Same Old Song and Dance?

15:50 Today saw the start of a seizure in the afternoon. Dad was working from home and we were on the computer upstairs when it started. Same old routine and back to normal.

I wonder if this is the start of a cluster and we should expect more.

Mum said she thought I was acting a little strange earlier today. All edgy and hyperactive. Then when she tried to put me out side to the toilet she said I acted like she was going to beat me and cowered away from her.

Later in the evening I wouldn't leave my ears alone so dad gave them a good clean. That only made things worse! After that I was shaking my head constantly and really uncomfortable. Mum and dad tried to distract me for a while until I eventually gave in and slept a while.

"Dad you're embarrassing me!"

Dad took me out for a walk around the park tonight. The weather was great, no rain. Which makes quite a change of late. When Blaine took me out last night we just got back home before it threw down enough to have drowned us.

Tonight though, I almost walked home on my own. Dad was just sorting out my "business" when there was a "rriiiiiiipp!". We were only half way around the park and the skate park was full of young kids. Dad's shorts picked the most in opportune time to give in.

We had to continue our walk with dad pretending as if nothing had happened. As luck would have it and although we passed plenty of people no one seemed to notice. I just can't take him anywhere!

An Event Free Few Weeks

The past few weeks have gone by without event really. Since the last seizure, which unusually was a one off, nothing else really has happened. Again I know I'll probably regret saying so.

Me and dad have been off on our usual travels around the woods and around the park in the long grass. I showed off just what kind of dog I am the other day. A couple with a muzzled Vichler walked towards us in the park just as dad was letting me off the lead. On the other side of us a guy with a Staffy was shouting not to let me off the lead and generally panicking.

Dad let me off and I just sat there watching the two dogs and paying them no real attention. I think they were both surprised when I just trotted along beside dad as we went on our way.

Over the weekend Janet and Dave made it official. They got married! Dad had to make a speech at the wedding, but I got left out :( Not even asked to be a bridesmaid.

I did get to say hello to Auntie Caz again though as she came down for the big weekend. I know that sometimes she thinks I'd eat her. But I promise not to do it all at once ;)

Oh, S#!7

Well I guess we were all holding our breath and not saying the words out loud, but today began with a return visit of the machette wielding seizure monster.

04:10 It was pretty early in the morning and now I've developed the habit of going upstairs after I have had half a nights sleep in my own bed, I was asleep on the floor in the bedroom when the seizure struck.

It was the usual chomping, paddling and unconsciousness. I was up and about afterwards and now I'm just relaxing through the day. Dad's working from home so he can keep an eye on me.

Now that I sneak upstairs and wake dad up to lie on the floor in the bedroom I have to use a sneaky tactic and catch him half asleep. If I scratch on the door dad comes to open it to see who's there and before he has time to do anything I push the door open and run as fast as I can through the gap and around to the other side of the room. I don't think he sees me and must think it was the wind or something, as he goes straight back to bed.

What a way to celebrate

100 postings onto this blog!

Keeping Quiet

Well there's only so long I can stay off the blog. I know things have been real quiet on here and that's a sign of good news in a way. I've held off as saying something is bound to be the jinx on it and the Genie will be let out of the bottle. So I'm not saying anything... if you don't understand well, sorry I can't explain ;)

We're off to the woods in a while for my weekly fix of fun and frolics. Dad will no doubt take his new phone which has a much better camera than the old one. The weather's supposed to be getting better, it's a bit overcast, but at least no more rain. We have a puddle in the yard that ducks could swim in.

During the week dad took some photos of me acting the fool in the grass. I really got carried away and dad thought I'd found something really smelly to roll in, but it was just long grass. I thrashed around in it for a few minutes until I was all happy and panting.

WTF?

Sorry I've tried as hard as I could not to resort to expletives on this blog. Tried very hard to reign myself in and moderate my language - and been as inoffensive as I could be. But I'm sorely tempted to have a burst of profanity driven by frustration and disbelief.

Why? Well I knew it was too good to be true. You may remember that the vet generously offered to help save me some money by combining my prescriptions into one [here]. Well today was prescription day, so I figured let's go for the big one and get a prescription for 3 months that covers the two medications - Epiphen and KBr for the bargain price of £12. So dad turns up to collect it and they say that'll be £18... same old price!

When queried they said they couldn't do it for the single price, dad must be mistaken. So who saved money here? Not us. The vet now used one piece of paper, not three. The vet signs one signature, not three.

I GIVE UP!!! I SURRENDER!!! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE,

ASSIMILATE ME NOW AND GET IT OVER WITH!!!

But life goes on. It's summer and that means good times. I prefer it a little cooler so I can laze around outside, but summer means long grass. When dad takes me out in the park it's the highlight of my walk. It's not even close to being in the woods, but it's still great fun.

There's two areas in the park where the grass grows long and wild and I just love to go running and hunting in it. I guess it tickles my nose and smells nice because I just bounce around in there snuffling through the long tufts and hopping around like a deer.

If you've seen Jurassic Park and recall the scene with the Raptors in the long grass, then that's all you can see of me when I'm in there. Just the grass parting as I race around having a blast.

Blood Test Results

Dad spoke with the Vet on Monday to find out the results of the blood test. It came back all good. A little elevated from the norm, but to be expected given the tablets I'm taking.

In a way it's good to know things are OK, but in another it means there's nothing jumping out screaming "This is what causes the seizures!" If only there were a straight forward answer.

I had some fun yesterday. Showing off what a big, bad scary dog I am. We had a visit from a couple of Sky TV engineers, who came out to install a new Sky+ HD box.

They turned up at the door, so dad and I went out to the gate to say hello. I bounced around and barked as loud as I can. They had a strange look on their faces... like they weren't quite sure of me.

Dad said I was friendly and that they'd be fine, so I woofed some more, just to make sure they could see how friendly I was. As they went around the house installing cables they'd stick their head into the room and ask gingerly if it was safe to come in. By that time I was bored with them and just lay there ignoring them.

As they were coming and going between their van and and the house they left the back door and gates open. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but postie hadn't been yet. When the letters hit the mat I was off like a greyhound, out the door and gates to go say Hi to the postman. Dad came charging after me to call me back in... one day I'll catch up with him and say hello properly.

In the Dog House

Looks like I'm in the dog house today. But it's not all my fault really. I mean, who goes leaving pizza lying around at night? If they didn't want me to eat it all then they should have put it away from me, how was I to know I shouldn't eat a slice of pepperoni and six slices of spicy Mexican chicken pizza. I was just tidying up.

Big news today is Auntie Caz is coming over for a barbecue. The family will all be over too, so I'll get lots of attention and probably lots of yummy scraps. That's if I'm forgiven and let out of the dog house by then. I'll have to put on my best puppy dog eyes and manipulate them like I usually do.

Anyway dad found this old photo of some one called "Carol Ann" and now I'm confused. Is this the same person as Auntie Caz? Just in case you forgot she's 280 years old on Tuesday - Oh, that's 40 in human years. That's still really old though isn't it?

At the Doctors

Dad took me into work today. That's a sure sign that I'm gonna be poked and prodded by the vet later. Especially as I didn't get any breakfast before we left for work.

On the way in the car I got sick. Dad said it looked like whipped egg whites as I'd not had any thing to eat. I managed to slip over in it and got it all over me before we got into the office. Dad wasn't too impressed as it made me very smelly through the day, bleurgh! He tried to clean me up as best you can with a paper towel and water, but the smell stayed behind.

We went out into the town centre at lunchtime. Thursdays are market days and the town is full of people. I was on my very best behaviour and walked good as gold by dad's side. I think dad likes taking me into town on Thursdays. He thinks it's much easier to walk through the crowd as they seem more eager to move out of the way when I'm with him. It must be the smell?

At the vets I got a good going over, ears, eyes and gums etc. It's all very confusing as they try to make me stand where they want. I wish they'd make up their minds - so I just lie down here and let them get on with it.

The vet couldn't find anything wrong - and the "bobble head" didn't show itself, so we're going to have to try to catch it on camera. The vet's going to talk with a specialist, even if we can't afford to go see them ourselves, just to get some additional advice.

They took some blood to send off for a liver function test, so we should get some results next week. They also asked about vaccinations... dad politely skipped the issue for now. No doubt he'll be talking with them about it later though.

I also got weighed again. I tried all the lady like tricks of one foot on the floor and leaning on the wall, but didn't get away with it. I weighed in at just over 45kgs, which is an improvement, and more like what I should be.

Dad treated me with his leftover chicken tonight, just as a way of praising me for being so good all day.

Why Are Things Never Straight Forward?

It's been a bank holiday weekend so dad's taken me out for plenty of walks in the woods. Mind you I've been that hyperactive a few really long walks have been needed to wear me out a bit.

Dad ordered a repeat prescription from the vet last week. It needed to be a little earlier since the KBr dose has been increase and the current tablets will run out quicker. The vet needs 24 hours to get them ready so after calling nice and early on Tuesday, they'd be ready on Wednesday lunchtime, right? Erm, No. Turns out they wont be ready until after 3:30pm, which means it'll be a push to get the order shipped the same day... I'm beginning to think the vet's trying to make things difficult because we order online.

But then when dad goes to collect the prescription there's a little surprise - or two. The receptionist asks if there's any reason they write out 3 prescriptions each time, KBr and the two sizes of Epiphen. Well no there isn't. I order all of them from the same place. The next sentence you can figure made dad scratch his head quite a bit. "Well next time we'll write just the one prescription then. Which will save you some money."

Huh? Had they misheard me when I asked if they could do this on my first visit, but was told they weren't able to do that? Well dad wasn't going to argue... how very strange.

But surprise number two was almost as funny. Dad reminded them that they had over charged us on the last prescription by £6 and they could use that credit this time. Turns out they'd already used the £6 credit on the last visit! So it went to pay for the Pro-Kolin+ without us knowing.

Well that's just sneaky. So I write how reasonable the cost of £14 was (link here) and then find out it was actually £20. Just bloody typical!

But the upshot is the online drug company played a real blinder. Dad called them up and sent them the prescriptions and they counted, packed and shipped the drugs same day. With first class post they arrived next day. I know I don't use this site for advertising, so just consider this a thank you to Pet Drugs Online.

Looks like dad's going to have to make another call to the vets though. Over the weekend I've developed a worrying shaking of the head. It's like I get a bit starey and rapidly shake my head from side to side a little. Mum calls it "Bobble head" as it's like one of those little toys if they were shaking their head saying "no". It doesn't last long and I usually snap out of it as soon as someone says my name, but it is worrying.

Makes us all think there's more going on in my head than what causes the Epilepsy.

Well next weekend auntie Caz goes over the hill. Apparently she's on the down hill side, so dad says. I think that means she's 40. I know, I know, you're all saying "What, again?" So hopefully the weather will be as good as this weekend - who knows maybe I'll get her to take me to the woods?