Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you

Happy First Birthday Riley Girl!

Has it been a whole year already? This dog has sure changed this woman's life this last year. Over $2,000 to save her life... A FEW TIMES, not to mention the time she swallowed a tree, or for her to become an it... or the food, toys, blankets, leashes, collars, carriers and a slew of other things.

Riley girl was found by my Alien at the local McDonalds, in the parking lot. A couple of young teens were trying to get rid of her and they said they were feeding her mashed potato's and gravy from the Lee's chicken place across the street. So, of course the Alien grabs this little thing up and brings her home... where it proceeded to disrupt my life and drain a huge chunk of my savings. Notice I said 'Thing'. HA!



This dog was so tiny I almost jumped out of my skin. It's head was as big as a black walnut! But she was a little sick. Happy, but sick with ummm, those mashed potato's not agreeing with her if you know what I mean. That next day, I was at the first Vet's office. (yes, there was more than one!) He said, oh she's over 6 weeks old... here's some meds and let her eat whatever she wants for now. OH no no no... was bad advice. (expensive bad advice)



I'm eating a hamburger later that day and this little "thing" goes nuts. Gimme gimme gimme! Ok... sure, here's some, you little munchkin. WRONG! I shut down her pancreas. By that next day I hadn't slept, the "thing" was in what you call a steady death seizure and OFF to the Animal Hospital over in the next County. (Riley's death #1)



Riley isn't that old. Nope! She was ONLY 3 and a 1/2 weeks old. You could still see where the cord was on her belly. (The Vet created today's Birthday for Riley) So with a zero sugar level, high infection, dead pancreas... This wonderful Hospital brought Riley back to life. I wrote a hefty little check and scooped up my Puppy, against their wishes because they wanted to keep her over night to feed her every 2 hours, round the clock. (for more money) HA! Well heck, I can do THAT! They loaded me up with all kinds of weird stuff. Special food, special formula, special equipment, special sugar goo, special instructions... so Me Super Woman and Riley the "Thing" go home after hours of being in this incubator thing.

Where I proceed to loose my mind. Every two hours or she'll die! Oh I didn't quite understand that part. LOL Crafter I am. Animal Lover I am. Schooled Vet I AM NOT! But I can do this... ahem. Every single two hours, by alarm clock, this 'thing' was put inbetween two Coke 2 ltr. bottle's of hot water to manually regulate her temperature, give her goo food, her goo sugar, temp. taken, pre-measured meds in syringes (three of those) and I lost my mind. I still can't fully remember that week... it's a blur.

A couple times I had to rush her back to the hospital for zero sugar levels (Riley's death 2, 3 and 4). This little 'thing' was poked SO MANY TIMES in a month to draw blood, to put the blood in this machine they had, to check her sugar and other things. Riley would start screaming if the Vet came NEAR her with that needle because she knew she was going to get poked and squeezed. It was the saddest thing to see. Every time I took her in, Riley was near death and usually not awake.

She was only 7 ounces when I got her. Massive infections and no sugar levels, means either she'd burn up with a fever or she's freeze out with no sugar. But... it was through dedication and major work, this 'thing' survived.




She then proceeded a couple months later to eat a log or tree or something and oh boy... BACK TO THE HOSPITAL. (Riley's death #5) Xrays showed a full grown oak tree lodged in her throat. Surgery? MORE MEDS! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr She was drugged, brought home and brought back to the Hospital where they reached down and grabbed it, pulled it out... This was after I had informed them taht I had moved my Family into the big cardboard box next to Wallyworld so do something besides surgery! (eyeroll)



One thing they lied about was how big she was going to get. Of course, nobody knew what she was. Hense: Thing. Pug? Chihuahua? Could be any breed, but she for sure was mixed. Wouldn't be able to tell what she was until she got older, but I was told she shouldn't hit more than 5 pounds or so. YA RIGHT! See, they lied! LOL! Riley is weighing in at over 15 lbs today. She's both a Pug and Chihuahua so she's a "Chug".

She's actually very smart. She knows the names of all 28 of her 'toys' and she knows all kinds of tricks and commands. Know how you cuddle with a teddy bear to sleep with? That's how she sleeps with you.... she's my teddy bear and she let's me hug onto her like that all night long. The Alien sometimes will steal her after I fall asleep, then she takes Riley into her room. So Riley is a proven professional cuddler. This is Riley and the Alien below.



So Riley the wonder dog lives. A perfectly healthy, female Chug with the sweetest personality. Do I love her? Dumb me fell for her the second the Alien walked in the door with her. I really couldn't help it! We were meant to be bestest friends... and I promise to take care of you for the rest of your life. :)

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I just finished this classic wool penny runner tonight and thought I'd share it with you.




I've already put it in my Poppy Shop... getting ready for my mid month update there...

Blessings, Jean :) ps. The Alien is my 19 year old Daughter. heh.