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| And in The House of Dogs | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 4 2010, 12:03 AM (1,876 Views) | |
| goldengal | Apr 4 2010, 12:03 AM Post #1 |
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Mistress, House of Dogs
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Good morning all .... I had a thread named this on 50Plus, and of course, other members spoke about their canines and felines too. How quickly our lives change. As the pet lovers from 50 know, it was two weeks ago yesterday that we lost Louie, our beloved Bernese Mountain Dog and the anchor dog of this house. I am dog sitting for the 3 other dogs as my daughter, SIL and grandson departed for Cancun Thursday morning, leaving the house at 4:30. Do you ever have a premonition it is not going to be a good day? Less than 5 hours after they left, I had a call from a paramedic to tell me my brother had tripped and fallen on Yonge Street and was taken by Ambulance to Toronto General Hospital and was in Emerg with a suspected broken left hand and hip. I should explain Ray lives on his own, and I am his only relative so, therefore, next of kin. Recently, I had been telling him he should give me power of attorney. He has nothing, but still I could pay his phone and cable bills when they arrive. He has lived his life so differently than most. He doesn't eat like anyone I know. Has not had fruit or vegetables in at least 40 years and only eats bread and meat. He is a chain smoker, and his one bedroom apartment hosts walls that are brown from the smoke. He has a myriad of health issues of which most are life style related, and he does have grand mal epilepsy which is one disease that is not understood or accepted by many. For the most part Dilantin controls it except when he is stressed or loses his temper which is often. Many, I know, say if people do not take their advice, they abandon them, but I am not cut from that cloth. So here I am with the 3 dogs so it limits the amount of time I can spend at his apartment to visit with his cat Mitsy who is the love of his life. My older daughter and I went there yesterday, and changed the litter box and left food, and while there I commenced cleaning. Over the next while perhaps I can get all the walls washed. While all his clothes were clean, they reeked of smoke so I commenced bringing some home to launder and will do so each trip. I live in north west Mississauga, and will not drive downtown so am going to drive into the city to my old neighbourhood and park the car and take transit downtown. While this happened Thursday morning, Ray has still not had surgery. First I was told it was because they had to have a room before it could be done. As of yesterday afternoon, he is 'on call' for surgery. I will call shortly and see if it is scheduled for early today. If so, it does not make sense for me to take approx. 1-1/2 hours to get downtown only to find out he is not in his room, and will not be cognizant later on. They are giving him heavy duty pain meds right now. Oh and the nurse I spoke with last night told me he needs his mouth washed out, and I well know that as I have been embarrassed all my life. At least wee Harley was good last night and settled down quickly on my bed whereas the night before he would not and went upstairs to sleep with Savannah, the Leonberger, and then came down at 1:20, and I thought he wanted to play whereas I realized later he was likely telling me he wanted out to relieve himself. For the next while, I will likely not post much as I truly am getting too old for all this running around which will likely be most days. Take care, Pat |
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| Darcie | Apr 4 2010, 12:14 AM Post #2 |
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Skeptic
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You have my sympathy Pat. That is too much for anyone to contend with at any age, let alone at our age. How long are you alone with the dogs? I hope you can get some help to deal with all of this. I am happy that you started this thread. I used to come and read it all the time. |
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| goldengal | Apr 4 2010, 12:29 AM Post #3 |
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Mistress, House of Dogs
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Hi Darcie ..... I just got off the phone with his nurse, and he is refusing to sign the consent form for them to do surgery so I'll go down when visiting hours begin, and see if I can talk some sense into him ..... but it won't be pretty. Apparently, he is yelling and his BP is going up which is not surprising. I do feel sorry for anyone who is in with him. You are so right inasmuch as we are too old for all this. Gary, Kim and Andrew do not get home until late Monday evening, and my daughter Dana said she will go over on her lunch hours to feed Mitsy. If it was not for the dogs, I could be out the entire day (that is if I could last that long lol). Take care, Pat |
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| Vanilla | Apr 4 2010, 01:11 AM Post #4 |
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Blue Star Member
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Oh Goldengal/Pat, you have my sympathy, life can be very hard at times, the only advise I can give is, please do look after yourself and do take care of your own health. Also my sympathy regards the loss of your beloved Loui, I know too well how losing ones pet affects our lives. Un-officially it is today Easter Saturday last year I lost my Petra, officially its not until April 11th, this year will be hard for me. |
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| angora | Apr 4 2010, 01:45 AM Post #5 |
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WWS Book Club Coordinator
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Pat, dear lady, what more can happen?What an Easter holiday you are having. You handle it all with such grace. Its good your older daughter is taking on a little of the burden of your brother. Here is an instance when you were right on - getting POA you could have signed the consent and everyone would have been spared the ordeal of trying to get yr brother to agree to surgery. I'll bet Montana is a real comfort to you now as always. I'll be thinking of you specially these next few days. warmest regards' judy |
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| FuzzyO | Apr 4 2010, 01:52 AM Post #6 |
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I'm glad you started this thread again, but oh my goodness I'm sorry there is all this stress in your life at the moment. I hope your brother doesn't give you too hard a time over the surgery, perhaps if you point out that without it he probably will not be able to return home he will acquiesce more readily. It seems that some people, men in particular, are likely to express their fears through anger and of coure it must be difficult for him withdrawing from his smoking. Can you ask the doc to give him a nicotine patch or one of the smoking-cessation drugs to make thins a little easier for him while he is in hospital? That way he would have a good chance of kicking the habit for good I imagine. He is fortunate to have you and your daughter to look out for his concerns and I am sure he know that, though he may not be good at espressing it. We'll be thinking of you, and though it is understandable that you can't post frequently or a lot, do let us know how you are getting on. |
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| helen_t | Apr 4 2010, 01:57 AM Post #7 |
Red Star Member
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Pat, so very sorry you are having to go through this. As Fuzzy says, perhaps a nicotine patch would help him as he must be going through hell on earth without his cigarettes and that can't be helping matters, being in pain won't help his temper either. Although that may not be a good idea if he's going to be operated on and it's doubtful if the medical staff would allow it. Oh dear, oh dear. What a mess. Thinking of you, my dear. Write when you can, but know that we're all here for you. Love Helen |
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| Bitsy | Apr 4 2010, 02:42 AM Post #8 |
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Veteran Member
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I am sorry to read that your Easter weekend is filled with worry and conflict. I hope you can convince your brother of the need for the surgery. In the states, I believe it would require a Medical POA to proceed with a treatment opposed by the patient. I am delighted that you have decided to continue The House of Dogs here…though I gave up all my animals several years ago, my memories are very vivid and I enjoy reading the latest escapades of beloved pets. |
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| erka | Apr 4 2010, 04:40 AM Post #9 |
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Gold Star Member
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Pat: Your brother is very lucky to have your and your daughters' support. I know it is not easy an easy situation. I too am glad to see your are continuing with your "house of dogs" thread. Edited by erka, Apr 4 2010, 04:41 AM.
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| Deleted User | Apr 4 2010, 04:47 AM Post #10 |
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Deleted User
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Oh Pat - what a difficult time you are going thru. You must get that power of attorney for your brother. It's too late to worry about his diet and smoking, but this is exactly the kind of situation that arises for which you need it. Does Canada provide any mechanism for next of kin to have a constructive power of attorney if someone such as your brother is not competant to execute one? |
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| goldengal | Apr 4 2010, 09:00 AM Post #11 |
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Mistress, House of Dogs
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Vanilla .... I do want to say how sorry I am that you lost your beloved Petra, and Easter Sunday will mark the anniversary. No matter how many pets we have had they tear at our heart strings and hold special memories for us. I did want to say we got a big surprise at the hospital. I was expecting to hear yelling and screaming, but all was quiet. It turns out Ray signed the consent form this morning, and surgery will either take place today or tomorrow. Turns out he ripped the IV out yesterday so had no pain meds in all that time. They have him in a private room even though he is not entitled to it. It isn't that he is a bad person because he is not. However, he has had a personality disorder as long as I can remember. He absolutely loves animals, and I always hold animal lovers in high regard. The nicotine patch sounds like a good idea, but I do not even know if Ray's doctor will be involved. He sees a doctor at Women's College Hospital in the Family Practice. I sure hope the dogs are ready for bed early this evening as I know I will be. Thank you all you pet lovers. It is wonderful to have you to commiserate with. Take care, Pat |
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| January | Apr 4 2010, 10:27 AM Post #12 |
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Small Star Member
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Glad he finally signed the consent papers to have surgery. Sorry that you are having such a terrible Easter. Take care of yourself as best you can. We are all here for you Pat. |
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| goldengal | Apr 5 2010, 12:13 AM Post #13 |
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Mistress, House of Dogs
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Ray had still not had surgery last night, and when I asked if it would possibly take place tomorrow (meaning today now), the nurse said, the key word is 'possibly'. No doubt the fact he has grand mal, cirrhosis, emphysema and hardening of the arteries is playing a part in the delay along with it being a holiday weekend. I was in bed by 9:15, and slept well until 2:45 when I just had to go to the washroom. Fortunately, Harley stayed on the bed, but when I came back, he slept on my head. Guess he does not like the look of this uneven hair. lol Savannah came down to get us up at 5:05 ..... and so the day began. The wind was so bad here last night that it blew a small secondary short fence with a concrete piece the width of 2 bricks into the yard which allows Harley to get out to the outer fence which has quite a space at the bottom of the gate. All last summer I kept the push mower in front of it, but my SIL put it in the garage. At 5:35 I realized Harley was nowhere. I called him outside and inside, but no Harley. Went out on the street in my p.j.'s and long blue coat with a big flashlight and no Harley. By this time I was becoming frantic because of all the dogs, he is the one who is the most curious about everything. I came back in and lo and behold there he was on the other side of the patio door looking in as if to say "what's going on here"? This morning I am off to the apartment to spend some time with Mitzy and clean Take care, Pat |
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| Darcie | Apr 5 2010, 12:40 AM Post #14 |
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Skeptic
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Pat, I will be thinking of you, what a busy time you are having. Remeber to stop when you are tired, it is not going to go away if you rest. Happy he signed the consent, with his personality problems he must find the constraints of hospital life very confining. It is good that they put him in a private room as from what you say, his behaviour must have been upsetting and scary to other patients. Somewhere, there must be a heaven for people like you Pat. 1r Edited by Darcie, Apr 5 2010, 12:41 AM.
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| swing | Apr 5 2010, 07:18 AM Post #15 |
swing
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G.G. so glad you started this thread over here. I always enjoy your posts. I'm very sorry to hear about your brother's misfortune, and the stress you're encountering. Thank Goodness he signed the consent form. You are a very compassionate lady, but to use the old prairie saying of my deceased Dad "blood is thicker than water"! Family is family no matter the circumstance! Take Care G.G. and hug those dogs! |
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