Sweetie has kidney disease

Today was the big day: Sweetie had her appointment with Dr Jackson.  Last summer he told me Sweetie's kidney readings were high, and that we need to watch the blood count as it was closing in on kidney problems.  I also wanted stronger pain medication for her pain, as she walks stiffly with a limp.

I was at Susan's by noon and stayed until 12:45pm.  The appointment was for 1:30pm. It was too hot to walk around her property before taking off.  I turned the AC on in my Honda to cool off the interior for Sweetie before driving off for the 32-minute drive into town.

I arrived a bit early and I didn't mind, as the waiting area was cool!  There was one other woman with her little dog waiting. Sweetie weighs 44 pounds.  Sweetie lay down and relaxed and I plugged my phone in to recharge.  My waiting anywhere is better when I can charge up my phone or Chromebook.

Dr. Merel Huff was my doctor today.  I had her before with Gretchen last summer.  She's young and personable.  She took Sweetie's blood.  I waited another 45 minutes for the results --again not minding--and then was told that the blood reading was more elevated than last summer.  She has the beginnings of kidney disease.  It's time to seriously manage Sweetie's diet.  Dogs with kidney issues must be fed a diet lower in proteins and phosphorus.  Dr Huff recommended me looking at Hill's Science k/d kibble...but who can afford $125 for a 27.5 bag of kibble?  The canned version at $54 for 12 cans isn't much better.  It's ok for one dog but I have seven dogs to feed.

It's time I research making my own food for Sweetie.  Boneless chicken, brown rice, pumpkin seem to be good for her, healthier for all the other dogs and more affordable in the long run.  The issue I have is keeping the food from spoiling; I can only make enough to feed the pack for a day.

We were at the vet clinic for almost two hours.  Dr Huff prescribed Galliprant for Sweetie's osteoarthritis.  The analgesic is $110 for a month's supply and is safer on her kidneys than carprofen.  The total bill was $391.

Afterwards I took Sweetie to PetSmart, placed her in a cart and gave her aching bones a reprieve as I walked the aisles.  She seemed to enjoy the attention, as she sat upright and looked around, her Yoda ears at that perfect angle.

My little warrior princess is now aging and frail.  I'm thankful I have Susan as a friend who can give her a peaceful refuge.

The PetSmart in town does not carry Hills Science k/d, but one helpful employee suggested trying a plant-based protein kibble.  The store carries one brand, Natural Balance Limited Ingredient, a 4-pound bag for $24.   Protein is 18%, so lower than most traditional kibble at 26%, but higher than Hills Science 11%. Both Hills Science and Natural Balance both use brown rice as the #1 ingredient, but both divert from there.

We stopped at Culvers for a custard treat before heading back to Susan's where Sweetie will stay until Susan leaves for a week-long trip to California sometime next week.  She will let me know when I have to pick her up.

I stayed until 9pm.  We walked the property at sunset.  Sweetie came along.  Susan asked me if I felt any different now that I'm alcohol-free, but I said it was too early to tell, as I often go on dry spells for health reasons. I haven't had any behind-the-eye headaches in almost three weeks and I don't feel the fatigue I had before.  The fatigue right now is from the oppressive heat.

Bisbee 1000

This was my first walk since breaking my wrist. I arrived 15 minutes late. We started at 5:45am. I kept the dogs at home due to the excessive heat warning.  Today's high was 103F and it was already in the upper 80s when we finished the walk.

I only took a few photos today. My phone is out of storage and I still need to learn how to move files to my Samsung SD.

Normally Bill and I discuss current events. There's been much happening lately, with the implosion of the Titan submersible with five men on board, while descending to the Titanic, and yesterday's mutiny of the Wagner group  as it matched 200km. from eastern Ukraine toward Moscow before turning around. The leader of the Wagner group is Yevgeny Prigozhin, himself a felon and murderer. He is allegedly in Belorus in refuge, but no one has seen him. We continue locally to have many roadside fires, too. the Post fire is still burning SW if Benson. Today a smaller fire broke out near the city's transfer station.

We didn't discuss any of this. Bill talked about how much he is enjoying his political canvassing and may continue to do so in Tucson, where he gets $7 a signature.  I'm sure he's good at his job, as he is both a good talker and a good listener.

We were done in 1:40 hours and then went our separate ways.

The dogs weren't walked in the morning since I was running late, and they were in no mood to walk anywhere until 6:30pm when the sun slipped behind the mountains.  The neighborhood was quiet.  There were no chain saws, electric power equipment, kids screaming or dogs barking.  I didn't even hear birds chirp until I intentionally let the water from the hose overflow from the doggie pool, to create a temporary bird bath for the thirsty birds.

Triple-digit heat is expected all week long. No rain in the forecast until possibly July 9th!

Aftermath of the Wildhorse fire

 I never slept last night.  It was easy for me to get up before sunrise, drive to The Oaks subdivision with Fritz, and walk along SR92 and Three Canyons Road to see smoldering embers. and hotspots  A group of four firefighters had spent the night watching the embers.

Despite the burned landscape, it was a mild and breezy sunrise with an overcast sky.  I kept Fritz on his leash because he kept wanting to chase after rabbits looking for plants to eat.  The burn area followed the highway, from Wildhorse Trail north to just south of E Pioneer Lane.  No homes were destroyed

The clouds dispersed right after taking Gretchen on her walk around the hood. Both dogs got around two miles of walking before the heat set in.

House fires near by

 I was in town dropping off my Cologuard sample and then having a sweet treat, when I saw on a Local Facebook page of a loud explosion and then fire in the Three Canyons area.  Three Canyons is three miles south of us, a gated area of newly-built homes.  These homes were built after the 2011 fire.

State Road 92 was closed at Hereford Road south to Coronado Memorial Road.  A large supertanker was flying low over the foothills as I made it home, and shortly thereafter got a text message to evacuate.

But evacuate to where?  I saw other neighbors with big trucks heading out, but most people on my street seemed calm.  My only option would be to park on Susan's property, but I still remember all too well how she felt about me being in her home on Day three after our house fire.  Seven dogs would be too much for Allie, too.

By late afternoon the evac orders were cancelled  Winds had died down.  I didn't see any smoke during the evening dog walk, but my neighbor Lesley said she drove towatds the burn area and saw smoke and flames on the ground between Miller and Three Canyons Road south of us.

When I left the RV at 8pm to head into town, I saw embers still burning on the ground right off the highway, along Three Canyons Road and The Oaks subdivision, where I used to go walk the dogs until early 2017.  This is the second time in 12 years that area has been affected by a wildfire.

This fire is now in the books as the Wildhorse fire.  It burned 150 acres and came as a result of three smaller fires merging.

https://www.kgun9.com/wildfirewatch/several-structures-threatened-by-running-30-acre-wildfire-near-hereford

Summer solstice

 The heat is on!

I barely made it to the maintenance road for sunrise.  I didn't have the energy to drive far, or hike long, knowing that by 7am it would be 80F.  I took Fritz and we had a quick walk around the Ranchos San Pedro development, the area that five years ago was my go-to walking course.  Now too many new homes have taken over the area.

The stockpond is now dry again, and wont be refilled unless we have one strong monsoon season with a few hurricanes in the end.

I was back home by 7:30am and already getting tired from the heat.  I had two hours to rest before heading out to Bisbee with Gretchen to meet Steve at Jimmy's Hot dog Company.  We were here exactly fave years ago for a lunch treat, and just like last time, stopped in at the Old Bisbee Brewing Company.

We had good service today as we sat on the shaded sundeck.  I had a rootbeer float, Steve had his Mayan stout and then we took a slow mile-long stroll around Bisbee.  I tried to keep Gretchen in the shade.  We were all getting exhausted from the 90F heat.

When I got home at 3pm I was ready for a nap and did fall asleep for an hour until Susan called to update me about Sweetie.  She was restless and panting again. "You really need to call the vet and have her seen early."  She warned me that Sweetie would have to come back to me if she barked all night again.

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Gretchen gets her shots

The heat has arrived.  This entire week has been hot and uncomfortable.  I stay up too late to get up before sunrise and miss out on the cooler mornings.  I have a hard time getting my miles in each day.  I strive for 5.5 miles, but have a hard time making four miles. By 8am it's already too hot for me.

Today I spent two hours at McD's in the late morning sipping iced coffee and working online, enjoying the air conditioning.  A manager came by to ask if I wanted a free Grimace shake ("We made one too many") and I took it.  Never had a Grimace shake before.  It tastes like very sweet grape koolaid.

I left at 2pm to drive home and take Gretchen to a vaccine clinic at Tractor Supply.  I walked in at 2:50pm and was the last client.  Gretchen barked at the dogs ahead of us, so I was politely told to stand away so that the other dogs wouldn't be stressed out.

Gretchen did calm down, but became a drama queen when it was her turn for the shots.  She was held down tightly.  She didn't bite the vet techs. She got the complete package, including rattle snake.  I paid $130 and was home by 5:30pm.

Sweetie's appointment is on the 26th.  I will request a blood test and xrays for her as she's restless and whimpers a lot. I hope to get all the other dogs taken care of by the end of July.

Sweetie

Sweetie has been enjoying her refuge at Susan's.  She hasn't come home yet since I dropped her off Tuesday morning.  Susan seems to enjoy having her as well.  I stopped by Thursday to print off some documents and restock food for Sweetie and spend some time with her.

Sweetie was happy to see me.  She followed me everywhere, but she was also visibly limping and panting heavily. When it was time for the big loop around Susan's  property, Sweetie let me know she wanted to stay back and relax.  I walked the  loop with Susan and Allie.

I was up early Friday to drive into town and fax off my documents (I need a copy of my birth certificate).  Susan called me in the early evening saying Sweetie was whining, restless and panting heavily and that perhaps I need to pick her up.  A little later she called again, letting me know that she is relaxed again, and to give her another night.  

It is now Sunday and she has calmed down again.  I haven't gotten any more frantic phone calls from Susan.

A Facebook friend of mine, Daniel Smith, whom I was introduced to by my former co-worker Alda (who died in 2019) revealed two days ago that he has stage 4 colon cancer.  He is a Desert Storm veteran with PTSD and still i his 50s.  He lives in Phoenix and until just recently was an avid hiker of the Southwest.  A few months ago he complained of fatigue and sore knees.  He was not expecting cancer.  Even though we never met, we have a few things in common.  I've been thinking of him a lot. At least he has a girl friend to help him out.

Wrist surgery today

 I walked Friz, Sahne and Gretchen at 5:30am.  I filled up the water tank for the backyard dogs. I had to report in at 1pm but surgery wasn't until 3:30pm.  I didn't have anything to eat or drink since 11pm yesterday.

I was at Susan's at 10:30am to shower and drop off Sweetie.  I wanted Sweetie to feel safe at Susan's as she shakes in fear whenever she gets near the RV.   Gretchen is always in attack mode when she sees Sweetie.  This way Sweetie has a few peaceful days away from the other dogs.  Sweetie feels comfy at Susan's.  She and Allie get along.

I was towel-drying my hair when the hospital called at 11am, asking if I could come in early, as the operation right before mine got cancelled. Yes, I wanted an earlier operation time to avoid having to dehydrate and starve myself.

Susan dropped me off at noon and I was quickly processed in. I was prepped for the IV, signed a few waivers, got briefed by anesthesiologists Drs Offendahl and Schulte.  I was nervous and kept looking at the clock.  The last time I saw was 1:37pm.  Then the sedatives took affect.

I awoke sometime after 5:30pm needing to pee.  I needed help standing up.  I kept drinking water, making me pee even more.  When the staff realized that I lived alone with no one to care for me, they decided to keep me overnight.  I was relieved, as I feared getting knocked over by any of the dogs.  I was far weaker than I thought I would be.  I needed to be safe.

I never felt nauseous. I feared that. By early evening the anesthesia had worn off and I was feeling in good spirits, except I could not feel my left arm.  It hung and swayed like a dead weight.  I was given a nerve blocker to avoid any pain, and I'm glad for that. My left hand was colored purple from the disinfectant, making the hand look like that of a corpse, but I felt no pain.  "We ran out of the yellow dye" said one of the nurses.

I drank a lot of water.  By late evening I felt normal again and was able to move around.

Afternoon in Bisbee

We had an overcast sky all morning.  It made dog walking enjoyable.  I managed almost five miles early by 8am. Fritz got half of that. I should have taken advantage of this overcast sky and gone to Bisbee earlier.  Instead, I stayed around the RV with the dogs.  I didn't leave for Bisbee until after 1pm.  I took Sahne.

Shortly after getting to Bisbee, though, the clouds dispersed,  It got warm fast. I  stopped at the Quarry for a chicken pot pie.  That place is such an iconic dive. but my pie was disappointing.   The "pie" crust was merely a thick slice of cornbread on top of a 8-oz cup of chicken filling.  The filling was tasty, with plenty of chicken and carrots, but it was hard to eat.  It would have been better served in a wider bowl, with the filling over the bread. 

I learned after I left the place that I could have brought Sahne inside,  I had kept her in the Honda parked in the shade.  The Quarry owner saw me by my Honda and stopped to tell me that. "I like dogs more than people!" she added.

I then walked with Sahne along OK Street  There are some nice views from there, and trails that meander behind peoples' property. I have forgotten the many trails. I discovered a few more ruins on this walk, but walking in my slipons was not easy.

I wanted to see the Buddah Shrine, a small shrine  erected in an abandoned mine shaft.  I had forgotten the way to the shrine, as it is behind several hillside homes. I eventually found it, but now Sahne was getting warm, so we went back into the Gulch to walk in the shade.

I stopped at the Mimosa Market on the return walk. There is always a tin bucket full of water for dogs.  Minnie, Sadie and Zeke have all stopped here before. Sahne  was grateful for this water stop, as she used her feat to root through the water.  She also put her front legs in the bucket.  She let me know when she was ready to go.

I felt tired and opted to cut the walk  short. I would have walked longer but the heat was uncomfortable. On my way to Main Street I stopped in a new Smoothie place and dogs were allowed! The cool air felt good. That smoothie filled me up.

The walk was just under 2.5 miles.  It was enough for me.

Surgery is slated for next Tuesday

 I was relaxing mid-morning when I got the phone call from Carnett Clinic with my lab results from Monday.  I've been "high-normal" with blood pressure and cholesterol most of my life, but today's results were a little worse.  The lab technician was rather kurt:  I have a severe deficiency in calcium, my cholesterol is high, both good and bad cholesterol, and I also have high blood sugar, making me pre-diabetic.  She saved the worst for last. "Come back in six  months for a re-test" she said.

Say what?  I've never been told that I was pre-diabetic before.  I was stunned.  That could explain my fatigue and weakness while hiking lately.  I hadn't felt strong on the trails. 

I must tackle this naturally. I immediately googled pre-diabetes and the best way to naturally manage it.  Flaxseed oil kept coming up for high blood pressure, and for blood sugar, the naturally ways to manage it is by staying hydrated and cutting out alcohol. I don't smoke, am active and weigh 125 pounds, so those areas are good.  My German grandmother had high blood pressure and she ate healthy, was very active and didn't smoke or drink.

No doubt some hereditary factors are at play here. I tend to not drink enough water, especially while at work, as taking bathroom breaks in school can be an inconvenience. I can take breaks between classes, but otherwise I need a security guard to watch the students.  I admit now that life has been stressful with the housefire and losing Kevin. Oviously it's been more stressful than I first admitted.

I must make lifestyle changes.  I must drink more water, take my vitamin D3, add flaxseed oil, cut back my alcohol and overall cut back on fried and fast food. I don't want to be on metformin or other medications for the rest of my life.  I want to tackle my health holistically.  I've seen what ignoring one's health has done to Kevin and my stepdad.

Today's phone call was a wake-up call. I must stay healthy for my grandchildren! In the afternoon Canyon Vista Orthopedics called to schedule me for surgery next Tuesday afternoon, and called me again for a pre-surgery briefing. I must refrain from any medications and vitamin supplements until after my surgery.

Garden Canyon walk

It has been a while since I walked the road in Garden Canyon on Fort Huachuca.  I wanted to see how badly eroded it is.  The post has closed the road due to heavy erosion after the winter storms. Even large trucks were getting stuck. I joined the local MeetUp group for their weekly Tuesday hike up that canyon at 8am.

I got up at 6am to walk Gretchen for a mile before realizing I would have to leave by 6:15am to get to the trailhead parking by 7am to be early. I made it there by 7:45am with most of the people already there: Susan, Steve, David, Laurie, Bonnie. Suzi and a few others I didn't recognize.  It was cool, breezy, and overcast; a good day for a walk. 

Water in the creek next to the road was low, but there was still enough flowing to cool off the dogsThe walk didn't start out well.  Sahne saw the other dogs and immediately got defensive, lunging at any dog coming toward her.  She didn't calm down until we were on the walk, separated by the fast and slow group.  I walked with Susan and Laurie and her older dog Coco.

Coco and Sahne quickly warmed up to each other and I could unleash Sahne.  She was fine until we got to the turn-around point by the old boy scout hut.  She didn't want other dogs near me and snapped at any dog getting too close to me.  I had to sit away from the others.

It was getting warm as we started the return.  The heat tired me out.  I slowed down to take photos since the shade earlier darkened the photos, but now the group I was with, David, SteveD and Chris, left me behind. I was not feeling well in the end and I excused that to dehydration.

I stopped at Culver's for a chicken sandwich and three scoops (!) of cashew caramel custard.  Never again.  While tasty, it was hard to eat with just one hand, and too much. 

I took a two-hour nap when I got home, feeling much better when I awoke but didn't do much else due to the heat.

 

PDS Wildlife refuge walk

The Newman trail area from last night had me intrigued.  Now I wanted to see it during the early morning light.  I was first introduced to this area last summer when Gretchen escaped and was found nearby 36 hours later.

I  took Gretchen, but she delayed me by ten minutes because she sneaked out the gate when I wasn't paying attention.  At least she had her leash on, which made grabbing her easy, and she didn't fight me either.  She likes playing chase with me.

But we lost time, missing the 5:23am sunrise and getting there at 5:38am.  Other dog walkers were already on the route.  I started at the intersection where the Newman trail crosses Ramsey Cyn Rd.  There is plenty of off-street parking here.

The homes along the refuge are high-end, spacious homes with acreage.  I turned south on E Pawnee road to walk the perimeter around the refuge.  Pawnee is a two-lane street that stops just before the Newman trail.

The perimeter was just under two miles.  I wanted to do more, so I continued south on S Richards road for a mile.  A short trail starts up a hill before it ends at a barbed-wire fence.  This must have been the result of an abandoned plan for a home.  New homes in the Sun Canyon estates are now below this hill, four-acre lots meant for horses.

I kept Gretchen on-leash the entire time.  Walking down the hill in my slip-ons was not easy.  She nearly pulled me down twice.  I was glad to be back on terra firma! 

 

It was also warm by the time we were done with this 4-mile walk.  I didn't do too much else the rest of the day.