Be the Match!

This afternoon, I got a phone call from "Be the Match". Anyone have any ideas of what this means?

Many moons ago, I signed up to be a bone marrow donor, for a number of reasons I won't get into at this point. This afternoon, I received a phone call that I am among a group of potential matches for a patient. Initial criteria is match of 5 or 6 different characterisitics of your blood (not sure what they all are) , with 6 of 6 obviously being the best. For this particular situation, there are a number of us that are a 6 of 6 initially, me included. Further testing will be conducted on each donors blood sample to determine who is the best of those of us that have a 6 of 6 match.

I gave a health history to the lady over the phone - obviously, I disclosed my current situation to her regarding my blood count. My guess is that it will probably eliminate me from the group, which is totally understandable. But then again, it may not, as my most recent blood counts have come back normal.

So right now, I just wait - this is obviously something that will resolve itself one way or another fairly soon. Suiffice to say, I was very surpised when I listened to the message on the phone and of course, called back right away. My guess is nothing will come of it, but if it does, I will certainly be happy to part with some of my healthy bone marrow. :) Until then, I will say a prayer that the right donor comes along for this individual and they are completely healed from their illness.

For information on donation, visit http://www.bethematch.org/.

A VERY BAD BOY

Ace has had a rough few days. Good thing he is cute.

Yesterday, he started singing to gramma at 4 AM. At 5AM, when she let him out...she forgot the sprinklers were on. What grammie? You want me to come in out of the sprinklers? I am having way too much for the that. Its not funny...but I can't help but laugh thinking about my poor mom dealing with a soaking wet dog at 5AM. He was pretty obnoxious the rest of the day as well. My poor mom had a full day with things to do and was exhausted...and what did she find when she got home from her errands? My dad and the dogs asleep. Go figure.

Fast forward to this morning....while I was in the shower, he destroyed my glasses. Fortunately, I had an extra pair and my insurance covers all but the frames. Suffice to say, from now on, he will be eating breakfast in the crate while mom showers. My glasses have been left in the same place since I have had him, and they have never been of interest to him until this morning. My cell phone has always been of interest (and has a few little teeth marks here and there) but never my glasses. I told him he was lucky he was cute or I would have WORN HIM OUT...

Oh Ace...my little Ace. Good thing you are cute, esp when you cuddle up with mommy...

Coming Home...

After three straight weeks of traveling, I am very happy to be coming home tomorrow....esp given that earlier this evening we were under tornado watch here in Indiana. When I left work at 5 30, it was miserable hot and humid with clouds rolling in. A vicious line of storms came in and we had a light show not like anything I had seen in awhile. Luckily, we were inside at dinner while most of this was going on. I also took a quick trip to Petco and B&N after dinner...have a new toy for each of the kids tomorrow to celebrate mom coming home.

While I was gone the first week, I came back to Ace having 4 adult teeth on the bottom and 2 on the top. Last week, we added 2 more adult teeth on top. Who knows what I will come home to this week. He has officially grown out of having his panel in his crate - and needing his panel in his crate for that matter. He is doing very well with housebreaking, and unless he had an accident my mom hasn't told me about, I think we can officially call him housebroken. We are still not ready for him go all day with no potty break, so his auntie Carol will probably come through the end of August - by then, he should be able to go 8 hrs fairly easily. My parents are up in the hood quite frequently, so that will help as well - but for right now, it is just much easier on the mama to know that the puppies will have a "break" in the middle of the day.

Both dogs are doing well. Chel is becoming a little more agressive in telling Ace to buzz off, and will actually lunge at him while pulling her lips back if he has crossed the line - and believe me, he does cross the line! But she also will pick up a toy she knows he likes and walk at him with it in her mouth...and will then engage him in submissive play. For the most part, Ace is doing well also...the boy is a real little YAK in the morning. Brings new meaning to waking up full of himself...not mention the volume factor involved. In his mind, waking up is an opportunity to bark. Loudly. Excessively. Usually, within 15 minutes of finishing his breakfast, he has had at least 2 timeout cuddles with mom...ie, getting pinned into submission. After that, he is quite happy to chew his bone or lay on the bed. He goes in his crate like a champ, which makes my life a lot easier. Chelsie always HATED her crate, and therefore I always HATED leaving her in it. I don't relish putting Ace in his crate, but it sure is a lot easier knowing he doesn't HATE it.
Both have started class at a new facility called Incredipaws and that is going well. It is hard for Ace because he wants to play with all the puppies! Chelsie has her first 2 day competition since hurting herself this weekend, and I am very excited. Little Space will get to go as well.

In the event anyone cares about the mama (smile - I know you all do) I saw my rheumatologist on Monday...and left him 5 vials of blood, which was swell. I have been MUCH better about taking my medicine, but am still incredibly fatigued. Granted, I have been busy, but this is a different kind of tired. I wear out easily and seem to require naps at a much higher rate than I used to. Clearly, I have new limits that have not yet been defined, but it is very frustrating. The blood tests are simply follow up blood tests to make sure nothing has changed. My elevated antibody counts will be what they were before, but he wanted to make sure there was nothing else involved. My rash is starting to show itself here and there, but nothing to the level it was a year ago at this time. My guess is my bloodwork will come back fine, I will continue to take the medicine and see him again in 6 months. Hopefully, I can figure out what my new limits are, because how I am currently functioning is not sustainable on a long term basis. Yesterday, I came in on a 6 30 AM flight and was asleep by 7PM. Probably won't be doing that in the future!
And now, I leave you all with what you want to see....photos of Ace. You will note Ace's necklace...it is actually his flying disc - which has clearly seen better days. I looked into purchasing a new flying disc for him...the dumb things are $21 at Petsmart. Sorry buddy, you will have to continue to play with your ripped one. Not that you care...you seem to love it no matter what!

Chelsie and Ace's Week

Playing with the kong at his Aunt Carol's house...

So, it seems despite me being gone, my puppies are having a pretty good week. As I correctly predicted, Chelsie is going everywhere with grampie and got an empty peanut butter jar as a treat the other day. She has also had a harassment free week. :) Grampie takes VERY good care of her...I got a call from him on Tuesday night because the bag of food marked "dinner" did not have pills in it and he thought it should. She gets her pills at breakfast. Yep, hard to be a Chel.

As for Ace, well, little Ace. Here is a note I got from Carol, his pet sitter who is watching him. She comes and lets him out every day and he loves her. Here is a recap of the Ace man's day from Carol - note, she took himt to half his puppy class in my absence - she teaches the class we are in at 6 30 and she went early so he could play in his 5 30 puppy class.
FROM CAROL
Morning started at 5:30, out to potty, breakfast and back to bed!!I was hoping for a lazy morning, had been up extra early the past few days.Able to sleep til 8 !!!WOOHOO
Went for a walk, helped me fill the bird feeders.
He does need to get out and socialize more with strange places, dogs, people. Even though he knows me, he is acting insecure. Jumps on me all the time for reassurance. Hackles come up and he barks at noses, horses, different things. He comes around nicely and could be going through a puppy shyness. See if you can invite yourself over to different peoples houses once a week or so, to see different places, people, dogs, whatever. Its a BIG world!!
BUT, he really is doing well, he is trying hard to listen and be good!
Got home this afternoon, another walk and play with the puppy Kong I made him.
Left for WW early, he got to play in his puppy class for 1/2 hour, then I needed to get ready for my class. He did very well in class. He did refuse tunnel twice, Annette said he was doing that. We were doing small combinations. Jump-Tunnel.
We did a front cross after tunnel to jump. Then we did jump, with a pull to chute. Then jump and front cross to chute.
As far as I was concerned, he was the star of the class. He slept in crate for over an hour while I had class, ran Porsche. Then before we left, I got him out to say hi to everyone in the Run Thru class. Home for dinner.
My gelding was right at fence, so I went out to pet him, and Ace would *woof* and run back. He would come up behind me and try to jump on me for support. I kept telling him to get off. He finally came up behind me a was able to sniff horses leg through fence. Then he was got within a foot of his nose. GOOD BOY!!!

He just crashed in crate!!
Have a good time Mom!
Carol, you rock.

                         Playing at Carol's house...obviously, she lives in a more "rural" area than we do.

BAD Blogger....BAD, BAD, BAD!!!

Yeah, I have been a bad blogger. I know. I will turn in my blogging card if my readers wish.

We have been busy...to say the least. As I type this, I am sitting in a hotel room in Virginia - marking the first of three weeks of travel. This week, Chelly Bean is with her grampie and Ace is with his pet sitter Carol because grammie is in Ca. I have had reports on both, both are doing very well. I miss them immensely, but I don't think they miss me!!!
Here are a few pictures, because I know that is what everyone wants to see. More to come later.

Baby Ace @ 15 weeks

Baby Ace @ 16 weeks