Straight from the Tripawds Mouth

Well we just got home and I am so thrilled to have Nova home. We talked in the car and decided that Nova would help me out with this post. So anything you see in italics comes straight from the new "Tripawds" mouth.

Wow, what a long strange trip THAT was! Everything was so unexpected. When we went to Dr. O's office on Monday I saw that it made Mom cry, so I decided that I did not want to go back there. I didn't understand when Mom told me Monday night that we would be going back there the next day. Why would she want to go back to a place that made her sad like that? She kept telling me that Dr. O and the surgeon Dr. Walshaw were very smart people whose whole life was helping dogs like me. I trusted Mom, because I know she always comes through for me. But then why CRY about it? Sometimes I just don't understand people.

On Tuesday morning I was so excited to go for a ride. I had a feeling we were going back to that place because Mom kept touching my leg and crying. She even took my picture. I still hoped that maybe we were going to a cross country meet to see all my friends, but I knew in my heart that was probably not the case.

When we got to the clinic I started to get a little scared. I trust Mom, I really do, but I didn't understand why she would be so sad if what we were doing was supposed to be good for me. She kept telling me that Dr. Walshaw was going to make the pain in my leg go away. If you ask me, that sounded like a pretty good deal. It was just so darn confusing because she was so sad. I licked her tears off her face because I didn't want her to be sad (plus I LOVE the taste of tears, it reminds me of cross country meets when I would make rounds giving kisses to all the sweaty boys on the team).

Mom asked for Dr. Walshaw to come out and talk to her about the surgery. He seemed like a very friendly guy, and he had this very funny sounding voice that made me feel happy. It reminded me of the Geico Gecko on TV. Mom said he sounded that way because he was British. She also whispered in my ear that he was one of the leading oncologic surgeons in North America. Yeah, uh huh, whoo hoo, but is he going to make this awful pain in my leg go away? I wasn't so sure, so I made a run for the door a few times. The nice technician was so friendly she helped me change my mind. Mom looked at me (through tears) and said it was okay to go with the technician. So that's what I did.

In a short time they had me on a table and I was very comfortable and sleepy. Everyone was so friendly and I felt I could trust them. I kept Mom's words in my mind until I drifted off to sleep. A short time later (it seemed like that to me, but it really was much later in the day) I started to see those friendly faces again. They were all saying nice things to me. I felt very warm and cared for, but was so very tired. But I did notice one thing, and that was that the horrible pain in my leg was gone. Ahhhh.... Mom was right! Dr. Walshaw DID take that awful pain away. I wanted to give Dr. Walshaw a big slimy kiss, but I felt a little dizzy after the technician put some more medicine in my catheter. Time for a big long nap!

Early in the morning I woke up and was feeling a lot better. But I was so hungry. I knew that this was a friendly place, so they had to have some food around here. I really felt like a dish of my favorite Cowboy Cookout right now. But they didn't have Cowboy Cookout, so I settled for their canned food. Geesh, you'd think they'd have Cowboy Cookout in a place like this. The people there were very happy to see me eating. They were also all happy to see me sitting up. Everyone was looking at me, like they were expecting me to do something. I couldn't figure out why. I felt a little woozy and that's when I looked down and saw that Dr. Walshaw took more than just the pain in my leg away. He took the whole leg too! Well, whaddaya know! I now had 3 legs where there had once been 4. How interesting!

I really had to pee and the nice people started coming toward me like they were going to try to help me. Please. Like I need help going outside to pee. I may be kind of a doofus, but geeze, I can do this. So I got right up and walked outside. I think they were actually amazed. I don't know what the big deal was. Sure, it was a little strange to hop a little, but when you gotta go, you gotta go, you know? So I did what needed to be done.

I sure was ready to get out of there. All these people were nice but I really didn't know them all that well and I thought that if I stayed there much longer they might decide to take another leg. No way, Jose! I heard Dr. Walshaw talking to the technician, telling her to tell Mom that it was fine to come and take me home. What a relief! I knew the car ride was far, so it was hard to wait for Mom to get there.

I heard her voice when she came in and I couldn't stop my tail. It's always such a wonderful feeling when your people leave you some place and they come back! I was so happy. I could hear them telling Mom what to do with my medicine, and they were setting more appointments for the future. (I am really not too thrilled about coming back here). When I came out to see Mom I was so happy. And so was she! And this time she wasn't crying, she was just hugging me and petting me. Dr. Walshaw and some of the technicians rushed out to meet Mom and tell her what a terrific patient I was. They even made me a bumper sticker out of a bandage and put it on my back that said "#1 Great Dane". Everyone agreed that I was the most loveable Great Dane they had ever met. One technician told Mom that before she met me, she didn't even like Great Danes (yes, it's true, I know it's hard to believe), but that in one night I had won her heart.


Don't you love my #1 Great Dane sticker? (No surprise there)

Getting in the car was a piece of cake

Soon we were on our way and I went truckin' out to the car at full speed. When I got to the van I just jumped right in, no problem. The technician was so surprised and so was Mom. Once I got in the car though I was panting. Geeze, that was a lot of work! Why was I so tired? I guess my body is not used to moving around on 3 legs yet. Oh well, I'm sure I will have that mastered in no time. After a few minutes I decided that standing in the van was not going to be a good way to ride home. Usually I like to stand in the middle so I can see what Mom is doing. But when she would turn corners I would start to lose my balance. This made Mom very scared, and she begged me to lay down and rest.

Okay, Mom, can we go home already?

Relaxing on the car ride (are you SURE you are supposed to be taking pictures while you are driving, Mom?)

When we got home I saw my brother's car and got very excited. Mom opened the van door and I jumped right out and went right for the garage door. Mom's mouth was wide open, but I don't know what she was so surprised about. She was running behind me telling me to wait and let her help me up the stairs. Excuse me, Mom, what do you think I am, stupid? I went right up the 3 stairs into the house. Inside my people brothers Alex and Ben were there to greet me. And my Great Dane sissy Emmy was there too to give me a great big kiss. She sniffed around at my bandage and looked at where my leg used to be. Hey, Em, you got a problem with that? I felt a little self-conscious and thought about making a fat joke about her to ease the tension, but then decided not to. I was just too happy to be home!

"Let's make a deal, Em, you don't make 3-legged jokes, and I won't make fat jokes. Deal?"

First things first, though. I went straight for the back door to go out for a pee. Mom got all worried-like again (give it up, Mom, I can do this, okay?) about the step going out back. Come on Mom, it's ONE step. She acts like I'm a puppy or something. Geesh. I went out into my yard and took a big poop. That felt a little weird scrunching up my back with a IV catheter in it. Then I took a big long pee. Ahhhhhh..... that had to be the best pee ever. Mom stood there laughing that it took so long. Then I went inside and Mom gave me a big bowl of Cowboy Cookout. YUM! I was famished, so I gobbled it right up. Mom was making me a little crazy, she had the camera out and kept taking pictures of me. Geeze, Mom, what's the big deal? She kept following me around like I was famous or something. I know I'm good lookin' and all, but girls really don't like to have their pictures taken when they are feeling under the weather, you know?

WHY in the WORLD do you need a picture of THIS, Mom? (people are so strange sometimes)

Nothin' like a big dish of Cowboy Cookout, mmmmmmmm......!

"Check me out, I've got this Tripawd thing figured out already! Any you guys thought I was just a dumb blonde!"


Well, Mom just stuck a needle in my catheter and now I am feeling verrrryyyyy sleeeeeepppyy. I think I am just going to sprawl out here on my bed in the living room and head off to la-la land for awhile. Mmmmm...... it's so great to be back home........

Mid-Afternoon (Pleasant) Surprise

This afternoon just as I was adding these posts, my phone rang again. I noticed the cancer center's number, and my heart skipped a beat. They were not supposed to call again until this evening. I fretted for a moment that there had been a problem, then realized I was not picking up the phone. I grabbed it just before it went to voicemail.

It was the technician again, and she was laughing. She said that she knew she told me that it wouldn't be until later, but Nova was doing SO WELL that the surgeon said there was no reason why she could not go home this afternoon. REALLY! I am so excited! She continued to laugh and said that when they first got Nova up to pee, she just got right up and WALKED outside. She said dogs usually hop, and Nova just got up to WALK. They said she was very happy and totally ready to come home. Yay! This has totally taken me by surprise. I am so excited! I am going to pack up and start the trip down there right now.

Yay! I get to have my big hunka love home tonight! Stay tuned.......

Day 2 Update - AM

This morning the technician from the cancer center called right when she said they'd call. I was thrilled. She said that Nova was doing GREAT! She is not walking yet, but she is sitting up and eating canned food like a pig. They are going to get her walking today, up and down to pee, etc. They are not going to decide until the end of the day if she is to come home today, so it will most likely be tomorrow morning. Yay!

Day 1 - Late PM Update

(Written on November 11, 2008)

I was out taking Alex to buy his new Varsity jacket and my phone rang with another update on Nova. It was the night technician telling me that Nova was starting to perk up a little and was giving some kisses. The tail even started wagging! Yay! She was not interested in food yet, so they were keeping her on an IV through the night and would try with more food later. The technician said Nova was a total sweetheart (I knew THAT already!)

I am going to have a much better sleep tonight!

Day 1 - PM Update

(Written on November 11, 2008)

I just got a call from the surgeon. He said Nova did great during the surgery, no problems at all. She is out of surgery now and “resting comfortably”. They have her drugged up with morphine for the rest of the day, and tomorrow morning they will start trying to feed her and get her up and walking.

Whew! I know that is just the first step of many, but I am so optimistic.

Lotsa Thinking

(Written on November 11th, 2008)

I did a lot of thinking on the drive home and trying to be positive and thankful for all the blessings in my life. I thought back to a conversation I had last night with my husband Paul. I was so worried he would be upset about the expense, but he could tell quickly that was what I was thinking because I said I just can’t put her down right now, and he said don’t think for a minute that he would ever want to put her down. I was so relieved. He knows how much Nova means to me. I am thankful to have a spouse who understands this. It’s only money, and although we can’t afford to pay for all this in full right now, we can easily pay it off over time (I haven’t carried a balance on my credit card for years, but will have to for awhile now.) I know there are many people in much worse financial situations. Just another thing to be thankful for.

I also thought back to Monday night at the Cross Country banquet. Tammy and I connected after the banquet and she laughed because Nova's tail came up in one of the pictures in the team slide show. I told her that the amputation was the following day and that I was so sad that Nova would not be able to be the cross country mascot dog that fall. The tears were welling up, but she got a big smile on her face and said Nova would definitely attract more attention and love than ever if she continued to go to the meets as a Tripawd. I didn't realize until then that I was assuming that Nova would not be able to go, but when you think about it, of course she can. If she is healthy by the summer I will continue to take her to the park races and team meets.

I think people are much more afraid of amputations than dogs are. Dogs don’t care. If it makes them feel better, they adapt, and get on with life. I wish people were better at doing that. As I remember with Milhouse, our Dalmation, it is so very shocking to have the dog come home with no leg, and you feel absolutely awful the first few times you see them struggle to get up, or lose their balance and fall over. It just rips your heart out. But very quickly you see the difference, and how happy they are and you see it is worth it. We did the amputation with Milhouse knowing it had already spread, and that it was only buying us a few months. With Nova it seems more promising because it hasn’t spread, and the chemo has a good chance of knocking out any microscopic stuff that might be there.

When I got home I spent a lot of time on the www.tripawds.com site. I did a ton of reading and even added a post telling Nova's story and asking a few questions. I had been wanting to search online for a type of harness to put on her to help her in and out of the car and up and down stairs. It was amazing, as soon as I opened the Tripawds site, there was a video promoting and demonstrating a harness made just for that purpose. I ordered one on the spot.

I had to keep myself occupied while I waited for news that she had made it through the surgery safely.

(Gulp) The Big Day

(Written on November 11, 2008)

I had a very hard time sleeping last night. When I woke up in the morning I had a very hard time not looking at Nova's left leg. I kept wanting to hug her and touch the leg that I knew would not be there by the end of the day. I cradled her head as I gave her her glaucoma eyedrops, and whispered words of encouragement in her ear. It was very hard to not break down and cry. On the way out the door I made an impulsive decision to grab my camera and take a "Farewell 4-legged Nova" picture. Probably stupid, but I just did it.

I put Nova's bed in the car so that she would have a comfortable ride. Surgery is always to nerve-wracking, with dogs AND people, because you never know if there will be complications during the surgery and that this might be the last time. I cried for much of the ride down there and had to spend some time pulling myself together in my car before taking her in. Of course, Nova kept licking my face to wipe my tears.

We went in and she instantly recognized the place and made another bee-line for the door. She started whining too. It was heartbreaking. I was able to hold back my tears as I signed all the forms and releases. But she kept tugging at the leash and wanting to leave. I asked to speak with the surgeon and he came right out to talk with me. I was wanting to know how much of the leg they were going to take off, and what it might look like. I was really shocked and dismayed to find out that even though the tumor was way down near her ankle, that they would be taking off the entire left front leg AND the left shoulder. He said that it was the preferred way and a more streamlined look for the dog. He said if anything if left dangling it creates more opportunities for things to get bumped and hurt. I understood, but was still stunned that they would be taking her shoulder.

Soon it was time to say goodbye and I kept hugging her, not wanting to let her go. I whispered some final words of encouragement in her ear and watched the technician walk away with her. I got back to the car and set her collar and the seat and the floodgates opened. There is always this feeling of "will she blame me, or be mad at me?" And "I just paid someone to saw off my dog's LEG, how cruel." I know it is not cruel, but actually the most loving thing I could have done for her. And I know she won't be looking down there thinking "I can't believe you would do this to me." Argghhhh. It is times like these where I wish I was a dog. Then I would not worry, I would just wag my tail and take life as it comes.