tressel pics

I was thinking I'll have to put together a little book of tressel pics but here are some few favs over the last couple of years from about 11/11 - today. I'll need to go back and find the ones from earlier.

(obviously not tressel but funny of Calvin with Dave's mom cat)

lots of pics of tressel in bed with the girls...usually clare

tressel came to the snow with us. This is one of my favorite pics  of all time

looking for a place to make yellow snow

When he was cold he'd curl up and tuck his nose under his paw ....or go near one of the girls and cry so they'd cover him up.

 Tressel has always loved dog beach. His favorite place on earth

 He loves playing with dave.

He loves to hang out with the people in the family. He'll always look for someone sitting in one place and sit with them.

remember when he got bit at the beach?

Lance is a big time Tressel lover

Tressel would always look for a blanket to sit on when he'd find a comfortable spot on the floor.

Tressel was not really a fan of being used as a horse but Jo loved it!

Lexey's family pic this year.

We are at the on leash part of the beach here .. he really wants to run after the kids but I had to keep him on leash. Love how you can see all the kids and the dog in this picture.

These three are a little older but dave had set them aside, I think he stuck them in a presentation at work.

Also a couple of pics of me and mom I found while going through old pics. Had to include them on mother's day week and the week that she had died 15 years ago.

poor Tressel

Yesterday we found out Tressel has osteosarcoma (bone cancer).  It is probably pretty advanced already as there was another lump on his neck/chest area that is probably a tumor as well. There isn't any point in doing major treatment for him since it would help at all anyway, so we are faced with a sweet 5 year old dog who is basically in hospice care for a few weeks or months at most.

A couple of weeks ago we noticed tressel limping a little bit. We waited to see what would happen, keeping up our regular walks for a few days, hoping it was just a sprain or something in his foot. However, we examined his leg and paw day after day and didn't find anything. Meanwhile, tressel was definitely in more pain as the second week progressed, crying out at times and slowing down his activites. The limp was very pronounced and he was hardly bearing weight on his left leg.  As he jumped off the couch, or into the car he would sometimes let out a cry. Over the weekend on several occasions he let out a long long cry "ouhhhhhh ahhhhhhhh" when he tried to jump into the car and once when he tried copying Dave who jumped over a bush. We knew then that something was wrong. maybe a break or sprain?

I took him to the vet Monday morning.  The vet examined him and localized the pain to his joint at the top of his leg (like our shoulder) and wanted to do x-rays. She also found a bump that she thought might be a lymph node that was clogged and wanted to aspirate the lymph node.  Additionally she noted some edema, loose skin around tressels arm pit area which was unusual. The dogs skin is tight and he is muscular underneath.  So, I left tressel with her and went home to go about my day. I was a little worried about these 3 symptoms pointing to something more serious than a break, but hoped that somehow that's all it was going to be.

When I went back to the vet she showed me his x-ray and the part on the bone where there is a tumor at the top of his leg bone. She also said that the bump was not a lymph node but some other kind of mass (obviously a tumor).  She already knew that we were not the extensive surgery type so she didn't recommend that, but she said it probably wouldn't help much anyway. She had another case like Tressels where they amputated the leg and did aggressive treatment but the dog still died within 6 months.  She thinks Tressel will live 1-3 months.  She gave us some pain meds to help manage his pain. He is obviously in a lot of pain right now.   Last night I let Tressel sleep in my room on the floor (previously he was not allowed in my room), and he cried a lot of the night. I'm not sure if he was hurt or if he just wanted to sleep with the girls.  But it hurts him to walk downstairs so he didn't just get up and go down there on his own.  At one point, I walked with him downstairs and tucked him in with the girls.

This morning I gave Tressel some pain meds and he seems to be feeling a little better. He is up and around a bit. Prior to the pain meds he was just laying around mostly. The kids dropped food on the floor and he didn't go for it.  Clare said, "mom, I just put some food on the floor and tressel is not getting up for it."  Then Lexey said, "TRESSEL'S DYING" and cried for 'til it was time to go to school.

The kids have mixed emotions. They are sad but they also aren't. Kids can't really grieve for what is going to happen, I don't think they understand it well. They are all asking if we can get a new pet when tressel dies. Lex wants a cat, Calvin wants a golden retriever puppy! They are funny kids.

I was really hoping that Tressel would be the balm for the girls after our move, since he sleeps in their room and is such a good companion to them, especially Clare. now we're thinking Tressel won't even make the move with us.

Here is a picture of Tressels leg with the tumor just below the joint.

fun times

We enjoyed many trips to LEGOLAND this winter.  Don't you love how Southern CA looks in the winter? We are spoiled

This is Clare's best friend Annika. We are really going to miss her and her great family!

selfies on the phone

We call this "paula hair". one of my friends often wears her hair up in a bun. Lexey likes to do that too on some days!

Checked Lexey out of school for a zoo day. It was fun. We met up with several friends from the ward, including Charlotte

Jo and I love dog beach. We often go there when we have to take Calvin in to school. Jo is really loving the bay these days. No waves so she feels comfortable to put her feet in.

My Dad and Kari have the great tradition of taking the kids out on their birthday to lunch and then letting them pick a present. Lexey found  a couple of frozen dresses.

 Jo was loving it too!

Another zoo trip. We love the giant Galapagos turtles. (and the metal ones too)

Dave took lexey to the lego store to let her get a new lego set for her birthday.

 Parents were invited to Calvin's school to see belt testing. Calvin has karate class every day, he does very well and enjoys it a lot. Sense Frank does a great job with the kids.

Calvin was doing so well he got to skip a level and go right from white to orange belt. He was very proud

Honey Lime Enchaladas

 I want to try these soon!

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 10 enchiladas

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken

• 2 cups green enchilada sauce, divided
• 6 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 10 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup fat free half-and-half

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1. Whisk together the honey, chili powder, lime juice, and minced garlic in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the shredded cooked chicken and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least a half hour. Remove the shredded chicken from the marinade, and shake off excess. Save the used marinade.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, and spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom.
3. Combine marinated shredded chicken with 5 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese in a bowl. Mix lightly. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the chicken-cheese mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll tortillas and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. In a bowl, whisk together remaining enchilada sauce, fat-free half-and-half, and remaining marinade. Pour sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle top with 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese has melted and the top is brown, about 30 minutes

"butt massage"

Today I had my third colonoscopy.  I had one about 4.5 years ago and since dave was too busy to come pick me up I had asked Kathy Konold to drive me.  The drugs they give you make you loopy and forgetful. The evening of the test, after resting I called Kathy to see if I had said or done anything inappropriate and also told her I had no memory of getting dressed! She teased me afterwards that she had to dress me, but joked that she was pretty much on her way to Alzheimer’s and not to worry!   I didn’t realize she was joking until years later, I thought she really had to dress me. After such an unfortunate misunderstanding I told Dave he had to take the day off to help me out. So, today after rounding on patients Dave drove me to the surgery center in RB and then came back to pick me up.

Now, backing up a day or two….. The prep started yesterday. The day before the test you are on a clear liquid diet. This means: jello, juice, clear soda, broth but nothing red or purple. It is pretty gross. I think it’s easier just to fast than eat this stuff, but you have to eat something or else you will get super dehydrated.  At 6pm you have to drink the prep. It tastes terrible. It is so hard to get down. Then you drink a bunch of water and sit down on the toilet for a couple of hours…  The new prep also has you drink more solution in the morning at 5am so I spent the morning in the bathroom watching Mrs. Potter and drinking yucky stuff.  Lexey was the first one awake today and came and sat with me for a while. She was very sweet and concerned for me. She is such a dear.

Fast forward to after the exam. Dave picked me up.  I have very few hazy memories from the time I layed down for the exam and the nurse gave me a potion of meds in my IV to when I woke up from my nap (when Dave called to tell me he was going back to work and leaving Clare stranded at piano where he had just dropped her off)!

When Dave came to get me they brought him to my recovery room.  I was trying to fill out some paperwork but having trouble. It was a customer satisfaction card. Everything was illegible.  Where I tried to check the boxes I had scribbled all over the page.  Dave asked if I was ready to go but I said I couldn’t leave ‘til I filled out the papers.  Dave told me I could just finished the papers at home (he was trying to egg me on) but I insisted we had to stay and finish them.  Eventually, I had such a hard time I asked dave he could fill them out for me. But dave really just threw it away without me noticing.

Then Dave asked me if I was awake during the procedure and how I felt and I said “I don’t think I was awake. I think I was sleeping but I did have a dream about having a very nice butt massage.” Dave asked me to repeat it louder and asked if I wanted another butt massage.  (why did I have Dave come?)  

Jo came and sat on my lap and then I asked her to take a nap with me and I asked Dave to take a picture. I have no memory of this at all!  Dave took one of us resting and then told me to open my eyes.

(when I saw this picture tonight I was surprised at how decent I look. Dave said he thought I look good too and figures it is because I am drugged up and have no worries.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a little valium all the time! )

The Dr. had already come and talked to me before dave got there. Why would a dr. come talk to me when I have no memory?  He stopped by again after Dave was there to talk to him and says I need to come back in about 4 years to do it again because of the strong family history.

Then we were free to go.  I dressed my self.  The nurse insisted that I get pushed to the car in a wheelchair.

Dave took these pics for Lexey who really wanted to see me in a wheel chair

On the way home we went out to breakfast at The Original Pancake House. I remember that  a little bit. Jo fussed and didn’t eat anything except syrup. I ate my favorite meal California Benny.  Then I went home to nap.  Jo napped too. I got to sleep from about 1-2:30 when Dave got called back to work.

How ironic is it that on the day when I'm all drugged up and not supposed to drive or make important decisions, our lease for Houston comes by email?!  Dave also proposed to me under these same circumstances (after wisdom teeth removal) and that seemed to work okay so I guess we'll keep moving forward with Houston plans!