How many pillows does it take? Ramirez has always loved what we call his “squooshes”. They’re his pillows of various texture, softness and overall squooshiness. In dealing with his current debilitation, we’ve come up with a few ways where he can still enjoy his comforts while staying safe. He’s slept in the bed with us since he was a 4 month old puppy. I have a hard time sleeping if he’s not next to me. It’s ironic now how I’m not sleeping because he is next to me!

He has spurts of resting comfortably and then his nose thing starts up and he goes into his panic mode trying to get up to sneeze. This sometimes goes on from 2 – 5am. We’re all catching our sleep when we can. Sort of reminds me of being back in college…ah, those were less complicated days. All I had to worry about then was getting to class and finding out where the party was going to be. Now, I’m holding delicate lives in my hands. Some days I feel competent, others I’m at a loss.

We got a babies play pen for him to be in the times we aren’t able to supervise him on the bed. He had been using a soft crate, but it was difficult getting him in and out of it and we couldn’t just peek in the room to see if he was ok. This solved all that.

We don’t want him to have to be in there for very long, so we’re now eating in the bedroom with him. Our good HD tv is in this room so it’s working out nicely. He’s also a Magic fan so we’ve been getting into these playoff and finals games.

Scottie spends the mid mornings with him while I tend to our other animals. Easy to forget there are several others depending on us for their food and essentials! He does his futures trading stuff while in bed with him. He’s got quite a cool set up. Scottie’s always wanted to just spend his days in bed. Be careful what you wish for…

All these photos makes it seem like Ramirez is laying there like a vegetable. He’s not. He’s trying desperately to stand up and walk like he wants to. He moves himself around the bed using his front legs. That’s why he’s surrounded by the pillows to keep him in. He is completely aggravated about being carried and touched constantly. He always been a pin that did things on his own terms and that meant giving or getting affection. When I go to kiss his nose he’s still trying to bite me and that’s a good thing.

Joey (on the left) and Frank (on the right) sometimes horn in on the squooshiness. The age of that group together is 51 freaking years old! Good grief! Poor Joey is at the vet today because something’s going on with one of his eyes. We had Kaley hospitalized last week for 2 days to get IV fluids because she’s in kidney failure. Simon is hyperthyroid. Nellie has glaucoma. It goes on and on with this group of senior citizens. Give us strength to get through these dark days.