Awe.... thank you all!!!

Sally and Happy Hannah - definitely I am cooking for her tonight! 🙂 

I guess it's possible that leg was 2 pounds but WOW... I think I reduced her food a tad much too. I get worried about her being chunky on 3 legs! 

Her vet called to let me know that Shelby is being a delight and a perfect angel, running around, happy and NOTHING like the drama queen I had been calling and complaining about! Isn't that how kids always are? Good for everyone else except their parents? Sigh. That girl of mine!!! The best part was that her surgeon seemed really pleased w/how she was hopping around and looks overall. 

Feeling a little bit more at ease even though I do know in about 3 days (just in time for the weekend of course) she will do her 3-day post chemo dragging, not wanting to eat unless hand-fed, and overall lethargicness. But at least I am prepared and used to this and I'll throw some chicken in the crockpot for her! 

And yes, I finally worked a bit on her blog. Shelby has always been one of the most photographed pooches I know so I'll try and get some of her pre-amp cuteness up there. Not that she's not cute now (I tell her daily that I think she's beautiful and how proud I am of her - whether she understands or not is another story) but we do have some seriously cute and fun photos! 

Oh and she's getting a bath this weekend because she is seriously stinky paws right now! Oh and I forgot - the best part of our day together yesterday was when I put her up in my bed w/me for a quick nap - she winced at first so maybe I hurt her where her stitches/wound were (but I really just had her chest against me) but she got cozy and we had a good snuggle like old times!!! Happy day! 

That is so interesting about the leg and cremation. I planned to do that w/Shelby (when she crosses the rainbow bridge) but didn't think about her leg. They are still running some tests on it.

Well Shelby had a big day yesterday for sure. All day at the vet - not at all acting like the psycho mutt she acts at home. They adjusted her last chemo because of the lung mets but she might get one more treatment but either way, she was feeling good. She was shaking so hard though. She's got to be so completely over being at the vet right now. 

And true to form, brought her home, she ate dinner and put herself to bed - in my bathroom. She will now only come out for food. I TRY so hard to let it go and not let it bug me but it makes me sad. Is this her new life? Is she really happy? Can her amp site hurt still at all? I think I patted her booty and she winced so I think I must have touched her where she has some nerves or something. 

But she did walk up and down the stairs for the first time post-amp - on her own. I still carry her though. 🙂 

Trying to focus on our little victories ... 

 

You might be right - she might still be a tad sore on the amp site (reminding myself it is 2 weeks - today!!!). The bathroom seems to be her safe zone where she can be uninterrupted yet still see what I am doing and what's going on (which is nothing since I live alone). I got stuck at home due to traffic today and we snuggled for a bit on the couch - and she did snuggle w/me on my bed. My fear is that she will jump down and hurt herself since  I still don't 100% believe all those other legs are that stable since she kind of wobbles when she walks or first gets up. She looks stiff but perhaps that is because I  am used to the OLD way she used to walk before all this crazyness started.

I know -we did 6 rounds of chemo and she'll go back for a chest X-ray in 3 weeks and perhaps ONE more round of a different kind or just start her maintenance drugs. Still waiting for a definitive diagnosis on the cancer in the leg - but you're 100% right - nothing about this journey has been normal. Even her doctors said that. And they said she's a fighter (which she is).  

I gave her a doggy valium last night just because she seemed a little high strung (due to being at the vet all day). Normally I bring her there and stay w/her so in and out in about 45 min but since she had to have her stitches out, I just had her spend the whole day there and I know she got lots of snuggles and loves! 

Thank you - the stairs are a big step for her!!! She took them like a champ! I still help her when she poos to hold that amp side up but she doesn't really need me to do that anymore. She is also peeing much better now too. Dogs are amazing! 

Here are some photos! 

She was shaking at the vet so I picked her up to calm her down. You can see her pretty tongue hanging out of her mouth! But she knows who her mama is for sure! 

 

Some morning snuggles when I was stuck at home due to traffic. She was peaceful until I had to move her and I guess I touched something that hurt. I am sure her neck and front legs are more sore since they carry more of the weight. I am going to research how to give her some mini-massages. I carry my stress there too! 

Thank you Sally and Happy Hannah! Your enthusiasm always makes me SMILE soooooo big! Yup, we're pretty bonded and she knows me pretty well. Even when I try and be 'strong', I am guessing she is getting some sense of some anxiety I have somewhere internally! 🙂 

Bonnie - that is exactly why I have to laugh about the bathroom - for a dog that hates baths, hates confinement, hates any sort of restrictive behavior, to put herself in the bathroom? It's become a running joke w/my friends so I do try and see the humor after all this because in life, you have to just laugh sometimes! (and drink wine or eat more chocolate). 

 

Shelby is pretty much true to a terrier in that she is very strong-willed and will let me know what she will (and will not) do - thus refusing to leave the bathroom. At least she makes a bit more room for me now. I did close the door earlier a bit to force her out but that made her sad so I figured I'll let her do this on her time. I am glad you can all see the progress but this has been a toughie for me but I do see others where the recovery, even w/stitches out, was longer than just the 2 week rest period!

 

Thank you for the links on the massage. I am going to try and give her a mini chest/upper body/front leg massage later. I suspect that is where she is the most sore. Her remaining hind leg does have some arthritis in it from YEARS of jumping so it doesn't always look straight (which also stresses me out). So tonight will be wine, massage and snuggles! 🙂