kayc Posted February 10, 2019 Report Share Posted February 10, 2019 It's 17 here right now. They still predict snow out as far as we can see...am wondering when this is going to end! Even one day's reprieve would be hopeful! I guess I just have to stay in today and do what I can. At least the dire predictions haven't materialized for the valley where my daughter lives nor the Salem area where my son works. My back was killing me last night and so were my hands (arthritis and carpal tunnel). Another day... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 Widow and Kay, I left the house today to bare plowed streets for a drive north just to go somewhere different. It was maybe 9 miles and I took the freeway which was a breeze. When I left the store driving home the snow hit and I was so tense when I got home I was shaking. My bad back doesn’t help either. I know walking in snow boots and worrying about falling made the pain worse. I had to sit for a few minutes after I changed and fed the dogs to decompress. If only Steve would have been home. I could have handed him bags at the top of the porch instead of climbing the 6 steps that feel like a mountain. Heck, it could have been a perfect weather day I want him here. What totals are you two looking at in this round of storms? News in Seattle said 5/10 inches by morning and then it picks up again tomorrow night. The news said home owners are supposed to keep sidewalks cleared for pedestrians. Yeah right. I can’t even do my driveway. I did get creative and drove my SUV up and down the driveway and thru the pile the plows make several times. That helped a lot. With 2 more storms coming, I find it redundant to shovel between (when I could). Thank gawd I have a carport. My neighbors cars are all covered the worst I’ve ever seen. Too old to deal with that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widow'15 Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 2 hours ago, Gwenivere said: Widow and Kay, I left the house today to bare plowed streets for a drive north just to go somewhere different. It was maybe 9 miles and I took the freeway which was a breeze. When I left the store driving home the snow hit and I was so tense when I got home I was shaking. My bad back doesn’t help either. I know walking in snow boots and worrying about falling made the pain worse. I had to sit for a few minutes after I changed and fed the dogs to decompress. If only Steve would have been home. I could have handed him bags at the top of the porch instead of climbing the 6 steps that feel like a mountain. Heck, it could have been a perfect weather day I want him here. What totals are you two looking at in this round of storms? News in Seattle said 5/10 inches by morning and then it picks up again tomorrow night. The news said home owners are supposed to keep sidewalks cleared for pedestrians. Yeah right. I can’t even do my driveway. I did get creative and drove my SUV up and down the driveway and thru the pile the plows make several times. That helped a lot. With 2 more storms coming, I find it redundant to shovel between (when I could). Thank gawd I have a carport. My neighbors cars are all covered the worst I’ve ever seen. Too old to deal with that. Gwen: You are one brave lady to get in your car and drive anywhere in Seattle today. I hope your neighborhood doesn't have hills. Since the snow started on Friday there has been an accumulation of about 5 inches in my part of Tacoma. All day I've felt like my house was being bombarded as the clumps of snow tumbled out of the two big fir trees hanging over my house. Thankful the wind gusts didn't pick up any stronger, causing limbs to fall on power lines resulting in power outages in the area. There are no sidewalks I need to shovel - if I did, I don't think I could. I did see my neighbors shoveling off their driveway evidently they need to go somewhere tomorrow. A neighbor offered to back my car out of my garage. I thanked him and said, not to worry, I'm not going anywhere. Am beginning to miss the grey, rainy days. LOL. Dee 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenK Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 I feel for you all in the snow. Where my daughter lived in Kentucky, just traces of snow, but I remember the deadly ice storms and freezing cold a couple of winters I was there. We had some 6' snows at our cabin outside of Flagstaff, but did not go there much in the winter. Here in the Phoenix area, it's been a bit chilly to me 50's and 60's, but after living here for 60+ years, my blood is like water. And here I was hoping to move to the mountains. Brrrr! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 Well this is the second time the plows have gone roaring down my street and not put the plows down! I can't begin to comprehend the county. They rocked the end of the road but never in front of my place which has ice and snowpack. I have 20" already but more coming every day this week. No idea when it will all end. Gwen, I'm glad you made it home safe with no mishaps. I'm up on a mountain and it's 8-10 miles to church or the nearest store, I usually get groceries 50 miles away, it'll be some time before I do that again, you can't leave for that long when they predict snow or you might not make it home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 Oh yeah, Kay. You can’t afford to be that far away in this kind of weather. Wonder why they didn’t plow your street? My street is bare now. I want to get out and get some fried chicken for the week at Safeway as it is cheap today. All I can do is try. Don’t need side streets to get there, but the parking lot will matter. I will get out of here for a drive. Have to or I go bonkers. It may be a drive to nowhere. Doesn’t matter. Widow, snowing here again, think we’re up to 8/10 inches. Supposed to turn to rain, don’t know when. Of course that means ice and flooding. This will be the 2nd week of no trash or recycle pickup. Yet somehow those leeeeetle PO vans can make it. 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted February 12, 2019 Report Share Posted February 12, 2019 They finally came back and plowed yesterday but since there's ice/snowpack on it, it's not bare, they should have done this Saturday afternoon when it was fresh. I slipped and fell yesterday, felt something pull in my knee, I think I'll be okay though. Getting a lot more snow tomorrow, ugh! My trash hauler only comes once every two weeks, they usually come into my driveway to get it but I put the can out by the road to make it easier for them...they may not be able to make it here tomorrow. Gwen, we're up to over 20" but it's sunk way down and the snow came off my garage roof and landed, wouldn't you know it, in front of my garage. (Great design!) More shoveling, I finally got it cleared. I will have mounds of snow until spring. At least they lessened the predictions for tomorrow, hopefully not a lot comes. Right now we're having a wind storm. A tree came down on a neighbor's house and she's been gone since before Christmas so I hope it didn't do damage to her roof, I only have her landline so can't call her. No idea when she's coming home, thought she was just going to be gone for Christmas. They have another home in CA so maybe she went there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widow'15 Posted February 12, 2019 Report Share Posted February 12, 2019 3 hours ago, kayc said: They finally came back and plowed yesterday but since there's ice/snowpack on it, it's not bare, they should have done this Saturday afternoon when it was fresh. I slipped and fell yesterday, felt something pull in my knee, I think I'll be okay though. Kayc: Good to hear snow plow came up your road. The rain and warmer weather here in Tacoma is gradually melting a lot of the snow. My house is at the end of a cul-de-sac with the street drain at my driveway. Will have to get myself out there and make sure the snow is moved away from the drain so the melting snow will drain instead of down my driveway. Always something. Sorry you fell. Hopefully you will mend without the need to drive to town to the doctor. Dee 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Geez Kay! When it snows it pours! I hope your knee will be OK. I’m amazed you can shovel at all. I’ve had to get creative dealing with it since I can’t. Widow.....did you ever think we would WANT rain here? This snow sucks. Guess we made the record book, yippee. Feh. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margm Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 I saw a recipe for two gal. hot water, two tablespoons Dawn liquid, and one Tablespoon alcohol. Said the steps would not have to be de-iced again. Honestly, I would feel better with a bottle of alcohol. Have not had to try it. (on your steps). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 My Monday was waking to this snow again, worse back pain from having to walk in it which pinched more spinal nerves and my elder dog needing emergency care. She needed tests so I made my counseling appointment and then picked her up. She has pancreatitis and waiting on xrays and her back legs are not getting neural signals correctly. It took everything I had to get thru the day and tomorrow will have more news when a radiologist reads them. They saw a mass that hopefully is nothing. You know your kid and I know something is very wrong. She get rice and chicken and cooked veggies so makes feeding the two quite the endeavor. I know her days are limited at 14 but I’m torn up inside. Especially since she is not acting normal. Makes me wonder just how much more I can take of this being alone for situations like this. I should be crying on Steve’s shoulder, not a therapists couch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 13 hours ago, Gwenivere said: She get rice and chicken and cooked veggies so makes feeding the two quite the endeavor. I've been doing that for years for Arlie, he's down to 110 lbs (goal weight) and it helps him from getting his Colitis bouts, it's been ongoing all his life. I hope it helps your dogs, Gwen, I know how serious Pancreatitis can be, it's was my sister's dog's undoing (she got into the Christmas ham and that did it for her). Be careful in that snow! Yes, who'd have thought we'd be praying for RAIN here?! More snow coming, I guess I didn't cry UNCLE loud enough! They saw the groundhogs, where is the sign of Spring?! I know February is too soon to hope for, but still...just a respite would be nice. I think I pulled my R hamstring, but not severely, just need to be careful with it and let it heal, on Ibuprofen, I don't care how bad it is on stomachs, right now I need it. Will worry about my stomach later. I've been watching Seattle in the news for their weather, local newspaper has kept us up on it. I'm sure you're ready for something different! Let us know how your dogs are... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 I’ve opted to hospitalize Ally for a couple of days. There she can get meds on board thru IV. It’s just too much for me to handle. Oh, she also has pneumonia, another reason I want her in. They don’t have anyone there from 7pm to 7am, but they do this all the time so I’m going to trust it works. There is a 24 hour place and I hope I am making the right decision. She pretty much just sleeps anyway. It’ so hard doing this alone. What saddens me most is the reality she is 14 and I truly have to face her time is coming. I can’t even write anymore about it. I’m too shook up and the reality is too much. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenK Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Gwen, I'm so, so sorry that Ally is not doing well. Although it saddens you, it seems like the hospital might be the best place for her right now, especially with the weather you are having. Our pets are truly our "fur babies" and we only want the best for them. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widow'15 Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 19 hours ago, Gwenivere said: She has pancreatitis and waiting on xrays and her back legs are not getting neural signals correctly. It took everything I had to get thru the day and tomorrow will have more news when a radiologist reads them. They saw a mass that hopefully is nothing. You know your kid and I know something is very wrong. She get rice and chicken and cooked veggies so makes feeding the two quite the endeavor. I know her days are limited at 14 but I’m torn up inside. Oh Gwen: So sorry for you and your sweet fur baby. I know how you must feel right now knowing she is going through something you can't change, an illness and age. I would do the same for my Maddie as you are doing for Ally. Knowing she is getting good care might help you get more rest. It can be so difficult wondering what to do without our dear husbands for support. When Maddie had her surgery, I was told I could come visit her if I felt I needed to. I did provide one of my shirts so she would know I was still close by. Those were the longest 3 nights I had to endure since my husband's passing. Please know you and Ally are in my prayers and thoughts. Dee 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gin Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Gwen,. Sorry you have to go through yet another trauma alone. I know how very hard it is. I hope she gets better soon. Gin 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margm Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 I'm sorry Gwen. I, really have no words because we all know words do not heal. I just figured the miles between here and Seattle and it is 2317.9. You need someone with you and no one will substitute for the one you need. Your in my heart, and whether you believe in it or not.....I do.....so you are in my prayers. 💖 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Thanks everyone. I almost couldn’t leave her. In 14 years she’s never been away from home overnight. The vet called and said she was comfortable and I could visit anytime which I plan on doing. Thanks, Widow, I forgot I was going to take a toy that smells like home. Will do that today. Melody s a bit confused where her sister is, but treats show how fickle kids can be. 😜 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyT Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Sorry to be posting again already. It’s about midnight and I’ve done several things the 3 of us did, routines. Now it’s lay back time for another 4 hours. I feel like this is a test run of what it will be like when I lose her, the last of the original family (I’m grateful for Melody but she’s sans memories of great times and adventures). I don’t like it. I’ll have to sleep without Ally. I was so aware of only fixing half the nightly treats. I so miss Steve being here for comfort and feeling the same worries. I think about her in a kennel overnight instead of pressed up against me. Fortunately dogs adapt better to that in the moment thing. I’m hoping the pain meds knocked her out. She and I will wake up the same. Wondering why we are in these strange places, she in body and mind, me in my head. I know I did the right thing but heck, it’s got me focused on the inevitable. More loss someday sooner than later and if I can handle that. We lost Belle 3 months before Steve. Oh lord, here come the tears after my cousin and counselor told me how strong I am. 😓 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Gwen, I would be feeling as you are, I am so sorry you and Ally are going through this and I hope with all my heart she recovers from the pancreatitis and Pneumonia and gets to come home to you and her sister all better. I do know your fear. My dog is 11 today (we didn't know exact day so I settled on Valentine's because it's what the vet thought he'd be, approximately) and his breed lives to 9 or 10-12 depending on which side he takes after, but I know he hasn't a long time left and that seriously terrifies me because I feel so close to him. You have the added thing of it being part of your family unit, you and Steve...I already went through those losses, yes it's hard, like your life is moving on without him. It's not, but it kind of felt like that to me when I went through it. I'm glad it's morning and you can go visit, bring her toy. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Looks like I may get to pick her up today. They are going to hit her up with more IV antibiotics and check her blood and if things look OK they would only be keeping her for hydration. They said she did well but did get a bit agitated which I expected. She needs to be at home. Now I have to come to grips with the experience of last night and this morning without her. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 I prayed for you and Ally yesterday, continuing...how was she when you saw her? I bet she wants to be home! We all feel best at home even though sometimes we need outside care, dogs don't understand that. My hugs to you! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenivere Posted February 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 Busy update. Ally is doing fine at home, happy to be here. Unfortunately she pee'd the bed from all the IV's in her system overnight. My housekeeper is here today and can change them and thank gawd the mattress pad was waterproof. The vet wanted to know if she diarrhea so when I went to check and pick up what I could find, my hand slipped out if the bag so my fingers were covered with poop. Racing to wash mattress pad so Larenna can do the bed. All this has stressed my back beyond normal so it will be a tough night. But Ally is much better. I’m going to do one more day on the disgusting canned food and switch back to rice, chicken and canned veggies. We are slowily thawing. If i never saw snow again that would be fine with me. Having bad luck lining up people if I need them for Ally. Really makes me miss my rock, my partner. Soon it will get dark and that emptiness will wrap around and smother me. Don’t know if I will be able to volunteer tomorrow. I’ve learned to nevve say things can’t get worse. I am grateful it was a cleaning day. Don’t know what I would have done. Called vet and they said she doesn’t have to come in. That’s a plus. One day, just one day without a crisis. Is that too much to ask? 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widow'15 Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Gwenivere said: Busy update. Ally is doing fine at home, happy to be here. Unfortunately she pee'd the bed from all the IV's in her system overnight. But Ally is much better. We are slowily thawing. If i never saw snow again that would be fine with me. Don’t know what I would have done. Called vet and they said she doesn’t have to come in. That’s a plus. One day, just one day without a crisis. Is that too much to ask? Gwen: So happy Ally is home and is doing better and doesn't have to go back to Vet. That is a plus! I was so pleased to see the bright sunny day in Tacoma this morning. The change in the weather felt so good for my old bones. I was able to get outside and take Maddie for a short walk now that the snow is almost gone from my street. This was the first day I could walk down the street without fear of slipping on snow/ice. Am totally in agreement with you, "If I never saw snow again that would be fine with me." Hugs to you and Ally, and Melody. Dee 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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