Category: Shubi

Shubi came through her surgery with flying colors and I’ll be picking her up at 5. They said she had just a couple little stitches to close up where the tumor had been. I bet she’ll be a little sleepy when she comes home. I’m all ready to sit and hold her tonight! (and all weekend if she needs it!)

On a cold, snowy February day in Bavaria, we drove with our friends to a little farm house. There on the floor in the kitchen of Frau Lanzinger was a basket of puppies. I saw this one little face staring at me and I went over and picked her up. She seemed to settle right down in my arms.

That was my baby, that was my Shubi.
We went through all the paper work and got her a little doggie passport so that we could bring her back to the States. While Hubby did that, I played and played with Shubi and her brother Toni, whom our friends had gotten from the Lanzingers.

Lucie and I were so happy with our new little puppies.
We eventually came home and my life being owned by this wonderful little puppy began. Over the years she has been my best friend, my little comforter, and my greatest support. There is something very special, almost magical, about Shubi. Everyone that meets her feels it, and she goes around the world, capturing hearts.

Here are Shubi (L) and her brother Toni during a return trip to Bavaria.
Shubi made several trips with us to Europe, as well as trips in our motor coach across the country. Where ever we go, she wants to go with us.

After she got so ill and we thought we would lose her, I was quite depressed. No, despondent. She isn’t just a pet. She is really a part of my soul.

So Happy Birthday, Dearest Shubi!!!

She did well at the Vets. They just love her there! Having gone through her long and difficult illness, and treatment, these people are all very attached to her. I think she likes them too, although she gets a little nervous when she first gets there.
“What will they do to me today?”
They weighed her, 21 pounds, and checked her all over, she’s in fine health and then looked at the growth under her arm. It’s a Hymangioma. Basically it’s a blood filled tumor. Since the tumor is now causing her problems it’s got to be removed. So, on Friday she will have the tumor removed under local anesthesia. She’ll be there long enough for the surgery and recovery and then come home the same day.
I’ll give her a nice bath and trim her fur tomorrow so she will be all cleaned up and beautiful. It’ll be a while until she will be able to have a bath after the surgery because of the stitches. Once I do, I’ll post a picture of her.
For an old lady of 10, she looks pretty darn good!

We’ve been watching a small tumor under Shubi’s arm for a few months. It’s not anything to really worry about, (not cancerous) but it’s started to grow and it’s bothering her. Over the weekend it began to weep and we called her Vet who will see her today at 3:30. More than likely he will want to remove it. Poor little thing. This pup just can’t catch a break!

I’m still fighting this sore throat. My doctor is pretty adamant that the throat will heal itself in time. Well, my gosh, it’s been three weeks! How much longer do I have to wait? I could have had a throat transplant, and be totally recovered by now! Does this sound impatient and whiny? Well, I guess it does, but I’m just sick to death of being house bound and watching Hubby go off skiing while I sit at home!

I started working on Christmas cards. Now I love to send Christmas cards, because although I don’t see people or talk to them as much as I wish I could all year, at Christmas I like to send a card with a note to let them know that I’m thinking of them. Well dang! Yesterday I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and after 2 1/2 hours my right hand felt like it was going to cramp up and fall off! And I am only up to the “P’s”!!! I think I need a different pen. Maybe a fatter one.

Speaking of fatness, or flabbiness, today is the first day back on South Beach for me, (yet again). I decided to actually get on the scale and weigh in. OMG!!! Let’s just say, it was far worse than I thought it was going to be! I came into the family room, sat down and my mind started to race.
Okay, with all the stomach problems, I couldn’t eat right and needed all those carbs. (right?)
The new medication the doctor put me on in September has a known side effect of weight gain. (right?)
I’ve been sick with this silly throat and not moving around too much. (right?)
Dark chocolate helps everything in life. (right?)

So, I turned over a new leaf and will just have to be a very good girl. I’ve done this before, so now it’s time to do it again before I get into real trouble. After all, what many of you don’t realize is that as I lost weight a year ago, I gave all my “fat” clothes to charity, determined never to be heavy again. So I literally will have nothing to wear should I gain another ounce!

I have often written about what a miracle Shubi is, but I am not sure most of you realize that what I say is true, and not just me being a drama queen. While going through files on the computer, trying to decide what to keep and what to trash now that the laptop is fixed, I came across these letters written in November and December of 2003. They will show you clearly how sick she was, and how very close we came to losing her.
Shubi’s birthday is next week on December 1st. She will be 10 years old. Back then, no one believed she would see this day. So truly, she is a miracle.
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The story opens November 19th 2003
Shubi is in the hospital. We brought her in yesterday as she seemed to be getting worse and worse. We just didn’t know what was going on with her. She couldn’t stand up without falling over, has terrible pain in her back and still wasn’t eating. If we brought her outside to do her wee-wee she would crawl in a counter clockwise circle. Over and Over and Over she would crawl like this until we picked her up and brought her back in.
The x-rays showed that her spine is full of degenerative arthritis and it is getting worse. The good news was that she has no ruptured discs in the spine. She also has an inner ear problem which is causing much of the lack of balance and the crawling in one direction.
The doctors are giving her steroids and muscle relaxants and an IV. I called my Vet in New Hampshire yesterday and we spoke with him last night. I felt better after talking with him and we will see him as soon as we get back to New Hampshire on Wednesday next week. He will call the Vet down here who is treating Shubi and get all the details on her case today.
We go in this morning to see the x-rays and bring some of her food. I am so eager to see her. I hardly slept last night without her next to me.
The inner ear problem had given her the appearance of having had a stroke. But he has ruled out a stroke. The last few days have just torn me up. I feel so useless and stupid.
Meanwhile, Fritz had two puppy boosters yesterday and weighed in at 37 pounds! He is growing by leaps and bounds.
We have spent our vacation mad money on the Veterinary!

Continue reading “The Story of Shubi’s Illness”

I think I mentioned that on Saturday I gave Shubi another hair cut. She looks so cute. I finally got the camera out and took this picture so you could see.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.

I just brought Shubi home after her ultra sound and test. Seems she has a bit of Pancreatitis, as well as the infection. She is now on antibiotics again, and a drug that is a pancreatic enzyme. Was she happy to see me when I arrived! But I don’t think she was half as happy as I was to see her!!!
I’m hoping this will do the trick, but I worry so much because it seems all of these problems are a side effect of the chemo and it seems she has to deal with one thing after another.

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I cannot seem to keep this little doggie on her feet. One day I think her tummy is doing better, the next she is right back to square one.
Shubi woke me up again in the night with her tummy problems. And again this morning, she was still sick. So, I brought some “samples” to the Vet and sure enough, she still has an infection. But more problematic, is that she is not digesting her food. In just over three weeks this little dog has lost just over a pound. That’s a lot when you only weigh like 21 pounds anyway, (she is now down to 20 pounds).
They’re ultra sounding her pancreas and stomach. She could be having an acute case of pancreatitis, or have a blockage of some sort, but whatever, her body is not digesting the food and we need to find out why not.
So I am waiting for the phone to ring. That’s the hardest time, isn’t it? The not knowing and the waiting for news time.

Her temperature is normal and she has a new bed! All is right with her world and mine!

***I took Shubi in and she has a GI infection. So she is on antibiotics, and a medication to ease her upset tummy. He gave her some IV fluids and so I hope she will start to feel better.
Her liver function tests show that she has real liver problems. This will require us to give her a medication to help digest her food and a special low fat diet. I guess it will be a little more challeging to take care of our little girl in her twilight years. But then, you all know, I would do anything to make her more comfortable and give her a good life.***

I’m taking Shubi to the Vet in a moment. She woke up feeling badly this morning, then began having shaking chills. Soon she threw up and “other things” and so I took her temp. It’s nearly 104. (F) I called the Vet and he wants to see her in 1/2 an hour. So off we go. I will update once I get back.