Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Man, does it ever feel good to be starting to feel normal!
On Tuesday, I baked . . . and baked and baked Christmas cookies. I bought some bags to decorate with paw prints and Christmas decals, and plenty of ribbon to tie everything up with. Tuesday evening I sat down at the computer and picked out some of my favorite pics of Miss Sylvia taken over the past year and arranged them into a sort of collage and printed it out on some nice photo paper. I wrote a letter to Sylvie's oncologist and her staff. On Wednesday morning we packaged everything up, gathered up leftover meds (to donate to other canine cancer patients) and headed to Cincinnati.
We were finally able to coordinate with the staff to meet with them to sort of do a "close-out", since they were not there the day we had to let Sylvia go. (Last year Sylvie had a chemo treatment in mid-December, so I'd baked up a bunch of cookies for the Medvet staff and we dressed Sylvie in her sparkly Christmas outfit for that visit.)
When we received the kind sympathy card from the Medvet staff upon Sylvie's passing, one of the Vet Techs, Raquel, wrote that she would always remember Sylvia and her Christmas outfit. So I included a copy of that photo for Raquel. (hmm – I've tried to post the pic here but can't figure out how to do it!)
Wednesday turned out to be incredibly busy for the folks at Medvet, but the wait was worthwhile for us. When we finally got to talk with Dr. Valerius, she told us that she was treating three osteosarcoma patients right now, and had told them all about Tripawds. This was the one thing I'd really been encouraging them to do, so this made me very happy! Dr. Valerius said that it was very unusual to have so many osteosarcoma patients at the same time and that it was especially hard because of the holiday season.
I hope that they all find this site! In the midst of our sadness that Sylvia is no longer physically with us, we are so happy to celebrate her Sheepdog Spirit as her experiences hopefully guide others to find this wonderful community.
- Karen, Jim, Spirit Sylvie and her earthly siblings Banjo and Charlie
Sweet Silly Sylvie, the Old English Sheepdog
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma 11/04/2010 at almost 7 years of age * Left hind leg amputated 11/09/2010 * Chemo on 12/10, 12/17, 01/10, 01/31
Sweet Sylvie's earthly journey ended on Nov. 3, 2011, one day short of a year since her diagnosis and 6 days short of her one-year ampuversary. Her family celebrates her life as a sheepdog – ever the puppy, ever silly, ever sweet – and are grateful for our 7 years together.
Wow, what a great post! Glad to hear you are recovering.
To post a pic, it has to be uploaded elsewhere on the internet first, I always plopped them in Tate's blog but you can do it from a photo sharing site too. Just copy the url wherever it is, then click the tree icon in the toolbar above your post here. Paste the url into the first box "Image URL" and viola, your picture is embedded here.
http://tate.tripawds.com/
August 16, 2006 to November 28, 2011
TATE ~ Forever in our hearts.
Although I know you will always miss your girl, I'm so happy that you're doing things that make you feel less sad this holiday season. I'm sure your oncologist and staff appreciate your thoughtfulness, as well. Warm wishes to you and your family this holiday season.
Micki and Rio
 |
~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
This is so heart-warming! I'm so glad Sylvie is not too far from you in spirit this Christmas. Hopefully she will send the new patients here.
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.
That's wonderful that Sylvie's journey may help guide others here. Hope they find us. And what a sweet idea to bring cookies and pictures of beautiful Sylvie!
Merry Christmas,
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
It sounds that she is still very close to your heart not very far apart
Merry Christmas!
what a great post. it's so wonderful to celebrate sylvie and her wonderful life by helping others. we too know how tough the holidays can be...job well done you guys!!! we always loved the stories of sylvie and her antics, and will always be grateful that you helped us figure out that our sam is an english shepherd. hugs to the pups.
charon & spirit 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
What a hopeful, beautiful post, thank you for sharing this with everypawdy here. Your experience gives those pawrents who are grieving right now a ray of hope that things WILL get better.
Creative things like crafting, journaling, baking or simply just giving back to others is one of the best ways we know of to help lessen the heavy burden of grief, especially during the holidays. Kudos to you for spreading the love at Sylvie's clinic and letting others know that there is lots of living to do after an osteo diagnosis. I know Sylvie is smiling down on her pack.
Merry Holidays and Hoppy 2012 to y'all!
P.S. Here are instructions about adding photos to your discussion. Hope it helps! If not, just PM me the pic and I'll do it for ya.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Very nice post Karen. And way to keep spreading the word!
It is very difficult to turn grief into something positive, but I think it helps heal in the long run.
I hope your house is filled with happy memories this Holiday Season.
Karen and the pugapalooza
What a pawsome idea! I bet they enjoyed the cookies and the Spirit of Sylvie as well. I know how hard it is the first Christmas without your special furbaby.
Merry Christmas to you!
Jenna & Spirit Chili Dawg
Diagnosed with OSA: 5/2/2011 Ampuversary: 5/11/2011 OSA returned in hip: 8/26/2011
Chili Dawg crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 8/30/2011 & is now pain free. He was my heart dog, and I miss him every day.
What a generous, uplifting way to celebrate Sylvie.
merry Christmas to you and your family.
Carmen, Spirit Catie, and Riley.
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
Thank you Micki, Ge'Lena, Jackie, Charon, Jerry, Karen, Jenna, Carmen and all the others who responded to my post with such kind words! I truly believe that (at least thus far!) my personal Christmas miracle is two-fold:
- We are so grateful and happy that we had Sylvia in our lives for nearly 8 years - with the last one being a huge bonus!
- And I can think about and talk about and write about our silly sheepdog girl and smile instead of cry. Jim and I actually laughed and shared funny memories of Sylvia, Banjo and Charlie from Christmases past as we hung all of their ornaments on the tree.
And Charon - If your Sam turns out to be as wonderful and smart and loving as our English Shepherd Banjo (truth be told, she is my heart dog!) you will definitely be embracing E.S.s forever! They are incredible dogs.
I guess my third miracle is that Jim and I are blessed to have Miss Sylvie's "brother" and "sister" still with us and healthy and happy, to hopefully enjoy for many more years!
Merry Christmas to all of you and your families! May time and the spirit of the season heal all in the Tripawds family who are hurting.
- Karen, Jim, Banjo, Charlie, and of course, Spirit Sylvie the Sweet Silly Sheepdog 
Sweet Silly Sylvie, the Old English Sheepdog
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma 11/04/2010 at almost 7 years of age * Left hind leg amputated 11/09/2010 * Chemo on 12/10, 12/17, 01/10, 01/31
Sweet Sylvie's earthly journey ended on Nov. 3, 2011, one day short of a year since her diagnosis and 6 days short of her one-year ampuversary. Her family celebrates her life as a sheepdog – ever the puppy, ever silly, ever sweet – and are grateful for our 7 years together.
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