Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
When I first came to tripawds.com back in the fall of '09, I remember someone (I believe it was Emily's mom), wrote a "Bah! Humbug!" post during Christmas. Well, I'm going to write a Bah Humbug post too since so many of us are sharing our first Christmas without our furbaby we lost this past year and now we are having our first Christmas without them.
It is a funny thing about Christmas...it's a time of happiness and joy when everything is going well but then when you have to go through it the first time after losing someone you love, it can be almost torture! You just want it over so you can move out of the short days, cold nights and memories of losses. Maybe if it came in July, it would seem better! At least there would be lots of sunshine!
I was 20 years old when I had to go through my first Christmas feeling sad. My dad died in November so it was an absolute horrible time. Our first big family loss in life. And then the years passed and Christmas didn't seem so bad again. I enjoyed the decorating and the bustle of shopping for many years. But then in 2007, my brother died (my only sibling). I couldn't spoil everyone's fun and didn't want anyone to know how I felt but all I wanted was Christmas to be over. It was a big reminder that I had one less special gift to buy. One less person that should have been there. Grief can be lonely.
When I first read the "Bah! Humbug!" post here on tripawds in 2009, I was thankful someone else felt that way. It was my first Christmas without Rugby. Again...lots of Bah Humbuggery!!!
Well, it's one of those "1st" Christmas' again. Comet is gone and yet my life revolved around her and now it doesn't.
Last Christmas was so much fun because of all of the fun we had here on tripawds with our dogs! It's a wonderful memory! And I know we will have the fun again! It just takes time. But at least this time, I know that so many of us are feeling the same.
I know when we open our hearts up to love someone; especially a furbaby, we are also opening ourselves to hurt down the road. I know it is all worthwhile, but grieving them when they are gone can be so painful.
But I must add, that no matter how Grinchy I feel, I'm grateful for all the wonderful friends and sensational fellowship I have found here on tripawds!
Boo Christmas!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Oh gosh! I'm so bereaved, I added too many spaces in my paragraphs! 
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
I too lost parents young, though am fortunate enough to have my furbaby with me. You are most certainly entitled to a Bah Humbug.
One thing friends did for us the year after my parents died was to institute a "Bad Attitude Christmas Movie Night." You may be surprised to find how many funny/bitter/sarcastic Xmas movies exist. We found it oddly comforting and continue some portion of the tradition now 15 years later.
My favorites:
Albert Finney Scrooge Musical with the song "I hate people" (this is an old one)
The Ref with Dennis Leary (my very favorite)
Diehard - the first one -
Lethal Weapon - the first one
Scrooged
and of course the Grinch
also Bad Santa, though that can be a little too dark.
Try it with a friend instead of freakin' "It's a Wonderful Life". Wine, Popcorn and this list of movies. That is my recommendation. Also chocolate.
I am having my first Christmas without Brindy. She passed in June from osteo...It is hard. I have a picture on my desk of her from last Christmas. She is wearing a "christmas Hat/stocking". 🙂 I went to a church service that was honoring those who have passed and something stuck in my mind...."Do not stand by my grave and weep, for I am not there...I did not die." I cried my eyes out and almost had to leave the church thinking about my girl...
It is true though...they did not "die"...they are in heaven and having the best Christmas ever!
Hugs to everyone...
indeed, this is a different christmas. our first in 15 years without our jane. her little ornament is on the tree, reminding us to remember our blessings.
this has been a tough year, many new challenges, but then, it's also been a wonderful year - we now have sam in our family, gayle is still with us, the kitties are all doing fine, don survived a terrible staph infection with only a dropped foot remaining from his paralysis, my cancer scans show it's not come back, and did i mention gayle is still with us!!!!
so, we say 'begone sadness', we will deal with you another day, but not this day. we say rejoice - we have each other to lean on, and trust me that has made all the difference.
charon & gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
Each year is filled with such a mix of good and not-so-good, isn't it? It's amazing how much happens in 365 days.
Comet, you're so right. I know there are lots of folks here who are having a ruff time this season, and what I want most in the world is for everyone who feels lonely and missing their furbaby to feel loved, and know that they are not alone.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I think maybe a psychotic, schizophrenic outlook is how I am approaching Christmas this year. I did not lose Dakota. I did not lose a canine companion. I did lose my mother-in-law (in my life since 1978) in July, and my husband was "kidnapped by aliens" in the spring and I was on my own with my son for 6 months (hell, hell, hell) while my husband was trying to convince himself he didn't need me.
The annual Thanksgiving trip to my in-laws last month was without my MIL, and that was awful. And the day after we arrived, my father-in-law required emergency heart surgery. So no Thanksgiving for us! What a pisser!
There are moments when I think of how many really sh*tty things happened in my life this year. Then in the next moment I find myself being so grateful that my husband returned to us (contrite, making big changes) and my father-in-law is home and doing well and still alive. My mother-in-law is still gone, but her struggles to live are not ongoing. So like Charon, I have judged this hideous year as a success. I have my family back. My kids are alive and well. My dogs are spoiled and content. I'm healthy. So yeah, it's a success.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
I like the Bad Attitude Christmas movie night idea!!! I think I might do that while I'm putting up the tree!!!! Hahahaha!
 |
~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
PS: This has been a truly hideous year!
|
~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
The Grinch: "Blast this Christmas music. It's joyful and triumphant."
We definitely feel like Grinches this year. We had the tree up, but undecorated when Sammy died Monday and now it just stands there like an evil reminder. Rick favors not decorating it at all. "I don't feel much like Christmas this year," he said.
Part of me doesn't either; but, another part says we should celebrate the many other good things in our lives: two healthy grown children; an aging-but-healthy mom; great siblings, relatives and friends; retirement; a nice home and plenty to eat; and, last but not least, a wonderful golden grand-doggy who also happens to be our Sammy's brother (a relationship straight out of the backwoods).
Who knows what next year will bring?
So, we are trying to put on a good face and wrestle our emotions into shape. For now the sentiments seem hollow, but perhaps by the time Christmas rolls around we can sincerely celebrate the season. We don't need to create any more sad memories.
On the other hand, a round of bitter Christmas movies is very appealing.
Beth
Smilin' Sammy, March 16, 2004 – Dec. 5, 2011
Golden retriever, diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2010 — right front leg amputated November 2010. He fought valiantly to stay with us; but a second diagnosis of osteosarcoma, this time in his left front leg, was more than our golden warrior could overcome. He loved his pack — and everyone else he met.
We loved him even more.
Thanks for the pennies, Sammy. They helped.
I'll write the first verse. Everyone please contribute a verse. (This is the version Andy Williams did not sing.)
If you need help getting started: http://www.stly.....heyear.htm
It's the most hideous time of the year
With commercials all selling
And crazy folks yelling "stick it in your ear!"
It's the most hideous time of the year
It's the crap-crappiest season of all
Aunt Edna gets plastered--or maybe just hammered--
And trips on the lawn
It's the crap-crappiest season of all
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
To Beth and Rick: how about white lights only on the tree, in tribute to sammy, plus bitter Christmas movies (note: many if not all of the movies have feel good moments and are not entirely bitter!)
There'll be couzins a' brawlin
Sistas a yellin'
And presents nobody can afford
There'll be huge piles of cheap crap
and pretty trees killed for wrap
While my dog-hatin' Gramma says "Go! Go! Go!"
Wyatt Ray Dawg . . . The Tripawds Leg-A-Cy Continues!
Read all about my adventures at my Tripawds Blog
♫ It's the most hideous time of the year!
Unless you are a monkeydog, who doesn't have to share eggnog!
And gets all the toys and and doesn't have to share in the joys!
It's the most crap- crappiest season of all!
♫ Ding dong! ♫ Ding dong!
It's crap-crappiest season of all…
The only snow to be found is indoors at the mall
There's too many lights and there's too much "good cheer"
All I want to do is stay home and drink beer
(I'd much prefer wine, but that doesn't rhyme….)
There'll be calories galore
That'll stick to your a$$
There'll be shoppers in hoards
and no drink in my glass
There'll be lights all aglow (cuz it's dark at 3 o'clock)
and rain, 'stead of snow
The talking heads on TV
scream "buy me, buy me…."
Oh it's the moooost hideous time of the year….
|
~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
1 Guest(s)
