Liam Leaves

 

Liam

8/1/2007-12/19/24

 

  

 

• You made me a Mom.
  
• My first born
• My first dog

 

 

 

An equal mix of Beagle, Doxie, Dalmatian and Irish setter 

 Wow, what goes on in Tennessee! 

North Shore Animal League rescued you

We gotcha on 1/1/2008 my first official day of retirement from SSA

 

You were the last dog left at North Shore on New Year’s Day 2008

You were your own person as my mom Ruth would say

You were not trainable

Not by me nor professionals

When a ball was thrown you stared at it

You were a Leo

The strongest 

boldest

Fastest runner

My two black eyes and torn rotator cuff attest to that

 

 

You taught me from the beginning

How to be present. 

Live in the moment

See what is in front

Not what is behind

You

expanded my world

people

neighborhood

Social media 

We wrote a blog

We have many followers 

You were diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2022

Hyperthyroidism 

Rare in dogs

We decided no chemo

We did

Home hospice

We adjusted 

I became an expert in all sorts of cleaning 

As you tried and often lost your journey to do your business 

And your lipomas squirted blood at various times 

turning the house into a Crime scene 

reminiscent of a Dateline or 48 Hours episode 

You taught me

Care giving

Acceptance 

Forgiveness 

Patience 

Commitment 

 

You made things larger

My heart

My mind 

My network 

My knowledge 

 

You tried so hard to be a good dog

And you were the bravest dog 

You wanted to stay with us 

even on the last day when you cried in discomfort

People told me your death would be terrible 

I prepared for it from the day we brought you home

I told myself you were on loan to me

You rescued me

They were right 

it is terrible 

Love you forever Liam 

Liam makes it to the Holiday card

Who imagined  2 years ago when Liam was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and its accompanying thyroid cancer that this intrepid dog would be alive at 17 and a quarter attained...November 1, 2024

and that he would make the Holiday card in 2024

 

I wanted to order the cards early to ensure he would live

If he is featured on the card he has to survive, right?

He is an amazingly fierce and strong and loving doggo

see him in various moods and poses

 

showing affection....oddly much more than when he was in his prime 

and still eyeing the kitties but no longer chasing

 I must point out all the feral  tabbies have moved on and are only occasional visitors

the one regular is Tabby Red...mutual respect exists

featured below on the collage

he eats our food, his dog food and the feral cat food on the porch

on Election night we decided to have sort of a feast

nachos and tacos: our go to pig -out meal

he tried nachos

now a fan

his meds , gabapentin and denamarin 

and elective supplement dasuquin have kept him okay

no pain

 Took him to the vet 9/12/24

not for the overdue vaccines, blood tests, poop samples, or any invasive procedure but to get an overview on the current status

are we doing everything that we can for him?

YES!

the vet says if a cough forms it's a cause of worry

so far

nothing

and he still rings his poochie bells to go out

makes it half the time to the porch top

at times he tumbles down the side steps and wanders into the yard

we retrieve him, carry him back in, then sit him up, or lay him down

woof, woof

At Seventeen

 Liam attains 17 on August 1, 2024. I began writing this blog story on July 1, 2024. I superstitiously felt that if I state in writing that Liam is 17, he will be.

and all that is playing in my head is Janis Ian's iconic song, At Seventeen. I found it haunting when it came out and still do.  The lyrics have nothing to do with Liam turning 17.  The only commonality is the number.  However it gives me a chance to share the beginning.  There are more verses. It does not get any more upbeat.

"AT SEVENTEEN"

By Janis Ian

I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired
The valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth...

more on the song

 https://www.songfacts.com/facts/janis-ian/at-seventeen

 

BTW Janis grew up. All is fine. Why did I think she is still seventeen?  No.  More in my age group. 

"AT SEVENTEEN"

By Liam 

Hi all, this is Liam. I am almost seventeen  I was born on August 1, 2007.   I am a rescue from Tennessee. I was adopted from Animal League on January 1, 2008 by Carol McNiff and Paul Nikol. I was 5 months old.

DNA testing showed me to be one quarter equal parts Beagle, Dalmatian, Irish Setter and Dachshund. 

I have written a blog entitled LiamLicks with My Mom for most of my life. 

There are now 384 LiamLicks blog stories.

Current situation

see collage illustration

 

I am in Home Hospice

I mostly poop, pee in the house. sometimes I ring my poochie bells on the side porch door and make it to the top of the porch. Then I stay and enjoy the sights and fresh air. I bark when I want to come back in.

 

I am housebound. No more walks, 

 I keep busy by reading.

 I do light reading lately .

Reading about myself is fun. 

My godmother Aunt Joanie sent me this book for my recovery.. 

My parents take care of my physical wellness. I am okay.  Not in pain. I love to eat. Mom cuts up their food with scissors. I eat from her hands. I have turkey meatballs, hamburger, chicken, pork chops, filet Mignon and cheese and occasionally lamb chops or pork shank from Crabtree's..

some pork from Crabtree's

I vary it with my own kibble in my bowl and occasionally cat food on the side porch. I share a Greek yogurt with Mom in the morning and on the weekends I share a croissant with Daddy Paul. I drink a huge amount of water. A symptom of my disease. I take meds which help tremendously. Scroll up to see prior stories if you need a refresher.

I have hyperthyroidism. VERY rare in dogs. And a small cancerous nodule on my thyroid.

 It runs in the family. Daddy Paul has had half his thyroid removed 

Mommy Carol has a growth on hers that will be dealt with soon by a thyroid biopsy.

I  relax in front of the fan during the day and sleep next to Daddy at night. He sleeps here in the living room because of me.

I have lipomas all over. they are common in certain breeds. I have two of the breeds...Dachshund, and beagle

 A lipoma is a benign (noncancerous) tumor of fat in middle-aged or older dogs. Lipomas can grow anywhere on the dog's body, even inside their abdomen. But the most common growth is under their skin near the fat.

This condition is likely to happen more in overweight dogs as they age. Some lipomas are usually unnoticeable, while others can cause discomfort when your pet walks.

I have about 30,  A spaulding size one on my paw. Mom has been hoping one pops. They rarely pop but can get caught on things. She is an avid Dr Pimple Popper fan. In June she got her wish. I have two on my face and one got snagged on the side door as I banged to get out to do my business. Blood all over. Like a human, a lot of vessels on the face are near the surface.

Looked .Like a crime scene,  My parents have been cleaning it up ever since. So many cleaning products are used-Carpet and Upholstery Stain Remover, Windex, Clorox cleaner, Murphy's wood cleaner...looks like the lipoma explosion is leveling off. One more on the face to go. Mom follows me around with cotton balls, q tips and hydrogen peroxide. And after cleans with a assortment of liquid cleansers. I am fortunate to have a mama who loves growths and cleaning up after eruptions.

 

It continued into July. As I rub it on all surfaces. Blood all over. Rug is the worst hit.

I am healing but it is one step up and two steps back

Mommy Carol's version

Liam has lipomas

Many

There are two on his face

They grew into huge red growths because there was nowhere else to go

Only blood in them

One night in late June

Must have been during the night at a time we were sleeping 💤 

Since I rarely sleep 

He must have timed it

There was blood 🩸 everywhere 

The rug, the cabinets, the walls, the doors, the floor, his water bowl, the rungs of the fan, the couch, the top of the porch

It looked like a murder scene 

Call Keith Morrison...Dateline

I was initially happy thinking it would dry up

No

It leaks 

I applied my remedy hydrogen peroxide 

It helped 

Sealed and cleaned

 

Liam sleeping

I was so emboldened I squirted more on several times a day

Well

It dyed Liam’s face red

 

He is truly the one quarter Irish ☘️ setter now

I had forgotten I had used hydrogen peroxide as a teenager on my hair to get blonde highlights before going to Rockaway beach with my bestie Joanie 

It's a bleach

 

Paul says Liam looks like a bear 🐻 

 

Liam rubs against the surfaces and me for balance and also because the wound

itches and annoys him

I have had blood on my leg and thought I had cut myself 

 

Current Situation

 

healing 

and then reopening and then healing

NO MORE A LITTLE BLACK DOG

  Oh and before this hydrogen peroxide bleach on his face, one new development. Liam no longer seems to be a little black dog. Now a bit chestnut color in spots. His Irish setter DNA is blooming. Aging has its unexpected happy surprises. In the sun he shines a tad red.

Asides

By the way. I use Blur App to obscure Liam's left side of face lipomas.

 

I have updated, expanded and polished my cleaning knowledge and methods of application...included new products, wipes, mops,

brooms/dust pans, old toothbrushes, spatulas, towels, small knives, Brillo and wee wee pads

I owe my new cleaning prowess to Liam and his Home Hospice physical eliminations   

Thank You Liam for upgrading my skills

 

and I have lost control of my fonts

they enlarge and decrease on their own

go from one style to another

a sign of aging I suppose, mine

Liam does not type

and we made it

 Thank You for reading

 scroll up to see prior stories if you need refreshers or are new to the blog

Woof, Woof

Dylan's Dream

this blog story is about

Dylan Nikol

my grandnephew age 2

who has a rare chromosome disorder

shown here with his dog, Doug the Pug

and here he tells you about it

Hi everyone, I wanted to introduce myself

 

My name is Dylan Nikol and I am 2.5 years old. 

 

I have a rare chromosome disorder called chromosome 6p duplication (or partial trisomy 6). Essentially instead of having 2 copies of chromosome 6, I have about 2.5 copies. 

 

There’s only about 50 reported cases of this, and probably only a handful of my exact duplication. Since it’s so rare, there’s very little out there in the literature, and a lot is unknown. 

This nonprofit was started on my behalf, to help raise awareness of and support research for Rare Chromosome and Gene Disorders, including 6p duplications. 

Thank you so much for your support!  

https://www.dylans6pdreamteam.com/  

 

The colors for Rare Chromosome Disorders are yellow and blue 

and Awareness Day is June 13

Dylan's first fundraiser is June 22, 2024

I was asked by my niece, Tara Nikol, Dylan's mom,  if  I would be interested in seeking fundraiser donations from places like my fave restaurant Crabtree's

okay

I can do that

Tara and Jason sent flyers

I used the first batch

I asked for more

used the second group

then I started printing my own

I wrote a blurb

I have been tasked with the honor of requesting donations in the form of gift cards or gift baskets or merchandise for a fundraiser raffle to be held on June 22, for my grandnephew, Dylan Nikol, age 2, who suffers from a rare chromosome disorder. I have flyers with the donation information, Dylan’s story and the mission of our team and an accompanying introductory letter verifying I am a designated volunteer for the organization. Thank you in advance for any help you are able to give.

 I learned on the job

 who to approach

ways to connect

 in person

email

text

Insta

website inquiry

what pitch works

grudges

I have them after this...but have decided not to list the places

the generosity and parsimony I encountered were eye opening

and ended up with 33 offerings from people, business and corporations and other fundraisers

met some incredible people

caused two people to cry 

and others to hide

 people sent me to other people 

and to known fundraiser friendly websites 

I found out

 There are companies and organizations dedicated to helping with fundraisers and involvement in community causes: Trader Joe's, Costco. NY Jets, NY Giants, Long Island Ducks, Hicks, dohertyinc.com, Starbucks, and more

It was an astonishing opportunity for me and I thank Tara and Jason Nikol and Jenny Nikol for inviting me in

 and for my family and friends who participated with donations, merch and suggestions

If you are reading and hearing about Dylan for the first time please consider joining in with a contribution, donation, gift card, merchandise, time, tickets, gift basket 

the flyer above gives all sorts of ways to help

 and if you are one of the places who promised and have yet to deliver

not too late

donate

and to those I left self addressed stamped envelopes 

use them and stick in a gift card 

you owe me a stamp if you don't

https://www.dylans6pdreamteam.com/  

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/4b1a24fd-36ec-4703-b131-9c4bb87b335f

Liam helped by providing support from home

as did Dylan's, Doug the Pug

woof woof

Stayin' Alive

LIAM STAYIN' ALIVE

Liam attains age 16 and 3/4 May 1, 2024 

 

 

 

"Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive

 
Oh, when you walk..."

 

Bee Gees

and it goes on

Jimmy Carter is doing it

so will Liam

 

getting the pills in

these are keeping him okay

and preventing deterioration

 

an updated food pill delivery method

 butter chucks 

the gabapetin on the left two

denamarin the blue

land O Lakes Butter

I insert the pills when he is sleeping

 

a reminder from prior blog

we are

grateful my first dog has had such a long life

his tiny nodule of thyroid cancer is stable

his weak legs strengthened by 

Dasuquin  chews

for joint and muscle weakness

Denamarin tablets 

to lower high liver values

Gabapentin gels

control high blood pressure and anxiety

see his pills in photo

 

 

I have learned that gabapentin may be used by humans too. this is great news.  and I dont need butter to take it. 

 

 

 

 

Liam walks

             

               stands on 4 legs

not all the time but at least half 

 

celebrates St Patrick's Day

 eats ice cream

 

 

we accept all that happens in home hospice 

 

 

Liam now has a bit of trouble seeing.  He hugs the walls as he walks and steps in his kibble.  

I hand feed him whatever we are eating. He has hamburger, steak, chicken, pork loin and pork chops.

 

I bring his water to him if his legs are too weak

If I hear a bong I know he has hit his head and I go looking for him

 

see photo illustration and text captions

 

scroll up for prior editions 

if you are a new reader or need a refresher

woof woof

 

Home Hospice

we are in home hospice 

with our first born 

our dog Liam

also my first dog

Poop logs and pee puddles in the house

circling

dragging one leg

temp loss of use of legs

I mop up the pee with wee wee pads...no, he does not use them to do his pee, we use them to soak it up

the instructions should add that as a use

on top, instead of underneath

I pick up the poop in our usual doggie waste bags

easier than searching the yard

one stop shopping for all Liam's elimination output

and I never berate

or get impatient 

I say "Liam, good output today" 

I sense he mourns the loss of his ability to negotiate the side porch stairs to do his business

projecting? maybe

but he does look longingly at the side door exit

then turns to  find his new indoor bathrooms

the following collage shows

the look of home hospice relaxation

thinking of the verb tenses

lie, lay lain

all present here in these photos

lots of prone positions for our senior boy

Hospice care focuses on the care, comfort, and quality of life of a person with a serious illness who is approaching the end of life. At some point, it may not be possible to cure a serious illness, or a patient may choose not to undergo certain treatments

substitute dog for person

 

 

I hold him

talk to him

lift him up

get his pills in 

bring his food bowls and water bowls to him if his legs are not working

hand feed him if he cannot get his snout in the bowls 

He has more good days than bad

eats a lot

drinks lots of water

                                                                      asks for affection

watches football

pays attention to us

is not in pain

 if any of those activities

change will re-evaluate

when we adopted Liam on January 1, 2008

People told me his death would be devastating

I have been preparing for it since that day

CURRENT LIAM

grateful my first dog has had such a long life

his tiny nodule of thyroid cancer is stable

his weak legs strengthened by 

Dasuquin  chews

for joint and muscle weakness

Denamarin tablets 

to lower high liver values

Gabapentin gels

control high blood pressure and anxiety

see his pills in photo

getting the pills in him has provided me with unique challenges; every day he tricks me by spitting out the pills once I think they are in...I then try a new food

 I then trick him back-keeps me and kept my creativity juices at solutions evolving

so far examples of what we have tried

peanut butter, cream cheese, croissants, American cheese (yellow) 

currently working is Starbucks's iced lemon cake, cut in tiny wedges...pills inserted into the moist fluffy cake bits, hand fed

 Liam takes fewer pills than his parents

has better quality sleep than his mommy

is peripatetic in his sleeping places 

thereby showing us he is alive whenever we look for him

and he still sits up occasionally with pride

Happy Half Birthday Liam

sixteen and a half

February 1, 2024

BTW all prior blog stories can be viewed and read by scrolling down

woof, woof