3 months post op!

Sorry I am bad at this blog thing!

Just thought I would let everyone know! Bella is now 3 months out of surgery!!!!! She is doing great! We didn't need x-rays everything is doing well! She thinks she is ready for a marathon some days and other days she feels it! She doesn't really limp anymore except when she gets up from laying too long! She is loving the snow and the holiday season!

We had a gender reveal party a week and a half ago and she is still playing with balloons from the party! Silly girl! She also got a new hot pink collar cause she is gaining a little weight (not too much she is still a healthy weight). You can still tell when it hurts her or bugs her but as of lately that has been only if she sneaks out to run, which is when we go to grandma & grandpa's, or her and Harley play a lot during the day!

Last week her incision site looked a little funny and she had an internal stitch working its way out that had gotten stuck so we got it out! It's looking much better now! Oh and I forgot to say we have been able to start off leash a little bit, but she tends to go nuts so that is limited to once a week at the most, depending on how she handles it! I am getting more worried with it now that the snow is here but I will get past that!

Oh and she is going to have a little brother for anyone wondering! She will be great, I think she will be kind of like nana in Peter Pan! When friends with kids come over she has to see and kiss them. Oh and if they start crying she gets so worried, she went from me to Logan to Christine and back to me and had to know he was okay! Harley on the other had just slept through the crying! It was very interesting!

We also were given a ton of baby stuff and the night we hauled it all into the house they both freaked out but Harley more so, she started shaking and whining in the living room! She is better now, for a couple months anyway! If anyone has some good advice on bringing baby home with dogs and a cat let me know! We are trying a few things to get them used to the baby stuff and after Christmas we are going to set up the nursery so all the baby stuff isn't in the living room!

Thank you all for the love and support!

Merry Christmas!

Day 8 of thankfulness

Today I am thankful for my faith! The missionaries came by tonight and have me more interested in going back to church than before!

Day 6 & 7 of thankfulness

Yesterday I was thankful to live in such a wonderful country where I have the right and freedom to make my own choices!

Today I am thankful for nausea medication! Well I will give a real one I guess!
I am thankfully for this little one growing inside me! Can't wait to find out what it is, but I am definitely not so anxious to meet the little one! I'm okay with it baking for about 23 more weeks or so!

Day 5 of Thankfullness

So today I am extrememly thankful for a roof over my head with heat, electricity, and running water! I do like camping but if I had to rough it everyday I would go nuts! Especially since i'm pregnant and sick a lot! I don't have a pic of this exact thing since its so broad so I'll share a pic of Bella!

Day 4 of thankfullness

Today I am thankful for my family!

Day 3 of Thankfullness!

Today I am thankful for all these dirty dishes! Yes that's right because it shows that we have food and we do not go hungry! I might hate cleaning those dishes but it makes me thankfull that we have them! I could live in a third world country and not have enough to eat!

Day 2 of thankfullness!

All the Generosity and Help to get Bella the surgery she needed!

Day 1 of thankfullness!

My wonderful husband, Bret!

Family Update!

So I guess since I have told everyone except my blog I should tell you all! After 5 years of trying....

WE ARE PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 13 weeks today! I have started doing water aerobics at Mountain View Hospital since they offer it free for Pregnant Women!

Bella is doing wonderful, Dr. Alderson said she is healing nicely and fast, everything feels good and we couldn't be happier with it!

Harley got her vaccinations last week and yesterday had to go back to the vet due to having a case of the Flu! Here is a story for ya!

I got a text from the landlord while at work saying one of the dogs were whining in distress and had been whining all morning! I went home and Harley had pooped all over in her kennel! Poor thing! So then she was trying to get out of her kennel and broke one of the doors and broke her water bowl! I had to call my mom and get help cleaning it up due to the pregnancy! She is such a wonderful mommy! She came right over and cleaned Harley's kennel up (we threw her bed and blankie away) and then helped by cleaning up throw up in the bathroom. I took her to the vet and its a flu bug!!! Yay! Glad it is nothing more serious! God knows after Bella's adventure we can't afford anymore fun!

Needless to say Harley is feeling better today, she was really tired last night after the vet and cuddled a lot until I kicked her off the bed! Ooops!

Anyway, Thanks for all the help getting us this far with Bella and all the support with everything else!

3 Weeks Post Op!

I am so bad about updating this blog! Well Bella & Harley have vet appointments on Tuesday! I am hoping for all good news. We are just getting Bella checked on to make sure everything looks good to the professional and not just mommy, Harley is just getting her 1 year vaccinations!!! Its so hard to believe that Harley is just a year and few months old and is so big! I will have to update on how much she weighs after her appointment!

Anyway back to Bella, she has been trying to run and jump on everything! Naughty naughty girl! When she gets yelled at for something she is not supposed to do, it breaks my heart just as much as hers! She puts on this face like why am I in trouble I have never been in trouble for this before! We also have went to grandma's house a couple times and she hates the fact she cannot go outside and run and when she does go outside she has her stupid leash on! My mom has a baby gate that we put up to keep Bella from going out the dog door while Harley and Toj are playing outside! She stands at the baby gate and whines and whines until someone talks to her! I will be so glad when Dr. Alderson clears her for off leash walks, even though I'm pretty sure that first day is going to really freak me out!

Her incision has healed nicely it looks really funny because of how they put it back together and she will definitely have a funny scar, but other than that she is great! She puts more weight on it every day and when she does go faster she picks it up and just hops around and its way faster than her walking! She is so sweet, I don't know what I would do without my girls and the Gomer!

Best Wishes!

Day 1 & 2 post op!

So Bella and I were both pretty lazy yesterday! I had a hard time getting her to drink water, until I gave her some from a straw! She is doing great! Not needing to be in her kennel so much, I think she understands that she has to take it easy! She is very tired still but at the same time good! She met her Aunt Maggie and Uncle Patrick the other day and is starting to warm up to them! Loves Maggie not so sure about Patrick unless he is sitting down!

She is doing wonderful! She is healing nicely, toe tapping today and being herself minus the playing cause we are not allowing that!

This is her incision on day 2 post op!

Day of Surgery Pics!

Her Pouty Face!

Her incision!

Day of Surgery!

Thank you everyone whom has helped get us here, whether it is emotional help, or donating or even just saying a prayer!

Bella's surgery went really well today! We woke up at 6am and were on the road by 6:45, we drove 3 hours to get to Sun Valley Animal Hospital and when we got there Bella was shaking like crazy! She really didn't even sleep on the way there maybe an hour total! Mommy was nervous as well, we talked to the doctor and after that I broke down crying, I hate leaving my baby for anything!

We left her there at 10:30 and got a phone call she was done and starting to wake up from anesthesia at 12:27, and were then told we could pick her up earlier than expected at 3! So for anyone that has ever been to Ketchum/Hailey/Sun Valley there is nothing to do! So we wasted 5 hours, saw a museum, ate some lunch, walked around Albertson's and Kings, and walked around Ketchum and got some coffee! When we picked her up I was so relieved, they took x-rays of her back and her hips and her right leg and then showed us the x-rays when we picked her up! WOW! Her back and hips look great for now, she will eventually need surgery for the other leg but that will be another day!

I will try to keep this updated day to day with pics and what not but I'm not very good at keeping it up to date as it is!

Thank you all again!

Bella Update!

So with 6 days until surgery Bella has torn her ACL the entire way! It breaks my heart to see her limp so bad but I couldn't keep her down and then have her have to be down for another 2 months! She wont be able to run like she does for at least 6 months! She loves coming to grandma's and running, which is exactly how she tore it the other way! All she wants to do still is go outside and run! Poor thing!

With 6 days until surgery we are all extremely nervous, but I know we are going to the best of the best! Every time I have heard anything about Dr. Aker its positive and that he is the best!

I am still praying for a textbook surgery and speedy recovery!

I will update again next week!

Thank you all for you love and support!

Bella Update!

So Bella's condition hasn't changed much! She still runs and plays like crazy! She has this one toy that she has had since she was a puppy and absolutely loves it! Its a cheese moon! Every now and then it comes up missing and when I find it she is always so excited and I don't think she puts it down or quits playing with it until it goes into hiding again from being "overworked"! Lately she has been "telling" me when she is in pain though! When I ask if she needs a pain pill she will go stand by the table where the bottle is! The pain meds are chewable so if she takes it from me I know she really needed it and if she won't she just wants a treat and is doing good! She is so unbelievably silly! I love her to death!

We are also counting days (16 to be exact) til the day that is going to definitely feel like the longest day ever for me! I am nervous and emotional about that day, but Bret will be there too! We are starting to think of how to help, especially when it comes to her not be ran over by Harley when she gets to get out of her kennel, & I think its determined that Harley will have to be in the other room either in her kennel or hanging out with one of us!

Bella will have to be constantly in her kennel for the first 2 weeks except for potty breaks! Then she gets to go to the vet, then back to the kennel a little less every day from what I hear! This is going to be an extremely long process but by next summer she should be back to her normal self, hopefully!

This whole experience has been an emotional roller coaster for me, I can only imagine how Bella is feeling!

We appreciate all the prayers for all of us! I just keep praying her surgery will go as smooth as possible and that we will both make it through recovery without going insane!

Thanks for everyone's help and support! We Love You!

Two of my greatest blessings in life! Hanging outside tonight as a family was wonderful!

Thank you all for your help and support! Just so you know we have more than enough for the surgery! 

All our Love & Gratitude!

Posted a bit too soon!

So I posted a bit too soon. We are at goal, we were over goal by a little this afternoon, so I bought Bella some more pain meds!

Thanks again everyone!

Bella Rae update!

So I thought I should do another update! We have almost reached our goal, we only need $30! So thank you everyone!

So a little update on Bella she still acts like nothing is wrong for the most part until she runs for a little and plays like crazy, then she starts to slow down and starts to hurt more and it breaks my heart! I watched her lay down at one point yesterday and it literally took her an entire minute to lay down! It broke my heart! Even though she got pain meds before we went to grandma's she seemed like it didn't really help and she seemed unphased by the pain! She would run, and when she stopped she would pick it up!

Poor girl! I hate seeing her hurt! On another note in exactly 1 month we will be heading to Ketchum for surgery! I do want to say thank you to everyone for all the help and support! Thank you mom for baking all the time and selling it for Bella, we love and appreciate you more than we can express!

Thank you everyone, again!

Official Operation Date!

So I called Sun Valley Animal Center today and scheduled Bella for surgery! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I am so nervous about the entire thing! It is almost exactly 1 month away! We have to be there at 10am and that means that we have to leave Idaho Falls around 6:30-7am! We will be home that night probably around 8! I think I am going to have to find a babysitter for Harley, possibly for the 1st night! (Insert Sad Face Here)

I have so much to do before we go in! Wow I cannot believe it!

I must say thank you again to everyone that has helped us get this far!

Thanks to Donations and the Bake & Yard Sale and selling my saddles we only need $110 more! I think! I will have to re-figure things to make sure, but I'm pretty sure I am right! I also wanted to let people know that if for some reason we have money left over in the Bella Fund it will be used towards her follow up visits with Dr. Alderson, when she has to have x-rays!

Thanks a billion times a billion!

Grattitude & Love

I am in awe again today! This evening one of my best friends, Christine, stopped by the apartment to pick up dog treats and pans! She also gave us a very generous gift! Because of Christine's mom, Linda, Christine, her husband Scott, and Son Logan, & Scott's parents John & Sheila we only need $130 for Bella's surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which includes gas! I am in shock at how generous and caring people are!

I cannot say Thank you enough to everyone who has donated, whether it has been items to sell in the Yard Sell or a donation or money or just advice! I have so much appreciation for all of you, I don't think that words can explain how my heart feels!

It has been 19 days since I sat in front of Dr. Alderson and was told the devastating news! I was in complete shock for a few days! Now I am in complete shock at how wonderful and supportive and generous people can be, whether they are strangers, friends, or family! We are still in complete awe!

I have to share with everyone as well Saturday & Sunday nights were the two best nights of sleep I have gotten since she was diagnosed! And that is because of all of you! I no longer have to worry about how we are going to do this!

We have a very long road ahead of us, but I know you will all be there cheering us on and praying for Bella to have a textbook surgery and a speedy recovery!

We cannot say THANK YOU enough to everyone!

Almost ready to schedule surgery!

Since our Bake Sale and Yard sale were yesterday I wanted to update everyone on how things went!

They went excellent, I am still in awe about how much we made and how much support we are getting! I have to say Thank you to Bella's Aunt Aubrey, Bella's Aunt Christine, Bella's Grandma & Grandpa Biorn, and to Greg & Judy our neighbors for helping at the yardsale and the bake sale!
I want to thank everyone who bought something or just donated! I cannot tell you how thankful we are for all the help and support!

The past two weeks have been a highly emotional little while, and yesterday was no exception, the water works were held at bay, but just barely, more than once! Every time someone asked me about Bella, I told them and then pretty much had tears in my eyes. As Christine and I counted money, I counted the change and she counted the bills and as she got finished with certain things she would show me and tears would come to my eyes! I had no idea we would bring in that much money to help Bella!

I also have to say a huge thank you to everyone that shared this blog link, or even Bella's story, or anything! We are so blessed its not even funny!

I did find out on Friday that another family in Idaho Falls is going through the exact same thing as we are. Their border collie needs the same surgery and they also had a bake/yard sale yesterday! I hope that everyone can pray for them as well, and I hope they did as well as we did!

Now for the result of the Bake and Yard sale........... we brought in $1,132.35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now from the sale of my saddles, more donations that have came in (even from complete strangers) we only need $340.20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is also including $100 for gas to go to Sun Valley! So Bella's surgery will be scheduled for the last week of September when my best friend and her husbad will be here, and my sister for emotional support and stress reduction therapy (laughter)! I have also been reading a lot of stories of other peoples experiences, and it makes me cry every time, whether its happy or not so happy! I have a few more things to find out for follow ups from surgery and I also need to check more into getting her Pet Insurance!

I have no doubt we will have enough money by the end of September! I would like everyone to pray for her and us! I have heard this is a very stressful and trying time for all of us! I really want everything to be textbook with the operation, and recovery!

Please let me know if you have advice or questions!

Thank you all so much!

Bake sale!

Bubblegum cupcakes for the sale!

Bella Rae update!

So I wanted to let everyone know how Bella is doing, which is still pretty well! I am pretty sure she tore it more the other day as the way she walks and bears weight has changed a little. She ran across the yard and suddenly stopped and walked a little way, then stopped and continued to walk. Though it still hasn't slowed her down at all! That night she did get a pain pill and I know she is truly in pain when she actually chews the chewable rimadyl, instead of me doing it the hard way! She has also started taking her vitamins instead of spitting them out! Yay! I love her to death and don't know what I would do without her!

So I hope that everyone will be swinging by the Bake/Yard Sale on Saturday from 7:30am -2pm to support Bella! We are almost halfway to the money we need!

I also want to say a quick Thank you to everyone whom has helped and who is helping me this week! Whether it be emotionally or it be physically, I really do appreciate it!

Thanks so so so so so so much!

Yard Sale & Bake Sale!

We will be having a fundraiser for Bella Rae at 576 Highland Dr, Idaho Falls, Idaho on August 18th! This coming Saturday! Wow I have so much to do! We will start selling at 7:30am and I say we will stop around 2 but it all depends on how busy we have been, it might be closer to 4 but don't count on anything!

On another note, Bella is doing great! She does have to have a pain pill about 2-4 times a week because she acts like she isn't hurt at all! She is such a silly girl! She has been running and playing and being crazy like she normally does, then ends up paying for it later! Poor thing! I was told by Dr. Alderson to not keep her down right now as its not going to help it heal and its not keep it from tearing all the way, unfortunately! So while she is not laid up from surgery I will let her play and be herself! She is going to be on restricted movement for 2 months following the surgery!

She also is awaiting the time when I start baking this week for the Bake Sale as I will be making homemade dog treats!

I hope everyone can come and buy some goodies! My mom is also baking for this, and anyone that knows my mom knows that she is the best baker in my family! She has a magic touch or something!

If anyone has anything they don't want and would like to donate to our Yard Sale please let me know by thursday so I can pick it up or meet up with you to get it! Shannon's number (208)390-7367!

Thanks A Billion!

Bella's Peanut Butter Face

Bella Rae Fund info!

So I wanted to take a minute and tell everyone who is willing to donate or has donated, thank you! I don't know what I would do without you! Bella is holding steady with her partial tear! I think some days she doesn't realize she is hurt with how much she wants to run and play, but then ends up paying for it later when her leg hurts and she can barely move it! Crazy little girl!

I was told today that I should put my address on here for people that want to help but do not have paypal (link to the right)! So here is our address and how you can address it!

Bella Rae Fund
576 Highland  Dr.
Idaho Falls, ID
83402

I am also looking at setting up an account at A+ Credit Union for her but as for now we are using my savings account!

If you would like to talk with me (Shannon) my phone number is
(208)390-7367.

We are looking into having a garage/bake sale on August 18th from 7:30-2 and trying to set up a car wash as well.

I am also selling cookies and Dog treats, if you are interested in either of these email me at cowgirly249@gmail.com or call me at the number above! 

Thanks so much!
All the love!

Bella Rae needs help!

As some of you already know Bella Rae was diagnosed with a partial tear in her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). Because Bella is only 2 1/2 her vet Dr. Alderson from Shelley Animal Hospital is referring her to Sun Valley Animal Center in Ketchum, ID. Her surgery is very expensive ranging in price from $2400-$3000 or more. Bret and I have applied for Care Credit and were denied! So in order for Bella to continue to live a full and happy life, running and playing we are asking for your help! If you would like to donate to the Bella Rae Fund please do! You can click the link to the right of the page! We need all the help we can get! If you would like to buy some dog treats to help support Bella please email me, cowgirly249@gmail.com


Thanks a million!

Mutt Strut & Pet Fair 2012

So I am inviting anyone and everyone to join us for the Mutt Strut & Pet Fair on August 25th. This helps support the local dog park and Snake River Animal Shelter! I am also taking any and all donations to help my pack "The Droobles" walk and raise money! Click to Donate, or Register. Bella and Harley spend a lot of time at the dog park and we would greatly appreciate any help! If anyone may have any questions please let me know!

Bella and the cone of shame

I have a pic of Harley in a cone of Shame, so I thought I better post the one of Bella when she cut her paw in April!