CROSS MY ART AND HOPE TO FLY....

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Summer Has Gone To The Dawgs....

Seriously y'all... has your summer been like mine?  A huge blurr... (sorry Cobe, no pun intended)  I mean really... was summer here at all?  Seems all I can recall from summer is the extreme heat of it! Wowza, can it get any hotter? Our heat index today 110! Geeeeze!  The second you walk out the door, your bra gets soaked. Yuk...I hate a soggy bra. G-R-O-S-S

But yes indeedy, my summer has literally gone to the dogs...particularly one sweeeet  little jack named Cobia. Poor thing has had a ruff few last months, and we're not out of the woods yet. I'm actually feeling really sorry for both of us! My summer was spent being an eyedrop administering machine!!

Her cataract surgery was in May...she did great, but a huge part of the success rate is the after care. For a month I had to give the sweet little soul 25 drops a day! I've been relentless about it as her sight depends on it.
Her lens replacements have done wonderfully...and her sight is still amazing to me.

She went from doing fine to bumping into walls, falling down stairs, into the pool, off the dock...and the worst event was running smack ass into a tree, head on, running at full stride. She instantly hit the ground, was flailing and screaming unconsciously for about15 seconds and couldn't get up. She's lucky she didn't break her neck.
Strange thing is... her sight failing seem to happen soooo fast!  I mean, we knew she had some cloudiness related to cataracts, and had them looked at... but you know,  that's typical for a twelve year old dog. And she was getting around perfectly, not skipping a beat. It literally seem to go from her seeing fine to blind...overnite.

It was heartbreaking to watch. The thing was, she's a very "young" active 12 year old dog with no other health issues... and the kind of dog that LIVES for a tennis ball... I couldn't see NOT doing it. So we did it...and it's been amazing!!  The first time she got her tennisball after surgery, I started crying... I was so overwhelmed and happy and relieved.  Mostly for her precious livelihood , but also cuz now,  we didn't have to worry anymore about her getting hurt. (We were at the point where she didn't go outside without a life vest on).

What has happened since is secondary to the lens replacements. She is seeing fine, but has developed corneal ulcers in both eyes. Trauma to the cornea from the surgery is probably the cause, but the actual cataract surgery has been a complete success, so I still consider us way ahead of the game.  BUT ...the ulcers don't seem to want to heal properly.  Enter here... two more months of  major drop therapy.  I literally have been kinda house bound with her. Although my mother Helen, and niece Maria, (and friends who have had to put up with and listen to us) have been super supportive and stepped in when we have had to be out of town. (a gazillion thanks y'all ♥)

SOoooo, We went back to Birmingham (her eye doctor, 4 hrs. away from home) this past Tues. and the poor thing had to get corneal grids on both eyes,  and now I have my little  CONEHEAD back...
: (

They basically re-texturize the surface of the cornea to help promote new cell growth. They said the next few days would be tough,  (imagine having your cornea sandpaperd) and it has been, even though she is on an oral pain med twice a day. Today we are on day two, and she's still uncomfortable, but it's a noticeable improvement from yesterday. Yesterday she was pitiful, she broke my heart.  She wasn't in this much pain even after the cataract surgery.  One eye drop in particular seems to send her through the roof,  I hate giving it to her : (
Here's a gander at our med schedule for the next two weeks... I make a schedule and make copies so I don't miss any, and start a new one everyday. If you count both eyes, we're doing 27 drops a day!!  We head back to Birmingham on the 17th for our recheck, and hopefully we'll be on the mend.
She's such a fabulous animal and has really been a trooper through it all.  I think we both are just ready for some normal...  
Normal would be good.


Be Fabulous... because you are♥
X  to the O.... ajae

p.s.- duh...the soggy bra thing, bleck!









10 comments:

  1. Love your blog page Ajae, and best wishes to Cobe, hope she feels better soon and you get to come off eyedrop duty. Beverley xx

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  2. Awww... that poor baby! You are the best, most awesome doggy mom! Lots of love to you for taking such good care of her. You're wonderful!

    On a different note, glad your background is back because it's *gorgeous*! Love the look of your blog.

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  3. I love that you don't like being hot because of your bra! Totally makes me smile. You and Cobe really have had a crazy summer. It's all worth it, of course, but I bet the process is SO tiring...

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  4. Dogs are worth every penny. nuff said.

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  5. Oh my that is so sad, but so amazing that you could help her. Our Zoe is nearing 10 and I would do anything for her too. Hope yours days get better and better and she forgets all the healing time.

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  6. sending healing energy to her...i have a parson jack that mean the world to me...and i just lost a beloved one in december at 15...i know she will be her old self soon...you are a great friend...r

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  7. Gahhhhhhhh...I KNEW I was gonna cry! I totally understand how dear your dogs are to you. I feel the same towards mine. They are our children. You know I'm pulling for you and Cobia in the biggest way. kittyhugs to Cobia♥

    As for the weather. UGH!!!!!!!! It is soooo awful here too. It's oppressive as hell. And drains me of the meager amount of energy I have each day. Yeah...anytime I need to stray from "the ranch" I have to change T-shirts because of the boobsweat. And I just love that trickle that runs down the middle of my back into...well, you know.☺
    So...I am mscrankypants until October!! ♥AK

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  8. Poor Cobe. She is lucky to have you to love and care for her!

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  9. Ajae, you are amazing and you are the best! Reading your story made me teary! Sending lots of love over to you and Cobe. Have a lovely merry happy day.

    jacuqeline
    http://www.jqlinesocuteithurts.typepad.com/

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  10. Hey er'body : )

    Thank you all...soooo much, Bev,Kim,Goog,Marianne,Pam,Rebecca,Ak,Laura and Jacqueline.. for letting me go on, and on, and onnnnnn about Cobia. It's amazing to feel a bit validated when your kinda in a state of overwhelm. Purging to my online friends is very liberating and really helps!

    Cobe report to follow... after our appt. on the 17th. Probably just a FB note tho, not a whole blog devoted to it. (but you never know)

    But really, thanks for all the comments and support gang! Xo ajae

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