Olive is well. I've decided she is the only one in this house who appreciates me. It could be that I am sleep deprived and emotional. But then again, she may be the only one in the house who deserves my efforts. Or perhaps I am not All That I Think I Am (or all that I should be) and the combination of Post- Surgical Dog, First Day of School, and getting Mr. Campus Man ready to leave all in the same week is just too much for me.
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| Olive on her first day home. Notice the shaved leg. The Young Lady says the unshaved part of her leg looks like her socks are falling down. |
I brought Olive home last Tuesday afternoon, with a bag full of drugs and a long list of restrictions. No running, no jumping, no stairs. On leash at all times. She left the hospital wearing The Cone of Shame.
After I loaded her into the car and got myself in and the door shut, my poor, dear, sweet Olive started crying. As if she knew she didn't have to be brave any more. And knew it was safe. And to tell me how awful the whole thing was. I cried with her.
We are those people who allow the dog to sleep with them. To be accurate and honest, I am that person. My Hero....notsomuch. I take great pains to keep Olive on my side of the bed. Anyway, with stairs being restricted and those same stairs between Olive and our bedroom, my plan was to use Tough Love and crate her each night until stairs were back on the menu.
However.
Olive, wearing her XXXL cone, will not fit in the crate. Well, she FITS, she just can't turn around, move, or lie down. And we've invested too much money in The Elbow to risk removing that cone and giving her access to the sutures. Sooo, for the past week, and for one more week, I have been sleeping on an air mattress in the dining room with an 80lb lab wearing a cone. Yes, perhaps I am a little sleep deprived.
The things we do for love.
Twice now, I've emerged from my morning shower to find Olive on our bed! Somehow, she found her way through what I thought was a pretty secure blockade, CLIMBED the stairs and JUMPED on the bed. I now have a baby gate positioned at the foot of the stairs.
The sutures come out on Monday the 26th.
At 9 am.
Hopefully some of her restrictions will be lifted, but even if they are not, the Cone will go when the stitches come out. And that means no more Dining Room, Hello Crate!
On Wednesday morning being slightly distracted, and tired, I nearly forgot the obligatory First Day of School photo. Plus, after 14 years, the bus stop changed. So, much to her mortification, I took a photo of the Young Lady at the bus stop in front of her friends. And then, just because, I took another one as I drove past on my way back home.
I think she will think twice before asking me to drive her to the bus stop.
And, finally, to keep a grip on what threads of sanity remain.... a little knitting.
Chickadee is almost finished. I love this sweater. LOVE. Can't wait to wear it.
Love,
Kim
