Flashbacks

A couple weeks ago, I was going through some old pictures and came across this...

I tried to reduce the glare a bit, but it's still horribly out of focus... But I couldn't deny the resemblance to this face.

I wish I had a better picture to compare, but this is the best I could find. I guess my baby does look like me! :)

Long Road

It’s been a rough road the last couple of months with Denver’s near death experience and all. But I think we’ve made it through! After discovering that Denver was suddenly in renal failure, I didn’t know what to do. Logically, I knew that the chances of his recovery were not good, but my heart just couldn’t give up on him without at least knowing for sure. And am I glad I made the decision to continue with testing!

With his condition deteriorating by the day, a specialist tested his cortisol levels in hopes that would shed some light on the situation since every other test had been inconclusive. When the results came back, it was discovered that his adrenal glands weren’t producing enough of the hormone cortisol that helps the body regulate stress. That led to a diagnosis of Addison’s Disease. The great part is that Addison’s is totally treatable with a once monthly injectable medication and occasional steroids.

The concern was how much damage has been done to his kidneys that isn’t reversible. But I’m happy to report that after almost a month on the prenisone we repeated his blood work yesterday and his kidney function is completely normal! It’s still going to be a long road of vet visits, pills, and a special diet, but he’s worth it. He is really a wonderful dog and it makes me so happy to think about Allison growing up with him to play with (or chase after).

First Steps!

I've been starting to worry that Allison would never muster the courage to let go and take the leap from crawling to walking...  She had progressed from basic crawling to walking while holding onto one finger.  Then to wall walking.  Then she began walking on her knees.  At this point I was starting to worry.  She seemed perfectly content with her own hybrid of transportation.  But after much frustration (hers and mine), I think she got tired of moving at the speed of a snail and she went for it!  It started last week with a little shuffle and finally on Friday she took one step.  A few days later she took two steps...  And then tonight she was all over the place loving her new perspective on mobility!  I know that I'll be regretting this milestone once she starts running, but until then, I'm so proud of my little girl.  Since her early arrival, I've been acutely aware of the potential for developmental delays and it's incredibly reassuring to have her back on track.  She really is capable of so much more than I assume is possible at 15 months, so I hope to encourage her to learn and grow as much as possible.