#ThursdayThoughts: How Reilly Helps—And Tests!—"Momma"'s Sanity, and Other Thoughts

PS Absolutely no Reillys were harmed in the making of this video. The Reilly in this video just hates looking at the camera—which can actually exacerbate "Momma"'s OCD/Anxiety when she gently has to turn her little face toward the camera!

#ThrowbackThursday & #ThursdayThoughts: How Reilly Saved Her "Momma" From Dying Due to Depression in 2014

If I, Reilly's "Momma", have never really talked about my major Depression flareup in 2014, I will now (and ironically so as patient Reilly waits for her night-owl "Momma"ⁱ, though she did ring the back door bell and paw at the hallway gate a few times to indicate that she wanted to go to bed). Without going into too much detail (and ironically in this instance as well, as I said that I'd talk about the Depression flareup), I'll say this: Reilly (or rather, God through Reilly) literally saved me from dying from starvation due to oversleeping that was caused by the Depression flareup, with the flareup being caused by a relative—"A"—of a former friend of one of my relatives—with whom I understandably disagreed on an issue into which I will not delve here, and "A" was upset that I would dare to talk about it.

I would name exactly who "A" is and state what the issue was if I were not afraid of what she and some of her associates could do to me. After all, "A" took her hatefulness as far as to stalk me on my blog (Trust me when I use the word "stalk", as her visits were constant, obsessive, and within minutes of each other)—and using Feedjit at the time, I could tell that it was her because of the area that Feedjit listed as where the visitor of the blog was roughly located—and to stalk me on LinkedIn—to stalk me on LinkedIn, to try to intimidate me, and she knew that I could see that it was her! She didn't even try to set it to "Private Mode"; and as far as Feedjit, she may have even known that I was using that and could see the statistics! Needlessly to say, I quickly spiraled into a severe Depression flareup which caused to oversleep, which caused me to obviously not eat like I should—since I obviously wouldn't get what nutrition I needed if I slept too much and thus ate too little because I was sleeping when I should've been eating (Besides, oversleeping can have other disastrous effects.).

I was very blessed, then, that Reilly gave me a reason to be here. I was also blessed that she needed up to 20 hours of sleep in her first year. By the way, this is part of why I criticize the militant "Adopt; Don't Shop" types and those whom are more than eagerly quick to demonize surrenders of pets to shelters. As I stated in a recent Facebook comment:

"I feel bad for [a pup that was surrended] and her former owner. At least she seems to be adjusting. It probably broke his heart to have to surrender her. I'd kill myself before surrendering Reilly if I ever had to do so--the self-righteous judgement that I would receive would be too much to bear in addition to the pain of having to give her up. May I never have to surrender one of my reasons for being here--and she saved me from a bad Depression flareup once. Without her, I'd've overslept and starved to death."

Reilly in an Autumn 2019 portrait

ⁱAnd yes, night owlism can come with and mutually contribute to Depression

#ThrowbackThursday, #FluffyFriday, and #FlashbackFriday: Reilly Is the McGruff Of Maltipoos If a Kiss On the Head From "Momma" Is a Crime

She actually bit "Momma"'s chin! 

#SillySunday & #SentimentalSunday: A Week In Adventures For Reilly (Reilly the Brat 🙂).

By the way, Reilly about hates her night-owl "Momma" right now (which is understandable, given that "Momma" promised Reilly to go "night nights" almost an hour and a half ago).

#WoofWednesday and Somewhat Offbeat: Ringing the Bell and Barking Over Which "Momma" Can't Hear And/Or Has To Shout

"Reilly, stop!"
"Reilly, quiet!"

Reilly persisted in ringing the bell to indicate that (and night-owl "Momma" got the point that) she wanted to go "night nights" last night (and "Momma"'s trying to be less of a night owl is a work in progress), and there've been other times when she's rung the bell instead of bark—not to mention that at quite a few times when she's wanted to go outside to see someone or something, she's both rung the bell and barked!

As for the barking by itself, it's still an inappropriate behavior in which Reilly engages—with her often going as far as to bark with Camille when Camille's inappropriately barked (including this morning), notwithstanding that she as alphess should be setting a good example for her younger cousin and betess! The barking also frequently gets loud enough for "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" to be unable to tell her bad-example-setting "dogter" and her furniece to be quiet, especially when they're barking simultaneously and cacophonically—and often to the point at which she can't hear over it!

Of course, what can "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" do about it particularly if they don't listen to "Be quiet or get down [from their beds from which they look out of the family-room window]!" and "Be quiet!"? She doesn't have anyone (not counting "Mom-Mom" and "Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi" in this context at all) to roll them over or chase them when they try to run and keep barking or be a firmer and stronger voice than she can be (and not that "Mom-Mom" or "Auntie Michelle" will always roll them over when "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" asks them to do so, anyway). 

Somewhat Offbeat: A Cold About Did In Night-Owl "Momma"; Still Trying To Be A Better "Momma" To Reilly, Etc.

After a roughly-two-day cold about did in night-owl "Momma", she began to try to go "night nights" with Reilly earlier than before—and it's still a work in progress, and a lonely one at that in one way. At least, truth be told, she even observes that Reilly's mood in the morning and throughout the day seems better, even though her behavior often surely isn't better—as behaviors such as the inappropriate barking continue. As for "Momma"'s mood on the other hand, it's not so much better, especially when the inappropriate behaviors occur—and notwithstanding that Reilly is one reason that she keeps living, despite the paradox of Reilly seeming to want to kill her when she barks and causes her to have myclonous flareups that could affect fatal injuries.

However, at least "Momma"'s energy levels might be a little better at least at times, such as when she's able to take Reilly to go "potty" without having to use her rollator and put the loop of Reilly's leash around one of its handles—not to mention that the first occurrence of that, as "Momma" recalls, actually happened this morning, since "Momma" figured that she might as well try it. So, maybe she'll be strong enough one day to not have Reilly's inappropriate barking affect myoclonous flareups, given that she was strong enough to take Reilly to go "potty" without having to depend on the rollator—and she may even be able to take her on walks someday for all that she knows!

Nonetheless and as "Momma" mentioned, being a better "Momma" to Reilly is a work in progress.

PS On a lighter note: who couldn't find a puppy with a bandanna to be cute, let alone Reilly with a bandanna to be cute? Thus, "Momma" took the following pictures of Reilly in a bandanna:

For #MemoryMonday and #MaltipooMonday: An Adventurous May-Into-June Week

And when this one (i.e., Reilly) scratches, it hurts! 

#WoofWednesday: More Of Reilly's Antics, Including Barking Inappropriately!

Incidentally, Reilly may have just barked in her sleep during her evening nap, unless "Momma" was hearing things. Anyway:

1. Speaking of barking, though, both Reilly and Camille really (so to speak) took up quite a bit of thinking room with their loud barks, and Reilly especially barked up a lot of thinking room!
2. As if barking inappropriately throughout the day wasn't and wouldn't be enough, running outside as "Mom-Mom" was coming back from having taken Camille to "go potty" apparently made a fine addition to the list of Reilly's Woof Wednesday antics! To be fair, though, Reilly did at least come back inside for a treat.
3. Reilly found another treat when "Mom-Mom" went back outside to garden, meanwhile, and this treat happened to be a treat which was actually a "nasty" which "Momma" had to lock the back door to get: a shredded cotton pad that she doesn't quite know how Reilly came by in the first place. Not wanting to be hit by the back door in case "Mom-Mom" decided to come in while "Momma" had to lay on the floor to get the pieces (since standing up and bending down to get them would've been quite unfeasible, especially if the door would've hit her while she was on her feet), "Momma" had to lock the back door briefly and risk locking "Mom-Mom" out of the house—and needlessly to say, she was not happy about it, and she even told Reilly (in terms in which Reilly could understand) that her IBS flares up when she stresses her out—and her acquisition of the cotton pad and shredding of it definitely caused her to have an IBS flareup.

There were other antics as well, though these three antics exemplify just how badly Reilly can behave! 

The Great Debate Continues, And #TuesdayTroubles Such As Reilly's Attempts To Jump Down When She's Supposed To Wait!

Reilly's Reaction To "Santa Ducky" In A Video!

But "Momma" wasn't April Fooling Reilly!

"Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" Had To Give Up Camille?, and Reilly Has a "Daddy"!?

April Fools! In all seriousness, though:

1. The subject of the above video has been recommended by "Mom-Mom" to stay with Reilly should "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" ever move out since Reilly and Camille "are a bonded pair", and it would apparently be cruel to separate them. This is also part of why "Mom-Mom" would not necessarily get her own puppy while Reilly and Camille are still living in the same house: that is, Reilly and Camille are bonded enough to possibly exclude any subsequent puppy from the pack. She would actually buy "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" another puppy to take with her in order for Camille to stay with Reilly. While "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" is heartbrokenly and heartbreakingly tempted by that logic, "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma" absolutely put her foot down on that one: that is, "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma" reminded "Mom-Mom" that Camille would be more heartbroken were she ever separated from "Mimi" than she would from Reilly, especially if "Mimi" got her a companion and someone over whom she could be alphess for once. Of course, "Mom-Mom" wouldn't hear of it.
2. "Mom-Mom" of course assumes that "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" and Reilly will never move out—wooo; what a way to further shatter (or at least try to shatter) any hopes for her and Reilly! 💔 
3. If "Momma" and Reilly ever do move out (which, Yehovah willing, they will somehow), "Momma" is taking Reilly with her regardless of what "Mom-Mom" thinks.

PS The above video is a video of Camille and "Santa Ducky", since "Auntie Nicole" has no recent pictures to post and wanted to still post something there (obviously in part to not give away whether "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" really did had to give up Camille), and "Momma" did record Reilly's reaction to it—and she'll post that reaction later today (א׳י׳י).

Read The Post And Then My Comment On It, And Then You'll See What's Between the Lines

In other words, Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital doesn't care about people, let alone pet owners, or pets with disabilities (and neither does "People", apparently, which is a damned shame).

PS I absolutely let Hillcrest have it, too. By the way, I used the example in re people with Epilepsy because my maternal grandmother (ז״ל) had Epilepsy and seizures because of it, one of which I witnessed.

PPS I urge you boycott Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital, especially if you have disabilities and all the more so have service (including emotional-support) animals. Hillcrest seems more than happy to call you a coward if you ever (ח״׀״ס) have to have a service animal put down and cannot stay in the room.

A Special Card From Reilly (and "Momma")

As a puppy with White Shaker Syndrome and a Maltese underbite as well as a "Momma" with Cerebral Palsy and other conditions, Reilly thanks Former President & First Lady Bush 41 (ז״ל) especially for signing the Americans With Disabilities Act into law!

#MaltipooMonday: "Auntie Nicole" Fell, And...

She scared Camille as she accidentally lunged forward at her and then caused what "Mom-Mom" described as what must've been "an earthquake" to her. So, she literally had unintentional insult added to her injury, which occurred right as she turned to the right and hit the area between her hip and her upper leg (or maybe it was, as "Mom-Mom" told her, her hip—she can't exactly tell what that area's called. Either way, she fell enough to cause an apparent "earthquake" throughout the family room and leave a bruise where she fell.).

Then culminated the next part in the whole incident. That part included "Auntie Nicole" having left Camille scared as well as "Momma" having scared Reilly, Reilly wanting to go outside because of how scared she was, Camille having to pee to the point at which she could be said to have literally had the pee scared of her, "Auntie Nicole" having to put Camille on her lap while she still was harnessed and leashed because she would've run away otherwise, and the same "Auntie Nicole" sitting her furniece on her lap to explain to her that she was just walking toward her to give her a kiss on the head and not trying to hurt her.

Meanwhile, both Camille (who was shaking as she sat on "Auntie Nicole"'s lap as "Auntie Nicole" was trying to comfort her and explain what happened) and Reilly (who avoided "Momma" for quite a while) took some time to be convinced that they were not going to be lunged at by "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma".

Re the Apparently-Abusive and -Otherwise-Evil Pet Owners: For God's Love, Really...

If you see an abandoned and/or otherwise abused, or deceased pet, consider that he or she could be or could've been be lost (e.g., escaped from a backyard and with concerned owners looking for him or her) or stolen. Please have him or checked for a microchip and/or a collar, and/or otherwise try to locate his or her potential owners. e.g., A couple in Pennsylvania was wrongly accused of abandoning their four-year-old Shitzu by putting him in a crate and having him freeze to death. In the Facebook post re that matter, one of the couples' neighbors said that they recognized his "I LOVE LONG WALKS" collar and were "devastated".

Same with other apparently-neglected/abused pets: the owner(s) might have disabilities (including invisible illnesses) and be unable to care for the pets, all while (s)he gets or they get demonized instead of have somebody to help him/her/them care for them. Please for God's love, don't bar those of us with disabilities like Depression, OCD/Anxiety (which can bring about hoarding), ADD, and Cerebral Palsy (all of which I have) from owning pets. Don't especially the "Adopt; Don't Shop" types demonize people with disabilities enough, and notwithstanding that our medical providers—e.g., my physiatrist at the time—recommend that I don't adopt—and my physiatrist had her reasons for doing so. By the way, she is now a researcher at NIH—and where are you "Adopt; Don't Shop" types in life?—and I mean besides sitting behind your computers, marching on the streets, and/or doing something else at God knows where to spread more ableism, assuming that everyone can and/or should adopt (and not that you've ever really considered us people; but hey.)

Also, you "Adopt; Don't Shop" types of course demonize legitimate breeders by conflating them with puppy millers partly or even entirely because of your ableism—and you "Adopt; Don't Shop" types who are also people with disabilities are hypocrites and obviously self-hating PWDs—and I know that PWDs, let alone "Adopt; Don't Shop" types whom are PWDs, are not immune to ableism especially since society has tried to ingrain it into us since the time that the first person who had a somehow-noticable disability existed, and you're still supposed to try to fight both ableism and intra-ableism instead of buy into it.

Speaking of buying and adopting instead of shopping, maybe you "Adopt; Don't Shop" types should—if you can—try to adopt attitudes that involve critical thinking, compassion, and empathy—none of which anybody can buy, since critical thinking is an acquired skill and values such as compassion and empathy are learned (not to mention that, e.g., especially quite a few rich and famous "Adopt; Don't Shop" types don't have those values in the first place, anyway—no matter how much they fake that they do, particularly when it comes to us PWDs and the other less fortunate among us.)

PS Having Reilly (See below.) has saved me from having my life taken by Depression—and were Reilly not in my life, I would've died from starvation due to oversleeping (since I naturally wouldn't have been awake and thus able to eat)—and Reilly is one of the reasons that I am alive in the first place.

#ThursdayThoughts: Photoshoots For Awareness (With A Haiku For #NationalPoetryDay)

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month (and a dentastick), Reilly (albe reluctantly) cooperated to wear a very-dark-pink ribbon to raise awareness (and yes, she was sleepy and yawned once).





For Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week, which is from September 30th-October 6th (Reilly didn't like the "Flash" setting that "Momma" tested, by the way.).

(Besides, "Momma" was literally shaking even on the floor when she was laying down trying to try to pink and blue bow onto the pink and blue collar. You try kneeling in front of the couch and tying the bow for about an hour before having to lay down to try it after your arms and hands get tired because of Cerebral Palsy. You will shake, and anyone decent would encourage you to do that photoshoot with your puppy for whom you tied the bow. OCD/Anxiety does not help, by the way.).








For Mental Illness Awareness Week, which is October 7th-13th, since quite a few mental-illness-awareness ribbons either are orange or are partially orange.

PS For #NationalPoetryDay, an extend haiku:

Helping "Momma" raise

Awareness is the fluffball

That everyone knows

As the Reilly Rosalita

Who loves all people

And wants them to be healthy

As well as help those

Whom need a little more help

Than other people...

Even if only to have

As many people

Around as is possible

To give her scritches

And all of the belly rubs

In the whole wide world 😉

(Everyone knows that Reilly's

(Not really the kind

(To love people only for

(What they can give her)