Mij IS a Wonder Dog

Here we are at the retreat in Nebraska City.  Things are going swimmingly and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.  Our teachers are wonderful, there is so much to learn.  I am going to work on a Pris Buttler pattern with a Klimt theme.  I can't wait to start.

Donna Hrkman is a doll and so knowledgeable.  I dyed lots of sepia tones and flesh tones for her class and the students are doing some wonderful projects.   Jan Goos is color planning up a storm for her group and everyone is busy, busy, busy.

I know I should be writing about rug hooking, but this story is too good to pass up.  Leah called me yesterday with a very interesting Mij story.  It seems that on Saturday night, when Leah was sound asleep, Mij started a new bizarre behavior.  She would jump up on the bed and 'pounce' on Leah.   Leah says that is the word that best described it…..Mij repeatedly 'pounced' on her.   When Leah didn't react right away, Mij repeated it and would jump up and down, sort of like she was playing, but with what seemed like a serious intent.   Finally awake, Leah got up and tried to let Mij out.  This is unusual, because Mij usually doesn't want to go out in the night.  Well, true to form, Mij refused the offer to go out.  Leah went back to bed and immediately Mij started the pouncing again.  Leah got up again, tried to let Mij out and when she refused, this time she picked her up and carried her outside.  Mij, stood and looked at Leah like "this is not it" and went back in the house.

Now fully awake, Leah decided to test her blood sugar.  Leah has had diabetes since she was 11 and wears an insulin pump.  She tested her blood and low and behold her blood sugar was 600.  This is dangerously high blood sugar.  For some reason her pump did not send the correct bolus of insulin.  Leah gave herself a shot of insulin and Mij and Leah went back to bed.  Leah says she remembers thinking "Thank goodness Mij woke me up" as she fell back to sleep.  At 6am, the pouncing began again.  Up and down, Mij bounced on Leah until she was finally awake.  This time Leah went straight for her blood tester.  Now her blood sugar was 60, becoming dangerously low.  She ate something and sat looking at that Mij.  It was obviously no coincidence, Mij knew something was wrong and needed to wake Leah up.  There are therapy dogs that have be trained to recognize and alert their owners about blood sugar fluctuations, but Mij figured this out on her own!

Isn't the world an interesting place.  Where a little shy cow dog comes to live with a city girl theatre director and becomes her protector.  I know I sleep a little sounder knowing Mij and Leah are together, looking out for each other.  They are the ying and yang of girl and dog.

Tomorrow….
Janice