Preparing And Flight To Alabama

                         Friday May 15, 2015

Just a picture of Mallery at my mom's.

Mallery has always loved going to my mom's place too. My mom moved into a 55 and older apartment community four years ago, but because it still has all her smells, Mallery adapted very quickly to the move.

I was really nervous about leaving Mallery for my upcoming trip, so I took her everywhere with me before I left. The days before I left, were beautiful, and she really enjoyed car rides with the windows and moon roof open. Her nose was going back and forth from window to window to moon roof. She acted like she was at a all you can smell buffet.

On May 18, I was up and getting ready at 3:00 AM, and out the door with Joe at 4AM to pick up my mom and sister. Joe dropped us off at the airport and he headed back home to go to bed. Mom and Karen were flying United and I was flying American.

I said goodbye to them as they headed for their gate, and I continued to check in at the ticket desk.

At 6:05 my plane was getting ready to take off. Mom and Karen took off 15 minutes later.

Views of Dallas as we made our approach for my change over, to catch my next flight.

I had a couple hours wait in Dallas, giving me time for breakfast.

View as we got just above the clouds, as we took off from Dallas.

Soon we were above a sea of white clouds.

A mountain cloud off in the distance.

The clouds were just magnificent. I felt like I was in another world.

A world of giant cotton puffs!

My pictures don't even come close to the views I got up in the clouds. You just have to be up in the air to appreciate the beauty of that world. After 2 hours in the air, it was time to get our heads out of the clouds and back to reality.

As we flew through the clouds, we had some turbulence, and a really rough landing! Mom and Karen had a lay over in Chicago, and landed in Pensacola 20 minutes before me. I originally was going to fly out of Traverse City, MI., but because our contractor was so far behind in our remodel and we couldn't stay in Michigan, we changed my flight to leave from Cedar Rapids, IA instead. I wanted to fly with my mom and sister, but I was blessed to be able to change my flight from Traverse City to Cedar Rapids with no extra charges being incurred. I had bought my flight using miles, so everything was just exchanged as long as I flew American.

In Pensacola, we rented a car at the airport.The rental car didn't have a GPS, so I asked for a map. I always get lost in Pensacola. Karen was the navigator and I was the driver. We got lost so many times I lost count, and we ended up in downtown Pensacola. To un-frazzle our nerves and to calm our frustration, we parked the car and had some lunch at some food trucks.

Mom enjoyed a beer, because she didn't have any jobs to do but just enjoy the ride. It was 80 degrees out, so Karen and I couldn't figure out how she couldn't be hot with that black sweater on!

We arrived at our hotel at around 5PM. We had left the airport around 1PM, and the drive from Pensacola to Gulf Shores is only a hour drive. That tells you how lost we got! Alisha, Jamie and their kids came over shortly after we arrive, to go swimming.

My daughter Alisha and her two children, Noah and Maddie after their swim.

The next morning, it was up early again, as we had to be at my grandson's school by 8AM. Lennox spotted us in the crowd and waves.

Gulf Shores Elementary School has 7 to 8 kindergarten classes. Before the kindergartners graduated, they sang a few songs. Lennox is in the front row in the white t-shirt, if you watch the video below. I don't know why the video is sideways! The next video shows him getting his diploma.

After the program, we had donuts in the cafeteria, which was a good time to get a picture of Lennox and is mom, Tiffany my other daughter and his dad, Blake.

Lennox with his kindergartner teacher. To be continued:

Mother's Day With Mother June Bug

                                 Sunday May 10, 2015

This is the first time in 6 years that we are in Iowa for Mothers Day. After going to church with my mother, I took her out for dinner at the Adelita's. This is a fairly new restaurant in Cedar Rapids, so we decided to try it out.

My mother June Bug dislike picture, so I snuck one in, while she was looking at thee menu.

The enchiladas were excellant. Naturally Joe spent the day with his mother Kay.

A few days later, Joe, Kay and I were invited over to my mother's for dinner. My mom lives in a 55 and older apartment building. Dogs are not allowed, so I sneak Mallery in when I go over. I open a bag and put her in. I tell her to put her head down, and she puts her head down. Then I put her blanket over the bag and we headed up the 3 flight of stairs, while Joe and Kay took the elevator. I have been doing this for the last four years, since mom moved in to this place. The other day, I was coming home with mom, and we headed up the stairs. One of her neighbors showed up and started talking to mom. Needless to say, it took much longer to get up the stairs, with conversation, and her friend being a very slow stair climber, and I was behind her friend. Mallery knows the MO, and didn't make a peep. As soon as we got into mom's apartment she pop's her head out of the bag. Mallery is such an amazing dog and  always seems to understand what I want from her. She puts up with all my shenanigans!

On the way home, we had to stop for a family of Canadian geese, another common event every time I drive over to mom's. Mallery continues to have her ups and downs, Last week she was doing so good, I thought maybe her new supplements were the reason. I stopped her fluids under the skin for 2 days, which caused a set back. Now we are trying to get her back to where she was. Today Joe and I had 2 more vet tech teaching sessions in the morning and late afternoon. I had been struggling with the administration of fluids which was causing stress on Mallery and I. I will be leaving in a few days to fly down to Gulf Shores, AL. for my granddaughter, Hayleah's graduation. While I am gone, Joe will take Mallery for fluid treatments to be done at the vets by a tech. I am stressing a little about leaving Mallery for 4 days. Please keep Mallery in your prays while we have this separaton  Our time is winding down here, and we should be heading back to Michigan in a little over a week. Our departure will also be determined by weather conditions, which will be needed to load up a moving truck.

Happy Birthday, Country Club, Treatments & Family Time

                                              Saturday May 2, 2015

On May 2 we got to celebrate Mallery's 14th Birthday. I remember when she was 12 and I just wanted her to make 13, because that is my favorite number. God blessed me with another whole year to boot! God is so Good!

With Mallery's treatments of fluids being put under her skin daily, we saw improvements with eating and energy. She started taking long walks she has not done in a very long time.

On one walk, a squirrel sat in a tree and antagonized her with his chatter and scolding. When we lived in our home on Willowbend Rd in Cedar Rapids, we had a squirrel who visited our bird feeder on our deck and loved to antagonize her as she barked wildly at it. On this day she didn't even seem to notice the teasing.

One night Kay (92) took us to the Cedar Rapids Country Club for dinner.

This has always been a treat for us when we come home to see Joe's mom.

The main room after you climb the stairs from the entrance door.

The dining room has large windows over looking the golf course.

The golf course is beautifully green already. Mallery would love this place if dogs were allowed. Joe and Kay are planning on golfing a few times before we head back to Northern Michigan.

There is also an outdoors dining area, but Joe liked eating inside better, plus by evening it is starting to cool down too much for dinner.

I love Iowa in the spring. All the crab apple trees, red bud trees, and lilac bushes are a treat to the eyes and nose!

After bringing Mallery home from the hospital, I found the Pet Wellbeing supplement, Kidney Support, online. It had almost 25 or more excellent reviews for kidney failure success. Of course I had to give it a try.

More long walks for Mallery around the Blair House while enjoying the beauty and aroma of the trees and bushes.

Kay lives on the 3rd floor on the back side of the Blair House facing the pool. Too bad it's not after Memorial Day, so we could use the pool during our stay here.

When Mallery first came home from the hospital, all she did was crawl into her kennel and sleep. After the fluid treatments under the skin and the kidney support I found online, she started to want to sleep with us again. This is a picture in the morning of her leaning her back against Joe's back, with the covers over her lower half and her sticking her head under the pillow. She like to bury her head under things for some reason.

Lately we have found her watching TV, something she has never done in her entire life. Joe thinks it is because the TV, for the first time, is down to her level. Our TV's have always been much higher up. Not sure what she can really see as she is 80% blind. Joe also though that she was looking for me. She seems to have a hard time finding me even when I call her name.

Come Saturday evening, I took over giving Mallery her treatments. The vet office was closed for the weekend, and the office tech's had been training me for this task. Can't say that I enjoy it, but Mallery tolerates it really well, probably better than myself. Joe's holds and comforts Mallery as I place the needle under the skin behind her neck. When I was a hygienist, I occasionally gave anesthetic. Never really liked it much back then either. The thing that seems to be the hardest part for Mallery is that it cools down her body temperature and she starts to tremble considerably. We have to put on several layers of cloths, so she can get warmed back up. I am hoping that the Kidney Support supplement will help enough so we can stop the fluid treatments. I just don't think I can do the treatments too long as it is too stressful for me. The vet tech said she knew of a cat owner who has been giving it to her cat for two years. The biggest problem is that after several injections around the same area, the skin develops callouses making the injection harder to push in. Mallery has lost almost 2 lbs. Her all time wight has always been 7 lbs give or take an oz or 2.She now weighs 5.2 lbs. We have been feeding her what ever we eat. Last night she had hamburger and green beans The night before she had chicken, green beans, and potatoes. On her birthday we went to my mom's home, and she got banana creme pie. She just loved that. We just want to get some fat back on her boney body. Don't think we will ever get her back to plain old dog food.

Today Joe and I took my mom, June (88) down to North Liberty to see her brother Keith (84) and his wife Patty (84). It was so good to see them! I have not seem the two of them for 3 years and they are the best Aunt and Uncle ever! Patty and Keith had a Yorkie that I fell in love with, when I was in my thirties. After that I knew I had to have a Yorkie someday.