Cocoa's Journey

Okay so I got a bad case of the itchies yesterday and chewed into the stitches. Well I didn’t see what the big deal was and I was leaking drainage so I was cleaning it up. … but Mom got really irritated! She put an ace bandage on me and I pulled that off. Then she taped it on me and I managed to get that off by this morning when she was in the shower.  Then she used the athletic tape on me… That I couldn’t chew off and I itched! So she drug me (or well I drug her, even with my three legs how can she just NOT keep up?) to the doctors office again. The Doctor bandaged my stump if he didn’t re-stitch it.  He told mom I  had “Only” chewed out half of my stitches and the hole wasn’t that big.  Mom flipped out at dad later saying “Dude it was the size of a half dollar, if it’s that big and I can see inside it, it’s not a little hole.”

Good news is it’s draining in a good way, not puss or anything, so I’m healing good. Doc was very surprised by how well I am doing compared to what I looked like right before the amputation surgery. Mom forgot to put the baby gate on the stairs (SCORE!) and she apparently decided to nap so I decided to nap with her. So a tripawd or not, stairs still don’t phase me!

I made Daddy Happy though. He came home from work and decided to knock instead of just opening the door. I wasn’t sure it was him and I sure wasn’t just gonna let anyone in! He said I was a vicious killer… But… I didn’t kill anything I just yelled at him.

Hello fellow Tripawds. Some of this Was in the first blurb.

Right now I’m ensconced in the overstuffed chair that has been mine for years. I prefer it over the floor no matter what I’m SUPPOSED to be on. I’ve been out a few times today. Not many. Mommy got me to eat a little beef and cheese. I drank some water too. My stitches were a bit over worked from making my way though the house and I bled a little bit. The Vet told mommy it was to be expected. They called her this afternoon and boy did she feel awful! She completely forgot to call them in the craziness that is my stubborn attitude toward things. I know stuff will have to change but I liked it the way it was. Balancing and using the stairs is hard but I won’t let anyone help me. I’m doing it myself.

My Tripawd journey started this past Monday July, 1st when I started having a little swollen spot on my left wrist.  By the 4th my leg was swollen to the elbow. Mommy took me to the doctor as soon as they were open Thursday morning since Wednesday was a holiday. They didn’t have any appointments until 3 pm so my mommy brought me back at 2:30 that afternoon. The nice lady there said that it looked like I had maybe a spider bite so she bandaged my leg and gave me some medicine.

I really wasn’t feeling good and I was panting as if I had stayed outside in our yard during the day. (We were in the middle of a heat wave and it was 108 degrees in the shade! In Indiana!) Mommy had only had me out for a short time to potty so she knew something wasn’t right. She called the vet and they took me in right away. Well unfortunately they said I needed x-rays so we had to make several car trips. A few hours later back at the nice Vets office while I rested on the floor they told my Mommy that I had what looked like a blood borne infection in my leg. They gave me different medicine which only made me sick to my stomach. I’m afraid I made a bit of a mess of the living room and the kitchen. Not to mention a pair of Mom’s shoes.

Mommy took me back and the vet decided to give me 24 hours and said that we would probably have to amputate. Mommy was crying and I really didn’t understand why. By the next day when I went back to the vet they couldn’t believe the change in me. In less than one week I had lost weight, I wasn’t eating and I was sick everywhere. They decided it would be best to amputate right away. They weren’t sure I would make it through but the vet was certian if they didn’t I wouldn’t be here by the next day!

I was so scared! Mommy and Daddy didn’t leave my side until the very end and they were there when I woke up. I’m not sure what this whole Tripawd thing is about, I’m still a little scared but Mommy keeps telling me I am a brave dog. The doctor is sending my leg to be tested for cancer as well as anything they can find. He found dead tissue in my elbow. I didn’t know Tissues were alive! I think I’ll leave Mommy’s alone from now on. Maybe that’s where the noise comes from when she puts them up to her nose? I don’t understand that at all. The doc said he had never seen anything like this. Mommy agreed that it sure would be just like her family to end up with something rare and off the beaten path. Why would you beat a path? Was it beyond bad? Mommy assured the doctor she wouldn’t beat me if I went in the house by accident. I don’t think he truly believed her. The one time I did piddle by the door Mommy was so upset! She kept hugging me and saying she was sorry. I didn’t understand back then, and I still don’t. She didn’t piddle on the floor. She piddles on the weird chair in the room with the sink. So, well, why was she sorry? Anyway I’m getting too chatty. She hopes to put pictures of before my surgery, as well as after and during my recovery to come. I know she and daddy took several today and sent them back and forth while each one was at work.

When my little sister was brought in to see me she had some trouble understanding what happened to my leg. She asked mommy where my “Bandit” was and if my owie was better. Mommy sat her on her lap and said that my owie made me very sick and the doggie doctor had to take my leg away to make me better. Silly sister said we’d have to find me a new leg then told Daddy at bed time that I needed a pink one. Like a dog my age (I am seven after all) needs a pink leg! No thank you. I will get by without a silly idea like that. I even snorted when she said they’d find me a new one. I don’t need a new one.

I am so sleepy still. Is that part of all this? I don’t want to eat much of anything at all. Mommy made me eat what little I did. I’m just so sleepy and at the same time I’m fighting to stay awake and see what is going on. I think I’m going to give up until Daddy gets home from work. Mommy and I are both exhausted. I think she’s still really worried.

Right now my mommy is writing this as I’m ensconced in the kitchen in the blanket nest that was made for me. I’m still a little drunk from the anesthesia.

I was so scared! Mommy and Daddy didn’t leave my side until the very end and they were there when I woke up. I’m not sure what this whole Tripawd thing is about, I’m still a little scared but Mommy keeps telling me I am a brave dog. She hopes to put pictures of before my surgery, as well as after and during my recovery to come. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your wonderful community.