Month: May 2018

Hi Everyone,

I have not updated my blog lately, and I do apologize, but it has been for good reason! I have been absolutely loving life, and enjoying every second that I haven’t had the time to get my Mommy to type my stories. So much to catch you all up on, so lets get to it…

When we last connected, I was living in the country with my Mommy and Eddy, and I had just gotten my IV taken out. That day I had really started to feel myself, but that was only the beginning. We stayed another night in the country and I enjoyed every second of it. We went on little walks to explore all the local sites and smells, and we played inside with my favourite toys. I never wanted to stop! It was so fun. We woke up the next morning, and I got to snuggle with my pawrents while they tried to sleep in. But, I was far to excited to get to seizing the day.

We ended up packing up and heading back to the city later that morning. However, before we got home, we had to make a quick detour to the Dr. I had to get a blood and urine check to make sure, for one, that my blood levels were good from the chemo, and two, that my urine levels were better after my scare last week. And guess what? I passed with flying colours! So that means, if everything goes smoothly (and I intend it to) no more Dr. appointments for 10 days!!!!

We then took the short drive from the Dr. to home, and I was so excited to sniff all the familiar smells of my local streets. It was really nice to get back to normal. And boy did I feel back to normal. I felt the best I have been feeling in months, since before my injury and my cancer started.

Throughout the week, my pawrents have seen me continue to improve. They have noticed me getting stronger, as my appetite has come back, so I can build my muscle with good nutrition. They have also noticed the cheeky side of me come back too. Sometimes I get carried away and forget I am not supposed to bark loud at them to get their attention, or to not nip at their heels when they aren’t doing what I want them to do. But, hey, whats a boy supposed to do! I feel great and I want to enjoy every minute of it!

And guys… the best thing ever happened this week… I GOT TO PLAY WITH MY BROTHER KODA!!!!!!!!

I haven’t seen Koda in months, MONTHS (seems like years to me). So hearing that he was going to come for a visit made my bum wiggle at full speed. He didn’t come for a long visit, like he used to before, but it was the best time. He barely even noticed that I was missing a leg, can you believe it? He was actually a little frustrated that he couldn’t take me down by that ankle like he could before (being half border collies, that is kinda our play tactic). So I used this to my advantage and had the best time. And the best thing was that I didn’t get too tired from the play. I wasn’t even sore at all the next day, just right back to my normal crazy self.

So that’s my update. I have been loving life, feeling good, and getting to get back to the things I enjoy most in life.

Until next time!

 

Hi Everybody!

I have been missing in action these past few days because my pawrents and I have been attending to my health. As I mentioned last time, the first day after chemo was rough for me. I wasn’t feeling good, and didn’t want to eat or do anything. But, I ended up turning around for the weekend, and was back to my, relatively, normal self. Well, Monday came, and things took a bit of a dip…

I woke up on Monday morning to Mommy being thrilled to see me up lounging on the couch (I hadn’t slept on the couch overnight since before my surgery). When she was waking me up, I had a sudden sensation down below and started liking up some wet dribbles. My mommy was then surprised to see that the other bed I had been sleeping on most of the night had a big wet mark on it. I had peed to bed in the night for the first time since I was a pup. I was a little embarrassed that I couldn’t hold it through the night. I don’t even know what happened.

Thats not all, I didn’t want to eat anything that morning. My Mommy, knowing my appetite had been a bit funny since after my chemo, picked up some meats, yogurt, pumpkin, and other goodies to get me through, as I definitely was not interested in having my kibbies. But, come Monday morning, I didn’t want to eat any of those things. My pawrents ended up putting on quite the fuss of making the food look good, and made it sound interesting enough (definitely not Broadway convincing performances) that I ended up having a few bites of this and that. They even managed to get an anti-nauseant pill into me (they thought I didn’t notice).

After my morning pee and having little nibbles of food, my pawrents were off to work, and my Eddy got me back in one of my t-shirts, and I was in my crate like normal. Mommy was the first home from work later that afternoon, so she came to let me out. When I got up we both realized that my shirt was absolutely soaked in cold pee, and so was my mat in my crate. My Mommy cleaned me up before my Eddy came home.

We then all went down for what I thought was our normal walk, but turned into a car ride to the Dr. Mommy says that I already had an appointment booked this afternoon because she found one staple still left in my incision. But, when the Dr. came in, Mommy also told him about my lack of appetite, and my wetting of the bed (much to my embarrassment). To test out my appetite, my Dr. asked one of the technicians to bring in the “super tasty treats” to take my attention away from getting my staple out. She brought back kangaroo jerky, one of my old favourite treats. But instead of making me drool, like normal, it made me feel yucky, and I turned my nose away at it. My Dr. then knew something more must be happening. So, after I got my last staple out (which was a walk in the park. Didn’t even feel it!), he got my pawrents and I to go out for a pee and bring some back for him to see why I might be wetting the bed. He then sent us home with some canned foods to try and boost my appetite, and told my Mommy he would call her when the results from my pee test came back.

We had only just parked the car when she got a call. I am not sure what all they talked about (because it seemed like forever), but I heard something about my pee having sugar and protein in it. Last I smelt, my pee was just pee, not sugary. Apparently sugar and protein aren’t supposed to be there, so that meant my kidneys weren’t doing there job, and the doctor thinks that may be connected to me not eating and not being able to hold my pee.

That night, I felt terrible… I didn’t want to eat anything. With some convincing my Mommy got me to eat some salmon, but that was all I wanted. I just didn’t feel very good. I kept being unable to hold my pee. I was exhausted. I didn’t want to play. And my pawrents seemed really sad. It was a rough night.

That night I peed in all my beds. I couldn’t hold it together at all. When morning came, I immediately wanted to go outside again. I just couldn’t stop peeing. When I came back inside, I refused everything they tried to make me eat. Not even salmon did the trick.

I then saw my Mommy pack up the food I was refusing in a bag. And, to my surprise, my pawrents, although they were dressed for work, took me with them to the car. I quickly found out that we were headed back to the Dr. When I stepped on the scale, I heard someone say that I had lost 2kg in the past few weeks (thats 1/10th of my body weight!).

So, this time, it wasn’t a short visit to the Dr. I was being dropped off to stay there during the day. I know all of the people who work there, so it wasn’t so bad hanging out with them. They ended up hooking an IV up in me and filling me with some clear liquid.

As the day went on, they walked me, took some blood, took another pee sample, tried to make me eat food, and generally snuggled with me. By the afternoon, they had convinced me to have several nibbles of my food, and I was feeling loads better. I was especially energetic when I heard my pawrents come in. They got to see where I was hanging out all day. One of the super nice ladies that had been snuggling with me that day showed them how to operate the machine (Eddy says its called a pump) that the clear liquid they were putting in me comes out of. They ended up taking that home with us…

…or at least I thought we were going home. Little did I know, they had packed up the car while I was at the Dr., and we were now headed to the country, where my Blair lives, to stay for the week. My Blairs girlfriend let us stay at her house this week, just the three of us. I was so happy to have a yard to play in, and not to have all the stares of strangers in the city stop and talk to my pawrents about me. Especially now that I was hooked up to this IV machine.

The rest of my week has been a combination of being at our new, temporary, country home in the night (playing, getting visits from my Blair, staring at the kitty neighbours, and being hooked up to my IV at night) and going to the Dr.’s office during the day (to stay on the IV, get more tests done, and hang out with the girls who feed and snuggle me), while my pawrents are at work.

Apparently, my tests must have been getting better, because this afternoon I got unhooked from the IV, and don’t have to be on it tonight! Also, as of yesterday afternoon, I am back to eating my kibble! I am so happy to be back to being my normal puppy self, eating and not being hooked up to a machine.

My pawrents say I do have to go back to the Dr. on Saturday for more tests (10 day post chemo CBC, as well as to see how my kidneys are doing). But, for now, I am going to really enjoy my one day of freedom from the Dr.

Until next time!

Love, Hudson.

P.S. Mommy and Eddy got me a Ruffwear harness, and I love it! Helps so much with getting down steps and out of the car easily! Also, I think I look pretty darn handsome.

Hi Everybody!

On Wednesday morning my pack (Mommy, Eddy, and I) gathered all the necessary supplies into the car and went on the, all too familiar, 1.5 hour drive to the Dr. for me to get my first round of Chemotherapy. When we got to the Dr. all of the exam rooms were busy, so we waited out in the front room to await further instructions. While we waited I spotted a new toy I just had to have. My pawrents couldn’t resist giving me what I wanted on a day like today. So I marched over to the receptionist with the toy in my mouth to add to my tab. The lady kindly cut off all the tags and gave it back to me. It is big, and red, and squeaky with a bunch of little tentacles on it. I loved squeaking and shaking it around in the waiting room.

Eventually the time came when an exam room was available, so we all got up and hopped over to the room, me proudly flinging around my new toy. I was playing tug with my Mommy when the Dr. came in to see us. He seemed pretty happy to see how easily I was getting around, and at how well my incision was healing. He seemed so happy, that I couldn’t resist swishing my tail back and forth and smooshing over to him for pats. After a little chat with my pawrents, my Dr. took me back into the back room, away from my Mommy and Eddy. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but I was so focused on finding where all the other puppies and kitties were at that I forgot to be nervous.

After a bunch of pokes, and something that made me feel a little sleepy, and again after something else that made me feel a little less sleepy, and after all my staples were removed, I finally got to see my pawrents again. Seemed like ages (they later told me it felt like forever for them too). But, again, after a quick chat with our Dr. I got to go out into the wonderfully warm sunny spring day to freedom. I was pretty happy for the long car ride home, at this point, as I was really sleepy after the events of the day. When we got home, I continued to sleep most of the night… but somewhere around 9:00pm I got all sorts of energy back. So I convinced my Mommy and Eddy to play with me for a few minutes before we went out for our bedtime walk and finally back for a long sleep.

Then, Thursday came all to quickly… and I didn’t feel so good.

When I woke up on Thursday morning I felt pretty nauseous. Not to the point where I was physically sick, but to the extent that I didn’t want to eat anything. No kibbies, no nothing. I turned my nose away at all my usual favourites. I did, however, really have to go to the bathroom. My Eddy usually takes me for my morning walks during the week, but this morning walk was a little different. I was still with my Eddy, but my belly was super sore this time. I went to the washroom twice, and my Eddy noticed that this wasn’t my usual morning bowel movements. Much to my embarrassment, he told Mommy when he got back, and then she called and told the Dr! The Dr. told my Mommy that I should go see my local Dr. right away to get me checked out.

So, again, I was back to the Dr. But this time it was my usual Dr, who is only a few minutes away. He checked me out, and didn’t see anything that was too scary (no fever or irregular heart rate). However, he did say that it isn’t usual to be this standoffish to food, or have a bad belly, this soon after chemo. To help me out he sent me home with some pills (antibiotics, probiotics, and anti nausients to be used as needed. He also sent me home with some fish oil to put on my food to help fight back against the cancer!).

My Mommy ended up staying home with me that day to monitor me, and also, to try and convince me to eat. She seemed pretty worried about me. I finally ended up eating at 5:00pm, when she made me some rice and beef mixture. Coincidentally, about a minute after I ate that, I had a whole bunch of energy and wanted to play! She then, a little while later, convinced me to have a few of my kibbies mixed in with the rice and beef. I tried to eat around the kibbies, but, on the odd occasion, a kibbie or two got in, and I remembered how much I liked them, so I ate it all. My pawrents were so pleased.

After that little scare, I have pretty much been my normal self these past few days. I have been loving playing with all my toys, as well as going on short walks around the block. I have also loved stopping in at some of my favourite shops to see some of the best people. I have also made sure to keep getting plenty of rest, and water (I cannot seem to get enough of that!).

Until next time!

Love, Hudson.

 

Hi Again!

The last two days have been chalk full of fun, and I thought I would share the highlights!

Yesterday was the first day that both my Mommy and Eddy went into work at the same time since I became a Tripawd. I was not phased at all when they set me up in my crate before they left. My crate has become a comfort to me during my recovery, an old friend of sorts, where I feel completely at peace, and can sleep the day away. So thats exactly what I did, sleep. Before I knew it they were back home and greeting me with smiles, pats and words of love.

We then went on the longest walk I have been on yet on three legs! Mommy heard that digging in the sand can be helpful to my remaining front paw, so we went down to a beach volleyball court (not being used at this time of year) to do some digging. It was a bit of a struggle at first to get the mechanics of digging with one paw, but it was so fun! I did, however, get tired pretty quick. Digging is hard when you are a front-legged Tripawd.

So, after I got tired of digging, we continued on our walk on the boardwalk by the ocean. I loved seeing all the people and puppies that we walked by, as well as chasing any seagulls or pigeons I could see. My pawrents could tell that I was not one for realizing that I don’t quite have the energy I used to, so they made us turn back earlier than I would have wanted to. But, they were right, by the time I got to the bottom of the hill that we have to take back up to our home, I was pooped. My Eddy had to pick me up and carry me all the way up the hill. I swear I almost fell asleep in his arms.

When we got home, Mommy and Eddy showed me a new toy that my Martha and John had gotten for me! It is so cool! It sticks to the floor and makes a funny “pop” sound when I pull it/knock it off the floor. After I played with that for a little while, I realized how tired I was from the afternoon’s fun. So, I quietly tucked myself back into my crate to build my energy back up. Besides my bedtime walk, that was all of my adventures on Monday.

Today was also super enjoyable. Although my pawrents had to go to work again, we spent another fun afternoon together. For our walk we got to go on one of my old favourite walks to a park a few blocks from our home. We used to always do this walk before my surgery, so it was really great to be able to do it again. I got to sniff all the familiar sniffs, and see some of the familiar faces. It was a blast! But, again, like yesterday, I have learned I don’t quite have the energy I used to. So this quick “old favourite” walk of mine takes a bit more out of me than it used to. So I, again, tucked myself into my crate to rest up. Besides a few plays with my new toy and balls, and my bedtime walk, that was it for today.

Tomorrow is another big day for me, says my Mommy and Eddy. They tell me tomorrow I start something called chemotherapy. I am not quite sure what it is, but they tell me that they will be with me tomorrow on this new adventure. I am glad they can be there for me.

Love, Hudson.