My Favorite Tunes

Every night when I eat dinner, Momma plays classical piano music by her best friend's mother, Caren Goodin Evarts.  You can find her on iTunes or CDUniverse.com.  Her music is beautiful, quiet piano classics and masterpieces.  She's even played at Carnegie Hall.

Momma's thinking is to play calm, quiet relaxing music for us all to begin settling in for the night.  Sometimes she plays it during the day too when she wants us to settle down, esp. when she needs to work or take a nap.  Trot and I both love to listen and it calms us right to sleep like a sweet lullaby.

Momma calls that our "Puppy Relax" playlist.  Then.....every morning, breakfast brings out the playlist called "Puppy Dance" - it's all lively, wake-up music (Black-Eyed Peas, Rascal Flatts, Stevie Wonder and more) to get us (and, mostly, her) energized for the day.  Sometimes Momma gets Trot to dance with her - what a dorky duo.

But personally, Caren Goodin Evarts is my favorite - since I'm the "quiet", relaxin' sorta fella.
So with that said, I'm going to finish my time in my special chair since I just ate a good dinner, then head off to lala land - with those wonderful tunes as my lullaby.

Woof!

Mush and Mary Tyler Moore reruns

That's about as exciting as my days get around here.
Momma canceled our TV service and watches reruns on hulu.com (free, btw, so check it out. They even have Dog Whisperer!!)
Right now, she's into Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart reruns and just settled down on the couch for a marathon.
In the meantime, Trot is chewing his indestructible bone (it works - he actually hasn't destroyed this one), while I am working my way from my special chair to join Momma on the couch.
She can watch TV. Trot can chew his bone. Me - I'm on my way to a post-mush meal nap.
Woof!

Thank you for your donations

Today, Momma is going to buy another weekly bag of food.  Yum!!


Thank you to those who donated.  Your thoughtfulness will not be forgotten.


Woof!!

Momma gave me my 2am meds but...

I've been pacing the living room ever since - back and forth, round and round.
About 5 mins ago (a mere 90+ minutes later) I finally "plopped" on the floor, head on my pillow and I think I might...be...ready...to fall...as...lee...p. Zzzzz....

Dinner is done.

Now I'm just waiting for my food to go down and Momma can't wait to hit the pillow.

And I must tell you....Trot is so darn cute.  He can't quite put his paw on it, but he knows both me AND Momma are not feeling too well today, so he's sitting right at our feet - right at the bottom of my chair now, and he was at Momma's feet while she was making my meals for tomorrow (and not just to pick up any food that she drops).

You know, for such a goofy, whiny dog, sometimes he's all right - of course, not as good looking as me (even though Momma tells us both we're soooo handsome - I know better), but he's a pretty cool dude.  (Just don't tell him I said so.)

Anyway, tonight Momma gave me a full meal (instead of half like lunch and breakfast) and is going to give me another dose of meds at 2am to help me through the night better.  Cross your paws!!

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day.
Woof!!

Such a long night...

...I kept coughing, hacking, and moaning all night.  I kept Momma up all night walking around in circles and panting really hard.  She stayed on the couch with me, but I kept getting up, walking around, and lying down again all over the living.  I just wasn't comfortable.

Finally, around 4:30am, Momma gave me a Dramamine - she hates giving me those because they make me sleepy - but it was a good thing this time.  She says I finally went to sleep a little after 6am.  But I've still been yucky all day.  (And poor Momma is really tired too.)

I only got to eat half of my normal amount today so far, just to keep a little in my tummy, but at least I'm not vomiting.  I just hack a lot.  But right now, I'm going back to the couch to take another nap.  Gotta catch up on my Zzzz's.

Woof!

Watch one of my music video photo montages

Donate from Wishlist to help MegaPaws

For some people, donating money to a stranger makes them a bit nervous (understandably so).  So here's a great way to help MegaPaws without "sending" a penny!

Help MegaPaws DIRECTLY by ordering "approved" supplies from his Amazon.com Wishlist and know that your donation will be used for its exact intention.  


You choose an item from the Wishlist (similar to a Wedding or Baby Registry), process the transaction through Amazon.com, and the item is shipped directly to MegaPaws.  


Easy.  No fuss.  No worries about whether your money will actually be used to buy the food and medicine needed for MegaPaws - YOU buy it for him!

As always, Paws says Woof!  
(and Momma says Thank You!)

What is a "Bailey Chair" ?

MegaPaws in his "Bailey Chair"

For dogs with MegaEsophagus, a "Bailey Chair" is an invaluable lifesaver.  Nicknamed after "Bailey", a dog who lived with  MegaEsophagus for 13 years, the "Bailey Chair" is a "must" in the lives of dogs diagnosed with "MegaE".


from "Bailey Chair" Blog:

• Megaesophagus is a diagnosis that no longer must mean a death sentence for your dog! Megaesophagus is a disorder where the esophagus becomes enlarged, loses communication with the nerves, and loses its ability to transport food, liquids or medications to the stomach. In the dog’s normal position while walking, the esophagus is horizontal, which means that swallowed substances can come back up and risk being aspirated into the lungs, causing life-threatening pneumonia.
• When Bailey was diagnosed at 12 weeks of age and given a poor prognosis, Donna Koch found a way to manage his disorder and later, in collaboration, co-designed the Bailey Chair. The Bailey Chair holds the dog in a comfortable, vertical sitting position, and gravity does the work the esophagus can no longer do – moving food to the stomach.
• Since that time, the work continued, while Bailey Koch lived happily ever after, oblivious to his special needs, inspiring thousands of other affected dogs and their families, and helping to teach the veterinary profession to spread the hope!
• Bailey finished his work here on Earth in June, 2011, just weeks short of his 13th birthday. He died of cancer, unrelated to his megaesophagus.

Car ride...but to get more medicine

Oh boy oh boy oh boy. Momma took me and Trot for a ride in the car. We WOOF rides in the car!! But...It was to go get more medicine.

Still, I'll take the car anytime.
And since I can't escape the medicine, I'll just use it to my advantage.

Woof Woof!

Breakfast was boring and Trot is in one of his moods...again.

While I sat in my chair after eating another boring non-potroast meal, Trot was walking around the house whining. Sometimes he gets like that and it drive Momma bonkers.

Momma says it's cuz he's jealous of my special chair, but I think he thinks I'm a prisoner being held against my will. (Well, he's probably not wrong.)

Momma has told us both that she has a big surprise for us later. Can't wait to see what it is.

Maybe it's a potroast FOR REAL!!!

I'll let u know as soon as I find out.

Woof!

Uh-oh....Momma caught me...

...drinking from Trot's water bowl. That's a big no-no in my new world.

I'm supposed to only eat ice cubes instead. The ice cubes take a little while to melt and settle in my tummy so it's better than having a ton of water sloshing around in there.

I'm usually very good about it, but I just couldn't help myself. :P

And she never would've caught me but Trot decided he was thirsty too and started to growl a little. So Momma came to investigate and caught me.

No worries. I'll get him back sometime. WOL.

Woof!

Watch MegaPaws eat his breakfast in his special chair

Here's a replay of my YouTube video of me eating breakfast in a custom-made feeding chair (commonly known as a Bailey chair).

Tonight Trot (my brother) got lucky...

Momma dropped a whole cup of my food on the floor before pouring it into the noisemaker.  
Wow - he sure gobbled that up quickly (can't forget that he's on a diet, so he'll scoff anything down right now ).


When he was done, he looked at Momma, then looked at me, then back at Momma with those puppy dog eyes that wanted more.  Of course, Momma said no.  I, of course, said "Sure!!  Why not?!?!"  But Momma didn't listen.


So he plopped at her feet and just waited until she was all done making my meals for tomorrow - of course, hoping she'd drop even more.


No such luck.  Nice try though, poor fella.  
(For the record, I woulda let you have more.  You're always my best bud.)


Oh well.  Gnite until tomorrow.
Woof

Meet my new friend Dolly

While I waited for my food to settle and I had to sit in my special chair, Momma introduced me to a new friend - Dolly, the Boston Buddha - "She is Pooch-Editor-in-Chief of the Dolly PawCircle, Dolly Nirvana and Tao of Dolly features. The petite Boston Terrier also has her own Google+ and Twitter (@planetesuzanne) accounts. Pug nose and cute paws to the ground, the newshound likes to sniff and dig for a good story. In fact, she has an excellent reputation for unearthing ‘Tweet Scoops’."  Visit Dolly at PlaneteSuzanne.com and learn more about the Tao of Dolly.

Hiccups. Heeeyyy...don't laugh :(

That means you Momma!

Yes yes yes. Waddya know. I have the hiccups...again. It happens quite often right after I eat.

But she laughs at me. My Momma thinks it's funny. She says she's laughing with me, but I haven't found it funny yet.

What I do find funny is that she tried to record me on her camera, but she forgot it was full from another movie she took of me running in my sleep. (can you say karma?) Hahaha! WOL!

I'm sure the inevitable is only postponed however, but I'm still giggling.

I'm laughing with you, Momma. Really. WOL WOL!

Woof!

Eating is much better....

but Momma says I need to stop the heavy breathing in order for her to feel better about my progress.  It IS better today than the last 2 days, but there's still more to go.  This has happened before and it usually stops after a few days, so let's cross our fingers it goes away soon.

On another note, today's lunch tasted like New England Boiled dinner.  See what happens when Momma cooks?  I dream like a genie.  Yum!   WOL! (Woof Out Loud - for those of you who aren't up-to-date on your canine internet abbreviations - WOL again!)

Woof!!

It is official.

Momma has decided that she likes grinding up my food all at once in the noisemaker (she still calls it a "food processor" - when will she learn?)

She likes making the food at night and putting it in 3 containers for the next day.

You go Momma!! Whatever floats your boat. As long as I get to eat, you can make it however you want. (Just don't make it late. WOL!!)

Still breathing hard but at least I didn't get sick today.

Woof!

Another bad night...

Still breathing really hard.  Only got to eat a small breakfast this morning.

Now I'm back to "my" couch and I'm trying to take a nap.  But Momma keeps interrupting me - she's trying to wiggle her way in to sit down.   She just doesn't get it - it's mine - can't she tell by all of the hair I leave all over the cushions?  :)

ok - back to my nap - just wanted to update you for now.

Woof!

Heavy breathing. Still.

I haven't stopped breathing heavy in two days. Sounds like I ran a marathon. Let's hope it subsides soon. I don't like seeing Momma so worried.

On a good note: I ate food today without getting sick so far. Cross your fingers I keep up the good streak.

Woof!

I'm a little better...

I didn't get sick overnight - so that's a plus.  I'm still hacking and burping a lot, but Momma let me eat breakfast today.  Not as yummy as usual, but at least my tunny will stop growling now.  Hopefully, it was just a one-day event and I'll be back to "normal" (my normal) soon.

Thanks for all the well wishes everyone!!
And special thanks to my bro, Trot, for stepping in and blogging for me.

Dog kisses to all!
Woof!

Trot reporting....

Paws did not have a good night and Momma even made him skip breakfast since he was still throwing up at 7am this morning.

He was moaning and whimpering all night long. Kept Momma up the whole time.

Right now, she's giving him a little bit of food - just a little though.

I'll keep you updated.

As Paws always says...Woof!

Having a hard time tonight.

I don't know why but I'm breathing really hard, burping and hacking a lot. The vets say it's not known why us MegaE dogs do so well for a while, then can turn on a dime.
Momma still let me eat anyway so we'll see what happens overnight. But she already has the wetvac ready to go just in case. Wish me luck.

woof. (tiny woof tonight)

Momma is experimenting.

She just finished making multiple batches of my food at once instead of doing it after each meal. Seems to me, it's all the same but she told me to humor her. Still makes no difference to me really - it's all ground-up mush by the time it gets to me anyway. I'll let you know what she decides.

Woof!

The Races.

So I cleaned up at the track last. Win Place AND show.
I love showing those skinny dogs a thing or two about running around in circles. Plus you should hear what we talk about between laps - some pretty catty chat, let me tell you.
But why do we always go in the same direction? Left. We're not in Australia you know. I keep trying to tell the hounds that we should just mess with all of those cranky ol' men in the stands and go the other way out of the gate someday. Could you imagine? WOL.
Then when I came home, Momma had a great big breakfast for me. I was sooooo hungry. The races really take alot out of me.

Oh wait. I might have been dreaming again. I do that sometimes. WOL.

Can't wait to see what I'm doing today!

Woof!

Bad Momma. Bad.

Hahahaha. Momma wasn't paying attention when she made my dinner tonight. She gave me a whole milkshake instead of just half.
Sweet treat!!
Gnite all. Hope your dreams are as sweet as mine will be. Hahahaha.

Woof!

MegaPaws - After Mealtime Routine

Here I am after finishing my lunch - don't I look happy? Oooohhhhh.....

Momma thinks she is sooooo smart.

After I ate my breakfast, she took advantage of the fact that I like to lay down and snuggle up for a good long nap after big meal.

Well, she had to vacuum the floor because I'm molting (actually Trot and I are both molting like a fuzzy baby bird. It must be the weather.) She came closer and closer with the vacuum. And normally, I try to avoid all things noisy, but my big, full tummy was weighing me down. This time I wasn't moving. Plus, she uses that noisy thing so much, I'm actually getting pretty used to it.

But that could prove to be a big problem for me now: she decided to take out the furbrush and started to brush me WHILE using the vacuum to pick up the hair. It sucked my hair right out. She's laughing and laughing and laughing and thinking she's so cute. Now she thinks she's found such a great idea. But it didn't stop there.

She started to brush Trot too. Well let me tell you, we are not very happy. The two of us look pretty goofy just sitting there while she hoovers us.

Oh well. I'll pay her back when she comes to cuddle on the sofa...her nose really wrinkles when she smells the silent visitors at my back door. I always get the couch back to myself. WOL.

Ok, back to laying like a rug.

Woof!

Trot rushes me.

He just sits there.  Looks at me.  Looks at Momma.  He just can't wait until I'm finished cuz he gets to lick the bowl after I'm done.  But he just sits there with those puppy dog eyes.  Come on...I invented those eyes.  Lemme at least enjoy my food.  Bad enough that Momma has to go and tell me it's not really pot roast (can't a boy dream anymore?!?!) but then he has to sit there, pressuring me to hurry, just so he can get a few last licks and trick Momma into thinking the bowl is clean enough to put back in the cupboard (that's what she always tells him, so he's got her trained really good).  But yo!  Bro!  Don't be rushin' me like that.  Why you look so hungry anyway?  Oh wait.  Yeah.  That's cuz you're on a diet.  WOL WOL WOL.  (ok - Momma just told me to be nice or else she'll take the computer away.  Guess I just better sit and wait til my 30 min. prison-cell time is over then head back to sleep.)  G'nite and sweet dreams to all.  Yes, even you, Trot.

Woof!

Oh yummy yummy yummy

Breakfast is my favorite meal.  I'm always so hungry when I wake up in the morning.  It takes alot of you when you chase cats, sled down the snow-covered mountains, and drink lots of brandy.  Oh wait...yup...I was dreaming again.  But sure does make me tired anyway.

Woof!   

I call it the NOISEMAKER...

....Momma calls it the "food processor".   Ooooo....big fancy word for something so small and noisy.  Momma's best friend's teacup poddle doesn't even make this much noise.   WOL (Woof Out Loud)


I guess I shouldn't complain, really.  She was making my breakfast for the morning.  Gotta have breakfast!  Most important meal of the day.  Oh wait.  They're ALL important - WOL again.


Still not sure which is worse though - the noisemaker or thunder - that's a tuff one.  Let's hope it doesn't rain WHILE she's grinding up my next meal.  (whimper)


Sweet dreams everyone!!  (hopefully more pot roast dreams are on their way!)


Woof!!  

Lunch was still pot roast :)

...then more napping, potty break and now it's time to argue with Trot over who gets to cuddle on the couch with Momma. 

Yum. Breakfast.

Yum. Just finished breakfast. Today it tasted like pot roast.


(note: Momma said to tell you she did not feed me human food. She just made pot roast in the crock pot yesterday and that I just can't stop drooling about it.)


Now for a post-meal nap.


Woof!

Sweet dreams...

Just ate a great dinner (canned food tonight) and now I am off to dreamland.
Get ready for another fun day tomorrow.


Woof!  

MegaPaws eating his breakfast - St. Bernard has Canine MegaEsophagus