M&M's and Being a Child of God - Say What? 01/27/2023

 

 c in my world.  In my world, I love these guys/gals.  

Next thing you know, we won't even be able to enjoy anything fun because we might offend someone. 

The next time you call someone a "snowflake", the snowmen of the world will rebel.  All the alarm clocks in the world will stop working because the word "woke" is offensive.

It seems ridiculous to be offended by the shoes on a cartoon character, the color of the candy or their actions.  For me these characters bring a little brightness to the world of candy.  

I love Yellow!!! He is my favorite.  Their faces, their antics, their silliness are from a world of marketing and make believe.  

In a world of great climate change, hunger, illness, crime and evil, it would be nice if the those so easily offended were truly bothered by things that matter.  

Yes, I know this is an unbelievably stupid thing to be upset about, but I am !!!!

For me, M&M's will no longer be my Super Bowl Heros, I will no longer look forward to their Halloween commercials and I shall miss Yellow spinning on the fan.  

M&M's are no longer will be welcome in my home, they have offended me by their ignorance and stupidity.  Not the characters, the people running the show.

In the words of M&M:  The more color in the world, the more fun there is to share.  Imagine a world with less judgment and more connection & consistent laughter.  Purple was introduced as having an optimistic outlook, quirky nature, and authentic charm.  She was created to remind us to embrace our true selves.

WHAT A GREAT CONCEPT !!

But:

If that is true, they would leave well enough alone and let those of us who love our M&M's just the way they are go back to our colorful world of characters.

If it were just about M&M's, it might not bother me so much.  

Beware, first we will no longer have M&M characters, next we might lose the right to call ourselves a Child of God because we offend those who aren't.

Being children of God means we have access to the “throne of grace” through prayer, any time and from any place; we have the promise that “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The child of God trusts his Father to supply all his needs “according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). He is confident that the “Father in heaven [will] give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).

Today, M&M's tomorrow..................

Snow Days - A Picture of God's Amazing Grace 01/25/2023

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 1:18 NIV

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The world is beautiful, white, clean and the presence of the Lord is everywhere.

From the birds feasting on new seeds, to the silence in the absence of others.  

GOD is everywhere.

I love snow, it reminds me so much of Isaiah 1:38.  My sins are scarlet, but one day, I will be white as snow.

One day, I will be covered in the whiteness of His grace and mercy.

For today, I am thankful for a warm home, shelter from the cold and the continued promise of eternity.

My sins melt away in the forgiveness of the Lamb of God.

I am just passing thru for this world is not my home.

Until then, I will rejoice, be thankful and praise God for His amazing promise, 

His amazing grace and the 

beauty of the world around me.

Amen

This Guy ! - My Friend Levi - 01/24/2023

This is my friend Levi.  I met him, his older brother and his parents at the Fayetteville National Cemetery.  We were just getting started in our Youth Ambassador program with Bo's Blessings.  After a brief conversation, they decided to join us.

Levi is like a big ray of sunshine.  No matter what, he smiles, he loves to be involved and he loves to help.  

You will never pull one over on him, because he always seems to be one step ahead of the questions he asks.

Levi loves to live life, he loves to laugh, and he loves costumes.  This pumpkin costume was from one of our pumpkin patch events.  Some of the board members from Bo's Blessings wore this one year at our fund raiser.  I truly believe Levi wore it best.

His parents embrace Levi's uniqueness.  He is one of a kind, a truly amazing young man who doesn't always have it as easy as some, but he always has a positive outlook and a winning smile.

No matter what, his greatest cheerleaders are his parents, his brother Bradley and the people that are lucky enough to know him.

If you are ever blessed to meet this sweet kiddo, your life will be changed in a positive way.  

Keep changing the world Levi - one day it will be yours.

Absence Does Not Make the Heart Grow Fonder-01/23/2023

 

We made it through our first weekend without Lucy and it has been difficult.  Neither one of us is eager to walk out the bedroom door knowing our Lucy is no longer there to meet us.  That tail wagging, excited, happy girl, greeting us as if we were meeting for the first time.

Lucy was a love and each day she enjoyed being with us.  She loved company and attention.  She loved everyone who came to the house and made fast friends with service technicians when they were here.

She loved the kids in the neighborhood and the neighbors.  She wasn't really crazy about the other dogs, but oh how she loved people.

Danny and I have and continue to feel your support, love and prayers for us during this difficult time.  We know that each day we will get a little stronger, but we will never get over this amazing gift from GOD.

Thank you for the cards, calls, texts and personal messages.  You have helped us in ways you will never know.  We gather strength from each of you and your kind messages.

We were truly blessed to be Lucy's people with amazing, supportive family and friends like each of you.

The Layne Life Without Lucy - Day 1 - 01/20/2023

 Today is day one of a new life for Danny and me.  We gave Lucy back to God yesterday.  It was truly one of the most difficult decisions we have made.  We had just been through this with sweet Tac the end of October 2022.

Never in a million years would I have thought we would lose her so soon after losing him.  WOW!!!

Danny and I want to thank each and every one of you for all the prayers, positive thoughts, and kind words for us.  It was different walking out of the bedroom this morning and no tail wagging excitement to meet us.

Lucy is whole again, back together with Tac and never, ever has to be sad, hurt, or sick again.  

We say, 'THANK YOU".  We will never truly be able to express to you how the compassion you have provided to us has helped and will continue to help as we learn once again, nothing is forever.  

Embrace the moment and the memories.  Love completely and unconditionally.  And always praise God in the darkness, it will soon be light again.

We love and miss you, Lucy Layne.  💔💕💔💕💔

Lucy Layne's Trip to Heaven 01/19/2023

 

Proverbs 12:10 says, “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” 

Kindness to animals is godly. In fact, caring for them is part of our purpose. 

Today was probably one of the hardest days of the Layne's married life.  We said goodbye to our constant companion and faithful friend Lucy.

Lucy would be 8 years old in February.  She was a rescue puppy that was the first big decision we made together as a married couple.  Of course, Danny said "yes", and I picked out Lucy.  The white spot-on top of her did it for us.

We fell in love and brought this sweet baby girl home in March of 2015.  6 weeks old and full of energy.

Lucy was our 10%.   90% of the time she worked great, but 10% of the time she really needed help.

She was one of the friendliest dogs, she loved everyone and everyone that met her loved her.  If you didn't it was your loss because she loved unconditionally.

Lucy was always timid and afraid of other dogs, but she loved Tac.  Tac and Lucy didn't know one was a dog and the other a cat.  They were constantly together until Tac's death on October 28th, 2022.  That was the first incident that changed Lucy's life.

We were depressed and in mourning for Tac when we noticed that Lucy was not adjusting well to his absence.  We provided support and lots of TLC.  (the top picture is October 28, 2022 Tac's Heaven date)

Lucy loved to chase squirrels, bark at the deer at the feeder, drink water and eat ice.  She loved her morning and evening treats, and she loved us.  She loved her walks to Elmdale Lake, running free off her leash and smelling everything, she could.

She was afraid of water and hated car rides until she got sick.

In December, Lucy went in for a routine dental cleaning.  Dr. Robertson noticed Lucy having some tenderness in her spine, so a chest x-ray was performed.  Shock and surprise our normally healthy dog had a mass growing in her chest.  A thymoma.

Off to Tulsa for surgery and back home for recovery.  This was the second incident that changed Lucy's life.  Recovery was long and at times painful for this sweet girl.  She could no longer go up and down stairs, chase squirrels or run free.

Not long after we thought the recovery was over, Lucy was diagnosed with mega esophagus (ME).  This is the third incident that changed Lucy for forever.  She might have also had myasthenia gravis (MG) as well.  We chose not to have her tested, but to try to give her a good quality of life as long as possible.

That would not last long at all.  Lucy's quality of life took a turn for the worse.  Back and forth to the doctor, phone calls to and from the doctor in Tulsa and her condition continued to deteriorate.

A dog with ME has to eat sitting up, has to have specific food, slurries, thickened water, medications and a host of other nutritional and medical support.   We tried everything and then some more.  We prayed and we prayed.  We studied and read everything we could get our hands on about ME and MG.  Nothing we did made a positive difference.  In some cases, the things we did made her worse.

As we continued this journey, Lucy changed from the happy, loveable girl, to a sad, sick loveable girl.  She would walk two steps and regurgitate.  She stopped being able to pee and poop and she turned her nose up at food.  Yesterday, she vomited after every meal.  She regurgitated over 25 times, sometimes chocking on her own salvia.  

We decided to let Lucy go, to set her free and let her be healed in the only way we knew how.  Today, we held her paws, talked to her and loved her as she took her last breath.  (The second picture is Lucy this morning 01/19/2023)

Today, the silence is deafening for Danny and I, but for Lucy, she has joined Tac and Ollie in Heaven.   I praise GOD that Danny and I had almost 8 great years with this sweet girl.

Lucy was a true gift and one that made a huge impact on many lives.  She will be missed forever, but her suffering is over, and she is healed.

Today, is the final incident that changed Lucy's life forever, today she got to go to Heaven where she will live her best life ever!

Praise God !!

 

Lucy Layne - Only the Toy Has A Happy Face !

 

Yesterday, we received some incomplete answers to Lucy and her condition.  You cannot get a definitive answer, because there is so much unknown.  It's not the veterinarian's fault, it is the disease/condition and its process.

We decided against further testing for Myasthenia Gravis.  There is no cure, and the results of the treatment are questionable.  They may help Lucy, but they also may not and will only prolong her issues.

One of her doctors expressed his sympathy and sorrow that we didn't catch this sooner and offer medication earlier.  One of her doctors offered sympathy and support.  

Cutting to the chase Lucy is definitely wasting away and while we are doing the very best, we can for her, it's the condition that is slowly killing her.

Lucy loves to play ball and chew on toys.  The most she could do was carry her new toy to Danny.  She wanted to play so desperately, but the energy just wasn't there.  Her eyes say it all.

We have made the decision to continue to offer support, care and love to Lucy for as long as it seems to be a good thing.  We are praying and trusting that we will know when the right time is and have the strength to follow through.

Last night was decent and this morning has been terrible.  We continue to keep a journal of her days so that we might possibly find some things that make her days better and remove the negative processes.

We are not one of those families managing Mega Esophagus successfully, we are one of those families living on faith and prayers.

If Lucy had been born with this condition, her outcome might be different, but the thymoma, surgery and following issues will not increase her life expectancy, but rather shorten it.

Thank you everyone for all your prayers and nice thoughts.  As we transition closer to that final decision, we need them so much more.

Prayers for all of you living with fur babies with ME and MG.

Thanking GOD for such a great medical team and asking for HIS wisdom to make the right decision in a timely manner.

Lucy Layne and the Wasting Disease 1/17/2023

 

What a rough start to the week.  Yesterday, Lucy was sick from sunup to sundown.  Regurgitation was extremely difficult for her.  Coughing all day.  Every time she moved, she regurgitated or coughed and then regurgitated.

I have changed the name of ME to the "Wasting Disease".  She is disappearing right before our eyes.  The top photo is today, and bottom photo is Saturday.  I can see a difference in just these few days.

Are we doing the right thing?  Are we giving her a good life?  What is her prognosis?  Can she be cured?  Where do we go from here?  

Today we will go to the vet and find out some answers to some of these questions.  Danny and I both are focused on Lucy's life and the best quality we can give her.

She can no longer run and chase squirrels, she can no longer drink water or eat ice cubes.  She can no longer play ball or go for daily walks.  What can she do?  She can still eat; she still loves to be pet and held.  She is so smart that when she needs to regurgitate, she lets us know she needs to go outside.  

Are we doing what's best for her or for us?  We don't know.

Please continue to pray for Lucy and for us as we try to find solutions and answers for this terrible condition and what and how we proceed going forward.

Praising GOD that we have great resources, veterinary services and the ability to love her and care for her day by day.

Lucy Layne - The Highs and Lows of ME

 

The first photo is sweet Lucy yesterday afternoon waiting for her meal.  She sits politely, and just waits.  She had a beautiful half day yesterday.  We thought WOW !!! Maybe we are on the right track.  

WRONG !!!  Everything we thought was working turned out to be a false sense of security.  From 3:00 p.m. she regurgitated over and over again.  I lost count.  No more pill pockets for medication because they make her vomit, not regurgitate.  We went to bed with heavy hearts and sent a great many prayers up for healing and comfort.

Today did not start off any better than last night ended.  Lucy sleeps in the living room, when we came out of our bedroom this morning, there were fresh regurgitation spots in four places right in front of our bedroom door.

Her morning had started off rough.  I had been reading that it's important to keep food on her stomach, so......breakfast was fed with her meds mixed in her food.  Knox blocks and a little water mixed in as well.  It's been over an hour now and she hasn't regurgitated yet.  Of course, the day is still young.

The look on her face says it all.  That's how we feel as well.  When is this going to get better?  What more should be we doing?  

Today, we are going to continue this journey with sweet Lucy, one minute at a time.  

Our goal today is to try to reduce the number of regurgitations by increasing the number of meals, smaller portions and not a lot of activity.  Lucy has a doctor's appointment tomorrow and we will see if they have any other suggestions.

Reading stories of the trials and tribulations of other fur babies, I am thankful for this support group and the opportunity to share and learn from one another.

Prayers continue for each, of you as you and your fur babies travel this less than fun road.

Lucy Layne - A Sunday Full of Blessings 01/15/2023

 

On Saturday, January 14th, my husband and I went out for a date.  Movie and a dinner.  The entire time we are trying to act normal, we are both constantly worried about sweet Lucy.  Saturday was not a real good day for her.

She had regurgitated a number of times, looked sad and just unhappy.  She just can't understand what is happening with her body and why she can't run, chase squirrels or go on her daily walks.

Thankfully, we weren't gone long and when we came back, she was fine.  She had been resting.  As soon as we head outside and the cold air hits her, she regurgitates a small amount.

What more can we do?  Well, we keep praying and keep trying.

Lucy is smart and easy to train, so we believe she is going to get better, and we are going to get better at dealing with it.

Sunday is our church day and lunch with Danny's Mom.  

Before we can even thing of leaving, we will take care of Lucy's needs.  She walks to her bed, sits up and waits for her breakfast.  We give her meds at 7 and then at 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. we start the feeding process.  We feed her 3-4 small meals a day, so our schedules now revolve around her needs. 

I prefer to hand feed and Danny prefers for her to eat off the plate.  Both work so we take turns with the feeding process.  We alternate between canned food and the log type of dog food, added Knox blocks and a couple of tablespoons of water with each meal. The log form of dog food requires her to chew more so I cut it into bite sized pieces.  She likes it all.

The only way she will eat the Knox blocks is if they have extra chicken broth and less water.  I also add stewed dog food to it to enhance the flavor.

Today has been a good day for Lucy so far.  She regurgitated once this morning a very small amount, ate breakfast, we checked on her after church and another small regurgitation when we went outside.

Came home early after lunch with Danny's Mom and fed her again.  No regurgitation so far and that is a good thing.

Seeing her everyday makes it hard to recognize physical changes, so I am recording daily photos of Lucy so I can see any changes as they might occur.

We hope your ME/MG journey continues to improve daily for you and your fur baby.

Lucy Layne - Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. 01/14/2023

 It's Saturday and life continues to change and evolve.  This is Sweet Lucy.  Sometimes I am amazed at the positions she sleeps in.  Would you ever think that she is one sick puppy?  I wouldn't.  

She hit a few rough patches yesterday, but this morning she seems okay.  Of course, we haven't fed her or been outside so we shall see.

One of the things Lucy has going for her is dedicated doctors.  Her surgeon called yesterday to check on her.  Dr. Duell is with the Oklahoma Veterinary Specialist in Tulsa.  He is the surgeon who removed her thymoma.  He hasn't stopped caring or being interested in her case.  He calls every 10 days or so to check on her and he communicates with her local vet at St. Francis, Dr. Robertson.

Dr. William, Dr. Robertson and Dr. Myers work well with Dr. Duell.  I cannot stress enough the importance of having doctors you trust and who believe in Lucy and have her best interest at heart. 

Lucy has an appointment next week to be tested for MG - Myasthenia Gravis - she is exhibiting signs of muscle weakness, stumbling and trouble going up and down stairs.  This condition in many cases goes hand in hand with ME.

Lab work and additional medications next week.  Because Lucy's condition is not congenital, we are praying that it will resolve with time.  Her thoracic surgery may have saved her live, but it also created complications that make her life less than pleasant at times.

We still have faith that with time this will resolve, and we will have our old Lucy back.  If not, we will continue to give her her best life and make her comfortable.

Now Lucy is one of those special dogs with initials after her name.  Lucy Layne ME (and maybe MG) and I am now able to open canned dogged food and touch it without gagging.  LOL 

You have to find humor where you can, or you will never be able to deal with the day-to-day issues of a dog with ME/MG.

Have a HAPPY SATURDAY !

Lucy Layne and Her Pink Pillow-Living with ME.

 

Another day, another adventure.  The day started out fairly well but did not progress as nicely as we had hoped.  That being said, we went from 15-20 regurgiation episodes to around ten.  We will take that as a win.

Lucy decided the plain Knox blocks were not tasty enough soooooo, I increased the chicken broth and added stewed dog food.  It looks so bad, but this morning.......it tasted so good.

She actually played a little last night and seemed more engaged with us.  That was a plus sign in our books.

No episodes of regurgitation during the night were evident this morning.  She seems better this morning.  

She enjoyed the new Knox blocks with her food.  We are going to reduce the volume of food and add additional feeding times.  She still misses water, she is not dehydrated, but even an ice chip causes her to spit up.

The pink pillow was a travel pillow that we tried based on recommendations of many others with animals with ME.  It was not a big hit!  She wore it while she rested yesterday, and for her picture.

We are going to introduce exercise - short walks back into her daily schedule weather permitting.

She has gone from daily walks to no walks, and it shows in her appearance.  Her muscle mass is decreasing so, we must try something to help her improve in that area.

Today is a new day for Lucy living with ME  We continue to learn, continue to share, and continue to pray. 

Lucy Living with ME-Light At the End of the Tunnel 01/12/2023

 

Today, we are 43 days post of from Lucy's throacic surgery.  Life has changed so much since the tumor removal.  The tumor removal was to provide a better, longer life.  Lucy's recovery went from slow to calm before the storm.

The storm came in like a winter blizzard, fast, unexpected and life changing.  Visits to Dr. Robertson and Dr. Williams at St. Francis provided a diagnosis of Megaesophagus.  LIFE CHANGED AGAIN.

It's not a death sentence, it's a life change process.  No more table scraps, no more water from a bowl, no more free eating.  No more and then some more no mores.

Lucy is a sweet gentle, loving almost 8-year-old rescue.  She has always eaten and done anything she wanted.  Now a simple ball playing game can lead to reguritation. 

She has gone from jumping out of bed in the morning to laying around for an hour after we are up.  Just watching and sleeping.

Yesterday, we were back at the vets for more support.  In addition to Metoclopramide twice a day, we added Sildenafil Citrate.  Last night Lucy ate, played a little, slept well and had no regur issues in the night.

A friend of mine Terry Watts, introduced us to another pet owner who has raised a dog from puppy stage with ME.  Having never heard of this disorder, I was surprised to hear about the number of dogs that have this.

Support groups are on Facebook and it's a fantastic way to read and see how others deal with the disorder.  

Today, we started off well.  No hacking, Lucy sat in the Danny chair and ate her breakfast.  She gets her liquid intake in the form of canned foods and Knorr gelatin blocks made with chicken broth.  Lucy loves water and misses lapping it out of a bowl.

One thing about these animals is you must keep a close eye on what they put in their mouths.  While preparing my breakfast, Lucy went outside to do her morning business or so I thought.  Next thing I know, she is lapping up little puddles of water off the deck.  Before I can get her back in the house, she has genuinely enjoyed herself, but that would not last long.

For the next thirty minutes, she paces, hacks, regurgitates, coughs and paces some more.  She is clearly uncomfortable.  Once this episode passes, she must rest.   My fault for not keeping a better eye on her.

She is lying in her bed resting now and will sleep for a few hours, I hope.  While this is not the best life for her, it will get better with time, patience, and prayer.

The light at the end of the tunnel is evident even though today started out rough. Lucy is a fighter and we as her people will continue to be dedicated and committed to helping her through this and back to a better quality of life.

Lucy says "Thank you for the prayers and if you don't mind, please keep praying for me."

Lucy Living with Megaesophagus - Blog post #2 01/11/2023

 

Her eyes tell the story of just how bad she feels.  Our eyes reflect just how difficult watching her struggle is.

She can no longer drink water because it causes her to reguritate.  The sweet girl is still in there, but the mornings of her racing to the bedroom door as we come out are gone.

She no longer meets us at the door, tag wagging, excited to see us like it was the first time.  She no longer rushes to go outside to bark at the deer or chase a squirrel.

Her bark has changed.  It's so different from the sounds she used to make.  She hacks a great deal.

The first thing in the morning when she finally gets out of bed, she starts reguritating.  This morning she hacked and threw up four times before the coffee was even made.  Slimy, frothy, stringy stomach juices and then she aftereffects she is hit with fatigue.

Watching her waste away and not live her best life is difficult.  As Danny holds her and I spoon feed her, her eyes plead with me.  They look into my soul as if to say, "make it better or make it go away".

One of my friends has a friend who has a dog with ME, the dog was born that way and she has dealt with this the entire pet's life.  She offered to speak with us and give us some insight into how to live with and help Lucy.

We are also taking Lucy back to the vet for another consultation this afternoon. Please continue to pray for our girl and that somewhere we can break this cycle and make her life better.

Living With a Dog with Megaesophagus

Meet Lucy Layne, our mixed breed sweet fur baby.  Lucy has had a time of it lately, she had a thymoma tumor removed and was on the road to recovery.  Everything was going well, until she began reguritating daily.  One day it was fifteen times.  Day and night this poor baby could not get comfortable, could not keep any liquids down and just seemed to have taken a turn for the worse.

We went back and forth to the doctor and finally we had an answer.  Dr. Duell from Tulsa and Dr. Robertson from St. Francis in Springdale worked together and discovered our sweet girl has ME.

THIS IS NOT FUN!  We are learning to live with this just as she is.  It is recommended that you feed your dog in a sitting position.  Most dogs don't like to sit straight up.  We are working extremely hard to help her.  

You can buy or make a chair for your dog to sit in, but Lucy is so high-strung, we are attempting to try holding her in an upright position so she can eat.  I hand feed her; Danny holds her.  After she eats, she must stay in this position for up to 20 minutes to make sure the food passes out of the esophagus.

It seems like she can hold the food down, but drinking water makes her sick.  What to do?  After more research, we found that Kerr Blocks might be the answer.  It is a gelatin, chicken broth and water mixture.  It's eating nutritional water.  She has also been placed on canned dog food. (The smell makes me gag every time we feed her).

Lucy is worth all our efforts.  It is a learning process, and the outcome is yet to be determined.  She is losing weight and sleeps a great deal. We are taking this new adventure one meal at a time.  She needs to be fed small meals multiple times a day, so we are adjusting our schedules to meet her needs.

When you become an animal's person, it is much like a marriage.  For richer or poorer and in sickness and in health.

We plan to continue this journey with Lucy and pray every day that the outcome and her condition continue to improve.

Stay turned..........