The Rest of the Story

When I wrote to you last, we were close to the end of our stay in Phoenix.  Let me tell you about the last few days...

Mom and Dad went for a hike.

It was a hot day and Dad was pretty excited to find a shade tree 😄

On our last day we took a drive on the Apache Trail.  It's a road that goes into the mountains, east of the Lost Dutchman State Park.  I went along because it's even hotter today and I can be in the air conditioning in the car.  We don't have electricity at our camp site, so we can't run the air conditioning there.

Dad and I at an overlook into a really deep canyon.  I'm glad that Dad has a firm hold on my leash. It's a LONG way to the bottom.

A beautiful sunset for our last night at Lost Dutchman State Park.

From Lost Dutchman, we headed north to Cottonwood, Arizona to a place called Dead Horse State Park.  We've heard a lot of great things about it, but it was our first time there.  We are scheduled to be here for a week. Then we are planning to head for home.

The first day was cloudy and rain is in the forecast.  Mom and Dad decided to leave me in the RV and go for a drive around the area and into Sedona (about 20 miles east of where we are staying).  They brought back photos to show me all the pretty red rocks around Sedona.

Over the last few days, Mom and Dad have been looking at routes and weather reports.  Due to snow predicted in various places in Utah, Idaho, and Eastern Oregon, they've decided that we are going to go home through California.  There is even snow forecast that might affect I-5 in northern California/southern Oregon, so we are leaving Cottonwood three days early to be sure to get ahead of it. 

Monday, March 7

Thursday, March 10

We are on the road, on the south edge of Portland.  By the time you read this, we should be home.

What's next? - Mom and Dad got in a bit of a rush to get home because they want me to have surgery.  I had an appointment for late April, but that's pretty close to when we plan to leave for Alaska and Mom and Dad want me to be well, so when an earlier appointment came up, they took it.  I'm scheduled for surgery on March 21 at the Vet School in Pullman, Washington.  We won't be home long and then we get to go on another Journey!

A little about my surgery - Poodles are prone to something called Bloat, which is a situation where the stomach twists and traps what's in there.  What happens next is pretty gory and would be very painful.  If it happens, I'd need a big, invasive emergency surgery or I'd probably die.  My brothers Rainier, Figaro, and Doolin all went through it, so Mom and Dad are a little fearful that the odds are bad for me.  Most of you didn't get to know Rainier because he didn't make it.  Figaro and Doolin got the surgery in time and recovered, but that was pretty stressful for them and for Mom and Dad.  

Fortunately, now there is a Laparoscopic procedure that can prevent it.  It's hard to find someone who has experience doing it, but Mom and Dad finally found a good surgeon who teaches at the Vet School and that is who is going to do my procedure.  While I'm there and sedated, I'm getting "tutored" too.  It's sort of a surgery "two for".  Wish me luck!