i am alive!

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emmabeth
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Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:24 pm
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i am alive!

Post by emmabeth »

Honestly I am - what a few weeks though, my gallstones revolted (And they are revolting) which is generally old news but normally they settle down for a few months, this time they have required me to take tramadol every few days or even everyday which produces another revolting effect - I can projectile vomit a LONG long way!

When not performing recreations of scenes from the Exorcist, sadly, we lost Elliedog last week, she had a sudden and very aggressive tumour develop in her beautiful pointy nose and within three days it had eaten away part of her nasal bone, so we let her go before it affected her breathing, she made it quite clear the day before that she had had enough when we came home froma day out and she didn't want to go back in the house with the other dogs :(

Then we had Mikes mums funeral on monday, she died two weeks ago after battling stomach cancer for nearly 4 years :(

So thats whats been going on here but hopefully things might return to normal now!
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Fundog
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Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: i am alive!

Post by Fundog »

Oh wow! I am so sorry for your loss, and I hope you get to feeling better real soon.
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
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Nettle
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Re: i am alive!

Post by Nettle »

So sorry for all you have been through.

What a lovely last few years you gave Elliedog.

Hope you are feeling MUCH BETTER soon.

Good to hear from you.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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JudyN
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Re: i am alive!

Post by JudyN »

(((Hugs)))
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Ari_RR
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:07 am
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Re: i am alive!

Post by Ari_RR »

Good news is that you are alive
Bad news is pretty much everything else :(
Hang in there, it'll get get better
mansbestfriend
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Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: i am alive!

Post by mansbestfriend »

Best wishes Emmabeth.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Sit.
Suzette
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Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: i am alive!

Post by Suzette »

Sorry to hear about all the rough patches you are going through and the loss of your sweet dog.:(

But good to have you back. I hope things are soon looking up!
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
Dibbythedog
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Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:08 pm
Location: Middlesex West London

Re: i am alive!

Post by Dibbythedog »

Sorry you are having such a rough time and I'm sorry to hear of the loss of Mikes mum and Ellie dog. :(

That's very sad and a lot to have to cope with.
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wvvdiup1
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Location: Pennsylvania

Re: i am alive!

Post by wvvdiup1 »

Sorry to hear about your loss, so lots of hugs to you. :(
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jacksdad
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: i am alive!

Post by jacksdad »

wow Emma, your having quit a run of "it sucks". sorry to hear your health took a turn and sad to hear about ellie
delladooo
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Location: Blackpool, UK

Re: i am alive!

Post by delladooo »

I've been watching for updates on how you are on fb, so sorry to hear things still don't seem to be getting any better :(
emmabeth
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Re: i am alive!

Post by emmabeth »

Thought I'd update this.. cos its Christmas!

So - yep things were pretty rough, but hopefully I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - I have finally found a pain management routine (no real help from medics just me and my gp, still waiting for a specialist appointment with a pain management team!) that appears to help and not make me too sick or leaves me still in pain.

The downside is its a combination fo paracetamol, tramadol AND morphine and it looks like theres no real way of avoiding an addiction to both tramadol and morphine now (something Ive been trying hard to avoid for years for a variety of reasons!), but the good news is that now for at LEAST half a day I feel pain free AND not particularly 'stoned' or nauseous.

I've also lost half a stone in weight (7lb americans, i cant do kg!) and probably more since I am living on a starvation diet of around 500 to 900 calories a day. I still throw up a lot but i can handle that, its the feeling sick i cant handle (i know that sounds weird but its totally possible to throw up regularly without feeling particularly sick!)

So, feeling a lot more positive and... in the new year we have a new dog joining us, baby puppy Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen! I shall tell you more when she lands!

So heres to a good christmas everyone and a happy new year!
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Erica
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Location: North Carolina

Re: i am alive!

Post by Erica »

Good to hear you have something that works now! Can't wait to see the little puppy :)
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Fundog
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Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: i am alive!

Post by Fundog »

Emmabeth, I'm sorry to hear about your challenges with chronic pain and finding a management plan that works. Mr. Fundog has been on a PM for several years, since his spinal fusion. One thing we have learned-- and now some American doctors are figuring this out too-- is that when you are in chronic, constant pain, it isn't really possible to become "addicted" to pain medication, nor does it even matter all that much if you become so. Being able to reduce pain to a level that restores functionability (getting out of bed, getting dressed, even going to work, etc.) is much more important than being driven mad with pain and not being able to do anything but lay in bed and cry.

PM me if you'd like, or perhaps I will PM you and send you some more encouraging words. Mr. Fundog is on some pretty strong narcotics, he can't do a lot of things, or finds many things very difficult and painful to do, but he is gainfully employed and is even walking the dogs now. The key is finding something that reduces the pain just enough to let him function without compromising his cognitive skills. He is never "pain free," just reduced enough to push through and do what has to be done.

Merry Christmas, Emmabeth!
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
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