Giving Thanks

Well that was exciting. I came in to work and there was no message from the vet and I was very sad. Just as I was leaving for lunch the vet called to tell me he was going to do it and he's only going to charge me $500! I was so happy I could hardly speak; first I find out that Dogger is actually going to get the surgery right away and then I find out I can afford it! I pulled it together enough to set up her appointment and thank him profusely. I think it was the first time I've taken a deep breath since Sunday afternoon.

I told Dogger that it was almost over and she was going to walk again and everything was going to be all right, but she just looked at me and sighed. Its hard to get excited about things when your crate-fast and hurting. She doesn't see any end to this and it makes her sad. I have to be strict though, because the other knee is not strong and it can't be asked to be doing 100% of the job. Dogger has only been locked up for two days and she's all ready working me. She knows when she whines that I take her out and we go outside to pee. Okay, what Dogger now understands is how to get free. Her plan is to whine, get out of the box, lay down and then refuse to get up again. She doesn't want to be in that box and she's saying Look! I'm laying down very obediently and I am outside the crate! See how good I am? I don't have to be in the box! I can be good right here! Which is total bull shit.

I think she learned all this last summer when she was also crate bound, but last summer she was much cooler with it. She really didn't complain about it at all but I also think she walked out of the box the last time muttering Never Again. This time she wants to wander around the yard when I take her out to pee and she didn't do that last summer. Last summer she would first refuse to come out of the box and then after finally agreeing to go outside, she would lay down and refuse to go back inside. Subsequently, I became a doggy drill sergeant/cheer leader. This time I'm more drill sergeant.

I looked around online to see what her recovery period was going to look like and it looks pretty much like her pre-surgical routine. Crate bound for a week then slowly doing more walking and I'll be doing range of motion exercises with her to help her with her mobility. The article says 8 weeks out she should be back to where she was. Remarkable. Now I'm dreaming about saving money and depending on how she does with this procedure, hopefully taking care of the other knee too. I would love to have her strong and whole again and be able to do fun doggy things again that she hasn't been able to do since last summer. I want her to run again.