Ruffs and Roller Coasters

Where has the time gone?  It has been over a month since my last post.  December, and November, were kind of busy with work and the holidays.  Gracy is still chugging along, and actually doing well.  We have good days and not so good days.  But as I explained the recent roller coaster to her vet...at least we are on the kiddie rides right now!

I still struggle each day, just trying to figure out her new normal.  Just when I think I get a handle on something, or it seems something has fixed itself (i.e. her getting sick, her eating normal), we have a down day or two and I feel like I am back to square one.  From all of this, I have learned that I must be a control freak (no comments, please).  These roller coasters are driving me crazy!  I can handle any kind of normal, I think.  I am just wanting some sort of consistency!

When I explain our roller coasters to friends, they remark that it is just like having a baby in the infant stage through the toddler stage all in one!  I agree!

I spend most days at home trying to figure out what my Princess and her sister need.  As soon as I get comfy and/or focused on work, t.v., dinner or chores, I am spoken to in "ruffs".  Some are quiet, some are not.  It is her way of telling me that she needs to be tended to.  Whether it is food she needs, water, medicine, to go out, you name it, my day is filled with "ruffs".

I love to eat my dinner in the recliner with a lap desk.  Normally, I push the limit on what I "bring to the table".  Just as soon as I get situated, yep, you guessed it, the Princess needs attending to!  Usually more than once, of course.  Why not stretch it out for all it is worth?  Who needs to eat a hot meal anyway?  They are so overrated!

Complaining I am not.  I am so grateful that I got to spend Christmas with both of my girls.  Watching them dig into their stockings is always fun.  I actually got them a couple of stuffed toys.  They had been banned from the house for a couple of reasons, but, I figured what the heck.  Well, Gracy (a.k.a. Princess) indulged too much on her Christmas goodies, which created a week or more of her getting sick.  This took a couple of weeks for her to really recoup from, and is just now, getting back to some sort of normal!  A lesson learned as to why they were banned from the house.  :-(

As my Princess cuddles up in my lap each night, I notice that her fuzzy face is growing back in.  She is a schnauzer mix, and she has the beard and fuzzy face of one, but loses all of it during her chemo treatments.  I remember not wanting to trim her this spring in fear that it would be the last time I saw it all grown out.  I had wanted to hold on to that moment as long as I could.  I am amazed each night, that after all we went through this past year, that I am watching her hair come back in. 

I am so blessed with the little things.  There are huge things going on in my life right now, but, I am just as happy as a clam.  When I look back on the last couple of years, I can believe that it has been a dog that has grounded me the most.  Amazing, but, then again, she isn't just a dog!