For all of us animal lovers out there, you must know what I am feeling when I say Drako, my male Shepherd, passed away early this morning around 12:10AM, i got home around 11:30PM, he was fine, 1/2 hour later he collapsed, and couldn't get up, i got him up to see if anything was wrong, he started panting and taking in less and less breaths of air, there was nothing on his body to alarm me, so I went in the house to get my son to help me lift him into the vehicle to take to the hospital and when i went back outside to wrap him up in a blanket to help lift him, he was already gone, and getting cold.  My instincts told me when I first saw him collapse, that he was going to die, and after talking with the hospital, it sounds like he had heart failure, here I have a very healthy dog, and this happens to him out of the blue.  I am so sad for my loss, he was an awesome pet, and now what is Shadow going to do without her mate, i am making her a house pet now, always indoors, she needs me to help her through this and I need her to help me through this, Drako was my baby boy, he was so handsome and so playful and so healthy, my son is devastated as I am, and he says No More Animals Ever, we have two more to go through with this someday, so no more, and I told him, you have to remember all the joy we got from Drako, all the fun we had with him, all the mischief he got into, and now shadow needs us more than ever to help her through this, i think we are all in denial still, because i can still see him outside in my mind, and now for just one dog to be there in the yard playing, this is not going to be easy, so I am off to rainbow bridge to make his announcement, for all of us animal lovers, please send a prayer to Drako, we know he is in doggy heaven, where he so belongs, take care, such a loss for all of us.

  Mother is doing great at the "blessed family adult home", I cannot ask for better care anwhere for her, she is getting stronger, more alert, staying up during the days longer, just very happy.  She says she is very lucky that such wonderful people are taking care of her, and oh yes, she is getting as much asian food to eat that she can handle, i took her to the doctor the other day and asked her what food would she like to have for lunch, of course, chinese, and I said NO, you get enough at your new home, so IHOPS we went.  I am so happy that she is doing so well.  They recommended I start her on this detox juice that does miracles, it's called "viaviente", so i just got the bottles delivered, they are expensive, and recomment 3 months to put a body through detox, cleaning, boosting the immune system, giving more energy, so I say, "whatever it takes to make her feel even better", I think i may try it too, so everything is finally caught up, getting her wheelchair maintenanced, darn screw missing in one of the arm rests, and they are charging me $22 to pick up and delivery when done, due to the price of gas, geezzze, but oh well, whatever it takes to make this 100% work , so all is well, am so happy her dilantin/depakote levels are balanced and therapuetic, her pain level is great, her appetitie is good, her strength is really good and still improving.  Her daugher, my sister sharla, flies back from idaho this saturday for another week, and we will be bringing her home for a few nights and going out and about, spoiling mother is what she says is going on, hey, that's what we do when we care, so all is well, can't complain at all, am so grateful for this family adult home, i totally recommend them over skilled nursing facilities anyday of the week, take care, and so much thanks for all the prayers.   Bless You.

  Mother moved back in with me after she went into major seizures on april 29, 2008, I don't have all the answers yet to why that happened to her in that care center, so decided it was time to give her better care and more quality care.  Since that time, she has been admitted two times in the hospital and a 7 hour emergency visit, her dilantin levels, seizure med, keeps going toxic on her every time they add on a new prescription, so no more, she is to get stable first, then deal with her low thyroid function.  That's two strikes against her doctor, and I have had enough, so I am taking over, and he is finally listening.  I also have decided to let mother go to "blessed family adult home" in Lakewood WA on the golf course, beautiful home, nurse on full staff, Doctor on call, and a beautiful Asian family who runs the business.  They already love mother and can give her the much needed around the clock care, even with my care helper, it was still difficult for me to get any rest or enough rest I should say.  It is not the easiest decision to let her go again and not be with me all the time, but after thinking a while about this, I believe this will be in the best interest for both of us to continue to staying healthy. So keep those prayers coming in her recovering, because she surely does bounce back, it hasn't been easy, and I have felt like I have been her nurse in intensive care with most of the time here, she has experienced so many difficulties since those seizures, and that care center she was in, I believe, has some major questions to answer to me with, no reason her levels should have been that low, so once again, I will be overseeing her health and care at a loving home and never a care center again, mother said they treated her kindly, but why did that happen to her I have to find out my answers.  Mother has had it very rough since end of April,  so I try to heal her as best as I can, and now to get a much needed rest myself, so I can continue being there for her.  So again, thanks for the prayers, and keep them a coming! god Bless and Thank You

I have always worked in one way or another, and am wondering if I could actually find a part time job again, something that would make me feel useful and feel good self worth again.  I am very limited to what I can do, no physically restraining jobs anymore, would love to teach in areas that I am very aware of, or somehow work with customers again, they always brought me a smile, even the ones with the most difficult issues to resolve.