a mid week update

carver has been doing very well these days- I feel like I am in this quiet cozy daze of every thing being good and carver doing well and it is beautiful outside-o.k., the irish catholic in me is pretty sure I have just jinxed myself something awful. but really, things are good. carver and I have settled into this nice, intuitive pattern where we either go for a walk or we play ball in the yard-basically I just do whatever he seems to feel like doing in the moment. he has been playful and cozy and always wanting to be close. he sleeps in our bedroom again on most nights, howls some mornings when I leave for work, and is by my side the whole time I am home. and I am most most days by 3, so we have a lot of time to hang out together. it is a wonderful time. I feel like this is the first time I have not been completely stressed since carvers diagnosis, and it feels glorious. j just left after giving carver acupuncture, and he is sleeping on his bed at my feet. I have been noticing his hind legs seem weaker, but it hasn't really had too big of an effect on his mobility yet, so that is a blessing. he just has a hard time sitting down. j thought it was probably his back knees.

next up-posting one million beautiful pics of carver that e took over the weekend on a walk in the arboretum.

carver on his 4 month anniversary

today is carver's 4 month anniversary

of his amputation. a strange date to celebrate, I admit. even this morning I was looking at where the leg had been, remembering his long back stretches he used to do upon rising. he does a shorter, modified one, but it does not look as satisfying. it is a very significant day, though. the prognosis for a dog with bone cancer who has an amputation but no chemotherapy is 3-4 months. 3-4 months-we have beaten the odds! Back in January, when we received his awful diagnosis and was told he had a week to two to live, I never would have imagined we would still all be together on this glorious spring day. every day has been a blessing, but I would like to say that today is a little extra special, knowing we really have been given a gift with carver doing as well as he has been. it was a slow day in terms of walking. this morning was rainy and cold, and carver didn't want to get off the couch. then the clouds burned off, only to reveal a burning hot sun-too hot this time. we are waiting for just right. carver and I walked up to the store, and we rested A LOT on the way home. e returned from teaching and picked us up on ashcroft street. He is always so excited to see her, and he leaped up and ran to the car as soon she puled up. now, after lunch and a couple of tramadol carver is asleep at my feet, one paw resting on my ankle. sweet pup.

a walk of surprises

I forgot to give carver his derramaxx last night, so I was not surprised when he didn't want to go for a walk this morning. to be honest, I didn't push it-another early morning breakfast at work, another crazy day. but when I arrived home, carver was excited to go out. I have had a rough week, working a ton, and have been feeling run down, so I wanted to keep it to a short walk. we headed to the field where the Kelley rink used to be, in front of the paths to wards. carver was in full territory marking mode. once again he led me to the paths towards ward's. there are two paths that run parallel to each other, one hugging a stream that connects wards to willow pond. when we turned to walk on the outer path, to head back home, carver made a bee line to the stream, walking along with his paws in the water, like he always used to do. I walked down through the thicket to stay close to him, trying to stay out of the mud. mid stream, what did carver do but decide to lay down! in the stream! I sat close to him, and watched the cool water drift over his hips and legs. it looked good, cooling. dogs are amazing in their instinct to care for themselves. I know carver just loved the water, but I can't help but wonder how good it must have felt on his sore joints. I wanted to join him. we saw chipmunks on the walk running in the dead leaves, lily of the valley just opening its tiny white bells. the dandelions on the field are in full puff. we both were covered in inch worms. it took us a while to get back home, partially thanks to a baseball carver found and was very playful with. but his hips look sore, and he needed lots of resting to get back home. I was happy to arrive, help carver onto the porch and get him his supper. e is going to a play tonight and I have a surprise night off, so it is pizza and tv for c and I, and an early bedtime for us both.

read this book!!

I am about half way through this book, and I love it. Dr. Trout is a surgeon at Angell Memorial, the animal hospital up the street from my house. It is a wonderful look at animal health care, from the view of a veterinarian. This is a must read for anyone who has spent a good amount of time at the vet's office. Dr. Trout has a great sense of humor and tells stories with honesty and compassion. I could see many aspects of myself in the stories of the animal's owners and can recognize many aspects of the million vets carver has seen over the years as well. I appreciate Dr. Trout writing about veterinary training and interns, as I have had many bad experiences with young vets and it is the reason why I no longer use Angell Memorial, a teaching hospital. If I could be guaranteed Dr. Trout, maybe I would change my mind! At the heart of this book is the dog stories-inspiring, heart breaking and true. Dr. Trout takes a clear and funny look at the whole pet care industry from the inside-from what the vet is thinking about your big manila folder of internet research to the expense of it all- illuminating!

here is a link to an interview with Dr. Trout with Terry Gross on Fresh Air

after a couple of very spunky days

carver slowed down this afternoon on his walk-back to resting and taking our time. It feels a little like the movie awakenings. I could not help but feel a little disappointed that he was not magically cured for good. and of course, there are the questions-is it because its sunny?, because it is 60 F, not 50? was it because I had to take him on a short walk this morning so I could get to work in time to make muffins for a 7 a.m. breakfast? still, I should not complain, it was a fine walk. blue sky, lots of birds, we laid down in the tall grass, watching people jog by. but still..

I should have known it would be a good walk

when carver walked himself down the stairs while I was checking the mail. I was shocked! I always help him down. We headed down to the field for a short walk, but carver was full of energy and headed down the path to ward's pond. we have not been to wards in a long time-carver has not had the energy, and always saves it for going to the jamaica pond. a part of me had resigned myself to not being able to go down to wards, but it is my favorite walk. carver lead me right to the entrance, and down the path. there are a couple of oppertunities to branch off for a shorter walk, but when ever I suggested it carver pressed on. once we turned the bend, carver turned and went right into the thicket and headed straight for the flooded stream that feeds the pond. I made my way through the brush to find carver knee deep in mud, lapping at the water around him. I helped him out of the mud, but not before he slipped and fell face first into the thick black muck. we walked to the pond proper so carver could drink and clean off his feet. the whole walk was wonderful. he was so full of energy and cheer. we rested here and there, but he always jumped up ready for more. there were dogs to visit and we saw a beautiful red winged black bird. the walk home was fun, carver still playful and feeling good. he even came back outside with me to sniff around the yard while I took out the recycling. a big cookie for him, and then some supper. what an amazing gift, how wonderful to see carver so happy and full of life and curiosity. my heart is full from the day.