Lauren's Dogs, 03/22/10

Here's a cute picture that was just forwarded to me -- Buddha & Tanooki and their three new brothers and sisters (the "pug gang").  Trixie was, of course, too busy playing to sit still for a picture.

Home Sweet Home

I wanted to share a few new pictures of Trixie, Buddha, and Tanooki relaxing and playing at their new home --

Buddha

Tanooki

Trixie

I received the following e-mail from their new mom, Diane, today --

"Trixie is beginning to put on weight now that I have her on a raw high protein diet. She loves to play with mid size dogs. She is a sweetheart as are the pugs. They are all getting fed well, lots of treats and lots of love."

Family pics of the "the gang" coming soon!!!

The verdict?  Lauren's fur babies look comfy, cozy, and all settled in. Which makes me a very happy Brandi.  Isn't life grand?

And they're off!

 

Let me start off by saying:

1. I'm not really an emotional person, 
2. I'm not one to cry (unless I am really pissed off about something),

but, you are looking at two pictures that brought a tear (or two!) to my eyes last night.  That's Buddha and Trixie, on their way to Colorado.  Tanooki is along for the ride, but he was being camera shy.

It absolutely makes my day to know that Lauren's fur babies (who meant the world to her) are going to be home with their new family soon.

More pics to follow!

Lauren's Dogs, 02/04/10

Buddha, Tanooki, and Trixie have a home! TOGETHER!

I last spoke with their new adoptive mom last Thursday, and plans were in motion to transport all three to their new home in Colorado. They'll have three new friends (all pugs) to keep them entertained.

In other news, Tanooki is in much better health. They were able to locate an infection and treat it appropriately. He is doing wonderful now ~ back in good spirits and happy to be with his sisters. The best news is that there were no neurological issues and NO brain tumor.

I can't begin to give enough thanks to all of the kind e-mails and phone calls that I received when I was so desperate to find a home for these babies. I have not been able to thank each of you individually, but I please know that I am beyond grateful for all of the good advice, information, and well wishes.

I've asked the new family to send me some pics once they are all settled in together. I have no doubt that Lauren knows her fur babies will be well taken care of.

Lauren's Dogs 01/10/10

I apologize that I haven't had the opportunity to update my blog with the most recent information about Trixie, Buddha, and Tanooki. I ended up back in Club Med on Friday and the first 1/2 of my week was crazy busy at work - trying to finish up things that were outstanding and then also cleaning, packing, doing laundry, etc.

Here's an update on what's happening with the dogs. I believe that some of the earlier e-mails are getting recirculated.

There was a family in rescue (here in Birmingham, AL) that were going to be able to adopt the dogs this past weekend (January 2). Everything looked good - the GHHS was confident that it would happen and they pulled the PetFinder links. On Saturday, the family spoke with the GHHS. They currently have 1 English Setter and 7 pugs as well as other pets. The English Setter tends to roughhouse with the pugs and likes to play - A LOT. There was some concern over how Trixie (the boxer) would react because she is so overprotective of her pugs (Buddha and Tanooki). In addition, they have cats and were not sure how well the three of them would mix with the cats. So they declined to adopt the dogs at the last minute. I found out on Saturday morning, but wasn't able to speak to the GHHS until Tuesday (the facility is closed on Monday).

Right now, the dogs are still at the shelter (Greater Huntsville Humane Society). They've been there since shortly before Thanksgiving. They are still available for adoption.

They will stay there for the time being. We do still have the option to move them to the boarder / kennel in Montgomery if necessary, but the GHHS assured me that they have the means to care for them and the dogs have actually settled into a routine. Angela was going to begin working with Trixie this week on being apart from the pugs during the day to try and work through some of the anxiety / overprotectiveness that they've seen. We are going to continue trying to find a family to adopt them together, but if worse comes to worst, the dogs may have to be separated. I sincerely hope that does not happen, but I understand the reality.

Angela said not to worry about the dogs during while I was in the hospital, and that she will keep a close watch on them. Of course, I will be calling to check for updates, but I may not be able to be quite as active as I have been in finding them a home while I am in the hospital. I will have access to phone / e-mail / and internet but don't always feel good because of the medicines (antibiotics) that I have to take.

(Bump)

The Greater Huntsville Humane Society has agreed to accept directed donations on behalf of these three. If you can support Lauren's dogs, please donate to the Greater Huntsville Humane Society.

You can mail a check to:

GHHS
2012 Johnson Road
Huntsville, AL 35805

Please include a note with your check that the funds are for the care of Buddha, Tanooki, and Trixie.

You can also donate online. Again, please specify that the gift is in honor of Buddha, Tanooki and Trixie.

(Bump)

I am also continuing to raise money on behalf of Buddha, Tanooki, and Trixie, in Lauren's memory. All monies will be used for the care (boarding, food, vetting expenses) of Lauren's fur babies. Any remaining monies will be split 50/50 between the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the ASPCA (Lauren's favorite charity). I am using ChipIn (recommended by one of the many rescue groups that I have been in touch with) to accept online donations.



Alternatively, you can mail a donation. A bank account 'In Memory of Lauren Sturdivant' has been established at Compass Bank in Birmingham, AL. This is not a tax-deductible donation as I do not have non-profit status at this time (in process!), but I will mail you a receipt for accounting purposes. If you'd like to mail a donation, please contact me via e-mail.

If you have any questions, please e-mail or leave me a comment. If I don't respond immediately, don't worry. I will respond as soon as I am able (because of the high-dose antibiotics that I have to take, there are sometimes of the day that are pretty miserable).

THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR ALL OF THE HELP!

Lauren's Dogs. 12/30/09

Hello all -

I am sorry for the delay in posting this information. My partner-in-crime at the office is on vacation this week, so I am staying fairly busy. And the days just seem to go by far to fast.

This weekend (December 26), my aunt and I made a road trip to Huntsville, AL. We went to meet with Lauren's grandfather and also to check on Lauren's dogs, who are still in the care of the Greater Huntsville Humane Society. I thought I would share a few pictures with you of Miss Trixie, Buddha, and Tanooki.



I did not get to meet with Angela on Saturday as she was not there, but I spent quite a bit of time talking with one of the other staff members. The dogs are doing OK. They have a large kennel of their own and they are kept together at all times. They've been allowed to play on the "puppy playground" with the other dogs and get along well with others - no aggression issues. The biggest concern is still Trixie's anxiety about being separated from the pugs.

We are still hopeful about finding a home for Lauren's fur babies. I've been in touch with so many people in the rescue world and I can't express enough thanks for all of the information, help, and kind words I've received.

The Greater Huntsville Humane Society has received several donations to help fund the care of Buddha, Tanooki, and Trixie while they are there. However, expenses will continue and I, unfortunately, can not afford to pay for all three dogs on my own.

I am continuing to raise money on behalf of Buddha, Tanooki, and Trixie, in Lauren's memory. All monies will be used for the care (boarding, food, vetting expenses) of Lauren's fur babies. Any remaining monies will be split 50/50 between the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the ASPCA (Lauren's favorite charity). I am using ChipIn (recommended by one of the many rescue groups that I have been in touch with) to accept online donations.



Alternatively, you can also mail a donation. A bank account 'In Memory of Lauren Sturdivant' has been established at Compass Bank in Birmingham, AL. This is not a tax-deductible donation as I do not have non-profit status at this time (in process!), but I will mail you a receipt for accounting purposes. If you'd like to mail a donation, please contact me via e-mail.

We may have a lead on a family in Birmingham, AL that will be able to adopt the dogs and keep them together. Please keep your fingers crossed that this works out. I'll keep you posted.

Lauren's Dogs. 12/21/09

On Tuesday, December 8, I wrote a plea for help on my blog. I e-mailed every person I knew at work and at home. I Facebooked. I Googled dog rescue groups in Alabama.

I received an enormous response. Thank you. I can't tell you how much it meant to me (and Lauren) to know that there are people out there that genuinely care for others and their furry counterparts.

I updated last week that we found a temporary foster for Lauren's dogs. We did. Pike Road Kennel has graciously offered to keep the dogs until further arrangements can be made.

Now, I'm coming to all of you again, begging for help. Lauren passed away on December 17, 2009. Whereas my goal was to find a foster family, we are now in need of a forever home. I really want to keep these dogs together, if at all possible.

I've been trying to call the Greater Huntsville Humane Society all day but have been unable to get through. Not sure if it is their phone or mine.

Please e-mail me, comment me, or message me on Facebook if you know anybody that can help. This is so important to me.

Lauren Update. 12/21/09

Thursday was a bad day. I woke up late, didn't have any clean clothes, lost my keys, spilled tea on myself on the way to work, went home to change clothes, was late to work, had to park a million miles away from my office, blew a fuse causing my whole row of cubicles to lose power, had to run a 200 ft. extension cord run from another cube to mine to restore power, etc. You get the point. It was a stellar start to what seemed to be a comedy of errors.

The only thing that made it better was the fact that I figured out how to do voice commands in my car that morning. Yes, I've had it for three years. No, I didn't know it could do that.

Then Lauren died. And my day got worse.

Rob called me at 12:54 PM. He said, "Lauren's coding." I hung up the phone and ran. Too late. It took me 14 minutes to get to HTICU. It was the longest 14 minutes of my life.

I had talked to Lauren's nurse for just a moment earlier that day. She'd had some bleeding around the ET tube and Dr. Y decided to do a bronchoscopy (the same procedure Lauren had done on Monday). Once he got in, he cleaned out a number of blood clots. She was stable but as they watched, she became harder and harder to vent. Dr. Y. went back in a second time, clearing out more clots. Then it happened. A blood vessel burst. There was too much bleeding and Lauren's heart stopped. They worked on her for 30 minutes but were unable to get her back.

The Dr. says she didn't suffer. (Don't they always say that?) Lauren had enough spirit and drive to fight (which was evident in one roll of her eyes) and survive more than most people can imagine. In the end, her body just wasn't strong enough to keep up with her fiery spirit.

I got to meet Lauren's grandfather ("Papa Bo") and her step-grandmother, Jean, on Thursday. They are the only members of Lauren's family that I have ever met or talked to, other than the one time I briefly met Susan, Lauren's mom.

Both Susan and Lauren's Dad were cremated. Lauren will also be cremated and their ashes mixed together. Susan had a list of places that she would like the ashes spread and the family is going to try and honor those wishes.

Lauren wouldn't have wanted a "service" or a "memorial." She'd beat me up the first chance she had if she knew I (or any of us) were moping around. But I do want to have a celebration of Lauren's life and provide an opportunity for all of her families to come together and remember the red-headed firecracker that blazed through so many lives.

Shining brightly, wherever you are...

Lauren:

I know that wherever you are, you are the brightest, sparkliest, most glittery object in the vicinity. I knew that we were destined to be friends, "CF BF's" and sisters the moment I first heard that you liked things that sparkled and glittered as much me.

I'm not feeling so shiny and sparkly today. I know it will get better. But just know that part of me will miss you as much as I miss my Eric. CF has taken to many of my friends, but you two were, without a doubt, the closest.

I have Frog. He will always have a home with me. Rob and Renee went to Huntsville on Friday to get your things. I went to the hospital on Saturday to get the rest. I will go through it sooner or later, but more than likely later. My head knows you are better, but my heart isn't ready to let go just yet.

I'm fine. I'll be fine. But I miss you.

Lauren

Update, 11:56 PM: CF sucks. I hate it sometimes.

I love you, sissy. I will miss you forever. But I am happy that you are with your Mom and Dad now.

I need some time to process this. I will write more soon.

Sent from my iPhone

Lauren Update. 12/16/09

What a day it's been. Things with Lauren continue to be a roller coaster ride - full of ups, downs, twists, and turns. Here's the latest:

• La did good through the night, all vitals were relatively stable.
• Her kidney function has been marginal and her electrolytes are out of whack, so the Drs. have decided to go ahead with dialysis. They weren't able to get her scheduled in Radiology because it's not emergent, but Dr. Y. does want to get the ball rolling. He will be placing the catheter this afternoon.
• La's nurse did raise her vent settings today because she was retaining CO2 again. Her latest blood gas showed an improvement, so *hopefully* they will be able to adjust the numbers down again.

While I hate that we are having to resort to dialysis, I am hopeful that this should help with the fluid retention that La has been fighting. She's been given high doses of Lasix and it's still not pulling off the fluid. Just to give you an idea, Lauren is probably retaining close to 40 (yes, forty!) pounds of fluid on her pint size body.

IN OTHER NEWS --- [insert drum roll]

I am happy, happy, happy to report that we have a foster home for Lauren's dogs. My aunt's co-worker (and my former Delta Gamma little sister) talked with her boarder / trainer. The owner of Pike Road Kennel has agreed to house Lauren's dogs pro bono until Lauren is able to care for them herself. This is such a huge relief!

He has asked that we help with food expenses and, of course, any vetting expenses that might arise. So far, they have been very understanding of the predicament we're facing and have agreed to work with us on the financial aspect.

The plan right now is to transport the dogs (my aunt and I will be embarking on a field trip) from Huntsville to a small town outside of Montgomery, AL on December 26. It's going to be a long day on the road, but so worth it!

Pike Road Kennel is located on 80 acres of rolling hills and tall trees. Both Angela (at the GHHS) and I feel that this will be a good temporary home for the fur-babies.

I am hoping to iron out the last of the financial details next week. I've received many offers of help, which are greatly appreciated. I will contact everybody as soon as I have answers about where to direct donations, etc.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment on my blog or leave me a message on Facebook.

Lauren Update. 12/15/09

Miss Lauren held her own during the night. It wasn't an easy night, but it's a new day. Per her nurse, she did not have any significant bleeding after the procedure yesterday, which is good.

She was zonked out when I went by to check on her yesterday afternoon. She is still zonked out this AM, but her body is exhausted from all the work it is doing.

Her pH level is high which means that she is retaining CO2. Fortunately, this can be controlled with vent support. The Dr. may raise her rate in order to compensate for what her lungs can't do right now.

It will get better. I hope.

Lauren Update. 12/14/09

Shall we dance? The last few days have been baby steps forward, but today we took one step back.

Lauren looked good yesterday. Awake and trying to get her point across, even with a tube down her throat. Dr. Y. told me that the chest x-ray was looking better and that they would hopefully try weaning La off the vent over the next several days. Dr. Y. decreased her vent settings to 40% with a PEEP of 5.0.

This morning I made my daily call to check on La. I usually call around 9 AM, but today the nurse was with Lauren while the Dr.'s were doing a bronchoscopy. Not unusual, so I wasn't worried. I called back around 10:15 to get an update. No news. Finally, about 11:45, I was able to speak with Lauren's nurse and find out what the heck was going on.

Last night was a rough night. Miss La spiked a fever and was breathing shallowly, even with the vent support. This morning she was still running a fever and the nurse found a small amount of bleeding around the ET (endo-tracheal) tube.

During the bronch, the Dr.'s were aggressive - trying to suction out as much junk (phlegm) and any blood that they found. Because a bronch can stimulate the vagal nerve and cause an inflammatory response, it caused Lauren's blood pressure to drop. They are treating with BP meds and watching her closely. She's OK.

I'll be by to check on her later and will post an update. That's all for now, folks.

Lauren Update. 12/13/09

Sorry for not posting last night, all! We saw Miss Lauren yesterday and she looked better. All #'s are good, especially when people aren't harassing her. She has been much more awake / aware the last few days. Partly because her body is getting used to the Diprivan (Jackson Juice) and it's not keeping her as sedated as before.

The nurses are keeping her comfortable, though. When she wakes up, she wants the tube out NOW and gets frustrated, which I can completely understand. Miss Lauren is fighting to get off that vent!

Yesterday she figured out how to move her hands enough to flip people off when she's annoyed. Once she figured out how to do it, we started seeing it a lot more often. Mostly aimed at the nurses. =)

Greater Huntsville Humane Society

Many, many people have responded to my plea for help about Lauren's fur-babies. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Several people have expressed that they are not able to foster but would be willing to help support the financial aspect of feeding, boarding, and vetting three dogs. As I am a single, 31 year old with three cats, I well know what it can cost to keep three animals living in the lap of luxury [smile].

The Greater Huntsville Humane Society has agreed to accept directed donations on behalf of these three. If you can support Lauren's dogs, please donate to the Greater Huntsville Humane Society.

You can mail a check to:

GHHS
2012 Johnson Road
Huntsville, AL 35805

Please include a note with your check that the funds are for the care of Buddha, Tanooki, and Trixie.

You can also donate online. Please specify that the gift is in honor of Buddha, Tanooki and Trixie.

If you donate online in honor of these special babies the Humane Society will send an e-card regarding the gift. If you'd like to send Lauren a message, please include it in the message box that is provided on the form. You can direct all messages to my e-mail address (bankrgrl - at- gmail - dot- com) and I'll make sure she knows about every ounce of support she has coming in from all corners of the world.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

Lauren Update. 12/10/09

I only got to see Lauren for a few minutes tonight, but she looked better! Her vent settings were still at 40% but the PEEP setting was down from 12.0 to 8.0. YAY!!!!

Otherwise, all her #'s look good. The only thing the nurse has been trying to keep in check is her blood sugar. They've started her tube feedings back, so sugars are running in the 300 - 400 range, even with insulin. Hopefully this will resolve itself in the next few days.

Please keep the prayers and good thoughts coming - they ARE making a difference.

I'm still working on finding a foster home for Lauren's fur-babies. I've had a good response from several rescue groups that are going to help get the word out. I will keep everybody updated on the latest. If you have any information that might help, please contact me as soon as possible.

P.S. I *totally* missed my 100th post the other day! Oops!

P.P.S. Rob has invaded my kitchen. It will never look the same.

Lauren Update. 12/09/09 (Evening)

Saw the princess tonight. She's OK - stable. No steps forward today, but not going backwards either. I know she is frustrated beyond all belief that she can't talk (or yell!) at anybody right now. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, por favor.

Lauren Update. 12/09/09

Rob spent the day with Lauren yesterday and I went up after work, which is our usual plan-of-attack. She looked better yesterday afternoon and I was excited to see that her vent settings had been decreased to 40% O2 with a PEEP of 12.0. Better!

This morning I spoke with Lauren's nurse and he said she had a relatively good night. Her nurse practitioner said the CXR (chest x-ray) looked better this morning. Hopefully they will be able to wean Lauren off the vent a little bit more today.

It's baby steps, but baby steps in the right direction. We had no news on Lauren's Mom (Susan) as of this morning.

Update, 1:39 PM: I'm working frantically to get this information out to the public and find someone that can help. I've contacted many local news stations and papers. I received an e-mail back from Kristen @ NBC13 and they have already Twittered the link to my blog about Lauren. Please keep the word going!!!

Update, 2:01 PM: We just received news that Lauren's Mom passed a short while ago.

If you want to know more about Lauren or help this family, please read this post.

Lauren. A plea for help!

Update, 12/09/09, 2:01 PM: Lauren's Mom passed away earlier today. Please keep this family in your thoughts. If you can help me find a home for Lauren's fur babies, I would greatly appreciate it.

Many of you have seen me posting on Facebook (follow me) and on my blog about Lauren. You've probably figured out that Lauren is another CF patient, just like me. But Lauren has always been more than "just another patient," and over the past year we have become fast friends. In the past few months, she jumped ranks to "World's Best Unofficial Little Sister."

So, how'd we end up here? I first got to know Lauren when she moved to Alabama from New Orleans. She was on the transplant list at Tulane but was transferred to the University of Alabama at Birmingham after Hurricane Katrina.

My first impression of Lauren was that of a pint-sized, loud-mouthed firecracker. She's currently a red head and I can tell you that she comes by the temperament that red heads are famous for honestly.

I found myself rather jealous of Lauren's creative bent. As a kid, I was well known for my obsession with crayons, colored pencils, and markers (just ask my father). This girl put me to shame! I've never seen so many art supplies in my life. She proceeded to decorate everything imaginable on the Pulmonary unit - making name tags for the nurses and respiratory therapists, organizing and decorating our "menu book," etc.

I decided to get over my jealousy, and I'm glad that I did. We might be a decade apart in years, but we were both amazed by the number of similarities that we shared. From birthdays (we were both born on the 21st of the month), family relationships, a morbid sense of humor, and a love of faeries, it was a bit eerie how often we found ourselves on the same page of the same book.

It's been a running joke between La and I that I'm the "grown up" and she's the "baby sis" in our friendship. I have to constantly remind her that the only reason she gets away with calling me grown up is because I have a mortgage. To be completely honest, Lauren has been through more things than any grown up should ever have to face and always comes up fighting.

Watching Lauren fight with every ounce of strength in her and then come out with a flippant remark at the end shows me that I'm not nearly as tough as I might claim to be. At 21, she's been through more than most people can ever imagine - losing a home in Hurricane Katrina, then losing her father to cancer. Now, while she is in the fight for her life, she is having to watch her mother battle Stage IV cancer.

Which brings me to the point of this post --

You know that Lauren is fighting for her life. She made it through transplant only to be set back with a fungal infection. This infection is taking every bit of strength that she has in reserve. On Friday, the Dr.'s made the decision to put her back on the ventilator to help her body rest. Both Rob (Lauren's friend from high school) and I are with her every day. Lauren has no other family that can be with her during this time.

Now, Lauren's mother is in the last stages of her fight against cancer. Her friends from New Orleans have rallied around her to keep her comfortable in these final days/weeks. Sadly, Lauren's mom had to relinquish care of their four dogs to the Humane Society because she could no longer take care of them.

These dogs are one of the good things that Lauren has. We compare stories about her four crazy dogs and my three crazy kitties. I can't tell you how important it is for these dogs to still be there for Lauren when she is well.

I spoke with Angela @ The Greater Huntsville Humane Society today, December 8.

There are four dogs total - 3 pugs and 1 boxer. Lauren's grandfather kept the oldest black female pug (Lilly) because she is in poor health. Lilly is not available for adoption. The other two pugs (Buddha and Tanooki) were taken to the shelter. Trixie (the boxer) was also taken to the shelter. They have been there almost two weeks.

(This is the information that is on the Greater Huntsville Humane Society's webpage):

Buddha

She is a very playful girl!! She loves attention and is very demanding of it. She has come to us with her house mates, and her former owner's final plea is that they all stay together.

Breed: Pug

Primary Color: Tan
Age: 7 yrs

Tanooki

This hefty little guy is full of love! He came to us with his house mates, that he has lived with always.

Breed: Pug

Primary Color: Black
Age: 7 yrs

Trixie
She is a smaller boxer, a little shy at first meeting. Once she warms up, she loves cuddles and kisses. She is more comfortable with her house mates.

Breed: Boxer (mix)

Primary Color: White
Age: 2 yrs

The GHHS has placed the dogs on a thirty-day hold for adoption. All three dogs must stay together (Trixie - the boxer - is very, very dependent on the two pugs, Buddha and Tanooki). They will do a pre-adoption visit to ensure that the home is large enough for all three and capable of taking on the responsibility. They also do post adoption home visits to ensure the care of the dogs.

All three dogs have had their vaccines updated and will be micro-chipped. Tanooki had to be taken to the vet to have his eyes and sinuses treated, but is doing well.

Please help me.

This family (both human and canine) needs it.

We need to find someone that can adopt or foster the dogs until Lauren is well. I know that this is a huge responsibility but it is so important that Lauren know that her babies will be taken care of, no matter what. You can also help by sponsoring the dogs while they are with the GHHS. If you would like to make a directed donation for the care of these three, I can put you in touch with Angela @ The Greater Huntsville Humane Society.

I am sharing this information via e-mail, blog, and Facebook. This is my desperate plea to help get the word out. This family has overcome too many trials and there will be many battles ahead. We need your help! Anything you can do - great or small - will be greatly appreciated.

If you, or anybody you know, can help please e-mail me, call me, leave me a message on Facebook or leave a comment on this blog. Or all of the above.

Update, 4:00 PM: Please feel free to share this information.

Update, 6:15 PM: We've just been informed that Lauren's Mom (Susan) only has a few hours left. Maybe a day. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this.

Lauren Update. 12/08/09

I was exhausted last night, so I did not get a chance to post this update about Lauren from my Facebook. But here's the latest:

Stable yesterday (12/07/09) and through the night. Her #'s are about the same. Even though things aren't moving forward, I'm happy that they aren't going backwards.

She was definitely more aware of her surroundings and would respond to us when we talked to her. She is sick of having all these tubes in her & getting antsy to get them out. Her lungs still need the help, so she will have to keep them a little longer.