Kennel "Naps" and "Soap Boxes"

What a week we've had! Gorgeous days and peaceful nights..... Tippy and I have been doing our practicing every day. Some of the behaviors I occasionally choose a couple and save some for the next day. Recall Level 1&2 I do every day along with fetch, walking "Right", up, jump, off, down/sit w/ stay. I only practice "kennel" a few times a week, because Tippy....in all of his excitability....usually falls asleep within just a couple of minutes. He has NO problem staying in the kennel. As you can see, I've interrupted his nap by finishing his time sooner than he'd like! I usually follow it with play time. Tippy loves his play time! He especially loves the Kong Frisbee that I had gotten for Alli, but she really didn't enjoy retrieving, aka "get it". She would chase something, sometimes she'd bring it back, but most of the time she made it look good by going full steam after it and then running on by to wherever she wanted to go! Tippy will chase anything. Sometimes I'll start with a tennis ball, but I almost always finish with the Frisbee. I tried a regular plastic one, but he would bite it while bringing it to me and cause it to crack. When I found the Kong one, you would think that Tippy was going after a steak! He's just about perfected "Fridge", which I consider quite a feat! While working on "Fetch Phone", I decided that I would get him to fetch my cell phone, too. I didn't let Alli because when she fetched items, they usually got slobbered on....With Tippy, not so much. I also feel that since my balance is not so hot, and I usually have my cell phone near by, teaching him to fetch my cell would almost certainly assure me that when I fall I'll be able to get help.

I never got around to mentioning our trip to testify in Hartford on the 15th. I went as a Connecticut resident, US Pain Foundation representative but, in this case, I was there primarily as a patient currently struggling with an issue directly related to the bill before the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Due to my Primary Immune Deficiency, I received an IV every 4 weeks from November of '06-March(or April) '11. The IV was necessary to help to keep me from getting sick. While we don't know what the major disorder is that I have, it does seem that when I am ill, primarily upper respiratory infections, I tend to weaken more quickly. When I recover I don't always recover to the level I was at. In any case, prior to starting the IVIG(immunoglobulin G, IGg) I averaged 7-10 sinus infections along with various colds and viruses. From Nov. '06-March '11, I had just 3. That was 3 total, not an average, just 3. Since having to stop the IVIG, I have had 9 sinus infections, but have suffered from various other respiratory infections continuously. Now, here's the reason I had to stop, and what HB 5486 would mean for me and many, many others who require "Upper Tier" medications. An "Upper Tier" drug is usually injectable, or a higher tier drug which one requires to either maintain their health status or it's actually life-saving as in the case of drugs required by hemophiliacs and others with chronic illnesses. On my private insurance it went from being covered to a co-pay of $350. Along with my other medications, that was more than I could afford every 4 weeks, with some months having a fifth week, and then it would be $700. Due to rising drug costs, I am switching to Medicare for my health care, probably taking Anthem under the Advantage Plan. In their drug "Formulary" the drug for my IVIG, Gamunex, is listed as a "Tier 6" drug. Tiers 5 & 6 carry a 33% co-pay. As each "dose" runs approximately $2,500-$3,500(depending on the infusion method/administrators), my co-pay would be somewhere between $800 and $1,100. Way out of my "league". Under HB 5486, an insured would only be responsible for $1,000 "out of pocket" per calendar year. That means that I would pay $1,000 towards my first "dose", and not have to interrupt my treatment due to the inability to afford the medication. It may not do away with the tier system, but it certainly does take a major step in the right way. That is Section I of the bill. The remainder of the bill deals with improving testing and screening for breast cancer, and helping to make it more accessible and affordable. I have not been privy to conversations relating to the breast cancer section so I really can't speak to the specifics. However, if it helps to locate and treat the cancer sooner, than I'm certainly in favor of those aspects. If passed, it would take effect January 1, 2013........

I have been on my "soap box" long enough, my best to you all, and I appreciate the time you take to read it.

Peace,
Wendy

Last Day of Winter......?

Monday was the last "official" day of winter. It seemed, instead, that we were ushering in the first day of summer! Tippy and I spent a lot of time by the water, just relaxing. We started with my "sanity cruise" along the shore in Old Saybrook. My mom and I actually started doing this way back in the mid nineties. We usually "cruised" in the evening, letting the stress of the day melt away among the serenity of the sand and surf. After a bit, my friend Deb and I would make the drive once or twice a week as well. Then, once my mom passed away in 2007, it became a regular part of my day....at least most days. I usually made the drive with someone, whether it was Deb or one of my children. It was Emmy a lot of the time since she was the youngest and I only taught part time. Since receiving my first service dog I try to start my day with the drive to set me up for a good day. I pick up a soda at Burger King, and begin by following Rte. 154 along past Great Hammock Beach, Saybrook Town Beach, Cornfield Point, Knollwood, Fenwood and Fenwick(exclusive/private). The causeway is next and I always enjoy seeing the water on the 2 sides. The side that flows under the causeway into a small inlet is usually calm, almost mirror like. Occasionally ripples from a landing swan or Canada Geese interrupt the tranquil scene. As the water from the river approaches the causeway it seems to have minute waves and in windy conditions it gets quite choppy. The contrast between the 2 sides is in itself settling for some reason. Since the weather was so accommodating, we were able to sit on one of the benches at Saybrook Point. It's right at the mouth of the river, and while sitting, looking across the water is Old Lyme. If you look up river, you see the railroad trestle spanning the width, and beyond there's the Baldwin Bridge. No, it's best to look across or down toward the sound. Peace...........

From there we drove the 10 minutes heading home and taking the turn to go down into the center of Essex. I love to park alongside the green(behind the post office) and walk down to Steamboat Dock. It used to take me maybe 10 minutes to walk down the street to the dock and all the way back past the green to the head of main street and back to the green again. Now, it takes me at least 30-40 minutes.....with many stops along the way.....just to get down to the dock. Once there, I sit for a bit....a lonnnnng bit....before heading back to the green. No farther! The picture above is Tippy laying on the sand by the dock with ducks and geese beyond. He's so big, that I tend to forget that he's just 17 months. But this picture makes him look like a "little" puppy. He just looks so sweet, he really is so sweet. I honestly don't think that I've had any difficulty with him yet. I really think he did very well for his first time. Why, you might ask, would that be an issue? What you can't see, or hear, is the argument 2 geese were having. Tippy was being sooooo good! He would glance toward the commotion, steal a peek, then whip his head around to look at me and cock his head as if to say, "okay, I'm leaving it, I'm leaving it"! THEN.....he looks at my hip, waiting for my hand to head in that direction to retrieve a piece of gold(or orange!) from its' depths.....a CARROT!!!!! Oh how wonderful it would be if our children....or spouses could be sated by a mere carrot!!!! Any way, the argument turned into a battle, the battle got carried away and seemed to scare even the ducks in attendance. They took flight, dove into the water, quarreled some more, and then as quickly as it began it ended! Tippy wasn't sure whether he loved it, hated it, or should be afraid of it.....we left. We finished up on the green at the gazebo. It was a great day for checking out the sights, sounds, and even the smells of the shoreline. Isn't it interesting that everywhere we went just happened to be near a popular area eatery? I wonder, can one lose weight by smelling good food and not eating? Hmmmm? I just may have to check it out. This next picture is not clear, but you can get a sense of the calm I feel when I finish at the gazebo. Again, depending on which way you face you can get what you want. I choose to look toward the cove and relax in the breeze and view. In a few weeks, the tourists will begin to descend on the town, and if you face the street you see the many attire faux pas! The plaids, stripes, polka-dots.....sometimes all together on the same person.....are enough to drive the locals out of town! But, alas, it's good for our local economy. Just men, PLEASE, stay away from the pink and green plaid pants with the pink sweater over your shoulders! UGH!

One last thing. Remember how I occasionally introduced Alli as a "Pushy Broad"? Well Tippy is the opposite! We went to our local dog park, aka "Paw Park", and there were 3 dogs already there. A husky, and 2 rescued mixes that looked like they could be part Flat Coat Retriever and part Lab. When we arrived at the transition gate, we entered the first set and closed them behind us. I had Tippy in a "Sit/Stay". I began removing his "gear" and he remained sitting. The 2 mixes were yelping and mildly growling...but you could tell it wasn't really aggressive. They were just letting Tippy know they were there first. Their owner held them back so Tippy could calmly enter as it was his first time there. Tippy went in and the owner let the dogs sniff Tippy. It went well, so we let the dogs go to play. The 2 mixes began running by tippy and growled and nipped a few times, not anywhere near him, but he cowered just the same. Then he came and ran behind me. ***(This is what Lucky and Maggie did the first time we took the 3 dogs,including Alli, to Karin's dog park in MA. Alli had just barged ahead and had a good run.) After a minute, Tippy took off to play and everything went well the remainder of the time. I love seeing the different personalities these dogs have and how they maneuver through life's challenges with us. And, how they accept those challenges and thrive along with us.

Below is an amazing story of what our canine partners are capable of doing to help us lead normal, productive lives, all while loving us unconditionally.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2114840/How-Mr-Gibbs-dog-keeps-keeps-Alida-Knobloch-3-alive-strapping-oxygen-tank-back.html

Where Do I Begin?!?!?!?!?!!!

I think it's necessary for me to jump around, and not
follow any specific, chronological order....I think you'll see why.

I have to start with GRADUATION!!! It was, as always, a most emotional experience. Since graduating with Alli 2 years ago this month, I have only missed one ceremony. Each time whether it is your own graduation, that of someone you know, or not knowing any of the graduates personally, it feels like your first time in attendance. This graduation was both exhilarating and emotional for me. When I traveled with Brian and Andy to the Concord Farm Prison, during our training in February, we were unable to meet the trainers/inmates that had trained "Richie" and "Tippy". They had been paroled. While this is great for them, Brian was very sorry to see them leave because he considered them among the best he had. I was told that Tippy's trainer, Dave, was planning on attending graduation. I honestly can't explain how hopeful I was that he would make it. Tippy is such an amazing Service Dog, as well as an absolutely awesome companion and friend that I was disappointed that I could not meet Dave the day we went to Concord so he could see how his amazing patient, firm, and caring ways had transformed this dog into what he is today. To be honest, I can't remember who, if anybody, brought him over to me and introduced us. As soon as they started speaking, I knew just who this young man was! Oh, My, God!!!! How blessed was I to meet Tippy's trainer and have him see Tippy helping me.....in the real world. I don't know how many times I hugged him, with a bit of talking in between, before we were actually able to talk a little. Tippy was thrilled to see Dave, and you could see in Dave's eyes, and in his touch with Tippy that the feeling was mutual and what each had meant to the other. I remember hugging him some more......sorry Dave,(insert hysterical woman warning here!!!) and telling him that the service he provided has meant the world to me! He introduced me to his dad and step-mom, and I mentioned that she had a very special young man for a step-son and they should be so proud of him. She said they were and that Dave is doing a good job trying to get his life in order and making good decisions. His dad and step-mom seemed almost as thrilled to see Tippy as Dave! There's a lot of love there..... I know I had some tears in there somewhere, okay, maybe a few more than some and a few more hugs before the program began....I'm sure Dave was glad to get away from the clutches of the madwoman he had just met. But, come on, what the inmates do in the time they do it, is nothing short of, well, kind of a miracle.....I'm not sure how I feel about miracles, though I believe very strongly in fate....I'm confident that fate most definitely fits in here somewhere. In any case, the picture is of Tippy and me with Dave. I guess you can't really tell how happy I was to see/meet him but I think that's because I was trying to hold the tears back! In hindsight, I wish we had taken a picture of just Dave and Tippy....oh, well, hindsight is 20/20!

My graduation, in itself, was rather anti-climatic. I had 2 or 3 short stories or quips but instead I spoke very briefly....at least for me....on how all the dogs should be considered social dogs like the children's, since they allow us to do things we might never have attempted, and speak to persons we might never have had the courage for without our devoted partner and their unconditional love that is palpable and carries us from one day into the next....... OF COURSE I forgot to tell about seeing the puppy picture of Tippy way back in October,(one of NEADS' daily "Cute Puppy" pictures) and joked with my good friend Cindy about wouldn't it be funny if I were to get a dog with a name like "Tippy" to help me with my balance!!! Lisa Brown, from NEADS, made me promise to tell about it. That's what I get for not having anything written down. I had told John Moon, again from NEADS, that this time I wouldn't give an "Oscar Acceptance" speech.....I'd keep it brief. **Note to self: Always try to have at least topic titles written to guide me. Oh, well, I won't need another one for at least 10-12 years....I've really got a keeper in Tippy! The picture below is during my "serious" bit on stage. There's another one with me smiling but I like this one as it shows Tippy looking at me like he almost always does. Tippy's WPR, Anne Marie, was also at Graduation, as was Tippy's other WPR, Angela. Ellen and Stu were there with Maggie, Karin and her dad were there with Lucky, Deb and her granddaughter Olivia, Becky, Sheryl Serviss and her daughter Christine, who like Ellen suffers from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and my son Aaron were all there! Amy Reay and her hearing dog, Delancy also graduated and were there along with a BUNCH of her friends! I also saw others I have met through NEADS, Alexis Courneen, her service dog Sooner,and Alexis' family, WPR Bee Lincoln and her current pup in training, Grafton, the trainers, and let's just say everyone! Afterward, Amy and her friends, and my friends and me all went to the local Applebee's. We were in 2 groups due to the number of us. At Applebee's, I met Elaine. She was on her way to the NEADS campus to begin her 2 weeks of training with her new dog....again, I can't remember the dog's name!!!!! Isn't that just the way it should work? Here a bunch of us were celebrating the culmination of our journey that brought us to our dog, and then there's Elaine, beginning her own journey........ It's actually a journey that never ends, NEADS NATION just keeps enlarging, one class at a time, one dog at a time, one life at a time.........

I had also traveled up to NEADS the previous day, the 17th. It was a "Day of Learning". It ran from about 11 am 'til 2:30 pm. The program was divided into 3 topics. The first consisted of seeing a brief video which has several NEADS clients, including Alli and me, explaining what NEADS means to us, and how the dogs have helped us live enhanced, more independent lives, improving the quality of our lives. It was neat to see Alli in the piece, but it's always difficult to watch the end as it has the picture of Alli kissing Olivia(Deb's granddaughter), and Livy bending in her car seat to kiss Alli. The video was followed by information from John and Sherrie Forest on volunteer opportunities at NEADS, and the upcoming "Unleash the Possibilities-Walk for NEADS" on June 2nd. If anyone reading this would like to either be on my team, "Team Paws", or would like to make a donation to "NEADS" through me and my team, let me know. NEADS operates solely on donations and grants and is a non-profit organization. The goal for each team is to raise $1,000. I figure if I can get at least 10 members on my team, and they each secure donations totaling $100, it would be a great start!!! This organization is such an awesome "family" of many people with a variety of skills who turn out 50-70 "Teams" every year(A team consists of a human partner and one of the following canine partners: service, hearing, social, ministry, school assist, or trauma alert(PTSD). The next portion was what I had really driven the nearly 2 hours for. Kathy Foreman showed us how to massage our dogs. There are specific strokes, depending on what part of the dog you're working on. It was very interesting, and well worth the drive. I had let Tippy play before the drive, so he was a bit tired and I could tell he wasn't into it. Kathy said that if they didn't want you to do it, don't force it. I was happy to learn that the massage I gave Alli every night(almost every night!) was not too far off from what Kathy showed us. I think the important aspect for me was that you need to apply "adequate" pressure. She told us to put the fingers of our right hand together with our thumb behind them and apply pressure to our closed eyes. At the point where it starts to hurt our eye, that's the amount of pressure that we should apply when massaging our dog. I know I never used this kind of pressure. The third part of the day was an interesting discussion with Dr. Trish Dettlinger, DVM. She began with slides about the "4 P's". To be honest, I can only remember the first one, Prevention. How bad is that!? She discussed the "Health and Longevity" of our dogs. She answered questions about dental care, knowing and trusting your veterinarian, joint care, supplements, .......etc! She works with the husband of Alli's ophthalmologist, Federica Maggio, DVM, in a clinic in Sterling....I think. She was very nice. It was also great to see Tippy's WPR, Anne Marie. She had just picked up a new pup, Mason, the night before. He's a 9 mos old yellow Lab. She doesn't know if she'll have him longer than this weekend.

Today I took a bunch of pictures of Tippy at Saybrook Point, Steamboat Dock in Essex, and on the Essex green in the Gazebo. I was going to file another post today, but to be honest, I'm exhausted! I fought a migraine for the last 2 days, and, while I was able to avoid the extreme outcome, it still took a lot out of me. It took 3 rounds of my heating pad last night to calm my back so I could lay down without wincing too much. (Due in part, I'm sure, from driving about 400+/- miles in 2 days!) It took another 3 rounds this morning before my legs could move enough to get me going. Tippy is looking like he's dying to play so I think I'll have a little more fun before I'm down for the count today. I always have to choose whether activities I have planned are worth the probably outcome....they almost always are.

Hopefully, my next post will include information about our trip up to Hartford to testify last Thursday, and the interview with NBC 30 following. I can't tell you how good it is to have the kind of confidence I alway wished I had when I was younger. I so enjoy speaking up/out for those who may not be able to do so themselves, and knowing that it's true.....one person can make a difference.....and when we work together so much is possible!

Getting Experience? Check!!!

Last week I told you about Tippy making himself comfortable in church....on the pew! On Monday we went to church and spent 40 minutes practicing, "Through", followed by "Back". It took several tries to even get close to backing into the pew. No matter how perfectly I had him positioned to back into the pew, it seems he's got one of those rear cameras installed so that as he neared the opening, he would "swish" his rump to the side and look up at me quite innocently.**(the camera is obviously faulty because he avoids the open space and goes for solid wood...go figure!) Now, you can't see the camera, but it must be there because he certainly doesn't have eyes in the back of his head! He finally got it right when I let him see his special treat before he started back. But, come Sunday, he required 3 attempts before getting it right. Oh, My, God! It reminds me of my first few driving lessons with my dad and practicing those wretched "K" turns....not to worry, I made sure my kids were blessed with that same glorious experience! We made it in, and he spent almost the entire hour leaning his head against the edge of the pew pad from his "Down/Stay" staring at me. You know that feeling you get sometimes when you're sure someone is watching you and the hair on the back of your neck gets "bristly" feeling? Well it's even worse when you're staring right back at them! Each time I looked, I had to stare back until he looked away. It's necessary so they continue to see you as the "Pack Leader". I did A LOT of staring at him, even when singing hymns! It's a good thing I sit throughout the service, I'm not able to stand for very long, but I'm sure it seemed that I was in an alternate universe to the other parishioners. I also continued the tradition that began with Alli by giving communion to Tippy. My former Associate Minister, Mitzi Eilts, started it when Alli and I attended her service for the residents at our local health center. She automatically included Alli when she offered communion to the residents. From that point on, I have always taken an extra piece of bread from the plate. When we partake of ours, I hold on to Tippy's until I receive my mini shot glass of juice. I dip Tippy's bread into the juice first before I drink, and offer the soaked bread to him. When he's taken it, I drink my portion. It has always felt right to me, so I continue to do this. Tippy was great during the entire service. We briefly attended coffee hour before heading to the Lenten book series in the Cove View Room. We are reading "Speaking Christian", by Marcus Borg. Definitely a good read as well as thought provoking.

I must go back to last Monday.....I jumped ahead to this past Sunday....I guess that explains how my brain has been working! Last Monday Tippy had his first "well" visit to the veterinarian. Some people have told me that my "Mr. Slow Mo'" will get more peppy as he gets used to his new forever home. The vet said that he had a nice, slow, heart rate, to go with his personality.....so I guess he's going to remain a "chill" pup. I also found out that Tippy has lost about 1.5 lbs since coming home. He was 82.6 on the 20th of February, 82.1 at home on the 24th at the vet's, and at his well check on the 5th of March he was just 81.2 lbs. I had my follow-up check in with Brian yesterday and said that for the time being we should keep everything as it is. Sometimes the dogs may lose a pound or two when they first come home. He did say, however, to let him know if he lost much more. I imagine in that case we may end up increasing the amount of food he gets each day. The vet, Dr. Cheryl Brienza, DVM, had already planned on checking Tippy's eyes in a darkened room as she was Alli's general vet and is aware of her disorder. His eyes, thank God, seem to be okay to her. She doesn't have the correct lens that the specialist has, but this is enough to get me to Tippy's free eye exam in May. I had mentioned to Dr. Brienza that Tippy has goopy eyes like Alli and I was wiping them quite a bit. She said that his tear ducts might be blocked....they were. Dr. Brienza felt that Tippy was so calm that she thought she could probably flush his tear ducts without anesthesia. So she did. HE IS SOOOOOO CHILL!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!

On Wednesday Mark and I had consecutive eye appointment with the ophthalmologist. Mark went first so he could head back to work. Tippy was calm all during Mark's appt., and through most of mine. He did, however, get up from his "Down/Stay" when the tech used the large "do-hickey" to check the pressure in my eyes. He actually came up to the tech and licked his elbow! He was calm, and just stood there watching after the "lick" until I was able to give him a correction. Interesting....Tippy just letting the tech know to take care of his "mom"?

Later that same day I had another appointment with my immunologist. Since I have not been able to receive my IVIG, for my Primary Immune Deficiency, for just about a year, we discussed alternatives.**(Tippy and I are going to testify before the committee on Insurance and Real Estate on Thursday for a bill which includes addressing "Specialty Tiers" on insurance companies' drug formularies. My IV med is a "Tier 6" drug, subject to a 33% co-pay!) Once again, Tippy was great throughout the 1.5 hour wait for the appt., the 40 min. actual appointment, and during the blood draw to check my levels within my immune system. My immunologist talked about how animals/dogs are undervalued when it comes to the benefits they provide to their human partners. SO TRUE!!!

On Thursday Tippy met Alli's former classmates and friends, Lucky and Maggie.....the canine partners of Karin and Ellen. They got on famously!!! Tippy is such a puppy! He's crazy when he plays, and when he runs he sometimes has that loping puppy run! They romped and played after we had lunch. The only "rift" is that Ellen's new rescued dog, Lily(about 3?) seems to have an issue with Tippy when we are indoors. It's most likely due to the fact that they have had her just a week or so, so she's still adjusting. She had no problem with him when we were outside, running around with the others. It's almost comical because they're are good sized dogs and she's a terrier mix. She's absolutely adorable!! I'm sure with time Tippy and Lily will get along just fine.

I've run on long enough, some more big days are on the horizon,
Good Night,
Peace,
Wendy

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!! (aka I Love Swiss Cheese!)

We did it!!!! Isn't Swiss cheese WONDERFUL!!!!! Tippy will do almost anything if the payout is worth it!!!! SWISS CHEESE!!!! I tried it at NEADS during training since that was the only special treat I had available when I needed it. Tippy thought it was amazing and was able to perform "Recall Level I & II" as long as he knew that there was this amazing, stupendous, delicious, scrumptious treat when he got it right!

When we were doing "Fridge", Tippy, as I've said before, would back out of the fridge if the door appeared to be closing in on him. For this reason, I needed to voice each step of the ultimate "fetch" procedure. 1) Fridge (after a very excited "are you ready, are you ready?) 2) Fetch 3) Hold 4) Nudge 5) Hold 6) Closer(if necessary....rarely is it necessary) 7) Give Richie was very quick as he's very much a "go-getter" and appeared to be "racing" for a better time when just given the command, "Fridge". Today, we hit the "Jackpot"!!!!!! After the last few days of step-by-step commands, Tippy started the day with just the "Fridge" and "Nudge" commands! I took a break for a couple of hours, and sure enough, all I needed to say was, "Fridge"! He did look at me as he switched to each behavior, but just that one command was all that was necessary! I know that once they do it right we're supposed to stop, but Tippy honestly looked so pleased with himself I had to do it again so that he could be rewarded a second time!!!! YAAAAAAAAAY!!!! Besides the cheese, he got a million "Good Boy" and side pats.....this, he also loves!!!! **I think it's also important to point out that I have a "French door fridge with the freezer drawer below......so, he had to add an extra step, "Up" to be able to reach the dumbbell. KUDOS TO TIPPY!!!! I will try to get it filmed as he becomes more confident, but right now he needs to be able to see my look of approval as he completes his "mission". **(If someone from NEADS reads this, please tell Brian....he's not calling until Friday!!!!) Mr. Slow-Mo has "Go-Go"!!(at least for today!)

Considering that he's learned that "Necessity is the mother of invention", it's a darn good thing he performed so admirably today! Tippy has been getting along with George(our 13 yr old tiger cat) better than I had expected. I didn't think there would be any real problem, however, since Alli had always done her bouncing play bow around and around George I guess I kind of expected the same type of behavior. Tippy has a different tactic! "Kill him with kindness!" He licks and licks George all over and I thought George was having enough. I had just told Tippy to "be nice", when I realized that despite his licking knocking George over with each "lap", George was purring and stretching his neck out for more! So I've been letting Tippy have free range of the first floor....my bedroom is on the first floor....because I don't have to worry about any dog vs cat catastrophe:) I have George's food pushed way in the corner under the center island with the bucket of cat food on one side, the basket with the pouches of moist cat food on the other, and my stool wedged in the middle. George can fit in, but I made sure Tippy can't. Or so I thought!!! Yesterday morning Mark yelled from the family room that my dog was in the cat food! I couldn't figure out how so I went to investigate.....OMG.....it's that analytical "thing" again!!! Tippy had carefully pulled the basket out from it's wedged in position w/out knocking it over, and he had his head about 2" from the cat's bowl. He knew he had been caught red handed because his head pulled out, his ears lay flat, he looked at me w/ out picking up his head, and then he "skulked" back to my room! So, now when he has a "yen" for a feline feast, he has learned to "tip toe" out of the room....I guess this is payback for not having the terrible twos with any of my children(I did, however, have the "formidable fours"!). I watched Tippy tip toe to my door, and very nonchalantly, look back before continuing on. I know when he's going for the cat food, because neither his feet nor his "tags" make any noise. When I catch him and he comes back, you can hear both.....you also hear them any other time he's moving about without interest in the cat food!

The last 2 Sundays, Tippy has done "through" to sit facing me as I stand facing the pew in church. I then say "back" repeatedly until he's in far enough and I tell him "down". Today he just wouldn't back in and I was forced to have him lead me in and then tell him "turn". **(I guess I'll be stopping by church this week to practice a few times!) When Alli used to come to church, she always led the way, put her forepaws on the pew, turned her body and put her paws back on the floor and would lay down. I assumed Tippy would do the same....WRONG!!!! He led the way, I told him to "turn" and he automatically put his forepaws on the pew. At this point, I figured I had it under control and began to sit.....HE JUMPED TOTALLY ONTO THE PEW AND STARTED TO LAY DOWN!!!! I told him "OFF" in no uncertain terms and he honestly looked indignant!!! How dare I ask him to lay on the floor when I had the comfy pew pad to sit on....all 1" of padding!!!!! Needless to say he got off, lay down, and the only sounds I heard were his snoring and some groaning.....oh well. He did perk up a bit when I had communion for him as well. I took 2 little chunks of bread when the plate came by, and when directed I ate mine. When the "juice" came by I just took 1 tiny glass cup. When directed to drink, I dipped the 2nd piece of bread into the juice, fed that piece to Tippy and consumed the remaining juice. He was licking his "lips"(?) for at least a minute or two....I'd tell him it was only juice and not wine, but why ruin the experience for him!!!!

Busy 1st Week!

We had a very busy 1st week home. I guess you could almost say "trial by fire"! We arrived home from NEADS on Friday the 24th of February. We didn't come directly home, though. I decided to stop at URI for my daughter to meet Tippy, but more so that we could walk Tippy through one of the theaters. Emmy is in the production of "Tartuffe"("The Impostor") by the URI theater department. We had tickets for Saturday night, and since we were just coming home, I thought it would be a good idea for Tippy to at least have some familiarity with the theater. As it turned out, the doors were locked so I had Tippy sniffing around both entrances. He looked a bit like a "bomb sniffing" dog. It was almost comical. When we arrived back at URI on Saturday night, I realized that I don't go in either of the entrances.....Michael(the theater manager) takes me down via the elevator. Oh, well, at least Tippy had a mild introduction ahead of time! Em had reserved seats for 5 of us. I sat in the 2nd row on the floor with Tippy and my friend Cindy. We had the first two seats in from the isle. I have found through experience with Alli that the isle seat allows for plenty of ventilation.....and a good view from under the seats! Mark, Aaron and Pat(Mark's mom) sat behind us. I had forgotten the "set up) of the story by Moliere. "J" Studio, where we were, is small, very dark(all the walls are black), and everything is very up close and personal. When the play began, the participants came running from all angles and were VERY loud! Tippy was laying at my feet on his side. I knew we were "home free" when Tippy's reaction to the din was to merely stretch his neck so that he could see the action!

On Monday we went to the Essex Town Hall to get Tippy's license. That's the picture above. I told him he needed to take it very seriously because he was about to become a Connecticut resident. As you can see, he did! This was just after receiving his "tag".

Tuesday, late afternoon or evening, I received an e-mail from Paul(US Pain Foundation) which he had forwarded to me. It told of a bill coming before the Health and Human Services committee in RI the next day. It was similar to the CT bill that I had helped with last year pertaining to "Step Therapy", aka "Fail First" as it relates to prescription medication. RI's is different in that it is not as narrowly defined as the CT bill. It encompasses all rx's, not just pain meds. as in CT. I asked Paul if he'd like me to attend, and he thought it would be a good idea, along with my NEADS classmate(from Alli's class), Ellen Smith, a Rhode Island resident and advocate for Ehlers Danlos, American Pain Foundation and RI Arthritis Assoc. As I'm sure most of you are aware that Wednesday was a terrible day for winter weather in New England. I typed up a few notes and, wouldn't you know, I was in such a hurry to get ahead of the weather I left the notes home. I actually drove to Ellen's home and then rode with them to Providence. As the hearing was scheduled for 4:30 pm, I did not want to drive through Providence traffic at rush hour in the snow/sleet/rain. Ellen and I both testified, after which we felt somewhat positive. It was difficult to judge the direction the bill will take. Of course, BC/BS, CVS, etc., were present to speak against the bill. We left after our testimony, but by the questions we were asked by the senators on the committee, it seems that it may move forward with an amendment or two. Tippy was amazing! I have such eye contact with him, that at times it's really almost eerie. One of the senators, before asking her questions of me, commented on how Tippy hadn't stopped staring at me the whole time.....she did notice that at times he was very close to the "treat pouch" with the sliced carrots I wear at my side! The picture below is of my testimony, with Tippy visible on the far side. I asked one of the pages to take a picture of Tippy with me "up" there, but it didn't dawn on me to put him on my opposite side. Once you begin to testify, that's not something that you have on your mind. Especially since I was working without any notes! About the only thing I get from this picture is that I need to lose weight. I know some people look in the mirror and see themselves as much heavier than they are.....I, however, have apparently been thinking I'm smaller than I am!!! I don't suppose a still camera adds 10.....or even 20.....pounds to the individual like a television camera.....I didn't think so!!!!! :( I have 2 weeks until our NEADS graduation and I think I'm going to try to lose a little.....right after my late breakfast with Deb this morning!

Until next time,
Wendy & Tippy