Kidney Stones and Barricades

For those of you who haven't heard, Paris (our Lhasa Apso) has been having a few medical problems for the past year. It started about a year ago she was bleeding when she urinated and was tested and had crystals in her urine. The medicine they give her helps her and her skin not to itch but makes her go to the bathroom more often which irritates her causing her to "scoot" on the floor.

Recent visits to the vet led to x-rays which showed she had three kidney stones. We tried to dissolve them by feeding her a special diet food from the vet but she was allergic to it which cause crazy itching which drove us all crazy! The food didn't work and the stones were starting to cluster together so our last option was to surgically remove the stones.

Monday we dropped her off for her surgery. We got a call later that afternoon from the vet that said he didn't have to do surgery on Paris. He medicated her to calm her down and so she wouldn't feel pain and hooked her up to an IV. They filled her with fluids to flush her kidneys. The Vet pushed hard on her kidneys and was able to get the stones out without operating! He flushed them a few times to get all of the stones and Crystals out! She came home last night with a little bandage on her leg, a bruise on her belly, pain medication, and a take home parting gift of 3 kidney stones in a tube!

So thank God Paris didn't have to have surgery which makes the healing process faster! (And Cheaper) The vet has recommended we take her off of the dry food diet and start a canned food diet. So we shall try! Paris LOVES the canned food...of course...wouldn't you instead of that other stuff??? Even though she gobbles down the new food it is still taking some time for her stomach to adjust, so we have to take her out a little more often.

Monday out of no where Jackson held his bottle. For those of you who don't know it...Jackson will hold a cup and drink out of it but will not hold a bottle. Well he did Monday and I'm glad a photographed it because he hasn't done it since...boo!

I feel like in this picture Jackson is saying with his eyes, "enjoy this now Mommy because I will never do it again...you will hold my bottle FOREVER!"

We have had a good week. It seems to have gone by fast, but thinking back it has been forever. It has rained so much, which is good, but I was teased with that gorgeous 70 degree weather a few weeks ago. I was doing so great about taking walks in the neighborhood with Jackson. Oh well it will come again soon, and on a positive note the rain washed away all that stinkin' pollen!

Wednesday night Elizabeth and Ella came over for dinner. This was the first time Andrew got to meet them. Andrew was too cute in the floor playing with Jackson and Ella, he really enjoyed it!

Jackson is bound to be walking any day now. He can cruise around any room as long as he has something to hold on to. He gets braver and braver each day...soon he'll be running, oh no!

We have had to "barricade" Jackson in the living room so that I can contain him in one spot. Since our house is so open and there isn't really and place for a baby gate we have to get creative with our barricading. My barricading skills are tested everyday. So coming out of our living room we have a couch blocking most of the entrance way and then I use an ottoman, a basket of toys....and a walker to make sure the seal is tight;) Well yesterday I was unloading the dishwasher and I kept hearing him getting frustrated...those of you that know Jackson know he's frustrated when he squeezes his fists and makes this funny face and noise. I go into the living room to find that Jackson has climbed into the basket of toys...trying to escape out of the living room...and can't get out. It was too cute.

Friday Jackson and I also went to the Jefferson Parkway book fair. It was so great seeing everyone. Jackson loved the library and all of the books. Mary Dean bought Jackson the cutest frog counting book that makes the croaking frog sound. Jackson learned how to push the button and it would make him smile. Thank you Mary! Miss Mary is too sweet!

We are still in the process of planning Jackson's birthday party... I can't believe my little man is going to be 1 soon. Time really flies. Most things are done but one of the big things is his birthday cake. Since it is his first birthday I decided I was going to try to make it myself. So I have been making cakes, tweaking the icing and such. I think since it is going to be a rainy day I'll try my hand at a bigger cake, that will be more like his cake. It makes me nervous putting this on my plate but I think it will be special. It will taste good but it may be ugly...oh well it is the thought that counts right?