Pixie Died Last Night

 

On National Dog Day, August 26, Pixie passed away with both Sue and I at her side at the Red Lion Veterinary Hospital. Just 15 years ago, Puppy Pixie at 6 weeks old was examined by Dr. Wm. Southard Jones the founder of RLV.  Now both he and Pixie have been laid to rest. Pix is perhaps the smartest dog I've ever known; we will miss her happy eyes and joyful expressions!  Pixie mannerisms ran abundantly here in her home.  We loved caring for her and will miss those times when she needed to be carried upstairs (she never liked the wood steps) or at the 10 PM hour when she wanted treats before bedtime. Oh yes bedtime...we both placed our hands on her and when on the boat we snuggled constantly.
Early in her life she was bitten by a territorial black lab; she barely lived through this with a total of 17 stitches inside and 17 outside to close the wound. 
Healthy most of her life until melanoma was discovered on August 15, 2014.  The many visits with oncologist Dr. Ann Jeglum in West Chester, Dr. William Riddle's hyperbaric oxygen chamber visits with his wife LuAnne in Port Deposit, MD, and close care of surgeon Dr. Dina Schofield of Stoneback Veterinary Associates in Oxford, PA were the professional folks who cared for her.

She was so loved and of course she went along with everything because WE were with her. It was a horrible 6 months since March, 2015 when her weakened radiated skin on her right cheek broke and exposed her jawbone and more. Since her skin was not healthy, it could not cover her face. We did realize a whole year more with her after the cancer was detected, but she wasn't herself during this past year and her quality of life suffered terribly. We owed Pixie this deadly needle to stop her suffering, but it is a far better way to go than to continue to see her hurting.   Pixie adored us as much as we placed her in the center of our lives!  I know the crying will stop sometime, but we'll never forget her and the good times we had before cancer came into her body. Pixie's loving attitude was focused on both of us all of the time. 
 

She is in GOD's hands and we have been praying that we'll see her again!
Bless you Pixie Girl, we love you so!

Last day of radiation treatment 10/2014



Our beautiful baby girl - Aug/2000

Frequent visits to the boat

Love the Pixie Kisses

With Miranda 2006



Crystal loved to groom Pixie when we had a special occasion



Pixie's babysitter Geri will miss her dearly



Park image of the Pix after a family session

Watching the Westminster Dog show

Studio portrait with squirrel toy that Kathy Wright gave Pixie for 2005 Christmas

Will miss her terribly






beachcombing in the Exumas with Pixie

Renewing our visa in the Bahamas





At Big Majors Spot Exumas

I love spaghetti too...and she did!

haircut time aboard Jubilee






She loves ice cream

In the studio

With Grandson Jimmy - Sept 2014












On Jubilee - 2010 - the good years

 



July to 15 August

As we move into our third month of this summer, we find our use of Jubilee has been somewhat reduced since our Pixie is still not able to endure the heat.  We knew this as the warmer days increased therefore we purchased a personal air conditioner for the boat and to keep the Pix and us cool throughout the time on the water at marinas.  But we can't always "plug-into electric." 

Pixie enjoying the comfort

A sailing day aboard Jubilee

Geri & Don under the bimini
 

The WSPS Cruise had weather that didn't allow us to sail on many days. No air on Monday, rain Tuesday, sail Wednesday and rain on both Thursday and Friday. We decided to go home on Thursday morning and to try to enjoy what time on the water we could have.



Sue in control

 

July brought us hotter days that kept both Don and Pixie comfortable in the cooler air-conditioned house, forsaking use of the boat since it seemed Pixie couldn't get her breath.  We did spend one July Friday to do miscellaneous chores and visit some friends in the marina. Don cleaned the bottom while I did some housekeeping below.

Pixie resting on the cabin top with the large sun awning keeping the heat off of her.



Let the cleaning process begin!

Our latest visit with the West Chester Oncology Vet yielded more medicine for Pix to keep her jaw area clean and to allow her comfort to sleep at night even though Sue had to get up most nights to let her out.  Pixie does sleep a lot, but as we all age, this is normal.  She shows us some exciting times too.  Since Angel (daughter Karen's dog) is visiting for 20 days, we see a different side of Pixie trying to compete or just keep up with this younger (6 yrs) dog. 

snack time















As 15 August  passes so does the remembrance of when all of the Cancer development that began in Pixie at Red Lion Vet. while doing Pixie's teeth cleaning.  A growth formed on her lower right jaw area just about her lip line.  This was sent to the University of Pennsylvania for a biopsy and on 18 August we found it was cancerous and growing at a fast rate.  We visited with the oncology department of Animal Specialties here in Delaware and they said she may only have a month to live.  Most of this info and more can be found in our past blog archives.
This winter our plans included a trip to Florida, at Marathon Key and side trip to Cuba for a month, but without being sure of Pixie's health, we don't want to leave.

Taking Angel for a dink ride

Bottom cleaner

The Week in Review...

Normally we don't have a lot of news to impart, but lately, exciting things are happening.

Sue rowing to Jubilee

We placed Jubilee in the water on Saturday, 6 June.  The delay was because of Pixie's on-going problems with radiated tissue on the right side of her face.  Many hyperbaric oxygen treatments and many trips to the West Chester Oncology equate to less time to spend preparing Jubilee for the water.

It was a windy day and the tide was running the wrong way but Sue was able to row to Jubilee for us to place the dinghy on the bow.

Finishing the changing of the duck bills

We decided that we would use the racing sail for the WSPS Cruise which will begin on 20 June, so Don needed to change all the connectors for the mainsail. That is, to remove the hardware from the Dacron mainsail and add it to the carbon one.

Another item that he deemed necessary to replace were the "duck bills" in the vacuflush system.  This operation tends to be somewhat smelly and he really didn't need my assistance.

So here we go down the Chesapeake Delaware Canal headed toward our summer marina Green Point Landing

 

off of Worton Creek.  Notice the lovely color the Summit Bridge is now painted... and some traffic on the Elk River.








The real story is how our Pixie is doing.  She had surgery on 2 June; an examination on the following week and the stitches removed on 16 June.  The skin didn't stay closed up on her face and because of the radiated tissue, it pulled away from her jawbone once again.  The good news is that she has developed healthy tissue that is connected to her jawbone inside her mouth; just the outside has slipped away.  We are bathing her twice a day and administering an antibiotic ointment to the affected area.  Her hyperbaric treatments will continue and we are hoping to close this area soon.

Sitting with Dad in his "easy chair"




Everything is coming TOGETHER!

Pixie getting ready to leave the chamber

Friday, 5 June was Pixie's last visit to the hyperbaric chamber on Canvasback Farm. 
Sue and I are happy, but we'll miss visiting with Luanne Riddle who operated the chamber each time for Pix.

We got over to the boat at Delaware City and did some more work to prepare it for the water on Saturday.  Most of these images were taken on Saturday.  We decided to leave Pixie at home to rest while we finished the spots that the six stands took up while it sat all winter.  Sue baked a chocolate chip cake for the guys that helped us.  In fact, Charlie asked when Sue will be coming down...hinting all the time that she might bring something for them.

In the slings headed for water



Sitting at B Dock waiting to be loaded




Look who's in charge!

The Good News... today and yesterday

Riding with Mom in the back seat

We were asked to pickup Pixie 24 hours after her operation so we arrived at West Chester Oncology at about 2 PM on Wednesday.  Earlier in the day, her surgeon Dr. Schofield called to say that she was doing very well and explained that much happened during the time Pixie was on the operating table.  Four hours elapsed from the beginning of the surgery.  She found skin to close the hole in her face externally, removed two teeth, took 3mm from her jawbone, pealed tissue under the tongue for the internal cover, and did all the internal and external sutures. Dina was surprised that Pixie was doing so well in the morning so she consented to allow her to come home with us.

Luanne Riddle operating the hyperbaric chamber

Happy to pick her up after the 6th treatment

She seemed somewhat sedated when we first saw her, but quickly responded to our hugs and kisses.  Sue rode in the backseat and kept Pix comfortable while we drove from the hills of Pennsylvania to the lush green countryside of the horse farms of Maryland.  Yes, we were on our way to the Canvasback Farm and the well known hyperbaric oxygen chamber.  The swelling of Pixie's mouth and cheeks after one hour in the chamber decreased a huge bit.  We think that this oxygen treatment is responsible for her well being and ability to form fresh, healthy tissue growth and become alive again!

At home today, Pixie has maneuvered the steps to the basement, two times and received caring visits from Aunt Geri Walker, and Sandy Elsasser.  She ate a normal breakfast, took all her meds and fell asleep in my arms. 
We are sooo happy -- thank the LORD.