Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 3

Nalu and Kai’s puppies enjoyed their weaning food, and the weaning stage went very successfully. As they ate weaning food, I could see they grew much more and started to show their dognality (personality) a lot.

If you missed Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 1 and Part 2 here are the links:

Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 1

Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 2

They played with each other, also with Nalu mama and Kai papa and continue played with Eric (my husband) and me very often. They had fun with many different toys and cat’s tunnel.

They became more active, so Nalu mama’s job is mostly done feeding and cleaning. My turn to take care of puppies has come into the spotlight. I needed to spend more time cleaning them up, feeding homemade puppy food, play and take care of them carefully with love.
As much as I spent my time and committed to puppies, I felt that this was essential work and my favorite time.

I think Eric had so much fun in their whelping box and play-pen.

Photo: Eric and puppies playing in the whelping box.

Photo: Eric and puppies playing in the pen.

This is a sample schedule that I and Eric did for puppies every day.

I did not write here, but we sang, danced and slept together also.

6 am: When puppies got up, they did poo and pee right away, so I cleaned up them and whelping box. Hugged each puppy and told “good morning” and “I love you so much!” and played with them, and they also played with each other while I was preparing homemade food for them. Fed them and made sure they had enough food. If they were not eating enough, they were just licking and wandering around. If they ate enough, they did poo and pee again (of course, I had to clean up again), and they played and fell asleep again.

Meantime, of course, I had to take care of their parents, Nalu, Kai and two aunties and one uncle with their homemade food and took them out to the yard. Also, fed cats’ family and cleaned their litters.

This whole thing took about 2 hours.

8 am: Ate my breakfast and rest a little bit and take care of other things.

9 am: Set up the play-pen in the living room or if the weather was suitable then set up the play-pan outside.

10 am Puppies got up, cleaned up again, moved puppies to the play pan, gave snack and played again.

This time, when I cleaned their body (fur), I rub/massaged with an organic cloth (cotton or hemp), dip in a loquat leaves warm water. They loved this body(fur) rub a lot. Loquat leaves are very medicinal. Read my blog ” Loquat Leaves Body Acrub/Rub”

Loquat Leaves Body Scrub/Rub

Photo: Lani is receiving Loquat leaves rub and animal reiki.

I comb them also then massaged their paw as they need and they fell asleep. I took some of the dogs out for a walk.

12:30 am: When lunchtime came, they got up so I cleaned up again and fed lunch and cleaned up another time and played and slept. Then I ate my lunch. Take other dogs out for a walk.

3 pm: As they were getting up, I cleaned up again, gave snack and played also, and I gave Animal Reiki this time, and they went back to sleep right away.

5 pm: They got up, I cleaned up, fed dinner, and played again and they just stayed around me in the living room and played each other while I was preparing my dinner or watched Netflix or news or Japanese show.

7 pm: Ate my dinner and checked puppies how they were doing.

9 pm: They got up, I cleaned up and played and moved them to whelping box to sleep.

Additionally, they love to play and talk with us.

They also really enjoyed holistic modalities (animal massage, animal reiki, etc.) and gentle touch.

It is so privileged for me to be their human mom and to take care of them and choose what good for them.

I wish I could keep them all, but physically I can’t take care of all of them as they grow bigger, so one of the necessary commitments for me to do is finding a trusted people to be their guardians.

I have met wonderful people through this process, and also some of my friends, students, and clients became my dog family.

Once in a while, some people would say what I want to hear, and they did not keep their words to raise puppies holistically or mindfully or blame me when something happened. So finding suitable guardians are not easy and have created my heartache and sadness. But I believe they came into my life to teach something, and wherever they go, they would teach everyone there too.

No matter where these puppies have gone to live in a new home, I continue to communicate with them and send metta to them because they are my dog’s grandchildren.

The puppies are leaving home usually around 8 weeks old. I need to get ready for puppies to leave home completed the weaning stage, giving the first puppy vaccination a few days before they leave home, and deworm them the next day.

Conventional veterinarians would give the first puppy vaccination 6 weeks or sometimes even younger, but we wait till close to 8 weeks and also giving them only necessary vaccinations, which Distemper-parve only/puppy DPV and deworming separating date.

Unfortunately, most conventional veterinarians give maximum vaccinations of 5 combinations at once and give deworm on the same day which is very harsh for puppies. I thought that I had to give all these 5 combination vaccinations, but it is not true. I found out the truth after I met a holistic veterinarian and studied myself about vaccinations.

I appreciate holistic veterinarian doctor Sally Lane who wrote Healthy Happy Pooch book forward to have taught me so much about vaccinations and other holistic approaches.

Here are photos of puppies getting check up to be ready for their first vaccination by holistic veterinarian doctor Sally Lane before they left the home. The number of puppies are the order of birth.

Photo: puppy #1 blue – Cheddar

Photo: Puppy #2 orange – Umi Banana

Photo: Puppy #3 brown – Wylie

Photo: Puppy #4 pink – Lulu

Photo: Puppy #5 green – Vasco

Photo: Puppy #6 sky blue – Lani

Getting vaccination from a holistic veterinarian doctor is important so you are not giving them vaccination at too young age and only unnecessary vaccination it means give only necessary vaccination to puppies and not maximum vaccination and no mercury and unhealthy preservative vaccinations.  The better and safer vaccines have limited antigens.

Photo: Eric and Lani

Love,

Sanae ❤️

Adopting a Puppy Brought Cheerfulness to Cancer Household

Oh… it took a while for me to feel a little better after #4 round chemotherapy in beginning of August. #5 round chemotherapy after mid-August was very challenged also even I got one week off before I started because of pneumonia.

I think pneumonia is gone for now and I got another blood transfusion for my red blood cells a few days ago. I am ready for #6 round chemotherapy (the last one!!!!).

Before I go to the round 6 I want to share something that important for me to share here…

Since I got cancer of Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) Primary non-Hodgkin of Liver, stage IV (because of Hepatitis C that I got from the blood transfusion result of the car accident in 2001) in the spring , not only my husband, Eric, but all of the animal family have been under so much stress with fear and worry.

650 Sanae in bed with cats & dogs

Photo: Before my first chemo I was so sick and weak so I was staying my bed all the time and most of my animal family was around me.

 

I have lived with multiple dogs (right now five) and two cats for many years. I was usually very active before I got lymphoma, so I did many things with them. I took the dogs for agility classes and K9 nose work, trained them to be therapy and service dogs, and went to a senior home and hospitals with them as a volunteer. I also went hiking and did yoga in the park, swimming, and stand-up paddle (SUP) boarding with them. I work at home most of the time, so I spent more time with them than anybody.

 

After I got lymphoma, and as chemotherapy treatments progressed, I got so weak and unable to do much around the house, and of course, I could not walk with the dogs anymore.

On June 17, one of my cats Mai Mai suddenly passed to save me (please read my blog, Cancer Is Shrinking).

650 Mai Mai by the window

Photo: Mai Mai loved stayed the window of the bedroom where I stayed all day.

 

All of us were sad, and the energy in our home was very heavy, but I was too weak to change. Everyone was tired, and nothing inspired us—except Eric was going SUP surfing every weekend to release his stress. The most sensitive of our dog family, Lumi and Leo, started having eye issues and weight problems. Lumi had too much eye liquid and was overweight, while Leo had dry eyes and lost weight.

 

I was checking about adopting a kitty online, but I somehow found a puppy who had Kula’s smile and eyes (Kula was my service dog and one of our dog family who passed last year on August 1). I told Eric about adopting the puppy. He said at first, “You are crazy—NO.” I explained to him how much we need cheerful, happy energy to lift up our souls. My animal family and I are not able to go SUP surfing like Eric. While I am always resting or suffering from pain in my bed to recover, all the dogs and Tin Tin (the other cat) are all so worried and depressed.

 

He finally said okay, and we adopted the puppy and named her “Nalu”.
(Nalu means “surf” in Hawaiian. Kula’s name was “gold” in Hawaiian, so we decided to pick from the same language to remembering Kula).
Nalu is very cute and happy all the time.
Every dog said to me in beginning, “Mommy, are you sure?”
But once they knew Nalu could play with them, they were so surprised and happy.
Nalu was not scared to play with mature dogs of Lumi, Oro and Happy right away and everyday.
She is also very nice to Bubu and Leo.
I am sure she would love to play with Tin Tin, too, but I am not sure about Tin Tin.

650 Nalu & everyone

Photo: Taking the first dog family photo, everyone was nervous.

 

Just watching her everyday makes me feel happy, and somehow I can believe I am able to overcome this challenge by spending time with her and all my animal family, while Eric is working very hard to make ends meet.

 

Many people might think I am crazy to adopt a puppy while I am receiving chemotherapy, and I already have five dogs and one cat, but I did it because my soul said so.

I have been following my heart, and I really believe Nalu came here to rescue and heal us. She lifts up all of our souls and brought cheerfulness to our house.

 

Here are some photos of Nalu with the other dogs and Tin Tin.

Nalu with Tin Tin Happy & Oro

Photo: Nalu with Oro, Happy and Tin Tin(cat)

 

Nalu & Lumi with bamboo

Photo: Nalu and Lumi are chewing bamboo

 

They are having fun! and sleep…

IMG_0089

Photo: After good meals and play…must take a rest!

IMG_0185

Photo: Nalu loves Tin Tin

 

Nalu with Tin Tin on bed

Photo: Nalu wants to be closer to Tin Tin…

 

 

I can’t wait till Nalu goes to SUP with Eric and Lumi soon.

Of course, I will join them when I get better as below photo.

My first paddle board with Lumi

photo: My first paddleboard with Lumi before I got Lymphoma

Here is a site that I found if you are concerned about having your animal family during chemotherapy.

Is It Safe to Keep My Pet While I’m Being Treated for Cancer?

Also, Dog Care When You’re Down has a good information.

Hope these help you.

 

I am off to my #6 round chemo now! Wish me luck!!!

Love, Sanae 💖

 

Thank you for your prayers and continuous support!

We are grateful and invite you to help us at this time by YouCaring Fundraising to Support Sanae’s Recovery from Cancer or purchasing our books directly from us to cover my medical expenses.

Here are our books:

Love, Sanae

Love-Sanae-front-cover

Love, Eric and Sanae

love-es-front-cover

Love, Eric Revised

love-eric-revised-the-front-cover

Healthy Happy Pooch

HHP-book-front-cover

My post mailing address for sending your card, gift or check (check payable to Eric Lechasseru):

2610A 23rd St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

I will not be able to personally reply to each person, but I promise I will read everyone’s messages, emails, and cards.

Love, Sanae 💖

 

The Cancer Is Shrinking!

The image PET Scan I have here is similar to what I had that my liver was taking over by cancer 90% in May. This image was taking from http://www.aboutcancer.com/pet_scan.htm

 

I had the latest PET Scan after #2 round chemo (in June 2017) and met with my oncologist to get the results after #3 round chemo (in July 2017, she was on her vacation so I had to wait).

The tumor was taking over 90% of my liver in the beginning (May), but the oncologist said the cancer has shrunk more than 50% and brightness is much less (I did not know that aggressive cancer shows brightness on PET Scan). I do not have an image of cancer shrunk over 50%.

My oncologist was very pleased and agreed to remove the drug Vincristine (which has a side effect of damaging the nervous systems) from my next chemotherapy (round #4).

Eric and I are happy to hear the results, and I am relieved that my oncologist decided to take out Vincristine, since I have been having so much nerve pain in my fingers, hands, toes, legs, spine, and whole body.

I have been concerned and had nightmares that the cancer did not shrink and I did not recover. No matter how much I show my positive side to you, Eric, and the whole world, I am only human. Of course, I have a moment of fear every now and then.
But this is good news to me, and I am able to focus and move forward.

 

One of the important things I want to share here is why the cancer has been shrinking.

 

I knew it was shrinking because one of my beloved cats, Mai Mai, took it out and went to heaven.
She sacrificed her life to take cancer out of my body.

 

Have you ever heard that cats and dogs have an acute sense of smell and have the ability to sniff out a chemical change in the body caused by disease? They can sense a change in mood, behavior, and patterns that affect daily routine. They can also sense differences in behavior, both physically and psychologically, due to an illness.

They “transfer” the illness to their own body and sacrifice their own life in order to save their human guardians.

 

I heard this when I was a child, and there are quite a few people who post online in Japan about how your animal family will sacrifice their own lives in order to save their human guardians.

 

However, in America, I cannot find any stories online like Mai Mai’s—where pets “transfer” the illness to their own body and sacrifice their own life in order to save their human guardians.

650 Mai Mai by the window

Every night, Mai Mai had been sleeping by my liver, where the tumor was after I got cancer.
She comforted me so much every day being around with me either next to me or by the bedroom window.
Mai Mai was reborn from a previous cat, Mai, who lived with me for 19 years.
Mai helped me during ovarian cancer recovery 24 years ago, and she survived a car crash with me in 2001.
When she came back as Mai Mai, I could tell it was her right away. Mai Mai loves dogs, riding in cars, and being around me all the time, just like Mai.

 

One night, she ate dinner as usual and I gave her a little treat that she likes after we watched the movies after the dinner.
She did not eat the treat and stayed under a cabinet and she did not want to come out so I let her stay there.
After midnight, I went to check on her, she screamed, so I held her and gave her Rescue Remedy and applied Reiki.
She calmed down and slept for a while, but she screamed again, so I gave her Rescue Remedy and applied Reiki again.
I told her, “I will call Dr. May first thing in the morning, so hang in there.”

 

At 4:30 am, she screamed again, and I gave her a little water. While I was giving her Reiki, she gagged out blood and passed out quickly.
I did not know exactly what happened, but she was gone.
I was so shocked and did not know what to think.                                                                                                 It happened so suddenly.
I could not believe it.

I called her name loud and cried hard then I communicated with her right away.                                              Mai Mai said, “Mommy, not to worry—I could only help you this way this time. I took cancer out of your body and took it to heaven. Don’t be too sad, because I am going to come back when you get better, after the chemotherapy.”
I did not know how to answer, but I said, “Thank you, Mai Mai!”
She said, “Mommy, you are welcome. I love you so much, and I thank you so much for finding me again. I know you are going to find me again.”

I have talked to my animal commnicator, Lydia Hiby. She confirmed me that Mai Mai sacrificed her life for me and she will be back.

650 Holding Mai Mai at last

 

I held her for a long time and put her in her favorite place, by the bedroom window, where she stayed most of the day with a candle and incense.
Then I took her body to Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park & Crematorium. I gave her my gratitude and told her I am waiting for her to come back again.

650 Mai Mai by the window with candle

 

650 Saying good by to Mai Mai

It was so hard to say “Good Bye” to Mai Mai.

 

I told my oncologist that I knew cancer was shrinking, so she asked me how I knew, and I shared Mai Mai’s story. She said she’d never heard that animals sacrifice their own lives in order to save their human guardians, but she believes it.

The cancer is shrinking because macrobiotic approaches I am still practicing every day, all of your love and the chemotherapy are working.

 

And no matter what, I really believe Mai Mai’s work is most effective and moving my heart to live the rest of my life.

 

650 Mai Mai with flowers

 

It is important for me to share about my beloved Mai Mai here with all my heart and gratitude.

Mai Mai Ihai

 

Love, Sanae 💖

 

Thank you for your prayers and continuous support!

We are grateful and invite you to help us at this time by YouCaring Fundraisng to Support Sanae’s Recovery from Cancer or purchasing our books directly from us to cover my medical expenses.

Here are our books:

Love, Sanae

Love-Sanae-front-cover

Love, Eric and Sanae

love-es-front-cover

Love, Eric Revised

love-eric-revised-the-front-cover

Healthy Happy Pooch

HHP-book-front-cover

My post mailing address for sending your card, gift or check (check payable to Eric Lechasseru):

2610A 23rd St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

I will not be able to personally reply to each person, but I promise I will read everyone’s messages, emails, and cards.

Love, Sanae 💖