Sleeping

MTLH took this photo of Carbi and Dad. I thought you might like to see it.


I don't think that Carbi and Dad love each other... do you?

PS. To any Australian readers, can you believe that it is New Years Eve and Dad and Carbi are snuggled up under a quilt???

Post Op

Firstly I'd like to say thanks to everyone who wished me well with my operation! I'm a bit sore but my mouth actually feels better because there is enough room in there now for all my teeth!

On Wednesday night they wouldn't let me eat or drink after 8pm!!! I was starving! It was so upsetting.

I woke up at around 4am on Thursday morning and I was so sad because I was hungry and thirsty. I cried and cried and cried. I threw myself around the bed trying to get comfy. Mum was getting a bit fed up with me!

At about 8am Thursday morning Mum took me to the doctors I was excited to be there, especially as there was lots of bowls of water around - but Mum wouldn't let me drink any - I think she enjoys torturing me! She helped me get in a cage in a part of the doctors I went when I was really little and really sick (read that story here). Then they closed the door and as Mum walked away I heard her warning the nurses that I would cry (I'm a bit of a cry baby ... especially when I'm hungry and thirsty and tired and away from my dad!). I won't go into what happened next too much, but let me just say that I have recently learnt to howl when I'm sad.

When Mum and Dad came to pick me up again I heard Mum ask the nurse (a different one to the one she was talking to in the morning) if I had cried. The nurse said "YES!!!", a little too enthusiastically if you ask me! Mum and Dad took me home and made a big fuss of me. I didn't hurt too much as my doctor had given me some pain killers!

Today I was feeling better and Mum and Dad had to go shopping so we all went. On the way home it stormed! There was so much rain falling on the windscreen that we had to stop for a while. There were balls of ice falling as well.

Nana was at home and took these photos of our backyard.





Luckily GP, the guinea pig's cage was facing away from the water cause otherwise he would have gotten very wet as lots of dirt was washed into the open part of his cage. When Pop came home he went to have a look at how much dirt had been moved around the backyard and he put his foot into a hole and fell over. He did the same thing on boxing day two years ago and snapped a ligament. This time though he only twisted it. He spent the rest of the evening on the lounge with his foot up. I tried to make him feel better but he didn't like it when I tried to jump on it to make it better.

Goodnight!
Carbi xx

Operation

Carbi has gone to have his operation today. He has to have the snip snip operation and teeth out.

Dad rang the doctors and they said that he is awake but groggy. They also said that some of his teeth were hard to get out (but they came out) and he will need to only eat soft food for about a week. That means he won't get to eat any of his christmas treats!

Aramis

Christmas Parties

After opening our presents on Christmas day, Dad and Carbi had a snooze. Then at around 11.30 we went around to Dad's Aunty and Uncle's house to have Christmas lunch. MTLH didn't take her camera so I don't have any pics to show you.

They have a dog who is about twice as big as I am and we were allowed to play until Doogle (their dog) got a bit to excited and 'attacked' me. It didn't hurt but it scared me a bit so he had to go out the back and we got to play with the ball out the front.

We had lots of fun but Carbi was really tired when we got home.

The next day we had another party to go to. This one was at MTLH's sisters house. Mum got up early and made two very nice smelling lemon merangue pies. Then we all went to Jules's house. There were lots of people there.

There was: Me, Carbi, MTLH, Dad, Nana, Pop, Nannan, Aunt M, Tony, Uncle Richard, Aunty Kellie (who is allergic to me!), Uncle Jack, Aunty Chris, Amy, Dominique, Mia, Aunty Jules, Rodney, Tommy and Laura. And two of the ladies also had babies in their tummies!! Nana rang Aunty Lou and everyone talked to her as she couldn't come from China to be there.

~Aunty Kel talking to Aunty Lou~

~Dad and Nannan both holding 'babies'!~

The party was ok, but I didn't like there being so many people around. Laura loves playing with me but I'm a bit scared that she might pull my fur so I ran away from her. Everyone was laughing because we were both running in circles around the BBQ. Laura was very happy because she got her first pairs of underware from Nana and Pop! She tried to put all 7 pairs over her nappy she was that excited!


Carbi and I had both thought that we had avoided the wearing of silly hats - we were wrong!!

The day was extra special because Mum's neice got to meet her new baby sister for the first time (Amy lives with her mum and the new baby is her dads). Amy has just turned 16 and is the oldest of MTLH's neices - she is only 9 years (and 1 day) younger than MTLH. Which means that Amy is closer in age to her Aunty than her sister - isn't that strange!!

~Amy and Mia~

After a few hours I had had enough and so I sat near the gate hoping MTLH and Dad would get the hint and take me home!

Eventually they did and we went home!
Aramis xx

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

This morning we woke up when Dad and Carbi got home from work and we went upstairs to see if Santa had come in the night. MTLH helped us take our stockings down from the fire and they looked heavy.


We pulled everything out of them and then we ate some of our new treats! We got peanut butter flavoured smackos that taste really good.


We also got a ball with a bell inside but the treats were more interesting!


But best of all was the scratch that I got from Dad.

~"If I smile nicely will you give me more treats? (Stop flashing that thing at me!!!)"~

It's all about me!

Ok everyone... it's time to stop panicing about hair eaters. All that happened was that Mum and Dad gave me a haircut. Aramis was asleep and didn't realise they had done it. I didn't tell him because it was funny for him to be scared!

Anyway, I was looking at all the photos of when I was a baby and found two videos taken on my second day living in this house.

We all went out to lunch today because Mum and Dad were celebrating the fact that they got engaged two years ago today (whatever that means). We went to a restaurant and Aramis and I sat under the table and watched the world go by.

Mum and Dad keep telling us that Santa is coming tomorrow. We have a tree in the loungeroom


and two stockings hanging on the fire that they say Santa will be filling with toys and goodies.
I helped wrap up all the presents that you can see under the tree.



We have all our cards on the blinds - these are all ones for us!


They keep telling Aramis that he isn't alowed to bark at any noises he might hear tonight because he might scare away Santa. I'll be at work. I heard Dad say to his Mum that Santa won't come if she doesn't go to sleep!! I don't go to sleep because I go to work!!! Do you think he will still come???

Strange Men

The other day some strange men came to our house. They came inside downstairs into OUR room. Aramis and I tried to protect the house but Mum and Dad just locked us upstairs. Mum took this video of me protecting the house.

She also took photos of me and Aramis keeping an eye on the strange men, and the van that the strange men came in.

~"Please let me out there Mum"~

They tried to tell us that the men were here to put a new thing under the house to make the water hot as there had been no hot water for them to have a bath or shower for a few days (we had to make a special trip to Aunty Maura's house for them to have a shower). That news made us bark even more trying to tell them to go away... if there is no warm water Mum and Dad might not make us have baths ever again.

Unfortunately they put it in anyway and now we have hot water.

Carbi xx

This is what happens when you take a nap!

Yesterday I said that I would tell you about the strange thing that happened while I had a nap yesterday evening but that I wanted to have photos to go with it. So, as soon as MTLH got up I made her take photos.

It all started at around 8pm. Carbi and I were playing and having fun. Dad was playing with us too and took these photos.


Then we got a bit tired and Carbi had to go to work later that evening so we had a sleep. I had a nice dream of being in a field full of people who were there just to pat me if I wanted them to, and there were trees growing my favourite treats.

Then, Dad opened the back door to go outside and woke me up. I staggered to my feet to join him and found that there was a new puppy in my house!!

I gave the new dog a good sniff and realise that it smelt like Carbi then it turned around and told me off just like Carbi does. So I guessed it was still Carbi but something had come and eated all his hair off!! He looks a bit funny! He looks taller and skinnier! Nana and Pop think he looks really handsome but I think he looks weird.

The only problem with this is that I'm a bit worried about sleeping now... you never know what might happen, and next time the hair eater might get me and I'm too handsome to loose all my fur!!!

SNAKE!!!

Now, it's not what you think - before you all get as scared as I did make sure you read ALL the post!

Today we had a bit of a quiet day. MTLH was trying to copy some stuff to CDs and most of them didn't work. We also went to Uncle Dan's house for a few minutes to give him the present from Aunty Lou that she had sent here, and for him to give MTLH her present. MTLH feels really bad because she put Uncle Dan's present in a "safe place" and now can't find it!

Anyway, we came home after that and MTLH kept trying to copy the CD's. Something very strange happened while I was having a nap but I'll tell you about that tomorrow when I have photos to go with it!

Then, just a few minutes ago, MTLH went upstairs and picked up a snake! It didn't make any sudden movements but I kept an eye on it from a safe distance, ready to attack if it hurt MTLH. She carried it downstairs and put it on the floor. Then she grabbed the tail of the snake and put it into a hole in the wall.


That must of hurt it because it got really really angry and started to roar. I thought snakes were quiet and didn't make noise... but I was wrong. Very, very wrong.


Then MTLH went near it's head and started moving it around the floor. So I barked at the snake and said "Oi! Get away from my MTLH". I thought MTLH would be happy I was trying to protect her, but she told me to be quiet. So I gave the snake another warning bark and watched for a while.


It was then that I realised that I had made a silly mistake! It wasn't a snake! It was a sucky, cleaning thing. I'm sure you've all seen them before, and I had too. However, MTLH said this one is a duck one (it sounded more like ducted, but I think MTLH may have made a mistake), the hose gets put into the wall and then the dirt get sucked into the wall and down the pipe into a bag under the house.


After I realised this I barked at it again because it was stealing all the tasty crumbs that MIGHT be on the floor. I felt a bit silly being scared of the sucky thing so after MTLH had packed it away I made her give me a pat!

Goodnight!
Aramis xx
PS - Remember to come back tomorrow to find out what happened today while I was asleep!

Special Christmas Card

As you all know, Carbi and I have been getting lots of Christmas cards. Thanks to all those who sent them to us!

A few days ago we got a special Christmas card. This was one that we didn't know we were going to get and which came from China. It was from Manny, my cousin.

In it he wrote:

Dear Carbi and Aramis,
Merry Christmas and happy chanukah!!
Lou's art students at the Shanghai International Jewish School made these cards for an art project for Chanukah - Their hand prints make Menorahs.
Wishing you, dad and MTLH a Merry Christmas. I saw you have dogs all over the world sending you cards, and thought I should join in - unfortunately there is no "Mannys Who Blog" group for me... can I be included in your list?
Merry Christmas,
love xxx Manny
PS Marcel, Francis, Lou and Phil say hi!

I felt really bad when I got this special card because I hadn't sent Manny a card and he didn't get any. So, I thought I'd let all my friends know about him and ask them very nicely to spare a few minutes to go over to his blog and say Merry Christmas!

Please help me feel better - and make Manny's day at the same time - now that IS a bargain!


Aramis xx

I've been xmas tagged

I got tagged by Fei quite a while ago but Carbi has been hogging the computer bragging about his article. I'll have you know I'm in the photo too - and at least you can see my face!! But no, because it's about HIM he keeps going on and on about it. He's always telling me to do things for him because he's too famous to do things now. AND if I have to hear "More peeled grapes, slave" one more time I'm going to howl!

So... with that in mind... I will fulfil my tagging duties!
The rules:

1. The player with this game starts with “3 wishes he/she would love to get for Christmas” and also has a list of “3 wishes he/she definitely does not want for Christmas”

2. Then he/she tags 5 friends and list their names.

3. The ones who get tagged need to write on their blogs about their Christmas wishes, as well as state this rules clearly, then tag 5 more victims.

4. And the ones who tag need to leave a comment that says, “You’ve been Christmas tagged!” in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

I would love to get for Xmas:

1. Carbi to stop talking about the article

2. A days break from Carbi

3. Lots of pats and treats form MTLH

I DO NOT WANT:

1. To feed Carbi peeled grapes

2. To hear another word about the article

3. To be scared by visitors

I am going to tag:

Uncle Dan and Aunty Lou - I don't have 5 people to tag because I think they have all already been tagged

To all my fans....

Here is my pawtograph. Feel free to print it out and show it off to all your friends!
Love Carbi xx

Here it is...

I've obviously got a very well trained secretary casue she has typed up the article already... here it is...

Hypo hounds to the rescue

JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 2007

By Gillian Nicholson

We all know about guide dogs for the blind and alert-dogs for the deaf, but now there’s a new breed of protection pup on the prowl – canines specially trained to help people with diabetes.

Lorraine Roulston came out of a deep sleep to find her tiny dog Saki sitting on her chest, whining and scratching her neck painfully. Dazed, she felt her neck and, touching sticky wetness, held her hand up in front of her face.

Through sleep-filled eyes she saw blood, then realised why Saki was scratching so relentlessly. “My dog saved my life,” Lorraine says. “She woke me up because I was going into a hypo. I got out of bed, but was so far gone I couldn’t walk. I then had to drag myself to the kitchen to get some lemonade.”

Later she joked to her family the pure-bred Japanese Chin must be psychic, but when her diabetes suddenly became unstable a couple of years ago, causing frequent and unpredictable hypos – and strange reactions from Saki – Lorraine began to see a pattern.

Seeing a news story claiming some dogs could detect an impending drop in blood glucose levels and alert their owners confirmed the suspicions of the former breeder and trainer form Wallangarra in northern NSW.

“Your scent changes when you’re about to go into a hypo. Saki could detect that scent even before I started to feel off,” she says.

“But I was relying on her too much. I had lost the confidence to go out because I didn’t want to leave her behind. So I set about finding out how to get my Saki recognised as a ‘hypo-alert’ dog so she could go out with me everywhere.”

Puppy Power

Lorraine’s quest led her to the Association of Australian Assistance Dogs (NQ), a charitable organisation that trains and provides dogs to help people with disabilities achieve greater independence.

It also led her to a friendship with Barbara Katon, a Sydney dog breeder with type 1 diabetes who had experienced similar alerting behaviour from her canine companion. In 2005, the two dog lovers set up Paws for Diabetics Inc (PFD), a charitable, non-profit organisation of volunteers who train and place the helpful animals with those who need them. And as a member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), PFD follows the association’s guidelines in their training and accreditation.

“These dogs really are lifesavers,” says Lorraine, whose dog Saki became Australia’s first hypo-alert dog. “We call them the latest tool in diabetes management as they give their owners warning well in advance of an impending hypoglycaemic episode.

“All dogs have the potential to be hypo-alert dogs, especially if they’re young. IF a dog is closely attached to someone special, they can be trained to react when something is wrong. Training the owners is the most important thing, so that they will recognise the dog’s alerting behaviour and then learn how to reinforce it to benefit them,” Lorraine explains.

“Hypo-alert dogs aren’t for everyone and we can’t guarantee that every dog will work out. There will be failures. But when it does work out, people say that it’s truly an answer to their prayers.”

Hypo-alert puppies

Purebred puppies are selecteed, many of them toy size. “Toys are quick to learn and easy to take to places because of their size,” Lorraine explains. Puppies are placed free of charge with suitable applicatnts, then trained until they’re 18 months old. An administration fee of $250 goes towards the cost of the puppies. Before they are fully accredited as hypo-alert dogs, they must pass rigorous tests. Then they can be taken to public places, such as restaurants and hospitals, and on buses and trains.

Carbi is our hero

Carbi has only been in the Yarker household for a short time, but he’s earnt his rawhide bones by giving his owners peace of mind.

For the Yarkers, married for just one year, their hypo-alert puppy is definitely heaven sent. “We have only had Carbi for four weeks and he has already saved James from night-time hypos twice, growling and biting his fingers to wake him up,” says Liz, 24.

“James often has night-time hypos, which he can’t detect while he’s asleep, so having a dog that will detect them for him obviously helps us to sleep knowing that James will wake up in the morning.”

James, 22, who often works night shifts at a Blue Mountains nursing home, was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 14. But his diabetes is part of the more broad-ranging and rare condition, autoimmune polyendocrinopathy which, in James’s case, has caused Addison’s disease (a hormonal disorder) plus other health problems.

“It’s hard for James to manage his diabetes because of all the other complications he has,” Liz explains. “He’s on an insulin pump now, but it’s still difficult to get his levels right.”

Although Carbi (short for carbohydrate), a Chinese Crested Powderpuff, cannot be fully accredited until he is 18 months old, Liz says he’s already changed their lives.

“One day he grabbed James’s jeans and dragged him into the kitchen, then when James stopped drinking the lemonade Carbi started growling again. It’s such a wait off my mind to have Carbi. Never before could I leave James at home alone while he was sleeping. Now I can go to uni without worrying,” Liz says.

The Yarkers are so thrilled with Carbi they’ve set up a family BLOG – staring their fluffy puppy.

“I really want to spread the word about these potentially lifesaving dogs as I know there are lots of families out there with the same worries we have.”

For more information

Many dogs can be trained to become hypo-alert dogs. If you would like to know more about training your dog, or receiving a puppy to be trained, please contact

Paws for Diabetics Inc. www.pfd.org.au

Also, you’ll love reading Carbi’s BLOG www.hypodog.blogspot.com

I'm Famous!!

Guess what everyone???

I'M FAMOUS!!

This morning Mum, Dad, Aramis and I all got in the car and drove to Springwood. Dad parked the car and Mum jumped out and went to a shop. She came back with a magazine called Diabetic Living, opened it up and guess what I saw??

I saw a photo of Mum, Dad, Aramis and ME!!! Mum read the article out while Dad drove home and it was all about me!!!

I've got my secretary on typing duty - she is going to type out the whole article - but it may take a while. I would do it but I'm too famous to waste my time on typing it!!