Rocky Monday ...

So I got home from my date last night with Car Guy (more on that later), and was getting ready for bed.

Younger Son's dog, GB, usually sleeps in my room. Connie sleeps there too, or not, depending on how well he is behaving ... In any case, as I was getting settled into bed, GB threw up, on the carpet I had professionally cleaned not two weeks ago, and there, among the usual ick was a rock.

A huge rock.

Two inches in size, in fact.

GB has done this before. Golden retrievers have a thing for eating weird stuff, including rocks. I put him in the back room, which has a tile floor, with Connie, and went to bed. But this morning the dear doggy was still gagging and couldn't eat his breakfast.

It had that train wreck feeling--inevitable. I called a friend (no car, remember? It's still with Car Guy) to take us to the vet, and the vet got us in for an emergency appointment. Took an X-ray, and there was an even bigger rock in the dog's gut. No way he is going to be able to get that one up, and no way it will pass through, because of its size.

The dog is scheduled for surgery this afternoon, and will probably stay two nights. I had to call Younger Son to tell him. I know he was upset, although he said he was fine.

Heck, I'm upset. Really stressed. And I'm leaving for an appt. in about two minutes with my dermatologist--my melanoma checkup.

Argh. Rocky Monday--could someone write me some lyrics?

What's this photo about? When I was at Third Place Books this weekend, I bought several magazines, including "Bark." I haven't read it yet, but it was sitting right there on the coffee table as I was calling the vet, with this teaser on the cover: When Dogs EAT Glue, Diapers, Coins & Toys: E.R. Tales

@ Jeanne Sather 2008.

Comments

[Carver]

Hi Jeanne, I am so sorry to hear that about your dog and I hope the surgery will go well.

I hope your dermatologist check was uneventful. I know how the stress of all these appointments adds up and it doesn't help for your poor dog to be so sick.

Take Care, Carver

[Dee]

Did you have a specific tune in mind for Rocky Monday lyrics? If I have a specific song in mind, I can make up some silly lyrics for you . . .

But I thought it might be something like,

Rocky Monday
Dog Day Monday
Is a Rock Day Monday

But I get writer's block after that - well, I have writer's block anyway, so that's my feeble attempt to unblock it.

I hope the melanoma check goes well and I hope the surgery goes well for YS's dog.

[jeanne]

Carver--I had a mole on the back of my leg that I was wondering about, and sure enough the doctor didn't like the look of that one either. So I'm going to have to make an appt. to go back and have it excised. He's just going to do the wide excision from the first, which I'm fine with, given my history.

So that didn't exactly call me down.

Dee--I have to think of a good tune for this song. Maybe Carver can help us out? I like the start to the lyrics. A lot!

[Carver]

Hi Jeanne, I'll be sending out good vibes for the wide excision.

This may be too obvious but the Mamas and the Papas Monday Monday works with Dee's start to the lyrics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7KrlDZ5Hkw

Try singing to yourself to that tune, Rocky Monday, Dog Day Monday, is a Rocky Monday, it just turned out that way. Every other day, every other day, the dog eats grass but Rocky Monday it just won't pass.

I'm being silly but that's what I could come up with. I hope your poor dog will be ok.

[Laurie]

Jeanne, I love that you included a picture of the rock! Good thoughts to both you and the doggie.

[Jennifer]

Oh Jeanne, that just sucks. My good friend's dog died from sepsis after eating a rock last weekend, so I'm glad you caught this. You definitely saved GB's life! My golden, Beckett, had a thing for eating rocks when she was a pup, but she seems to have moved onto plastic toys and garden gloves.

[jeanne]

Oh, jeez, thanks everyone. Dee--let's try the Mamas and Papas song with Carver's additions to your lyrics.

And Jennifer--how do the garden gloves go down?

I was so glad that I caught this and didn't just wait longer. But he was clearly in distress, so it didn't take much to see that he needed to go to the vet. I'll see if the doctor saved the other rock--it was even bigger than this one!

Jeanne

[Dee]

Okay, I'll work on these lyrics - should be trying to write a five-page narrative for a grant proposal . .. but this seems like a whole lot more fun! I'll look up their lyrics, use what Carver gave me and then I'll post them. But I may need help, too!

And, Jeanne, so sorry about that mole on your leg! I'll keep my fingers crossed for the wide excision.

[Dee]

Okay, I googled the Monday Monday lyrics and have tried to structure these lyrics after them. Any suggestions or corrections would be appreciated! Here it goes:

Rocky Monday, that poor GB
Dog Day Monday, what could it be?
On Monday morning, Monday morning,
we can't predict
What by Monday evening, the things
you've licked

Rocky Monday, we saw the rock on your
x-ray
Rocky Monday, it just turned out that
way
On Monday morning, we had no warning
of your surgery
On Monday morning, you poor thing, we
heard your plea

Every other day, every other day,
Every other day, you will eat some grass
But Rocky Monday, when Monday comes
You eat those rocks that just won't pass.

Rocky Monday, that poor GB
Dog Day Monday, what could it be?
On Monday morning, Monday morning,
we can't predict
What by Monday evening, the things
you've licked

Rocky Monday, we saw the rock on your
x-ray
Rocky Monday, it just turned out that
way
On Monday morning, we had no warning
of your surgery
On Monday morning, you poor thing, we
heard your plea

[Dee]

BTW, Carver, that was exactly the song that was playing in my head when I started the lyrics - but there was no way in hell that I could have told anyone that it was the Mamas and the Papas or that the song was "Monday Monday". So, thank you! LOL

[debutaunt]

My friend's lab ate mole poison and garbage and a ton of ant killer. I can't believe she lived. She said her dog had mad cow disease because it was just crazy about eating.

[jessica]

oh, you girls... this is hilarious! "every other day, you will eat some grass...but...you eat those rocks that just won't pass."

thanks for the morning giggle.

[Carver]

Dee you did a great job with the lyrics. Too funny.

[Sara]

Horrible! How is the puppy dog now?

And how are your stress levels now?

[jeanne]

Thanks, everyone! Dee--I'm going to pass your incredible lyrics on to Younger Son, since this is HIS dog (Connie never eats rocks, or anything else except cat poop, if he can get near it).

Anyone want to record this great song for us?

My stress levels are still really high. I'm starting to mix up things I need to do--showing up late for things because I've mixed up the time, and so on . Argh. (Primal scream here!)

I'm waiting for a call back from the vet with today's update. Yesterday a different vet (not the one who did the surgery) told me that GB's esophogus was enlarged, possibly because his thyroid was out of whack, and that's why he is aspirating fluid and still hacking hard. So she wanted to do some more expensive tests (I know this is not the time to worry about cost, but how can I not?), and she said if this is the problem then we would have to feed him only soft food (mashed dog food, how yummy) in an upright position--with his front paws on the kitchen counter--and to give him water only in this upright position as well.

Personally, I think this is ridiculous. He had no problems until he swallowed two large rocks, and any problems with his esophogus are probably caused by trauma from the rocks. That's what I think, anyway.

Waiting for the first vet to call me back with today's update, but they said he couldn't come home today.

Younger Son is worried, but so busy with school that he can't really focus on it. He has midterms this week and a retreat on the weekend.

Send me calming energy please, everyone. I need to breathe and just let go of things, but I'm also so far behind on everything that I'm having trouble doing that.

Taking Connie out for a walk soon.

[Dee]

Calm - breathe - calm - breathe - calm - breathe . . .

Hey, did I tell you that I have alien hickies? You'll have to see my post from Monday to figure that one out. LOL

I don't know that the lyrics are all that . . . and if anyone wants to give a shot at fixing them up, you're more than welcome. I think you'll have to ask Carver to sing that one for you . . . I think I'm tone deaf. My son always tells me to "be quiet" whenever I try to sing. I think he has perfect pitch.

[laurie]

Jeanne, No clever lyrics today. Just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you, Younger Son and GB. I really hope that everyone gets through this and that the bills don't set you back to much. I have been where you are and I know how stressful it all is. Please take good care. xo

[jessica]

i agree-- how could a rock that size not cause trauma to the esophagus? time will tell, i suppose. i don't know if there are things on your list that you can back-burner for awhile, but that's what i do when i get overwhelmed. i get really honest with myself about the importance of certain tasks. (sometimes i actually speak it aloud, it seems to help me get details straight.) of course, i realize the dog and the kittens are high needs right now. wish i could be your taxi during this time, but will send my most sincere wishes of peace and clarity instead. big, deep breaths: calm comes in, heaviness out.

[jeanne]

Thanks, Jessica. I'm so tired from the stress of this. Also because I have a mole that has to be removed and biopsied ...

Talked to the vet who did the surgery just a little while ago--nothing about the esophagus except that the trauma was caused by the rocks. But the dog has pneumonia now and is still aspirating, so they have him on antibiotics and cortisone.

I'll call again tomorrow to see how he's doing.

[Dee]

The poor dog! I hope GB is doing better. And, take care of yourself, too. Wish I could help . . .

What you're going through this week sounds like what I went through last week - I was thinking today how very close to the edge I always am when dealing with cancer. I can be on an even keel for a long time, but then WHAM! Something hits me and I'm down for the count for a day or two. So, yes, breathe in calm.