A Special Baby Gone to Heaven

We are sorry to report that little Riley passed from this life on Sunday 19 October 2008. The tumor near his heart had grown larger than the heart itself, and he was beginning to suffer. His human mommy and daddy held him in their arms as the kind vet sent Riley's spirit back to heaven. We are sure the Polly Wolly Wa Wa Angel was waiting for him and guided him to all the sunshine and love in heaven. Riley's first mommy Ezmy and his daddy Ridley were already waiting for him. Fly on your angel wings Riley!

Special Thoughts Requested For Riley

Riley is a 9 year old Boston that has been diagnosed with a very rare cancer that causes a tumor to grow near his heart called a chemodectoma. There is nothing that can be done for this condition other than to give little Riley medicines to help his heart work better so fluid does not build up in his lungs. Riley is loved so much by his human mommy and daddy that they are very upset that he will have fewer days with them than they had hoped. Please join us and the Polly Wolly Wawa Angel (watch this page in the future for the Polly Wolly story) in wishing Riley many more happy days in the sunshine or chewing his favorite toy at his mommy's feet.

Keppy Goes Shopping

One day it became apparent that Keppy was getting too big for Momma K to carry her about in the kennel cab. It was time to take Keppy shopping to find a harness and leash so Keppy could walk like a big dog! Momma K loaded Keppy in the car where she promptly crawled onto Momma K's lap and perched herself so she could look out the driver's window. This was somewhat less distracting to Momma K than putting Keppy in the carrier and watching her bite the wire door and make chattering sounds to express her annoyance. Afterall, when Keppy has words they must be obeyed.

When they got to the store Momma K put Keppy in the seat of the shopping cart and went to get some dog food before getting Keppy's leash. Keppy sat in the seat and peered around as if to say "Look at me! Princess Keppy has arrived!" People smiled and pointed at the royal Keppy sitting so proudly as Momma K pushed her around.

Momma K found the leash section and was sad to see there were no pretty pink harnesses that would fit Keppy. Keppy definitely preferred pink, but she had grown bigger than Momma K imagined she would, and so would not fit into an XS harness. Momma K thought the green would go well with Keppy's black and white color and they had what looked to be the right size for Keppy. But to be sure Momma K had to try the harness on the Keppy. She took Keppy out of the seat and knelt down with her on the floor. Oh dear....Momma K had not ever used a harness on a dog before and when she unhooked the buckles the harness looked like a spidery mess. Where does Keppy's head go? Where do Keppy's legs go? Momma K tried getting the squirmy Keppy into the harness but Keppy did NOT like it. As Momma K held the harness up to try and figure out which hole Keppy's head went through Keppy darted under the display rack! It was a very wide display rack and Momma K could not reach all the way underneath it! You would think Keppy would not go in a dark place after the file cabinet forest but it must have been better than getting fitted for a harness!

So there is Momma K- laying on the floor on her belly reaching under the display rack. She grabbed the Keppy by a back foot and dragged the squirmy Keppy back into the light. Keppy gave Momma K a look of annoyance. Momma K finally got the harnes on Keppy but Keppy was pouting. She preferred being unshackled. Momma K selected a matching green leash with shiny bling decorations on it. Keppy's eyes brightened at this, and was somewhat appeased.

Now Keppy was outfitted for the big world and ready for new adventures!

Caleb's Surgery Is a Success!

Rabbi Caleb had his surgury for pulmonic stenosis on Friday July 11th. He came through the operation fine and will hopefully lead a normal happy life now. Many people would not have sought treatment for such a serious problem but his mommas love him very very much. He is now on his way home to continue being spoiled and pampered. Thanks to everyone who thought a good thought for this little guy and the wonderful doctors and vet techs who took such good care of him.

Thoughts and Prayers Needed for a Special Puppy

Keppy asks that everyone think good thoughts and send prayers for a special puppy RC (Rabbi Caleb) who will be undergoing heart surgery on 11 July 2008. RC has a pulmonary stenosis like Keppy but is having more symptoms and needs the surgery. The good news is that if he comes through surgery the prognosis is excellent, but the surgery itself presents risks as with any heart surgery. Keppy sends good thoughts and Momma K asks the Polly Wolly Wawa angel to hover over RC and bring him blessings from heaven. Hugs and kisses to the Rabbi Caleb and his mommies.

Keppy and the Heart Doctor

The mean veterinarian had heard a very bad murmur in the Keppy heart, and said Keppy must go see a specialist. The day came, when Keppy got big enough, to go see the heart specialist. Momma K took the Keppy to a big horse hospital where the heart specialist had her ultrasound machine that could show Keppy's blood going through her heart in all different colors. The heart doctor just melted at the little Keppy- "Oh how cute is SHE?" as she petted Keppy's head. The assistant was very nice and gently took Keppy and laid her on the special table. She talked sweet words to Keppy while she put cool gel on Keppy's side and belly. Keppy seemed to know this was very important, as she laid quiet as the assistant held her on her side. Momma K stood by, telling Keppy she was being very good and would get a big cookie afterwards.
The heart doctor started rubbing the probe up and down on Keppy's side watching the screen that showed Keppy's heart beating. She turned dials and adjusted levers and the picture changed to a graph of Keppy's heartbeat. She turned another knob and Keppy's heart sounds could be heard "FLUB DUB FLUB DUB". So loud! Keppy didn't like it and wanted to get up! The doctor turned the sound down and switched back to the picture. She turned more knobs and pretty colors came like fireworks- red and blue and yellow! All this time she did not say anything to Momma K. She studied the screen and measured Keppy's heart and kept switching back and forth to different pictures of Keppy's heart. Finally she put the probe down and said OK. The assistant handed Keppy to Momma K and Keppy gave her so many kisses. Momma K hugged Keppy and told her what a good girl she had been.
Then came the words that made Momma K very sad. ' I am afraid this puppy has several bad problems with her heart. She has a severe subaortic stenosis, a moderate pulmonary stenosis, and a mitral valve insufficiency". She went on to explain that this meant Keppy's major blood vessels out of her heart to her lungs and body were too skinny for the blood to flow through normally. This would make the blood gurgle through instead of flow smoothly. Eventually a blood clot would form and go to Keppy's lungs or back to her heart and kill her suddenly. 'I am so sorry" said the nice doctor- "Keppy is so cute, but she probably will not live until her first birthday." Momma K felt all wobbly- "Is there a surgery that can fix Keppy's heart?" she asked. "This puppy has so many problems-it would be very hard to fix her heart. There are some medicines she can take to help the blood flow slower through her heart, but they will only postpone the inevitable". Momma K thanked the doctor and her assistant and took the Keppy home where she gave her the cookie she promised her. She vowed that for what time Keppy had on earth, Momma K would make sure Keppy was as happy as she could be...

Keppy's First Day in the Great Outdoors!

Keppy was 6 weeks old and growing strong. She was still so small compared to her sister and two brothers, but she did not let that stop her from telling them something! One sunny day in June, Momma K took Keppy and the other kids (Teddy, Corey and Binsy Mae) along with Momma Dawn outside for Keppy's first outdoor adventure. Keppy had so much fun!

Keppy's Gets Hot And She Doesn't Care!

It was very hard for little Keppy to run in the tall grass but it made Keppy SO happy! She was hot but smiling and smiling. Finally she comes to Momma K in the shade. A grand first day out for Keppy!

Keppy and the Mean Veterinarian

Keppy continued to survive on the Magic Keppy Juice even though by the time she was three weeks old she did not want the feeding tube put into her tummy any more. When Momma K would try to pass it down her throat Keppy would go "ACK ACK!" and spit it back up. So Momma K had to draw the Magic Keppy Juice up in a syringe and feed Keppy that way. The problem was that Keppy's cleft in the roof of her mouth would let the Juice come out Keppy's nose and she could not swallow it. But Momma K found that if she put her pinky in Keppy's mouth and covered the cleft she could squirt the Juice into the side of Keppy's mouth, and Keppy could swallow and eat pretty well. And so this is how Keppy was fed 5 or 6 times a day.

Although Keppy drank much Magic Keppy Juice, she stayed small and thin. She walked around like a bug with a very big head. She did not look real. Momma K wanted to know if Keppy had other problems such as a liver that did not work right. She made an appointment at a far away vet who was a specialist in internal medicine. On the day of the appointment she bundled the Keppy up and took her for a long ride in the car. Keppy rode in her little travel crate and played with her tiny toys. Sometimes she would yack at Momma K and bite the wire on the crate door. But finally she fell asleep until she and Momma K arrived at the vet.

It was quite a long wait to see the specialist veterinarian. Momma K took baby Keppy outside where there was a little grass and bushes so Keppy could potty if she had to. Because Keppy was born in March it was still quite cool in the Spring and Keppy had not been outside to play yet. So when Momma K set her down near the bushes Keppy was in wonder at the leaves over her head. She jumped up trying to bite the bushes. Then she bounced around in the grass. Keppy was feeling FINE. Yet it was chilly, so after it became clear Keppy did not have to potty, Momma K took her back inside.

Finally Keppy and Momma K were called back to see the veterinarian. Momma K was not having a good feeling about this place and when the vet bent over the tiny Keppy who was happy and giving kisses and waving at the stethoscope Momma K said "I think this puppy is OK- other than her cleft -perhaps we should go home til she gets bigger". The vet looked at Momma K in puzzlement. "Don't you want this puppy examined?" "Well, she looks like she feels pretty good- maybe she is too little to stress". The vet gave Momma K a look and bent over the Keppy to listen to her heart. She shook her head. "This puppy has a very bad heart murmur". Momma K held her breath then said: "Maybe she will outgrow it- sometimes puppies have heart murmurs that go away". The vet shook her head. "No-this is diferent-we need to do more tests" and with that the vet whisked Keppy away from Momma K into the back of the hospital.

And Momma K had to wait and wait.

A VERY long time went by. "Where is Keppy?" Momma K would ask anyone walking by. "She is having tests" was always the answer. More time goes by. Now Momma K is worried Keppy has been hurt with all the tests. Momma K asks "How long until Keppy is done with her tests? It has been a very long time-Keppy needs to eat". "Keppy is still not done with her tests" came the answer.

FINALLY the vet calls Momma K into a room. But where is Keppy? The vet starts talking. "Where is Keppy???" Momma K cries. The vet's eyes get big and she runs out of the room. Momma K is sure something bad has happened. The vet and a technician come back with Keppy on a towel. She is just laying there. Keppy is exhausted. The once happy playful puppy is lying still and quiet on the towel. Momma K is so worried. "She is FINE" the vet says. "Why is she so quiet?" Momma K wants to know. "She is tired is all-she is a little sick puppy". "SICK?" cries Momma K. "This puppy has a very bad heart problem" and with that the vet pops an Xray onto the light box. "See here? she has fluid accumulating around her heart and lungs. Her heart is not working right". Momma K cannot see through her tears or hear what the vet is saying through her fear at the sight of the very still Keppy. "We also put a needle in her bladder to test her urine" says the vet. Poor Keppy! thinks Momma K. "We also took blood from her to test her liver function and do a cell count" Oh no poor Keppy was stuck by more needles! How did they stick needles in something as tiny as Keppy?

Momma K was getting upset that they would take a tiny puppy weighing 22 oz and stick her with so many needles in so many places plus hold her on an Xray machine. There was no sign of the happy Keppy that was playing with the bushes and with the stethoscope-just a quiet Keppy breathing very hard and curled into a ball. Momma K just wanted to get her out of there!

Momma K paid the bill and left the mean veterinarian. She drove Keppy home with Keppy curled on her lap-Keppy did not move. The whole long ride home Keppy did not wake up. Momma K was sure they had hurt Keppy doing all those tests. She worried and worried. She took Keppy home and put a hot water bottle with her to get warm. Keppy just slept and slept. After several hours Momma K got Keppy to eat a little Magic Keppy Juice. But then she went back to sleep.

For three days Keppy did not play in the usual Keppy way. She would eat a little juice then curl up and sleep. There was no light in Keppy's eyes. Momma K was so sure she had been hurt by the mean vet. She called the vet to find out if Keppy had been hurt or dropped or anything else to account for Keppy's sadness. "No nothing happened to Keppy" the vet said. Momma K was not so sure. "Oh and all the blood and urine tests on Keppy are normal" OK-some good news at least. "But a cardiologist needs to see this puppy when she gets bigger, as her heart is very bad". Fine thought Momma K-if she survives after all the hard tests you gave her.

Bit by bit Keppy started feeling better. She still acted sore when she moved. But Keppy had lived her first 6 weeks even though no one thought she would and Keppy was still fighting. In another week Keppy was back to playing and being her Keppy self. Momma K was very relieved. But she would not take Keppy back to that mean vet again.

Next: Keppy Plays in the Great Outdoors!

Lost in the File Cabinet Forest

Keppy did not slow down after the Teddy Bear incident. Although her eyes were barely open, Keppy knew what she wanted and when. Sometimes Keppy would get hungry while Momma K was busy and get restless. One day Momma K was not in the office to see the fussy Keppy, so Keppy decided she would go find Momma K.

Climbing up on Humble Bumble Bee Keppy reached her tiny paws up and up-feeling the edge of her box. She hoisted herself to the very edge and put her little head over it -oh there was nothing there. Keppy cried and cried "Eee Eee Eee" but Momma K was not there. Keppy pulled and stretched herself over the edge of the box, waving her little paws in the air. Then Keppy tipped too far and tumbled out of the box! Oh it was so far! Thank goodness Momma K left a towel around the bottom of the box so Keppy did not fall on the hard floor.

But now Keppy had left her warm light and Humble Bumble Bee and was all alone with strange lights and shadows as Keppy's eyes still did not work well. Keppy started to pull herself across the floor-where is Momma K? Oh there is some big tall thing over there-maybe that is Momma K. Keppy crawled to the big tall thing but it was not Momma K-it was hard and cold. Keppy was getting scared. No Momma K, no Momma Dawn, no sister and brothers, no Humble Bumble Bee. Keppy kept crawling and crawling until she was some place dark and strange. She huddled there, all alone.

Meanwhile Momma K looked at her watch and saw it was time to give Keppy her feeding. She went to the lunch room and fixed the Magic Keppy Juice. When she got to her office she looked in the box and saw no Keppy! she was not under the blanket or Humble Bumble Bee! She was gone!

Oh no! Oh NO! where can Keppy be??? Momma K was in a panic! She looked under the desk and in the corners and everywhere but could not see the Keppy. Then she heard a little scratching- a little scratching on something metal. "Keppy? Keppy? Where are you Keppy?" Keppy's ears were not working yet so she could not hear Momma calling for her. Maybe she smelled Momma because she cried out "Eee Eee Eee!" Keppy had crawled behind the three big file cabinets in Momma K's office. Momma K had to crawl under the desk and look and she could see the Keppy back behind the file cabinets. Momma K reached and reached and was able to just grab Keppy by the toe and pull her out.

Momma K kissed and kissed the Keppy. Oh Keppy was so happy to be back with Momma K in the warmth and light. And she was VERY happy to get her belly full of warm Magic Keppy Juice. She curled up with Humble Bumble Bee all warm and safe and had a very big nap.
Momma K realized Keppy was getting big and strong, so Keppy had to move out of her box and into a crate with a locking door.

And boy Keppy did NOT like that.....

NEXT: THE TRIP TO THE MEAN VETERINARIAN....

The Tale of the Killer Teddy Bear

One day Keppy was at work with Momma K. She was still very small and did not have her eyes open yet. Momma K left Keppy snuggled in her box with Heartbeat Teddy, who made Keppy feel safe and warm when she was away from her momma Dawn and littermates. Keppy would sleep upside down against Heartbeat Teddy, so cute and cuddly. (Momma K has a picture of this cuteness on her cell phone where it is held captive and refuses to be sent anywhere else so Momma K can post it.) Anyway on that day Momma K had to go do some work. When she returned some time later what horror she found! The Keppy had put her head through the velcro ring on the back of Heartbeat Teddy and would have strangled had Momma K not returned when she did! The velcro band was VERY tight and Momma K could hardly undo it to save the Keppy. How the little Keppy wedged her head through such a small hole is a mystery! Momma K was very mad at the Heartbeat Teddy and wanted to cut the bad velcro off the Heartbeat Teddy Traitor. But he did not belong to her, and so she removed Heartbeat Teddy from Keppy's Krib and gave her Humble Bumble Bee instead. So Keppy survived a very scary incident, which would not be the last.

In the beginning...

Keppy was born March 22, 2007. She was one of four puppies, two boys and two girls. All the puppies were SO beautiful-they were a gift being the last litter by their sire who was in failing health. But when it came time to go over each puppy to make sure they were OK, the perfect little girl I held in my hand turned out to have a cleft palate. There was no outward sign as there often is, such as a hairlip or deformed nose. Knowing such puppies cannot nurse, they are sadly handed back to the vet to be sent back to heaven. But for some reason I felt instead that I would bring this puppy home and bought a supply of Esbilac so I could feed this puppy.

Keppy did not have a name then, being referred to as "cleft puppy". Every 2 hours, even through the night, I threaded the tube down her throat and fed her the formula. My vet shook his head that I would try to save her. I told him if she is meant to die then she will do it in the warmth of her momma and littermates. But she would not die. She went to work with me in a tiny carrier and was kept in a styrofoam box with towels and a teddy bear that played heart sounds to keep her content. Weeks went by- she did not grow much but she did not die either. Every night I took her home and put her with her momma and littermates. Momma Dawn was so sweet, always accepting her baby back even with the strange smells. Here is a picture of the little family at 2 weeks old. Keppy is the baby with her head on momma Dawn.

COMING NEXT: The EARLY ADVENTURES OF KEPPY LOUISE

Introduction

My name is Keppy Louise and I am a Boston Terrier born March 22 2007. I was born with a cleft palate but my mommy fed me magic Keppy Juice with a tube and I lived even though no one thought I would. Then when I got bigger the vet told my mommy I had a very bad heart murmur caused by three heart defects and that I would not live a year. I am now one year and 1 month old and I FEEL FINE (unless I play very very hard-then I get dizzy)! I drink from a water bottle but I can eat fine now all by myself and no longer need the magic Keppy Juice. My best friend is my Boston Terrier sister Binsy Mae and my mommy K. I live with other Boston Terriers but they all know the Keppy Rules, which I shall explain one by one later. Welcome to my blog, especially other "special needs" kids like me! (as told to Keppy's human mommy K).