Jacob Update

(This is a picture of Jacob about 3 years ago, when he was younger and healthy.)

Jake is eating a bit, but remains very, very weak. He loves all of the attention that he is receiving from us. But, he always did!

I am continuing to feed him his gel supplement and giving him water via syringe. Each time I am away from him now, I fear that he has died and I'll find him that way.

Thank you all for your emotional support and kindness. To all of my facebook friends, God bless you.

Love What You Do, Do What You Love

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

Albert Schweitzer


Working at a job you hate is unlikely to bring you either happiness or success.
Do what you love.
Whether wealth follows or not, you will be happy.
And, you are far more likely to also gain financial reward if you are working at something that inspires and excites you.

Cardio Training After an Injury

Engaging in Cardiovascular Workouts When Recovering from an Injury

As you recuperate from your injury, it may become necessary to take an extended break from certain exercise routines to protect the injured body part. In situations such as this, substitute exercises that you CAN perform for those that you were accustomed to performing prior to getting hurt.

According to fitness studies, you can maintain your current level of cardio fitness by exercising at 70 percent of your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) as little as once per week.

If you are suffering an injury to your knee, ankle, or leg, performing high-impact workouts are generally discouraged. According to the Stretching Institutes's, The Stretching & Sports Injury Report, swimming, rowing, or bicycling might be better alternatives to walking or running.

Injured athletes who are in considerable pain often find that swimming or deep water exercises work best. Swimming, rowing, and bicycling all provide decent cardio workouts minus the high-impact created on hard surfaces.

Nirvana and Enlightenment #121

If you want to answer a question,
you can find someone to give it to you.
But, an answer means different things to different people,
based on individual perception.

Perception leads to illusion.
For there is no universal truth in a world which is defined by
the limitations of logical understanding.

If you don't seek answers you will not be lied to.
Not lied to, you are free of deception.
Free from deception, you can encounter life on your own terms.

Understanding yourself, you see the world clearly.
As it is only you who is viewing it.

Seeking no answers, is your primary path to NIRVANA.

The Art of Peace #68

Ultimately, you must forget about technique.
The further you progress, the fewer teachings there are.
The Great Path is really No Path.

A Warm Letter of Comfort From Dear Friends

Subject: Jacob

If you substitute "cat" for "dog" I'm sure the thoughts below will ring true. What a lucky boy to have you both as his parents.

The purpose of Being a Veterinarian
I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Stop when you have had enough.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
Being always grateful for each new day and for the blessing of you.

Sent with greyhound & people love.
Barbara & Richard--------------------


This was sent to me by dear friends Barbara Kelly and Richard Darby. They are a couple who lived a couple of houses down the street from us, but just recently relocated to South Carolina. They rescue Greyhounds who have been mistreated at race tracks. They are the loving owners of Allie, Hahn, and Sully. We miss them so very much. Thank you dear friends for the beautiful and thoughtful e-mail.

Love, Crew and Michael

JACOB-- now very ill

One of our dearly loved cats, Jacob, is very, very sick. He began to lose weight about a year ago. We brought him to the Vet, and it was not determined what was wrong with him. The Vet gave us a supplement to put into his food, and he was able to maintain his now thinner body weight and not lose any additional pounds.

About two weeks ago, he started having diarrhea and we began to add medication to his food to stop the dehydration. It didn't work. We had him see the Vet who believes he is suffering from kidney disease secondary to heart disease. He is about 12 and a quarter years old now. We have another appointment this Saturday with a specialist, but I wonder if Jake will make it till then. He is very weak and doesn't want to eat much. We are giving him another supplement which is a gel, which is providing him with calories and nutrition. I have to give him water through a syringe several times a day as well as he is clearly dehydrated. On a positive note, his diarrhea has stopped and he is using the litter box to urinate. He is so weak now that he has trouble ambulating. He has very little musculature left and feels like jello in my arms.

Jacob is a wonderful boy. He is so loving and sweet. He loves people and loves to be pet and loved. He is Mike's favorite cat, too.

It is just so difficult when our beloved pets are heading toward death. At some level of consciousness, we adopt them knowing they will die within 10-15 years, but we don't think about this fact. We adopted Jake when he was left at the doorstep of a local Vet. He was just 5-6 weeks old when we brought him into our home.

We love our boy. We will continue to care for him at home until his death. If any of you know Jakie and would like to see him before his death contact Michael and I and you can come to see him. I know so many of you love him so much as he is a very special sweet boy.