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Thursday, July 5, 2012

Fire and Floods

Thanks for all of your supportive comments. You all help me so much each time we get bad news about K's cancer. I know that it must sometimes be painful to read about our journey - but I am grateful that you are sticking with me through thick and thin. It helps more than you can imagine.

It's been a rough week in more than one way. Not only did we get the bad, but not unexpected, news about K but I got a very painful tooth infection and abscess. It was shocking how fast it progressed from a barely noticeable twinge to excruciating pain that prevented me from eating. I've been on heavy-duty medications, and I had a root canal today, and now the pain is screaming.

Regardless of my tooth pain, I've been getting out in the woods with K every single day. Today, K charged to me when I called her off a scent. When I see photos like this, I literally cannot believe that she is terminally ill. I think that I'll just try to forget for as long as I can.
And, we visited Hug Hill with foreboding clouds already enveloping the Divide early in the morning.
Later in the day, we got hard rain and hail, and it was wonderful. I can't remember the last time it rained so hard.
Believe it or not, in this land of fires, we had flooding after the rain. The areas that have been burned in recent years cannot absorb the rain and it runs off rapidly, creating flash floods.
Fortunately, aside from a few closed roads, the flooding wasn't too bad. I think that this is the definition of "global weirding", a term coined by Friedman.

On the wildlife front, bear mating season is winding down, as the bears head into the phase of the year when they eat all day and try to gain enough weight to make it through the winter. They essentially eat enough calories to survive the whole year in a couple of months of summer after mating season. I worry about them this year, with the lack of food due to the drought.

A male bear marked a tree a few days ago, either as a closing act of mating season or simply to mark territory. The tree is so much smaller than him that you can barely see it behind him.
He rubbed his back vigorously.
Then, he leaned his whole weight into the tree, before lumbering on his way. No other bears followed his scent, as I would expect for waning days of the mating season.
I've also been getting a lot of photos of a small band of bull elk with velvet antlers. Some bull elk stay at our elevation all year long while the cow elk go up to high elevations to raise their calves in the land of lush green alpine meadows.
Look at the size of this guy's rack, so early in the season! He also doesn't look too thin, which I'm happy to see.

Let's hope that it rains some more here and that both K and I feel well enough to play in the morning!

32 comments:

  1. Wow!

    You've had quite the few days -

    We hope all of you are ready for Friday morning's Special K and KB time!

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  2. I sure hope you are feeling better. We also got rain today for a little while. It was wonderful. But they say back to dry and 90's or more for a while. LOVED the splash photo.
    Blessings,
    Goose

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  3. WE are so glad you got rain. Hoepfully it will help on the fire front. Sorry about your tooth. And a root canal to boot. More pain pills, thats what I woudl be saying.

    K is so beautiful in the first picture, you are right, it seems impossible that she is dealing with the big nasty C.

    We are sending you our best wishes for more rain, less pain, and no fires.

    Love
    Bert

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  4. So glad you got some much-needed rain. K does indeed look so good, and I know you are so happy that her quality of life is still good in spite of everything. Hope the dental pain is subsiding.

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  5. I have a soft spot for bears. recently I read about a cub who got forcefully separated from her mum to be sent to a tourist attraction in Ukraine. I think Four Paws is campaigning to rescue her and reunite the mum and cub. Don't know why but reading your post reminded me of how much we can do to preserve our wildlife.

    K is aware of her illness but she does not let it take over her. This is something humans have to learn. It is not easy.

    This too shall pass...

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  6. I admire you and K. I too went on a journey similar to yours. Gypsy had larengel cancer and was only giving a month to live. I chose to do no chemo or radiation because she was 10 and would have to have her larenex removed. She defied the odds and lived 18 months. It was a roller coaster ride. But I am glad I choose the path I did. The vet had thought she had a stick or something hung in her throat they did a scope and found the cancer. They wanted to give her enough meds that she would just go to sleep I choose not. She was called the miracle dog at the vets. Hang in there. Leigh

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  7. Oh, I'm sorry about the tooth pain! There's no good time for that to happen, but it always seems to happen at the worst time. Here's hoping you feel better and get plenty more rain! We need a lot of rain here, too.

    I think the bears near you could have their own reality show! :)

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  8. Hope you are feeling better. Nothing worse than a tooth ache. We can not believe K is terminally ill. We should learn a lot from Ms. K, how to enjoy life and each day
    Benny & Lily

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  9. Loved seeing your rain - it's still passing us by. Looks so cloudy but none falls. Hope your mouth feels better tomorrow. Great wildlife pics!

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  10. Ann...from..THE OUTER BANKS OF NC..said ..what a relief ..so glad you got rain..we are having 100degree temp here..it feels like we need some too..the bears are just amazing..hope they all find enough food...Keep shining my fiend.. you never know what wonderful gift is out there waiting..hope you feel better tomorrow..may you.(K and R ) and the runner be blessed with peace love light and joy.....Hugs

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  11. So glad you got the rain! But ugh, sorry about the tooth problems. Mouth pain is one of the weirdest and most uncomfortable pains
    Nola

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  12. Wow that's really amazing adventures of your K, did you enjoy playing on the lake :D


    Puppy Bond | Paw Planet

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  13. We hope you both feel better tooo.
    Silly tooth- why did it need to act up!
    And we hope you get blessed with some good rain!
    love
    tweedles

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  14. Blessed, cooling rain. Symbolic enough to send us all outside for refreshing but we need so much more. We STILL have flooding issues in burn areas from 2 years ago. It takes so long to recover from fire.

    Sending White Dog healing energy to you and lots of positive strength to your girl. Hope tomorrow is better.

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  15. Here is to a happy weekend for the whole family!

    K really is amazing to me, and when I think of all the prayers and wonderful wishes for her health, I can only say, yes, thats part of it.

    More prayers and wishes for her continued health.

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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  16. I am so sorry about your tooth, I don't think there is anything worse then dental pain and nothing seems to help. I hope it gets better soon. We have had a lot of rain in Michigan and it is so hot. I know that everyone is having these issues and we just have to find a way to deal with it. I am glad K was able to romp with you.

    Anne and Sasha

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  17. Lovely pictures of K on her walk to Hug Hill. She looks great and is fighting for you. Take each day as it comes.
    What more can we do with our loved ones on 4 legs....
    Great pictures of the bear and the deer looks great. Very nice antlers and they will be bigger.

    Hugs from us!

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  18. K is looking good. Sorry to hear about your toothache. I don't know why it's called an ache it's as you say, excruciating pain!
    Global weirding is a great term. In the UK we have had the wettest June in living memory and severe weather warnings and flood alerts are in place today. It should be summer! Glad you are getting your much needed rain.

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  19. We hope you are better tooth wise today? We love seeing K and all your wild life. It is such a treat. Enjoy each day with K and we keep you all in our thoughts and send you good vibes and very best wishes Molly.

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  20. We're so happy that you got rain and sorry to hear about your tooth. We hope you feel better today, KB.

    Love ya lots,
    Mitch and Molly

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  21. You knows we is always heres to gives you da support you needs...heck, we is heres fur you even if you don't need it...hehehe.
    Dat is a big bear and it don't looks like da one in da movie Brave.

    Puddles

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  22. OH NO.....when it rains it pours, doesn't it? I'm so sorry about your abscess :( I have one that flares up every so often and oh Lord it is painful. I fear a root canal is in my future. I love that K is still going to Hug Hill with you - such a testament to her spirit (and yours!).

    xxoo - dt and Indy Bones

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  23. So very sorry to hear about your tooth. Hope today and the weekend bring you some relief. Amazing K - what more can we say!!!

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  24. Hope you are feeling better. The bear pictures are awesome. I just love seeing all the animals in the natural habitat. Sniffs, The HoundDogs

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  25. I'm so glad to hear that you guys got some much needed rain. K, you look simply lovely in these photos and so full of life despite your circumstances.

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  26. You and K are awesome - She looks wonderful in the sunshine. I hope your tooth heals quickly and the pain subsides even faster!

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  27. It's so nice to hear that you and K are still getting to visit hug hill together. It must seem surreal to you to see K bounding around and happy. I'm so glad to hear that you got rain too. What a wonderful picture of it hitting the deck and I just love that picture of the Elk!

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  28. Oh my, really sorry to hear about your tooth:((( Been there done that...big ouch! K looks so beautiful today. Just went through some old post....haven't visited in a couple of days...so sorry. It tears at my heart to hear the news about K. I will hold you in my heart and keep you in my prayers.
    ♥hugs for you♥
    Bev

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  29. KB, there is really nothing more that can be said that isn't in the comments above. Know that you are in my prayers and thoughts continually. Sending big hugs your way.
    Noreen

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  30. I hope the pain from your tooth subsides QUICKLY and that you and K continue to enjoy many more trips up Hug Hill! It's a good thing that she doesn't "Know" she's sick! I am filled with admiration for how you and she have continued to live your lives to the fullest possible! If all of our prayers are a factor in her continued strength, then she's still got plenty of time left ~ I don't plan on stopping my prayers any time soon! <3

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  31. I hope you don't mind but I've shared your blog with the readers of my Canine Rescue's Facebook page. I figure the more people praying for you and K the better...

    <3

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  32. I am glad that you and K are still getting out. 1) that K is still healthy enough to do so and 2) you guys can actually breathe through all of that smoke.

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