My sweet dog-child, Lily

My sweet dog-child Lily passed away when I was at work yesterday. I had my TOPS meeting right after work and after that my mom followed me home to see her - but she was already gone. She had been going downhill this week. I had told Lily all morning and she knew that my mom (GaGa) was coming over and I believe that she waited to pass until she knew that I wouldn't be alone to find her.

My girl was so amazing...she fought back from heat stroke, hydrocephalus, COPD, enlarged heart, arthritis... but her little 8 pound body just couldn't fight anymore.

My heart is broken and I can't stop crying, but I am also remembering how very lucky that she and I found each other and that I had her in my life for 7 years.

 
A quote that I love that gives me comfort in times of loss of my 4-legged children:

"We who choose to surround ourselves

with lives even more temporary than our

own, live within a fragile circle;

easily and often breached.

Unable to accept its awful gaps,

we would still live no other way.

We cherish memory as the only

certain immortality, never fully

understanding the necessary plan."

— Irving Townsend

 

Etsy, Cat Illness, and Cat Bite!

I love the Etsy website for handmade goods.  Soon I will open up my store again and I just reopened my mom's Etsy store (she is a brilliant artist, but not good with the online business aspect of it so I am her business manager!).  I am so proud of her and her creations that I just wanted to share a few here.......her etsy site is GaGa's Sewing Room.  I just love how she combines cool fabrics and vintage lace, doilies, or hankies.

Here are some of her latest aprons......love them!

 
Last week, one of my dear sweet cats, Buddy, was hospitalized with a complete blockage - he was near death.  He survived and came home and on Friday morning, I was trying to pill pop him his meds and he gave me a big, strong bite on the finger....OW!!!  I was happy that he was feisty, but OMG, the bite REALLY hurt.  By Saturday morning, it was swollen and bright red and had spread to my whole hand (pictures below are on Friday night...by the following morning, my right hand was twice this size).  My doc on Saturday morning took one look and told me that this was VERY serious.  I guess that cats - all cats - have a specific bacteria in their mouths (Pastuerella).  I was given a super strong big dose of antibiotics in a shot in the behind :) and  was told to elevate my hand and put on a heating pad all weekend.  If it was not better on Sunday, I was to go immediately to the hospital to be admitted because I could lose sensation in my hand or worse!  Yikes....this was scary stuff - all because of a cat bite.  I am happy to report that I am now on the mend, although I am on strong antibiotics for 10 days and will have to continue to have the area monitored. 

 And this is my beloved little culprit, Buddy.  :)

I will be back more regularly with blogs on my weight loss (more than 50 pounds so far!!), recipes that are super yummy, crafts, giveaways, and of course more beloved cat photos of my four-legged furry children!

Blessings,

Lolly