The Little Blue Pill

No, Not THAT little blue pill.

The pill to which I'm referring, is the antibiotic Clindamycin.

I had been prescribed to take Clindamycin 3 times a day for 10 days.

Well, Day 3 I had a near anaphylactic shock allergic reaction. The pictures below are after 2 days of heavy duty steroid treatment. The day of reaction, I was head to toe covered in swollen painful hives, I had a very sensitive mouth, I had blisters in and around my mouth, debilitating stomach cramps, horribly itchy palms and soles of my feet.
I'll never be able to take Clindamycin again for fear it could possibly kill me next time. But it could have been worse. I am still taking the medication with a heavy dosage of Prednisone steroid in order to finish combating the infection in my system.

Lesson Learned....unfortunately it's now an embarrassing and itchy/painful lesson I will be dealing with for about a week longer.

Sick

Bah! I'm sick.

Of course, the day after I decide to be healthy I get sick and I'm still sick a couple days later. Feels like bronchitis.

Hope I'm better soon...should go to bed....lots of rest and fluids.

Nyquil and Good night!

Getting In Shape

I have made up my mind that I want to get into shape.

I of course have a weight goal in mind, 70 lbs less than I am.

However, my sights are set more towards my health, than my weight. I want to run again...I want to hike and play with my dogs without being winded. I want to do activities with friends that my knees and back don't start to hurt after a short period of time. And I don't want to feel at risk for diabetes or heart attack.

Health comes first. So I'm watching what I eat. Not cutting out carbs, not necessarily counting calories. But I'm being more wise with my decisions. I've stopped drinking soda and started drinking more water. I'm trying my best not to binge eat as well. I'm keeping a little journal so I can see my progress. I'm going to try to start hiking at least once a week, or at least going for long fast-paced walks with the dogs.

I'm excited, I WILL be successful this time. I have to, for my health.

Business Cards!

My business cards came in the mail today! I love them!

Perfect 10-The Long Lost Sister

Searching back, I don't have many pictures of this little girl. This is one of the puppies from Gucci's litter. Pickle's sister, who was given away by my sister in law when she was only 5 weeks old. It was against my recommendations, but she was gone before I even got home.

She looks alot like Tipsy, but her nose didn't have as much white on it...and she had white toes.

Well, after 6 months of searching, checking records at the pound and countless emails from family to family....

I present to you:

SOOKIE!




Sookie is also sight-impaired like Pickles and Minnie. I have plans to meet her and her family who loves her to death in a few weeks. They seem excited to meet me, and learn about all the other puppies and their wonderful homes. I told Ian, her owner...that he has no idea how lucky he is, and how much support he will have. All of these puppies have such good families, and in turn have all become friends with each other.

I'm just so glad I found her, and she's loved...and beautiful

Congratulations Alex!

Alex took her CGC test today...

AND PASSED!

Woo Hoo Alex! She made me so proud!

How Much I Love My Students!

I decided to make my students treat bags, and Easter eggs for Easter.

This is an example of how many treats I usually have around the house to pluck treats from.
I made 45 eggs and treat bags!
For the class that is graduating, I made them special Easter baskets. I hope they like them!

Having Pickles For A Day

Today I borrowed Pickles from Sharla and Kyli. There had been big plans! Originally I was supposed to have a playdate with her friend Lucy the boxer at Cosmos dog park. But then that fell through. Then we made plans for her to see her brother Chance, unfortunately that fell through too. But that was fine...we (Jackson, Alex and I) had a wonderful day napping and playing and loving on Pickles.Pickles gave Alex a great big sloppy kiss!
And Jackson too!It made Alex happy and made her smile!They all love each other

Alex's Evil Grin

This is a video of Alex smiling (albeit evilly) as Pickles licks her face.

She smiles at us like this whenever we come home, or she's excited, or we talk to her!

Siphon Draw To The Basin

Today I took Jackson and Alex to Siphon Draw trail head, and this time we actually made it up to the Slick Rock Basin.
It was a beautiful day!And a nice time of year, it rained a couple days ago...so everything was blooming and green.Jackson and Alex loved running around in the basin...we were all alone the whole trail and in the basin...so they were free to run around as much as they wanted.Jackson is my buddy!

Now, the scary story of how Alex barely escaped death by rattlesnake bite!

We were leaving the basin, there is only one way down...next to boulders, tall grass and some trees. On the way up to the basin I had been mindful of snakes, but not super concerned. The sun wasn't out and it was still too cold. But now that we were headed down, it was about 10am, and about 85 degrees. Perfect weather for sunning rattlesnakes.

I made sure to have a short leash on them, so they wouldn't poke their noses anywhere it wouldn't belong.

Anywho, we are heading down the basin, and walking along the grass. All the sudden there's this high pitched screaming rattly sound. Jackson yelps and starts running backwards, Alex starts crying and is peeing everywhere. OMG, Alex just got bit by a snake! I'm running backwards pulling them away from the grass as fast as I can. I don't see a snake over there, but I'm not wasting any time.

I rip off Alex's backpack to check where on her stomach or legs she got bit...I can't find anything, and I see a puddle forming under her backpack. It's then I remember what Alex's backpack was holding...the first aid kit. I open the pocket, and sure enough, the pressurized can of saline had punctured from the pressure and was leaking everywhere. The squealing sound was the air and water leaking out of the can, and so was the peeing. Jackson and Alex just got scared because of the sudden noise in unfamiliar surroundings.

Alright, so she didn't nearly escape death, or a rattlesnake bite....but regardless I had to sit down for about 15 minutes after that to regain composure, because I was shaking and crying a little bit. Thinking that my little girl was just bit by a rattlesnake and I am now 2 hours up a mountain and there is a rattlesnake along my only path down.

Needless to say we didn't see any snakes that day. Plenty of lizards though. And the sounds of the wildlife was fantastic!

A New Leaf

It is on this day, that I rather interestingly announced a revelation.

Of all days, April Fools Day was the day I told Petsmart that I would be leaving them.

I don't know what it is about today that made me realize it...maybe I was just tired of being pushed around, under-appreciated....Maybe I felt like it was just the right time to take the chance to go independent with my business. But whatever it was, I'm so grateful. It's a long notice, probably mid July, but it can't come soon enough!