Thanks for the encouragement.  She ate this morning and let me know when she had to poop.  Unfortunately she has dried poop stuck on her tail - the skin as well as hair (so happy I can talk about poop here!) and she doesn't want me touching back there.  I tried with a warm wet cloth but she tried to run away and I don't want to cause more stress.  I know I need to get it off her skin.  I called my vet and they suggested puppy or baby wipes but I have neither.  I don't want to leave her so I'm going to wait and see how quiet she gets - she had her meds a couple of hours ago (Carprofen and Gabapentin) and is resting now.

The couch isn't going to work for two weeks for sure!  I'm going to bring my mattress downstairs.  Though she eyes the couch - her domain (I've got it blocked off when I'm not on it) she shouldn't try to get on the mattress. 

She let me know she needed to go out and then was so happy to be outside this morning - tail wagging and the weather is really nice now.  I AM so proud of her.  Then she gets tired, poor baby...I know when she's healed she'll try for a bit longer walk.  She has arthritis so we have to be careful.

So glad I found this site!  I know negative energy won't help her so I am trying to just think about what our next stage together will be.  I am worried about leaving her tomorrow, even though there is a pet sitter coming.  

Tracey & Tai

Thanks so much for the hugs and poop icons and everything else It means a lot to be able to talk here.  I should start a blog and can then ramble.

Haha - she is indeed eyeing the mattress, but it would be a small jump for her for so no go until the staples come out and the doc says it's OK.   I managed to clean her tail and now I'm worried because she hasn't pooped today (love little poop icon!).  She is peeing outside no problem and is eating no problem.  Still on her meds so maybe that is the cause.  Hopefully she will poop tomorrow, or even tonight - I have pee pads all over the living room.  She does not sleep in her crate because she leaves her incision alone and is right next to me.

So the crate - sigh - I did have to put her in it (with the e-collar on, just in case) because I went to work.  I had a pet sitter come by to let her out for two hours and that went well, except that Tai was stressed from the crate.  She is not used to being in a crate but I have no other choice right now.   All told today she was probably in the crate about 3 hrs; the next few days will be the same (3-4). 

Even once she is healed, I cannot trust her not to jump on things - I have a living room picture window with a ledge around it and she would stand on that (I used to put an ottoman on it for her to sit on, but will probably get rid of it; can't get rid of the ledge though).  Maybe some kind of indoor fence?  I don't want to crate her and can't afford a pet sitter forever.  She used to come to work with me 2 days per week and I'll keep that up if the doc says it is OK for her travel.  I've downloaded a couple of e-books here and will check for ideas..if anyone wants to share an idea I'm all for it

Thank you thank you so much!!  It's an adjustment for us both to get used to the new normal.

She today

Thanks for the suggestions.  It's overwhelming with so many items out there, I can really go down the rabbit hole reading Amazon reviews on xpens, stairs, etc.  Still not sure what is best.  She has been eyeing the mattress but NO jumping till the staples are out.  I think she is bored - usually after work & supper, there would be playtime but post-op instructions specify nothing but quiet rest & short walks to potty only, no running (playtime means chase the toy and hide & seek) I just tell her it's time to relax.

It was a little rough today.  She was alone in the crate for a few hours and when I got home she was panting heavily and the cone was askew.  My landlord had looked in on her earlier and said she was sitting calmly in the crate but I know her, the longer she is alone, the more nervous she gets.  As she was calming down, I noticed twitching right at the corner of her suture - I called the vet and they thought it was stress since no leakage or swelling.  It has gone away but now my stress level was through the roof because I have to put her in the crate for a few hours tomorrow while I work.  Thankfully Friday the pet sitter comes.  I'm taking a bunch of work home for the weekend too but any time she is alone...ugh...the guilt is tremendous.   I KNOW she will sense if I'm upset so I'm trying not to convey that.  She ate her supper just fine.

Once we get over the hump tomorrow it should be OK..pet sitter Friday then I'm home all weekend...pet sitter Monday and staples out on Tuesday.  I plan on at least having a pen until I can talk to the doctor about allowing her to jump.  She would probably try to jump out of a pen.  I know her, the little stinker.

ETA:  tried to attach a pic that I have on my computer but I don't see the "Attachments" button that is supposed to be here (I clicked "Help" and that's what it says to do)  My pix aren't hosted anywhere so I can't use the "Insert Image" button.

ETAA:  OK, I found the info in the Tech Support area - I will either dig up my old Photobucket account or start a blog here and add pix soon!

We made it through Thursday, whew.  Pet sitter today so she will only be in the crate a couple of hours.

I've ordered an x-pen with a cover which should get here Saturday, which will be a big help; we could sit outside on the porch with it as well. I do want to find or have made a step for her to get to the couch or to look out the window.  I'm concerned about her jumping but will see what the vet thinks on Tuesday.  I'll also talk to him about P/T - there are a couple of places in the area where I could take her for an eval and get ideas on what would be best to do with her at home.   Reading through the e-books has been helpful and I know I have to be careful - for example, when I take her outside and she's moving so quickly, I didn't realize that was more of a momentum/getting used to hopping thing, I just thought she wanted to get going. 

So she woke up early with all the signs of pain today - staring at me, shifting position, etc. No whining or trying to get at her incision though.  The incision still looks good, gave her her meds on schedule, she peed (no poop yet) and ate just fine.  She's resting now.  I suppose it could be itchy, when I called the vet the other day they mentioned that could happen.  What I wouldn't give for a few minutes for her to tell me exactly how she's feeling!  Can't believe her surgery was only a week ago - it feels like it's been a month.

She sleeps on an ortho egg crate bed I had gotten a while back for her arthritis - she never used it much TBH.  My bed is high and she would sleep under there, moving off the ortho bed or mat and just lying on the carpet.  I've been reading up and may try a crib mattress and see if she likes that.

So here's the girl, pre and post surgery