Crazy week...

Life has been turned a little upside down this past week. I am one that likes to follow a routine and this week has been so disorderly. It started off bad back at the end of January, our sweet Picasso (our family dog) had been having mini seizure/stroke episodes. So, we took her to the vet. He told us it was a simple urinary track infection and to give her these pills and keep and eye on her. Well starting the first week of February she would not eat and kept throwing up at night. So, my dad called the vet and spoke with them; they ordered a x-ray for her. When he took her to get the x-ray she had another one of those episodes..this one being the worse she has had. After this episode she was unable to stand or walk. The vet kept her overnight to hopefully regain some strength and the next day they wanted to do an ultrasound. My dad drove to Salt Lake for her to have the ultrasound. What they found was cancer--everywhere throughout her body. My parents were the ones with her at this time and they made the decision (one I agree with, but it's still difficult) that it would be best to end her pain and suffering and put her down.



She was the sweetest dog, who loved the snow but hated water. She loved to leap and jump on her bones then carry them in her mouth to show everyone what she had. She was so protective and I will miss her greatly.



My week continued to be stressful, my first surgery was on Feb. 4th. I was scheduled to be there bright and early (6:30am), and surgery was at 7:30am. My dad was the one that was able to come with me; which I was so grateful for. He is the only one besides my sister Kacee who can calm me down. My surgeon is a wonderful man and was able to joke around to put me at ease as well. Everything went really smoothly. My gallbladder was removed. After they remove it they open it up and look at it. Inside there was found gallstones that the ultrasound missed. So not only did it not function properly I had gallstones that cause all my pain. I have been recouping and trying to keep my mind occupied. I am not one to sit and just do nothing so it has been difficult.

It has also been difficult, because I haven't felt up to being there for my family when they need me. On Saturday, Feb. 5th my dad woke up with his lips, cheeks, and nose swollen. He went to the Dr. and was told it was a sinus infection. On Sunday he woke up to it being bigger. He decided to go to the E.R. instead of his Dr. They hooked up and I.V. and ran several tests. For the last few years my dad has been battling to keep his white blood cells and platelets up. They have been extremely low; they have done so many tests HIV, Hepatitis, Bone Marrow Biopsy, etc... But everything comes up negative. Well, on Sunday his platelets and white blood cells were extremely low again, so they admitted him to the hospital. This time they gave him a platelet transfusion. Yesterday his swelling was gone and we had hopes that he was being released today, but nope! They had some specialist come and check things out. One of the doctors stated that he will not release him until he figures out why is blood count is so low. He also stated that he is upset that it has gone on for so many years and that doctors have just passed him around not really trying to figure things out. Hopefully they can figure out what is causing all of these problems for my dad and get it fixed.