Bad News

Isabelle succumbed to Auto-Immune Hemoplytic Anemia this morning at 11:15 a.m. pacific time.
I was with her when she took her final breath.
She was with me on the truck for over half a million miles. I spent more time with her than I do with my wife.

She was doing well until until about a month ago, when we were in Calif. She became less attentive, slept a lot (which she did anyway), and only wanted very short strolls. I got home as soon as possible, and had the 'hemocrit' levels in her blood checked. They were pretty low, hovering at 12.8. She was returned to the prednisone regimen, with an increase in azothioprine, but ultimately, she just couldn't shake off the disease. Her blood had the consistency of cherry Kool-Aid, and the abundance of white cells and deformed red cells confirmed the diagnosis.
She was shutting down, and there was nothing to be done about it.

I knew, in my heart this morning that it was time, when I lifted her lip and checked her gum and tongue color. They were nearly white. Her appitite was still good, but that was the prednisone working, not her.
The Veterinarian, Dr. Rebecca at Pacific Veterinary, was crying when she came in to tell me the results of the lab tests. I knew immediately that it was time.
I spent 30 minutes with her, alone, thanking her for the time she had given me, the lessons she had taught me and the unfailing love she gave.

She slipped across the Rainbow Bridge before the injection even was halfway over.
The Doctor and the technician were both very broken up, which led me to blubber like a baby. A big, strong 6ft truck driver sobbing like a child. Even as I write this, I have to stop and wipe my eyes.

I'm only consoled by the fact that she is preparing the way for me, when my time comes. And that she, and the others we have lost will be there to guide me Home when it's my turn across the Bridge.
I'm sure that Scout, Penny and all the others that have been in our family were there to greet her and show her where the good spots for a snooze are.

Thank You all, for your condolences, and your friendship. IzzyB loved everyone, and everyone seemed to love her.
As it should be.

Busy Busy Busy little IzzyB

Wowow!! Have we been busy!!
Dad and I have been out on the road twice now since I came back to work. I'm feeling much better now! The Dr. is weaning me off the nasty predisone stuff, and she even said I may eventually be off ALL the drugs! YAY!!

Dad and I have been going to the east, and doing three 'turns' before coming home. The truck was not running good, and Dad had to put most of the paycheck into it, but it's better now. We are sitting in Foristell,MO today, and will load in the morning to go to Prineville,OR. This is the second 'turn' for this trip. Dad says he hopes to get one more from Portland to PA, then home for a break.

The weather has been kinda hot and humid, so I'm shedding a lot. Dad's been using the Fuminator thingy on me, and it really feels good. He's calling me his "Hair Carpet Installer" because I'm shedding so much. He said he's thinking about getting a suppliment called 'Dinovite" to help with the shedding and stuff. I hope it tastes good!!

Rrrowwllff!!

Retruned to Duty- Hooray!!!

The nice veterinarian Dad takes me to said I could go back to work!
So, Dad came home and we went on a run. Actually several. Dad was getting loads from Portland,OR to Savannah, GA, and he said that we were behind in the bills, so we needed to run hard. So we did! We were out for almost 2 1/2 months! Dad got sick, and had to keep driving, but I was there to check on him and keep things on the road. We made our last delivery to Savannah, and Dad got us a motel room for 3 days. He needed to recuperate from being sick. He hadn't had anything to eat in about 5 days, so he was pretty weak and tired.

Our motel room was really nice. I got to sleep on the bed with Dad, and he took us for several walks around a lake that was there by the motel. He really liked it, and so did I.

Then we got a load from Charleston that went to Los Angeles. Dad took it pretty easy, 'cause he still wasn't 'up to par' he said.

I'm doing much better, too. The new medicine has got me feeling and acting like my old self. But, the prednisone makes me sooo hungry all the time! Dad says that maybe the Dr. will take me off it. I hope so, because all I think about is FOOD! I don't even save my porkhide chewies like I used to. I just gobble them right up! Dad has to take them away from me so I can save some for later.
We're home now, Dad has to go to the tooth Dr., and the truck had to go to the shop (again). Dad says we should be going back out this week, hopefully only for a couple of weeks.

The fuel prices are making us stay out longer, because we are paying more for fuel than we are bringing home. So, we have to run longer to make the money to pay the bills. Mom doesn't like that, either. She likes having us home more often.

Dad told me that we sre next up for another Savannah trip, so we should be loading soon. I like going to Savannah, because we usually get a load right back to somewhere close to home, and we can do the round trip in about 2 weeks.

Dad is going to take me to the Dr. tomorrow to get my blood levels checked (yuk). I think they're OK. I just want to get off that nasty prednisone stuff. Then maybe I can be my usual dainty self when I eat!!!!


RRrrrroolf!!!

Up an Down and Up

I have to write this, since Dad had to go out on the truck without me again. I went to the doctors office again, and boy, did I think I was going to go out for a trip with Dad. The doctor said my heart was healthy and strong, there was no fluid in my tummy anymore (she thought that maybe the transfusion had caused it, plus the pills she had to give me), and my energy was back to almost normal. But, she had to stick me with a needle and put some blood in a spinning thingy to see how it was. She said it wasn't as good as she wanted, and had fallen since the transfusion. So, she put me on another pill, and told Dad that I would have to stay at home for a while longer.
The new pill must be working good, because I feel like my old self, and even want to play with my frisbee. Mom tries to play with me, but my sister Cricket butts in and annoys me and her.But Mom is taking us on longer walks, and I like that.
Dad calls Mom, and she puts the phone up for me to hear his voice, and I try to tell him how much I miss him. I hope that when he comes home after Christmas that I can go with him some more. I like to have him all to myself (I'm not selfish!!). Plus, Dad has a new truck, and I only got to ride in it once for a few hours before I got so sick before Thanksgiving (which I missed because I was in the hospital). I didn't get any barbequed turkey or anything.
I am trying to get better, and Mom is helping me with vitamins and my meds. I love her too. I don't mean to pee in the floor, but the pills make me thirsty and pee more than I used to. I'm sorry, Mom.
RRrrrooowlff!!!! for now!!

I'm Doing Better

IzzyB is doing much better, now. She took the transfusion well. Her hemocrit level went up to a 38,which made the Dr. very happy. She's still on that nasty prednisone, but she's now going for longer walks, and seems to have much of her old energy back. I had to go out on the truck without her this trip, and went to FL, then reloaded right back to OR. Boy were we glad to see each other!!

She goes to the Dr. again on 12DEC, and I'm hoping that she can go back out with me. We have a new truck, so she needs to apply the proper amount of hair to the interior.