It's been four weeks since our dog Sloopy's emergency surgery to fix the herniated disk in her back. Unfortunately, we don't have any good news to report. We met with the vet yesterday for a follow up and our poor doggy has still not regained deep pain sensation in her hind quarters. What this means is that she is very unlikely to ever regain it. We now have a permanently paralyzed dog.
Personally, I am struggling with processing all of it. I am totally okay with putting my dog in a wheelchair. She will adapt, she will be able to get around again, we'll build little ramps around the house, and she will return to the (somewhat) active dog she was. But, it's everything else that goes along with this that I'm struggling with. Let's talk about the obvious. She has no ability to go to the bathroom on her own. We have to express (squeeze) her bladder to get her to pee. She will have a bowel movement on her own but it happens whenever it happens which usually in the middle of the night or during the day while we're at work. She now stays in her crate during those times which makes for an easy clean up, I guess, but I literally wash her blankets every.single.day. Supposedly you can put a handicapped dog on a schedule but we haven't figured it out yet. We also need to worry about things like bladder infections and bed sores. Plus, we travel A LOT. Our usual kennel does not take care of special needs dogs. I'm not even sure if this is an option. And if we do find someplace/someone, what the heck is that going to cost? And we have to get her measured for a personalized wheelchair. Holy hell! This is costing us a fortune and has really changed our way of life.
But can I bring myself to put her down or take her to a shelter or adopt her out. I love this dog. She was my first baby and for Dave, it is his first pet ever. She's the same dog; she doesn't have use of her back legs.
For now we're taking it a little bit at a time. We are scheduling her for a therapy appointment where she will be evaluated further and then measured for a wheelchair. We borrowed a wheelchair from someone at Dave's office that doesn't quite fit her but we've been using to help train her. We will do research on getting her on a bathroom schedule. And we will have to look and ask around for pet sitting options as we're traveling a couple times in March.
If you have any good advice, please help a sister out! Keep our little doggy (and our family) in your thoughts and prayers. It's been a difficult road.
Showing posts with label Sloopy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sloopy. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 01, 2017
Tuesday, February 07, 2017
Life Update
It's winter. It's dark outside. I'm working all day and surviving the evenings. And I'm running lots of miles. There's really not a whole lot to say. But I swear there's a few of you reading this that would probably like an update.
Let's start with the dog since I left you hanging last week.
Sloopy
We brought Sloopy home from the hospital one week ago today. The first two days were rough. We cried a lot. We didn't sleep much. I worried we had made the right choice in doing the surgery. I worry about her quality of life. I worry about our quality of life. But after several days we have settled in and seen improvements that give us hope. Honestly, the bathroom thing is not that bad. She's easy to squeeze the pee out of her (most of the time) and when she has to go #2, she does. She doesn't leak and I've only been peed on twice. It's kind of like having a baby all over again, except I can put the dog in her crate and she will sleep all night. The first couple of days were rough in getting her to eat and especially with taking her medicine. Now she eats her own food and we're down to one medicine a day which she easily eats with a chunk of cooked chicken. She still has no use of her back legs but we have seen improvement. She now wags her tail, which, from what we read, is voluntary and a good sign that signals are moving down her spinal cord. She also stiffens her legs when picked up and can hold herself up for a blink because she's still not stable. She has started licking in hindquarters which may mean that she has regained some feeling and is trying to get the pins and needles she's feeling. We have even seen her move her legs a few times. She does not respond to pain, however, she doesn't respond to pain even on places she can feel. She's never been a dog that yelps when she gets hurt. Her staples come out next week and we have a follow-up in a few weeks. From what we have learned and read, this is a VERY long process. We are trying to be patient and still holding out hope that we have made the right decision.
Running
My marathon is coming up fast. It's only about 6 weeks away. My training has been okay, at best. I was on a roll until I got sick the entire month of December and then I basically had to start over again. Two weeks ago I did an 18 miler that felt like death. When I got home I had to have Dave take off my shoes and pants and help me into the bathtub. This past weekend, though, I did a 20 miler that was great. I hit all the paces and it didn't seem so bad. I wasn't that sore and have been able to return to working out quickly. This week is another big week of training ~45 miles for the week, and I will conclude with yet another 20 miler. I, finally, get to race next week and am hoping for something good.
Back to Work
I've now been back to work two months and things are starting to fall into place. Those first couple of weeks were really rough. Anderson and I both battled some serious illness. We both had sinus infections. We both had pink eye. We had a cough that wouldn't quit. We both visited the doctor twice. And then one day we were better. Now every time I see a kid with snot all over his face at daycare I get nervous, but Anderson has been in preschool and child watch programs for years so hopefully we are over the initial sickness shock to our system.
Just a few weeks after I started at my job they informed us that we were moving offices to a different suburb. I was PISSED! I specifically chose this job over a different, probably, better option because it was walking distance from my house and I could keep the little one in his preschool. I was so upset that I even thought about calling the other company and seeing if I could continue with the interviews. But, I have decided to stay put. Yes, I will have to pull Anderson out of his preschool and put him in his daycare all day (which is one of the best preschools around, but not a Christian preschool like he is currently in) and yes, I will have to drive to my job now, but I have to give this a chance. It's good for me to get back in the game, refine my skills, and then decide what I will do in a few years once Anderson starts school.
In addition to the full-time job, I have continued to fill in time-to-time at the Y. It's kind of a pain in the butt, but I like it there, I'm comfortable there, I adore my manager there, and I also get to keep my reduced family membership. I have no plans on leaving and they have no plans on getting rid of me, so I'm sticking with it.
God's Watching Over Us
Probably the most stressful thing for the last several years has been finances. It's hard to be on one income and my part-time job paid for nothing. We thought me returning to work would allow us to live a little more comfortably and be able to do the things we wanted to do. But our dog getting sick really threw us for a loop. I have been scared out of my mind. Would I be able to do my marathon in March (it's out of town)? Would our vacations we planned this year be put on hold? Should we cut back on some of our expenses like TV, etc. (things you don't need but would struggle to live without)? But God's been watching over us. We did our taxes which is going to help out tremendously. And Dave got bumped from a flight this week that gave us big money in airline vouchers. So this month is still going to be a challenge as we pay off our credit card debt but barring any other craziness, life should return to normal soon.
- - - - - - - - - - -
So that's what new. Life has been busy. Life has been uncomfortable. We're managing. We're going to get through all of this and see the sunlight again. And I swear I will revive this blog with rainbows and puppies sometime soon.
Let's start with the dog since I left you hanging last week.
Sloopy
We brought Sloopy home from the hospital one week ago today. The first two days were rough. We cried a lot. We didn't sleep much. I worried we had made the right choice in doing the surgery. I worry about her quality of life. I worry about our quality of life. But after several days we have settled in and seen improvements that give us hope. Honestly, the bathroom thing is not that bad. She's easy to squeeze the pee out of her (most of the time) and when she has to go #2, she does. She doesn't leak and I've only been peed on twice. It's kind of like having a baby all over again, except I can put the dog in her crate and she will sleep all night. The first couple of days were rough in getting her to eat and especially with taking her medicine. Now she eats her own food and we're down to one medicine a day which she easily eats with a chunk of cooked chicken. She still has no use of her back legs but we have seen improvement. She now wags her tail, which, from what we read, is voluntary and a good sign that signals are moving down her spinal cord. She also stiffens her legs when picked up and can hold herself up for a blink because she's still not stable. She has started licking in hindquarters which may mean that she has regained some feeling and is trying to get the pins and needles she's feeling. We have even seen her move her legs a few times. She does not respond to pain, however, she doesn't respond to pain even on places she can feel. She's never been a dog that yelps when she gets hurt. Her staples come out next week and we have a follow-up in a few weeks. From what we have learned and read, this is a VERY long process. We are trying to be patient and still holding out hope that we have made the right decision.
Running
My marathon is coming up fast. It's only about 6 weeks away. My training has been okay, at best. I was on a roll until I got sick the entire month of December and then I basically had to start over again. Two weeks ago I did an 18 miler that felt like death. When I got home I had to have Dave take off my shoes and pants and help me into the bathtub. This past weekend, though, I did a 20 miler that was great. I hit all the paces and it didn't seem so bad. I wasn't that sore and have been able to return to working out quickly. This week is another big week of training ~45 miles for the week, and I will conclude with yet another 20 miler. I, finally, get to race next week and am hoping for something good.
Back to Work
I've now been back to work two months and things are starting to fall into place. Those first couple of weeks were really rough. Anderson and I both battled some serious illness. We both had sinus infections. We both had pink eye. We had a cough that wouldn't quit. We both visited the doctor twice. And then one day we were better. Now every time I see a kid with snot all over his face at daycare I get nervous, but Anderson has been in preschool and child watch programs for years so hopefully we are over the initial sickness shock to our system.
Just a few weeks after I started at my job they informed us that we were moving offices to a different suburb. I was PISSED! I specifically chose this job over a different, probably, better option because it was walking distance from my house and I could keep the little one in his preschool. I was so upset that I even thought about calling the other company and seeing if I could continue with the interviews. But, I have decided to stay put. Yes, I will have to pull Anderson out of his preschool and put him in his daycare all day (which is one of the best preschools around, but not a Christian preschool like he is currently in) and yes, I will have to drive to my job now, but I have to give this a chance. It's good for me to get back in the game, refine my skills, and then decide what I will do in a few years once Anderson starts school.
In addition to the full-time job, I have continued to fill in time-to-time at the Y. It's kind of a pain in the butt, but I like it there, I'm comfortable there, I adore my manager there, and I also get to keep my reduced family membership. I have no plans on leaving and they have no plans on getting rid of me, so I'm sticking with it.
God's Watching Over Us
Probably the most stressful thing for the last several years has been finances. It's hard to be on one income and my part-time job paid for nothing. We thought me returning to work would allow us to live a little more comfortably and be able to do the things we wanted to do. But our dog getting sick really threw us for a loop. I have been scared out of my mind. Would I be able to do my marathon in March (it's out of town)? Would our vacations we planned this year be put on hold? Should we cut back on some of our expenses like TV, etc. (things you don't need but would struggle to live without)? But God's been watching over us. We did our taxes which is going to help out tremendously. And Dave got bumped from a flight this week that gave us big money in airline vouchers. So this month is still going to be a challenge as we pay off our credit card debt but barring any other craziness, life should return to normal soon.
- - - - - - - - - - -
So that's what new. Life has been busy. Life has been uncomfortable. We're managing. We're going to get through all of this and see the sunlight again. And I swear I will revive this blog with rainbows and puppies sometime soon.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Weekend
I was planning on an easy weekend. I didn't have to work at the Y; I had easy training; and the goal was to work on our bathroom remodel. Unfortunately, the weekend didn't go that way.
Friday afternoon was hectic. Anderson was tired, I was tired, and we were not getting along. There was a lot of yelling on both sides. Our dog, Sloopy, is a very nervous dog. With loud noises, especially yelling, she begins to shake and pants and wheeze. I noticed she was doing this Friday but didn't think anything of it. We snuggled her and babied her and went to bed as normal.
Saturday she continued to wheeze, which seemed odd. In addition, she wasn't really going anywhere. Usually she is my shadow and follows me everywhere. She just stood in one place and when she did move she was limping. Her back legs weren't working right. She looked like she was drunk. I was very concerned. We decided to take her to the emergency veterinarian.
They evaluated her there and the news was not good. She had a herniated disk in her back which would require surgery and shouldn't be a big deal, EXCEPT, our dog has a heart murmur and she would need to be seen by a cardiologist to determine if her heart was even strong enough to make it through surgery. Sloopy is only 7 years old and a member of our family so we had to give her a chance so we agreed to go forward with all of this. We had to leave a $4400 deposit up front.
The cardiologist evaluated her on Saturday evening and said her heart looked better than they thought so they approved her for surgery.
Sunday morning, the phone rang at 7:55am and it was the vet hospital. Sloopy had gotten worse overnight. She now no longer had function of her back legs. The possibility of recovery had dropped significantly. She needed surgery right away and even then may never be able to walk again or go to the bathroom by herself. Again, we agreed to have the surgery done. They did more test on her and did the surgery. We did not hear back again for nearly seven hours.
The update we got after the surgery is that she had a very bad herniation and because of the force of the hernia, her spinal cord had been badly bruised. They told us not to come that day, that she needed to rest and recover. A tech called us later in the night to let us know she was alert and responding and even told us she had moved her back legs.
This morning, though, the doctor called us to report there was no news. Sloopy was alert and happy and sitting up, however, she has not yet moved her back legs (unlike what the tech had told us) and she has not responded to any pain stimulus. The doctor said that's right where she should be, that only time will tell if she gets function of her legs back again. We get to see her today after work. Oh, and the financial people are probably gonna tell us we need to spend another $2000. (Guess, we'll be putting that camper up for sale!)
This has been extremely rough. Dave and I have cried all weekend. Our dog is not that old! We want her to come home with us and be the dog she was before. But we also have to make tough choices about what happens if she never regains mobility. And on top of all that is how all of this is explained to our son. He has been with us through all of this and we've been very delicate in our wording to help him understand what's going on without scaring him. I wish this didn't happen. I wish this nightmare would be over. I want my Sloopy girl to come home.
Saturday she continued to wheeze, which seemed odd. In addition, she wasn't really going anywhere. Usually she is my shadow and follows me everywhere. She just stood in one place and when she did move she was limping. Her back legs weren't working right. She looked like she was drunk. I was very concerned. We decided to take her to the emergency veterinarian.
The cardiologist evaluated her on Saturday evening and said her heart looked better than they thought so they approved her for surgery.
Sunday morning, the phone rang at 7:55am and it was the vet hospital. Sloopy had gotten worse overnight. She now no longer had function of her back legs. The possibility of recovery had dropped significantly. She needed surgery right away and even then may never be able to walk again or go to the bathroom by herself. Again, we agreed to have the surgery done. They did more test on her and did the surgery. We did not hear back again for nearly seven hours.
This morning, though, the doctor called us to report there was no news. Sloopy was alert and happy and sitting up, however, she has not yet moved her back legs (unlike what the tech had told us) and she has not responded to any pain stimulus. The doctor said that's right where she should be, that only time will tell if she gets function of her legs back again. We get to see her today after work. Oh, and the financial people are probably gonna tell us we need to spend another $2000. (Guess, we'll be putting that camper up for sale!)
This has been extremely rough. Dave and I have cried all weekend. Our dog is not that old! We want her to come home with us and be the dog she was before. But we also have to make tough choices about what happens if she never regains mobility. And on top of all that is how all of this is explained to our son. He has been with us through all of this and we've been very delicate in our wording to help him understand what's going on without scaring him. I wish this didn't happen. I wish this nightmare would be over. I want my Sloopy girl to come home.
Friday, July 10, 2015
Foto Friday
And I'm back!!! It's been a great and exhausting week of lifeguard training. I'll talk about that tomorrow. Let's get to the continued saga of #100happydays of photos.
Day #33 - Anderson playing at the playground while we were camping. We
only camped one night with the family during the Fourth of July holiday
and actually slept on the couch in my parents' trailer. We had too much to do to spend the whole weekend camping and boy did we get a lot done.
Day #34 - Happy Independence Day!!
Day #35 - Yep, we got a lot done on our house over the holiday weekend. We put the mirrors up in the bathroom along with some more finishing touches like towel rings and picture ledges.
#Day 36 - Don't worry. These weren't plugged into anything.
Day #37 - These two. (This was not staged. I got lucky and caught Anderson hugging Sloopy.)
Day #38 - A video! He's so funny.
Day #39 - Swim lessons. This was at the very start of class, before he started screaming because he didn't want to follow any rules.
I can't believe I've kept up with this this long. I'm on a role. See ya next week!
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Friday, December 05, 2014
Foto Friday
It's going to be a random Foto Friday. I get so lazy in the winter about taking pictures; it's hard when there are days you don't actually ever leave the house. So, here's what I've got this week.
First up, the dog. In Anderson's first year, the dog and the boy were not really friends. Sloopy was insanely jealous of the baby. She would snap at Anderson and bark. I was so worried about it that I asked the vet for advice. The last couple of months, though, Anderson and Sloopy have begun to play with each other a little more. I'm not exactly sure Sloopy is really pleased about it, though:
Happy Friday. Have a great weekend, y'all!
First up, the dog. In Anderson's first year, the dog and the boy were not really friends. Sloopy was insanely jealous of the baby. She would snap at Anderson and bark. I was so worried about it that I asked the vet for advice. The last couple of months, though, Anderson and Sloopy have begun to play with each other a little more. I'm not exactly sure Sloopy is really pleased about it, though:
Doesn't this looks say, "Are you kidding me, mom?"
Finally, we put our Christmas tree up this week. Anderson "helped". He doesn't quite understand "look, don't touch". Most of our ornaments have migrated north. There's about a two-foot gap at the bottom of the tree with no ornaments on it. Maybe because of this:
Friday, November 21, 2014
Foto Friday
Sloopy (our dog) had a vet appointment yesterday and for the first time I had to take the baby and the dog all by myself. It was a bit crazy, but manageable. And, they took a family picture. How cute!
Saturday, August 02, 2014
My Drunk Dog
I recently took Sloopy to a new vet. I wasn't dissatisfied with our
old one, it was just a matter of convenience and logistics. We were
originally going to a vet on the east side of Columbus because that's
where the previous owner was taking her. Now that we've moved a little
further north, it just feels far. I had gotten a flyer in the mail
about a dog's only veterinary clinic right next to the YMCA, so I
decided to check it out. $300 later, they had checked me out.
One thing I discussed with the vet was Sloopy's anxiety regarding thunderstorms. It's bad. She pants and shakes and tucks her tail and hides. It goes on for hours, long after the storm has finished. I worry that she's going to have a heart attack. We've tried everything - foil, dryer sheets, thunder shirts. Nothing seems to work. Because of her heart murmur this doctor was concerned that she might have a heart attack so she prescribed us some anti-anxiety meds. Today we had a super bad storm so we tried them out.
You are supposed to give them to the dog two hours before an expected storm, however, we didn't have time for that. The storm approached quickly and it was massive. We gave them to her as soon as we could. We gave her the lowest doses too. Then we put her in her crate and went to lunch. (Yes, we went out in this storm. This is what happens when there is no food in the house; you're willing to go out in a bad storm with a baby just for lunch.)
When we came home from lunch Sloopy was a whole new dog. We were told that these drugs would sedate her and she'd just want to sleep. That's not what happened at all. In fact, she was hyper and kind of drunk. She would take a few steps and her legs would give out. She would jump on and off furniture like she normally does and she would fall. It was sad and funny all at the same time. The most awesome thing she did was suspiciously check out her reflection in Anderson's beach ball. I wish we had gotten that on video.
A few hours later she was back to her old self, long after the storm had passed. I'm not sure the pills helped or hurt. We'll have to try them again. Personally, I hated seeing her all drunk and strung out, but maybe that helps her not freak out? Anyone out there have experience with anti-anxiety medicine for their dogs? Should I be calling the vet?
One thing I discussed with the vet was Sloopy's anxiety regarding thunderstorms. It's bad. She pants and shakes and tucks her tail and hides. It goes on for hours, long after the storm has finished. I worry that she's going to have a heart attack. We've tried everything - foil, dryer sheets, thunder shirts. Nothing seems to work. Because of her heart murmur this doctor was concerned that she might have a heart attack so she prescribed us some anti-anxiety meds. Today we had a super bad storm so we tried them out.
You are supposed to give them to the dog two hours before an expected storm, however, we didn't have time for that. The storm approached quickly and it was massive. We gave them to her as soon as we could. We gave her the lowest doses too. Then we put her in her crate and went to lunch. (Yes, we went out in this storm. This is what happens when there is no food in the house; you're willing to go out in a bad storm with a baby just for lunch.)
When we came home from lunch Sloopy was a whole new dog. We were told that these drugs would sedate her and she'd just want to sleep. That's not what happened at all. In fact, she was hyper and kind of drunk. She would take a few steps and her legs would give out. She would jump on and off furniture like she normally does and she would fall. It was sad and funny all at the same time. The most awesome thing she did was suspiciously check out her reflection in Anderson's beach ball. I wish we had gotten that on video.
A few hours later she was back to her old self, long after the storm had passed. I'm not sure the pills helped or hurt. We'll have to try them again. Personally, I hated seeing her all drunk and strung out, but maybe that helps her not freak out? Anyone out there have experience with anti-anxiety medicine for their dogs? Should I be calling the vet?
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thunder Dog
My dog Sloopy has recently become scared of thunderstorms. She shakes and her heart rate races and she pants and it's just awful. This has become a problem since there have been some big scary storms as of recent. Dave and I were doing a little reading about what to do and we saw a recommendation for a "thunder shirt". Basically, it's a shirt that makes your dog feel like they're getting hugged. Well, we're a little more creative and a lot more frugal in creating our thunder shirt for Sloopy. My sister gave me a bunch of her children's clothing as the kiddos have gotten bigger (no, no plans on the horizon...she told me I could sell them if I wanted). Introducing Sloopy in her thunder outfit:
Yes she is wearing a onesie and overalls. Funny enough, I put her in these the other day, went to the bathroom and when I came out she had somehow taken all of it off. How did she do that?
In other dog news....I am watching my parents' dog Kirby while they are on vacation for the next eight days. He came over last night and within the next three hours threw up on my brand new carpet. Awesome. Then I put him in his crate, put Sloopy and myself in bed, only to have Kirby bark THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! I may have gotten three hours of continuous sleep. Did I mention Dave was out of town too? Oh yeah, I'm fighting this battle all by myself.
Here's hoping for a nap...
Yes she is wearing a onesie and overalls. Funny enough, I put her in these the other day, went to the bathroom and when I came out she had somehow taken all of it off. How did she do that?
In other dog news....I am watching my parents' dog Kirby while they are on vacation for the next eight days. He came over last night and within the next three hours threw up on my brand new carpet. Awesome. Then I put him in his crate, put Sloopy and myself in bed, only to have Kirby bark THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! I may have gotten three hours of continuous sleep. Did I mention Dave was out of town too? Oh yeah, I'm fighting this battle all by myself.
Here's hoping for a nap...
Monday, April 11, 2011
Mer, where you been?
I know, I know. I haven't posted anything in a week. That's because last week I was dog sitting. Dog sitting a 12 week old puppy, which meant going outside a THOUSAND times a day. It also meant extreme jealousy in our house by our dog. Which means, it was extremely loud barking, nonstop, ALL.DAMN.DAY! I got nothing done last week.
This is what I'm talking about. I call this "Dog Mania."
This is what I'm talking about. I call this "Dog Mania."
Friday, December 10, 2010
Foto Friday
I posted this a while back on Facebook. But if you're not my friend on Facebook you're seriously missing out on the cuteness that is my dog Sloopy. Seriously.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Sloopy's Birthday
Yesterday was Sloopy's first birthday and she lived it up! After work and our workouts we took her to the dog park where she got to run around and play with friends. I've taught my little girl well. Anytime a dog tried to mount her, she would put her tail between her legs, pull her little hips under and then roll over. Good girl! Don't be huggin' no boys! (That's what my mom used to tell me--ha ha!) After the dog park we took her to the pet store where we picked her out a dog bed and bought her some doggie yogurt. We got home and she DEVOURED that yogurt. She loved it! After messing with the bed, which I'm convinced she will destroy in a month, she laid down in it and fell asleep. Happy birthday, Sloopy!!!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Friday, January 08, 2010
Snowy Sloopy
We've had A LOT of snow in the last week (for Central Ohio). My little dog is so little for all this snow. But, she's so cute...
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