Monday Monday

The start of a new week - here's to a better one than last week.  At least the rain has stopped, and the sun is shining.  But big sighs from Mom - Lightning's incision continues to leak off and on:(  Mom is at her wit's end and dreams of the day this nightmare is over.

Meanwhile Misty and Timber discovered a big box that was delivered last week from Chewy.com.  It wasn't time for our regular delivery, and we already had our October review item delivered. What could it be?

Misty and Timber decided to investigate since Lightning will not go near a big box like that one. But Misty told Timber that they needed to get Mom's help.  So if you look closely, you can see that they dropped their Froggie toy inside to make sure Mom came to help.

Hey, Mom.   Somehow Freddie Froggie hopped into this big box, and we need your human paws to open these flaps so he can hop out AND we can see what is inside.

Thanks, Mom.  Freddie is out now, but what's in the box? Even Lightning wants to know.

Look at that!!! The very nice Ms. Natalie from the ChewyInfluencers Team sent Lightning a care package to make him feel better.  So very kind and thoughtful.

Some of you may have seen Nurse Lamb Chop on our Instagram account yesterday.  

She is lending her paws to helping Mom, Misty, and Timber with Lightning's recovery.

We just know that Lightning is really going to enjoy this peanut butter flavored nylabone - it is huge - once he is out of his cone.  His cone is so big that he can't reach anything on the floor, can't hold a bone or a kong, and can't eat or drink unless Mom takes the dreaded cone off:(

And then there is a very large pet blanket that is reversible (the other side has a very soft fleece material), and it is even big enough for all of us to fit on it at one time.  We don't want to crowd Lightning now, but it really is BIG.  Mom says it is totally washable too.

So how about another update?  Mom is very frustrated with this whole process.  The heavy rain we have had made it no picnic for her and Lightning going in and out for potty time.  And over the weekend his incision started to leak again. Mom says she is pretty sure the cause is the darned cone.  Lightning tries to get at his incision, but the cone is so big now that he can't get to it at all thankfully.  But he still tries, and he licks the area through the plastic.  Mom thinks he may be rubbing the cone against the incision and causing it to be irritated.  It seemed to stop yesterday and this morning.  He had another cold laser treatment at the vet's this morning, and by the time Mom got him home, it was leaking again.  More than likely he hit it on something in the car:(  The vet tech who did the laser treatment said the incision looks pretty good, but she thinks the surgeon may opt to leave the staples in longer after he sees him on Thursday night.  Big sighs from Mom AND Lightning.

Lightning: I am trying to be a good boy.  I have been doing lots and lots of resting, no running, and no wrestling.

And my little brother Timber has my back and tries to remind me to leave that area alone.

And there there is Misty who keeps guard from the front. 

But once in a while, she does need a break and a little nap:)  She would like to ask for a little bit of good thoughts for her too - she is headed to the V.E.T. tomorrow for her annual checkup.  Last year she had a major bad reaction to getting all her vaccinations. So this time the doctor is going to spread them out.  She will also be getting some benadryl as a precaution.

So that's a wrap from me today - I hope my ears go back to normal position once this torture helmet is removed.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Silly Sibe Serene Sunday Selfie

How did he do this???

Happy Serene Selfie Sunday from the Silly Sibe Lightning who won't go in a crate and hates the laundry room, but LOVES to put his head (super-sized lampshade and all) under the coffee table!!!  But if it makes him happy, go for it, Lightning.  Just wait for help when you decide to come out from your hidey space:)

Thankful Thursday

Today we are trying to turn a not so great day into a thankful one as we join Brian's Thankful Thursday blog hop.

As you can see, I am not very excited about my plight.  I had some fluid leaking the past two nights. Last night there was some blood too.  I went to the Vet today for my second cold laser treatment.  The surgeon's assistant was there to check me out.  I had some more bleeding while I was waiting in the lobby for my turn.  I must say that I was thankful for all the wonderful people at my clinic who all love me and give me lots of nice petting.

In this photo you can see my knee.  It looks a lot worse than it is.  The bloody part is just where all my furs are stained.  The nice Melinda lady said my incision is still nicely intact but that I have had some fluid and blood seeping. She says it is probably from when I stand for too long.  Mom and I work very hard together to keep me off my feet as much as possible, but when I smell dinner cooking, I just have to see what is happening.  And so now Mom and I have to figure out a way to let her make dinner and keep me down.  Dad is going to sit with me and see if I will stay down.  And I still cry most of the night, and I do nt always stay lying down.  But Mom says we have to be thankful that my incision is doing well despite the draining.  We are both struggling to get through this ordeal.  Mom hasn't had a good night's sleep since I came home, and I just want things to be back to normal.  Melinda says we just have to get through next week, and then life should improve.

Here is a little video that Mom put together of my first five days of walking.  We think you can see the improvement with each day - slow but it IS there.

So another reason to be thankful - progress is being made.

Lastly I am thankful for all of you for your encouragement and support.

Woos - Lightning

Wondering Wednesday

Misty and Timber:  We are wondering when Lightning can come play with us outside?

Lightning: I am wondering the same thing, but I am also wondering if this lampshade is going to be a permanent part of my body!

Mom:  And I am wondering if this nightmare will ever end.  It is going to be at least another 5-6 or more weeks before Lightning gets to even be outside off leash and then only under supervision, Misty and Timber.  And at least another 8 days before the lampshade comes off, Lightning.  But the good news is that today is the first day we are seeing a decrease in the swelling of his leg.  His body is finally starting to absorb the fluids.  We had some minor serum seeping last night, but the vet said it is OK, just a sign that he needs to take it very easy.  I have also been doing a short video of him daily when he walks so we can see the very slow improvement.  It is amazing to see how far he has come since Saturday, first day post-op.  I will post them later this week.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Zoolatry Tuesday Fun

I will gladly trade my conehead for this getup any day!!!

TIMBER DUCK AND MISTY DUCK

QUACK QUACK WOOS!!!

You can find us having fun at Zoolatry's Boolatry today!

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Mischief Monday

So who was the mischievous one?  You decide.

So here I am earlier this morning hoping Mom would take this lampshade off my head.  In stead Mom took me to the V.E.T. for my first laser treatment and for a quick check of my incision.  It all went very smoothly.  The vet who checked my leg said my incision was looking good, but I still have quite a bit of edema in my leg from the thigh down to my foot.  Mom said that explains why my right leg looks and feels so much bigger than my left one.  It is to be expected and should dissipate within the week.

So where is the mischief?  Well, when we got home, Mom was busy fixing lunch, and I was just innocently lying on the floor next to her (she has me tethered to her with my leash).  She looked down and caught me with my mouth on my leg!!!!  Somehow I figured out a way to manipulate my stupid cone so I could get at my leg.  Something about that laser treatment made me want to check it out.  Well, Mom just about freaked out.  She kept saying, No No No NO NO NO over and over again.  She said I was going to need a longer cone so I couldn't reach my leg.  She called the vet, and they told her to come right over for a bigger one.  Dad wasn't around, and SHE didn't trust ME to be left "home alone".  So off I went back to the vet again!!!

Look at THIS!!!!  This bigger cone is crushing my ears.  I really look foolish now.  I say Mom was the mischievous one, and not ME!!!  Somebody help me, please!!!  I have to look like this for another 10-12 days!!!   And I don't know how I am going to reach my food dish.

From Mom:  Lightning is right, I did freak out - I am not spending $3200 for surgery just to let him do any damage.  It makes me feel sad that he has to wear the cone, but it really is for his own good.  He was able to manage food and water pretty well with the old cone, but I think he may need some help now.  I really don't want to take it off for him to eat if I can help it.  But if that is the only way, then we will do so.

He is doing great during the day.  I am able to keep him leashed to me to be sure he stays off his legs.  Of course, not much work gets done around here.  He only gets confined to the laundry room if no one is here to watch him.  He is still crying at night, but it seemed to be a little more sporadic last night.  When he does have to walk to go outside, he is supposed to walk slowly so he is forced to use the leg, but he just wants to go, go, go.  My arms are developing some good muscle tone as I rein him in:)  But all in all, we are coping. Thanks to all for your encouragement and advice.

Woos - Lightning (and Mom)

Sunday "Selfie"

Call it what you will - selfies, groupie, ussie.

WE ARE FAMILY!!!

Below is a shot of Lightning's incision on day 2 post surgery.  Mom thinks it looks pretty good.  He is walking a bit better today, but he has a long way to go.  There is some swelling in his ankle joint, but Mom thinks it is to be expected at this stage.  She is going to be doing some icing of the leg today.  

The incision is about 4 inches long.  

Lightning is not happy about his confinement to the laundry room at night.  He whimpered all night long, not really that loud, but a very pitiful cry - come let me out, please, Mom.  He has to stay in there rather than being confined to the kitchen because Mom worries more about Timber and Misty bumping him than him doing anything to hurt himself.  And of course, if Mom and Dad are both out of the house, he needs to be in there. So Mom is trying to be firm and make him stay in there in as comfortable a setup as possible.  This is one time we all hope time flies.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber