"Howl-A-Lujah" Dog Grooming

06/23/2025

I have to be honest...I am very discouraged right now. I've made several phone calls to clients today, long-term small dog clients, that I thought I'd served very well over the course of time, only to find out that they will not be returning here for grooming.
I've always been the kind of person who took pride in longevity, loyalty, honesty, and operating in such a way as to provide clean, competent, one on one, and kind care to the dogs that have come to me.
I'm not sure what I've done, or not done, besides getting older, and needing surgery, neither thing I can help, only to hear that 'the new place in Milford' will be serving the folks that I was serving(-I thought, well-)from now on.
I was once 'the new groomer in town', a decade ago. Folks came to me from other groomers too, but mostly I brought my business with me from the K3 area when I moved here. I've seen many people and pets come and go, and have grieved with folks that lost pets they loved so much--I loved them too.
On some level I feel like I need to apologize for getting older and having surgery, or 'failing' my clients by being closed to recuperate.
I've done this job happily for almost 25yrs. In some ways, it's the job that's given the need for surgery, and I can't help getting older.
Anyway, for those that are staying with the 'new' groomers who can offer you more than I can, I'm sorry that I failed you.
For those of you who will be returning for care here, I just want you to know that I am thankful. I never expected so many to turn away from my doorstep because I was sick. I said that I was going to reopen in July, right after the 4th!??!
For those coming back,
I'll continue to do what I do in the best ways i know how to serve your needs and your pet's needs.
I don't know how I could do any less than that....
I just hope that there will be enough income now to 'float my boat'. I can't afford to 'sink'. I can't afford to retire.
To those choosing to leave, no hard feelings on my part. I wish you the best. I will miss you, but I'll miss your pets more. They became partly mine when you entrusted them to me for grooming. It will be hard to let that part go.....
I don't think I'll make any more phone calls today to try to set appointments....my heart can't handle it.
Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully it will be a brighter, happier one than today has been.... :'(

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06/23/2025

I've been calling clients to set up grooming appointments for July. Having trouble getting ahold of some of you. I leave messages and don't get any responses....Hmm??? Leaves me wondering....illness? vacations? has your older dog moved across the rainbow bridge? Did you see someone else for grooming in the interim while i was recuperating from surgery, and possibly want to stay with that person? Whatever the reason, I'd REALLY appreciate knowing! I'd really appreciate some kind of response so I know how to move on down my list, or book a future appointment for your dog?!?!
I know that some of you have taken your dogs to other groomers and were pleased with their work. Some folks had/have made second appointments with them as well. That's all fine. I've been off for almost 3 months and it's summertime. I get it. But, I'd just like to know if I should count on you coming back or if i need to fill those spaces in my book with other dogs waiting to get in. I told folks that I would be starting with the small ones and moving up into the few larger dogs. I also told folks that I would be calling folks in order, from the time I closed just before I had surgery. I'd like to get responses from those folks first before moving through the list. That seemed only fair. Some of you, I've left more that a few messages for with no response. I tried....I guess if I don't hear from you, I will assume you don't need me anymore to fill your grooming needs??? :'(

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06/12/2025

I got up this morning and followed what would be my usual workday routine. My granddog groom was scheduled for around 10am, and my grandson Logan came to mow for me while I groomed Ollie. Logan took Ollie out of the tub for me, but otherwise, the groom went perfectly! I do believe that I will be returning to work a little ahead of schedule as long as I still feel good tomorrow after the exertion of today! I am very thankful. I hope all my clients will be too! HUZZAH! 🙂 I can't believe that I'm 9 1/2 weeks post op now and doing this well. I'm glad I took the time to let myself be the priority while healing. The payoff will be a return to work a little earlier than I thought it would be. I'll start calling clients tomorrow to put appointments on the book!

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06/01/2025

I'm about at the 8 week post op point! 2/3's the way through what I was told to do for my recovery period. I'm a little discouraged by continuing discomfort when making certain movements, and I certainly feel it when i try to lift anything over 10 # still... :'( I'm NOT a patient patient!
Anyway, I'm starting to think about returning to work and how that will happen. Because of the closure of my Dr.s' offices due to the PRIME takeover of St. Mary's hospital, I am without a Dr. for my last followup appointment. It was rumored that he was going to try to find a placement in the specialty clinic at IMH here in Watseka to continue his practice in gyno care of patients only. I know he had a meeting there, but I have yet to see if an agreement was reached! So, I do not know at this point if i'm GOING to be able to get a followup appointment at that point or not yet, to know if my insides are sound enough to proceed with a work schedule. While this is very stressful for me, there are hundreds of other women in the same postition as I am right now, hustling to find new doctors up north for their continued care. I am not alone in this, but, I do not want to establish myself with someone else, if there is a possibility that I can see the Dr. that DID the surgery, to know that things are 'ok' in there.
I am going to do a few 'test' dogs, very small ones, to see if i can handle the standing for hours. From there, if it goes well, I would be picking up the schedule and going back to work 3 days a week. I am targeting the week of July 7th right now, possibly working on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. That would give me Fri-Mon to rest, continue to recup, and live life.
If you are a regular client who has a small dog that is in need of grooming at that time/week (i don't know who is waiting for me, or who may have gone elsewhere, and when for an inbetween groom) please reach out to me PRIVATELY by phone or personal message to see if that timeframe would work to get back into a regular grooming schedule rotation. I will start to look at my book, back when i first closed for business getting ready for surgery, and call folks that have been waiting the longest to get back in. That is the ONLY fair thing to do. Weight limits that first week or two are going to be under 10 # to 15 # max, and I may require owners to stay at dropoff to put dogs in the tub, and remove them from the tub to placement on the table after the bath.
We all know that the best laid plans can go awry, and I have no idea what stamina I will have until we get there. Heavier, larger dogs, and ones that require more time to groom will have to wait until i get my 'sealegs' back to be seen unfortunately. I do NOT want to repeat what I've just been through with further, or failed prolapse!!!!! So, we'll take it as it comes, and go from there. I'm hoping that in the first couple of weeks I'll have a good picture of what getting back to normal will look like, with or without i final checkup with MY doctor practicing elsewhere, or having to establish with someone else for clearance.
So, stay tuned, and get in touch soon.... Thank you for being patient beyond the norm, and supporting what I do. I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things next month!

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05/28/2025

I know I'm not open for business yet or booking appointments, but I just wanted to let folks know that for the past few days, I've not had Mediacom service. I have no idea what is going on around here with them, but it's been off/on, partial service, terribly slow service and/or connectivity issues, or no service at all. I've seen trucks at opposite ends of our subdivision here on the highway all day, but, whatever they're doing, it hasn't gotten better! There IS service this morning, but who knows for how long? Anyway, just wanted folks to know that if you try to get ahold of me for any reason at all, and can't that's why! I haven't disconnected my phone, or my pages, and i haven't moved either! LOL I hope they figure this out soon!

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05/20/2025

6 weeks post op as of today! halfway through the 'process' of getting back to work! I can do more today than i could a week ago and that's encouraging to me. starting back into an exercise routine to build strength up towards pre-surg condition. some days are still better than others, but, i'm making good progress i think! We're on the down trend now to getting back to work! 🙂
Certainly not ready to put appointments on the book quite yet, but we're getting closer! Yippee!

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05/14/2025

Just want my clients to know that I had my 2nd post op appointment with Dr. Taylor at Westwood OB/GYN this morning. Healing process is going well. Still have some suturing that needs to resorb, but overall, the repairs to my 'innards' are holding. I am to continue to maintain my current level of (in)activity, exercise, and boredom (ha). I am still on track at this point to reopen for limited business mid-July. I will need another appointment to certify that, and weight limits for grooming will be discussed then. So while it doesn't seem like much to go on at the moment, I am still hoping and praying for the best outcome, which, is dependent of course, on how well i mind my P's and Q's in the recuperative period of 3 months.

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05/06/2025

4 weeks post op today! If I’m on track that’s a third of the way through recovery…

05/04/2025

A farmer had some puppies to sell, so he made a sign advertising the four pups and went to nail it to a post at the edge of his yard. As he was hammering the last nail, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down to see a little boy.
"Mister," the boy said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."
The farmer wiped the sweat from his brow and replied, "Well, these puppies come from good stock and cost quite a bit."
The boy lowered his head for a moment. Then, digging into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.
"I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
The farmer smiled and said, "Sure." He whistled, calling out, "Here, Dolly!"
Dolly came running out of the doghouse, followed by four little puppies. The boy pressed his face to the fence, eyes gleaming with excitement. As the puppies approached the fence, he noticed something else moving inside the doghouse.
A smaller puppy slowly emerged, sliding down the ramp awkwardly, trying its best to catch up with the others.
"I want that one," the boy said, pointing to the smaller pup.
The farmer knelt beside him and said, "Son, you don’t want that puppy. He won’t be able to run and play like the others."
The boy stepped back, rolled up one leg of his trousers, and revealed a steel brace on his leg, attached to a special shoe. Looking up at the farmer, he said, "I don’t run so well either, and he’ll need someone who understands."
With tears in his eyes, the farmer picked up the little pup and gently handed it to the boy.
"How much?" the boy asked.
"No charge," the farmer said softly. "Love doesn’t cost a thing."
Credit to Louis Morley .

04/24/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Deaths Reported in Several Area Squirrels, Tularemia Identified

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Urges Residents to Be Aware of Tularemia Symptoms and Health Precautions

Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is encouraging area residents to be aware of tularemia symptoms and to monitor their families and pets for signs of illness. Several cases of illness and death in squirrels found in Urbana have been reported, and one of the squirrels tested positive for tularemia, a rare but serious disease that can affect both humans and animals. The presence of infected wildlife may indicate an increased risk of exposure in the area.

Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, which is commonly found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits, and hares. Wild animals can carry the bacterium and often die from infection. Humans and many domestic animals, including dogs and cats, can also become infected.

Pets may become infected through contact with or consumption of infected animals, such as rabbits or rodents. They can also be exposed through tick or flea bites, or by inhaling or ingesting contaminated materials. Pet owners should watch for signs of illness in their animals and consult a veterinarian if they have concerns.

People infected with tularemia may develop skin ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, a sudden fever, chills, headache, diarrhea, joint pain, muscle aches, cough, and weakness. Infection can occur through handling infected pets or wild animals, or from tick bites. It can also happen through inhalation, particularly during farming or landscaping activities when machinery—such as tractors or mowers—runs over infected animals or carcasses. If you develop symptoms of tularemia, contact your health care provider promptly.

To reduce the chance of pets becoming infected:
➡️ Do not allow cats or dogs to hunt or roam outdoors unsupervised.
➡️ Consult your veterinarian to ensure pets are protected from tick bites.
➡️ Report any unexplained large die-offs of rodents or rabbits to your local animal control agency.

To reduce the chance of human infection:
➡️ Wear tick protection, such as insect repellent and long clothing, when outdoors.
➡️ Avoid mowing over sick or dead animals.
➡️ Do not handle wild animals.

Take any pet showing symptoms of tularemia to a veterinarian promptly.

If you have questions about tularemia in humans, please contact your health care provider. If you have questions about tularemia in animals, please contact your veterinarian. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/about/index.html for additional information.

03/17/2025

OK! My surgery date is April 8th. I will be working my regular schedule, and the appointments on my calendar up to March 28th.
At that point, the shop will be closed to prepare for surgery. If all goes well, I should be able to return to work sometime in July. I pray, and i hope that you'll pray too, that this will be the case. IF there are any cancellations during this week and next, I will pull in the ones from the following week first and then, phone calls for appointments after that. Right now, this coming week is full to overbooked, so I don't foresee that happening.
Anyway, I will keep you posted on my recovery here or on my personal page.
Thank you for your patronage, patience, and prayers as I get through this most challenging time.

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