some walking and some laying down

e took care of carver while I was at work yesterday. they turned out to be sunny and bright.
they headed to daisy field.

carver decided he needed to take a rest when they crossed the jamaicaway. under this tree seemed like a good spot. his resting spaces almost always include a tree or shrub of some kind.
here he is in mid leap to laying.


the sun was bright.


one of the good things about taking more rests is that there is more time for scruff scratches.


they did make it over to the field.
carver ran in the woods, where he finds the soft balls sometimes, with their leather skins peeling.


then, on the way home, another rest. you can see that the light has changed-carver had e out for a long time! all that resting!


but he did have some enthusiasm for getting home for supper.


I was happy to hear that carver had such a nice walk while I was at work.


so it has been another time of adjustment. the good news is that carver has been more mobile the last couple of days-saturday morning we went for a little walk, then e's walk with him yesterday afternoon-although full of rests, they still did cover a good distance. this morning we took carver to the arboretum after we all slept in, and had a wonderful walk near the bamboo and pear trees, and the crab apples. carver only rested twice, and he walked a lot, saying hello to new dog friends and sniffing around.

a big bear yawn in the arboretum.


he looks like he is in a tavern in this one.


we just came back from a quick circle of parkton, and it actually was quick, with no laying down episodes-amazing! something e and I both notice is a bit of stubbornness on carver's part along with whatever else is going on. he seems to be just fine RUNNING to where he wants to go, but suddenly becomes very tired when it is time to switch directions or head home. I do not know how our pond walks are going to fit into this. I will not be able to go unless I have a solid couple of hours and it is not too cold out. thursday is suppose to be in the 60's...

what seems to be a new problem is carver has been falling down a bit lately-it is always when he is excited to go out, or to be climbing somewhere, then loses his footing. e bought some new rugs that we are putting on the wood floors. I feel so bad for that belly. it is awful to see him sprawled out on the floor. he sticks his nails out when it happens, then cannot traction to get himself back up.

It is nice to find myself calm after this long week. it has been a tough one. I cried a lot this week, almost as much as when we first received his diagnosis. I am grateful carver is able to walk more these past few days than he was on thursday. I know I can anticipate more of these resting days, and am trying to make that adjustment, and to enjoy the days where he is feeling more mobile, while not getting attached to either.

carver is now on a full course of tramadol, every 8 hours, or three times a day, which I think is helping.

carver had tramadol at 830 a.m., then at 430. I will probably give him his last pills of the day a little early, to get him on an earlier schedule for the week-not before 1030. he had 1/2 cans of a different health food store food this a.m., and 1/2 can wellness chicken this evening, along with too much kibble, which he threw up, along with the derramaxx. I cant double dose him, so I will try to keep this in mind in case he seems stiff in a couple of days. he pooped at the arb, peeded on both walks, and is sleeping on his bed, despite all the good smells coming from the kitchen.