Working our way back to normal

This painting of Levi was done by a very good friend, you can see more of her incredible work at http://wooffactory.com/. Levi stayed with Steph and her pack for a week in Nebraska after getting out of the shelter and before heading home here. Thank you so much for this wonderful painting Steph.

After Levi

Can't seem to pull out of this sadness, depression, anger, I took the week off of work and all I'm doing is sleeping, in between taking care of the rest of the dogs. I really miss Levi, Mellow seems to miss him as well, he's spending a lot of time under the desk in Levi's old spot, Mellow never went under there before. Going to force myself to get going today.

I started Hannelore right after Levi was diagnosed, and finished the knitting just before he left us. Lots of tears in the lace, a lot of it was knitted while Levi was on the floor next to the couch within petting reach when he was still moving well enough to follow me everywhere, when I woke up at night checking to be sure he was OK and then knitted until I could go back to sleep. I managed to wash it and block it this weekend and its stored away, maybe someday it will just remind me of Levi as the wonderful companion he was, not of the devastating illness he suffered in the last month of his life.

Levi

Levi lost his battle yesterday, we went to the vet he knows and loves rather than the hospital he's spent so much time at, and he's now at rest. He's taken quite a lot of my heart with him. Run free at the bridge Levi, I love you and will miss you. Hugs to our friend Stacie for the beautiful picture.

Miracle needed

This is it, the last med, his intestines have only gotten worse in the last month. His doc said this most likely won't work, but I'm trying it for a few days hoping for a miracle, so far he's had it for two days and no improvement, there's nothing left to try. Thursday night, if he's no better I stop giving him all these pills, so many pills, I'll send him to the bridge on Friday afternoon, I can't let him go on like this past Friday, he's so sick. The picture was taken last summer by a good friend who was involved in his rescue, I love this picture, its so Levi, calm, peaceful. Everytime I think I've finally run out of tears I find that I have more.

http://www.dogster.com/dogs/656293

Hanging In

I don't know how, but Levi is still fighting, he had to be hospitalized last week, his back legs got increasingly weaker until he lost use completely. Silver lining, we now have a new doctor who seems to be paying more attention. The meds he was on haven't improved anything in a month and have been changed, and he'll be seen much more frequently. He's home now and moving slowly, but he's up under his own power. The new doc said IL dogs get worse before they get better, and he's hoping we've hit bottom and will only go up. There's been so many ups and downs, more downs, the few good days he has are treasured. He had a fairly good day yesterday considering, today is already heading for a down. He has an appointment tomorrow to gauge how the new meds are working.

Still knitting like crazy, I wake up repeatedly at night just to make sure Levi's still breathing and end up knitting until I can fall asleep again. I completed Hannelore, its not blocked yet but its very pretty. Not sure what to start next, maybe another Niebling.