Day 1685

Dot has turned the corner. We discontinued her Tramadol last night, because it made her so loopy, we couldn't tell if she was getting better or worse. She slept well without the powerful drug, and when she woke up this morning, she was almost back to her old self. Hoping for the best, we fed the dogs their breakfast and took them down the hill to the park for a short walk. All systems were go this time. After eleven long days, Dot finally pooped. I don't think I've been so happy to see a dog poop in a long time.

We've still got a long way to go, but the surgery now appears to be a success. Every day, Dot gets a little stronger. We're starting to mix some dry kibble in with her critical care diet and she's eating it. Today, she walked about 200 yards, instead of yesterday's 50 feet. She doesn't need my assistance when getting up from her dog bed anymore. She's rather do it herself. These are baby steps, but they are important ones.

It's still not wise to leave Dot alone, but Janet and I were able to take turns running errands and got a lot done anyway. We were each even able to go to the gym. I haven't been to the gym for several weeks during this extended dog crisis and my body let me know I was getting rusty. I'll be sore tomorrow, but still not as sore as Dot. She's still got to be uncomfortable from the surgery, but from all appearances, she seems to actually feel better now than the days just before her hospitalization. This tumor must have been bothering her for a long time.

I'm still worried about the pathology report on the tumor that was removed last Tuesday. There's nothing I can do about the results. We'll just learn what Dot's body already knew some time ago. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it. We haven't come this far to give up. As Dot's life slowly returns to normal, I need to make an effort to get my own life back to normal as well. I'm behind on several projects, but I'll get caught up. I'm glad my priorities put the dogs first, but you can only ignore work for so long. There are always bills to pay.

I stocked up on food at Central Market this afternoon, so I won't have to leave the house while Janet is away at work. I can still walk Dash very early in the morning while she's getting dressed. Dash seems to prefer these early walks anyway. Long quiet days with a convalescing dog are actually pretty conducive to website work. Hopefully Dot will continue to improve day-by-day as I sit nearby, writing the code that will eventually pay her vet bills.

Deuce is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day