Isa's Story

Almost two weeks, what can I say? For what it’s worth the week of the 15th was a mess and only somewhat due to dogs and vets and cancer. Work also decided to go sideways and 1:30 am texts for a WTF sleep interruption. I have noticed that when those weeks happen, there’s nothing to do but hang on and ride it out. If nothing else, you can always count on things changing. Eventually anyway.

I am happy to say there were no ill effects from the second round of carbo. A little extra napping perhaps. So once again I got my feathers flustered for no real reason.

Last week was much, much better. Only one trip to the vet Monday morning and such a bandage he put on her bum arm! Up and over her shoulder and chest in such a way that there was nothing she could get her teeth into so we could do without the cone! Hooray! We also went to rehab for the first time on Wednesday – I have some mixed feelings about the visit/doctor for various reasons, not all of which I have sorted out. Isa liked it but most likely because both the doctor and her assistant had pockets full of turkey. What’s not to love there? Thank goodness much of the visit was recorded – huge help. Not that I’ve managed to do any some/much/anything with her, a little massage and some stretching because I am evidently a lazy wench. I put the hot water bottle on her back last night and after a minute or so she let out a long, drawn out, shuddering sigh. Clearly it felt good.

We also met another tripawd at the vet last Monday – a little 5-7 lb. terrier. Man, that has to be a whole different world when you can just tuck them under your arm. She had osteosarcoma too and was more than a year post-amp. Cute little thing and terrified of being at the vet. I’ve never seen a dog shake that violently, I felt so bad for her. Her dad didn’t know about Tripawds so I grabbed one of the brochures for him. Spreading the word!

It was a long weekend though. Her back has been worsening for the past few days which means her only back leg is weak and wobbly. I suspect the cortisone from the week from hell has exited her system and we’re back to square one. And at some point Saturday she started limping on her bum front leg, putting as little weight on it as is possible, meaning as a practical matter we’re functioning on one leg. And she started crying Saturday evening/night, something halfway between a whine and a groan. Freaks me out because she has not uttered a sound previously. Ever. Not through the cancer or surgery or any of the rest of the road we all know too well. So back to tramadol the last couple of nights. Bonus round is I overdid it working in the yard yesterday and my body was hollering at me too. Sleep has been somewhat fitful for everyone.

I all but carried her out this morning to go potty (maybe I’m getting stronger?), then to the vet for a bandage change. He’s keeping her for the day and will give her the cortisone shot for her back we’ve been waiting for – I can’t even remember how long it’s been. He said by the weekend we should see the full effect of that, whatever it may be. The bad news is the wound on her front arm “went south” — the reason she was limping on that leg. I can’t say I understand exactly what happened – vet was talking rather quickly and some words were outside my vocabulary. And he wasn’t certain right then what/how he was going to do about it. I’ve not doubt he’ll figure something during the course of the day. Another chapter of the waiting game. I’ll pick her up at the end of the day (hopefully) and have a better idea of what’s going on. We’re well into the twilight zone of frustrated with this chapter.

One day/hour/moment at a time.