Hello Tripawd Folks,
We are happy to bring an update on Maggie, 5 weeks out from surgery and feeling great! She’s still working on stairs and building up stamina for ‘real’ walks, but all in all life is grand! Maggie has conned us into going for 8 walks a day, by refusing to use the steps to the back yard and convincing us that walking out the front door with a leash on = WALKIES!! (not just a quick potty, like we pretend it’s going to be). The startled little yelps that I mentioned in the Forum seem to have tapered off for now, thankfully, only heard it once since Saturday.
I still have my moments of looking at her and thinking “what have we done!?” – not because she’s not recovering fantastically, but just because it’s something I never would have imagined happening. Of course I never imagined having to deal with canine cancer, so it’s a little reminder that you gotta do what you gotta do, and roll with it. Something I’d recommend for anyone new to this site, starting out on amputation recovery, is to jot down a couple of successes and setbacks each day for the first couple of weeks. I did that just to keep track of what was going on (did I get her out to pee at 4AM today, or was that yesterday?) but it proved to be SO valuable when I would worry about her recovery, to see that she DID make progress every day even if other things were challenging. Now that we’re past the “panic over every little thing” stage, it’s amazing just to go back and read what those first several days were like and how far she has come. AMAZING! Watching her walk and run so confidently now, it’s hard to remember that a month ago her little legs were shaking with every step.
So I thought this would be a good time to enjoy Maggie doing some of her favorite things this week:
Snuggling up on the couch. She’ll always use a pillow if there’s one handy.
Scruffing around in the dirt. She is trying to figure out “digging” with one paw…it’s a herky-jerky affair but pretty darn cute. Easier when she lays down to dig. 🙂
Sniffing around the trees for signs of squirrel…she’s also back to jumping up on the trees occasionally (scares me but I’ll get used to it).
Happy walks, even if they’re just down the block and back.
Doggin’ around in the back yard. What leg? I’m not missing a leg!
Begging at the table. Must have been chicken nuggets for the kiddo that night. (Why yes, that is a rug being held down with duct tape in the background. All hail duct tape.)
And getting underfoot in the kitchen – this is when I knew she was feeling back to normal!
Here’s hoping the next week brings even more progress – for her and for all of your pups!!
She looks great!! YAY Maggie!! Love the pictures! I went through all the same feelings you all are going through. I do the same thing in looking at Buddy in thinking oh my goodness what have we done but then like you said… you just roll with it. I would worry about the smallest of things and have finally started to relax. The stairs will happen at some point. I love that you wrote down all the great things and set backs. I should have done that. So helpful!! So glad she is doing so well!! 🙂
Buddy, Tracie and Steve
Maggie, you just make our hearts go pitter patter whenever we see your pretty face. And to add such pawesome updates too…well it don’t get no better than that!
Life is good in the new normal isn’t it? Thank you for taking time to share, these updates are so valuable to newcomers and well we just can’t get enough of you too! xoxo Keep on rockin!