We haven't yet felt the need to seek a second opinion on DH's cancer, although his is much rarer than breast cancer. But I do have names on hand for when/if we feel the need. Our understanding is that most insurance policies will cover a second opinion for cancer, even out of network. So I'd start with a call to your insurance company. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, Arcadia, and wish you the best.

There is a huge overlap in symptoms among many AI illnesses. Yes, most of the ones you describe (and more) are what I experienced before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. But I also experienced many of the same symptoms in the months before I was diagnosed with RA. I wasted several months in getting my RA diagnosed because I tried to blame my symptoms on my thyroid. I SO wanted it to be just needing a medication adjustment! And Sjogren's, lupus and other AI disease symptoms overlap with those of RA (and hypothyroidism). Of all your results the ANA is to me by far the most concerning. The thyroid panel doesn't concern me at all, and I doubt very seriously you'd be able to find anyone other than a total quack who would medicate you based on those results. ETA: If you are diagnosed with something--whether it be lupus/Sjogren's/RA or hypothyroidism--you'll want to keep check on the other issue. Polyautoimmunity (having more than one AI disease) is quite common. The typical scenario is being diagnosed with one and then a few years later developing another. It's nothing to really worry about, but just to be aware of.

I have a Maytag top loader that allows soaking for as long as you want. The key is to NOT open the lid once you pause it to start soaking. I've only needed to soak a load once since we've had it, but IIRC the procedure is to simply hit the "pause" button when you're ready for it to begin soaking. Then leave it for as long as you want. When you're ready hit the "pause" button again and it resumes. The lid on mine does lock at some points (especially during the spin cycle). But I've never had any trouble being able to add an item during the wash cycle.

I'm sure no expert, but I'd think a positive ANA combined with your symptoms warrants a referral to a rheumatologist for more testing and evaluation. As far as I know a positive speckled ANA could indicate lupus, Sjogren's, RA or several other AI illnesses that have symptoms similar to what you describe. I'd ask for a referral. Even if your insurance doesn't require a referral many rheumatologists do require one before they'll schedule an appointment.

I'd try tiny baby steps -- first simply close the door while he's in the crate. Just for a second or three, while you stay right there. Feed him a really yummy treat. If he tolerates that then gradually lengthen the time the door is closed, still feeding him treats. When he's comfortable with having the door closed for a few minutes with you sitting right there then start closing it, treating and stepping away (out of his line of sight). Again--just for a second or three to begin with, then longer as he tolerates it. As you lengthen the time add in longer lasting treats (stuffed Kong or stuffed hollow bone, etc.). Eventually work up to picking up your keys/going through the motions of whatever else you normally do before you leave. And then work up to stepping out the door for just a minute or two, gradually lengthening the time. It will probably be a very slow process. He might not be able to handle it at all (IME separation anxiety often gets worse as a dog gets older). He can't help it, no more than a person with anxiety can help it. And there's no reason for you to feel bad about that--you did not do this to him! I applaud the steps you've taken to accommodate him. Have you considered some pharmaceutical help for him? Did your vet cover that? Sometimes the need for that is life long. Sometimes the dog just needs it to take the edge off the anxiety for a few months so he can relax enough to learn. It's very difficult to impossible for a stressed brain to learn new, desirable behaviors. A bit of medication, at least for awhile, may be just the thing for him.

Charleston in April should be gorgeous! I-26 from Columbia into Charleston is a fairly easy drive. Our favorite thing to do is just wander around the historic district, walk the Battery, shop through the City Market. There's SO much to see and do--a lot probably depends on how long you're going to be there.

Mostly every other day. Daily when it was warranted (hot, sticky summer days or if they got particularly dirty/funky for any other reason). But elementary aged during the winter? Every other day was plenty.

They can. IF there's enough room and IF you're 1000 percent sure they'll get along okay together. Keeping in mind that putting two together in a tight space can tend to incite snappishness even in dogs who typically get along well. Our previous dogs were a Brittany and a Beagle, and I would crate them together in a very large crate when we had a worker in the house. That was about the only time they ever got crated, though, and I was always there, too. I didn't need to crate them when we were out doing errands, but I feel sure those two would have been fine together. The Beagle was bomb proof and was the Britt's security blanket. But . .you really have to know your own dogs, and make the decision based on them. There's no blanket yes/no answer here.

I totally agree with @wintermom and @Jean in Newcastle. Just because she can't be trusted alone and uncrated now doesn't mean all hope is lost. Although larger dogs age much faster than smaller dogs, they also mature more slowly. Many smaller dogs are mentally and physically mature around a year old, even before. Most larger dogs don't get there until 18-24 months. So don't lose hope. Keep working on the good behaviors. I bet she'll get to the point of being trustworthy. IMO it's always a good idea to leave a dog with a high value treat. I want them to make a positive association with my leaving, and the high value treat helps. Our current little guy has had free roam of the house since he was about a year old. Other than house breaking it could have been much sooner than that. But his basic nature is very calm and laid back, and he's not a high energy breed or a mouthy breed. Keep in mind that Newfies were bred to pull boats to shore--they LOVE having things in their mouths. She comes by that honestly, and it's part of her breeding that you'll have to work with or around. One of our previous dogs, a Brittany, had separation anxiety. It would never have been safe to leave him uncrated w/o a calm companion dog to steady him. And it's not unusual for a dog to always be crated when their people are away. Sometimes it's because the dog really needs it and sometimes it's because the dog prefers it. IMO it's not necessarily "better" for a dog to have free roam as long as she's comfy in her crate. I'm not a fan of leaving dogs outside unattended, ever. Dog theft happens much more often than many people realize. No, it's not as likely with a bigger dog. But it still does happen. Of course we all take some risks all the time, and I'm sure I do my share of that. But leaving a dog outside isn't a risk I'm willing to take.

The only thing I regularly use cash for is getting my hair cut. I generally fold the bills neatly and put them in a pocket so they'll be in easy reach for paying. Otherwise I rarely have more than $20 cash on hand. That's kept in my wallet and usually folded neatly.

Dogs do all sorts of weird stuff while in heat. She's on antibiotics -- for the tummy issues or because the vet suspected an anal gland infection? It's possible she got a bit of clipper burn or a small nick in that area if the groomer trimmed there. Or it could be a reaction to whatever shampoo/conditioner the groomer used. So it seems to me it could be a number of things. IME it's not likely that her glands need expressing again so soon. You could try a warm compress on the area and see if that gives her some relief. I personally don't believe in routine anal gland expression, especially not done by a groomer. Many groomers--maybe most--no longer do it routinely. Some only do it when the client requests it, others consider it a medical procedure and won't do it at all (and rightly so, IMO). If her anal glands continue to be a problem you might experiment with some diet changes to see if that will help. Sometimes it will. I hope she feels better soon!

Any baby shampoo that's tear free (that's why it's recommended). There are also commercial lid cleaning scrubs and wipes. They're more convenient and on the RA/Sjogren's forum I belong to some people say the commercial products work a little better for them. Heyedrate products seem to get particularly good reviews. But baby shampoo is a lot less expensive.

I hope he stays that way, but since you're new to puppies and dogs I feel an obligation to warn you not to expect him to stay so easy going. Once he starts feeling secure and comfortable in his new home more than likely you'll start seeing more rowdiness. And puppies are just like human kids in that they go through a teenage/adolescent period. That's often a shock to owners who have been suckered in by an easygoing pup. But also like human adolescence . . . it passes. Eventually.

Beautiful! I'm glad they have each other. I hate seeing herd animals in pastures alone.

I do all the laundry, fold/hang it and put it away in the appropriate closets or drawers. To my way of thinking it's all one job, and if I only do half of it then I haven't done it, or at least not done it in an acceptable-to-me way. It would drive me batty to leave laundry (or any other thing) only partially done. But I don't mind doing laundry. I think it's one of the easiest and most rewarding household tasks. But we're all different--there's no right or wrong way, as long as what you're doing works for you and your family.

Bill, you and I can go around and around on this yet again if you want to. I'll be more than happy to play "match the research study" with you on whether or not dogs are carnivores. I guarantee that I can counter anything you post. But I don't think that will help Roadrunner. I feel confident that she can decide whether you know best what her dog will work for or whether it would be best to let him tell her that.

Again -- let the pup decide what is high value to him. Don't let Google or any person lead you astray in this area, lest it make training harder than it has to be. It doesn't matter what anyone says is "good" or "not good." Charlie Brown doesn't know the person and certainly doesn't care about their opinion, doesn't care about any study cited, etc. He knows what he likes. Now does that mean you should feed him Oreos or potato chips or any other junk food? Of course not. But for the most part any food that's healthy for humans is also healthy for dogs (other than the obvious no nos for dogs like onions and garlic, of course). That said, most dogs do find any sort of meat to be at least relatively high value. But truly--Don't shoot yourself in the foot and make training harder than it has to be. Respect the dog. If I'd tried to train my current dog with boiled chicken or even steak I'd have a very untrained seven year old dog rather than the well mannered, joy-to-be-around one that he is. He doesn't find meat anywhere near as appealing as many veggies. I had a previous dog who thought fruit (particularly melon) was the highest value thing in the world. I've had several fosters who found other foods higher value than meat. If you use commercial training treats be careful with any that contain liver. Too much of that can cause diarrhea. Three hours isn't too long for even a young puppy to go between potty breaks at night (not during the day, though). How you handle it depends somewhat on your own sleep habits. I'm a light sleeper so I always let dogs wake me when they need to go. If you're a heavy sleeper it might work better to set an alarm. Like most things with dog training, there's a range of opinion and no true right or wrong. I tend to think letting the puppy determine the schedule (within reason) is more likely to result in a more quickly trained dog. I don't want to arbitrarily decide on a two/three/whatever hour schedule if the pup can go longer than that, and I don't want to get the dog used to a set schedule that I decided on. But again--there are various ways to handle this. You'll figure out what works best for CB and you. ETA: And don't get overly fixated on food as the ONLY high value training treat, either. Some puppies aren't food motivated and find a toy or praise/petting higher value than food. You just have to figure out what works for the individual dog.

He's so cute! I love his coloring!

You know we need pictures, right???? ETA: I have two of those Compass crates (different sizes) and have been very happy with them.

Regarding auto-immune illnesses and dry eye -- my optometrist says that research indicates that people with auto immune thyroid disease (AITD) tend to have more/worse issues with dry eye than people w/o AITD even when they're well medicated.

FWIW -- "Metal" and "wire" crates are the same thing. Some of the better ones come with dividers; most don't (especially the ones sold at Walmart, Target, etc.). I despise them for many reasons and would never willingly use one myself. Other people like them. That's okay. As long as a crate works for any individual dog and doesn't drive the owner batty then it's good!

Some wire crates come with a divider, but many--probably most--don't. And I've yet to see a hard-sided crate (which is the only type I'll use or own) that comes with one. Or at least they didn't use to. I have approximately one bazillion crates up in the attic in various sizes, so it's been quite a few years since I've had to buy one. It's possible the divider situation has changed.

He gets to determine that -- whatever is high value to him. For some puppies it could be a crunchy dog biscuit, for others it might mean peanut butter, cheese, steak or chicken. My dog is weird--his most high value treat is green bell pepper.

He can have both. The crate is for nights, when you're away from home, when you're home but too busy to supervise him. Make it a fun, positive association. Spend some time today treating him with some really high value treats while he's in there (just a few seconds at a time to begin with, then lengthening it out a little). I'd also give him a high value treat when you put him in there tonight. How old is he? Unless he's several months old already It's likely that he needs at least one potty break during the night. So either plan on that or don't be surprised if he wakes you up whimpering and crying, needing to go. Also, make sure the crate isn't too big or he may decide to go in a corner. Good luck!

I have dry eye due to age, hypothyroidism and RA. The RA medications I'm on are, I think, slowly helping my eyes (my rheumy said they would). Other things that help me: Wash around my lids in the mornings with a tiny bit of baby shampoo in warm water. Rinse thoroughly. If things get bad during the day I repeat that. That process is usually recommended for blepharitis (sp?). I only have very mild issues with that, but it still helps. You can also buy lid scrubs and wipes made for the same purpose. From what I've read having dry eye can lead to a build up of bacteria around the eyes even w/o full blown blepharitis, which makes eyes even more irritated (bacteria would typically be washed away by tears). Cleaning the eyelids helps with that. Refresh Mega 3 drops are by far the best for me. They're single use but according to my optometrist it's perfectly fine to keep the unused portion in a vial as long as it's used within 24 hours. For me since they work longer than other drops, and being able to continue to use what's in the vial instead of throwing it away, makes them no more expensive than other drops. And so far I've found plenty of coupons. Single use vials don't have any preservatives and are absolutely what should be used if you have to use drops more than four times a day. If you use drops from a multi-use bottle more than four times a day you're putting too many preservatives in your eyes, which can be irritating and make the eyes even worse. I use Systane or Soothe drops (multi-use bottle, with preservatives) if I'm out and about and don't want to take a single use vial that if opened will have to be thrown away (because it's inconvenient to carry once opened). I keep all drops in the fridge. The cold drops are SO much more soothing! ETA: Another important thing for me is doing the lid washes and using drops consistently. Whenever I slack off thinking my eyes feel okay right then and I don't need to do the lid wash or use any drops, I almost certainly pay for it in an hour or a few hours. So I make myself consistently do the lid washes every morning and use drops several times throughout the day.