Good Bye 2012

When I started this blog, it was to get information out there to the people that needed to hear about my experience with my dog having/needing ACL surgery.  I was frustrated because I couldn't find the information myself and hoped I could help just a few more people.  But as I sit here on New Year's Eve, watching the time tick away (and inspired by a few fellow bloggers) I thought I might reflect on this year.  And yes, the big 40 birthday last week has had me reflecting a lot.  

The end of 2011/ beginning of 2012 started on a sad note, with the passing of my sister's mother-in-law, Chris Sullivan.  She battled the nasty "C"word for over a year, but in the end it was God's choice to call her home.  I am grateful that my sister and her family did not watch her suffer very much, and in the end she died peacefully knowing that grandchild #3 was on the way.  The hardest part for me was watching my niece and nephew, who didn't fully understand at all what was going on, try to comprehend that Grandma Chris was not around anymore.   Don't be sad Aunt GiGi, Brianna said to me, Grandma Chris is playing with Baby Jesus now.  (out of the mouths of babes to make it all seem so simple).  

The start of January found us all, yes all, in Disneyworld.  A preplanned vacation, to the Magic Kingdom was in store for us all.  A 7 bedroom house awaited the Groner/Shaffer families.  My mom, my brother, my Aunt Jude, Aunt Jane, Uncle Chuck, cousin Heather, David, Melissa, John, Brianna, Zachary, and Kurt & I ( and dad made it for a day) all went on what can only be described as a barrel of laughs for a week in Orlando.  

I also finished my first half marathon.  John, Melissa (and baby Eric was in her belly), and I got up at the butt crack of dawn to compete in the Disney world Half Marathon.  A wonderful 13.1 mile run through the Magic Kingdom and Epcot before the parks opened.  We finished... that's about all I can say.  Unlike my friend Kenyan Karen, who is fast and runs to win, we were just running to finish.  this also left Uncle David and Uncle Kurt in charge of the children, putting them in the chEAR squad at the finish.  Complete with pom poms and painted faces, they were there at the end to give us big hugs.  A Vacation to remember!!

February brought the addition of this guy to the house: Polar

He was previously living with Melissa & John, and they decided he was a little to rambunctious to be around the new baby that would be coming.  I am not sure Kurt and I ever thought we were going to get rid of him, but we took him thinking we would work with the husky rescue to find a good home for him.  He fit in with the pack here on Treaty Road instantly, and soon won our hearts.  Truth be told, he had my heart the first time I met him in Erie, he reminded me of my Ivan so much it was scary. 

March is when our journey with Diesel and his ACL injury started, you can go back and read my other blogs, in particular the first one, that recaps what an ordeal we had for a few months. 

Work took me many places this year.  New Orleans- twice!! Anyone that knows me will say it is my favorite city to visit.  I love the culture, I love the people, but most of all- I LOVE THE FOOD!!  If you haven't been, you should go, not to party on Bourbon street, but to experience it all.  If you need a tour guide, I would be happy to help, because in the midst of this quaint town, on the mouth of the Mississippi, there are a ton of little restaurants that you won't even know where to begin to try your first meal.  It's not a place you can spend a week of vacation at, but definitely make the trip for a long weekend, you won't regret it. 

Several other trips were to Florida, Las Vegas, Dallas, Toronto and maybe one of my other favorite trips of the year to Seattle.  Yes, we are Seahawks fans and I really was hoping to bring Kurt on this trip and see a football game, but of course, they weren't playing when I was there.  I got to spend some great time with some great friends at a place a little south of the city called Lake Limmerick.  I also got to catch up with some family I haven't seen in many years.  below is me trying paddle boarding for the first time

This year also brought me a second Nephew, Eric John Sullivan joined his brother Zachary and sister Brianna in August.  I got to spend some wonderful time with all the kids in August and last week on my 40th birthday Kurt and I became Eric's god parents.  Speaking of my 40th birthday, my sister and Kurt were able to suprise me with a party when we traveled back to Erie for Christmas and the baptism of Eric.  I thought the party was just for the baptism, but she managed to work in a surprise, having my friends and many of the family there.  It really was awesome.  (Thanks to everyone that had a hand in in and joined in the fun).  My dad even braved the winter snow, having a terrible travel adventure to be there.

This year my travels also took me to Europe for the first time.  I was in Davos, Switzerland and then a few days in Zurich.  I reminded me a lot of Erie, (minus the mountains) because of all the snow, it only didn't snow one of the 12 days I was there.  I also got to spend time with the family of one of the exchange students we had stay with us- Luana.  

2013 will be 10 years since Kurt and I first left Erie.  We left, came back, and left again.  In April of 2003 Kurt left for Puerto Rico, me and the dogs joined him after the wedding of John and Melissa in late June.  While our time there was short lived, actually if you ask me I would tell you it was the worst year of my life, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason.  Had we not begun that journey 10 years ago we would not be where we are today.  There is a whole lot more to the story, some of you know it, some of you may not- so buy me a beer someday and I will fill in the blanks for you.  

If there is one thing this year, has taught me, it is to live every day to its fullest!!  Laugh a lot, love even more and don't waste time.  There were many people this year that I know that passed, or were diagnosed with something real bad, and it has opened my eyes that life is much shorter than we think.  So that's it friends, my reflection on 2012 and bringing in 2013. I hope you all have a joyous New Year, and that the road you travel leads you to happiness everyday.  

The Good and The Bad

Yes readers, it has been a few weeks since I wrote anything.  Nothing new has really happened.  We all survived Thanksgiving in Philadelphia away from our loved ones.  It was very hard, reading about all the turkey and shopping going on.  Thanksgiving has by far always been my favorite holiday, up until about a year ago my whole extended family always got together.  Aunts, great Aunts, Uncles and great Uncles, cousins, grandparents, god parents and anyone else that didn't have a place to go found their way to our house.  It was nothing it cook 3 or 4 turkeys, to play Euchre the night before and drink like crazy, and then wake up for Monkey Tails (yes that is what we call the delicious pull apart bread that became a morning tradition), eat a bunch of food, maybe play more cards all in anticipation for the first store to open for Black Friday shopping.  Everyone asks, why, how can you go out in all that madness. Well let me tell you, there is nothing like it.  We have had a blast, every year, just being together.  So if you are looking for a good time, join us girls some year on black friday, I promise - you won't regret it.

Back to the Big D, his recovery has been going very well, up until about 5 days ago.  He had a 6 week post op visit today, and well there was good news and bad news.  I started to notice the limp, the same limp I noticed last spring before I left for Toronto.  I thought maybe he was stiff from laying around.  We had made it to doing 10 minute walks two times per day, he seemed to be getting stronger.  But there it was, the limp, the toe touching the lameness- only this time it was his left leg.  Yes that's right the other leg, the non operative leg, the "good" leg.  The odds were against us.  I guess it was not a matter of if, but when, only when came way too soon.  After all he is only 6 weeks post op from the first ACL surgery.  That's right, the first because my suspcions were confirmed today by Dr. Dobbins, he has ruptured the ACL in his "other" leg.  That is the bad news... he is going to need the same surgery, all over again and sooner rather than later.  I knew this would be a possibility, all the articles said most dogs rupture the second leg after the first leg.  No one really knows why, is it genetic?  Are certain dogs predisposed or breeds?  Does the over compensation for the surgical side make the "good" leg go bad?  There is no answer, but the fact is out there- 65% of surgeries performed by vets are ACL repairs, 40% of dogs that tear one ACL go on to tear the other.  Odds go up for large and overweight dogs.  (I keep saying ACL, that is the nurse in me- the correct term in dogs is CCL or Cranial Cruciate Ligament, which is the same thing as an ACL in humans)

Those of you that know me, know at this point I am bawling in the vets office.  She wants to wait a few weeks to do surgery on the other side to let his right leg heal.  Good.  but not too long= BAD.  My life, my work schedule for the next few months is crazy, how can will I fit the time in so I can spend time at home with him.  What ever happens, it is another chunk of change from our check book, that really was not anticipated at this time.  Even the vet said, it usually doesn't happen this soon.  I am hoping we can wait it out until mid January when I have at least 3 weeks that I will be home, and maybe win the lottery by then... We go back in 2 weeks to see Dr. Dobbins, and see what she says at that time.  These are the moments I miss my family and friends most, I miss having someone around that could help us out so I didn't have to worry about Kurt home alone while I am traveling, I miss just the support of someone to give me a big hug and say it will be ok.  Life throws you lemons.... I am ready for some Tequila!

A Star in the House

Ok readers, I am going to brag just a bit.  Diesel is a star!!  This picture of him was chosen by MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue www.sibes.com as the cover photo for the 2013 fundraising calendar.  We got Diesel from this husky rescue in August of 2011.  We were looking for looking for a playmate for Rogue, and he immediately fit in the family.  The picture was taken in August of this year, when Meagan Ebersole who is a wonderful photographer (check out her site www.mephotodesign.com) did a charity photo shoot for the Delaware County SPCA and I decided it would be a good idea to try to get a photo of all the dogs.  Why not?  it was for a good cause and Kurt could go with me.  Well let me tell you, even after several Benedryls to all of them, no amount of hot dog treats in the world was going to hold them still.  Meagan having the patience of Job, ended up getting some really great shots, the one above being one of them- and she was gracious enough to let me submit it for the calendar.  Ironically, this is the day we think that Diesel injured his leg for good and we ended up needing to do the surgery.  Either by trying to jump into the car, out of the car, or just trying to pull on the leash to hard while we walked them around waiting our turn for the photo.  You can say I am a proud mommy!!  I will be buying several of these calendars and if you feel like it, you can also buy them, it is a charitable donation for a great cause after all.  They should be available for purchase on the www.sibes.com website soon.  Or let me know....

Diesel is recovering well, everyday he gets stronger.  Somedays it is hard for me to even remember he had surgery.  One day last week, when Kurt and I were busy making dinner, he snuck out of his "apartment" in the closed off living room area, and went right outside to the back yard like there was nothing wrong with him at all.  How he got by both Kurt and I without us noticing... well that is another story.  Luckily the holidays are approaching and I will be home most of this week with him.  However I am in fear of what next week brings.  Tuesday I must leave for Toronto, yes that apartment about the USA, for a week for work.  This is the first time I will be gone since he has had his surgery.  I am hoping that all goes well for Kurt while I am away.  A few prayers to the man upstairs for Kurt would be appreciated. 

I will leave you with a few pictures of Diesel, you can see him walking and standing outside on this beautiful weekend.  I am really anxious to see post operative xrays to see how his leg is healing.  Have a very Happy Thanksgiving all!!

Another Week @ Home

Tomorrow will mark 3 weeks since Diesel had his ACL repair, or TTA Surgery.  As you can tell from this picture he has moved in quite comfortably to his "living room apartment" as we call it.  Him and I, we are enjoying free control of the remote control, one-on-one snuggle time, an easy access to the beer fridge.  We have allowed Polar or Rogue to sleep with us, sometimes one of them, sometimes both of them.  They miss their "big" brother, and it seems good for all of them to have some interaction.

We go for walks 2-3 times per week, just to the end of the block.  The vet says he is allowed 5-10 minutes walks, and week by week we will slowly increase that.  He is getting stronger, that is for sure.  Just trying to hold him back when the neighbors little yappy dogs bark at him, or the squirrel crosses the street takes all my strength.  To watch him walk, you really wouldn't notice anything is wrong (except for the shaved leg), and everyday-he seems to stand a little stronger and put more weight on that leg.  The hard part still, is keeping him quiet.  I have stopped the "doggie valium", the vet suggested that it could be having a reverse effect on him and that is why he was "whigging" out when we left him alone.  So we moved his crate back to his old spot beside Rogue, and he seems quite content.  I guess he missed Rogue, or maybe he feels Rogue is his safety blanket, whatever the reason, I am happy that I don't have to worry about him when I go into the office.  We give him one of the Rimadyl at night, enough to make him comfortable and sleep well, and then I sleep well.  Plus it keeps him from wanting to try to play with the other dogs from inside his compound.

In a few more weeks we will be taking him to the vet for his next follow up, hopefully they will take more xrays so we can see that the bone is healing well.  Until then, we just keep exercising, icing and doing some passive range of motion PT at home.  

And for those of you that are wondering about the other pups, they are not being neglected.  Kurt sleeps with the others, Polar and Rogue have both been to local 5K's recently, and Rogue got to go to a photo shoot :o).  It is hard to keep them all happy, but they are.

Stay Tuned- holiday adventures are sure to be something to write about.  And if I don't get to see some of you, or you aren't on Facebook- Have a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Love from the Huskies and the Huskylovr!

10 weeks to go....

November 7, 2012

Diesel is now 2 weeks post-op, good news is he is healing well.  Bad news is, he is healing well.  Monday I went back into the office, leaving him home, like I have done always in the past since we got him.  Well, he didn't like it, I came home to find several of the wire bars of the crate chewed apart, with a big hole in the front of it.  He even was drugged... hmmm I say to myself- what are we going to do with him for the next two weeks.  Kurt tried his best to fix it, using zip ties and old license plates to cove the hole he created... and this is what I came home to yesterday:

Sorry for the glare, but yep, that is the part that Kurt fixed up, torn apart.  completely destroyed license plates... Pretty impressive , ay?  (That is Canadian by the way)

I wasn't so much concerned about the crate, they can be replaced.  we just need to find one he can chew- which Kurt did. Some industrial strength ones, probably like the ones the vet office has.  But we needed a plan B until the ordered stronger one comes in.  Which we don't have yet....  More concerning was any damage he did to his leg stressing it out all day.  On top of a really crappy election result, I found myself in tears all night worried I have done something wrong to make his leg worse.  So off to the vet I am going today, just to get reassurance that everything is still healing well.  He seems to be walking fine, my head tells me - all is ok- but I can't help but be concerned.  Why can't he just be like this all day?

I knew it was going to be hard, but i had know idea how hard it would be, especially on my heart.  More updates after the vet visit this afternoon. So I am happy to report, the vet says everything seems to be healing just great.  All my worry was for nothing, the swelling is to be expected as he starts to use it more and it starts to heal.  WHEW, but i am glad I took him even just to ease my mind.  

No More Stitches

November 3, 2012:
Diesel's surgery was exactly 11 days ago, today we took him to get his stitches out.  We have had him home with us for almost a week now.  The instructions from the vet, to keep him quiet for the next 8-12 weeks... REALLY?  The first few days home, the pain medications he was on seemed to do the trick.  he was pretty groggy, pretty tired, wasn't interested in being too active.  Somewhere around Wednesday, almost exactly one week after the surgery, he decided he was super dog.  Trying to jump on the couch and the air mattress, and if you have met Diesel (or seen pictures) he is a big boy!!

Giving me the "quit fussing over me" look!

I wasn't quick enough or strong enough to hold him down. So I called the vet, HELP!!  She prescribed me Acepromazine 25mg, basically a "doggie valium".  The directions were 1 pill for sedation at needed, so I gave him one pill.  (they did tell me I may need to adjust how much or little I give him)  Well let me tell you one of these little yellow pills knocked the big guy out, to the point I spent much of Wednesday night waking up off & on to make sure he was still breathing. The other problem with using this was he was so drugged he was loosing control of his back legs, not good for the bad leg for sure.  The past few days I have continued to use the sedative, although I have figured out for the 100# dog, 1/4 of the pill is enough to just keep him calm.  For anyone out there that is reading this for information following your dogs surgery, I suggest start with a low dose and move up if you need to.

I  have quite comfortably moved into the living room, he & I have a nice set up.  I let him sleep on the air mattress with me now, he waits for me to help him get up on it and get down.  We had to go and buy a bunch of cheap area rugs since there are hard wood floors in the living room, baby gates to corral him in the area, and keep his siblings out.

Today was his first post op check with the vet, she was incredibly pleased with how he was doing.  She brought out the plates to show us that were implanted, of course we were interested because it is our jobs!!  This is what they look like.  They are made by a company called Kyon, they make many different surgical implants for veterinary surgery.  I highly suggest that if you are reading this, explore the differences in a TTA Surgery for your dog vs. a TPLO surgery.  I mentioned this before in my last blog, but the big difference in dummed down terms is they do not cut the weight bearing part of the tibia doing the TTA surgery, therefore the dog is able to put weight on his leg almost immediately after the surgery.  There is a lot of information out there, inform yourself and don't let the vet just talk you into a surgery.  Some veterinarians choose or prefer one surgery over the other, don't be afraid to seek out another option.  Sometimes it is just because they were trained to only do the surgery with one of the implants, but trust me- there is a vet out there that can do which ever surgery you choose.

This website is for the manufacturer, but it has some good articles about the implants and surgery outcomes. http://www.kyon.ch/current-products/tibial-tuberosity-advancement-tta/tta-reports

NO MORE STITCHES!!

Today, is a good day-he got his stitches out, we are now allowed to take him for short walks 2-3 times per day, and that will gradually increase.  I have to say, I am amazed at this animal- truly amazed.  Having worked in medicine my whole life, I have never seen such an amazing recovery.  Love you big guy!!

And most of all- No More Cone of Shame

Post Op Day 7

So I thought I would start this blog to record my journey during Diesel's ACL surgery and recovery.  And if I like it, I may just continue.  I started mostly to help those out there like me that have questions, or are searching for answers.  I have been feverishly searching the internet for answers myself, and what if found is that there are lots of information on the technique, lots of pictures of what the veterinarian does, lots of instructions that the vet wants you as a pet owner to hear for the recovery- but no real information.  No real life answers, and so I created the Husky Den...

Rewind to the spring of 2012, I notice my Big Guy- Diesel (he is wearing the red bandana) come in from a Sunday morning run around the yard with this siblings limping.  As a nurse, and having sat in lectures on veterinary surgery I feared the worst, it could only possibly be his ACL.  My husband disagreed, he had never heard of such a thing... so we let it play out a few weeks.  Decided to watch him and see how he progressed.  We gave him supplements- you know the ones; glucosamine, condrotin, MSM and lots of advil.  After about 4 weeks he wasn't getting any better, no worse, but no better.  So we took him to the vet office, by the way our vets office is awesome, and they confirmed what I already suspected, he had ruptured his ACL ( in a dog it actually is called a CCL cranial cruciate ligament) but it basically is the same thing, functioning to hold the knee (stifle it is called in a dog) in a stable position.  We left the the office with answers, the only real treatment they told us was surgery, and $250 poorer.  Dr. Brown ( at Hickory Veterinary Hospital, who by the way are the awsomest animal hospital- from the doctors to the staff) said because he was still walking pretty good on the injured leg, she felt the ligament was probably only partially torn.  So we decided again to wait it out.  You see the only way to fix this problem in a dog is to cut the bone, create a new angle for the tibia, and force the remaining pateller tendon to act as the CCL and stablize the knee.  WHAT?  yep that was my reaction... you want to what? Cut my 1.5yr old dogs leg?  WHAT?  NO THANK YOU!!   I was left with these two images in my head.  

Because they cut the bone and that bone must heal, the dog must be kept quiet for 8-12 weeks post operatively.  I just couldn't bear to do this to him, he would have been stuck inside all summer, no pool, no walks.  And I just wasn't convinced surgery was the what he needed.  Being an OR Nurse, and understanding what these vets were going to do was my downfall ( in other words i knew to much).  And the fact that it was going to cost over $3000, we thought he was doing ok.  He was not a race or competion dog, he didn't seem to be in pain, and was getting around just fine.  Knowing that probably he would need the surgery some day, but not today and not before summer.

During this time I kept researching the procedures that were available, I kept asking questions- not just to veterinarians, but to my Orthopaedic doctor friends, and I began to understand the mechanics and reasoning for the surgery better, but I still wasn't ready to put my baby through this procedure. Fast Forward to September 2012...

At some point in time, and the injury I still don't know.  You see, from what I understand this is the most common injury in dogs.  It is the most common surgery performed by veterinarians, I guess I was lucky, Diesel was dog number 7 in my personal life (these are dogs I personally owned, not all the dogs I knew) and I had never even heard of such a thing.  He must have been just playing in the yard again and it would seem he completely ruptured the CCL (we only found that out after the surgery) and now he was really lame in that leg.  It broke my heart, I felt like a bad mom.  I hated myself for not taking care of him sooner, but then my husband reminded me- he wouldn't have enjoyed the summer.  He could barely go up & down the steps now, and as stoic as he looked- I could tell it was very painful for him.  So we bit the bullet, we scheduled the surgery.

In the weeks leading up to the surgery date, I was sick to my stomach.  I thought of everything that could possibly go wrong (again I knew too much).  The night before I just laid with him, telling him everything would be ok- and Wednesday morning Kurt and I dropped him off at the vet hospital.  I anxiously awaited the phone call..... which came around noon.... Diesel is doing fine, he is waking up, the surgery went well.  I could breathe a sigh of relief now, little did I know the hard part was coming... the recovery.

We specifically scheduled the surgery for a day before I was going to be gone a few days, so we could let him stay at the vet hospital and recover a few days before we brought him home to be bothered by his siblings.  And so we picked him up Sunday, just 4 days ago.  We were given all the instructions to his care at home, medications to give him (an antibiotic and 2 different pain meds) and most importantly he could have no physical activity for the first 8 weeks.  This is what his leg looks like now, robodog....

Sunday- he was pretty groggy still. I spent most of the day just sitting on the floor with him.  Putting ice on his poor bruised leg when I could and just pampering him.  Only taking him outside to go "potty" a few times, because he had to be on a leash at all times.   By Monday we had this Hurricane named Sandy heading our way... And let me tell you- I was not feeling going outside to take him potty with 90mph winds, luckily he was ready to go out around 7:30 pm, and shortly after that we lost our power and the brunt of the storm was upon us.  My hubby picked him up to lay him on the air mattress ( yes I have been camped out in the living room with him since we brought him home) so I wouldn't be so scared.  Still, most of this day Diesel was pretty groggy and didn't act to interested in even trying to be active.  

his bruised incision

By Tuesday am, as we still are without power, the big guy is showing signs of feeling a little better .  He is reacting to his siblings as the pass by the baby gate and check on him.  The one thing the vet did not tell me is he may not be interested in food, so mommy spoiled him by cooking up some hamburger and rice (before we lost power) he is moving around a little bit more, and tries to jump on the couch when I turn my back.  UGH!! and now I start to freak out.  Knowing it is critical that he is kept quiet, I feel I have failed him again by not keeping him crated this whole time so he has not temptation to jump.  My husband tries to reassure me, he has been jumping only using one leg for almost 2 months, he doesn't even realize that leg is better and is not using it, but I am not so convinced.  Again fearing the worst.  At this point he seems perfectly fine, and I fear it is going to be a long 8 weeks, make that 12 weeks, of trying to keep a 95# husky quiet, and two other huskies away from him..... to be continued.

Polar checking on his brother

giving me the "quit fussing over me look"