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Also grateful to my own doctor whom I sent a note about this last week and who gave me a very small prescription of more acute anti-anxiety meds so I could sleep last night + hang in right now.Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 2 Retweets
❤️ 56 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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Just made myself this jumpsuit last night and this morning, then made Sterling a matching t-shirt. Now I am crashing thanks to meds, which -- it's a nice comfy jumpsuit, so that worked out well. Not a perfect run but I know how to make one if I want another.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 52 Favorites
Mood +9 🙂
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We picked him up at 5:45 but after (earlier) convos with the vet moved to our plan B of taking him over to the overnight animal hospital (our area has them kind of by shifts, overnight one is also for emergencies). He's on a painkiller IV drip over there & monitoring.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 23 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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pic is of Micah walking him around the parking lot while we waited for the other place to open (7). He was all bundled up to hide his wound/comfort him, but while it looks horrible it's well... structured?Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 13 Favorites
Mood -2 🙁
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they may have to scan his chest but I think his funny breathing is pretty much his normal post-anesthesia crying + panics + the occasional screaming (pain? not feeling well in the tummy? existential?) -- the screaming was hard but that's what the painkiller is for.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 19 Favorites
Mood -8 🙁
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When he gets home I should be able to put the new t-shirt (or one I made earlier this week) on him to cover the wound and that should be good. We'll see how things are at 7am -- he might go back to the original hospital or he might come home.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 12 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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we both got to give him a lot of snugs during the transfer and wait. It was emotionally really hard at points but also he definitely knew it was us and that he was getting love.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 44 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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Finally had some dinner, we're gonna play video games together because it's our anniversary again tomorrow and... yeah. Just being together is good.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 23 Favorites
Mood +4 🙂
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Ok, updates! Sterling had a good night at the overnight vet--continued some hydration, monitoring, IV drip of pain meds helped him be comfortable/dopey enough to eventually sleep. He's back at the daytime animal hospital now for tapering off meds (already started taper abt 2am).Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 31 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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He hasn't yet eaten any food -- he was offered chicken over night and refused it. So regular vet is on that one. He stood up a little wobblyly in my lap and tried to jump into Micah's--it was not successful, but it was valiant!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 23 Favorites
Mood -5 🙁
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He may just not want to eat until he's home and a little more relaxed, in which case -- we will be on it when he comes home--not yet sure if that'll be early afternoon or later afternoon.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 14 Favorites
Mood +1 🙂
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it's also our church anniversary, so anniversary part 2, 15 years part 2. Which we remembered only after getting to the overnight vet to pick him up. Just kind of living the days hour by hour. I might clean the garage who knows.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 13 Favorites
Mood +4 🙂
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He looks a little like a weirdly shaved alpacaPermalink On twitter.com
❤️ 14 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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vet thinks discharge after lunch -- so I'm crossing fingers for that. Making some rice and chicken to tempt him into more eating.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 17 Favorites
Mood 0
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also I cleaned the garage, so happy anniversary to us!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 11 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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we have been informed that "he's now just standing in his kennel staring at us" 😂😂😂 -- so pickup will be at 1:30. Upside of a serger is that it was easy to just remove the right arm of the t-shirt I'd made earlier in the week and seal it off!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 23 Favorites
Mood +1 🙂
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So we got him home and he was very interested in the chicken and rice but then even more so in the water! While he'd had an IV for fluids, I think his mouth was dry. Lookit him go! (we're gonna put down a mat for standing while he eats too)Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 1 Retweets
❤️ 50 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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He's now hanging out in the backyard on a pile of blankets. Sniffing the wind. trying out different positions, obviously it'll be comfier when he doesn't have a giant wound with staples and can flop on that side.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 43 Favorites
Mood -2 🙁
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Everyone: don't worry, dogs adjust quickly Us: yesterday after surgery 🫤 Us today, one hour after getting him home: Sterling Tillman -- are you DIGGING?Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 2 Retweets
❤️ 93 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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There was a lot of hopping around and experiments and some faceplants and tips sideways too... but he's doing awesome, especially for an older boy. He had a nice chill after being TERRIER LEVELS OVER 9000Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 45 Favorites
Mood +7 🙂
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oh my gosh y'all we are just so dang tired. But it's really good to have him back. He's been snoozing. Also as I've said earlier -- it's our 15th anniversary and like... these two kids had no idea what was coming but no one wit whom I'd rather take care of a mending pup.Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 1 Retweets
❤️ 38 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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after almost 2 hours of sleeping he sleep-borked himself awake. bless.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 25 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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Lots of napping, some dinner time, some hops around the front and back yard---still figuring out how to pee and not fall over (he's doing ok, but he tries things that nearly topple him)... still hasn't pooped but didn't eat for 1.5 days so maybe that?Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 9 Favorites
Mood 0
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oh god we are so tired.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 5 Favorites
Mood -1 🙁
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Sterling had a pretty good night last night! Lots of sleeping, he's obviously exhausted and healing, and only one bathroom trip needed. He enjoyed his morning carrot.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 23 Favorites
Mood +4 🙂
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He's looking sharp in his mushroom shirt! Washing yesterday's shirt and making two more one-legged t-shirts so we can have a clean one for him daily with less laundry. He's napping with me while I make them. (I am wearing the jumpsuit from up-thread)Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 33 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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Based on my energy levels, I am like "how am I gonna go back to work next week" -- this was supposed to be a much-needed vacation. Fortunately I do have more days I can take later on.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 12 Favorites
Mood +4 🙂
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The whole "suddenly one leg is gone" experience is almost like he had a rendering glitch. He's our glitch puppy!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 19 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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I told the vet we had peas at home and there was a very confused pause before I realized I left out “frozen” and “for icing to reduce swelling” (he conked out shortly after this pic)Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 20 Favorites
Mood -2 🙁
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One of the hardest parts right now is scooping him in a way that doesn't upset the giant Y-shape of staples... right now that's how we're handling the big stairs and also the bed for family naptime. I've removed all his puppy stairs until he gets stabler.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 6 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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We've been trying to do very short quasi-walks outside the fenced yard (like -- let's cross the (incredibly not-busy) street, buddy! ok now we can go back!) and on the most recent one he actually got his rear legs in a decent alternating kicky pattern!!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 11 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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Micah got home with sushi and Sterling just BOOKED IT from the backyard into the house (where he got some chicken but not the sushi)Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 15 Favorites
Mood 0
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Only significant pupdate: His digestive system is working properly thank goodness--meds and such can slow things down but carrying him to his normal walking route and letting him hop along over there did the trick. barked at a skunk last night. lots of napping this morning.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 20 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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he did manage to jump onto a couch from which we'd removed his stairs (because we worried he'd fall off sideways) so... nice job there. He has excellent back legs!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 18 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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Stairs have been restored and I figured out a better place to put them so that if he does fall sideways he's much less likely to fall off. We need to buy a couple more small rugs for spots and put some stair grippers at the bottom of stairs to help him launch/land.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 4 Favorites
Mood +5 🙂
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step 1) where did I put the leftover stair grippers? (or do I have any--because I used them in the rental house, then here, might have a few left?)Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 3 Favorites
Mood 0
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cannot express how good it is when Sterling looks at me with his normal little facial expressions. He's nowhere near back at 100% yet--but he's so much himself.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 26 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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things that are not normal: Sterling and his bed, which had to be washed at the vet, do not smell right. We can wash the bed again, but should probably not wash the Sterling until his staples are out. So gotta wait until he gets past this antiseptic smell.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 5 Favorites
Mood 0
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I am deeply grateful to a) the surgical team who prepped him for the most sterile surgery possible and b) the overnight care people who had to clean him up a few times because it's hard to control your body when you're doped and lost a limb. He just smells wrong.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 13 Favorites
Mood +1 🙂
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I knew we'd get here, but I didn't expect to get here less than 3.5 days after his surgery? This is basically his normal method and once he did alternating back legs... which is his alternative method! [small brown dog with 3 legs hops his way up the stairs.]Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 2 Retweets
❤️ 38 Favorites
Mood 0
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He also made his way downstairs for a nearby-hang, then came over and requested pets and followed up with a side-snug!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 15 Favorites
Mood 0
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I think maybe what makes it wildest is that he's got about 2 dozen staples in his side??? I think I expected more progress once we got through the first week or after the staples come out in another 6 days.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 8 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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the only things not back to normal: 1) he still falls and faceplants periodically 2) I don't trust him to sleep in the bed yet because of its height and it would be bad if he fell off (and he's most likely to trip just after waking up) 3) v. short walks.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 6 Favorites
Mood -4 🙁
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as someone locked replied--he's surely feeling so much better now that he doesn't have that leg causing him pain in each step. Just gotta get the balance parts rewired... which just seems to be time.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 12 Favorites
Mood +1 🙂
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Less than 4 days into #tripawd #tripod life? We had a really good morning walk in the cool weather. Lots of sproingles and excitement!Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 2 Retweets
❤️ 21 Favorites
Mood +7 🙂
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it's also been days and days since he got to inspect all his major sniff spots -- so there was a lot of enthusiasm to catch up.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 10 Favorites
Mood 0
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Last night he got to practice learning to be left-pawed with a piggy ear. He normally holds his treats down with his right paw, so there was a bit of a learning curve, but he's figuring it out!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 12 Favorites
Mood 0
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Got a “mother what the fuck” reaction this time when I tried to ice his surgery spot.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 8 Favorites
Mood 0
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Puppydog updates! Today, he got up from a sun nap and then, instead of coming inside, he slipped under the stool so that he could STILL be sunning his butt!!!Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 2 Retweets
❤️ 13 Favorites
Mood 0
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He then had a very nice investigation of my overgrown sideyard.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 8 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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Now he's snuggling the heck out of me!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 19 Favorites
Mood 0
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He's currently hopping around, hunting the mighty groundhog.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 8 Favorites
Mood 0
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Went on a walk earlier, guess who I ran into! [Sterling in his mushroom shirt, tiny against my large husband, hops toward the camera]Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 38 Favorites
Mood 0
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Saw the vet over lunch -- she took out the staples but he still has dissolving stitches in there for approx the next 100 days. She's really happy with how it's healing so far!Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 20 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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at the vet today, Sterling walked in, looked around, and become the embodiment of byeeeeeeee as he turned toward the door and attempted to lead us back out.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 10 Favorites
Mood 0
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So… giving the dog nicer food during recovery means he’s like—no. Kibble is no longer exciting. He may get back to it but he really liked bapping his modified treat balls to play with his dinner. Alas, that was his right paw. Easing him back into it with personalized service.Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 1 Retweets
❤️ 13 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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[a large man sitting on the floor, conveying small handfuls of kibble from a bowl to the dog who’s mysteriously behind him, but happy to accept each offering]Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 9 Favorites
Mood +4 🙂
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to update this thread -- he's done pretty well through the week except... last night he started really bothering his surgery spot (in occasional cleanings, scabs are coming off and nice pink skin is showing, yay!) This was... very pathetic. And he's now back in the donut.Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 1 Retweets
❤️ 2 Favorites
Mood +2 🙂
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(he can actually get at the far Y-end of his scar, so that's a problem... we watched for a bit to see if he was just itchy and trying or if he could actually mess with it an alas he could)Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 1 Retweets
❤️ 3 Favorites
Mood -9 🙁
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I've said this elsewhere but we're in the long, boring, hard part of healing. The part where things aren't crisis any more, so we humans are kind of crashing. But also they're not back to whatever his/our new normal will be and we're very tired.Permalink On twitter.com
♻️ 1 Retweets
❤️ 13 Favorites
Mood -7 🙁
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Sometimes it's really hard, sometimes it's pretty good.Permalink On twitter.com
❤️ 8 Favorites
Mood +3 🙂
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annnnnnnnnd it's bad to being really hard as he fights to find ways to get out of the donut and get at the itching, healing wound. Dammit.On twitter.com
Mood -4 🙁
