Mole-Mole No More

   We had a monumental event in the Judki household this weekend.  Bigger than Luke's first flight to Houston for Belen's wedding.  Bigger than the congressional approval of the appropriations bill.  Thats right, after numerous years and many more unsolicited comments, Rica, our first-born furbaby, lost her mole mole.  For those of you who know and love her (and were totally appalled by her old-lady growth--Greg, you know who you are), your prayers have been answered.

   Against most moral doctor codes and plain common sense, Tim and I operated on Rica's face last week to tie off the pedunculated mole she had recently started scratching with hopes that it would fall off over a week or so as it lost its blood supply (similar to lamb tails and umbilical cords).  Our vet offered to remove it--for over $100! Many medically savvy friends have volunteered time and vast tactical resources to separate Rica and her mole-mole.  Instead, we gave her a spoon-full of peanut butter on the kitchen floor while tying off the base with a strand of orthopaedic fiberwire, an ultra-strong braided polyester suture used to attach tendon to bone in ACL reconstructions.  Alas, while boarding at the dog kennel this weekend, it fell off without fanfare or excitement.  We picked up our daughter and Cindy Crawford she was no more.