My little 'fro monster is clearly feeling better. She hates being cooped up, whimpers and cries when she's left in her crate long enough for me to make my own dinner (she either has to be crated, held, or right next to one of us on the couch as long as we can quickly grab her if she tries to jump), and now she has started refusing to take her medicine.
We had been putting a little bit of peanut butter on one of her tiny treats before hiding a pill in the middle of it so we'd have less of a battle when it came time for her to take her meds--three times/day. And then she decided to get picky with the peanut butter. No longer could I pre-make all of the treats for the day in an effort to save time. She had to have just the right consistency with the peanut butter & it couldn't be remotely stale. If it wasn't to her liking, she'd simply open her mouth and let the treat fall out onto the floor. And then she'd just look at me with a "You failed. Try again." attitude. It reminds me of Goldie Hawn in "Overboard", when her butler, Andrew, serves her caviar that is not up to par. Put some golden tresses on Tobi and you've pretty much got the same scene. So, we made sure she had fresh peanut butter & that was going well.
I'm not quite sure what happened, but pretty soon that extra effort wasn't even good enough for her. She got to where she won't let even the freshest peanut butter pass her lips. So, rather than adding a foreign food (like cheese--in which pills can easily be pushed) to her diet & dealing with any ramifications from that, I instead decided to just give her the pill on its own. It's actually not a full pill--it's 1/4 of a pill that is just larger than a Tic Tac to begin with. So, it's a very small bit she had to be fed. You'd think it would be a relatively easy task. Not with Tobi.
Yesterday morning I thought I'd make the whole experience of me essentially shoving my finger down her throat a lot more fun by singing to her about how she needs to swallow her pill without spitting it out. I then thought that doing so operatically may be that much-needed extra special touch that would make her think, much like Lindsay Lohan must, "Oh, taking pills is fun! I can do this!" But, instead, it was met with Artis shouting from upstairs, "Is Tobi whining and screaming again?? What happened to her??" (She initially screamed a lot when she first came home. You'd just look at her wrong and she'd scream. Thankfully, we got past that.) I said, "No, she's not screaming. I was singing to her operatically about how she needs to swallow her pills without spitting them out." I almost added "Jerk." to that, but because I'm Kind Kade I held back. (My response to him was met with, "Oh. Oops." Yes oops, Artis. My singing--even when operatic and with medicine as the subject--cannot be compared to that scream Tobi emits from the depth of her being. Nothing on this earth can compare to that scream. She puts infants to shame with her vocal abilities.)
It only took two or three stanzas/tries before I got her to take the pill. It was relative success...but briefly lived. Last night, it took five times when I first got home before she'd not hide it somewhere under her tongue and spit it out as soon as I let her open her mouth. What's worse is that she spits it into her bushy beard, so I have to work at getting a soggy, disintegrating tiny pill out of this mayhemic hair. It's not an easy task--especially because she gets wiggling about and there are only so many ways to hold on to her right now. Last night's bedtime pill time was the worst yet; this morning wasn't a walk in the park either. So, I'm just glad that Artis takes care of the afternoon dose today--and that we only have four more days of pills to deal with anyway.
Meanwhile, I get to continue prying her mouth open, while trying to avoid her crazy razor sharp fangs as I shove a little speck of a pill down her throat. It'd be so much easier if she'd just go back to loving Jif. Maybe she prefers chunky...
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
It's the Weekend Update Not With Tina Fey!
Here it is Monday already...is it just me or are the weekends flying by faster than previously felt?! I do not approve.
Meanwhile, it was a pretty laid back weekend, as weekends go for me. On Friday, Artis & I broke our own rule by making plans with friends. We went to dinner with the gang, rather than having our usual Friday night "QT with the Cutie" time. (QT=Quality Time) Because our lives get so insane, we found that it's easiest to schedule one consistent time that we can just hang out with each other. That time would be Friday nights. Sometimes we sit on the couch staring at each other, asking, "So, what should we do?" Other times we actually have plans to have dinner somewhere or to go to a movie, while still other times we simply dwell in the same space and watch the TV shows that we DVR'd during the week. (You can tell we live such exciting lives when we're camped out watching TV on a Friday night.)
Well, last week we were supposed to have dinners with two different couples but those had to be canceled due to conflicts. Therefore, we did get to spend a couple of evenings hanging out during the week, since I was not motivated to work and we had all this free time now with the two cancellations. So, when Artis said he wanted to go to dinner with a couple of our friends on Friday night, I was just fine with that. It turned out to be our whole gang (don't worry--we don't have an assigned color, so you're safe to wear whatever color you'd like to around us and we won't cut you) and we went for pizza at one of my favorite places, Moonlight. We always get their bruschetta, because it's the best thing on earth, and the Earth, Wind, & Fire pizza. (Grilled chicken, roma tomatoes, avocado.) But, we also usually get an extra loaf or two of the homemade bread they use to make the bruschetta. As was the case on Friday night. I had kind of a rough day on Friday, so I was in a cantankerous and anti-social mood, but I was happy to spend time with everyone and to get said bread.
On Saturday, I spent the morning doing errands (unfortunately, I couldn't get Tobi's pain meds since the pharmacy closed & didn't leave her Rx at the vet hospital front desk), then Artis sent a text saying he wanted to go to the matinee for "Inception". I got back to the house at 3 pm & he pulled up the showtimes, only to realize the matinee was at 3:15 pm. It's a good thing we live close to the theater. We made it in time to get most of the previews (Artis LOVES watching the previews; I hate them) and then we watched what I think is one of the most amazing shows to hit the big screen in decades! I should clarify here that I am not a sci-fi or fantasy fan normally. Harry Potter would be about my only exception to that & I was more in love with the books than the movies. In fact, I've never even seen all of the movies. So, for me to enjoy this movie so much was an anomaly. But, enjoy it I did! It was incredible. I love it when a movie makes you use your brain--well, sometimes I like those kinds of movies. Other times I just don't want to have to think, so brain numbing entertainment is in order at those junctures.
Anyway, we watched the movie & then went back home, where I worked and worked and worked. Oh and we went to dinner, where we learned (through eavesdropping on his convo with the table next to us) that our waiter is working towards an undergrad in eco-sciences, a degree with which he hopes to change how homes are constructed so as to lessen the anti-earth footprint construction leaves in an area. So, that was fun.
On Sunday, I woke up and made Artis & Mont my mom's French toast recipe and my grandma's Cinnamon Cream Syrup recipe to go with it. It is one of my most favorite breakfasts & not one I've shared with Artis before. Typically I don't share any breakfasts with Artis because during the week, I eat my Nutri-Grain bar & on the weekends, I usually sleep until at least 9 am and Artis gets up around 6 am. So, he's ready for lunch when I'm jumping in the shower to start my day.
I spent Sunday working (got lots done!) and then we went to dinner with a friend, prior to going to the Star Wars concert. Dinner was at a new place & I think I will happily frequent there. They were polite, relatively prompt, and the food was tasty, but what won my heart was two things: 1) They put hand sanitizer at each table! Genius! and B) They had four giant screens playing on the wall, with speakers and controls at each table so you could decide what you wanted to listen to and at what level. It was sooooo much better than loud blaring overhead to the point you can't talk to each other. (We had that very thing happen when one of Artis' optometry school buddies came into town and we took him to a pub downtown. We didn't realize it was karaoke night & it was literally so loud we couldn't scream to where the person next to us could hear us. It was awful.) Anyway, so ten brownie points to the restaurant.
Now, you know how I said that sci-fi and fantasy aren't really my thing? Yeah, so about that Star Wars concert. Not my choice or idea. Artis' company has a suite, so he got us tickets through that. I do enjoy orchestra music, so that was the draw for me. I did not, however, look forward to running into all sorts of creepy people in bizarre costumes. Gratefully, there were fewer than I thought there'd be, but that actually was a disappointment in a way. Because of our vantage point, I was hoping for copious quantities of photo opps. But that was not to be. Instead, we (two of Artis' friends joined us) had a fun time chatting, listening to the music, and an interesting time taking in the ambiance...which included an old man wearing a "My Lightsaber is Bigger than Yours" t-shirt in a size about two smaller than what he should've worn. I also did have fun running into an old coworker & his wife; it was great catching up with them.
After the concert, we zipped on out of there (I must say, the VIP parking and entrance were awesome--there's even a designated exit lane just for the VIP parking so we were on the main road in no time), and I went back home to work. Come bedtime, I was ready to murder Matza. Tobi and Artis went to bed at their usual early hour; Matza and I went to bed at 1 am. I got Matza into her new bed & she sat kind of funny. I whispered (so as not to disturb Artis) to her that she needed to lay down. She didn't budge. So, I shone my cell phone light on her only to realize the beast was peeing on her new bed!!! I about killed her. So, I got her and the bed out of the room as carefully and quietly as possible. I got Matz and the bed all cleaned up, grabbed one of her other beds from downstairs, and we attempted it all over again. She seems to have avoided urination on this one, so we were good to go. I don't know what gets into her sometimes.
Tobi, meanwhile, spent the weekend lounging and being clingy. We ran low on her pain meds and since the pharmacy had done all their mess, we had no choice but to space out her meds Saturday and Sunday. She seemed to be just fine though and is putting more and more pressure on her rear right leg. As long as I get her to hobble slowly outside, she'll take the time to use that leg a little more. Otherwise, she speeds along to do her business and get back in my arms so she can go back inside. We have one more week of pain meds and then we're through! Artis & I couldn't be happier about this. He usually goes home for lunch, but now he doesn't have a choice, since she has to have her afternoon dose. I, meanwhile, run around in the morning and evening to get each of the girls taken care of, fed separately, and in their appropriate spots (Tobi at Artis', Matza at mine), etc. It's exhausting. At least the meds being done and over with will remove one component of that saga. In crappy news, however, the hospital "forgot" to bill me before for one of the surgery fees, so I got an $1100 bill on Saturday to add to the other craziness this all has cost. Sigh.
And that is my weekend in review. I'm now off to look into this whole money tree growing thing, so as to be able to pay for Tobi's vet...
Meanwhile, it was a pretty laid back weekend, as weekends go for me. On Friday, Artis & I broke our own rule by making plans with friends. We went to dinner with the gang, rather than having our usual Friday night "QT with the Cutie" time. (QT=Quality Time) Because our lives get so insane, we found that it's easiest to schedule one consistent time that we can just hang out with each other. That time would be Friday nights. Sometimes we sit on the couch staring at each other, asking, "So, what should we do?" Other times we actually have plans to have dinner somewhere or to go to a movie, while still other times we simply dwell in the same space and watch the TV shows that we DVR'd during the week. (You can tell we live such exciting lives when we're camped out watching TV on a Friday night.)
Well, last week we were supposed to have dinners with two different couples but those had to be canceled due to conflicts. Therefore, we did get to spend a couple of evenings hanging out during the week, since I was not motivated to work and we had all this free time now with the two cancellations. So, when Artis said he wanted to go to dinner with a couple of our friends on Friday night, I was just fine with that. It turned out to be our whole gang (don't worry--we don't have an assigned color, so you're safe to wear whatever color you'd like to around us and we won't cut you) and we went for pizza at one of my favorite places, Moonlight. We always get their bruschetta, because it's the best thing on earth, and the Earth, Wind, & Fire pizza. (Grilled chicken, roma tomatoes, avocado.) But, we also usually get an extra loaf or two of the homemade bread they use to make the bruschetta. As was the case on Friday night. I had kind of a rough day on Friday, so I was in a cantankerous and anti-social mood, but I was happy to spend time with everyone and to get said bread.
On Saturday, I spent the morning doing errands (unfortunately, I couldn't get Tobi's pain meds since the pharmacy closed & didn't leave her Rx at the vet hospital front desk), then Artis sent a text saying he wanted to go to the matinee for "Inception". I got back to the house at 3 pm & he pulled up the showtimes, only to realize the matinee was at 3:15 pm. It's a good thing we live close to the theater. We made it in time to get most of the previews (Artis LOVES watching the previews; I hate them) and then we watched what I think is one of the most amazing shows to hit the big screen in decades! I should clarify here that I am not a sci-fi or fantasy fan normally. Harry Potter would be about my only exception to that & I was more in love with the books than the movies. In fact, I've never even seen all of the movies. So, for me to enjoy this movie so much was an anomaly. But, enjoy it I did! It was incredible. I love it when a movie makes you use your brain--well, sometimes I like those kinds of movies. Other times I just don't want to have to think, so brain numbing entertainment is in order at those junctures.
Anyway, we watched the movie & then went back home, where I worked and worked and worked. Oh and we went to dinner, where we learned (through eavesdropping on his convo with the table next to us) that our waiter is working towards an undergrad in eco-sciences, a degree with which he hopes to change how homes are constructed so as to lessen the anti-earth footprint construction leaves in an area. So, that was fun.
On Sunday, I woke up and made Artis & Mont my mom's French toast recipe and my grandma's Cinnamon Cream Syrup recipe to go with it. It is one of my most favorite breakfasts & not one I've shared with Artis before. Typically I don't share any breakfasts with Artis because during the week, I eat my Nutri-Grain bar & on the weekends, I usually sleep until at least 9 am and Artis gets up around 6 am. So, he's ready for lunch when I'm jumping in the shower to start my day.
I spent Sunday working (got lots done!) and then we went to dinner with a friend, prior to going to the Star Wars concert. Dinner was at a new place & I think I will happily frequent there. They were polite, relatively prompt, and the food was tasty, but what won my heart was two things: 1) They put hand sanitizer at each table! Genius! and B) They had four giant screens playing on the wall, with speakers and controls at each table so you could decide what you wanted to listen to and at what level. It was sooooo much better than loud blaring overhead to the point you can't talk to each other. (We had that very thing happen when one of Artis' optometry school buddies came into town and we took him to a pub downtown. We didn't realize it was karaoke night & it was literally so loud we couldn't scream to where the person next to us could hear us. It was awful.) Anyway, so ten brownie points to the restaurant.
Now, you know how I said that sci-fi and fantasy aren't really my thing? Yeah, so about that Star Wars concert. Not my choice or idea. Artis' company has a suite, so he got us tickets through that. I do enjoy orchestra music, so that was the draw for me. I did not, however, look forward to running into all sorts of creepy people in bizarre costumes. Gratefully, there were fewer than I thought there'd be, but that actually was a disappointment in a way. Because of our vantage point, I was hoping for copious quantities of photo opps. But that was not to be. Instead, we (two of Artis' friends joined us) had a fun time chatting, listening to the music, and an interesting time taking in the ambiance...which included an old man wearing a "My Lightsaber is Bigger than Yours" t-shirt in a size about two smaller than what he should've worn. I also did have fun running into an old coworker & his wife; it was great catching up with them.
After the concert, we zipped on out of there (I must say, the VIP parking and entrance were awesome--there's even a designated exit lane just for the VIP parking so we were on the main road in no time), and I went back home to work. Come bedtime, I was ready to murder Matza. Tobi and Artis went to bed at their usual early hour; Matza and I went to bed at 1 am. I got Matza into her new bed & she sat kind of funny. I whispered (so as not to disturb Artis) to her that she needed to lay down. She didn't budge. So, I shone my cell phone light on her only to realize the beast was peeing on her new bed!!! I about killed her. So, I got her and the bed out of the room as carefully and quietly as possible. I got Matz and the bed all cleaned up, grabbed one of her other beds from downstairs, and we attempted it all over again. She seems to have avoided urination on this one, so we were good to go. I don't know what gets into her sometimes.
Tobi, meanwhile, spent the weekend lounging and being clingy. We ran low on her pain meds and since the pharmacy had done all their mess, we had no choice but to space out her meds Saturday and Sunday. She seemed to be just fine though and is putting more and more pressure on her rear right leg. As long as I get her to hobble slowly outside, she'll take the time to use that leg a little more. Otherwise, she speeds along to do her business and get back in my arms so she can go back inside. We have one more week of pain meds and then we're through! Artis & I couldn't be happier about this. He usually goes home for lunch, but now he doesn't have a choice, since she has to have her afternoon dose. I, meanwhile, run around in the morning and evening to get each of the girls taken care of, fed separately, and in their appropriate spots (Tobi at Artis', Matza at mine), etc. It's exhausting. At least the meds being done and over with will remove one component of that saga. In crappy news, however, the hospital "forgot" to bill me before for one of the surgery fees, so I got an $1100 bill on Saturday to add to the other craziness this all has cost. Sigh.
And that is my weekend in review. I'm now off to look into this whole money tree growing thing, so as to be able to pay for Tobi's vet...
Monday, July 12, 2010
A night straight from the circus book.
Well, it was an uneventful eventful weekend, if that makes sense. Maybe saying "uneventful busy" makes more sense. Either way, nothing overly crazy happened, but we sure stayed busy. Last night, however, did get a little crazy for a bit.
Tobi is doing a lot better (doubling her pain meds did her a world of good) and isn't doing her handstand walk nearly as much. In fact, this morning she even used her right rear paw to get some balance! It was a nice moment because she hasn't done that since leaving the hospital. She did that more and more before leaving the hospital, but once she was off the IV meds and the oral ones weren't as effective, she immediately regressed and refused to put her paw down at all. We spent lots of time holding her and letting her sit on the couch next to us throughout the weekend so she'd not feel like her life was nothing but staying behind bars and being fed medicine.
In the past, Tobi hasn't been so bright and has failed to realize she could escape during the times when I accidentally leave her crate unlocked. So, last night I didn't think anything of leaving it unlocked while I took Matza out first to do her business--especially since Tobi's not a big fan of movement right now anyway. I adjusted Tobi's bandages, left the crate unlocked, and then went out of the room for just a minute to grab Matza's leash. When I returned, Matza was gone. I was trying to be quiet because Artis had already gone to bed (this was about 11 pm) but I loudly whispered up the stairs for her to get back downstairs. She LOVES bedtime and had already headed up to bed when I wasn't looking. She sauntered on down, I took her outside, and she wouldn't pee. At all. None. Zilch. The dog pees more than anything I've ever seen, so this told me she'd probably gone somewhere in the house since I last took her outside. After walking all over creation in the heat and humidity (it was sooooo nasty out--I was sweating like you wouldn't believe), I finally gave up and took her back inside, whereupon I discovered Tobi's crate door wide open with no Tobi inside the crate.
I looked all over the first floor and couldn't find her, which made me just sick to my stomach because I knew she'd have gone upstairs to find Artis. She is not allowed to walk at all, other than to go outside to the bathroom, so climbing stairs was completely out of the question. But, that's exactly what the little monster did! I turned on the light to the stairwell and saw the furball laying on the second-to-the-top stair. I guess she got tuckered out and laid down for a nap. Anyway, I walked up to get her and told her, "Tobi, no, no. This is not what we do." And that's when I found what else was missing--Matza's pee puddle. It was on the stair right above where Tobi had stopped.
I was so exasperated. Walking all over with Matza in that blasted humidity was bad, but so was running all over trying to find Tobi. I trudged down the stairs with her and got her outside, she did her thing, and I went in to start cleaning the carpet. Unfortunately, all of the commotion had woken Artis, so he was already up cleaning it. I felt so bad. And so mad. And so sweaty.
Eventually, we got the girls in their beds, Tobi drugged up for the night, Matza lectured, me de-sweated, and we were able to pass out pretty solidly since Tobi didn't cry during the night. Hooray! Hopefully tonight will be much less sucky and I'll be able to just take them out to do their business without all this mayhem!!
Tobi is doing a lot better (doubling her pain meds did her a world of good) and isn't doing her handstand walk nearly as much. In fact, this morning she even used her right rear paw to get some balance! It was a nice moment because she hasn't done that since leaving the hospital. She did that more and more before leaving the hospital, but once she was off the IV meds and the oral ones weren't as effective, she immediately regressed and refused to put her paw down at all. We spent lots of time holding her and letting her sit on the couch next to us throughout the weekend so she'd not feel like her life was nothing but staying behind bars and being fed medicine.
In the past, Tobi hasn't been so bright and has failed to realize she could escape during the times when I accidentally leave her crate unlocked. So, last night I didn't think anything of leaving it unlocked while I took Matza out first to do her business--especially since Tobi's not a big fan of movement right now anyway. I adjusted Tobi's bandages, left the crate unlocked, and then went out of the room for just a minute to grab Matza's leash. When I returned, Matza was gone. I was trying to be quiet because Artis had already gone to bed (this was about 11 pm) but I loudly whispered up the stairs for her to get back downstairs. She LOVES bedtime and had already headed up to bed when I wasn't looking. She sauntered on down, I took her outside, and she wouldn't pee. At all. None. Zilch. The dog pees more than anything I've ever seen, so this told me she'd probably gone somewhere in the house since I last took her outside. After walking all over creation in the heat and humidity (it was sooooo nasty out--I was sweating like you wouldn't believe), I finally gave up and took her back inside, whereupon I discovered Tobi's crate door wide open with no Tobi inside the crate.
I looked all over the first floor and couldn't find her, which made me just sick to my stomach because I knew she'd have gone upstairs to find Artis. She is not allowed to walk at all, other than to go outside to the bathroom, so climbing stairs was completely out of the question. But, that's exactly what the little monster did! I turned on the light to the stairwell and saw the furball laying on the second-to-the-top stair. I guess she got tuckered out and laid down for a nap. Anyway, I walked up to get her and told her, "Tobi, no, no. This is not what we do." And that's when I found what else was missing--Matza's pee puddle. It was on the stair right above where Tobi had stopped.
I was so exasperated. Walking all over with Matza in that blasted humidity was bad, but so was running all over trying to find Tobi. I trudged down the stairs with her and got her outside, she did her thing, and I went in to start cleaning the carpet. Unfortunately, all of the commotion had woken Artis, so he was already up cleaning it. I felt so bad. And so mad. And so sweaty.
Eventually, we got the girls in their beds, Tobi drugged up for the night, Matza lectured, me de-sweated, and we were able to pass out pretty solidly since Tobi didn't cry during the night. Hooray! Hopefully tonight will be much less sucky and I'll be able to just take them out to do their business without all this mayhem!!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
When life gives you broken limbs...
...walk on your hands. Well, that seems to be Tobi's motto as of late. It's quite freaky looking, but the little beast will get up on her front paws and walk herself all over the yard--and even go to the bathroom--without setting her hind paws back down on the ground. Artis caught a little bit of it on film last night; once I told her it just wasn't right, she want back to all four paws. But only for a second...then we were back to being in the circus.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Lord give me strength.
I come to you as a very tired man. A very, very tired man who feels like he has been awake for 48-hours straight. Delirium may set in soon...perhaps it already has.
As joyous as it is to have Tobi Knish at home, the emotional, mental, and physical toll it is already taking is seemingly overwhelming the joy. Case in point: Last night.
After a very arduous day that included a 2 1/2 meeting during which my mental capabilities were thoroughly tested, I left the office and headed to package some orders for shipment today. Then, I went home and walked Matza, processed a few customer payments & answered emails and then headed over to Artis' to care for Tobi at about 7 pm. Fortunately, he had beat me home so I didn't have to walk her. Instead, he was sitting in bed playing on his laptop and watching TV while Tobi stayed in her crate close by. (He didn't want her to have to sit by herself while he chilled downstairs.) So, I did what any sane person in a fragile state would--I collapsed on the bed. And then I got up and held Tobi for a while. And then I mixed peanut butter into Tobi's food in hopes it would make her want to eat. It seemed to work.
I then attempted to work; I put forth valiant effort, in fact. But, it was not to be. Instead, I let Artis persuade me (and I put up ever so strong of a fight, of course) to watch a movie. We started "Shawshank Redemption", which I'm pretty sure I've seen before but I can't remember. We got about an hour into it and it was time for Tobi's pain meds and a trip outside. So, I took her outside and was so happy she finally did all of her business! (It's the little things...)
I got her back inside and got her settled, listening to her screams before her front pain-free paws had even touched the carpet. Dinner for me was not to be. Eventually, I decided that the girls and I would watch TV together. I fell asleep on the couch, waking up to Tobi's screams because I had moved and her right rear paw had touched the back of the couch. (It's the leg that's the most sensitive right now.) So, I took her up and got her into bed...screams and all...and went back out myself. A couple of hours later I was wide awake listening to her whimper. Then, I was awakened again by her repeated cries. I thought it was 6:30 a.m. It was 3:20. This continued on throughout the night, with Artis giving her the next dose of pain meds at 6:15. She screamed (and tried to bite me again) when I took her outside, screamed when I brought her back inside, and at 8 am I thanked the Lord it was time for me to leave the house to go back to my apartment to get ready to go to work.
Just a few hours of good, quality sleep would be nice at this point. I don't see that happening in the near future. Meanwhile, I have a call in to the surgical tech so I can further discuss her pain meds and the fact she's no longer attempting to put any weight on that rear right paw. She had started to make progress and now doesn't seem to be. I'm concerned about her rehab. If she were a human, she'd have a structured rehab program & I feel like she probably needs the same if she is to truly make a full recovery. I tried calling a rehab center for dogs, but the phone number online is incorrect. That sucks.
At this point though, sadly, I think to myself, "What's a few more hundred dollars? It's just a drop in the bucket of expense called 'Tobi'." Even if she doesn't get into a fully structured program (that includes warm water hydrotherapy), I do need some guidance on this. And, I need to discuss the pain management with the vet hospital, so I hope they call me back soon. It's one thing to give her IV meds when she's staying in a cage all day with very little activity or human contact; it's a whole other thing to send her home where she's going to be on oral meds & taken outside more frequently to avoid the whole pee pad situation. (Plus, she can't be bathed for a while, so that would be a total nightmare.)
I do know one thing though--I CANNOT handle eight weeks of this if every day is going to be like these first two have been. Even a week of it is too much for me. Speaking of weeks, it was exactly one week ago this morning that the whole horrible situation began. How time flies. Well, in this case drags miserably.
Lord, give me strength.
As joyous as it is to have Tobi Knish at home, the emotional, mental, and physical toll it is already taking is seemingly overwhelming the joy. Case in point: Last night.
After a very arduous day that included a 2 1/2 meeting during which my mental capabilities were thoroughly tested, I left the office and headed to package some orders for shipment today. Then, I went home and walked Matza, processed a few customer payments & answered emails and then headed over to Artis' to care for Tobi at about 7 pm. Fortunately, he had beat me home so I didn't have to walk her. Instead, he was sitting in bed playing on his laptop and watching TV while Tobi stayed in her crate close by. (He didn't want her to have to sit by herself while he chilled downstairs.) So, I did what any sane person in a fragile state would--I collapsed on the bed. And then I got up and held Tobi for a while. And then I mixed peanut butter into Tobi's food in hopes it would make her want to eat. It seemed to work.
I then attempted to work; I put forth valiant effort, in fact. But, it was not to be. Instead, I let Artis persuade me (and I put up ever so strong of a fight, of course) to watch a movie. We started "Shawshank Redemption", which I'm pretty sure I've seen before but I can't remember. We got about an hour into it and it was time for Tobi's pain meds and a trip outside. So, I took her outside and was so happy she finally did all of her business! (It's the little things...)
I got her back inside and got her settled, listening to her screams before her front pain-free paws had even touched the carpet. Dinner for me was not to be. Eventually, I decided that the girls and I would watch TV together. I fell asleep on the couch, waking up to Tobi's screams because I had moved and her right rear paw had touched the back of the couch. (It's the leg that's the most sensitive right now.) So, I took her up and got her into bed...screams and all...and went back out myself. A couple of hours later I was wide awake listening to her whimper. Then, I was awakened again by her repeated cries. I thought it was 6:30 a.m. It was 3:20. This continued on throughout the night, with Artis giving her the next dose of pain meds at 6:15. She screamed (and tried to bite me again) when I took her outside, screamed when I brought her back inside, and at 8 am I thanked the Lord it was time for me to leave the house to go back to my apartment to get ready to go to work.
Just a few hours of good, quality sleep would be nice at this point. I don't see that happening in the near future. Meanwhile, I have a call in to the surgical tech so I can further discuss her pain meds and the fact she's no longer attempting to put any weight on that rear right paw. She had started to make progress and now doesn't seem to be. I'm concerned about her rehab. If she were a human, she'd have a structured rehab program & I feel like she probably needs the same if she is to truly make a full recovery. I tried calling a rehab center for dogs, but the phone number online is incorrect. That sucks.
At this point though, sadly, I think to myself, "What's a few more hundred dollars? It's just a drop in the bucket of expense called 'Tobi'." Even if she doesn't get into a fully structured program (that includes warm water hydrotherapy), I do need some guidance on this. And, I need to discuss the pain management with the vet hospital, so I hope they call me back soon. It's one thing to give her IV meds when she's staying in a cage all day with very little activity or human contact; it's a whole other thing to send her home where she's going to be on oral meds & taken outside more frequently to avoid the whole pee pad situation. (Plus, she can't be bathed for a while, so that would be a total nightmare.)
I do know one thing though--I CANNOT handle eight weeks of this if every day is going to be like these first two have been. Even a week of it is too much for me. Speaking of weeks, it was exactly one week ago this morning that the whole horrible situation began. How time flies. Well, in this case drags miserably.
Lord, give me strength.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Tobi's home! (Now the real fun begins...)
All day today I looked forward to getting my Tobi home. The seconds dragged on and on like hours. Finally, I made it through crazy traffic (the genius working for the NCDOT that decided to shut down large portions of two major roads, while also detouring one to the other, needs to be shot) and got to the hospital on time for pick-up at 6 pm. At 7:30 pm, I finally got Tobi in the car and headed home.
Once home, I realized that her crate was not going to due afterall. She barely fit into it pre-surgery (she's my gentle giant that just kept growing), but it wasn't horrible. Plus, in the midst of all the craziness I still hadn't decided upon an alternative crate that would best fit all of our needs. Therefore, I hadn't ordered one or gone shopping for one in person either. Well, that was a mistake I had to fix. Meanwhile, I also needed dinner.
So, I left the girls with Artis and did something completely against my nature--I went to Petco. Yes, it's true. I supported a box store. What can I say? I was desperate. Anyway, I went and got this $90 crate and then stopped and got dinner at a drive-thru on my way home. I was gone for maybe 30 minutes. I came back in the door to find Artis looking all frazzled while he sat on the floor, Matza was in her crate freaking out (she hates being in her crate), and Tobi was sitting on a towel in the middle of the floor just shaking away. All hell had broken loose in that 30 minutes! It turns out that Tobi wasn't fitting into her crate at all, so he let her out, but then Matza attacked her to try to play, which caused Tobi to scream from the pain, so he put Matza in her crate and Tobi was left scared and shaking on the floor because he didn't dare touch her since he couldn't handle hearing her scream again. So, I picked Tobi up and held her close (she immediately stopped shaking), let Matza out of her crate so she'd stop barking, and eventually ate dinner while sitting on the couch with Tobi right next to me.
Meanwhile...
I decided that $90 was too much to have spent on a crate, so I got looking on Craigslist. I found two that sounded promising--one was only $30 and much larger. It looked brand-new and the seller lived close by. I emailed her and she immediately wrote back. She was willing to meet tonight, so we made arrangements. In the meantime I had Tobi back in her crate to get her to try to lay down. She made herself extra big, looked pitiful, and kept crying. Artis refused to make eye contact with her because she was milking it for all it was worth. So, I left her in there long enough to run over and meet the seller and get back home. Once home, I got the crate in place and all good to go. I got back downstairs to collect Tobi and what did the monster do?? She laid right down and curled up in her small crate!!! Yes, she in fact fit the entire time and had just been being a stinker while I was running all over creation to get her this bigger crate tonight. I just now tried to get her out of the smaller crate so that she can go to bed in the big one but she doesn't want to move. So, despite my extra efforts to get it all ready for her tonight, it was all for naught and she's spending the night in her small crate. Sigh.
I can tell we've got a long road ahead. Artis is terrified he's going to break her, Matza won't leave her alone, Tobi just wants to sleep and cuddle with me, and I don't have any clue about what I'm doing. Artis half-jokingly said he thinks we should call the vet hospital and tell them that they were wrong--that she's not ready to be home and that she needs to come back and stay or they need to come here to take care of her. I think once these first few days are over with and we get a routine figured out, we'll be OK. Until then, I may lose my mind trying to survive.
But, I still am just so happy she's home--I can ruffle up her crazy 'fro any ol' time I want to and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Once home, I realized that her crate was not going to due afterall. She barely fit into it pre-surgery (she's my gentle giant that just kept growing), but it wasn't horrible. Plus, in the midst of all the craziness I still hadn't decided upon an alternative crate that would best fit all of our needs. Therefore, I hadn't ordered one or gone shopping for one in person either. Well, that was a mistake I had to fix. Meanwhile, I also needed dinner.
So, I left the girls with Artis and did something completely against my nature--I went to Petco. Yes, it's true. I supported a box store. What can I say? I was desperate. Anyway, I went and got this $90 crate and then stopped and got dinner at a drive-thru on my way home. I was gone for maybe 30 minutes. I came back in the door to find Artis looking all frazzled while he sat on the floor, Matza was in her crate freaking out (she hates being in her crate), and Tobi was sitting on a towel in the middle of the floor just shaking away. All hell had broken loose in that 30 minutes! It turns out that Tobi wasn't fitting into her crate at all, so he let her out, but then Matza attacked her to try to play, which caused Tobi to scream from the pain, so he put Matza in her crate and Tobi was left scared and shaking on the floor because he didn't dare touch her since he couldn't handle hearing her scream again. So, I picked Tobi up and held her close (she immediately stopped shaking), let Matza out of her crate so she'd stop barking, and eventually ate dinner while sitting on the couch with Tobi right next to me.
Meanwhile...
I decided that $90 was too much to have spent on a crate, so I got looking on Craigslist. I found two that sounded promising--one was only $30 and much larger. It looked brand-new and the seller lived close by. I emailed her and she immediately wrote back. She was willing to meet tonight, so we made arrangements. In the meantime I had Tobi back in her crate to get her to try to lay down. She made herself extra big, looked pitiful, and kept crying. Artis refused to make eye contact with her because she was milking it for all it was worth. So, I left her in there long enough to run over and meet the seller and get back home. Once home, I got the crate in place and all good to go. I got back downstairs to collect Tobi and what did the monster do?? She laid right down and curled up in her small crate!!! Yes, she in fact fit the entire time and had just been being a stinker while I was running all over creation to get her this bigger crate tonight. I just now tried to get her out of the smaller crate so that she can go to bed in the big one but she doesn't want to move. So, despite my extra efforts to get it all ready for her tonight, it was all for naught and she's spending the night in her small crate. Sigh.
I can tell we've got a long road ahead. Artis is terrified he's going to break her, Matza won't leave her alone, Tobi just wants to sleep and cuddle with me, and I don't have any clue about what I'm doing. Artis half-jokingly said he thinks we should call the vet hospital and tell them that they were wrong--that she's not ready to be home and that she needs to come back and stay or they need to come here to take care of her. I think once these first few days are over with and we get a routine figured out, we'll be OK. Until then, I may lose my mind trying to survive.
But, I still am just so happy she's home--I can ruffle up her crazy 'fro any ol' time I want to and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Tobi Update: Coming Home Tomorrow!
This morning's visit with Miss Tobi Knish was fantastic! She took several steps when the surgical tech first put her down, then she peed on her own, and then she sat down without screaming or looking overly uncomfortable!
We sat there petting her and talking with her for quite a while, during which she got up and walked around several times and she let me pick her up and move her to where she could sit down more comfortably--and she didn't scream or try to bite me then either! The surgical tech said she is doing incredibly well and that they are all just amazed by her recovery, especially considering what happened to lead her to this point. She is well ahead of what they expected from her and told us that they're weaning her further from IV drugs so she can come home tomorrow evening! From what we saw today, it's very encouraging. She mostly just walked on three legs (her right leg is still really painful) but she has started doing more tap-and-touch actions with her right leg and she appeared to have stood on it for a bit at one point.
Here is a picture from today:
And here are two videos of her:
(Ignore how I look...we had to be at the hospital at 8:30 am on my day off. I was looking all sorts of raggedy.)
Needless to say, we're quite excited about our model little patient's progress! (The surgical tech's words--not ours. :))
We sat there petting her and talking with her for quite a while, during which she got up and walked around several times and she let me pick her up and move her to where she could sit down more comfortably--and she didn't scream or try to bite me then either! The surgical tech said she is doing incredibly well and that they are all just amazed by her recovery, especially considering what happened to lead her to this point. She is well ahead of what they expected from her and told us that they're weaning her further from IV drugs so she can come home tomorrow evening! From what we saw today, it's very encouraging. She mostly just walked on three legs (her right leg is still really painful) but she has started doing more tap-and-touch actions with her right leg and she appeared to have stood on it for a bit at one point.
Here is a picture from today:
And here are two videos of her:
(Ignore how I look...we had to be at the hospital at 8:30 am on my day off. I was looking all sorts of raggedy.)
Needless to say, we're quite excited about our model little patient's progress! (The surgical tech's words--not ours. :))
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Tobi Update!
So, today was an awesome day--Tobi walked for us!!! It was both exciting and painful to watch, all at the same time. She made it on three legs and used her back right leg as little as she could, but it was progress! Her back right leg is going to take longer to heal because the break where her pelvis and hip meet was not a clean one. Part of her hip remained attached to her pelvis, so it's a more tender spot for her. But, the fact she was even trying to walk was incredible.
Also, she has had a bunch of her medicines reduced so she is a lot more aware of her surroundings. She actually looked at us and recognized us (she was so out of it yesterday that I don't know as she even recognized who she herself was), plus I got a couple of licks out of her too. Oh, and as we were sitting there in the yard of the triage center, she saw some people walking across the way and started doing her deep little growl--it's sooooo Tobi! Normally we're trying to get her to stop growling and barking at every thing and everyone she sees, but it was so welcomed to have her back that we couldn't help but encourage her!
Yesterday, when the surgical tech picked her up to take her back in, she screamed and cried and tried to bite him. Today, she let out some groans and tried to nip at him a little bit, but it was nothing like yesterday. So, maybe tomorrow she will drop the biting part. Lord knows that little girl has some powerful jaws! (I did make some progress on the hand wounds by switching out to these gel-filled bandages that really seem to help. As long as Artis doesn't go crazy sterilizing the wounds, it doesn't hurt too bad.)
Tomorrow we're going to see her early in the morning and we'll try to get her to walk a little more. She may actually be home as early as Tuesday! We're working out the logistics for how this will all work. The current plan is that Tobi will stay full-time at Artis', while Matza and I travel back and forth. Tobi will be in her crate almost 24-hours/day for two months, so we're trying to make sure she doesn't get overly excited and want to get out and play with Matza all the time. Logistically, it's just not so fun. But, the thought of having her home is so exciting!! The problem is we probably won't get much else done at night for the next few weeks because we'll be hovering over her every move and encouraging her for doing the most basic things. I think she'll probably end up wishing she were back in the hospital just to escape our smothering, but whatev. She can cope. We need our Tobi back home.
Anyway, it's all great progress and we couldn't be happier!!
Update on 7-5-10--
Here is a video from yesterday's visit:
Also, she has had a bunch of her medicines reduced so she is a lot more aware of her surroundings. She actually looked at us and recognized us (she was so out of it yesterday that I don't know as she even recognized who she herself was), plus I got a couple of licks out of her too. Oh, and as we were sitting there in the yard of the triage center, she saw some people walking across the way and started doing her deep little growl--it's sooooo Tobi! Normally we're trying to get her to stop growling and barking at every thing and everyone she sees, but it was so welcomed to have her back that we couldn't help but encourage her!
Yesterday, when the surgical tech picked her up to take her back in, she screamed and cried and tried to bite him. Today, she let out some groans and tried to nip at him a little bit, but it was nothing like yesterday. So, maybe tomorrow she will drop the biting part. Lord knows that little girl has some powerful jaws! (I did make some progress on the hand wounds by switching out to these gel-filled bandages that really seem to help. As long as Artis doesn't go crazy sterilizing the wounds, it doesn't hurt too bad.)
Tomorrow we're going to see her early in the morning and we'll try to get her to walk a little more. She may actually be home as early as Tuesday! We're working out the logistics for how this will all work. The current plan is that Tobi will stay full-time at Artis', while Matza and I travel back and forth. Tobi will be in her crate almost 24-hours/day for two months, so we're trying to make sure she doesn't get overly excited and want to get out and play with Matza all the time. Logistically, it's just not so fun. But, the thought of having her home is so exciting!! The problem is we probably won't get much else done at night for the next few weeks because we'll be hovering over her every move and encouraging her for doing the most basic things. I think she'll probably end up wishing she were back in the hospital just to escape our smothering, but whatev. She can cope. We need our Tobi back home.
Anyway, it's all great progress and we couldn't be happier!!
Update on 7-5-10--
Here is a video from yesterday's visit:
Friday, July 2, 2010
The day the nightmare began.
I wish I had something witty or remotely happy to write about, but I don't. Instead, I'll write about yesterday--which is the day the living nightmare began for us.
The day started off normal. I had fallen asleep at Artis', so I was heading home with the girls so I could get ready for work and head back out. I always take a back route to avoid major roads; along this route there's a three-way stop in a nice quiet residential area. I was approaching the stop sign, slowing down and going about 15-20 mph. Tobi and Matza were in their booster seat in the backseat of Klaus, with Matza hanging her head out the window and Tobi doing her usual sit-and-stare thing. I was looking forward when I heard a thump against the side of the car by Tobi & Matza. I looked in the side mirror to make sure they both were OK and all I saw was Matza. Right when I realized Tobi had fallen out of the window, her restraint's buckle broke and she went under the rear wheel. I can't even describe how sickening that feeling was. It all happened so fast but in my head it's like a movie in slow motion. Painfully slow motion at that. In my head I have enough time to slam on the brakes before the buckle broke, run around the car, and get her back in her seat. But, the reality is that it wasn't at all like that or that easy.
I immediately threw the car into park, jumped out, and ran for the back of the car just praying she was still alive. I kept thinking, "Oh please oh please oh please just let it be her leg I ran over." I wouldn't have been excited about a broken-legged Tobi, but if anything had to be ran over it would be the least traumatic & seemingly the easiest to fix. Tobi was laying on the ground, screaming as only Tobi can, with this terrified look in her eyes as I ran towards her. There was a car behind me--a white Mazda--and he had seen it all happen. I picked her up as gently as I could, trying to hold her close to me, but she kept pulling her head back. As she did, she bit down onto my right hand, which had been supporting her head. She was so scared and so hurt & I am just sure she was trying to figure out where all this pain was coming from, so she went after the only thing she could--me. I pulled my hand back and I recall thinking about how amazingly strong her grip was. It felt like all of her teeth had sunken in a good inch on both sides of my hand. I got my hand back and she bit it again right as I did. I kept saying, "Tobi it's going to be OK...ouch! Tobi please don't bite...it'll be OK baby...OUCH! Tobi please stop..." And, as much as it hurt, I was in such shock that I was oblivious to just what damage she had done.
The guy in the white car pulled up and said, "You just ran over your dog. She's really hurt & you need to get her help." Really? I hadn't thought of that. I said, "What part of her went under the wheel? Was it just her leg?" He said, "I don't know but she's really hurt. You hurt her a lot." I said, "You don't know what part of her was ran over?" And with that he drove off. The way he said it was so rude--as if I'd purposely put her under the wheel. He made me feel like the worst human being on earth. I just wanted to know from him what he saw so that I could tell the vet what all got hit the worst. When I'd gotten to her, she was trying to stand up and wasn't putting weight on her right leg. I didn't realize at the time that I'd driven over the top of her entire lower half.
Even though it feels like I had a five minute conversation with the jerk, in reality it was more like 10-15 seconds from the time I jumped out of the car to the time when I had Tobi in the front seat. She was so terrified. I put my hand on her to keep her stable and I floored it from there. My mind was everywhere at that point. I called my boss and left a message to let her know I wouldn't be in. I don't recall what I said, but I do know it had to have sounded ridiculous because I couldn't focus. I then called Artis, who was just leaving the doctor's office after some testing. I said, "Where are you at?" He said, "Getting into an elevator. What's wrong?" I said, "I was driving. And then Tobi fell out and her buckle broke...and I drove over the top of her and she's hurt and scared." I was completely in tears and trying to not totally lose it at that point, but it was so hard not to. I don't even remember driving a stretch of the road, but I remember where I was when I was talking to him because he asked where I was and where I was going. I told him which animal hospital (the closest one I could think of, even though we'd never been there; I just knew she needed help fast) and he said he'd meet me there. I turned on my hazards and drove 70 mph down the street, got to the hospital quickly, and I got Tobi inside. (Matza was still with me too and in the seat.)
I ran in looking all sorts of wonderful--I'd not showered, my hair was standing straight up, my hand was covered in blood, I was in total shock, and Tobi was a mess. They took her from me, got as much info as they could to get going, and then I went and got Matza. I brought her in and held her while they evaluated Tobi. Artis showed up and they brought him to the exam room. As soon as he walked in, Tobi started wagging her little nubby tail (it was docked before I got her and while I wouldn't have done that, I still think it's cute on her). That was the first time I felt like it'd be OK. It was also the last time for quite a while that I felt like it'd be OK. The doctor took Tobi and did a bunch of scans on her, but told me I had to go to Urgent Care to get my hand taken care of. I could've cared less. I said I'd wash the blood off and wrap it in a towel and it'd be fine, but she said that I'd best help Tobi by taking care of myself too.
So, I took Matza home, cleaned myself up, and went to Urgent Care while they got Tobi stabilized. It took forever at Urgent Care. I kept asking how much longer and they said just a few minutes. "Just a few minutes" turned into 45 minutes in which I could've been taking Tobi from the vet to the triage hospital, where they were going to have to do surgery. I texted Artis to see if he'd just write me a prescription for a basic antibiotic so that I didn't have to wait any longer. I figured that's all they'd do since Tobi's up-to-date on her shots, I'm current on my tetanus shot, and the wounds were not that bad. Plus, they don't typically stitch dog bites even if they are bad. Right as Artis wrote back and said he would, Tobi's vet called to see where I was and so I stepped out of the room to talk to her. Of course it was right then that the nurse came to get me. I walked back into the waiting room and the other patients said I'd just been called. I said, "Of course I was. It figures." Fortunately, I didn't lose my place in line and they came back for me. I got in and out quickly, then went over to get Tobi.
I met with the vet for a few more minutes, paid the $450 bill, and got Tobi and her IV so I could take them over to the triage hospital. I had put one of her floor pillow beds in the front seat of Klaus and made a nest for her; the vet's covered her in blankets and pillows to provide more stability and cushioning for her. It basically looked like a giant pile of bedding with a Tobi head sticking out of it. I put my hand over by her and she cuddled against it, licked it a couple of times, and then took a little nap (or tried to) while I drove. It didn't take long to get to the triage center and they were expecting us. So, they had a nurse at the front door to open the door, another nurse with a walkie talkie who paged the triage team when I ran through the door, and five triage team members who came running and got her from me. The receptionist called me over, told me it would be OK, and then had me do some slow breathing with her.
The one thing I must say is that I could not be more impressed with the kindness of all of these professionals through all of this. From the unknown vet's office to the strangers at the triage center, every single person was so kind and helpful.
They assessed Tobi for a while, put me in an exam room to wait, and then eventually came to give me an update. The vet had told me most of what they said, so it wasn't too big of a shock. The fortunate thing is that the vet originally thought her bladder may have gone outside her stomach because they couldn't see it in the initial scan (right before getting in the car, Tobi had peed, so her bladder was empty & that's why it didn't show), but at the triage center they didn't feel that was the case. The problem was that Tobi was too hurt to put the little ultrasound probe against her stomach, so they couldn't tell for sure.
Artis came and sat with me for a while, at which point we had to discuss whether or not to pay the $5-7K they were estimating the surgery would cost (the low estimate had to be paid in full up-front) or if it'd be best for her to be put to sleep. I told him I couldn't and wouldn't decide that. I'd sell my furniture and all that I own before I did that to Tobi. He said we needed to consider her quality of life post-surgery, so I called the surgeon back out and had a talk with him. Artis had to get back to see patients, so he left before the surgeon came back. I asked all that I needed to, they told me she'd most likely make a full recovery, and that was all I needed to know. I paid and then left.
They put her in the ICU shortly after I left because she'd started to go back into shock and her heart rate was dropping. The good thing about her going into the ICU was that visitation was actually easier than if she'd been put in the intermediate care. It was quite bizarre, but whatev. I went home, completely lost it all over again, cuddled with Matza, and then Artis & I had dinner while waiting for visiting hours. The orthopedic surgeon called to give us the final details of what they proposed and it all sounded quite positive.
We went and visited her and it was so tough. I thought it'd make me feel better to see her, but it didn't. Artis couldn't handle seeing her like that and in those conditions, so he had to leave the room and wait in the lobby. I talked with her, petted her, and kept my head close to hers so she'd stay calm. The second I didn't, she'd start to cry. I finally couldn't take it any more myself and so I gave her some love and left.
She remained stable through the night and they were supposed to call me before she went into surgery this afternoon. They never did call, so at 4:30 I called to see what the deal was. They said she'd just come out of surgery and was in recovery. The receptionist said they'd call me soon with details. They still haven't called and it's now 6:30, so I just tried them again. The receptionist said she'd make sure they called me soon. I hope they do.
Last night Artis and I talked about how it felt like a nightmare that you can't seem to wake from. It felt like a surreal nightmare until about noon today. Then reality started to sink in that this is really happening. I hardly slept last night, I've been at the point today where I feel like vomiting when I think about it all, and I could not feel worse about the whole thing. Coming back into the house with Tobi's empty collar, walking Matza by herself, only being greeted by one dog when I got home from work, and not being able to tell Tobi that we're not barking and instead we're just being quiet has made my life feel completely void. Poor Matza gets to put up with me constantly cuddling with her and carrying her everywhere and I know she can't wait for Sister to get home.
Tobi will be in the hospital for at least five days and then mostly immobile and resting for 8 weeks. After that, she can start resuming some normal activities and we should be OK from there. It's just getting to that point that's tough. But, she did survive a Volkswagen going over the top of her and she's only 8 lbs., so I daresay she's a good fighter and will be OK in the long run. It's me that looks to be the long-term mess...
The day started off normal. I had fallen asleep at Artis', so I was heading home with the girls so I could get ready for work and head back out. I always take a back route to avoid major roads; along this route there's a three-way stop in a nice quiet residential area. I was approaching the stop sign, slowing down and going about 15-20 mph. Tobi and Matza were in their booster seat in the backseat of Klaus, with Matza hanging her head out the window and Tobi doing her usual sit-and-stare thing. I was looking forward when I heard a thump against the side of the car by Tobi & Matza. I looked in the side mirror to make sure they both were OK and all I saw was Matza. Right when I realized Tobi had fallen out of the window, her restraint's buckle broke and she went under the rear wheel. I can't even describe how sickening that feeling was. It all happened so fast but in my head it's like a movie in slow motion. Painfully slow motion at that. In my head I have enough time to slam on the brakes before the buckle broke, run around the car, and get her back in her seat. But, the reality is that it wasn't at all like that or that easy.
I immediately threw the car into park, jumped out, and ran for the back of the car just praying she was still alive. I kept thinking, "Oh please oh please oh please just let it be her leg I ran over." I wouldn't have been excited about a broken-legged Tobi, but if anything had to be ran over it would be the least traumatic & seemingly the easiest to fix. Tobi was laying on the ground, screaming as only Tobi can, with this terrified look in her eyes as I ran towards her. There was a car behind me--a white Mazda--and he had seen it all happen. I picked her up as gently as I could, trying to hold her close to me, but she kept pulling her head back. As she did, she bit down onto my right hand, which had been supporting her head. She was so scared and so hurt & I am just sure she was trying to figure out where all this pain was coming from, so she went after the only thing she could--me. I pulled my hand back and I recall thinking about how amazingly strong her grip was. It felt like all of her teeth had sunken in a good inch on both sides of my hand. I got my hand back and she bit it again right as I did. I kept saying, "Tobi it's going to be OK...ouch! Tobi please don't bite...it'll be OK baby...OUCH! Tobi please stop..." And, as much as it hurt, I was in such shock that I was oblivious to just what damage she had done.
The guy in the white car pulled up and said, "You just ran over your dog. She's really hurt & you need to get her help." Really? I hadn't thought of that. I said, "What part of her went under the wheel? Was it just her leg?" He said, "I don't know but she's really hurt. You hurt her a lot." I said, "You don't know what part of her was ran over?" And with that he drove off. The way he said it was so rude--as if I'd purposely put her under the wheel. He made me feel like the worst human being on earth. I just wanted to know from him what he saw so that I could tell the vet what all got hit the worst. When I'd gotten to her, she was trying to stand up and wasn't putting weight on her right leg. I didn't realize at the time that I'd driven over the top of her entire lower half.
Even though it feels like I had a five minute conversation with the jerk, in reality it was more like 10-15 seconds from the time I jumped out of the car to the time when I had Tobi in the front seat. She was so terrified. I put my hand on her to keep her stable and I floored it from there. My mind was everywhere at that point. I called my boss and left a message to let her know I wouldn't be in. I don't recall what I said, but I do know it had to have sounded ridiculous because I couldn't focus. I then called Artis, who was just leaving the doctor's office after some testing. I said, "Where are you at?" He said, "Getting into an elevator. What's wrong?" I said, "I was driving. And then Tobi fell out and her buckle broke...and I drove over the top of her and she's hurt and scared." I was completely in tears and trying to not totally lose it at that point, but it was so hard not to. I don't even remember driving a stretch of the road, but I remember where I was when I was talking to him because he asked where I was and where I was going. I told him which animal hospital (the closest one I could think of, even though we'd never been there; I just knew she needed help fast) and he said he'd meet me there. I turned on my hazards and drove 70 mph down the street, got to the hospital quickly, and I got Tobi inside. (Matza was still with me too and in the seat.)
I ran in looking all sorts of wonderful--I'd not showered, my hair was standing straight up, my hand was covered in blood, I was in total shock, and Tobi was a mess. They took her from me, got as much info as they could to get going, and then I went and got Matza. I brought her in and held her while they evaluated Tobi. Artis showed up and they brought him to the exam room. As soon as he walked in, Tobi started wagging her little nubby tail (it was docked before I got her and while I wouldn't have done that, I still think it's cute on her). That was the first time I felt like it'd be OK. It was also the last time for quite a while that I felt like it'd be OK. The doctor took Tobi and did a bunch of scans on her, but told me I had to go to Urgent Care to get my hand taken care of. I could've cared less. I said I'd wash the blood off and wrap it in a towel and it'd be fine, but she said that I'd best help Tobi by taking care of myself too.
So, I took Matza home, cleaned myself up, and went to Urgent Care while they got Tobi stabilized. It took forever at Urgent Care. I kept asking how much longer and they said just a few minutes. "Just a few minutes" turned into 45 minutes in which I could've been taking Tobi from the vet to the triage hospital, where they were going to have to do surgery. I texted Artis to see if he'd just write me a prescription for a basic antibiotic so that I didn't have to wait any longer. I figured that's all they'd do since Tobi's up-to-date on her shots, I'm current on my tetanus shot, and the wounds were not that bad. Plus, they don't typically stitch dog bites even if they are bad. Right as Artis wrote back and said he would, Tobi's vet called to see where I was and so I stepped out of the room to talk to her. Of course it was right then that the nurse came to get me. I walked back into the waiting room and the other patients said I'd just been called. I said, "Of course I was. It figures." Fortunately, I didn't lose my place in line and they came back for me. I got in and out quickly, then went over to get Tobi.
I met with the vet for a few more minutes, paid the $450 bill, and got Tobi and her IV so I could take them over to the triage hospital. I had put one of her floor pillow beds in the front seat of Klaus and made a nest for her; the vet's covered her in blankets and pillows to provide more stability and cushioning for her. It basically looked like a giant pile of bedding with a Tobi head sticking out of it. I put my hand over by her and she cuddled against it, licked it a couple of times, and then took a little nap (or tried to) while I drove. It didn't take long to get to the triage center and they were expecting us. So, they had a nurse at the front door to open the door, another nurse with a walkie talkie who paged the triage team when I ran through the door, and five triage team members who came running and got her from me. The receptionist called me over, told me it would be OK, and then had me do some slow breathing with her.
The one thing I must say is that I could not be more impressed with the kindness of all of these professionals through all of this. From the unknown vet's office to the strangers at the triage center, every single person was so kind and helpful.
They assessed Tobi for a while, put me in an exam room to wait, and then eventually came to give me an update. The vet had told me most of what they said, so it wasn't too big of a shock. The fortunate thing is that the vet originally thought her bladder may have gone outside her stomach because they couldn't see it in the initial scan (right before getting in the car, Tobi had peed, so her bladder was empty & that's why it didn't show), but at the triage center they didn't feel that was the case. The problem was that Tobi was too hurt to put the little ultrasound probe against her stomach, so they couldn't tell for sure.
Artis came and sat with me for a while, at which point we had to discuss whether or not to pay the $5-7K they were estimating the surgery would cost (the low estimate had to be paid in full up-front) or if it'd be best for her to be put to sleep. I told him I couldn't and wouldn't decide that. I'd sell my furniture and all that I own before I did that to Tobi. He said we needed to consider her quality of life post-surgery, so I called the surgeon back out and had a talk with him. Artis had to get back to see patients, so he left before the surgeon came back. I asked all that I needed to, they told me she'd most likely make a full recovery, and that was all I needed to know. I paid and then left.
They put her in the ICU shortly after I left because she'd started to go back into shock and her heart rate was dropping. The good thing about her going into the ICU was that visitation was actually easier than if she'd been put in the intermediate care. It was quite bizarre, but whatev. I went home, completely lost it all over again, cuddled with Matza, and then Artis & I had dinner while waiting for visiting hours. The orthopedic surgeon called to give us the final details of what they proposed and it all sounded quite positive.
We went and visited her and it was so tough. I thought it'd make me feel better to see her, but it didn't. Artis couldn't handle seeing her like that and in those conditions, so he had to leave the room and wait in the lobby. I talked with her, petted her, and kept my head close to hers so she'd stay calm. The second I didn't, she'd start to cry. I finally couldn't take it any more myself and so I gave her some love and left.
She remained stable through the night and they were supposed to call me before she went into surgery this afternoon. They never did call, so at 4:30 I called to see what the deal was. They said she'd just come out of surgery and was in recovery. The receptionist said they'd call me soon with details. They still haven't called and it's now 6:30, so I just tried them again. The receptionist said she'd make sure they called me soon. I hope they do.
Last night Artis and I talked about how it felt like a nightmare that you can't seem to wake from. It felt like a surreal nightmare until about noon today. Then reality started to sink in that this is really happening. I hardly slept last night, I've been at the point today where I feel like vomiting when I think about it all, and I could not feel worse about the whole thing. Coming back into the house with Tobi's empty collar, walking Matza by herself, only being greeted by one dog when I got home from work, and not being able to tell Tobi that we're not barking and instead we're just being quiet has made my life feel completely void. Poor Matza gets to put up with me constantly cuddling with her and carrying her everywhere and I know she can't wait for Sister to get home.
Tobi will be in the hospital for at least five days and then mostly immobile and resting for 8 weeks. After that, she can start resuming some normal activities and we should be OK from there. It's just getting to that point that's tough. But, she did survive a Volkswagen going over the top of her and she's only 8 lbs., so I daresay she's a good fighter and will be OK in the long run. It's me that looks to be the long-term mess...
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