Life Changes

Hi,

So last time I wrote in my journal was a LONG time ago. Lots has happened since then. Not all of it bad, but the fair majority of it is.

First change was that my mommy and daddy broke up and mommy, Gordon and I moved out. We left Gus and Gage with Dad. Mommy says it was only fair, whatever THAT means.

Second change, Gordon and I got a new daddy and he is wonderful! Not only does he love us like crazy, he is nice and warm to cuddle up with, mommy is very jealous that daddy and I have such a close bond in such a short time. Oh and mommy and daddy are getting MARRIED on August 1st!!!!

Third change, I'm blind now. There really is no explination as to why I am blind. Vet told Mommy that I might have a brain tumor but we can't afford to get the expensive tests done to find out for sure so for now I just "feel" my way around.

Four change, we moved to a different town. I can't tell you what it looks like but I sense it's smaller than Sioux Falls cause the air smells sweeter and it's not as noisy.

I am happy for the most part. I sleep a lot and my doggie senses tell me that all is not lost. Mommy seems to be holding up well which is what is important to me.

Until my next update, keep barking and licking!!

Gracie Marie

My mom's Essay about me.

Have you ever been wandering though a patch of life wondering how to bring joy and happiness to the every day monotony? That was me 6 years ago. My wondering led me to the greatest gift of my life. Her name is Gracie. She stands all of about a foot off the ground and is as long as a football field. I joke, but she is a long dog with a very long list of wonderful qualities that makes me a better person and my world a better place in which to live.

The day had come to pick out “my dog” from a litter of three. It was a 2-hour trip one way and my nerves were straining to breaking point. In my mind I knew exactly what I was looking for but when we arrived I had not prepared myself for the event that would change my life. There I was totally in charge of my decision trying to pick between two boys, when out of no where “Gracie” had not only stolen all my decision making abilities, but my heart as well… Gracie chose me.

To this day you can’t find one of us, without the other. Gracie’s love for me is unconditional and on days when I don’t feel like I should be loved at all she greets me with such enthusiasm shown with her wagging tail and smothering kisses. When I look into her puppy dog brown eyes I swell with such emotion I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

In my world Gracie is the best dog ever not because she is better than any other dog, it’s because she is my dog, my faithful companion, my soul mate. The definition of grace is an undeserved favor and that is exactly what I experience every day in her presence.

Lazy Summer Days

Summer was here and now it's almost gone. It was a cold summer. And I hate cold weather. Good news is, mom is going to have to break out my little space heater pretty soon. Just the thought of it makes me happy. Mom bought us a new pool but we only got to use it 2 or 3 times. I personally don't like swimming that much, but on hot days it feels pretty good. Mom spoils us and fills our pool with warm water. She REALLY loves us. I think that's about it for now, everyone is happy and healthy, and I continue to have my mommy be at my every beck and call. :)

Licks-
Gracie Marie

New edition of 2009 get to know your pals

Welcome to the new edition of 2009 get to know your pals.... Copy this diary entry and paste into your diary and delete my answers - then you can fill in your own.. We can get to know our pals better!! Have fun!! Then send a rosette to 4 pals and ask them to post in their diary!!!!

1. What color is your collar? We don't have to wear collars unless we are going to the Vet or out for a walk.

2. What kind of food do you eat? Purina One - Beef and Rice.

3. What are your favorite treats? Any treats are good treats.

4. Do you have a Valentine or significant other?? No.

5. Do you get Table Scraps? Not very often. Mom doesn't want me to gain weight cause of my back.

6. What is your favorite toy? Any toy that one of my brothers are playing with at the time.

7. When is your Birthday? July 6, 2003

8. How many times a day do you get to eat? 2 times

9. Do you have a favorite color? Pink!

10. Do you hope all your pals put this in their diary? OF Course!!

Hello

Hi,

It's been a while since I wrote in my journal. Since my surgery I have slowed down a bit. I'm not as active as I once was. The floors are very slippery in my house so it makes it difficult to walk or run without sliding. My back legs are weak, but mommy says that once summer comes and we can get out in the back yard where there is grass, I might be able to gain some muscle strength. I can (but am not suppose to) climb the 3 stairs up to the sofa. However, a lot of times I find myself stuck on step number 2. It's like I forget how to move my back legs, either that or I am afraid of hopping on to the sofa cause I don't want to hurt my back.

My mommy and daddy have been discussing some very serious things lately. Mommy and daddy have lived together for 8 years. They decided a couple of years ago not to get married and now they are talking about mommy moving out. Don't worry they are friends and will continue to be friends after mommy moves out. My brother Gordon and I will live with mommy and my brothers Gus and Gage will live with Daddy. I know we will get to see them often cause mom and dad know how much we all mean to both of them and to each other.

That's it for now.

Licks,
Gracie Marie

2 Weeks

Hey everyone,
It's now been 2 weeks. Right about now 2 weeks ago I was heading to surgery to get the disc in my back repaired. I am on the long road to recovery. I am walking again as you will see in my video that will be loaded tomorrow.

More tomorrow,
Gracie Marie

It happened to me.

I broke my back, well the technical term for it is a ruptured disc. But it happened to me. I NEVER thought that it would happen to me but it did and I am still here to tell you about it. Here is a break down of the past couple weeks.

Monday, October 6th, 2008

Late this evening I started feeling funny. I was in pain and I couldn't get down the stairs to go potty. Mommy noticed that I wasn't acting myself. She was very worried and promised to take me to the doctor in the morning.

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

When I woke up this morning, I couldn't move my back legs at all. Mommy took to me the Vet's Office around 10:00am. The doctor was very blunt in stating that mommy and daddy needed to decide if they wanted me to have surgery. He told them they didn't have much time to decide cause I would need to have the surgery ASAP. Plus the nearest hospital that would do that surgery was 41/2 hours away. I could see that my mommy was very upset cause her eyes kept leaking and she was shaking. When the decision was made to go ahead and do the surgery mom and dad hurried around packing the cars and making sure they had everything they might need. Before I knew it mommy and I were in one car and daddy was in another and we were driving for what seemed like hours. When we got to the hospital some lady named Jessica took me away from my mommy and daddy right away. It seemed like forever until I would see them again. I guess from what I could understand. I didn't get out of surgery until 12:30am on Wednesday morning. I didn't know where I was or who all the people were that were around me, but I could feel that my mommy and daddy were close. They waited in the waiting room till I was all done with surgery, but they couldn't see me cause I was all druged up and loopy.

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

I had a student taking care of me by the name of Jennifer. That was easy to remember cause that is my mommy's name. She was very nice to me. Mommy and daddy came to see me this morning. I was still very out of it, but very happy to see them. I slept most of their visit away but being in their arms felt wonderful especially in my darkest hours. Our hour was up too soon and I was back in my cage all by myself. Jennifer promised to call with updates every 12 hours and set up times for my mommy to come see me. Daddy had to go home so he could go back to work :( My 9:00pm update call to mommy and daddy was good. I peed all by myself (which is a very BIG deal) plus I was eating and drinking AND I had a small amount of feeling in my lower body.

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

Daddy had to leave early this morning so I didn't get to see him. But mommy came at 2:00pm and spent a whole hour with me. All I wanted to do was cuddle with her and nap. She guessed that with all the excitment going on with everything and everyone that I wasn't doing much sleeping but doing a whole lot of wining. She was right of course. I hated being alone without her. My nightly update was good and Jennifer told my mommy that I was moving my legs a little bit!

Friday, October 10th, 2008

2:00pm came and by this time I knew what was coming. Mommy could hear me barking all the way down the hall. It was a wonderful hour. I had to show off how I could kind of move my legs and I got to show mom how I could potty all by myself. It was a proud moment for her.

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

Today our visit was at 11:00am. Mommy and I got to spend almost 2 hours together. I was trying so hard to use my legs. I could tell that this made mommy so happy. Mommy took my picture with my student Jennifer so we could always remember her. She was so awesome. My nightly update was the same as all the rest. Everyday, a little bit stronger.

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

Mommy came to see me at 11:00am today, but I got a huge surprise. She wasn't just coming to see me, she was coming to take me to the car. But when I got to the car I got another big surprise, I wasn't just at the car I was in the car and Mommy was driving and then after hours and hours, we were home!!!! Daddy was so happy to see me as was I to see him. And my brothers, who were not allowed to actually be out of their cages at the same time as me where so excited to see me as well. My brother Gordon would sit by my cage and keep me company. He missed me lots and lots. He is a sweet brother.

Monday- Friday, October 13th - 17th, 2008

Everyday this week I got to go to work with my mommy. This created more work for her every morning, but she needed to work with me so I wasn't just laying around all day. We have to build my muscles up. Each day I get stronger and stronger and within a week I am almost back on my feet. Okay so I look like I'm drunk when I walk, but I'm kind of walking again. The surgery was a success. I still have a long road ahead of me, but I'm getting there.

I will keep updating as I go.

Love-
4 legged Gracie Marie

Just another day

Hello,
Today is just another Sunday for me and my brothers. It is the only day of the week that my mommy is home all day. Her and my daddy spend the day sleeping in and then they do a bunch of cleaning for the week. My brothers and I lay around and do a whole lot of nothing. I decided that we all needed to put a journal entry on our page since some of us don't do it very often. I sense that mommy is about to go take a shower so that we can go crawl into the big bed and go night night. That is my favorite part of the day. Cuddling up to my mommy under her big warm blanket. It's like heaven.

Good night,
Gracie Marie

Update

Well my legs seem to be doing fine. I didn't hurt my back. Thank God!! I am on antibiotics and another kind of pill to help my tummy, cause I was having tummy troubles right after my leg problems. Now I am just soaking up all mommy's attention. Thanks to all who stopped by to wish me well.

Love you all-
Gracie Marie

The Vet

Okay I went to the vet today. He said that I might have a disc going out in my back. There is also a possibility that I might have hurt my leg going upstairs or rough housing with my brother, OR jump up and down from the funiture. I have to be off my leg for most of the next two weeks. My mommy is going to have to carry me up and down the stairs and NO playing with my brothers. I am going to get so spoiled.

Thanks for your caring support. I will keep everyone posted as the weeks go on.

Remember: NO JUMPING!!!!

Love- Gracie Marie