The weekend before last was Richard's birthday. And since it was a "big" one this year we decided that he needed to celebrate it in style. We decided to take advantage of the fact that there is a cruise terminal in Galveston and we could easily do a long weekend away. So we booked a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. Neither Richard nor I had ever been to Mexico so we were both looking forward to it. We sailed on the Carnival Ecstasy.

I had sailed Carnival before but not a ship this small. Even so, it was large enough to accommodate about what seemed like half of Texas trying to get away for the weekend. The ship had all your basic cruise ship attributes, such as the grand atrium.

More important, it had several bars serving nice fruity drinks!

During the cruise they also offered a wine tasting event which we attended (of course!) It provided several different types of wines with several different cheeses and fruit for sampling together. Yum!

As it was only a short cruise, we only had one stop: Cozumel! The water there was absolutely breathtaking. I can see why people want to snorkel there. Heck, you don't even need to be IN the water to see the fish:

The tour I wanted (touring the Mayan ruins in Tulum) was not offered on this sailing, so we opted for a tour of the island instead. We were shown the small Mayan ruin site of El Cedal but it didn't amount to much more than some rocks.

The tour took us on a circle of the island. We saw how the "other half" lives on the island. The main port of San Miguel is where the ships dock. On the opposite side of the island there is no electricity, running water or cell phone service. It was heaven! Especially when we stopped along the beach of El Mirador with it's limestone formations on the beach. Beautiful!

It was so peaceful and relaxing. We didn't want to leave. Unfortunately we had no other way back home so we had to get back to the ship.

We were docked next to the Carnival Fantasy in port. That's the ship that goes out for for 2 days longer and visits Jamaica. Next time!!! But even though it was a very short visit, we really hated leaving Cozumel.

So on the way back to Texas we had a chance to sit back, soak up some sun and allow ourselves to be pampered for just a little bit longer.

Our last night on board we made a special purchase just for Phoebe. It's the Carnival mascot "Funship Freddie."

So now we're back to the daily grind with just photos to remind us of our getaway.

Now we need to plan what we're going to do for MY birthday!

Posted by Robbi at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, that's actually a bit of a debate around here. Not the happy part - we KNOW he's happy right now. But Richard seems to think Samson is getting a bit chubby. I just keep remembering how his ribs were sticking out when we first got him and I think he looks soooo good now!

As much as the little fella loves to eat, I've HAD to cut back on the amount I'm feeding him or else he really would be a porker in no time. He's still taking pills daily and I put those in cheese. I just can't take the cheese away from him - he loves it so much it just wouldn't be fair.

Meanwhile, he is getting so much stronger and his stamina is improving. We took him to Dr Hendrix on Saturday for a check-up. I'm thrilled to say his chest x-ray showed major improvement. His lungs aren't clear and may never be due to his heart problem and swallowing difficulty, but they are so much better than before. I was also very happy to see that he was quite perky during the visit and remained so the rest of the day. Before when we would take him he would come back absolutely worn out and sleep the rest of the day. But Saturday he was running around like a loon just like all the other furkids!

In fact, we really have to watch the guy. He's figured out how to get outside using the doggie door by himself. And he loves to go outside!

He just loves to be outside in the sunshine. He's perfectly content just to go outside and hang out in the yard or on the patio.

We worry about him because he still wobbles a bit when walking. He still has that crab-like walk and sometimes he ends up stumbling around in a circle before he makes it to his intended target. So we have to keep an eye on the little guy. Usually though, he only goes out when the other kids are out there too.

Because of the balance/gait issue, he has a very commanding stance:

He has to spread out his legs to maintain balance. Even doing this isn't always enough so sometimes he has to lean up against something:

But he gets around like a champ and seems to be a really happy guy. As his energy level has increased he has really taken an interest in toys. It's a bit much for him to chase a ball or tug on anything, but he really loves having a soft toy to chew on.

All in all I'd say he has settled in nicely and is doing very well. We're absolutely thrilled with his progress. I hope he's as happy as he seems!

We love you Samson!!

Posted by Robbi at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today is a very difficult day for us. Our beloved Alfie passed away one year ago today.

It actually happened in the evening, so one year ago today we had no idea it was the last day we would have our sweet angel. It was actually a very good day. Ironically, we had a vet visit that afternoon. Alfie had put on weight and his coat was back to feeling like a plush toy's fur. Though he was still quite ill, he was alert and happy. We settled in that evening in front of the telly and Alfie fell asleep and quietly slipped away. His poor little heart just gave out.

It still hurts so badly I cannot describe. Right now I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face thinking of how my beautiful boy was stolen from me. We loved him so much and cannot imagine our how our lives would have been without him having been a part of it. He was perfect and we were so blessed to have had him with us for the short time he was.

He taught us so much and changed our lives so significantly. If not for Alfie we would not be involved with rescue. We are part of PugHearts because of him. Richard & I cannot look at a senior the same way now. And we cannot look at the sickest of our rescues without thinking of him and his brave fight. Because of him, Richard & I volunteered to take Lilly, knowing what the ultimate outcome would be but wanting to give her every chance. Because of him, we took in Samson. We knew he was gravely ill but we also knew we could give him the medical care he would get in a vet hospital plus the TLC and warmth he could only get in a home. We knew we could handle the sleepless nights and give the intensive medical care he needed. Alfie taught us that. He taught us to never give up on as long as the spark is still in that dog's eyes. Alfie never lost that spark - his body let him down but his spirit remained intact.

But I choose to remember Alfie's good days. We had a lot of those and for that I am thankful. The photo above is one of those days. It was Christmas. We had a house full of family and pugs. Denny, Charlie & Alfie were happy. Alfie was happiest lying next to someone on the sofa with a rawhide in his mouth. For Christmas he received this braided rawhide in his stocking. He was the happiest pug alive that day. And I am thankful that this is one of the memories I have of him.

I am so sorry that we didn't have more time with you Alfie. But thank you for sharing yourself with us for the time you did. We love you so much and look forward to seeing you again someday. We will look for you at the Bridge.

Posted by Robbi at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We're thrilled to report that the little guy is doing well. He is such a joy and has such a happy, upbeat personality. I cannot help but smile when I see him perk his head up and start wagging his little tail whenever he greets me. As you can see, he is gaining weight and filling out nicely!

He has also really started to bond with the crew. It's amazing, they tolerate him bumping into them as he stumbles around. It's as if they understand that he can't help it and he's trying his best. They seem to have accepted him and he no longer sleeps alone. We caught this photo of Phoebe, JJ and Samson napping in the foyer the other day while Richard & I were upstairs cleaning:

By the time we came downstairs with the camera, they were all awake. But we were able to catch Samson, Denny and Charlie waiting by the front door:

I'm glad they're getting on so well. Health-wise Samson is doing better. I was so happy with his progress a week or so ago - he was hardly wheezing at all and his stamina seemed so much better. But once he went off of his antibiotics I'm afraid he started sounding raspy again. He still has a lot of congestion he's trying to clear. So far we've been keeping it in check with his homeopathic meds and daily nebulizer treatments, but we know he needs back on the antibiotics. So we've called Dr Hendrix to get a new prescription. Hopefully he can get started on that this weekend.

As for his right eye, well sadly it looks like it is no longer functioning. It doesn't seem to bother him so we keep drops and antibiotic ointment in it to keep it moist and prevent infection. If we can get him well enough to go under anesthesia we will have the eye removed to prevent complications. Thank goodness he's not in any pain or showing any signs of discomfort. We can wait until he's ready to have the surgery.

Meanwhile we have mysterious itching going on with all the other guys. Cindy's husband James sprayed the yard for us to get rid of the ants and mosquitos, but they still seem to be scratching a lot. Oh well, it's been a whole week since we've been to the vet for someone (Munch had her rabies jab last week) so I guess it's time to head back again and see if we can get some answers.

In the interim, at least Benadryl has one great side effect: SLEEPY PUGGIES!

Phebes (who has to sleep with her favorite stuffed toy Monkey Boy in her mouth):

Denny (who always looks so dignified - even in his sleep):

Charlie (who still looks like a puppy to me and looks especially sweet and innocent when sleeping):

And of course my squishy-faced boy JJ!!!!

I love my sleepy babies!

Posted by Robbi at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's been a really hard, stressful month around here but at least we finally have some good news to report. As many of you know, we took in a new foster last month. Samson came to us in pretty bad shape. He had severe pneumonia - his labored breathing and congestion were obvious even at a quick glance. He also has this crab-like walk where he walks sideways and his head tilts. He was severely emaciated - his ribs stuck out from all angles. And both of his eyes were cloudy. He was an owner surrender. The girl who had him said she had picked him up about a year ago from an ad in the local paper where a breeder was getting rid of him. Unfortunately, he didn't get any medical care while she had him and by the time we got him he was in critical condition.

When Cindy called to tell us about him, Richard & I immediately volunteered to take him. We needed to name him - the name the girl was using for him was completely unacceptable and we like to re-name dogs that have come from bad circumstances anyway. Without hesitation Richard said we would call him Samson as a tribute to his first Pug and Denny's daddy. Richard & I talked about the fact that this little guy might not make it, but we had to do whatever we could to give him a fighting chance. 

We brought him home on antibiotics and heart medication. We were relieved to find that the guy had quite an appetite. We made sure he had cheese & other treats in between meals to try and get some weight on him. We bought a humidifier and set it up in the spare bathroom to help his breathing. He & I took a "sauna" 3 times a day to help loosen up his congestion.

Week 1 saw little improvement but he had gained a pound. Week 2 saw a bit more improvement and another pound of weight. When his walking and head tilt didn't improve with the antibiotics, we took him to a neurologist. After a very thorough exam, the doctor diagnosed him with probable brain stem disease - most likely a tumor. We cannot have a definitive diagnosis without an MRI. But Samson's breathing makes it impossible to have him sedated for the test. Week 3 saw a bit more improvement and a little more weight added. Unfortunately, x-rays showed that the pneumonia was breaking up but since Samson has some issues with swallowing, he was aspirating some of the congestion he had been bringing up. Cindy brought over a nebulizer and we began breathing treatments. I was also worried about him choking, so we obtained a suction machine to keep his airway clear.

We had a lot of long, sleepless nights giving him breathing treatments, using the humidifier and suctioning the poor little guy every couple of hours. But it looks like we are finally turning a corner! The little guy has a lot more energy now and though he still has some difficulty walking, he gets around pretty well. He's even found out how to use the doggie door to get outside! On sunny days he likes to try and get out there to lay in the sun. It must feel good to him.

His appetite is good and he's looking much healthier. His breathing is not nearly as raspy as when we first got him. And probably most encouraging sign is that he has discovered toys! We actually caught him playing with one of Phoebe's nasty little eggs last night.

This makes us so happy. And he seems happy too. We had an issue with one of his eyes last week. It seems that the right eye ruptured and he lost a lot of fluid from it. But thankfully there's been no further issue and we're keeping medication in it to keep infection away. It doesn't seem to bother him and there's not anything that can be done at this point anyway. So we'll work on the things that we know we can work on. In addition to his antibiotics, we have started him on some homeopathic med's to try and help his congestion. We'll try anything we can to help the little guy feel better.

It feels so good to see him happy and playful! We hope that we can give him the life he deserves.

Posted by Robbi at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)