Zoe died tonight. After 2 days at Vescone, a week at home, and a week in the ICU at Tufts with tons of tests, 3 types of antibiotics, and finally steroids, they still didn’t know what was wrong and she couldn’t hold on. Her symptoms were painful and swollen joints, fever, abscesses, and some changes in her blood chemistry – high white cells, low platelets, and finally low blood protein. They treated her for a tick-borne illness until those tests came back negative, and then treated for a bacterial infection. The other thought was an immune-mediated disease but they couldn’t treat for that without ruling out a bacterial problem because by suppressing her immune system they would take away her defense against the bacteria. They started her on steroids yesterday feeling pretty comfortable that it wasn’t bacterial and hoping there was still time. Hopefully the necropsy will give us some answers, although the joint taps, x-rays, ultrasounds, biopsy, and multiple blood tests didn’t tell us much. One positive is that our experience with Tufts was terrific. Zoe’s doctor (Dr. Cornejo) called me at least once a day with a very detailed explanation of what was going on and what everything meant. I sensed in our conversations today that she felt like they were losing the battle. She said that the whole hospital was upset that they hadn’t been able to help Zoe.

We brought Zoe into our family when Adlani turned 1, because I felt like I could handle a puppy at that time. I purposely waited after Rosie died because I knew that we were planning to have another baby and it was tough to give Rosie any attention while I had an infant, let alone take care of a puppy. When Zoe was about 6 months old we found out that we were going to have Norah. The combination of another pregnancy/infant, added to the fact that Zoe was a very hyper dog, meant that Zoe could not be as integral a part of our family as Rosie had been. I feel guilty. Zoe was with me when I was home alone or the kids were in bed, but was like a bull in a china shop when the kids were home and awake. I did the best I could…we just completed our 3rd round of obedience training, private lessons this time. She had turned a corner and was nearing the end of her naughty teenage years. The kids are bigger now and I wasn’t as concerned about her accidentally hurting them. She had actually become a pleasure to be around and I know she loved us very much. We love you too Zoe.

Thank you to everyone who has been checking in with me on her progress.

Last Friday, Helga, Lana, Jenny, Karen, Liz, Mary, Pam, and I headed to Martha’s Vineyard for a long-awaited Mommies’ Weekend at Longpoint Escape in West Tisbury (Thanks Helga!!). Since I avoid watching the “Bad News” at all costs, I had no idea we’d be facing down Hurricane Noel during our visit until we arrived. I think most of us would have been willing to take on a tsunami to be there. The ride down was quick and painless, and we enjoyed the sunset on the ferry crossing with a little sangria. We had Lana’s stuffed shells for dinner and my rum cake for dessert, followed by some educational TV, shiatsu sessions with Ping, and the 1991 edition of Celebrity Taboo. Then I got my first full night’s sleep since March of 2006, and finally got up around 10 a.m.

Noel was just arriving as we woke up on Saturday and we lost power mid-day, luckily after Helga had treated all interested parties to a blow-out. After lots of eating, drinking, talking, talking, talking, reading, and dozing, some of us braved the storm to go buy candles and flashlights. Helga took us on a little tour and we did some shopping (during which Aliya called to tell me that the news said to STAY INSIDE…she was very upset that I hadn’t heeded the warning). There wasn’t much damage but there were some really deep puddles and waves spraying onto the road in a few places. The power was on when we got back to the house so we joined the Melrose Place marathon just as Amanda’s illegitimate pregnancy was revealed. And then we shat.

Craving an adrenaline rush in the absence of the normal level of excitement we live with each day, most of us headed back out into the storm for dinner at Sharky’s. Pam and Mary stayed behind to cheer on the BC Eagles. Dinner was good and it was reassuring to see that we weren’t the only crazy people out and about. After we went home and changed into our elastic-waist pants, we played Karen’s trivia game, where we learned some VERY interesting facts about each other (especially Jenny!). I will never look at a check stub, a church basement, the Pope, Tom Jones, or a gas station on a lonely stretch of highway the same way again. I will also forbid my high-school-aged kids to spend time alone in the house with their boyfriends/girlfriends. After the who-can-stay-up-latest contest ended up in a 4-way draw, I got ANOTHER full night’s sleep including an extra hour for DLST!!

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day, and Pam, Lana, and I did a little shopping and went to the lighthouse which was so deserted it was like we were the only survivors of a nuclear disaster. We sat outside on the ferry and caught a glimpse of ourselves in 20 years. We were sad that the weekend was over, but we’re already looking forward to the midwinter scrapbooking extravaganza in Rhode Island.

This year’s Halloween activities included the YMCA party where Norah was a dancing fool, then Erin Gallagher’s birthday party with a trip through the neighbor’s garage/haunted house. It was pretty scary and featured a monster puking a flourescent green stream into a trash can and a full scale headless guy in a guillotine. His still-moving head was in a basket. Ick. Adlani had a costume parade at school and a Halloween party on another day. The grand finale was trick-or-treating with “the mob” in the Fahy’s neighborhood.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Zoe has been really sick for the last week. She spent 2 nights at Vescone in Waltham, was home for a few days but didn’t improve, and now she’s at Tufts in Grafton. I’m VERY happy with Tufts. They really know what they’re doing, and the doctor called me today to explain everything that they’ve done and what the different test results are telling them. They’re currently treating Zoe for a bacterial infection. If she doesn’t respond to that treatment they will assume that it’s an immune mediated disease (auto immune disease) and will give her steroids. She’s in a lot of pain but they’re giving her IV pain meds, antibiotics, and fluids. Victoria is saying a special prayer for her so hopefully she’ll pull through.
.

…although she seems more Avril Lavigne to me. Here is one of the many songs in Aliya’s repertoire. At least she won’t have to pay for dancers for her show.