Thursday, June 12, 2014

JUNE 12,2014,
NO MEGAN TODAY--- HOPEFULLY SHE HAS THE 24 HOUR 2 EXITS NO WAITING KIND OF  PROBLEM...    BUT SHE ALSO HAS A TEMP-- AND THAT IS NOT A GOOD SIGN...

MARSHA WAS PRESSURED IN TO WRITING ABOUT KHAKI- SO THAT IS TODAYS DD---

I WOULD LOVE TO  HAVE SDP TAKE THE CREDIT FOR HAVING TRAINED HIM.....  BUT REMEMBER DAVID GETTING STUCK UNDER THE BATHROOM SINK AND MAUDE COMING TO HIS RESCUE..

I HAVE OFTEN SAID... DANES ARE BORN TRAINED.. JUST DON'T WRECK THEM WITH MICRO MANAGING.

*************
I have some time and I would like to share the story of Khaki and my mother-in law... Elise.
Elise is a very, very good 94 years old has lived in her home for 63 years. 15 of those years has been 
by herself. On Easter we travel to see her and spend the holiday with her as well as my husband's other
sibling's... all 10.
Saturday when we arrive I thought she looked very tired, she didn't seem herself. When I asked her how she was
she would give the typical response... I'm fine. The day went on as
usual. Around 3:00 Am Khaki is nudging me with his nose, kept pacing back and forth, came over
again nudging with his nose each time in doing so it seemed more urgent like. This time I heard my mother-in-law
so I get up and Khaki is very anxious to get down stairs. I find Elsie standing at the bottom of the steps holding
unto the railing breathing very hard. Khaki looks at me as if to say can I go down?... I told Khaki go!
He goes behind her to brace her in case she falls backwards. I called 911 and got everyone awake. The paramedics
came with ambulance. Elsie pulse ox was 84%, elevated blood pressure, low pulse.
Elsie was admitted with Congestive heart failure, Moderate kidney failure, AFIB, Acute respiratory distress. The Doctors
told the family Elsie would have died if we would not have called 911. The family said it wasn't us... it was Khaki.
They went on to explain how khaki alerted me and that is how the ball got rolling.
Elise remained in the hospital for 8 days. In those 8 days Khaki became very well known.
She was transferred to a Rehab facility to get her strength back. Khaki and I came home to get our strength back.
Rehab facility approached the family about the next step in Elise's life.
No one wanted to put her in a nursing home and Elise did not want a strange person living with her but she needed supervision. Not 24/7 but enough.
So until the family could decide what was going to be the best option Khaki and I pack up again and went down
to be with her.
Monitoring her blood pressure, weight, pulse ox I started to notice the same pattern as before. I was upstairs
When Khaki came flying up them... only to repeat the same type of behavior with the nudging, pacing etc..
I follow him down the stairs to find Elise on the couch having breathing problems. I called 911. Khaki never left Elise's side Like he knew something was terribly wrong.
Elsie was readmitted to the hospital. It was touch and go. After being there a week I packed up Khaki and our things
to go home to pay bills etc..
Upon arriving at the hospital Khaki became very Anxious, he could not get to Elsie's room fast enough. I'm thinking boy
your anxious to see grandma aren't you. We get close to her room, the doctor is coming out Khaki pushes through
and the expression on the doctors face was somber. Khaki is sniffing Elise like I have never seen before. He just wouldn't stop. The doctor looked at me and said to call the family the prognosis is poor. Elsie was drifting in and out of consciousness. After Khaki finished his intense sniffing he laid his head across my mother-in-law's chest and did not move. Everyone coming in and seeing this started to cry. They knew how fond Elsie was of Khaki. I have heard of animals sensing when someone is dying but I never thought in a million years I would witness it. 2 times Elsie awoke with Khaki lying across her and each time she lifted her frail hand and would pet him.
The doctors decided to move Elsie into comfort care until she passes. Everyone took turns being with her. Khaki and I
went back to her house for much needed rest.
Getting ready the next day to see Elsie was hard. We did not get that fatal call the night before. But we went... do you know what?  Elsie was sitting up EATING, smiling. The doctor came out of the room and said... I was not expecting this at all, What happened!!
We look at him just as shocked. While the doctor is talking to us Khaki is having a very special bonding time with Elise he was nuzzling her ears and setting off her hearing aids.
He stated that she shouldn't be here she beat the odds not once but twice shaking his head the whole time in utter amazement.
I'm sorry this is so long but I needed you as well as everyone there to know how special Khaki is. We have a bond
like no other... He is the apple of my eye.

Fondly,
Marsha and Khaki