INTENSE, but not afraid. 24 hours home. 72 hours as a Tri-pawd.

The patient is resting now on a queen sized mattress with 600 t.c. sheets under a down comforter. Watching some show on Bravo.

Before bringing her home, we got only glowing reports from the Vet staff. Most significantly to me, hearing that they had never seen a old lady amputee do this well and comparing her to a 3 year old pup. Most significantly to Cheddar, she wasn't interesting in her own food, but preferred sharing the nurse's pb&j. They said she had successfully walked within 14 hrs of surgery and was walking up to 50 yards including navigating a small step or two. This gave me more confidence knowing she would be coming home soon and, we would be the ones to help her learn how to walk on 3 legs.

We brought her home yesterday around 4p.m. after a two night stay post surgery. When the nurse brought her in to the waiting room on her shaky 3 feet, I thought her wagging tail might be enough to knock her down, but she made it out to the car, after a quick pee. We really needed the nurses help to figure out how to lift her causing the least amount of pain. Evidently, it was hard for them to figure that one out, too, considering her abdominal incision to remove a large necrotic mass in addition to the removal of her leg. By wrapping one arm in front of her leg and cupping the incision and wrapping the other one behind he back legs, with only a little squeak, we got her into the car and headed home.

SOOOOOO, our kid has a foot long wound from where her shoulder to her chest and another one from he belly button down. YIKES. (I have to sneak to get photos later when she is sleeping, since she is so camera shy.) There is some edema, or fluid, collecting below the cut on her chest and fresh pink bruising.

When she got home in her own bed, it took her a good 2 hours to get comfortable and finally sleep. We rearranged the furniture and got settled in to keep her company for the night. When she woke up 2 hours later, we took her outside to pee. It was exhausting for all of us. She was quite shaky, but got from the bed, to the door, down 3 steps with our help. Following that, she was panting and happy to lay back down.

Being able to manage/eliminate her pain is my priority. I know that she will adjust to her tri-pod status, but I just don't want her to hurt. She still has a morphine patch from the vet and is on antibiotics and other pain meds, too. Still with all of this, last night, she was uncomfortable and would whimper on every exhale. She slept for 2 hours and then would be up for ~3. All I knew to do was to pet , kiss, whisper, and spoon her until I could give her more meds at 6 a.m. D helped me get her out to relieve her self and he headed to work. After that, both she and I got to sleep a little more.

When we woke up, I got a call from the vet to check in and ask for something to help her with this uncomfortability at night. Then, I called our new friend, Darcy. Thank goodness, for our new friends, Darcy and her tri-pod Master Hunter (another Vizsla) Bart. Knowing they have not only been through this but conquered it is HUGE!!! Darcy is full of empathy, encouragement and kindness.

Since then, Cheddar has been resting comfortably on the mattress and I swear she is watching t.v. for the first time ever. Surprisingly she hasn't slept since this morning. One new pill from the vet will rectify that later.