Blood Test

Dear Friends and Family,
My mommy and daddy are getting ready to take me and Moxie on a long trip, so they took me to the vet for a well check before we leave. They wanted to check with the vet and make sure that I am healthy enough to be gone for over two weeks. The doctor did a general exam and said that I look healthy, which I think really means I'm getting too fat. Then they took me into the back to take a little bit of blood. I moved a little while they were taking the blood and now I have a big, purple bruise on the side of my neck. It doesn't really hurt, but it looks pretty gnarly.

The next day the vet called with the results of my blood test. She said that my liver enzymes are pretty high. I don't know what this means, but it has mommy, daddy and the vet pretty worried. See, I started taking some new medicine for my encephalitis a few weeks ago, and the doctors think that this is what is making my liver enzymes so high. The vet in Bellingham, Dr. Brita Kifney, talked with my neurologist in Lynnwood, Dr. Kline. They decided that even though the new medicine might help my neurological issues, it is not worth the risk to my liver. I am now off the new medicine and taking some good vitamins that should help to fix my liver. The vet wants to see me again next week to take a blood sample and do the test again. If everything is good with my liver again, then we know for sure it is my new medicine making the enzymes high. If the test is not good then it means that the new medicine is not the issue.

When Daddy got off the phone with Dr. Kifney he looked very sad and worried. I heard him telling Mommy that the vet said that I am a very special boy and that all my doctors are learning from me and the difficulties I have had. They are in "uncharted waters" with my condition and my issues and are doing their best to take care of me. Despite all that they are doing for me the doctors don't know if my issues are temporary or permanent and if they are leveling off or if they are getting worse. All in all, I am living on borrowed time. Nobody knows if I will live for 20 days or 20 years. I know that Mommy, Daddy and I all hope that it will be closer to the 20 year mark.

For now I will keep fighting and Mommy and Daddy will take the best care of me that they can. Mommy says that she will help to give me the best life she can no matter how long or short it is. I like that, and as long as they love me and give me cookies, I will fight each and every day to get stronger and healthier.

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers!!!

Love,
Ferdinand

Practicing with my new ride...

I have been out practicing again with my new wheels. Each time I get a little faster and a little stronger. Mom and Dad and I are hoping that I will be cruising around the yard in no time. I will just have to keep practicing and see what happens. I gotta run so I can go practice a little more before it's my bedtime. See ya soon!

Check out my latest video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEadJD4Sprg



Thanks to K9 Carts in Langley, WA for my awesome new ride!

Mobile Again!!!

Well, everyone. Something exciting is going on in my life right now.... I got a new wheelchair. It is a little scary, but the more I get used to it the more I love it. I can move around without anybody helping me. I missed being able to get around. I am moving pretty slow right now, but just wait, pretty soon I'll be cruising around the yard and the house like I never had trouble walking at all. It's awesome. I have to go now. I gotta get back to the park so I can practice with my wheelchair again. Bye for now!

Wheelchair

Hi everybody. I have some news: Mommy and Daddy ordered a wheelchair for me. This is pretty good news. Since my legs have not been working properly I have been pretty sad and depressed. I want to get up, run around and play with my big sister, Moxie. I just haven't been able to do that for a while. I am hoping that when my wheelchair comes and I get used to it that I will be able to race around the yard and go for walks again with Mommy and Daddy. Don't get me wrong, i love it when they carry me around, I am just soooo ready to move around on my own. I have really been enjoying the swim therapy that I go to. I spend about 30 minutes every week or two at the Lap of Luxury pool, and another 10-15 minutes almost every day swimming in the bathtub. I like going to the pool better because there is so much more room for me to move my little legs.

My friend Amanda, who I call Auntie Nummy cuz she shares nummies with me, gave Mommy a book that she checked out from the library. It was called Wheels for Willy and is all about a little dog like me that needed a wheelcahir. At the end of the story Willy was sooo excited to be able to chase the cat and the other dog around the house. I hope that my story will also have a happy ending when I get my wheels. I can't wait to bug Moxie again and run after Mommy and Daddy in the yard.

I guess that's about it for now. Right now my life is all about swimming and waiting for my wheelchair. Once it arrives I'm sure I'll have a lot more to tell you about.

Have a great night!

Warm Water Therapy

Well, since I last wrote to all of you I have been having some trouble. My back legs have not been working so well for me. It has gotten to the point where I can't even walk anymore. Mommy and Daddy were very worried and have been doing everything they can to help me feel better. I had one appointment with an acupuncturist and have had several warm water therapy appointments. The acupuncture was a little scary, but I was very brave and didn't cry even a little bit. A few days later Mommy and Daddy took me to Lap of Luxury up in Lynden. It was great! I wore a life jacket and floated around with Mommy and my teacher, Carrie, in the pool. The water was pretty warm, so it wasn't too bad. After I got used to being in the water, Mommy let me go so I could swim to Carrie. I was a little bit scared again, but I did it. I went back and forth between Mommy and Carrie for about 30 minutes (with lots of rest breaks in between). I was super tired when I got done. Since April when I started having problems with my legs the muscles have "atrophied." Mommy says that this means my muscles were going away because I haven't been using them. Since that first visit to the warm water therapy pool I have been back only one more time, but I have a appointment for later this week. Carrie said that I had to do homework during the week. I have to swim in the bathtub for 10-15 minutes every day, three times a day if possible. I haven't been able to do it 3 times a day cuz Mommy has to work and Daddy is busy, too. But Mommy puts me in the tub at least one time each day so I can swim. It's fun, just not as much fun as the big pool where I have more room to swim. Mommy and Daddy say that my muscles are getting strong again and are hoping that I will be able to walk again, soon. If i don't start walking pretty soon then I have to get a wheelchair to help me. I don't really want to be in a wheelchair so I'm gonna work really hard to make my muscles really strong.

Between the medicine that I have to take and the fact that I can't walk right now I'm getting a little chubby. Mommy says that she won't give me any more people food and that I can't have as many snacks anymore. She is also giving me less food during breakfast, lunch and dinner until I either lose some weight or start walking again. I better make sure that I work real hard at my swimming so I can have some "cookies" again pretty soon. "Cookies" are my favorite. Every time Mommy says "cookies" I turn my head and look cute until she gives me one. It's a good thing I'm cute!

I'll try to update you all more often. I think Mommy and Daddy are going to try to take some pictures or video tomorrow. Maybe I'll get them posted on here pretty soon. Bye for now!

Way too busy...

Hi everyone. Sorry I kind of disappeared for a while. I have been very busy lately. Back in March I found out that my Grandpa Harry had cancer. This made me very sad because I love him very much. At the end of March he was going to have surgery to remove the tumor. I heard Mommy and Daddy talking to Mama Angi a lot, but I didn't know what they were talking about. On Sunday, March 29, Mommy and Daddy took me over to Mama Angi's and Papa Jason's. I thought that I was just going for a play date, but then Mommy and Daddy left and didn't even take me with them. Besides the hospital, this was the first time I was away from Mommy and Daddy overnight. And, they were gone 2 nights.

On Monday, March 30, several things happened: 1) Grandpa Harry had his surgery, 2) I turned one year old!, and 3) Auntie Kirstin celebrated 11 years since her stem cell transplant. Mama Angi and Papa Jason even threw a birthday party for me with my friends Meg, Morocco Mole, Percy, Pudge, and Blossom. (You can read about blossom at http://www.furbabyrescue.com/Blossom.html). They gave me a hat to wear, but I HATED it and would not let them put it on. I did have fun and had some yummy treats with all my friends. I just wish that Mommy and Daddy and Moxie could have been there with me. (The pic is of me on the right and Morocco Mole on the left).

After Mommy and Daddy picked me up from Angi and Jason's house, they noticed that I was whining more than usual. They thought that I was just making them feel bad for leaving me, but really I was hurting. I don't really know why, and neither does the vet, but the gave me a checkup and put me back on the Prednisone. Mommy says it seems to be working cuz I'm not whining when she picks me up anymore. My balance is pretty bad again, though, and Mommy is thinking about taking me back down to the vet in Lynwood for another checkup with the neurologist. My neurologist is Dr. Kline, and she is amazing. she knew what was wrong with me and how to fix it. She took great care of me and I appreciate her very much. I'm pretty sure Mommy and Daddy feel the same way. :)

This morning Mommy and Daddy took me to an Easter party at Tails-a-Wagging. All of my friends were there playing, wrestling, and chasing balls. I felt pretty overwhelmed because of my balance issues, but I did manage to walk across the room several times before Mommy finally picked me up and put me in my Critter Tote. It was so fun watching everyone else playing and being so silly. I even got a nummy cookie that was made special by Mama Angi. YUM!!! When we got home, all of us were very tired so we laid down for a little nap. Speaking of nap, I think it's time for another one. I'll try to write about my adventures again, soon.

A Long Walk...

Last week Mom took me and my sister, Moxie, to Lake Padden. We went there intending to play with our friends in the fenced area of the park, but nobody came while we were there. We waited and waited, and still no friends to play with. So, Mom decided to take us on a walk around the lake. None of us had been on that walk/hike before and we had no idea how long it was. Mommy had me walk for a few minutes, but I got really tired so she carried me. When we got to a place on the trail that was sunny, Mommy made me walk again. I walked a long way, probably 1/2 a mile, which felt like 5 miles on my little legs. The whole hike was actually 2.6 miles. It took us over 2 hours to walk the whole trail. Mommy told Daddy later that it took us so long because we were walking "Ferdi miles per hour." I think she was teasing me a little bit. :)