Oh hell, this has been a hard week already. Iona is home and sleeping next to me on the couch, but she looks like someone else's dog. One back leg is shaved from the nuclear scan a couple weeks back, and the second was shaved today for the IV. One of her front legs is currently covered with a pink pain patch and I am certain it is bald underneath. But her chest! Oh, it is so hard to look at her, as she is shaved and stitched from chin to chest. I told my dad that she and he look alike now. You would think that she had also had heart surgery, as the incision is so large.
Seriously though, I just don't care. The tumor is out. Gone. No longer in our dog.
I came home tonight with her and I was just exhausted. The Veterinary Specialty Hospital (VSH) is a wonderful place, but it is devastating to spend any amount of time there. In the 45 minutes that I was there tonight I saw a greyhound getting chemo, a dog rushed into triage for eating chocolate and another that was in a car accident. The worst, by all things mentionable, were the two couples that came in to collect the remains of their pets. One woman held it together so well until she saw the doctor. As soon as he came out she burst into tears and simply couldn't stop. I actually had to turn away. As i told my friend Amy, this whole experience has turned me into an emotional retard. Talk about a dog and I will burst into tears. I am lame.
I will post pictures of her when I don't feel as guilty. She looks a tad bionic at the moment. The pathetic drugged up bionic dog.
To all the Cyrano Friends...thanks for your good wishes!
I doubt that Iona will be willing to give up her ride, but she'd be quite pleased for Samu to bike along next to her.
If only we could be sitting in your lovely wine bar right this minute...
I am now officially one of those people. One of those people that buys weird and expensive things for her dog. And no, I am not talking about bling, I am talking transportation. I have long wished that her short legs and bad hips could walk faster and farther. She's a fun and good dog to take on trips, yet her lack of resistance makes it difficult if there is a lot of walking involved. Road trip? She is totally your dog.
While in Hickory last week looking at furniture with my parents, I came upon a discovery. We saw this well-dressed woman pushing what looked like an expensive (although actually quite reasonable) off-road baby stroller. Better than a baby...she was pushing a dog! She rather enthusiastically provided the brand, answered my questions, and told me a bit about their research and decision to choose this model. I was sold. This was the red wagon of my dreams, only better.
The Corgi Carriage arrived on Friday night and I immediately put it together (with quite a bit of assistance from Michael). We took Iona for a short stroll that evening and then really put it to the test over the weekend. I love it! More importantly, so does she. We went on two long and fast walks...through parks, the track, over curbs, and across neighborhoods. She gets to see and smell everything all while laying down. We usually let her out for a couple blocks so she can putz around and get exercise, and she seems all too eager to hop back in her carriage. I get the exercise I need and she gets the companionship and scenery a princess requires.
The family that walks together, stays together. Thanks little red wagon.
I looked around our House today and it felt like the old days again. OK maybe not so bad as that, but it did feel reminiscent. There was a shop vac in our living room, paint cans on our kitchen counters, and random tools scattered around. This means that Michael was BUSY.
We had absolutely no plans this weekend and the weather was stunning, so he decided to sand and stain the mantle. It was a much more tedious task than I imagined, but it looks gorgeous. He was able to match it to the floor and it just centers the room and makes the fireplace look like it belongs. He's also started on the molding that will go around the ceiling and I am so excited to see that up next weekend.
While he worked, I took walks with the dog, went to the market, sat outside and read a lot. I loved, loved, loved the weekend.
My parents unfortunately had to leave on Friday. While that allowed us to get back into our normal swing, it was terribly sad to see them go. We did some neat things while they were here and we were able to celebrate my dad's birthday. As always, they are a lot of fun and we probably drank too much, ate too much, and didn't do nearly enough "productive" things. That said..I miss them.
Per usual, the weather turned stunning the second they drove out of the state. I hope that SOMEONE comes here this year and has nice weather. I don't like that people think we moved to rainy Seattle instead of the sunny South. I swear I got a sunburn this weekend, I swear.
Iona has always been a pretty dog. She hears it all the time, and she believes it. This dog has an ego and makes no apologies about it. When strangers stop and tell her that she's pretty, she is more than willing to pose and smile as long as those compliments keep coming. Stop saying nice things and she is just as likely to bite you as walk away.
She still seems a little shell-shocked with the whole thing, and I am sure she is going to be pissed when she realizes all the fur that is missing. "Bald neck? Check. Bald belly? Check. Bald leg? Check...wait, what the hell happened? I have THREE bald legs? Were you people blind, or just stupid?"
I have to admit that the back legs make me giggle a bit. They were both shaved around the ankles for the IV, so the fur is still intact on her feet and haunches. She looks like she is wearing culottes. I am fairly certain those are currently not in fashion.
At the moment the Pig is sleeping under my desk. I am quite envious because she was up at 2a pacing, 3a to go outside, then again before 5a for her pain meds. I can't be too judgemental because the poor thing definitely needs her beauty rest.
