Hoping that everyone had a wonderful holiday full of love and relaxed, happy times with family and friends. Christmas is Andy's birthday which makes it extra special here. Our day together was memorable -- handmade gifts, birthday gifts, sentimental gifts, unimagined gifts, laughter, tears, John Paul with us, cozy fire, big family breakfast, big chill clean-up, a line for the shower, girls in 3 holiday outfits, dinner with BIG family in NJ, toasts, tales, legends, delicious, elegant dinner, wild west travelogue, yankee gift swap, birthday cake, baby Nicholas in 3 holiday outfits, toys, Jake quietly comfortable in the middle of all, no traffic home, late night visit with James and more gifts.
It's a misty, gray day here today, but the sun just made a dazzling appearance when the vet called. The test results showed a strong presence of dangerous bacteria...(whoever thought we'd be happy to hear that?) Still a chance that it could be a bacterial infection in the lungs. Good news is that if it is indeed the diagnosis, it is treatable with a long course of antibiotics. Not so good news is that he worries it might be a false reading from tissue sample contamination. He would like to repeat the test tomorrow --at no charge beyond lab fees-- this because he thought about Jake all holiday weekend :-( and as a scientist, really wants to know what it is and then as a vet, try to save him if he can. I can't help thinking about how I begged to have Jake added to the patient list here several years ago. Different crisis then, and he saw Jake for a second opinion (which was the correct diagnosis and treatment), but the practice was closed to new animals. Last ditch effort, dog celebrity name-dropping. When I mentioned a good friend whose dog had been a patient for many years, Dr.Ringler smiled and said, "George B......, oh, secret password. Okay."
We are not out of the woods, but this is enough to power us through a few more days. He is doing pretty well. So are the humans hovering nearby. Thank you all again for your part in this. So many kind hearts! Mrs. Staggs over at Merryville left a comment that read If I had but one wish this Christmas Charlotte, I'd give it to you. (Picture me sobbing at the keyboard and then again and again as you all sent your hopes for Jake.) This I shall remember too. Always.