Thanks Smore.  I agree just watching her now on the stairs down will be the harder part.  I think until the suture come out we will keep her downstairs in her new pad, but she may surprise me earlier.  I am open to surprises.  I got her one of the harnesses that is highly recommended to help with stairs etc., but I have also read many pawrents' accounts of not needing them for any length of time.  I think she has a great connection with my hubby and I so it is her lead all the way.

This is a great forum, and I look forward to having many questions answered as they come up.

I am sorry I have not posted earlier.  Cin sailed through surgery on the 9th.  I got the call at almost 4 that she was awake and doing wonderfully.  It is great that a good friend's daughter is a vet tech where she had her surgery, so I got pics and extra status reports.  We decided that that night she should be monitored, and because the vet that did the surgery does not have anyone there overnight, we transported her to overnight care.  She did great overnight, we were just worried about pain management .  Then it was back to her regular vet Friday morning.  The emergency vet wanted her observed closely because she was not getting up by herself. I got reports regularly Friday and they had her up and walking outside to potty.  we picked her up Friday evening and she got herself to the car with support of a sling and a towel in the rear.   She got in the backseat and settled in with dad.  You could tell she felt safe there.  We got her home and settled, and tried twice that evening to get to her to go out front to potty, but she would have none of the pottying.  She does love being outside, and laid outside for a bit each time before coming in and settling.  She was drinking well and she had dinner, which is a treat since she normally only eats in the morning, but needed food for meds  Dad slept with her in her bedroom on an inflatable mattress.  at about 4:30 am I got a text that he heard a short whimper and before he could give her water she was up drinking from her bowl.  WOOO HOOOOOO.  So we got up Saturday and tried to get her to potty out front again a couple of times.  We could not let her roam out front because there is a sizable slope on one edge and the street.  Again, she walked around and then wanted to lounge on the grass.  By noon I was getting a little concerned.  I was told by vet tech and vet was not worried.  Bed time Saturday and while she was eating and drinking well but had not peed or anything. 

We get up Sunday and while she was up a couple times in the night drinking, she had not peed or anything.  I told my husband that I thought she did not want us supporting her while she peed.  She had made efforts to get past us at the gate to get to the backyard.  It is a long walk from her room to back door, and on hardwood floors.  My hubby designed a chariot for her to get her to the door.  It is a large blanket topped with a bed, we get her to lay down on the bed and he drags using the blanket to the back door.  The first time we opened the door and she bounded out, down the stoop to her favorite pee spot  I am not sure if she lost footing or just got tired, but she sat down instead of peeing.  Shortly after that she went to her favorite bowl, drank and then jumped her front leg in.  She loves water and wanted to play in it.  She then headed over to her bed and laid down.  She spent 10 minutes and then was ready to go back inside.  The chariot took her back to her room and she took a good nap from all of the exercise.  An hour later we tried again because she was at the gate begging, and she spent an hour outside, mostly lounging on her bed, but she was enjoying herself so much.   She did not pee but was ready to go back in.  My husband went up to take a nap, when she was doing the pee pee dance at the gate.  I have piddle pads down so she could use those and tried to get her to use them, as I did not want to wake by husband, but was not sure I could get her to the back myself, but she was having none of that.  So I put her brother Bonzai in the courtyard and was in the process of securing her sling to walk her to the back, when my husband came down.  Cin wanted nothing to do with the chariot, and with dad holding the sling in case she slipped off she went a fast clip down the hall to the back door, then she was on her own, over to favorite spot and squatted and peed a lake!!  Great cheers went up, and she looked as both like "what I peed all the time."  She was out once before we were going to bed, and had no interest in peeing, but half hour after we were settled, she was doing the pee pee dance and my hubby came and so we could get her outside.  Again, no chariot ride out, but she loves to take one back, but I doubt that will last long as she gets her strength back.  She is one stubborn young lady, although I have known that for some time. 

This morning my hubby left for work, and even though we had taken her out shortly before she left without her doing a thing, she was doing the pee pee dance.  She is such a wonderful girl, she sat and waited for me to get her sling on, and walked at a great clip toward the door.  Although I had the handles, I had no weight and out the door she sprinted, b lined to THE spot and peed another lake.  She lounged a little and then back in. She did let me give her a chariot ride back to her room.   You have to be careful when she passes the stairs, as she wants to go up, but that will have to wait until her staples are out.

We take her in today so they can remove the patch, and then maybe she can come nose to nose with her brother with supervision.  He has been stressed because he can hear her and smell her and he looks for her all over.  He will call to her when he is the courtyard too.

I am so proud of her, and know with certainty that our decision was the right one for her!!

Now that I wrote a book, thanks for the support and all the information, it has made our journey this far so much easier, and will continue to be a great source. 

Thanks benny, I think I know both of my dogs very welll.  I have read about some of the set backs that are not uncommon, but thanks for reminding me.  She is getting plenty of rest and relaxation.  She loves the times she gets out back where she lounges on her bed quite a bit.  She has a private room that she shares with dad at night and has visitors, but not so often that she does not get plenty of sleep.