Roxanne

This has been a really tough week and I can't tell you how excited I am that it is Columbus Day and thus have the day off.  On Tuesday, I came home to let out the girls and fix the fence.  I opened the doggie door, they all ran out, and I heard this awful screaming.  I looked outside and Roxanne could not move her back half.  She was trying to get up and just was crying out in pain.  I knew my vet closed at 6 and I needed to get her in the car.  I got everyone inside, locked the other two away, and quickly discovered that I could not lift 65 pounds of dead weight all the way into my car on my own.  I ran next door to get my neighbor.  She helped me load up Roxanne (in her car) and she drove me to the vet.  I quickly learned that Roxanne either blew a disc or she had suffered a spinal stroke.  (The disc is a much better outcome, so I was praying hard for that.)  The vet called ahead to the emergency room (where Abbie had her knee replacement) and Gena drove us there.  When we arrived, the surgeon was completing a procedure, so the on call vet did an initial exam and was able to give her some drugs to make her more comfortable.  The surgeon finally came in and after his exam, informed me that Roxanne had more than likely suffered a spinal stroke (or FCE).  They were going to do some tests and would be in a few to give me the bill.  (This place prides itself on money up front.)  Without thinking, I told them to do whatever they had to do, but Roxanne had to be OK.  (See, Taris picked out Roxanne...if it was up to me, we would be a one dog household.  With Taris deployed, I just couldn't handle it if she didn't make it.)  The doctor gave me a reality check of what the future might hold and the quality of life issues that would go along with that.  I sent Taris an email to call me.  The vet called that night to let me know that our worst fears were confirmed...a stroke.  Taris finally called at almost midnight and we Skyped about everything that happened.

The next morning, the vet called to let me know that Roxanne was able to move her back right leg and she could go to the bathroom on her own.    She has been home since Wednesday and we have been following the doctors orders to a T.  We do our exercises three times a day, only get out of the kennel to go potty and lay on the floor, and are trying to lose a few pounds (to make it easier for her to carry all of her weight on three limbs).  She has shown some movement in her left leg, but not when walking.  She is a fighter and has come leaps and bounds in just a few days.  They say that after about six weeks, what you have is what you get.  Obviously, we are praying for a full recovery.

I know that some of you might think that she is just a dog, but when you can't seem to have kids, these girls are all that keep me sane when Taris is gone.  They have seen me at my lowest and my highest and I couldn't imagine a life without them.  Hopefully I will have good news about her recovery to share soon.