Week 4

I think this week is where the depression really set in.  

It was more than just the added stress of looking after our little doggy.  It was more than the sleepless nights and worry about money.  It was more than on-going anxiety about repeat injures.  More than how long was it going to take and how long would we hold out, as if there was an option!  It was more than all those things, I think I finally came to see it was that I was missing my friend.  My shadow.  I was missing all the doggie things- the walks on Sunday up to the lake, ball throwing and her happy face, wriggly butt dance when I came home, even the  little things like scratching herself, licking, and sleeping with her nose tucked under her paw.  I miss her, and even though she  is still with us, nothing will ever be the same again.  

Some things people say re-play in my mind like a broken record.... from family members:  

"Theres a cure you know, it's called a lethal injection"

"How long are you going to do this, whats your deadline"

"Penny sure is lucky, I wouldn't be driving my dog all that way for acupuncture, he'd be getting a different type of needle" 

I never know how to respond to these comments... I think they are said in jest, but with an underlaying seriousness....  so hurtful. 

This week did see some tiny slight improvement ... Kane swears she wagged her tail, and she did pull herself up onto her hind legs to get a drink.  Week 4 is the all clear to start some hydro-therapy, so "J" lent us a clam shell pool, which we filled with a hose out the window with  warm water.  We put her in and walked her around and around.  It really was just not *quite* deep enough, although she did get some buoyancy in her rear.  We will have to try it in the bath tub next and see if a higher water level does anything.  At least it was something new! 

We started her on 1000mg of Ester-C this week, as recommended by the amazing ladies on the Dachshund IVDD Support fb page, and we are giving Gidget 250mg a day as a preventative.  

But overall, not much happening.  I think her boredom is setting in, like my depression is setting in.