Its been a very long while.....

Its been some time since my last blog. A combination of losing Karma and facing major spinal surgery sort of left me speechless for awhile. I did not want to post misery.... so thought I'd hang in until the light at the end of the tunnel appeared.

I now have a snazzy new titanium spine, fused from T2 - T6 and am getting there slowly. I was naive in my expectations of what i was in for and was shocked at the pain and disability of spinal surgery! Nuff said on that matter I am ever so greatful to be up and walking and not in a wheelchair! My back is not the same shape and I now sport a pretty awesome scar to wear as a badge of honour in my journey through breaking my back.

Karma left a gaping void in our pet family and it was very hard to recover from our grief. Shani coped pretty well but she does have a very full life. She has a job working for an animal behaviourist as a therapy dog .... see http://www.dogsontrack.com.au/ and most weekends see Shani girl out rehabilitating aggressive hounds.

She loves her job and when Jane arrives to fetch her she goes spacko... zoomies and sprints to where her collar and lead are so she can get to work!

A new addition has recently been added to the Ark.... enter Zinzi a Chihuahua x Min foxy who is now Shani's "mini me" and new companion. Shani was a bit lost when we all went out and would whine quietly to herself so we decided a small "side-kick" to keep her company was a good idea. Zinzi is pretty full on and has bought many smile and much love into our home. EVERYONE adores her even Blue the Siamese is besotted. He plays non stop with the puppy all day. Shani lets her share her bed and her exuberance has bought smiles to all.

Well I reckon that's enough for my return blog.... will post again soon.

Chat soon

Si

Nothing more can go wrong......

Well folks in the saga that is my life........

Just whenI thought nothing more could go wrong, my back has not healed and I am scheduled for Spinal surgery in the next few weeks. Soo may not be back bloggin for awhile again.......


I am going to have from T2 -T6 fused with titanium rods in an effort to stabilise my very broken back. I am comfortable about the decision because I have been slowly deteriorating and the pain and disability increasing........

I'll be back......

Sayonara
Sian

I lost my best friend.........Karma

It has taken me a while to pluck up the courage for this blog. I started blogging when I got involved in the world of Greyhound Adoption... it was meant to be a dog blog, along the way other parts of my life and thoughts crept in. This blog however is pure dog..........Karma.



Last week I made the saddest, toughest decision to make .... I elected to let Karma go with the dignity and love she deserved. After about 5 months of steady decline in her health and appearance, my beautiful Karma was a mere shell of herself. She no longer enjoyed her walks, she stopped interacting with the family, she was very grumpy to other animals....not Karma anymore.



I will always remember her as the most gentle dog I ever owned. So polite and loving and possibly the most loyal dog I ever owned. If I was near and someone else tried to walk her away from me she would just stand there....not without me...she was not going to move.

So I take solace in having had the love of the sweetest dog for the years she spent with us....and hope she enjoyed her time with us.....

R.I.P my beautiful girl
Sian

The Last Straw....

Sometimes I wonder why my life is so...challenging! Seems that no sooner do I climb one mountain, when another looms up immediately? Oh well what can you do...but keep climbing...

So in November I happily completed my Veterinary Nursing Certification... and then spent December working long hours at work, it was our busy season and we had some staff shortages. I was very relieved to be finished studying...

My plan was to take some time off when things settled and get my messy home in order... unfortunately this was not to be...




On the 24Th January I went to ride a horse that had been purchased as "suitable for a competent child", well it turned out to be suitable as rodeo bronc! I was thrown very hard and broke my back!

I have unfortunately fractured 3 vertebrae. Slab fractures off T1 and T2 and then a more than 50% burst compression fracture to T4... The neurosurgeon says I am fortunate to be walking... So I am currently housebound after 2 weeks in hospital...and now unable to work ....

Soo thats my latest excuse for lack of "blogging"...

As soon as I am able to get about and take some pics...I 'll try get the blog running again...

Cheers for now
Sian

I'm done!

Well 3 years, 2 bouts of cancer and lots of work......and I am finished my Vet Nurse Certification. Its a good feeling......not having to study and hand in anymore assignments. After 15 years of Vet Nursing without the certification....it will be good to have the "bit of paper" to go with it!



I am very happy to have finished, there were times I wanted to throw in the towel....but now its done. I have learned lots.......and won't be studying anytime in the near future.....this old dog is done with tricks for awhile!

All is well with the multitude of beasts I own. Karma certainely has aged over winter and is becoming a little cranky. She is no longer so tolerant and if other dogs jump on her she now growls a warning, I guess have old creaky bones can make one a bit irritable. She is approaching 9 years old, its to be expected. She still loves her walkies and will play bow for me......she is always my "special girl".



Shani has blossomed, she is a bundle of fun and maturing into a very sweet gentl girl. She recently became an assistant to an Animal Behaviourist friend of mine. She goes out to help with "dog aggressive" dogs. Her gentle disposition means that she soon wins over the other dog with her gentle demeanour. Never reacting to snaps and snarls, turns her head and just ignores it. They soon realise she means no harm and settle down to walk nearby without attempting harm. It takes a special dog........and she is one!



The cats are fine...getting along reasonably well, keeping me awake as usual......you know the drill.

My next plan is to do some fun stuff......take photos.....and update my blog more frequently! So see you soon.

Si

Its that time again.........

Well my (hopefully) final semester has begun. Blogs will be scarce.....

The Clan is well, just surviving a very cold winter? After 3 years in Queensland I am thinking this has been the coldest for sure. Poor Karma has taken immense strain. She has aged suddenly and is looking and acting like an "old" dog. She has a bad hip/back and the arthritis is bothering her. We got to the point where she was refusing to walk.....would just stop and stare at us.




So she is now on some meds for her pain and has brightened up a bit. Shani is her normal hectic self and is still needing lots of exercise.



The cats are either in bed or on your lap. They are not enjoying the cold much either....wish I could spend as much time as they do in bed!



And me? ....... well I am not too bad actually.......my latest medication has helped my fibromyalgia pain and I can "MOVE" again........its been great!

Gotta Go

Si

I hate toast tagged me....

1) The FAQs and some FUQs (unasked) about the name "Its Character Building".

I have had some some "Character Building Years" sort of started about 11 years ago.......nursed two fathers with cancer , Den's with Pancreatic Cancer and mine with Lung Cancer. Had "at gunpoint" robberies in Johannesburg, emmigrated country, had a husband who has had a rare life threatening tumour known as a Pheochromocytoma.........and then Oral Cancer 18 months later....given a 15% prognosis..... have been told by many "Its Character Building"...........

Its not........it sucks but hey what do you do.......cope.....got 2 kids to raise and wailing doesn't help (I tried)

2) How I met my manboy.

In a pub in Kimberley South Africa..... 21 years ago........am waiting for my medal for putting up with immense amount of sh..t!

3) I make bad stuff.

Not sure.........don't make stuff?

4) I keep stuff about yurts and tiny homes for retirement.

Nope not me...

5) I love the smell of cat and dog paws. They smell like Fritos.

Not sure they smell of Fritos........but after 20 years or more of working with animals I have smelt hooves, paws you name it.....Fritos have not come to mind......

6) I have never had a job for which I applied.

Uh.....had some pretty awesome jobs......been in the "right place at the right time"......put it down to networking...........