CARLY'S REPORT-SURGERY DAY

Here we have Carly's first-paw experience with her human Mom's foot surgery. We'll undergo her Mom's ordeal through Carly's reports as her human Mom recuperates following some pretty intensive work done on her poor foot. The surgery was predicted to be about three hours long and instead it was almost four hours. That couldn't have been fun on anybody. We've also learned that a stop was made on the way home to pick up a wheelchair. Carly's poor Mom had her right arm extended the entire time she was in surgery and it allowed the arthritis to lock up causing the biceps muscle to spasm. So currently her arm hurts worse than her foot, but then that leg is still numb from the knee down. Now the dread of that numbness wearing off is upon the poor lady...yikes...okay, let's see what Carly has to tell us.

Hi, it's me Carly again. The good news is that I think you were right and they aren't planning on getting rid of me. The bad news is that this whole home and family has been turned upside down. Yesterday after my human mom took me for an early walk, it wasn't even daylight yet, both my humans left. My human dad came home after a few hours and took me for another walk. I was sure glad because I had to poo and I kept forgetting I can go out the doggie door and I didn't want to poo in the house (that got me in trouble once although trouble wasn't bad as in they just scolded me, they don't beat me). After that he left again and they didn't come home for the longest time. I was beginning to fear they'd left me instead of them kicking me out. When they came home my Mom was in a chair with wheels and her foot had the weirdest clothes on it. Usually these humans wear something called "shu's" which are hard and hurt whenever they accidentally step on my feet. They don't mean to do it but I think they are just clumsy. Anyway, instead of a shu she had a bunch of clothes wrapped around her foot. It was HUGE. It's at least as big as I am. I'm not a big dog since I'm a Cheagle but it is still a huge bunch of clothes she has on her foot. I don't know why she has that but apparently she's not able to walk with it. Does that make any sense to wear something that you can't walk in? I'm glad dogs don't have to wear foot clothes like that!
All she did all evening was lay around on the couch and then at night neither one of them went upstairs to the big bed. Neither one of them slept much although I dutifully cuddled up to them so they could relax. They both petted me and kept me warm up against them. When we all sleep in the big bed I sleep between them but with my human mom sleeping on the couch and my human dad sleeping in his big chair that flattens I didn't know where I was supposed to be so I just went back and forth. Then in the middle of the night something called a "block" "wore off" and my mom literally cried in pain. None of us got any sleep after that. To make things worse she is taking something called an "ant-tee-by-otic" which is giving her the runs. I know what the runs are and it wasn't good. She was constantly in the bathroom and since she can't stand with those clothes on her foot my dad had to help her to and from at first but then she caught on to how to scooch on one foot from the wheeled chair to the terlit seat so she felt like she had some dig-nut-ty.
I can walk under her wheeled chair so I could check on her. I am very careful when I walk under the wheeled chair though because the wheels are big and I am small. I don't know if she's as clumsy in the chair as she is when walking in shus but I'm not taking any chances. I hope she takes off the foot clothes soon so she can take me for a walk. Thanks again for reassuring me that my humans were not getting rid of me. I was really worried, Carly.

Dear Carly,
Things don't sound too fun at home right now and consequently you've got your work cut out for you. Your number one job is to stay out of the way. Use caution under and around that moving chair...they can be very dangerous, especially to those of us with a tail. Besides, remember your Mom on those crutches? Reviews aren't in yet on how well she drives a wheelchair so watch out. If it moves, you move.
Your other mission is to remain available at all times for petting and rubbing sessions. Mom's gonna need this therapy for weeks to come and you're the dog for the job.
Bummer them antibiotics kept Mom on the "go"...I hope her doctor found something better with less "activity" for her. That had to be quite unpleasant but when one has to go, one has to go.
Now Carly, be patient...this healing process is gonna take awhile. Honestly, if I was you I'd be glad that foot was all wrapped in bandages...it's probably not very pretty under there and you really do not want to look. So get Dad to take you for walks and let Mom rest for now.
Your pal, Sister VC