Tues., Jan. 31, 2010 - Status quo

Just a quick update since there have been inquiries about Hardee.  Everything is the same.  Handsome Hardee (HH) eats and drinks with gusto, lives with joy, and is getting lots of love from us.  There have been quite a few violent reverse sneezing episodes that have scared us, where HH can't catch his breath and he can't stop the reverse sneezing episode, but it eventually stops and things settle down.  We have increased his pain pills and lessened the duration between doses mostly because I fear his pain.  I want to make sure he is comfortable.

Last Friday when HH and Jim got their MACH2, we did not celebrate.  We waited for our friends to be there Saturday.  Jim and Hardee turned around and QQd (double qualified) again on Saturday so we could officially celebrate.  Jim and HH got to do their celebratory run around the ring with their big ribbon, and I took their picture with the judge.  What a wonderful day!

After the celebration in the ring, we had celebratory El Pollo Loco chicken, tortillas and salsa, and a huge chocolate MACH2 cake.  We ate the cake first, as all good celebrations do.  After we had our fill of chicken, we shredded the rest for the dogs.  We had the agility threesome (Hardee and our friend's 2 PWDs) in a sit stay on the grass with their plates of chicken in front of them.  They stayed while we took photos, with tons of drool coming from them, and then we released them to devour their chicken.

On Sunday, the celebration continued with In-n-Out double-double burgers for all.  We ate our burgers first, then the dogs got theirs.  Again, we had them waiting in the grass on a down stay this time with their burgers right in front of them while we took pictures, and then we released them to eat theirs.  I took photos while they ate.  Indy finished first with just a piece of lettuce left while Hardee still had his whole burger in his mouth.  Viva finished second, while HH brought up the rear in the burger finishing department.  I've got a couple pictures where HH was eyeing Viva's burger though before they ate.  What fun we have with our dogs!

Yesterday when we finally got home, Hardee was tired.  That is standard for him after a weekend of agility, but today, he's had two barking zoomies so far and he's brought us stuffies to play with him.  Doesn't seem like a dog on his deathbed just yet!  He's amazed us many, many times before, so we'll let him dictate his path with us.

Tomorrow, it will be exactly 18 months ago that I found the nasty discharge coming from Hardee's nose that drove us to the vets the next morning and the horrible diagnosis the following week.  We will always wish for more time with our little Bubs, but we are grateful for every extra second we spend together.

Things haven't ever changed with us.  It is still all about joy, and all about Hardee.  We continue to celebrate his life!

P.S.- I just learned that you can post videos here, so I've included Hardee's runs from his MACH2 celebration day.  The top 2 videos are his Jumps With Weaves run, and his Standard run.  The bottom video is his celebratory run.  He is slower now, but he still runs with joy!