# I could really use some positive thoughts right now



## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

That's a lot on your plate to worry about. I'm surprised the nursing home wasn't more flexible. I'm sending positive thoughts your way that you'll be able to figure out what's going on with both your kids and that neither issue is serious. 

Do you think you could find another "job" for Gracie? Perhaps another nursing home that will allow you to bring her in without stairs?


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## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I am so so sorry for all that is going on! Perhaps Gracie could become a volunteer at your local library, for kids to read to? Or is there a Project Read in your area?


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Thanks Jenn, you're the best. It's wasn't my best weekend. I fell up at our lake place and broke my glasses AND my nose ( which luckily broke my fall...LOL)--so it was not a stellar weekend for us to begin with. I will probably see if Gracie can go back to the school my daughter attended as a reading buddy again. It doesn't require steps. I really think she HAS to keep doing something. Some dogs are just meant to be therapy dogs. Gracie is one of them. I will deal with that after addressing her incontinence issue.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Oh no! Sorry about your nose. I had nasal surgery (3 times) and they broke it the first time. That's a tough injury plus all your other worries. I agree you did not have a great weekend. Time for that to change around now....thinking about you!


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Sending you positive thoughts and hugs, our fur kids are near and dear to our hearts, hope everything turns out well for both Jack and Gracie. 

A while back, earlier this year, I found a lump on my girl Kaya's ribs, it was solid and immobile, felt like it was attached to her ribs, and was a 'good size', and it was nothing like the fatty lumps I recognized on previous dogs. Needless to say I thought the worst, got her into surgery to remove it and have it tested, thankfully it turned out to be a 'fatty tumor' and I could finally 'breathe'. Praying that Jack will have the same results.
Hang in there, my thoughts are with you. 

Keep in mind that Gracie may not be as disappointed as you think she may be, it may be that she is 'ready' to retire, we need to keep in mind that being a therapy dog is hard emotionally on the dog too. They truly have huge hearts, but 'huge hearts' need a rest too. Consider that she may be just as happy being _your_ 'therapy' dog.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Good thought, prayers, hugs and much love from Charlie and me.
Hope things turn out to be ok very soon.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Oh, G-bear, what a horrible weekend! Trust you, though, to ask for good wishes for your dogs, before mentioning that you had been in the wars too! Of course I wish you all well for the various ailments. Please keep us all informed of the results of the vet visits.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Thank you all. I am far more worried about the kids than myself. I realize I am an overprotective dog mom but these guys really do mean the world to me, so I worry like crazy about them. I will be fine. The doctor that I saw in the itty-bitty town near our lake house told me that I was lucky that my nose broke my fall because otherwise I would have probably lost all of my front teeth and wouldn't be able to eat. I guess looking like Rocky Balboa after his fight with Apollo Creed isn't so bad given the alternative... Except that DH is now calling me Rocky.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I agree that your Gracie should have another job. When dogs have done something for a long time they do not want to give it up. I have read of huskies that could not accept it when they could no longer pull a sled. My dad had one English Setter that lived to 15 and he was almost deaf and his vision was bad and he had bad arthritis. But when he saw my dad putting his gun, etvc in the car he would get up and go to the car, old tail wagging. My dad, God love him, would pick Mack up and put him in the car and go out to where the going was easy and Mack would hunt for 30 minutes or so--and sometimes even find quail--and then Daddy would bring him home, take him out of the car and Mack would waddle off to his favorite sleeping place and go to sleep and Daddy would put the young dogs in the car and go to where he really wanted to go. His brother once chided him for wasting him taking Mack out and my dad flat out told him that Mack had always been a true and faithful friend that he could always depend on, and by gum, he would not abandon Mack just because he got to old.

OUCH with the broken nose. When we were told to evacuate for Hurricane Ike, Jerry was on the road, as always, and my youngest brother came the 200 miles down from Austin to get me and my golden retriever, Honey Sept. 2008. We got up to their place and I got out of his truck and then took Honey out of the back seat. I was so still and was standing on one foot and she saw a cat and took off. Hit the end of her 6 foot leash and pulled me about 5 steps and I went down. Never let go of the leash with my right hand, and put my left hand down, but went on down and my face hit the back of my hand.


well got to my hands and knees and Mickey came running yelling "Are you okay" and I said yes, then I saw blood on the ground and said "No, my nose is bleeding." He got there and turned white--he was a fireman/EMT with the Austin fire department, see all kinds of horrendous things in his 20 years with the department. But he took the one look at me, turned white and said "I got to get you to the hospital, your face is cut."

I had been wearing sun glasses and they had cut across the bridge of my nose and my cheek. I held a towel to my face while he took care of Honey and then he took me to the hospital. They took x-rays of my nose--it was broken and stitched up my face. And as it turned out, my left thumb was broken right where it joined my hand and I was in a splint for a week, a cast for 6 weeks.

This is a HORIBEL picture of me, but you can see what I looked like--and the brusing got worse, all the way down to my jaw line. this picture was taken that night when this brother came to youngest brothers to make sure I was really okay. And my ear isn't pointed--something behind me gives the impression I have ears like Mr. Spock OnStar Trek


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## Panama Rob (Nov 26, 2015)

Thoughts and prayers your way


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## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

I'm sorry for everything you're going through am sending lots of hugs and positive thoughts to you all.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

I am so sorry for your terrible weekend  . Sometimes when it rains it pours. Lots of well wishes and prayers coming your way.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Sending good thoughts and prayers for Gracie and Jack. 
You're a great mom, your furkids are such an important part of your life, it's impossible not to worry about them. 

Thinking of you all today.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Oh I am so sorry for your terrible weekend, and everything that is going on with Gracie, Jack, and yourself. I'm also surprised that the nursing home wasn't accommodating. Thinking of you today and sending prayers your way.


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## KathyL (Jul 6, 2011)

You are having a lot to deal with right now. I know it's easier said than done, but take it one thing at a time. When I read your post I thought of the same thing Jenn said about another nursing home or a different type of facility. But does the nursing home you have worked with have a community area on the first floor? I tried to visualize the layout of the nursing home my Mother was in and it was huge with senior apartments/assisted living/rehab/skilled nursing and there were lots of central areas. So I'm thinking if they have events that they bring their residents to, you could be at those events or adjacent. I know you wouldn't be able to visit residents who are not mobile (and probably need Gracie the most) but at least Gracie would be able to bring joy to others. I'm assuming Gracie is certified so what about other types of facilities. I know of two individuals with goldens who are certified therapy dogs and both these work through the agency where their dogs were certified and they have various assignments. One worked a lot with Milwaukee's Center for Independence and she worked primarily with children with disabilities, the other dog had gone to a local college during exams and has a set of "clients" where he goes to the home. I think I would also call the local shelter(s) in your area, maybe MN has a Golden Retriever club and see if they can some ideas. And good luck with Jack and of course you. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Thinking of you today.


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Thoughts and prayers for you and Gracie.... Hopefully you can find another job for her without stairs.....good luck!!!\


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## B and G Mom (Oct 29, 2014)

Oh G-bear!!! I'm so sorry about your nose and about everything on your mind with the kids....

It does seem like Gracie would need to keep some type of "job". I am also surprised the home wouldn't accommodate you both. I hope you find something fun for her - and I hope she makes out ok with the vet! 

And I hope Jack's lump is nothing.
Keeping you and them in my thoughts!!!!


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Thanks so much everyone! I really appreciate it. I have a vet appointment for both dogs on Wednesday at 10. Hopefully my vet will tell me I am just being an overprotective protective crazy dog mom about the lump on Jack. He doesn't seem to be in pain or even notice it so hopefully it is just a fatty tumor. I won't feel better until I have him seen and the lump checked. You guys know how it is. We worry about our fur kids. With Gracie I am pretty sure it is spay incontinence since I have seen it with a lot of my older girls. I had one dog who was treated with Proin and suffered a Grand Mal seizure 4 hours after the first dose so I won't use Proin for Gracie. Probably DES which has worked well for my other dogs. Depending on the diagnosis and treatment as well as whether or not it works I will probably return to the reading buddy program at the school my daughter attended many years ago. Gracie is one if those rare dogs who seems to have been born to be a therapy dog. For years I have watched her find the person who needs her the most and go to them. She and Goldie (my golden who passed 2 years ago) have been my best therapy dogs over 40 years of therapy dogs. So, I will try to allow her to continue with it. 
3 goldens, my goodness, your injury from the fall looks far worse than mine! I just have my nose taped and a couple black eyes. You looked like you were seriously hurt! I am so sorry that happened to you!
Charliethree, I did think about having Gracie retire but, unlike other therapy dogs I have had, I don't think Gracie would be happy without this so I just need to find a place that works for her limitations. She seems to need her "job" and I don't want to take it away from her. Even if it means something a bit more sedentary for her. 
And to the rest of you, again, thank you. I really appreciate the support. You are all the best


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

We always worry about our fur kids. Sophie had several lumps and we had them checked often, always fatty tumors. But I always worried.

When I broke my hip 4 years ago this past Sept, I spent 5 days in the hospital (they put three5" screws in my hip) and then 17 days in the nursing home for physical therapy. Twice while I was in thee a therapy dog was brought in and I can tell you, it cheered everyone up. Was a small dog that could be carried, probably 15-20 pounds and a "Heinz 57" according to the lady. It was so friendly and everyone had to pet on it. 

They would put unresponsive people in wheel chairs and in some cases a kind of gurney thing and bring them into this room where there was a tv up on the wall. The nurses station for two wings was there. The idea was to try to stimulate these folks. And I noticed some would look towards the dog. No movement or reaching, but they looked. Oh, the lady who brought the dog--her mother was in there, but she was ambulatory with a walker. I think she was almost as excited to see the dog as she was her daughter.

Dogs can and do play an important role in helping seniors and children. I salute you for your work with both.


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## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

Thinking of all of you. I hope your days become brighter and you get some good news to be able to relax and breathe. 


Sending love and prayers,


-Lisa


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Sending good thoughts for you and the furbabes. Hope everything turns out well.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

I'm so sorry about your terrible weekend. I'm sending out positive thoughts for you, Gracie and Jack. I wish you luck for Jack's vet appt. on Wednesday.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

I forgot to add, I hope your sweet Gracie's appointment also goes well, too.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

I just got back from the vet with Gracie and Jack. Gracie has a raging UTI and has been put on antibiotics (amoxicillin/clavulanate) for 20 days. I feel absolutely terrible that I didn't realize it sooner and get her in to see the vet. My poor old girl must be in horrible pain and I feel like if I had been paying closer attention it would not be so bad! The vet said to drop off another urine sample at the end of the 20 days to make sure it has cleared up. If Gracie is still having accidents and the sample is clear she will then prescribe low dose DES for her. I'm hoping she will be ok. She also confirmed that Gracie's heart murmur has not become worse and remains a grade 2 at this time. With Jack, my coonhound, the vet did a FNA and, even though the lump was near his lymph nodes, the results were another fatty tumor. Big relief with that. Having seen lumps near lymph nodes in my previous goldens I was worried about cancer. So having it just be one of those unsightly fatty tumors was a HUGE relief. So, the dogs are gonna be ok! Happy dance!!! With 3 dogs I have my vet on speed dial and am so glad that I am lucky enough to have a very thorough and competent vet clinic. Thank you all for your support. It means the world to me. I was worried sick about my fur kids. Now we are going to go play in the yard before the huge snowstorm comes into the area


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

While an UTI is not fun for her, I'm so happy it's not something far worse...and so glad that it's just a fatty tumor. Don't beat yourself up for not catching it sooner. We learn along the way and do the best we can with what's in front of us at the time. You got them to the vet today and that is what's important.

When Duke was 6 month's old he had a prostrate infection and a raging ear infection. I didn't realize what was going on until his ears smelled like dirty socks across the room. To top it off, I put him on prednisone and almost lost him - he ended up in the ER as a result of the prostrate infection + reaction to prednisone (although the vet didn't agree at first that he had a reaction to the prednisone). When the same thing happened the 2nd time we put him on prednisone, she concurred that his body can't handle prednisone.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Whew! What a relief that both dogs have something treatable/benign! Now you can get on with your life. How's your nose now?


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## B and G Mom (Oct 29, 2014)

So glad to hear that the lump was just a fatty tumor and while I'm sure the UTI is rough on her hopefully she will be back to her self quickly!! So happy for you!!!!


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Thanks Pilgrim, my nose is ok. Went to my regular doctor when I got home to the Twin Cities. She thought my story was pretty funny and said I should heal up fine within a few weeks. May have a bit of a permanent bump on the bridge of my nose is all. Got my replacement glasses this afternoon so all is good. I gave up trying to cover the black eyes with make up--it took WAY too much. I looked like something out of a wax museum. Lol. It all happened because I was making some spruce tip pots as Christmas decorations at our lake place. I had gotten the garland up, put the wreaths up...I was feeling pretty darn proud of myself (read that getting too arrogant) and decided that I would just go gather a few birch sticks from the forest for the spruce pots. Thought they would be pretty. Unfortunately I failed to check the birch sticks for rot...as I was pushing one into the pot it broke. I had all of my weight on it so I tumbled forward and slammed into the railing going up the deck steps and broke my nose. Moral of that story is that city girls should never use birch sticks from the forest as I was too dumb to notice that they had rotted. Live and learn, huh?


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Forgot to mention Jack's good news. When we got him as a rescue he weighed an outrageous 91 lbs. He has been on a slow steady diet/exercise program since then. Today my beautiful balck and tan coonhound weighed 61 lbs. The vet and I are thrilled. He looks and feels so much better at a lower weight and his activity level is up a lot. In fact he now tries to do the jump and weave poles when I set them up for Bailey. Since Jack is anything but graceful (more like a bull in a china shop) it's very fun to watch him. He tries and has fun doing it. That's what matters


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Good to hear everything turned out so well. Hope that Gracie, and you are feeling a lot better soon.
I can just picture Jack, giving those weave poles his best shot!! Go Jack!!


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## KathyL (Jul 6, 2011)

Well, it sounds like the good news is the dogs should be fine, but the bad news is the snowstorm, are you serious? I'm still cutting grass in Milwaukee, but I know that can't last much longer.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

KathyL said:


> Well, it sounds like the good news is the dogs should be fine, but the bad news is the snowstorm, are you serious? I'm still cutting grass in Milwaukee, but I know that can't last much longer.



At the risk of having you all think I am guano crazy (if you don't already) I have to tell you that I just finished mowing my lawn and now DH, the dogs and I are heading way north to our lake home. There is 12 + inches of snow forecast there tonight thru Friday night. The place is in the middle of the woods and it should be very pretty in the snow. Besides, all 3 dogs love to romp in the snow. Now, come January I will probably be complaining about cold and snow just like everyone else but, for the moment anyway, I am excited to head up north into a big old snowstorm. Yup, I'm nuts....but I am hoping it will make for some pretty Christmas card photos


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

I get excited by the thought of seeing a snowflake, let alone a foot of snow! I'd be up there in a heartbeat, arthritis and all. Enjoy yourselves.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

This one is for you, Pilgrim123. I wanted to give you a bit of snow without the pain of arthritis It is snowing hard with wind gusts of about 40 mph. The lake, which you can't see due to blowing snow, is in the background. It is beautiful but right now we are hoping the power remains on (the lights are flickering as I type this!)


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## T&T (Feb 28, 2008)

Dr Dobias product Incontia seems to be getting great reviews 
https://peterdobias.com/collections/dr-dobias-original-products/products/canine-health-pack-incontia
He also has a facebook page where he replies to questions


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