Mother's Day

I realize that I'm living here at the Bridge, but I wanted to let my mommy know that I luv her very much & that as an angel, I'll be watching over her on Mother's Day.

It's been fun here. I run, play, jump, and just have a great time. Even my furbro Chato (also an angel) is nice to me up here. He wasn't on earth, so I wasn't sure if he would be at the Bridge.

Let me tell all you mommies out there what it looks like here at the bridge!

There is never a shortage of food. There is no snow or cold, unless we want it. There is no fighting, sickness, old age, or ABUSE! There is green grass, there are big, tall trees. There are all kinds of pets (cats & other babies) in this part of the bridge, and we all get together & have dances once a month. The sun always shines at the bridge.

Oh, one more thing, there are millions upon millions of jewels, flowers, and all the wonderful things that one can only imagine until it's time for them to come & get us here at the bridge. Then we'll live forever with each other.

Cheena the Angel

Today has been an extremely bad day. Today we lost a family member who brought us laughter, love, & a sweet personality daily.
Today, I lost my little 'boat anchor', baby girl Cheena.

Cheena's health had been declining over recent years, but she'd really gone downhill the last 6 months or so. She was always a timid dog, but in recent weeks she was much more timid, scared almost to the point of paranoia, about everything...except, me, her momma.

She had dementia. She also started having accidents in the house. She hated having accidents in the house...it just wasn't like her to do that...but she also couldn't help it.
She had a couple of strokes about a year and a half ago...only to recover rather quickly, but she wasn't quite the same...after that time, she'd started showing her age.

Cheena loved life. She loved making people laugh! What a little clown she was...and even though she barked at anyone she didn't know, she would hide once she started barking...the sign of a dog fiercely protecting momma, yet wanting momma to protect HER.

This decision was not an easy one for me to make. I've seen her declining rapidly in recent months...only to see her rally a little bit which made the decision difficult.

I know, deep in my heart, she's in a much better place...at the bridge, barking, playing & carrying around her lucky mojo mono, but, I'm so heart broken over the loss of my sweet little shihtzu.

Her page will stay up. She will live on in Dogster...

Sweet little girl...mommy loves you so much...& I'm sure you know just how much now!
I miss you now, & will miss you every day of my life, little boat anchor baby girl.

Run & play free, little one...
I love you!

Quiet Times Spent With Mommy...

Cheena appeared to be doing much better Friday & Saturday. Today (Sunday) however, she seemed to be hiding a lot, not drinking much water, and certainly not eating very much. She did have treats this morning, & a bite or two of lasagna (this was her first & only taste of lasagna) this afternoon. I will watch her again tomorrow, & if nothing changes, the decision WILL be made & done by week's end....

My heart is breaking as I type this. I never realized the strength of our bond, or the magnitude of her love until just recently. She's been on a cross-country road trip twice in her little lifetime, gone to the groomers (which she hated), visited her vet & not once has she complained!

I wish I could bottle up her personality; along with her love for life, and keep it with me always! I will keep a large part of her in my heart, yet the hole will be bigger than any emptiness I've ever felt in my entire life! My baby girl's life, as she once knew it, is very quickly coming to an end. How do you say good-bye to a pet who's given you more than just 'love' over the years? How do I say good-bye? This isn't easy, but it is necessary. As with everything special, there comes a time to say good-bye. I know when her time comes, I'll have the support of my Dogster family to help me through!

For now, I'm trying not to think of the pain I will endure when my little sweetie 'boat anchor' baby is gone. For now, I am just living day by day, the best way I know how...with Cheena sleeping by my feet most of the time...showing me her love! When she looks at me with those big, brown, glassy eyes, my heart just melts.

I wish you all could have been able to meet & know Cheena. You would have all liked her!

I will close this for now with this statement...I'm watching my little Cheena Mona, and loving every single nanosecond I have left with her. Here's to the little dog with the biggest heart of gold!

I LOVE YOU MY DEAR SWEET MONECA! I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR LAST DAYS ON EARTH ARE FILLED WITH LOVE (as always) & WITH ALL THE THINGS YOU ENJOYED DOING...

Debbie:((:((:((:((:((:((

Easter, Springtime, & everything else!

Today was Easter Sunday. I didn't care, though, because every Sunday is like Easter for me. You see, I get treats on Sundays. I sit in my spot right next to Mommy's chair & I look at her until she feeds me a piece of my treat. I love that we can do that together.

Springtime is here! Mommy planted snapdragons & pansies as a border for her small garden today. I went outside, sniffed around to make sure mommy was safe & then I begged to be let back inside where I watched until I fell asleep.

I can tell it's Springtime, because not only is the weather getting warmer & mommy's leaving the doors & windows open more & more, but everything is waking up from a long winter's sleep. Everything has a freshness about it, with all different colors & scents popping up to tickle our senses.

Mommy & I love Spring! I think it's my favorite time of year! I wish I could enjoy it more, though, because as I've been aging, so, too has my hearing & my sight. I hope to make it through this Spring with my mommy beside me!


SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!

Mommy will finish school soon...

Mommy will finish school soon! I'm so proud of my mommy & what she's accomplished over the years both in & out of school.
Now, mommy has to make several life changing decisions. I know that wherever she goes, I too, will go.

Mommy has been very worried about me the last year or so, & rightfully so. I've had strokes (last April), been dehydrated (last May), & had to endure being without mommy in October for a week when she went to be with her sons, grandkids & her parents. I turned 12 on December 21, & feel older than usual. I then had a cough in December that took me back to the Dr (the vet). While I was there, I found out I'd lost some weight (not a lot, about .9 of a pound), & I'm losing some of my hearing, sight & I'm becoming more depressed. I miss my little furbrother Chato. He's been gone for just over 4 years now, & sometimes I hear him barking to me from his place at the Bridge.

Mommy keeps a close eye on me now whenever she's home, & I let her do that. I have this neat bed that she bought me last year, & I sleep in it a lot these days. She's put towels on top of the bed to make me feel like I'm sleeping in a tent, & sometimes she'll cover me up with them.

It's been cold, & I hate this weather....but, with spring comes the promise of new things on the horizon! Mommy is embarking on a new adventure, filled with hope & promise. As I get older, I live with the same hope & promise along with mommy's love!

Make sure there's always love in your heart, because that will get you through even the toughest times! I know it gets me through on a daily basis.

It's just NOT fair.

My mom is worried about me. I've been very, very dehydrated lately. I had to go to the Dr. yesterday & had to have iv feedings all day long. Mom came & got me in the evening, & she found out I have gastritis AND pancreatic problems.

The vet put me on pain medications. I got a shot that was an anti-inflamatory, antibiotic, & pain medication all in one. She told mommy it's supposed to last about 10 days.

I have to take pain medications for the next 7 days...& mom has to keep in touch with my Dr (the vet). I don't know what's happening, but I don't feel very well. I am in pain.

I hope mom doesn't have to make the decision she had to make with Chato.

I love my mom & I love all on here who reads this.

Please pray for mommy, that she can get through this!

Hi to all!

Hi everyone!
Here it is, close to the end of February. The sun is shining (which is common here in Albuquerque in February), and the temperature is around 72°. Mom says we're probably going to have a long, hot summer! I do hope she's wrong even though I love the warm weather & sunshine.

Mom thought she'd type in the diary to keep you informed of things around New Mexico.

Mom is in college. She has 10 courses to go before she gets her Bachelor's Degree. Or so SHE thinks. The college says she has more than that to go, but mom keeps good records, so she knows she has 10 only.

Mom is writing a book about my dead brother, Chato. I really miss him, & have been hearing him lately.

I played so hard the other night, mom had to calm me down. She thought I was having a heart attack as hard as I was playing...and I am glad she did. I love my times with mom. She cuddles me, hugs me, kisses me, but most of all, she just loves on me.

It's already coming up on March & an early spring! I can't wait until it gets warm enough for mommy & I to go walking in the park around the corner.

I hope everyone has a great rest of the month of February. I love all of you!

Cheenita (Cheena)
(Cheenita means little Cheena in Spanish)

Yeah, I know...I'm a Chinese dog with a Spanish name. Well, that' s nothing. I can understand Spanish & do several commands ONLY in Spanish.

January 2009

Hi all!
I've met a couple of new doggy friends on here & in the process, because mommy was helping me meet these doggy friends, she's met this wonderful woman who is more like a person mommy has known all her life than someone she's just met....

Continuing on...

Mom & I had a very quiet & enjoyable holiday season. Mom didn't have school, so she spent most nights home here with me, talking to me & reading to me about Christmas & Santa Claus. I was so excited by the time Santa came to visit, I kept bugging mommy to let me open up my gifts early. Mom didn't let me & I kept wondering if I'd been a good girl or not....Well, THEN it happened! Mom told me she was getting tired & was going to go to bed. She then told me I couldn't have any of my presents on Christmas Eve because Santa had to come first....I was really beginning to wonder if Santa was EVER going to come...she mentioned his name, so, it must be true...he MIGHT be coming tonight, I thought. She went into the kitchen & I thought she was making her coffee for the next day...what do you know...SHE FOUND OUT WHERE SANTA LEFT MY PRESENTS!

I bounced & wagged, wagged & bounced! I WAS a good girl this past year, I just KNEW I was...and I KNEW Santa knew that too! She told me that Santa didn't get to wrap any of the gifts except the one that Auntie Anita gave to him to bring to me...so, she was going to unwrap that one for me. She didn't want me to eat the paper (as if I was going to do that!). She unwrapped it, opened the box, & there, amongst a bunch of flat cotton was a little charm that was shaped like a heart...it had little pink stones in it...& it said...CUTIE PIE. I don't really think Auntie Anita wanted me to have it...although I'm not just cute, I'm BEAUTIFUL!

Mommy said Santa brought me a ball & a bone mono. Both of them are cloth with squeaky stuff in the middle of them. I act like I don't like the ball, because every time I chew on it, it makes squeaky noises and I HATE squeaky noises. Anyway, I really do like my monos that Santa brought, but, please don't tell mom. :)

THANKS SANTA!!!

I turned 11 years old on the 21st of December. I am getting older & tireder (mommy says the way to say it is more tired), & my Dr. says I'm a little on the chunky side...but she won't put me on a diet.
I'm getting just a little more lethargic in the mornings, & don't really like to go outside, but don't want to come inside once I get out there...as long as there's no snow or rain in my way! I love to sunbathe! How about you?

I hope everyone here has a great New Year filled with love, health, and great massages from our parents! This year, I plan to be the prettiest little sweet bratty baby mom has ever known! :)

Hi all. Happy Thanksgiving!

My mommy & I have met this WONDERFUL woman with 4 dogs. This woman is ill & my mommy worries about Laurie and her babies. Mommy also thinks, though, that Laurie will be feeling better with the help of her babies & love from her friends...it will take time! Now...on to a happier note..
It's almost Thanksgiving Eve. I've been such a good girl the last couple of nights, I wonder if mommy will notice & give me some turkey & dressing & tatoes (potatoes). Mommy had left over broccoli this evening & gave me the rest of it. I think my mommy is the greatest!!!
I've been feeling a little under the weather lately...& mom notices it. She has been turning me into a lap dog (again, ick)...and I don't really want her to do that. So..I still let her do it though.
I overheard mommy talking to her human son (my human brother), Nathan, & she told him she bought me something for Christmas. I didn't know mommy was the one who got me that stuff...I really thought Santa was responsible for bringing me stuff....and Auntie Anita of course.
I want to wish everyone here...all my doggie pals & their human mommies & daddies a very, very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
And...I want to wish my bestest friends Sadie, Malty, Zoey & Bailey the bestest of seasons! As for Laurie...mommy says that she hopes you are feeling better & that you have a very low-key, peaceful & blessed Thanksgiving. We both wish we could be there with her....
Someday...
Love & lots of hugs to all my friends!!!

Hi Everyone!

Well, it's been a while since I've written in my diary. Mom took me to the vet's about 3 weeks or so ago. I had my teeth cleaned. Funny thing is, I got there (mom dropped me off, mean mommy)...and I saw my favorite person Dr. Skains. Well, next thing I know, I'm drowsy & mommy is driving me home. I got home & I started coughing. Mom wasn't too worried. She said it was because of something called 'anesthetic' they gave me to make me go to sleep...I don't remember sleeping, I remember BEING KNOCKED OUT! I did get to eat a little bit & I drank some water, and fell fast asleep on mom's big bed. I woke up the next morning coughing & not feeling too well. Mom kept a close watch on me before she went to work & then when she came home.

Well, I was still coughing Wednesday night, but mom gave me bread & it helped my cough a lot. So, Thursday morning I wake up & tried to tell mommy that I really was tired of coughing...but, I couldn't. So, mom couldn't make it home right away from work, so, she told my DADDY to TAKE me to the doctor. Back I went, and guess what?!?
They gave me a shot of morphine!

Yeah, it was a small shot & didn't hurt at all when I got it. Well, I needed to stay awake until mommy got home, so, I wagged & wagged, & ran & played (not bad for almost 11 years old, if you ask me). When mommy came home, I jumped up into her arms...licked her hi...got out of her arms, fell down on my side, & went fast asleep. I would have slept in that spot if mommy would have let me...but she picked me up, put me on her big bed & covered me up with blankies & things. Next thing I knew it was Friday morning already. Mom said she hopes I don't become 'dicted (addicted), whatever that means.

The days & nights are getting colder, & it's always dark when mommy gets home from work...and I know she goes to school a couple nights a week. Mommy has a break coming up...she told me we are going to take walks to the park! I like that...but I'm getting lazier & lazier in my older age. I hope we don't have to walk too much!

Have a sparkling day, all.

Love & puppy kisses!