Hello Again *waving from Alaska*

[IliamnasQuest]

I know, it's been ages since I've been here! My desktop computer died several months ago and my laptop only connects up wirelessly but I had no wireless connection where I was living, so I was basically offline for several months. Amazingly enough I didn't really miss it that much, so maybe my "internet addiction" has gone away (years ago I HAD to be online daily! *LOL*).

Khana is doing absolutely great and continues to be the perfect Chow girl. She is laying next to me as I type. We've moved into a new place recently so we finally have a "normal" home again (after living 3 1/2 years in a commercial shop building with no shower or kitchen, and businesses on either side of us). It's a small apartment but has a kitchen with a breakfast bar AND a large bathroom with a shower AND tub! On top of that, the place includes wireless internet, free cable AND utilities are included - all for an extremely reasonable price that even I can afford (on Social Security Disability, which isn't much). So I feel spoiled. Khana settled in really well and quickly, but then she's so adaptable that she could live anywhere. Tazer, her German shepherd sister, took a bit longer to settle but she had lived her entire life in the shop so everything seemed very strange to her. It's a basement apartment and now there are people walking on top of us, so the squeakiness of the floor really made Tazer react at first. She's gotten used to it now, though, and unless the people upstairs get really noisy she takes it all in stride.

The Upstairs people are the owners of the house and I knew the lady as she's a nurse at my doctor's office. When she heard I was looking for a place, she told me she had an apartment available. She had already met Khana (since Khana is my Service Dog and goes to all doctor visits with me) and knew of my 20 years of training experienc e, so she had NO problem with the dogs moving in. She's got a big mixed breed dog and wanted me to introduce the dogs so that there were no problems, and there hasn't been any. Their dog adores me already (I always have really nice treats for him) and he's accepted the girls even though they're young and obnoxious, and he's old and cantankerous. He even started tearing around the yard the other day when I was playing fetch with Tazer - it's SO cute when an old dog gets the zoomies! *L*

I was diagnosed with type 2 disabetes in December, which was a real bummer. Adding that to my rheumatoid arthritis and the "unknown" conditions that make the doctors tell me that my case is "complicated", makes me worry a bit about how to live my life. But I've done well with adapting my diet and maintaining a proper blood glucose level. The RA is still the worst, and keeps me limited in what I can do. I do get out everyday to play with Tazer and Khana. That's Tazer's job - to keep me moving. Khana keeps me well loved and cared for.

Hope you are all doing well!

Melanie and the girls in Alaska
Khana CD RE SD (Service Dog) (Chow)
Tazer (The monster puppy)(GSD)

[Auddymay]

Wonderful to hear from you Melanie! Sorry to hear you have diabetes now, My DH has been on the needle for years due to pancreatitis complications, I wish his was more controlled. Of course Khana is doing great as your service dog. I know you taught her well! Now don't be a stranger!

[kingalls]

Hello Melanie!!
Oh, it is so good to hear from you and Khana again! We have missed you.
Glad to hear you have an apartment now and making friends with the neighbor old dog. Sorry to hear about the addtional medical concerns...the RA itself is so much to handle in itself.
Very big hugs to you and Khana!

[CoraP.]

Thanks for the update Melanie! I'm glad you have a nice place to live but sorry to hear about the diabetes. It sounds like Khana and Tazar are taking good care of you, though!

[Tippsy'smom]

It's good to hear from you Melanie! I'm sorry to hear about the diabetes. Many family members on my dad's side of the family have it.

Hugs to you and the girls!

[Zhuyos mom]

*Waving from California!*

Good to hear from you, Melanie. Good timing too! You missed the spammers convention on this site ... two months full! Glad to hear the three of you have a cozy place to call home now. Have you read the topic on this section "Adoption"? I think you could be inspiration to the poster. Also, someone is looking for you/wants to say howdy in the community section, fyi.

[IliamnasQuest]

Ahhh, it feels good to be remembered! Thanks for responding to my post - I feel so out of things since it's been so long. I did a bit of poking around yesterday and posted in the training area but haven't really looked anywhere else yet.

Glad I missed the spammer's convention! I bet that was a royal PITA. Have things been calm here overall lately? Everyone getting along okay? Chows healthy and happy??

The diabetes diagnosis was scary but I really have been able to keep on top of it and my blood glucose levels are staying in the right range (I'm very careful about eating sweet stuff now, something that I had let slide before!). I'm on a medication to help regulate my blood sugar too and that helps, I'm sure.

Khana and I have an appointment this afternoon - I'm going to a second doctor for a second opinion on my RA treatment. He's never met Khana before so it will be interesting. Most people around here have been 100% accepting of my Service Dog, although I do get a lot of comments about how chows are not typically seen in that role! *L* But they are very impressed with Khana's behavior - she settles into a down-stay while I talk with the doctor, and if I give her the okay she would greet him happily. Everytime we go to the store I hear comments from people on how beautiful she is, how well-behaved she is, and a lot of comments on her breed. Not too many chows are seen around here, and those that I've seen have often been poorly handled (matted coats, etc.). So people really enjoy seeing a well groomed, fluffy chow rump meandering around the stores! *L* I had one woman tell me "she's just as pretty going away as she is coming toward me!".

Good to hear from all of you - glad to see that you've survived the spammers and everything else that might have happened. I see a lot of new names, too, so it looks like the site is expanding.

Melanie and the girls

[Victory]

Hi Melanie. Nice to hear from you again. Just a couple of weeks ago people were asking about you. For the most part we are all getting along. I mean we are chow owners and just as stuborn as our dogs. Glad to hear Khana is being an out standing representative of her breed. Tazar sounds like a lot of fun.

Sorry to hear about your diabetes diagnosis, but don't be too scared by it, Drs often become terrorists about some diagnosis, not realizing or caring that they can make people so nervous, scared and depressed that folks just give up!
My two are fine, Firesong is ten now, and I'm still waiting for her to grow up! She's such a clown. Dreamdancer is going to 5 and he's just decided last week that he is now too big to sleep under my bed! Yay! I don't get woken by him trying to crawl out from under it to go bark at whatever Firesong is barking at..I'm still waiting for him to grow up too. We have a car now and they like to go for rides...

[IliamnasQuest]

Hey Victory! Glad your chows are doing well. That's so funny about Dreamdancer just learning not to sleep under the bed - it MUST be a very tight fit! Neither one of my dogs would fit under the bed.

I never really thought about chow people being stubborn, but that seems right. I know I can be uber-stubborn at times .. *L*

Things are starting to melt here, so it's getting messy outside. Khana - as is typical for the breed - gets mud and water all over the hair on her legs, belly and chest. We went into a store today and I stopped to wipe my feet and looked at her and said "could you please wipe yours too?". She didn't, but that's something I should consider teaching her .. *L*

Melanie and the girls

[SWANCIN]

Hello Melanie and Gang!

I don't check in often myself, but saw your name and post today, so wanted to "wave back!".

Hugs to you all,