This guy.
He is ALWAYS this happy! Always.
Even at his second vet visit in a week…
So, last Monday, I was on a Skype call at the kitchen table. It was a hugely productive meeting, and I was jotting notes and super involved until I looked over, and there was Emmett. Standing next to the table, just looking at me.
Moments before, John had texted me from the couch (cause that’s how we roll) that Em was acting weird, rubbing his face on the carpet, and rolling on his back. Well, he has seasonal allergies every year, so I had texted him back: Give him a Zyrtec.
FF to Emmett standing there looking at me, and I looked back, and something was just… off.
You know how you learn every single fur on their head? It wasn’t a drastic change. Just. A change. So, I again texted John: Look at Emmett’s face. Is something weird?
John gets Emmett and takes him into the other room.
Minutes (maybe 7 or 8?) pass, and next thing I know John’s coming through the kitchen. Emmett’s leashed up, and his lips and nose are more than double in size. “I’m taking him to the emergency vet,” John says, and they’re out the door.
After I got off my call, I burst into tears. Just sobbed. Yes, a totally overblown response to what was clearly an allergic reaction.
But.
You know the tale about the little Dutch boy who sees the hole in the dyke and plugs it with his own finger until the adults finally find him and fix the damn dam?
It feels like that with Emmett these days, only once you have one finger in one leak, another leak springs, so you yoga your leg on over there, stick a toe in, just in time for a leak to spring by your hand again.
Cancer?? Lots of fingers.
Thyroid problem? Another finger.
Liver disorders? A toe here, another there.
Hearing loss? A pinky.
Arthritis? OK, more fingers plus a toe for good measure.
I think this is probably the case for caring for any geriatric, right? Toss in a couple chronic illnesses and a mobility problem, and I get it… it’s every senior home in the country.
And we do it for our elderly because they need it and we love them. But sometimes you, the caretaker, just need that full-body, wracking sob.
So, with constant updates and two phone calls, they figured out his meds–basically, the treatment for an acute situation like that conflicted with his chemo, so we ultimately opted to halt chemo for three days to treat the allergic reaction because his face was actively ballooning the entire time we were discussing this–and they did a full exam. The only real welt/sting/bite they found?
On his penis.
Yep. His penis.
{{Side note: I’d love to know how many times I’ve used the word “penis” on this here blog. Probably, roughly, 97 million. Thanks, Emmett.}}
Meanwhile: Our upstairs AC isn’t working (torture), so the guy came out. He couldn’t service it because there’s a live wire (WHAT?!) so the electrician gets scheduled on Tuesday, the day of a major (supposed) gas leak in our town, so we have to cancel the live-wire fixer until the gas leak is fixed THEN it turned out that it was just the chemical that produces the gas odor leaking in the next town over (huh), thus isn’t actual gas and so the live wire guy can come back out………… and Otto’s here for the week. (Honestly, we love having Otto. He’s so silly.)
Emmett already had a vet visit scheduled for that day, yesterday, Tuesday, for the blood test he gets every six-ish weeks because of the chemo. But, on Monday, we noticed that he had yet another infection.
Down there.
This has been chronic for poor Emmett since forever. He’s had boy troubles since we’ve adopted him, starting way back in 2006 with crystals in his urine that cut him and, ultimately, ended up with an infection.
So, we swapped the blood test from a tech appointment to a vet appointment and, yet again, had him swabbed.
Sure enough. Infection.
Could it be related to that bite from a week ago? Maybe… More likely the bite/sting was bugging him and he licked it too much.
Regardless, here we are, starting him on yet another round of penis medicine. And diagnosed him with muscle atrophy in both back legs and limited range of motion in his hips.
Yes, he’s my monkey.
This is my circus.
And I wouldn’t trade a single second of it. Although I’d probably trade the penis infections. Those are fun for nobody. And I’d trade the broken upstairs AC. It’s hot. And did I mention my windshield is cracked?
And definitely Emmett’s hip problems. Yep. My monkey.
But, darnit, if I don’t love that monkey more than anything…
Oh, Emmett!
Thanks for sharing these stories with such humor.
My 19 year old cat had a butt problem a few weeks ago, so I feel you!
I hate to admit how much “a butt problem” just made me laugh… 😀 Glad she’s doing better, though!!
You have a wonderful sense of humor. Sometimes our lives are just one big circus after another. stella rose
Thank you so much. And, yes, I think that is so very true!
I just want to give you a hug. I love the candid honesty, and love, in this post. I heard about your supposed “gas leak.” Glad it was nothing. So sorry about Emmett, and I couldn’t help but laugh every time I read “penis.”
It was SO strange. First thing I walked outside and that smell… When we called it in, the gas company said something like 35 calls already, and they didn’t know what was going on. You’d think that would be the kind of thing they’d know. Anyway, glad it turned out to be nothing!
And, YEP. Penis, penis, penis! 😀
What a week! Poor Emmett & poor YOU! But that FACE… how could you NOT just want to hug him & kiss him every minute!
Senior dogs are so beautiful, with their greying faces & paws, but the challenges never seem to stop after age 9 or10. I don’t know how you keep track of each incident and symptom and medication AND keep up with your blog, teaching and the rest of your family’s needs.
I had 3 dogs for 12 years ( not the same 3,) and I couldn’t imagine NOT having 3 until I didn’t.
NOW, I can’t remember how I ever managed with 3! Having only 2, for the last 2 years, is less than 1/2 the work, expense and effort than 3. However, sometimes if feels weird to have so much extra room in my bed..
If ANYBODY can successfully juggle a family, a career, personal health issues, a senior dog with all those related issues, let alone one with Emmett’s special medical concerns, it ‘s you. You are an inspiration to everyone who reads OMD.
Here’s hoping the remainder of the summer is much cooler and penis-related free.
Best wishes to you and kisses for Emmett. Thanks for sharing his story & photo. He makes my day.
Leslie (with Wishbone & Freya)
You are so kind, Leslie. Thank you so much for those very nice words of encouragement!
You are right, and I wonder why it is… 2 are WAY less work than 3. The weird feeling for me is less tripping over dogs. 🙂 There’s more room as I walk the house.
Passing along those kisses for Em (like I need an excuse to give him extra!)
All the best to you and yours!
Considering how much male dogs like to lick ‘down there’ (‘back there’ since we’re dealing with quadrupeds?) it’s a bit of a surprise that we’re not all always taking them to the vet to treat infections! It’s a good thing Emmett likes the vet so much!
That’s so very true… though I’m grateful he doesn’t experience more than he does! Phew!
I’m glad to see that big old smile on his face. It’s tough as our pets age, but the way you’re able to find the humor in it makes everything more tolerable. Seriously, if we couldn’t laugh I think we’d just be sobbing in the shower all day long.
Oh, my gosh. Jen, you are SO spot on. The humor saves from the pain. 100%. Thank you so very much for making that point!!
See… this is the problem with having girl dogs… I so rarely get to use the word “penis” on my blog.
It does sound like a circus, but when the monkeys are *that* cute and that happy, I’d totally sign up.
Bwahahah!!! That’s an interesting perspective, and I’d love to know the instances in which you have had occasion to use penis. 🙂
Somethings a good cry is the best thing for it! I hope Emmett is on the mend now. Allergic reactions can be scary and sudden! Have a good weekend, Maggie.
I love how you can still be humorous through all this! It’s nice to see you solving these problems and plugging in the holes as effectively as anyone.
Just now getting around to reading some of my favorite blogs. It’s been a crazy few weeks here in our humble abode…
Hope poor Emmett is feeling better by now! I love the picture of him! Such a sweet smile!
Yup, having senior pets can feel like a circus sometimes; but like you, I wouldn’t trade my circus for anything! I love my sweet Golden Girl – and her Golden Angel sister – with my whole heart to the moon and back.
Sad to hear that your monkey has been through a lot. But he’s lucky to have people like you. 🙂
Thanks, Josh! 🙂