Isa's Story

I’ve been writing Isa’s story off and on in a little notebook I have. As often as not I end up in a puddle but that’s my “new normal” so it is what it is. I really haven’t gotten further than her “gotcha” day. I suppose it can considered progress that I’ve moved from the end to the beginning of her story. Her bed is still where it always has been, her food bowl in place. I put her harness back on the dining room chair – I moved it after the first contractor I met with asked me if I had a giant gerbil. (WT …?) I’m working up to putting her harness up from grabs here but I’m not quite ready.  I consider it progress that I took her collar out of the drawer and set it next to her ashes. I was careful not to let the tags jingle – that would be too much. She hated being without her collar, always visibly relieved when I buckled it back on.

But that’s my story.

Today the memory floated up to the top of my brain of her playing tug of war with an acquaintance’s yorkie terrier, at best all of three pounds. The yorkie won, pretty much every time. Isa loved the game more than the subject stuffed hedgehog and allowed the yorkie to “pull” her forward. I’ve never seen anything like it.

That’s a quickie story and sadly no pictures.

So how about the story of our hike to Wheeler’s Peak (Taos, NM), must have been in 2012 early summer since there are pockets of snow around. Trail head is at 10,000 feet with just over a 3,000 elevation gain over 6.2 miles one way. What was I thinking? The first leg to Williams Lake is easy, a mile or so, and flat, relatively speaking. We hung out at the lake for a while – Isa is all about playing in the water.

Then we started up. And up. And up. The view(s) are spectacular.

That bluish shiny spot down there, only barely seen behind/between the trees? That’s the lake.

I’m sad to say we didn’t make it all the way to the top, largely because I’m a giant chicken. In my defense I was feeling the altitude: my legs were being very grumpy and complaining about a lack of oxygen, it was cold and windy the higher we got, and the trail was nothing more than loose rocks and a long-ass way down. Exhibit A:

But the biggest reason? A certain dog continually disappeared down the mountain, hidden among the rocks, investigating who knows what. And she certainly was not responding to my call and her hearing has been known to be “selective.” There is a chance she could not hear me – the wind was blowing the “wrong” direction. She probably did that 3,000 feet of elevation gain at least twice over. This was on the way up, at our lunch break, before the “disappearing dog” game began:

She was dragging doggy butt that last mile from the lake back to the car and I don’t think she moved again until the next morning. Well, except for dinner of course. One must maintain one’s meal schedule regardless of fatigue level.

We had lots of good hikes (and snowshoes) over the years. Wheeler’s Peak was easily our most ambitious. My preference is to putter along and enjoy the scenery without bodily damage. Being all dog, Isa always did three to four times my mileage. For that matter our regular neighborhood walks were power walks on my part. I could only barely keep up with her – she didn’t walk anywhere, it was always a trot. Except of course when it was necessary to stop and pee on something. Better still finding something edible (her definition, not mine) – thank goodness she had a cast iron stomach.

So that’s today’s story. More as I am able.

Hugs!

Your love and support has meant so much to me, I can’t even tell you. Not that I was surprised because I’ve seen it over the past six months but I was surprised. Without going into my personal idiosyncrasies, the depth and outpouring of your support changed me in the best possible way. I am forever in your debt.

And people in real life have been equally incredible. Even my vet, with whom as you all know I’ve had some ups and downs with, sent a beautiful basket of live plants with flowers tucked in here and there. And when I went into the pet food store for cat food a little while ago, the massive newfie who was hanging out looked straight into my eyes and clearly saw my hurt heart. At least until another lady came over with treats.

I can’t believe it’s been three weeks already. I’m functional, because that’s what I do, with occasional massive meltdowns. Right on schedule as near as I can tell. The house is too quiet and I’ve yet to figure out how to deal with food dropped on the floor. Doesn’t it disappear on its own? Always has before.

I’ll probably be around a little more from here on. I’ve missed all of you.

In parting, here is the first picture of Isa, on her gotcha day:

Ms. Isa has asked that I issue a statement as to her continued good health six months after having mislaid her spare leg. She stated that she was in a state of dishabille and was therefore refusing any and all photography or portraiture to commemorate the event. A hint was given that this decision might be reconsidered at a later point in time, if/when she has sufficiently recovered her belle tournure.

No apology or explanation for this sudden and inexplicable haughtiness were forthcoming.

She has been a bit under the weather of late – her back is getting worse daily and the gabapentin is of less and less help, so perhaps therein lies the explanation. After due negotiation with the vet (aka Dr. Charming), she’s getting another cortisone shot on Monday. Hopefully she’ll be back to her usual self a few days after that. Then we’ll go find some snow and see if we can match Meg’s antics!

Happy January!

I am going to claim December as the chaos it tends to be. Not that anyone is or should be keeping track but last I posted (exactly a month ago) we were headed back to the vet for back/coughing/not eating issues. In the true way of things, the cough cleared up a couple of days before our appointment and has not returned, thank goodness. We’re back on gabapentin and vetprophen (sp?) and that has helped her back immeasurably but not completely. Vet said he doesn’t want to do another cortisone shot until spring – I’ve no clue why. Because steroids cause cancer? The ways of veterinarians are quite mysterious (to me). The pain meds have helped with her appetite, mostly, so that explains that.

Her elbow on the other hand, lord have mercy. After a month of bandages and crossed fingers, on Monday he called me into the back to look at her owie – if anything it was worse! This has been going on since the middle of July! The vet’s comment: “She almost died. Who’d have thought she’d be doing so well?” I’m not entirely certain how to process that one. At any rate, the decision was made to put her under, make some small incisions and slide some skin down over the wound instead of continuing “conservative” management by squishing the sides together and hoping for the best. Done and done Tuesday this week. She was incredibly dopey when I picked her up that evening, always good for entertainment value.

We go back next Monday for a check. It’s a minor issue in the scheme of things but please everyone think good thoughts for her/us. In the meantime my plan is to scrounge some scrap foam from somewhere and create some padding that will (miraculously) stay on – that’s part of the problem, she’s heavy on her elbows. Seems like there’s a (bad) joke in there somewhere.

We had a quiet Christmas or I did. I built a fire in the fireplace which freaked her out so she hid in the garage, including once again going up the steps she swears she cannot negotiate without help. She looked at me like I had been beating her so I coaxed her back in and let the fire die out. It is now official, not that it wasn’t before. My life is ruled by my dog. It could be worse.

And because I’m liable to be exiled from the community if I post without pictures, here is evidence of our cozy winter nest:

or maybe it’s evidence of how thoroughly Isa is not a morning dog. I don’t think I got so much as an ear twitch when I took the picture.

I hope everyone had a lovely whichever-December-holiday you celebrate and wishing one and all and happy and healthy 2017!

woof!

UPDATE: Because I totally forgot to tell you! Of course they took a chest x-ray last month – identical to the one taken last July at diagnosis! Hooray!