Is our Life a foot shorter….or miles longer?
That’s a great question! We’ll choose to go forward, at any pace. Can’t look back now.
One week ago, our lives took a turn. It was all quite a shock and the uncertainty of it all was more than a bit scary! We had a few decisions to make but the bigger one was made for us. We were told what needed to be done. Past that part, I really can’t remember much.
It all happened so fast. We went in for a consultation and the decision was made. We left Gunner there to prepare for his surgery. The ride home was long and emotional. The “what ifs” and “whys” and the sadness made for a difficult night.
The following day we waited to hear how things went. As expected, they said. But wait, we didn’t expect any of this! Gunner had come through his surgery and was waking up, as THEY expected he would. (oh, ok! Now what!!??)
This was all very routine to them, but to us it was NOT. We really had no idea what to think. This was all very new to us. It was our 1st time! Could we do this? Could Gunner handle this? Could we? What would it be like? How would he walk, run, eat, play, potty…………! What were we going to do to help him deal with having a handicapped life, from now on? The questions and the doubt were endless!!
We made the trip to pick up him up. Preparing ourselves to do whatever we had to do to help him. After all, we love him so we’d do what we had to do, right!
Well! What we weren’t ready for was the new and improved “Gunner”! The joy and the happiness that had replaced the pain and the sadness! They had not just taken his leg, they had taken the pain and the problem away. It was gone.
Gunner was ready to GO! He let us know that it was time to get out of there. He wasn’t staying. He wanted to get on with life and the sooner the better. WOW!
He is amazing! Although I worry and nag him quite a bit………he’s not worried. He’s going to get through this and get back to his routine. Sometimes I think he’s actually laughing at me for the way I act. He doesn’t see the problem, its gone. It’s over and now it’s time to move on! Silly me, huh!
His eye’s thank me, over and over! Sure, he’s sore but then again not as sore as he was. This is temporary. This will heal and there will be no pain. Hopefully the meds help and with the pain and make it tolerable.
We’ll be ok. We’ll heal and we’ll go on! Gunner says so! He’s decided and that’s that I guess. There is no turning back now. It’s a new way of life and Gunner is going to live it to the fullest, that’s for sure! He’s good, and as for us……….we’ll adjust!
Gunner is loved! Thats what really matters!
Time heals all wounds! One day at a time!
~RUN GUNNER RUN~
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I had very similar feelings and wrote about it in Dakota’s blog, too. I think I called it A Note to Our Veterinarian Friends. I wrote about how casual much of the conversation was, and how it wasn’t so casual for me.
I’m glad Gunner is coming along nicely. Even if you never expected to find yourselves at this point, you can be grateful that you were able to relieve Gunner’s pain. He would thank you in so many ways, if he could.
Shari
Oh I feel what your saying! I felt it HARD! It hurt and it scared me. We wandered through it, not sure how but we did. I’m only now starting to come down some!!! It was devastating!
Yay for Gunner! I am glad he is so ready to live :0)
Elizabeth and Sammy
HE IS! I almost fell out but he’s ok, and I’ll get tougher, too!
Gunner is an excellent role model! Glad he’s doing so well.
You’re right that some vets can be very casual about the decisions we face as pawrents. We don’t see this every day like they do, and we are much more emotionally invested in the decision process.
The day I took Rio to the onco doc after we’d discovered her most recent tumor, practically the first words out of her mouth were “well, the leg will have to go” in the most matter of fact, almost nonchalant way. I swear every molecule of oxygen was instantly sucked out of the room. I just broke at that point, started bawling and shaking and I think then she realized that she’d been a little unemotional, because then she kind of back-pedaled and went through things a little slower and more gently after that.
I’m sure they have to maintain some emotional distance to keep from being crushed by the weight of day-in, day-out dealing with pain and sickness and death. I know I would have a hard time, but they definitely need to strike a balance between professional distance and just plain blase’. Because they do see it every day, they should be more aware of how devastating it all is to us first timers.
EXACTLY!! To them it was simple, no problem! “That has to go”, they said. (WHAT! go where, what.) “that leg has to come off, and right now”. Holy crap!! I thought I was hearing things. I couldn’t imagine. I couldn’t believe what I heard much less the way it was said. We’ll schedule it and call you with the details. Away Gunner went.
Routine to them, devastating to us! We just couldn’t imagine! I thank God for all you guys at Tripawds. I cried and I read, I read and I cried. We were joining, I guess. Who knew! and here we are today, part of the Family! We’re learning and we’ll be okay but what a ride its been so far!
It’s posts like this that make us happy we started the Tripawds Blogs. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Awww, thank you so much for such a beautiful place to come, sit stay! We were lost……….and many thanks to all of you for showing us the way and guiding us along!! What we thought was the end of a road is truly a new beginning. Tripawds has touched our very heart and soul! Thank you for welcoming us into the Family! Paws up!
Ah, now you finally understand the Tripawd Way.
Ok, the GSD way. We rock, don’t we?
Go for it Gunner! Love life like only you know how!!!! WOooo hooooo!!!!!
So very very true!