Facing Dr. Larry...Facing, Dr. Larry

I couldn't put it off any longer. I had to get Gracie back to see Dr. Larry for a re-check. I also had to face him for the first time since he read "that BLOG entry" I wrote about him two weeks ago...yeah, the one where I said; "I love you, Dr. Larry!"

I can't even blame hormones because THOSE things are bubbling up right NOW, which is why this post may either not make sense, or just end without warning. I'm so friggen' cranky right now, it's amazing that the worst thing I did was whine briefly when Sam called me, then had the nerve to ask if he knew if when I placed a phone order at the local burger place, if he picked up the order based on giving them his name or our phone number and I loudly whined; "I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!" Lucky for him, he just shut up and quietly hung up the phone. I placed the stupid order for the stupid food and I warned the girl who took my order that a guy would be coming to pick up an order and he would look confused and that would be Sam and to give him our order. Oops..now Sam is going to read this. Tough! I have PMS! Back off!

But I digress...

Poor little Gracie. Her lovely coat still looks shabby, though her shaved parts are beginning to show a re-growth of fur. Her head, neck and shoulders are the worst areas. If you were to run your hand along her head, you'd feel a bumpy crust that clusters in lumps (say that five times fast... bumpy crust that clusters in lumps...hmmm). It's been three weeks since I removed the bedroom rug to see if that would have any impact on her health. It seems to have made a difference.

But first, I have to bitch again. I had to wait for about 45 minutes to see Dr. Larry. When I got to his office, his car wasn't there; a sure sign of trouble if I ever saw one. Indeed there was trouble. A woman had just gotten home from the hospital. She was bed ridden and was still hooked up to various IV's and such. Her poor dog needed to be put down. I don't know the details, but I do know it must have been serious to get Dr. Larry to leave the office and drive a long way there and back to help his dog make his journey to the Rainbow Bridge (or to wherever you think doggies go). The lady wanted to be with her dog, as sick as she was, so Dr. Larry had to bring the 100lb dog to her bedside and euthanize him there. Then he had to get the dog's body out of her house. Yikes!

I couldn't be mad at Dr. Larry, but I was tired after a long week. Even though I'd rather be in Larry's waiting room, than at work, I really wanted to just go home and take a nap. Instead, I leaned my head against the wall and took a quick nap. I thought about the poor dog and thought about how it has to be so tough to have to kill animals day in and day out. I know we call it "put to sleep," but heck, they aren't going to wake up from this sleep, now are they? I suppose one has to think about ending the suffering of another being over how it makes them feel, but still..shit..he kills animals!

Finally Dr. Larry arrives. He's had a tough day and seems to have completely forgotten about the BLOG incident, so I forget about it, too. We focus on Gracie and have a really good talk about what to do next. I feel a moment of pride here, I must admit. I've been very SLOW to treat Gracie beyond tests and just the basics for treatment. Instead of doing everything possible, I'm THINKING FIRST. My goal is to see if Gracie's immune system, with very limited help from LOW doses of steroids (only 2, each over a month apart), will improve over time. Dr. Larry said he thought she looked 40 percent better than the last time he saw her! SO IT MUSt BE THE RUG. It's the ONLY THING that's been changed.

Dr. Larry even agreed that we should NOT do the hyposensitization therapy at all, but give it more time. He didn't want to give her more steroids, so I asked him what else we could do besides a Depo shot. He said there was a less risky steroid we could use that would just help a bit and also not put Gracie at risk for diabetes. So we gave her that shot, then just so I wouldn't think life was going to be easy, Dr. Larry said he wants to see Gracie again, in two weeks and...during that time...

GRACIE NEEDS TO BE BATHED THREE TIMES!

And you don't just bathe and towel off...NOOOOOOO...that would be easy! I have to bathe her, LEAVE the medicated shampoo on her for 7-10 MINUTES...then she can be rinsed and dried off! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

This is where I said; "Trim her claws, NOW!"

Followed by: "Shit!"

So bathe her I shall...and I have PMS...and I'm really pissy...THIS WILL BE F-U-N!