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 hypothyroidism. 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