"You stay classy… Interwebs."
I just wanted to say a quick thank you to all of you that have been posting in your condolences about Squeak via the Blizzog and e-mail. We know that this will heal some with time, and your kind words and understanding only help that process along for us. Thank you all for being such good friends.
We put Squeak to sleep today around 5:30 in the afternoon. His biopsy came back positive for lymphoma. Even with treatment, he had at most a month to live.
We sat with him for two hours while we agonized over what to do. He was in fine spirits today, but it was really because of all the force-feeding and medication they had been giving to him. We could have taken him home and continued to give him sustaining care, but it only would’ve prolonged the inevitable.
Today has been one of the hardest days of my life. I know that we did the right thing but it doesn’t make it any easier.
We just got back from burying him at our new house that we haven’t even moved into yet. We put him out in the side yard so that we can see him every morning when we wake up and every night before we go to bed. Just like always. We buried him wrapped in towels in a shoe box, along with a great picture of him and Ashley and I from this past fall, some carrots for the road, and his Christmas stocking.
I was a bit sheepish about this yesterday but I can’t be any more. I don’t know that I’ve ever been sadder about anything in my entire life. Today was just awful.
Rest in peace, Squeaker. I’m so sorry that we couldn’t save you. I know that you’re in a better place now. We will always love you.
Sorry I’ve been so bad about updating lately. Here’s a recap of what’s been going on.
Despite some minor problems at the last minute, we closed on the house last Thursday. We are now the proud owners of a new place out in Summerfield. We will be moving stuff in slowly over the next few weeks and will be officially living there by the end of July.
Immediately after the stress of the closing on Thursday we headed off for the mountains on Friday to be a part of Ashley’s Uncle Tim’s wedding. He and his new bride Michelle were married in Burnsville, NC - yeah, I’d never heard of it either - in a beautiful ceremony. I have some cool pictures from the event. If I’d ever release the new version of the Blizzog, then you’d be able to see them.
And then the bad news. As many of you know, we have two guinea pigs, Squeak and Frosty. Ashley bought Squeak about a month before we were married and we found Frosty as a stray - seriously, it’s a long story - a few months later.
When we got back this weekend we noticed that something was wrong with Squeak. He was very listless and not really eating or drinking too much. Guinea pigs are pretty sensitive animals, and if they get sick they can go downhill really fast. When they do get sick it is hard to find a vet to treat them that really knows anything about them.
I ended up taking Squeak to an after-hours clinic last night because he was in such bad shape. The vet there consulted with our old vet back in Raleigh, who specializes in exotic animals. Through her exam she determined that Squeak had some kind of upper respiratory infection. She gave us some antibiotics and sent us home. We didn’t get back until after midnight last night.
This morning he was not any better. We watched him throughout the day but he wasn’t really eating or doing anything. So this afternoon I put him in the car and took him to our old vet in Raleigh. In the preliminary exam they noticed that one of his lymph nodes was swollen. They did an X-ray to see what his lungs looked like and they were clear. This would indicate that he doesn’t have a URI as the vet last night said.
They did a biopsy on Squeak’s enlarged lymph node and sent it off to a lab for testing. We should hear tomorrow. According to the vet there is one of two things wrong. One, he has some sort of bacterial infection and the lymph node is swollen just like yours or mine would be if we were sick. The second possibility is that Squeak has lymphoma, or cancer of the lymphatic system. The fact that only one of the lymph nodes is swollen and the other is fine has Ashley and I fearing the worst.
Guinea pigs don’t usually get cancer but it does happen. We are so sad and worried right now. Squeak is in the hospital back at the vet’s office in Raleigh tonight. They are keeping him hydrated and fed and making sure he gets his medicine. We’re not sure how this is going to turn out, but we’re not optimistic right now.
It’s funny how you can get so attached to animals. No, guinea pigs aren’t like dogs or cats. They don’t run around and jump up on your lap when you come home. But they do have personalities all their own and very much appreciate the attention that you pay to them. Squeak has been a part of our lives since we were married, and it’s hard to imagine him not being around anymore.
I suppose some might think it’s a bit much to be so upset over something like this, but I am unbelievably sad right now. I feel like a member of my family is dying and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. There’s a chance still that this is just a bug that he has and he’ll get over it but it’s not looking good right now.
If you’re into such things, we’d sure appreciate a prayer or two for the little guy tonight if you think about it.
More later.
The Blizzog must give it up to JeffTurner.net for turning us on to the Internet celebrity of the minute, Bubb Rubb. Check it out.
Here’s some more Bubb Rubb fun times for you courtesy of Google.
Have you seen this series of shows on VH-1 called I Love the 80’s? It rules. Each episode takes one year from the decade and has various mostly has-been celebrities commenting on the various pop culture trends of the year. This is good TV.
We were watching the 1985 episode last night, and I never realized how many awesome movies came out that year. Just look at this list…
Back to The Future
Better Off Dead
The Breakfast Club
Fletch
Goonies
Krush Groove 
Mad Max III: Beyond Thunderdome
Mask
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
Rambo: FIrst Blood Part II
Rocky IV (I must break you)
St. Elmo’s Fire (which I hated but others seem to like)
Teen Wolf
Weird Science
That’s a pretty impressive list.
I just saw a commercial with TV’s John Stamos on it. He’s pimping 10-10-987 - or something. Is there anyone on the planet that has it better than this guy?
He makes phat loots off the residuals from his Full House days. He crews out with the Beach Boys - or what’s left of them. Last but definitely not least, he’s Mr. Rebecca Romjin-Freaking-Stamos. Nice.
TV’s John Stamos is my hero. Werd.
Ashley and I have found a new home. After months of searching, we finally found something that we really like. We will be closing next week and should move sometime next month.
Here are some pictures. The inspection is tomorrow. I should have more up after that.
I’m slightly embarassed to admit this, but Beyonce’s new single with Jay-Z, “Crazy In Love”, is the best ass-shaking club song to come out in at least the last five years. I have been listening to it over and over again for the past few days. I cannot hear it enough.
Whoever produced this deserves some kind of award. In fact, the Blizzog may have to institute an award just so this song can get one. “Crazy In Love” is the new official ass-shaking club song of the Blizzog.
I’m glad I got that off my chest. Excuse me, I have to get back to shakin’ that ass.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Best. Ice Cream. Ever.
So I’m driving this morning and 50-Cent’s new single, “21 Questions” - featuring Nate Dogg, by the way - comes on the radio. This song has a great line in it…
“I love you like a fat kid loves cake.”
If that is not one of the most heartfelt expressions of emotion that you have ever heard, then you must have no soul. Good times.
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