Day 1711

I had a nice breakfast this morning at my favorite restaurant and picked up some groceries for the weekend on the way home. I wasn't gone long, but by the time I got home, Dot had already peed on the floor. I try to convince myself that we're making progress, but I'm probably just being hopeful. Some days it actually seems like Dot's incontinence is getting worse. We'll give it two more weeks, but if things don't start improving by then, we'll probably have to resort to some sort of medication. Should we try Proin or Incurin? I just don't know at this point.

Since I wasn't all that busy, I decided to get a haircut this afternoon. Usually when I go to the mall, I feel compelled to visit the Apple Store or maybe buy a new pair of jeans. Today, no store called out to me. I ignored them all. I even walked right by the Apple Store without being tempted by something in the window. This is almost unheard of for me. The combination of huge vet bills, diminishing client needs, and general lethargy have put an end to my acquisitive tendencies. I don't need new gear for work anymore and I don't seem to desire new gear for pleasure. Maybe this is a good thing, but it feels strange. Cars, technology, gadgets, and tools have defined me for so long that it's weird not to crave these things anymore.

I can't figure out why Dot seems so strong and active in the morning and so weak and tired in the afternoon. She is eager to do all the things she used to do, but seems to use up her day's allotment of energy on her morning walk. Maybe it's just old age, but maybe it's something else. I wish there was a clear explanation for all the changes that have happened since her surgery. She seems happier and much more comfortable since the tumor was removed, but she also seems older and tires very easily. Dot is not going to get any younger, but I still hope she is able to make a full recovery. After we've come this far, it would be a shame if she wasn't able to enjoy all the benefits of being cancer-free. She deserves to be able to run again and sleep all night without waking up in a puddle of pee.

I have an appointment at the Land Rover dealer tomorrow morning to get my car safety inspected for another year. It's hard to believe that it has already been a year since I traded the Defender for something newer. The new car isn't really new anymore, especially after a "happy tail" episode with Dash on the way home from the vet where he shook his tail really vigorously and sprayed a fine mist of tiny blood droplets all over the headliner.

It's almost time to waterproof the bed for the night again. I'm a little disappointed that Dot isn't back to normal yet, but she's doing the best she can. It's up to us to do the best we can as well.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 1684

Dot passed another milestone today. We took her back to the cancer center this morning, where they removed her surgical bandages and examined her incision to make sure it was healing properly. There was no leakage or infection at the incision site and the doctors were pleased with her progress. Now all we've got to do is get her to poop. We've already passed the initial deadline when her gut was supposed to start working again, but the doctors still tell us not to worry. They say that some dogs take five or six days after surgery before the intestines start working normally again. Hmm. Unless I'm doing the math wrong, it's already been five days. Dot did lose a lot of weight during her week on IV fluids. Probably a lot of the special low fiber food she's eating now is just being absorbed to help rebuild her body.

Dot's appetite is pretty good now, but we don't want to feed her too much until she starts eliminating what she's eating. After all we've been through so far, we definitely don't need a blockage. A week without eating can change a lot of things. Dot's rear legs have been weak for quite a while. That's why she's been using the underwater treadmill for physical therapy. Since she lost five pounds during hospitalization, her muscle tone isn't as good as it should be, and her legs are shaky again. She definitely can't take the long walks in the park that usually inspire her to poop. I know she'd like to eat more now, but until food starts passing through her system, it could be dangerous.

To complicate things further, the Tramadol she has to take for pain often causes constipation. We've got a dog that isn't pooping, but pees when she sleeps, since some of the many drugs she's taking impair bladder control. I'm convinced that all this is temporary and am still hopeful. Dot appears to be a little stronger with each passing day. We did go out and buy some waterproof crib pads at a baby store for her to sleep on though. She still likes to sleep on the bed and I'd hate to ruin the mattress. Needless to say, we're doing a lot of laundry.

Our cooler than normal Summer appears to be over. It got up to 103 today. The brutal heat is hard on Dot. She likes spending time outdoors, but not in this kind of weather. None of us like this kind of weather. When it got a bit cooler after dinner, we tried taking Dot and Dash on a very short walk in the park, thinking the familiar smells might put Dot in the mood. It didn't work. Dot was too tired and we returned home after a walk of only 50 feet.

Despite my disdain for Walmart, I got a prescription filled there today. My doctor told me that the drug, which is not typically covered by insurance, would be cheaper at Walmart. I didn't expect that it would be twice as cheap. It really makes you wonder what is going on in the world of medicine when the cost of a drug can vary by 100%, just depending on where you buy it.

Against my better judgement, I made a short social media comment supporting a good friend's position on Israel. Almost immediately, I was chastised by another friend all the way over in Norway for not supporting the Palestinians. I usually don't talk about politics on social media and this is why. The world has become so polarized that it is almost impossible to talk about anything without starting a flame war. I still prefer to talk about dogs. Everybody loves dogs.

Smokey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day