Patrice's Blog

Mark was out walking Cassie this evening and saw a large snapping turtle in the middle of Church St. It was too far away from the creek to make it safely because of the traffic. A woman from the Episcopal Church unlocked the vestry to get a broom for Mark. He had read that to safely move a snapping turtle you can coax it to bite the handle and carry it that way. When it didn’t “bite”, he picked it up and carried it down the street and across to the bank of the creek and let it go. It probably was trying to wander upstream to bed down for the winter in the mud.

Saturday Mark and I went to pick up some kitchen cabinets. We stopped at Target for a few minutes and we were instantly drawn to the nearby parking lot where there was a Nash Rambler antique auto show. Well, this was one of the nicest things I have been to in a long time! There were probably around 40-50 pristine cars in the lot. See this member’s photo album.

I searched the whole parking lot until I found what I was looking for. A Rambler just like the one we used to have. We talked with the owner briefly. He said he had driven 400 miles to get there in the Rambler Ambassador. It was a beautiful blue. I told him my parents had owned the same car, only in pink, and that we had driven to Florida and back in it when I was about 9 years old. He smiled and said that was the other color this came in, confirming I had the right year and model. What a beautiful auto. Lots of flashy chrome.

I really missed Dad yesterday. The thought passed my mind several times that I couldn’t wait to call him to tell him about the Nash show. He would have loved it. He owned a 32 Nash Roadster when he was a young man. I tried to explain to Mark why Dad would have been driving a pink car years later. He loved the Nash and, probably as a way to encourage my mother to let him get one, he bought a pink one to appeal to her.

We drove to Miami to stay with my grandparents in the winter of 1962 in that pink Rambler. It was a long trip for me. I kept getting carsick. My father agreed that he would tutor me on the way down since I was going to miss some school to make the trip. So the whole trip went something like this: “What’s 9 times 7?” “Dad I think I am going to get sick.” “Bill stop the car so Patrice can get out.”

What an odd word, furlough. It’s origin is Dutch and it has essentially two meanings. The noun: to grant a leave of absence (to military etc) or the verb: to layoff. So it can be nice or not so nice.

I am on furlough for one week from work. Everyone in our company is required to give up two weeks of pay. I am also sick with some kind of cold. Lovely. But I guess it is better to be off and sick than working and sick.

I decided this week was the week to finally take the ancient wallpaper off the bedroom wall and paint. It’s been a tough job to do and looks like it is going to be a month long project, not a week! I am handicapped by my right shoulder so I have had to learn how to do many of the “power” jobs with my left arm. Choosing paint colors is the only part that I have enjoyed. I finally decided to stay with a bland color. Tagsale linen (Valspar). I think I liked the name more than anything else. It reminds me of all my Mother’s linens that she used to keep carefully folded in the side cupboard.

What would she think of my furlough? Probably that this is a pretty strange world we live in. She lived through the depression with 8 brothers and sisters. Everyone was poor then.

I know my Dad would be very upset about it. He was very proud that he was never out of work a day in his life until he retired. I remember we had a conversation about 6 months before he died. He asked me when I was going to retire. I thought it was an odd question. It looks like I may never get to retire because of our “new” economy. Dorothy and Dad were dumbfounded. I don’t think they understood what I meant. They just always lived with the knowledge that people got to retire and enjoy their lives.

So my furlough was like a mini retirement. I guess I don’t like it much. I still had to spend money during the week for groceries and other necessities. But it was a strange feeling spending money when I wasn’t making any. How would it feel if I knew that I wasn’t going back to work?

It’s been a LONG time since I fell into a manhole, over 6 months now. I spent at least three months in a sling after fracturing my right shoulder. I’ve been to physical therapy more than a dozen times. And the results have been less than desirable.

I am pretty functional, but I still can’t lift my arm over my head or do anything requiring strength above 90 degrees. Can’t hang up my coat or get a dish from a cupboard. And NO SWIMMING. I haven’t been allowed to teach my aquatic therapy classes since December because I can’t perform my lifeguarding skills.

I returned to the orthopedic doctor in early June for another revisit and he finally agreed that maybe I need to see the surgeon. I waited *another month* for an appointment but finally saw an orthopedic surgeon a few weeks ago. He did a quick exam and managed to do a few things to my shoulder that really hurt. He said he wasn’t entirely sure it isn’t a rotator cuff injury. So, I will be having an arthroscopic surgery in August. It has been way too long and I am anxious to get it done and start on my recovery. I asked him if I could go to the pool while I am waiting and he okayed it.

Today I spent nearly an hour in the pool. I can swim the breast stroke fairly well so flew up and down the lane with that, loving it. I tried a bit of crawl. I can pull under the water somewhat ok, but recovering my arm over the water for the next stroke is not really possible.

I didn’t want to spend the rest of my summer in a sling, but I also want to be able to use my arm again. So this is a good thing!

I don’t think most people give much thought to how one person can walk more than one dog. And I am positive that they have never pondered walking two GIANT SCHNAUZERS at the same time! We are in the deepest part of winter here in Western New York State. We have record snow and cold. This week it will be colder than it has in many years.

I have been faced with walking two dogs with one good hand for several weeks now. It’s not really easy, but it is doable.  I use a fanny pack that I swing to the front. I lay Chance’s Flexi in the pack and zip it up so that the lead hangs out to the left side.  I hold Cassie’s Flexi in my hand and swing it over or under Chance’s lead.  Mark’s hands are big enough that he can manipulate both Flexis at the same time. It’s been tricky for me to move Cassie’s Flexi around Chance’s leash. Keeping them organized has been the key.

Mark and I started training them when they were very little so that our walks could be safe. We put safety vests on them and the nighttime vests have lights on them. We have them stop at each intersection for occasional hot dogs so they won’t be apt to race across the street without us next to them. We heel them across the street and let them know when they are done. It has become pretty routine now and not something we really think about too much. But it became clear to us when we were training Cisco how hard these habits are to develop.

I thought you might like to see what a winter walk looks like and how we get across the street together. I can tell you that walking Chance and Cassie together is a constant head turning event in our little town. Even if folks don’t know us, they know “those dogs with the lights on them.” And people will always comment to us, “Oh, your dogs are so well behaved!”

I am not involved with rescuing Giants very much. The chances of even seeing one anywhere near Rochester are pretty rare. But this past spring, during a visit to the vets, one of the techs came in to tell us that Dr. M wanted us to know there was a Giant Schnauzer at a nearby county shelter. Well, I didn’t waste any time. We were down there within an hour. We walked into the back area and this enormous but thin Giant stood up full length and put his paws up on the chain link to let out a single deep woof.  I had no intention of leaving him there. They insisted that he have a rabies shot  before they would release him. My vets had someone come to the clinic after hours to do that and he was ours. It only took a few moments for us to name him The Count of Monte Crisco, Crisco for short.

Shultz Breaks Out of Jail

We housed this poor fellow on our porch in a too small crate until we sorted out what would happen with him and Chance and Cassie. We both began walking and training him immediately. He had a wonderfully sweet disposition and clearly had never been walked on a leash before! Soon he had run of the porch and eventually was let into the house. We began to try to place him as soon as we could. Chance was still not quite well yet and it would have been too hard on him to have another young dog running around. Cassie and Crisco played together quite well.

His "Take Me Home" Photo

We found a lovely family in the city with two large dogs that decided they would like to take him. I left him off in tears about 3 weeks later. But, as some of you know, young Giant males need a lot of training, attention and exercise. They are not for novices. The new owner contacted me about 2 months later, very upset, saying it was just not working out. I gave them a few of the names of people that had contacted me in the beginning. They contacted a family in NJ who were eager to have another Giant and drove all the way up the next weekend!

I went into the city to see Cisco (as he was now called) off. It was very sad for me. He is a dear fellow and loves people very much. He is so full of life (and himself!) I worried that now he would be hundreds of miles away and I could not help him at that distance anymore.

Tonight we heard from his family. They sent a wonderful email and some pictures of him. He has gained weight, he has another Giant named Boomer to play with and he has learned to behave in his new home! What a wonderful Christmas gift for me to hear he is at his forever home. I miss him very much and wish we could have kept him, but two Giants in one little house are enough for now!

Cisco At His New Home

This has been a rough 6 days. It’s been hard to get proper medical care and I have been in constant pain since falling into that manhole.

I finally got an x-ray of my shoulder Monday night at an emergency orthopedic clinic. Looks like I fractured the greater tuberosity of the humerus. Without an MRI, I can’t tell if the rotator cuff muscles have been disturbed. I was given a sling and an appointment 3 weeks from now! I can’t get an appointment with my doctor and have been unable to even talk to her on the phone.

You know, our medical system is really broken in the US. My insurance company doesn’t want us going to the emergency room unless it is life threatening… and they charge us accordingly if we do use the emergency room for any other reason. But waiting overnight to see my doctor the next morning (Friday) was met with resistance from my doctor’s office. There were no appointments open!

Now my left shoulder is really beginning to bother me as well. My right hip is really sore and covered with an enormous bruise. My left leg has an orange sized lump on the shin. Thank heaven’s I was given a prescription for some strong pain relief.

It’s winter here and it’s been snowing so much today that it has broken a record. Getting around in this weather with one arm in a sling is very challenging. Today I just did not walk Chance and Cassie. I am very disheartened by that. Stuck in the house on a fun snow day. Cassie seems infinitely forgiving as long as the next meal comes along….

Mark got up early today and snowblowed the whole driveway and cleaned my car off AND parked it facing out. Could you ask for more kindness? I am so lucky.

We are fast approaching midnight. I hope your New Year is prosperous, happy and G I A N T!

I had to work at the tv station today, yes even on Christmas. When it’s quiet at work sometimes I bring Chance into work with me. He’s pretty cool about it and hangs around the control room with me. When I need to do something in the other part of the building he gets up and follows me. The icemaker in the fridge door is a big hit.

At dinner I drove a few minutes down the street to the Town Hall parking lot. We got out, walked around the park and then came out on the brand new public sidewalk. It has all brand new lighting. It wasn’t really plowed, but clear enough to walk. Some of it was icy so I was stepping carefully. In between the lights near the sidewalk, areas are darker and hard to see.

Suddenly, before  I even knew it, I found myself falling into a manhole. My left leg must have gone in first and I am guessing that my right arm caught the side of the manhole edge. This prevented me from falling completely into the hole. I managed to scramble out. I stood there totally confused. I was in pain but also I was in shock.The first thing I thought clearly was, “I am so grateful it was me that fell into the manhole and not Chance.”

I managed to coax Chance back to the car which was about 10 min away. I called 911 and they sent an officer out to meet me and take a report. I was pretty mad at this point. I told him that I cannot believe that they would put in a new sidewalk (this summer) and actually put a manhole in the middle of the sidewalk without a cover on it! I got madder as I thought about what would have happened if Chance had fallen in and not me.  When I got back to work, a reporter in the newsroom told me it’s a good thing I didn’t fall in fully. I guess you can die from poor air quality in a manhole in just a short time.

I am pretty sore and can’t really use my right arm very much. I can’t wait for the day to end so I can go home and take a hot bath.

Who would think that I would have to add “open manholes” as a danger when walking the dogs!

It’s almost midnight and time for all good Giants to be asleep on the couch. Merry Christmas!

I have always fed Cassie and Chance a homemade raw diet. They get two meals a day, each meal has a veggie, meat and egg mix. They also get a raw meaty bone.

Tonight they got bonus bones; Mark found two good sized marrow bones marked down at the store this morning. While we had our dinner, they chowed down on their bones. I thought you might like to listen to what it sounds like. It’s “bone” chilling….  ;o)