When you are an active dog full of joy and vigor, you tend to believe and feel you can do anything and that life is an endless bowl of fresh dog bones. My endless joy ride came to a screeching halt a few weeks ago when Mommy noticed that I wasn't walking very well. She'd actually been noticing it for a little while longer but took me to the vet a little over 3 weeks ago. That was when solitary confinement started. Okay, not so solitary and not so confining, but confining enough for a little dog who could previously go wherever I wanted to whenever I wanted to in my own house.
Uncertainty and Limitations
With an uncertain diagnosis of my exact issue (either neck/back/spine related or neurological - another blog post coming with details on that soon), I was placed on 3 weeks of strict bed rest. And Mommy "RAN" with that whole "strict" word. There was to be no running, no jumping, no playing, no pulling, no tugging, no fun. Heck, my vet even limited walking. So I went from being Cowabunga Pixel, to being Princess in the Tower Pixel.
I was a sad Pixel for a while. Sad that I couldn't do all the gymnastics type activities I was so used to, sad that I couldn't run, sad that I couldn't jump up and down off the hassock over and over, and depressed that I was unable to grab a toy at a moment's notice and shake the Dickens out of it.
Mommy found ways to let me "roam free" on the bed but have zero risk of jumping off by using a rigged leash. She would keep me close around the house by literally walking me on a leash. I have been wearing a safety harness non-stop. And we have a huge mobile soft-sided "Princess Tower" playpen that I would hang out in occasionally and watch Mommy while she cooked dinner or did other things nearby.
My sisters tried to make me feel better. Peanut and Sassy would come visit me, snoodling and kissing my face and Sassy would either bring me one of our favorite happy balls or an already started chew bone. And sweet Dixie Mae kept sneaking into my bedroom and snuggling with me while I slept. It was a wonderful comfort. I stopped feeling sorry for myself, appreciated my loving sisters company, and realized that Mommy had my best interest in mind with all the limitations she put on me. She had to follow the doctor's orders to keep me safe and get me well, otherwise I might get worse and never be able to run again. It was time to make the BEST of this tough situation.
Appreciating the Little Things
So I started appreciating all the things that Mommy and every member of my family was doing for me. Things like getting my meals brought to me in bed and being carried around from room to room. Always having a fresh clean blanket available to me, getting many more loving belly rubs throughout the day, and having little treats brought to me because I couldn't walk over to get them with my sisters. I started savoring the chew bone Mommy brought me a little longer because I knew she chose the very best one for me, and I didn't complain when she prevented my ability to jump off the bed, because I knew it was bad for my body to jump down any more.
Oh, I've slipped up a few times and "gotten away from her" but mostly I've been a very good girl. I know it's hard on her too. She can't bear to see me unable to walk normally. I see her cry on occasion worried about whether or not I'll be okay, or whether my walking issue is a permanent neurological issue. We've got more vet appointments to go, scans and tests, and uncertainty ahead, but in spite of it all, when your body betrays you, like mine has for right now, you have to make the best of it.
Here's my Pixel Top 5 Ways to "Make the Best of a Tough Medical Situation":
1.
Listen to your Vet/Doctor's advice on what to do. She said to rest, so I'm resting. Of course, Mommy is ensuring I do that because sometimes we need our family to help make it happen.
2.
Take your medicine faithfully everyday. It will help you get better or at least feel better.
3.
Find ways to stay positive and appreciate the little things. Thank those around you who are helping you. Encourage others who are in a tough medical situation too...you might be the positive direction that someone else needs. If you are positive, it will help you heal as well.
4.
Take advantage of the time. Catch up on sleep. Read a new book. Sit outside and listen to the birds sing in the sunshine. Watch a few favorite movies. Enjoy a new TV show. Talk with old friends. Mommy and I spent an entire afternoon sitting outside doing nothing one day...it was GREAT!
5.
Write. A letter, a story, a blog post or two. Start a journal. Write your story. You've got the time...make the most of it if you can.
Do you have other ways that you make the best of a tough situation? I'd love to hear them. Leave me a comment friends! And I promise to keep you posted on my own medical walking situation. This Thursday I will be having scans done of my body that, paws crossed, might show them something in the bones. Wish me luck!
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