Merriment

So far I would not say this Christmas Holiday has been stellar.  First, Christmas was thrown up in upheaval when on the 23rd we were unexpectedly informed that the Little Guy would not be at my house on Christmas Eve nor my mom's house Christmas morning.  While little Max probably did not care, being of an age that presents just don't matter, it threw my mom into despondency since she had been planning since before his birth the Christmas morning surprise.  Combined with the most recent episodes of Crazy and Ridiculous made one want to shout, "Merry fucking Christmas."

Nevertheless I planned a wonderful dinner for Christmas Eve and in the morning I left to go get some final additions to my table setting and everyone was fine.  I was more excited about my table setting for Christmas than anything else.    My table setting was inspired by a healthy dose of Pinterest, Julie's table setting at December book club and my own imagination.  I was so pleased with it that I haven't taken it down.

Anyways, when I got back from buying decorations and after having finally found a sweater that would fit Clark's overly large chest, I found that Clark was acting "weird."  He got down from the chair and wasn't moving, didn't want to eat and was alternately shaking and staring blankly.  I didn't think too much about it because Clark has a tendency to get his feelings very hurt and often acts a bit offended whenever there is any kind of scuffle in the Backyard and I figured there must have been a tumble and being the smallest of the Pack he got the brunt of it.

Christmas morning we (Max) were opening everything that was on the left hand side of Toys R Us, when Sara called to say that she was on her way to the emergency room because she had been bitten by a pitbull on her walk.  She called 911 and even got a ride in the firetruck back to her house.  She is ok, but it's not certain yet whether the bite caused any damage to her Achilles tendon and she's walking with my cane to help with the pain.  Bill said that she needs to stop rubbing hamburger on her ankles to try to get dogs to bite her so she can have the firemen come out.

Yes, he is wearing a tie and a short sleeved shirt.

Properly attired for using a power tools

When I got home Clark was still acting weird and so I made an appointment for him on Wednesday.  And it wasn't good.  Clark had lost four pounds since he was in at the beginning of the month.  He was breathing laboriously, had a fever and was generally lethargic and he threw up a bunch of green bile in the exam room.   Combined with not having eaten since Sunday, the vet said, "This is not good; there are several things that concern me deeply and so we can do tests or we can try to make him as comfortable as we can for as long as we can."  I had the tests done, but hearing that Clark might need to be made comfortable "for as long as we can" started me crying in the vet's office because I thought he had just got knocked around in a tumble.  The tests showed nothing specific and the vet said we could either do an ultrasound or just try to see if he would take pain medicine and antibiotics.  I left the vet, brought Clark home where he refused to even think about eating  and therefore could not take his medicine and whereupon I commenced to become hysterical for most of the afternoon.  I was able to get him to eat a little bit of the pain pill and when Sara came over on Thursday he got up and wagged his tail and was definitely interested in eating.  Since then not so much.  Yesterday I called Pete and Steffi who suggested a long-acting antibiotic so I went back to the vet for the second time yesterday.

Why was I at the vet for the second time?  Because as I was walking I started to think about Sara who is still waiting to hear if the pitbull that bit her is current on its shots and I had this sudden realization that Baby Shila (pictured below), a pitbull, who had gotten out only a week ago, was not current on her shots because my sister hadn't taken her.  I had planned on taking her this week, but had a sudden oh shit moment, so when the vet's office called to check on Clark, I made an appoint for Shila immediately.

Fierce, in a sweater

 So back to Clark.
Things that look good for Clark:

• He still loves Sara.
• He is drinking water.
• He is getting up and going outside and doing his business.
• He has been interested in eating once or twice.
• He will occasionally get up on the couch.
• Last night he moved from the bedroom to the couch back to his bed in the bedroom.
• This morning he wants to be by me in the sewing room.
• He gave me a kiss on Wednesday night.
• His left ear is still sticking up.

Things that look bad for Clark:

• He is still quite lethargic.
• There was blood in his stool on Thursday.
• He is not really all that interested in eating.
• He threw up again last night.
• He is still shaking and weak.
• The vet doesn't sound hopeful.

I am now on Clark Watch and I'm ok to leave the house for a couple of hours since he's so lethargic he wouldn't possibly do anything, but I can't be gone all day.  I'm hoping that this antibiotic shot will take care of whatever is ailing him and that today I will start to see some marked improvement.  I did have things that I wanted to do, but with Sara out of commission and keeping the Grim Reaper at bay, I'm just as happy to have an excuse to stay home and read.

Clark Watch