Since our last episode....

We've had an illness and a death. I'll get to the death in a sec.

The illness was mine. And there were points where I felt like dying, let me tell ya! Sunday night I started feeling like I couldnt get warm. I was wearing long pants and sleeves in JUNE in FLORIDA. We went to bed early, like 9 pm. I woke up the next morning with the rawest sore throat I've had in ages, plus more chills and a low grade fever. Since it was payroll day at work, I went in so my co-worker didnt have to do her job and mine on such a busy day of the week. She took one look at me and sent me home. I stayed about an hour first though, to do a couple of my daily reports.

Afterwards, I went to the doctor. Since we go to a walk-in clinic, it is a first come first served thing. After waiting in the waiting room for 2 1/2 hours, I finally saw the doctor. He was concerned that my throat was so swollen I couldnt swallow or breathe very well. He sent me immediately to an ENT specialist. Turns out I had a very severe case of pharyngitis. I'm currently on antibiotics and steroids and feeling much much better. I've gone back to the gym the last two days, although not at full steam. One of the "gifts" this little illness gave me was enough of a loss to get below 300 lbs.

Now, to the death: Ken and Linda, the friends that are letting us stay with them, have five dogs, one of them being an Australian Shepherd. Because they don;t have their fence up yet, Jack needed to be put on a lead attached to his collar that was around his neck. Earlier this week, he took off while on his lead to chase something and SNAPPED his collar right off. It really dazed him, but he didnt act much different after that. But as the days went on, he started losing his motor function. They took him to the vet who suggested a steroid regiment for a few days to get the swelling in his back down. Meanwhile, his bladder and bowels weren't functioning so great, especially his bowels. This morning they finally did work, but there was so much blood in it. He was bleeding internally. Our friends had no choice but to say their final goodbyes and let him go. Before I left for work this morning, I spent a few minutes sitting with him and petting him and talking to him.

Jack was a great dog. He was like the sentinel of the pack--always watching the windows and barking at anything and everything that moved. He had established himself as the alpha male long ago. He was the only purebred dog in the lot--everyone else is a mix of various things. I'm sure the others will seem all out of sorts for a while. Our house will never be the same.

We'll miss you, Jackson....