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Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Friday, April 16, 2021
A Flowery Flashback Friday With Gibson
Flashback ~ Gibson ~ Circa 2014If there is one thing Gibson taught me, it was how to enjoy the little moments that were so special in each day. Even though he had epilepsy, he never let it or the medications dull his zest for life. A simple walk brought such joy to him; feeling the breeze on his fur; laying in the cool grass; sniffing flowers; snuggling with his love Harley and younger siblings Wolf, Chloe, and Bandit; watching a train go by; playing in the snow; licking ice cream; going for a car ride; splashing in a pool on a hot day; and just being petted. Gibson enjoyed it all. A wonderful message for us all. Thank you, my sweet Gib, for the reminders.
(You'll have to screenshot it!)
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Friday, April 9, 2021
Cat Alert on a FiveSibes Flashback Friday
Flashback ~ Chloe & Bandit ~ 2014
And the culprit...Binx! Oh, how he loved to sit right under the window or rub against the screen and drive Chloe and Bandit bananas!
(Look at that innocent kitty face! How could he even dream of tormenting the Huskies?!) MOL!
Sure do miss those crazy days.
(You'll have to screenshot it!)
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Sunday, April 4, 2021
Happy Easter From Our FiveSibes Bunny!
Our Easter Husky, Wolfie, and our entire FiveSibes Family
wish you all a very safe, joyful, and Happy Easter!
“The great gift of Easter is hope.”
~Basil Hume, OSB OM
Friday, April 2, 2021
#FlashbackFriday is Back and We're Doing the Bunny Hop!
As with spring and Easter being a time of renewal, Wolfie and I are happy to be back to sharing our #FiveSibes #FlashbackFriday Blog Hop to travel down Memory Lane together and reminisce about special times of yesteryear or yesterday!
Flashback ~ FiveSibes Easter Bunnies ~ 2012
I
thought a great flashback would be of an Easter past with all of my beloved FiveSibes...even if there
were a few grumpy Huskies at donning bunny ears (Wolfie and Bandit)! BOL! They were always
good sports for all my photoshoots, and... Wolfie even *happily* donned a new set of ears for Sunday's
Easter post, so come back and visit us on Easter to see!
Another fun (and a bit funny) was a JibJab video I created of my FiveSibes from ten years ago for Easter of 2011! Wow. Time sure does fly...but my five had such wonderful personlities, and Huskies are quite the characters, so this "Let's Go To The Hop" video was a perfect fit! I do hope it will bring a smile or chuckle to you, too!
Flashback ~ FiveSibes at the Hop ~ 2011
Thanks so much for joining us in our #FiveSibes #FlashbackFriday Blog Hop! The link will be open all week for you to join in! We'll be back next week, same time, same place--hope to see you again! May you and yours have a safe and Hoppy Easter!
Dear Readers: On a personal note, I'd like to thank you all for waiting for us while Wolfie and I took a break due to Bandit's sudden passing in October. I needed the time to adjust to so many of my FiveSibes making their journey to north of the Rainbow Bridge in such a short time, and in addition to healing my own broken heart, I really needed the time to help Wolf work through his grief. He was truly heartbroken at losing Bandit, his last sister and littermate, and really needed time to grieve, heal, and adjust to a solo life after having been part of our FiveSibes pack family. He has come a long way, and just like us humans, he has had some very bad days, and some very good days, and thankfully, the good days are more now. Together we are looking forward to the long sunny days of being together outdoors with him enjoying his golden years spent with me and and with my grandchildren, his very favorite little humans! ~FiveSibesMom
(You'll have to screenshot it!)
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Thursday, April 1, 2021
Friday, March 26, 2021
Welcome to Our #LiveGibStrong Purple Day® for Epilepsy Annual Blog Hop!
So excited to be hosting our 6th #LiveGibStrong Purple Day® for Epilepsy Blog Hop, once again along with my two amazing co-hosts, Jeanaann Barnaby of Knotty Toys for Good Dogs and Kimberley Matchem of Rescue Dog-Mom Confessions! So let's talk purple!
“People affected by epilepsy will change the face of epilepsy.”
~Anita Kaufmann Foundation
What's Purple Day All About?
If you have not already seen my Purple Day video, please take a few minutes to watch it, learn about how an amazing young girl named Cassidy Megan founded Purple Day, and how dogs across the globe joined Gibson and my FiveSibes in showing their support for Epi-dogs by "going purple!"
Why Do I Advocate for Epi-dogs? Gibson.
Chances are, if you have followed us here at FiveSibes, you know that my Gibson was diagnosed shortly after his third birthday with idiopathic epilepsy, and ever since, he and I have advocated for dogs with epilepsy to spread the word that dogs can--and DO--live full happy lives with Canine Epilepsy.
Through our advocacy, I've shared not only mine and Gibson's journey, but facts and important information on caring for a dog with seizures. Back when had his first seizure in 2009, I was stunned, scared, and had no idea what had just happened. Seeing him stiff and frothing, chilled me as I thought I had just lost my beautiful boy. To watch him come out of the seizure and stumble his way toward me (he experienced temporary blindness, which is not unusual after a seizure), as he followed my voice, after being so still, was nothing short of a miracle. I went from crying tears of horror to tears of joy in just a few short minutes!
“With special care and a lot of love,
Epi-dogs can—and
do—live happy, full lives; the same as a dog who does not have epilepsy. They are truly amazing.”
~Dorothy Wills-Raftery,
Author & Purple Day® Ambassador for K9 Epilepsy
There was not a lot of information available back then, and many veterinarians unfamiliar with epilepsy at the time would suggest euthanasia. (Not mine, I was fortunate to have an amazing team, well-versed in seizures, who became my go-to experts for help throughout Gibson's life).
Remembering the Husky who started
an Epi revolution--my Gibson!
Gibson with me, and his lead vet, Dr. Rugg, beside a
portrait done of him on one of the hospital's outbuildings.
The Internet was just a baby, not at all like it is today. MySpace was the social media gem at the time, so I posted a note about my dog having a seizure, and a wonderful gal--whom I am friends with to this very day--wrote me and shared her experience with her dog, and talked to me about medications and dosages, so I had a grasp when I spoke to my own vet. She was amazing! (Laurie, that's you!) I then began to keep Gibson's journal on MySpace, and connect with others. Of course, being a career journalist, I researched everything I could get my hands on, spoke with veterinarian experts, holistic practitioners, other hu-parents of dogs with epilepsy, and joined Canine Epilepsy support groups. I made myself an expert for my boy's sake, so I could give him the best care and life possible.
This is a video slideshow show from my Purple Day booth at Kingston Animal Hospital with not only Gibson's lead vet, Dr. Arnold Rugg, but also some of the amazing staff and even the Easter Bunny!
Gibson was a beautiful dog who lived a happy life, and he brought me so much happiness. He was truly my heart dog. And together, we sailed the sometimes rough seas called epilepsy, and he inspired me in so many ways, including creating #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness, authoring two books on the topic and many articles, videos, and podcasts, all to help others and to let folks know, while it is so scary to watch a beloved pet have a seizure, know you are not alone! Help is just a keyboard click away!
"I started Purple Day to raise awareness for people with epilepsy and to
let them know that they aren’t alone. At Purple Day, we want to educate
people about what to do and what not to do when they see someone having
any type of seizure."
~Cassidy Megan, Founder
Gibson's and My Message
I want to let folks know if they find themselves suddenly caring for a dog with epilepsy, to not be afraid, that there are many informational resources available to help, and we're here to help point them in the right direction because dogs with epilepsy do not need to be euthanized, can be adopted, and do love life as much as a dog without epilepsy. Dogs with epilepsy can be sled dogs, dock diving dogs, hiking partners, therapy work dogs, family dogs, and more--basically, my Epidog can do whatever your dog can do!
We had a very special visitor one day, a beautiful gal named Frankie who also has epilepsy, came with her mom and spent some time with Gibson and my FiveSibes. What wonderful day we had!
Get Our #Paws4Purple FREE Educational Info!
https://purpledayeveryday.org/paws-4-purple/
In 2018, I proudly partnered with the Purple Day global non-profit sponsor The Anita Kaufmann Foundation (now Purple Day® Every Day, presented by The Anita Kaufmann Foundation). You can read my post all about that HERE.
Through this educational initiative, you can request FREE* hard copies of any of my bookmarks, flyers, or my pride and joy - Cooling Down An Epi-Dog: Where Do I Put The Ice Pack? informational art poster! The beautiful rendition of Gibson was created by the talented artist, Cameo Anderson, and all my info has been vetted by Dr. Arnold Rugg. These handouts are great to share with:
Veterinarian Offices
Emergency Animal Hospitals
Rescues & Shelters
Groomers
Trainers
Dog Walkers/Sitters
Boarding Facilities
Dog Parks
Animal Control Officers
Police Departments
Fire Departments
(*While all hard copies of materials requested are FREE, donations to the non-profit PDED/AKF always welcome to help defray the cost of printing & mailing. To order copies and/or donate,
Email: Debra@AKFUS.org).
What's New for Us?
This year, I was honored to be asked to have a booth at the 3-day 2021 Purple Day® Around the World Virtual Epilepsy Education Conference! With the pandemic, this is a fabulous way to still hold a conference, meet and hear other advocates, experts, and success stories. If you registered for the event, I hope you stopped by our FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong booth for some info! Kudos to the team who organized this fabulous event!
A peek at our virtual booth!
Close up of virtual booth. I'm on right! Hi!
Full view of inside of our booth!
Cool, right?!
While my Gibson crossed the Rainbow Bridge quite suddenly in December of 2015 from a horrendous form of cancer known as hemangiosarcoma, he spent the last seven years of his life seizure free! So in the end, my boy beat that seizure monster! While we certainly had our ups and some very scary downs, through medication, diet, nutrition, holistic and traditional care, my boy enjoyed life with the other four of our FiveSibes pack, especially his true love, Harley! Gibson's zest for life and how he bravely and determinedly pushed through any setback as a result of the anti-seizure medications, was truly inspirational. To watch him run with his wide Husky grin, silly hip-hop gait, and wooly fur blowing in the wind was pure joy.
The beautiful furry face and soul that launched a lot of hope...
...and two books!
EPIc Dog Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs
Living & Loving Life With Canine Epilepsy
"Excellence" in Reference-Animal Category ~IPA
"Excellence" in Animal/Pet Category ~NYC Big Book
"Best in Print" ~AmericanPet Magazine
"Top Dog Books Adult Non-Fiction"~Talent Hounds "This book (EPIc Dog Tales) provides a wealth of information on Canine Epilepsy -- from facts about the disease to practical tips on managing the disorder."
~Dr. Karen R. Muñana, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Professor of Neurology, North Carolina State University
Learning About K-9 Epilepsy
"Best in Print" ~AmericanPet Magazine
"Top Dog Books For Kids"~Talent Hounds
Books can be ordered from our publishing website bookstore at ArcticHousePublishing.com. A portion of sales is donated
to Epil-K9 Foundation.
#GoPurple Every Day
So on this Purple Day, Wolfie and I will #GoPurple to honor Gibson and all dogs who live, and have lived, life with epilepsy. We hope you will #GoPurple in support of dogs and humans with epilepsy. Whether you dress you and/or your pet in purple, draw a purple picture, tint a photo with a purple filter, whip up a batch of purple cupcakes, tie your shoes with purple laces, whatever creative way you can think of to show your support, because as in the words of the amazing founder, Cassidy Megan, who was diagnosed with epilepsy at age seven, and "started Purple Day to raise awareness for people with epilepsy and to let them know that they aren’t alone. At Purple Day, we want to educate people about what to do and what not to do when they see someone having any type of seizure."
Let's take that message and share it, along with purple, every day.
You are not alone.
He lived with Canine Epilepsy, but it did not define him.
His zest and love of life did.
May all Epi-dogs #LiveGibStrong.
Love you, Gibbie. For always and forever.
It's time to grab our badge (you'll have to screenshot it), post it on your blog, share on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, whatever social media platform you prefer, and link up to our Blog Hop below so your link and photo can be included. Then be sure to hop all around to see what everyone is sharing! There will be lots of great info, photos, and fun! And...the link is open all week to join in!
Screenshot Our Badge & Link to FiveSibes.blogspot.com!
Feel free to use hashtags on your posts.
#PurpleDay
#Paws4Purple
#LiveGibStrong
#Pets4Purple
#PurpleDayEveryDay
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