Punk #1 "ARF!"

Punk #1 "ARF!"

September 21, 2006

Hi- I'm PUNK! Yup, That's me in the picture above...

"She" doesn't feel like writing today; and so, (like everything else lately), this must fall on my cute little shoulders. I already help her pull her weeds for Snoopy sakes... And I suppose NEXT she'll be wanting me to do the dishes! (I'll just drool and fart- that'll teach her)...

I would much rather be chewing on my bone- or even just being a pest... (I'm REALLY good at that sometimes)- But NO, I have got to do the daily blog here. That's OK, the 'bone' supply is completely unacceptable- (I think "she" is really Old Mother Hubbard in drag)...

This typing thing is silly- and as I only have the 4 toes on my paws it'll take me forever- (Yeah, I've still got the dewclaws, but they are pretty useless- I can't even scratch anything with them- ...except by mistake).

And so, here is one day in the life of a wee little somewhat abused and neglected dog... Me!

"She" said we would go for a ride yesterday- And I always want to go back for the real long ride and to the real BIG water to swim so I get all excited. So wanting to look my best, I try and try to get into the shower with her, but since 'she' is so mean, she will not let me do this today- I don't understand why not either- it was OK two days ago...

Right after that, we went to town- (and NOT for the real long ride)- I was still mad about the shower thing, so I decided right then and there to get her pretty good on that ride... "She" had even given me a little bit of that Dramamine pill so I wouldn't get sick in her new Buick Rendezvous. She says she's sick and tired of scrubbing it out; but I think it smells way better AFTER I barf in it anyway- I don't like the way her 'clean' smells. (It makes my nose drip)...

And so, into Green Bay we went- But not really to the 'Bay' part- she won't let me go into the Bay- She just drives over it and lets me dream about swimming- She's mean like that too...

As we were going up a big street, her little box rang- (I forget what she calls it)- and when she starts talking she always ignores me- so I threw myself on the floor and started squirming; and added a little fart. Hee-Hee-- This got her attention RIGHT AWAY- (Anything like that usually does)... And so, she stopped talking to the box, and kept looking at me...

There were lots of other cars- and BIG noisy things too- I HATE those big things- (they have way too many wheels to run me over with)... And so, I started squirming some more. When I do this, she will pull over- But we were in a place that was all hard stuff- ('concrete' I think she called it)- She turned a corner, and found a nice grassy place- and so I poo'ed. She still thinks this is so cool that I do this; (what a weirdo she is)! But she always says what a good doggie I am for going poo.

We ALL do. Poo. Whoop-pee-doo! No big deal. You would think the sun rose and set with my ability to 'do poo' though... And then she scoops the poo into a bag and takes it along... (Whatdya guess she wants it for anyway)???

She had to stop at a gas station- and she makes me wait in the car. This really makes me mad cuz I can't even hardly see her then. (Now, back at home, the little girl went away; and I just KNOW that "SHE" will go away too- then what will I do)? I'll be all alone that's what. "She" has told me that it is called 'separation anxiety' and that it will pass... (Yeah, like doo-doo)? I don't know about that... (But I know that 'she' knows all about 'anxiety' -so it must be true)...

Anyway, I looked around at this gas place and could see all the little cars, (and the really big things) driving past -really fast and really loud. It scared me, so by the time she got back in, I was back on the floor once more. It's just so loud and stinky in town. (And way too many wheels)... But get this, she even gave the gas station my poo! I guess that's what those big round grey things eat.

By the time she turned the car on, I got back in my seat, and since I had no more poo, I turned on the drool... Now this also fetches her attention. Even though I know it does nothing to keep me cute... But she has these towels she takes along; even though I have my very own mat that the little one bought for me. (And if I didn't have this special mat, I would be slip-sliding off those darned leather seats every time she stopped or even turned a corner)!

But back to my precious drool... Oh, she gets plenty upset when I have that clear slimy stuff just hanging down from both my cheeks... hee-hee... (arf!)... She says something about "Beethoven" and just keeps driving, trying to not pay any attention to ME- and then I lay my head down and just look up at her, and she gets even more upset.

She wipes my mouth. That ticks me off too- hard to keep making more of that stuff... But I can- and DO!

She has to go to a few places and I always go hide on the floor then. And GET THIS, at one place I KNOW they gave her a treat for me, but she hid it in her pocket- (like I didn't KNOW )??? See how mean she is???

But FINALLY, it is time to go home! Since she won't give me my treat, (I cannot be letting her think this is alright), I drool -LOTS and LOTS, (I'm on a roll now); and I yawn too- (Adding the yawn absolutely makes her ill because of how it accentuates the drool). So I throw a few more yawns in just to make her go faster. (I love it when she goes real fast)!

Just as we get home, I lean over into herself, and I rub my mouth and my face all over her brand new jacket... She looks real pitiful, and says something that I think has to do with doo-doo and poo-poo- (She'll think twice before she tries to ignore me about the shower and as we drive now)! Then she gives me my treat and lets me stay outside with my mama for a little while longer than usual too.

AND THEN... THE LITTLE ONE THAT WENT AWAY CAME OVER TO SEE ME! I was SO happy! ...It's been kinda weird around here without her, and it's been weird anyway- Everyone that comes is kinda sad, so I start to do funny things and I think it helps too! Even my mama outside in her house has been sorta quiet for a while, but it's all getting better... And then the little one even took me for a little drive- Now, I don't never drool on her because I am so happy, and she doesn't ever ignore me... Then we came back home...

The little one left me again, and the big one was kinda sick later- Been that way all night and today too... Now I kinda feel bad for her because I don't think she means to be getting my attention with her own drooling! Poor thing. And I guess maybe she really has been good to me too- taking me in to see Dr. Spires to get those itchy stitches off my belly, and to get me all ready with the Heartguard and the Frontline- I'm good til next year!

So I will just go lay down by her now and see how she is- maybe the little one will come back and help her feel better... She'll take her for a ride and when they come back, 'she' is kinda funny -and then she goes to sleep for a long time. (I'd better not eat too much in case I don't get let outside later)...

"ARF" to all; (that's like 'aloha' the way us dogs use it )...

With Love, from PUNK

Originally posted to my Y 360, Thursday September 21, 2006 - 08:23am (CDT)

Boys Will Be Boys..

Boys Will Be Boys...

 

Good Morning;

I have been up since about 1:30am- just doing not too much of anything- Reading some news-

Mary had come up on Thursday with Buddy- He had a fairly large welt on his lower neck that needed a bit of cleaning and she was too wussy to do that herself. I shaved his neck, cleaned him up real good, and sent her home with some of my special salve to put on it.

Punkin, Buddy and Miss Milly played together for almost an hour before Miss Milly decided to run away again. I sure wish I knew where the heck it is that she oes when she does this. And so, Mary, Buddy and I jumped in the old Roadmaster to go look for her. (Punk took a nap in front of the fan)! We gave up after not finding her in the woods or at any of the closest neighbors; and of course when we got back here, we were greeted home by none other than Miss Mildred herself! Oh well- She was laying in the corner- in the shade by her kennel-

Gee, had we even looked there to begin with? (Probably not)... Too much on our minds that day between Reianna, Michael coming home for a doctor appointment and her Buddys neck owwie!

Mary had called again late yesterday afternoon- Her son Michael had gone in to the doctor for the recheck on his knee; and also because he was up all night the night before so ill. He had literally been feasting on spinach while at college, (UW-Oshkosh), and now our youngest 'Popeye' was so very sick. And so, she had brought him in for that too- worrying that with the E-coli outbreaks around that his spinach also might have been contaminated... Even though he has shown some of the symptoms, they do not believe it to be e-coli- Perhaps just a bad case of the flu... Hopefully so- By afternoon he was keeping down a bit of water and also a bit of jello-

Such was HER day yesterday--- Until late afternoon that is-

...She had put Buddy outside in her backyard to play for a while- When Little Buddy came in, he wouldn't even eat his supper.

AND THEN HE STARTED THROWING UP TOO! ...

She called me then, wanting to know what the heck kind of flu could possibly be transmitted from humans to dogs in that short period of time?? (Hell if I know)- and she was crying so badly about her poor little pup. Once again, I am no vet. I told her that maybe he had something stuck in his throat- (know what I know now, I never guessed I would be THAT close- or that far away from the truth)! -or maybe he had just eaten some grass and barfed- But no, he kept on barfing... And so I told her to call the vet. She brought him in- and they said to leave him overnight and they would do testing etc... That the doctor would call in about an hour and a half to let her know what was going on...

Fast forward through blood tests, xrays, and over 2 hours later... they called her back. Buddy had an 8" stick in his stomach, and needed emergency surgery to get it out. They said the surgery itself would take about an hour and a half. This was at about 9:45. And so, before I turned down my covers last night I included an extra-special prayer for her little dog too. This prayer list of mine sure gets more than full at times, but there is always room...

Once again the vet had misjudged the timing of it all--- Mary finally called me at 1:30- that the Vet had finally completed the surgery on Buddy... The phone waking me up, (sounding like it was ringing in a distant place and not right next to my bed).

The vet told her he had been wrong about the stick-

...It was a full 18" long!!!!

(I believe that would have killed him in very short order had she NOT brought him in last night)...

Buddy has staples now. And hopefully, with her quick concern, and reactions too, this stick has done no major or permanent damage- the vet didn't think there were any perforations anywhere; but that Buddy will definitely need some real close monitoring for a while. Praise God- (I would have no more little dogs to offer to her at this point and she has grown so attached to her pup).

Poor little guy- was just neutered about 2 weeks ago- and now this...

Yup. Yup. Yup. "Boys will be boys"

So now you can tell all your friends that you now know of a dog that has had its stomach stapled! A little 'Gastic Bypass' - on a Pup!!! (Methinks the Bariatric Center would be very intrigued)!!!

These pups get into MORE trouble...

...And the vet told Mary this was a first for himself too- He has removed panty hose, toys, and many other things- though admittedly much smaller- and the dogs were much sicker too- But never in his entire career has he ever had to remove an 18" stick from a dogs stomach; let alone a 5 1/2 month old pup! (I told her that for the vets bragging rights alone, the surgery should be half price)! She said she will never ever again leave him out of her sight!

Time to get my backside moving- Will put on a bit of breakfast for when the boys get here to help move- (Better that they are working on full tanks anyway)! I have too much to clean- and will never catch up on any of it- Maybe next week I will worry about that... Its going to get worse before it gets better anyway with Casey moving and all...

Hope all is well(er) in your little corner of the world.

Love to you,

Anna-Anna

PS YES, that is the actual stick I am holding next to Buddy...

Mary said she will have it gilted and framed...

Originally posted to my Y 360, Saturday September 16, 2006 - 05:24am (CDT)

Reianna Marie DeGrave- (including my own written memorial to her family)

Reianna Marie DeGrave-
(including my own written memorial to her family)

September 14th, 2006

Reianna Marie DeGrave

March 10, 1979- September 13, 2006

"Rest in Peace My Sweet Little Girl"

"The Will of GOD will never take you
where the GRACE of GOD will not protect you."

Asleep
in God's beautiful garden
Away from all sorrow and pain
Someday when life's journey has ended
We’ll all be together again.

author unknown

Reianna as always a 'daughter'; as I was Dennis 2nd wife.

Not from under my heart, but forever in it...

Here now, is a copy of my own little memorial/tribute to Reianna...

There are no words... I have been up for the better part of 3 hours already- staring at this screen,

Alone with my own offerings, my own prayers, and my own little thoughts; and with my most wonderful memories of Reianna...

.

.

Susan... Dennis...

I have prided myself on my ability to put myself in other peoples shoes. But I don't think that anything I can even think of would appreciate the pain you are in right now. And there is nothing that can possibly be said to help to lessen that grief for you.

Through you both I have been given the opportunity to love your little girl, and for that I promise to always remain grateful for being entrusted with loving Reianna.

My memories of, and love for Reianna, will both live on always- for my own lifetime and in my own heart...

Daniel...

I cannot even begin to know your own loss and shock. Age not-with-standing, you were always the 'big' brother- and Reianna has always had your constant, abiding and faithful love and support. That is what 'family' is all about. Having you to count on, to "step up to the plate" now with respect to the babies, meant the world to your sister- and meant PEACE to her soul as well. Your love for her and her's for you will live on in you always.

Zoe... Jennifer... Roberta... CaseyAnne...

Sometimes knowing that love offered, taken, given and shared, is enough in its entirety to hold onto for a lifetime. It is not how long we are here to love, but rather how well and how very much we love for the time that we are here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.

.

Once upon a time I had met this beautiful, bashful, quiet, 'wouldn't eat beans' little girl. While she did learn that those beans would not harm her, I respect that Reianna had many other fears besides those damnable beans...

As a small girl, she was prone to throwing her tantrums- almost comedic in retrospect... Pitching herself to the floor, (no matter where we were)- and screaming something fierce. After a while, we did learn to just walk away- but this too took time, and broke our hearts- Once done though, she never did throw herself to the floor again.

As a 1st grader, Reianna gave all she had to learning how to read- and the effort she put into it was an enormous one. With this effort, came a whole new world that opened up to her.

And she blossomed- and with that, she grew. Going to Parent-Teacher Conferences, the one thing that has forever remained in my heart is her teacher telling us what an exact joy it was to have Reianna in her class because every day she got a world of free hugs; ...and so very much love to look forward to.

This ability to love is Reianna's true spirit. The very same spirit that Reianna tried to hold onto- desperately at times. Most especially as a young adult; if only to find and to keep her own little place in this most ungracious and terribly unforgiving world.

And she overcame so very much in her too-short life... Learning to trust in herself, to have faith in her own soul, and in her own heart were only two of those things.

Learning to love herself as the beautful woman she was, was another.

And through the Amazing Grace of God Reianna found her way to persevere.

And she continued to grow and to learn-

She learned mostly that sometimes she just had to take one baby step at a time- and at others, there were offered those HUGE steps forward.

.

.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.

.

Kain. Makayla. And Michael.

(Reianna's very own huge steps... and her legacy to us all).

.

Michael- at 9 months, still to take his own first baby steps;

Kain and Makayla already in school- and already displaying their own unequalled spirits.

The pain will pass and the good memories and your love for your mother will always live on in the spirits of each of you.

.

.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.

.

Again...

Kain...

Makayla...

Michael...

Susan... Mother...

Dennis... Daddy...

Zoe Catherine...

Jennifer Hope...

Daniel Bernard...

Roberta Marie...

CaseyAnne Louise...

May God Bless You All...

Each and Every one..

Not only for today and tomorrow, but may His Blessings sustain your hearts throughout your own lives- until you can all be together again.

My Deepest Sympathies and My Forever Love;

Anne/Ma/Mom

.

.

September 14, 2006 4:00 AM

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METHADONE

Please also see 20/20 article: "One Pill Can Kill"

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2475616&page=1

Good Morning;

Most of you who are on my friends list here have probably already received my email from this morning- This is a copy of that email then...

Those of you that are lurkers here- or even just passing through

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS

I have also attached Reianna's entry... including my own little tribute to herself and to her family too....

------------------------------------

here is my email:

Hi all,

Did you have a chance to catch ABC's 20/20 last night? This story had the first spot, a story, (actually many stories) about people who have died taking prescribed dosages of methadone. This is what Reianna took the night before she died...

Please do NOT take this drug for ANY reason!

EVER!

And please forward this on to all of your family and friends too. This knowledge IS that important...

Here is a brief synopsis of their program last night then... One Pill Can Kill http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2475616&page=1

METHADONE

Killing More Than Pain, Killing Patients

By JIM AVILA and BONNIE VANGILDER

Sept. 22, 2006 — - Pain pills are the new "pocket gold" on the street, so valuable to drug dealers that the neighborhood prescription counter has become the target of routine holdups.

Bandits have been caught on surveillance video jumping over counters, not for cash in the register, but for Percocet, OxyContin, and a new favorite, methadone.

No matter how it is acquired, illegally or by prescription, methadone is now the leading drug killer in many states.

In North Carolina, methadone-related deaths have increased by 50 times in recent years, skyrocketing to more than one death every other day. Cheap and Lethal

Methadone is prescribed more frequently and sold on the street for as little as 25 cents a pill.

Ruth Winecker, a chief toxicologist for the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office, says methadone is so cheap, insurance companies promote its use.

Often doctors wrongly prescribe methadone for temporary pain, such as a migraine headache, menstrual cramps, or a pulled tooth.

Winecker says the danger with methadone is that it stays in your body for a long time.

About 15 hours after you take a methadone tablet, half of the tablet is still active in your system.

Now autopsy reports are showing that even people who suffer legitimate pain and have prescriptions from their doctors can be at risk. Lives Lost to Methadone

Michael Houston, 17, of Winston-Salem, N.C., lost his life to methadone.

His parents, Terry and Lisa Houston, say he had too many activities on his plate to be a drug abuser.

He was active in church youth groups; played guitar and baseball; and, had an after-school job and a girlfriend.

His father, Terry Houston, remembers that his son was very congested and was not sleeping well at night.

"Someone may have told him, 'Take this [pill]. This will help you rest. You'll get a good night's sleep,'" Houston said.

Houston says his son came home from work one night and went to sleep at around 10:30.

The next morning, he didn't wake up.

He was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and was put on a breathing machine for a day and a half.

Michael Houston was pronounced dead. Terry Houston says the autopsy showed that the only drug in his son's system was about 10 milligrams to 15 milligrams of methadone -- only one pill.Shared Grief

The Houstons are not alone in their sorrow.

Three other North Carolina families have lost loved ones to accidental methadone overdoses.

Eddie Ellis' brother, William Ellis, and Darlalu Craanen's husband, Robert Craanen, both died within a week of starting new methadone prescriptions.

Linda Simmons also lost her daughter, Ronda Wilson, a 34-year-old nurse, who was taking methadone for a bad back.

Simmons says the medical examiner called her to tell her that methadone poisoning had caused her daughter's death.

"One pill can be lethal," said methadone expert Lynn Webster, the president of Utah's Academy of Pain Medicine and a practicing pain-management doctor.

Webster analyzed methadone deaths nationally, and he says that the main problem is with new users.

The drug doesn't kick in right away, so new users are more apt to take more and overdose.

So, Webster says, doctors need to strongly warn patients not to soothe their pain with more amounts of the drug.

"If a doctor prescribes too much medicine, you may not wake up two or three days after you start your prescription," Webster said.

By "not wake up" Webster says he means "die."

Robert Craanen, an electrician with severe migraine headaches, took methadone as prescribed and died four days after starting the medication.

"After he passed away, I counted the days and counted the pills. He had taken the proper amount that was prescribed," said Darlalu, Craanen's wife. "He shouldn't have died."

Then there's Simmons.

Her daughter was a high-risk patient, overweight, asthmatic, and suffering from a chronic cough -- not a good candidate for a drug, like methadone, that depresses breathing.

After taking methadone, Simmons says, her daughter was found dead in her sleep by Simmons' grandson.

"Our daughter was a nurse. She just didn't know what she was taking," Simmons said.

"Even educated people don't understand the devastation this drug can cause or how quickly it can happen." Reacting to Methadone

Strangely enough, there was a warning sign in all these patients before their deaths.

Terry Houston woke up in the middle of the night when he heard his son snoring extremely loudly.

Eddie Ellis says he noticed the same thing before his brother, William, died.

"I could hear him snoring, outside," he said.

Doctors say uncharacteristic snoring is a sign that a patient may be suffering from methadone poisonings.

"We see this constantly. In tons and tons of cases that cross my desk, the patient was snoring, doesn't usually snore, making gargling sounds," said chief toxicologist Winecker.

"Those are all indications that the patient is toxic."

Innocent patients are dead, and many were never warned on their prescription bottles about the tricky nature of taking methadone.

The Houstons say they are angry at themselves that their son is dead.

"Angry for not being awake when he came home that night. … Angry at God for not giving him another chance."

Copyright © 2006 ABC News Internet Ventures

Take care-

With love always, "Anna-Anna"