Holistic approach and Sunday fun stuff

In dh's getting a bit involved with the local elections going on, he met a local lady, and then another one. Both he ended up also adding as friends on Facebook. One of them (that he hadn't chatted with - had just commented on her post or vice versa) messaged him Friday evening as she has seen his post about how our dog was not doing well and we had another trip into the emergency vet. She wanted to know if she could stop by to look at him.

She not a vet, but she was a chiropractor for 25 or 30 years. She's also into holistic and natural medicine for people and pets. She stopped by Saturday afternoon and gave us some ideas and suggestions on what she would be going if this were her dog. (She has several and her last 2 lived to 18 and 19 years old, big dogs, too). Well, it probably can't hurt to try her ideas. Later she got down on the floor to check him out all over and was feeling along his spine and neck. She found a "subluxation" spot in his spine and also said his neck was pretty stiff. She did a little massage and adjustment on him. I'm like lucky dog! He gets his own chiropractor, LOL. Pup was loving her.

I'm not very knowledgeable about holistic/alternative treatments at all, but I do believe in some cases it certainly works and helps, just like chiropractic does. I'm a 100% believer in that. But, I also know that without a lot of knowledge and research there is a bunch of stuff (ie supplement, herbs, etc) that are subpar and low quality. Western medicine isn't the be all end all, in my opinion. I am also not much for taking all these lab made medicines, if I don't have to.Take my wrist carpal tunnel, for example. I got it years and years ago from a job I had having to use the 10 key a lot. Then we had to do these 10 hour marathons during inventory twice a year. It was like 10 hour of keying. By the time I was done with it the last time I did it I couldn't even move my wrist and barely got home in my old stick shift car. It got better and going forward I was in different job(s) that didn't require it to that extent. About 8 or so years ago I was doing a lot of mouse/key board work and it really flared up again. I'd wear a wrist support but it got to the point it wasn't helping. Dr said would most likely need the surgery. I happened to be at my chiropractor's for my regular neck/back adjustment and just mentioned my wrist (not thinking he could do anything for it). He adjusted my wrist and then told me to go on Amazon and buy a "gyro ball" to exercise my wrist. Well, within maybe a week or so my wrist was fine and it's pretty much been fine since. If it does start bothering me I do the gyro ball a few times and I'm good.

One of the main changes we are doing is switching him to a fresh food diet. No kibble. The past few days I have been feeding him chicken and rice I am making, just because of his diarrhea (improving). I went ahead and ordered a 2 week trial of Farmer's Dog fresh food. It's expensive, but I figured it gets him started right away (supposed to be here tomorrow or Wed) while I can figure out how to make his food myself and get the additional supplements needed to add to the food. I also talked some more last night with the lady who came over. She called to see how he was doing yesterday and explained to me what she does to make her dogs food. So, she made it seem quite a bit easier. I also watched a video of a lady make some food for her dogs and what she uses. I can do that. I just need time to get it figured out and buy what I need. This has been something I have actually wanted to do for our dogs, but just never did it. Then I thought well, they are too old to change now to make a difference. If we ever decide to get another dog I will be feeding them fresh or even raw diet. But, I have also read through reviews of various fresh foods on the market and how so many say their old dog got some new life in him.

Pup was better yesterday. Perkier and the nose bleeding has mostly stopped. Maybe just a drop or two throughout the day/night. So, that herb capsule the vet gave me must be helping. He's still sneezing some but no blood. Usually (and this has been going on for months now as he's gotten older) when I let him out first thing in the morning he goes right to the closest lawn area, pees, and comes right back. Yesterday I bent down to get his bowl, then looked back out the door, expecting him to be there waiting and he was way out near the front of our property. Peed and then actually came back in a trot! Dh has a bathroom in his shop he likes to use, so typically pup will go out the house door with him and then just lays right down on the driveway and waits for dh. Dh said he came out of the shop yesterday and pup was over on the rockery chipmunk hunting. At least he's doing better and I think we can make it without needing to go to the emergency vet again, before his appointment with the specialist on Thursday. And while I'm still skeptical of a lot of it, I'm willing to try it. And it's not like this lady is trying to sell stuff to use, so no ulterior motive going on there (I knew a lady like that years ago, had all these "miracle" things she would use for a year or two and try to sell, then move on to the next one. Very annoying. And she's still obese and still sick all the time). Another example is a book I read a year or so ago (can't remember name and author right now) but about the diet and foods a person should eat for optimum brain health. His mom had early onset Alzheimers and he ended up doing tons of research into how foods affect the brain. I'm sure he's probably 100% right. My problem is I can't get myself to eat much healthy foods. I hate veggies, LOL. I should read it again.

Yesterday afternoon was our neighbors little get together. Since it was rainy they had it inside. It was just us, the young couple down at end, with their 2 kids, another couple who live about a mile down the road and also the couple that bought the lots on the other side of us. It was nice to see them and get to know them more. I think Mrs had invited a few more, but they didn't show up. It's going to be about 2 years before the couple gets to start building, so it's going to be awhile. They couldn't find a builder and the one they found/like is 2 years out. And as all of us told them yesterday - getting well drilled is also close to 2 years out. Anyhow, it was a nice few hours. I took a cute little flower/plant thing I picked up at the grocery floral area and gave it to Mrs. as a "Happy Retirement". Her last day is this Friday. I think dh is now planning to do something with signs or balloons so when she pulls in next Friday she see's it all :)

We got home just before 6:30, when it's time for me to make sure mom got her pills. It was close because I needed to get the dog fed - he was hungry and past his normal dinner time. I got done just before 6:30 and then went to watch her on the cameras (getting that 2nd camera set back up IS so helpful). She actually took them on her own for a change. I then kept an eye on her all evening and even looked at my phone during the night once, to make sure she was ok, since she started that new med, Aricept. She was up for about 10 minutes just before 5 (normal) and then went back to bed and got up at 6:40 and started getting ready to go down for breakfast. So, all seems good, so far. I had checked yesterday afternoon her cameras and saw that they did get her tv working, so I was happy about that. She was watching some golf. Though last evening I saw her trying to turn it on and she apparently had messed it up again. It was still plugged in, but I'm guessing she is pushing the "input" button. 

Linda asked what this foam roller I got, is. This is the one I got: Foam roller  There are also videos on YouTube on how to use it.