but it is so hard. I have attempted to trial Marley a few times since my mom's death with varying degrees of success. My heart just isn't into it. I hope with time things get better for me.
My mom always looked forward to the girl's blog and I would always call her when one of the girls had been on the computer. Makes me sad that she can't read about her grand dogs.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
ANOTHER STEP BACK
Marley has been having some hip stiffness recently. I noticed she appeared stiff after playing outside one evening. She was also 2 or 3 leg walking on the treadmill. I chaulked that up to being smart and finding a way to avoid her treadmill time. The few times we did practice agility over our break, she knocked a few bars which is so unlike her. I can count on 1 hand the bars she's knocked in a trial. So I decided to take her in for a check up on her hips.
Our regular vet did Xrays. Her hip dysplasia has worsened and he feels that her time in agility in short. He brought up surgical interventions. I was so not prepared for that.
After a cryfest that evening, I decided to take Marley for a second opinion. This vet feels that yes, her HD has worsened but that we aren't at a surgical intervention yet. She feels that Marley is suffering from panosteitis in both femurs. She recommended rest and Rimadyl for a week and bring her back for a recheck.
I took both Molly and Marley for some chiropractic/accupuncture treatments. I had that vet look at Marley's xrays. Same thing, the HD is worse. But, she doesn't think Marley has pano. She thinks Marley landed wrong and acutely injured her hips. She did tell me to rest and Rimadyl for a week.
If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Marley, then you know what a pain it is to activity restrict her! She has gotten the zoomies a few times in the house, but for the most part she's been a good girl!
We are keeping our fingers and paws crossed for good news tomorrow. I just don't want Marley to be in pain. She's such a great dog and she deserves to be happy and healthy. Also hoping that she can return to agility.
Our regular vet did Xrays. Her hip dysplasia has worsened and he feels that her time in agility in short. He brought up surgical interventions. I was so not prepared for that.
After a cryfest that evening, I decided to take Marley for a second opinion. This vet feels that yes, her HD has worsened but that we aren't at a surgical intervention yet. She feels that Marley is suffering from panosteitis in both femurs. She recommended rest and Rimadyl for a week and bring her back for a recheck.
I took both Molly and Marley for some chiropractic/accupuncture treatments. I had that vet look at Marley's xrays. Same thing, the HD is worse. But, she doesn't think Marley has pano. She thinks Marley landed wrong and acutely injured her hips. She did tell me to rest and Rimadyl for a week.
If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Marley, then you know what a pain it is to activity restrict her! She has gotten the zoomies a few times in the house, but for the most part she's been a good girl!
We are keeping our fingers and paws crossed for good news tomorrow. I just don't want Marley to be in pain. She's such a great dog and she deserves to be happy and healthy. Also hoping that she can return to agility.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
PERFECT
A friend and I were talking recently about Marley and how far she's come. She never knew Marley when she was having her reactivity issues. She's only known Marley as the happy, sweet, loveable girl that she is now. I came across these song lyrics and they reminded me of my sweet Marley.
Made a wrong turn, once or twice.
Dug my way out, blood and fire.
Bad decisions, that's alright.
Welcome to my silly life.
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood!
Miss "No way, It's all good, It didn't slow me down.
Mistaken, always second guessing, under estimated.
Look, I'm still around!
If you ever feel that you are nothing, you are perfect to me!
So proud of where Marley is now. She is a fabulous dog and I love her to death. I couldn't have asked for a better dog!
Made a wrong turn, once or twice.
Dug my way out, blood and fire.
Bad decisions, that's alright.
Welcome to my silly life.
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood!
Miss "No way, It's all good, It didn't slow me down.
Mistaken, always second guessing, under estimated.
Look, I'm still around!
If you ever feel that you are nothing, you are perfect to me!
So proud of where Marley is now. She is a fabulous dog and I love her to death. I couldn't have asked for a better dog!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
MOMENTS OF BRILLIANCE
The Doggone Fun Agility Trial in Hattiesburg, MS marked Marley's first year of competing USDAA agility. She began competing AKC agility a month or so before she started USDAA, but we aren't serious about AKC agility. Too many dumb rules and stuck up 'pure breed' people for me.
She earned 2 Master Snooker Q's and an Advanced Standard Q! She had several runs that were absolutely brilliant but sometimes her handler screws her up. Regardless of our results, it was a great trial for us and a huge learning curve. We stepped into the Master's ring with some top handlers in the US and for us to Q right along side them is a huge accomplishment for us!!
We are off agility for a month due to the heat. I need to dust off Marley's agility jumps during the interim. They have been sitting on my patio untouched for a month now!
We will probably start competing USDAA again in late September. Looking forward to some of my friends trialing with me.
She earned 2 Master Snooker Q's and an Advanced Standard Q! She had several runs that were absolutely brilliant but sometimes her handler screws her up. Regardless of our results, it was a great trial for us and a huge learning curve. We stepped into the Master's ring with some top handlers in the US and for us to Q right along side them is a huge accomplishment for us!!
We are off agility for a month due to the heat. I need to dust off Marley's agility jumps during the interim. They have been sitting on my patio untouched for a month now!
We will probably start competing USDAA again in late September. Looking forward to some of my friends trialing with me.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
MARLEY, CD
Marley earned her CD at the GSKC Obedience Trial in Southaven, MS. She did a good job. I was so proud of her! 10 seconds after she earned her title, I retired her from competitive obedience.
We are off to the Dog Gone Fun agility trial in Hattiesburg, MS this weekend. I entered Marley 3 days/4 runs a day. Looking forward to having a good time and enjoying time with Marley.
We are off to the Dog Gone Fun agility trial in Hattiesburg, MS this weekend. I entered Marley 3 days/4 runs a day. Looking forward to having a good time and enjoying time with Marley.
Monday, July 11, 2011
ANOTHER GO AT OBEDIENCE
Marley is entered in GSKC Obedience trial this coming weekend. I entered her in Saturday's trial only. Going to try one more time to get her Companion Dog (CD) title. I know she can do it but she still tends to get spooked and that has cost us twice. Hoping for the best!!
She is also entered in 3 days of USDAA agility in Hattiesburg, MS the next weekend. She is in half Master's and half Advanced. Going to have me hopping from one ring to another!
I am leaving Molly and Missy with our trainer to be boarded. It's too hot to drag them that far. They will get to stay in A/C and be pampered. I'm sure I will cry when I leave them but I know they will be in good hands.
I have finally started a project that I have wanted to do for so long. I've started writing a book about life with my 3 girls. I love to write and I love my girls, so I thought why not. I'll give it a go.
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