Corky is not well 07-28-09

Last week I went to Long Beach to take care of Corky whilst his parents were out of town. He had not been holding his tail up as he usually does. Friday he had trouble doing his business, so I called his mommy in Sacramento and she talked to the vet. I took him to the vet in the evening where X-rays were taken. By the time we got back home his mommy had arrived on a flight into John Wayne airport. The decision was made to take him to the All Care facility in Fountain Valley on Saturday - this is the main emergency animal care facility in the area - they do take some non-emergencies, but we felt that Corky's condition was fast becoming an emergency. On Saturday he had more X-rays, an electrocardiogram and several shots. We took him home for the night. Sunday morning he had an MRI, which required anesthesia. When the results of all these tests came in the diagnosis was that he had major deterioration to his lower lumbar joints and surgery is not an option. So, the treat we are giving him is complete "bed rest" for thirty days. No jumping, running, going up/down stairs, not even much walking around. So, we have come up with several ways to keep him corralled. He doesn't like it much, neither do we, but he seems to get the idea and is cooperating as best he can. He has pain pills twice a day. Currently he can't keep any food down, this started today, and we are working on that problem.

Amazingly he is still his sweet self, very bright-eyed and alert. Except when the pain pills make him a bit drowsy. I stayed until yesterday and am now at home. His parents are trying to adjust their lives to his care and I will be available to go stay with him as needed.

This is the tail down position while he was on his walk. Very unusual. Poor little guy it is hard for him to bear down to do his business - apparently very painful.

This is his normal tail up position, which he would assume for just a few seconds every now and then.

Poor Corky. They only way he can go for a walk is in his stroller. We can stop and put him out in a few of his favorite places to see if he can do his business. Say a prayer for Corky, please.

Corky's usual spot - image 10-16-08 07-06-09

Not a very good picture, but it is of the image on my monitor! Corky spends a lot of snoozing time in the upstairs hall, which is part of his parents' office. They have a "Corky Cam" set up so that I can see him and they move it to several different locations in the house. When they are gone he is confined in the office and I can check on him - just to be sure he is okay. However, the Corky Cam has not been working correctly and I cannot access the feed. I miss being able to just look at him. Guess I am a Corky Addict.

More Corky sleeping! 05-17-09

I stayed with Corky at his house Saturday evening while his parents went to a concert. I needed some doggie loving and I hate to see him alone for so long. I always keep a check on him via the Corky Cam, but it isn't the same as sitting next to him on the sofa - he sleeps, I read!

Are these not the cutest little paws? I love Corky's feet. He lets me hold them sometimes, but I suppose he thinks I am strange because he usually frowns and after a short time pulls them away!

I took the picture of his feet and woke him up. He stuck his head up and peered at me over the cushions - with his ears perked up his head looks very large.

Then he put his head down to sleep some more. Notice his little pink tongue sticking out - I don't know what that is about! Cute, anyway.

The grooming stations 02-02-09

These two pictures were taken Feb 2nd while Corky's parents were in Nevada. Somehow they were on the camera instead of the camera "card", so I have missed them every time I upload from the card.

At his house in Long Beach Corky sits on a mat on top of the dryer to be groomed. He is comfortable and I stand at the perfect heights. So, when he is at Camp Del he sits on a towel on top of the washer for his daily 'brush up'. He is always so patient - I think he actually enjoys looking gorgeous!

At his house the W/D is in the laundry room. At my house they are in the garage - in the hottest part of the summer and the coldest part of the winter he sits on a towel on my ironing table for his 'brush up'. I am always trying to think of ways to add a laundry room onto my house. Not just for Corky, but so I don't have to be in the garage during the winter when it is cold or in the summer when it is scorching.

Snoozing at Starbuck's 05-02-09

Corky really zoned out while Liz and I were having coffee at our Starbuck's meeting place in Brea. He was very alert for quite a long time - watching the people and the other dogs. There are always lots of them, I suppose it is because there are several small restaurants that share the patio and there are lots of tables and, therefore, lots of space between dogs! The place was packed today and it took a long time to order and receive our coffee. Then Liz went to Corner Bakery looking for some better breakfast treats than the Starbuck's offerings, which were slim. By the time we started on our coffee and goodies Corky was bored with the entire deal and did what he does best - took a nap.

The grass is cool 04-15-09

It was quite a cool day (low to mid 50s) and very, very windy. Corky's parents were at an all day meeting, so I went down to Long Beach this morning and picked him up. Then we drove around doing errands. Every time we got out of Lexus the wind messed up Corky's ears, but he is like the proverbial postman - neither wind nor rain nor snow nor.....! He just keeps trotting along. We had a lovely day and when I returned him to his house he just laid down on the grass for a few minutes and observed his neighborhood. He has completely lost his hearing, except maybe he can hear low tones in his left ear. He knows some sign language, but we are trying to teach him more. We must be even more diligent because he doesn't hear us approaching and is frightened when we touch him. We'll figure out something! He is still a happy, active almost-thirteen-year-old and shows no sign of slowing down.

Corky Riding 03-25-09

I had never been around dogs that ride in cars until I met Corky. At six months he was riding like a pro and I have never seen him the slightest bit disturbed. He likes to go fast and will complain when I slow down to exit the freeway/highway. Sometimes when we are in his neighborhood or mine I roll down the windows and only go about 20 MPH - I guess most dogs love to have the wind blowing in their face. Weird, eh?

People are amused when they look over and see him sitting up in the seat looking through the windshield - a real navigator look. But I worry about the sun in his eyes, maybe I should get him sun goggles.

Sometimes he sits looking at me as though he is going to make a comment. Here the wind has fluffed up his ears.

And today he was just tired, so he propped his chin on the edge of his bed and went to sleep. He is home with the Poodle Parents tonight and, as usual, I miss him.

Being carried 08-26-07

Since I have been gone for such a long stretch of time I haven't taken any pictures of Corky lately. But I have a million in my Picasa files.

This picture is from March 4, 2007, taken in front of Doris Day's Cypress Inn in Carmel, CA. They allow dogs as guests and there were a lot of dogs in residence - I was amazed at how well they all got along. Not a great picture of either Corky or his mommy, but one that holds great memories.

I've always liked this one of Corky and his mommy taken in the upstairs hall in Long Beach.

Corky + quilt 08-14-05

This is one of Auntie Del's favorite pictures of Corky taken in August 2005. He looks so studious sitting on the patio in front of her quilt "Woad" (a dye plant). The quilt is pinned basted for quilting.

Sleeeeeep! 02-05-09

Corky has always spent a lot of his time sleeping when he is at my house. His mommy and I think it is because his house is always busy with different people coming and going. While my house is very quiet and the only coming and going is done by the mail man.

This may be his way of 'disappearing' when he is here. He does love his pink poodle pillow.

He went to lunch yesterday with my friend Toni and me. He sits in his doggy stroller and spends the first half hour or so looking at the people around him. Then he gets tired of them and of our scintillating conversation and just goes to sleep. We have to sit outside on the patio if Corky is with us and we were concerned we might have to cancel because of the predicted rain. But it didn't start raining until 1pm, just as we were walking to our vehicles.

Corky poses 01-27-09 thru 02-04-09

I am a little behind in updating Corky's blog, so I am posting four pictures at once. The dates are when the pictures were taken.

Corky rides in the front passenger seat, wearing his seat belt and somewhat protected by the high sides of his red bed. We are driving north on the 55 Freeway and Saddleback Mountain can be seen out the window. 01-27-09

People are always commenting on how white Corky is. In the two weeks between his grooming appointments he has his face washed twice a day and his feet washed every time he goes outside. And he has periodic 'brush ups' when he gets really messed up - I'll give him one tomorrow before taking him home because we had to walk in the rain today. Besides all that, his mommy is a perfectionist housekeeper! 02-02-09

Corky and I stopped to see Tina at Discoveries Jewelry shop in Tustin. I frequently buy jewelry here and Corky likes to go because he can roam the shop without a leash. And, I suppose, because Tina usually has a treat for him! The jewelry is handcrafted by artists all over the country. 02-03-09

Here is the little guy hanging out of his bed after we left Discoveries. He looks like he is saying, "Auntie Del, lean over here I want to tell you something." I did lean over and he gave me a kiss -sweet dog. 02-03-09

Invisible Dog?

I visited Corky and his parents in LBeach. Corky likes to lay on the landing, squishing himself up against the wall - it is almost as though he thinks he is making himself invisible.

Demanding attention 01-10-09

I picked Corky up yesterday and will return him to Long Beach on Monday. He has already shown me how I am neglecting him. I stood and watched him shred, he stopped and looked at me, I didn't do anything so he shredded some more paper towels. It is my own fault, when he is here he usually has my undivided attention. Poor little guy!

Corky giving me the eye June 2004

I was looking through my Picasa files and found some pictures of Corky that were still in the "Road Trip 2004" file. I was preparing to drive to Kansas and then on to Pittsburgh with Ruth Powers who had a booth at Spring Quilt Market. Just before I left, Corky came to stay at Camp Del for a few days. Here he has tucked himself under some quilts thrown over the back of my late husband's recliner. He needed his face washed and maybe a better attitude. He was probably mad because I wouldn't go to bed. I always tell him he can go to bed without me and sometimes he will go back to the bedroom. But soon he comes out and stands staring at me, laying on the guilt trip. He and his parents retire around 9:30pm.

The quilt on the left was made in India, I don't remember where I bought it - maybe Cost Plus. It goes well with my blue/white family room and kitchen. The quilt on the right is the quilt I made for Corky when he was a puppy. He never chewed on quilts, just everything else!

I finally parted with the brown recliner this past summer. I do hang onto things - I rarely sat in the chair because it was too big for me. I am not tall enough to make it recline and stay there unless I literally laid down. But Corky enjoyed it occasionally.