Month: February 2012

Well, we’ve made it to Week Two! A big week for tripawd moms, the day the stitches come out!  Dr. Brown said his incision looked great – stitches out & all healed. Dad dropped him off and he had his first round of carboplatin and he did really well. He also said we could reduce his tramadol to half his previous dose. One step closer to getting those icky pain meds out of his system. Unfortunately, I’m out of town for work, so it’s just the boys at home together – I imagine steak and in bed early!  Dad reports that he was great & just seems a little tired – he’ll probably get to go to work with dad, which will make him so happy!  We’re crossing our fingers for no side effects or nausea. I’ll be so happy to see him tomorrow night, by big strong handsome man (Porter, not my hubby – HA!)

Dad has been working so hard at thinking of better nicknames for Porter!  I posted some of his previous ideas, so now we’ll add to the list:

Dennis Hopper
Hopalong Cassidy
Skippy (dad seems to favor this one)
IPA (because he’s so hoppy!  That’s my fave)

On a sadder (but expected) note, Dr. Brown reported that his bone biopsy results came back positive for osteosarcoma.  So, we forge ahead with plans for chemo.  Dr. Brown also just returned from a conference where pain management was discussed.  Apparently, they’ve determined that tramadol doesn’t stay in the system as long as they originally thought.  We had been giving him his pills once every 12 hours, but now Dr. Brown is recommending a dose every 8 hours instead.  We had been giving him 1 1/2 pills twice a day, but now we’ll be switching to one pill every 8 hours (same total of three pills per 24 hours).  And hopefully, come next Tuesday, we won’t need any more pills at all!!

Porter’s first visit to his acupuncturist since his surgery, and he was sooooo happy!  Not only did he get to see his favorite people (the “people” acupuncturist and the secretary and the pet acupuncturist), but he got a treatment.  He has always loved his treatments, but today seemed especially good for him.  Once all the needles were in, he just laid out on his side and fell asleep!  Dr. Asterino and I talked through all his medications and treatment course.  She discussed several herbal supplements that she likes to have her cancer dogs on.  We decided to take it slow and just start him on one – Five Mushroom Formula by People’s Herbs.  She’s got two more planned for him, but wants to wait until he’s started his chemo.  She even called a colleague that specializes in treatments for cancer dogs to confirm that the supplements she wanted to use wouldn’t cause any problems with the chemo.  We also put together a start at a new food plan.  Instead of jumping head first into a complete homemade diet, she is recommending we start with a product called “Honest Kitchen” – which apparently is a dehydrated all-natural product with supplements added.  We are going to use the vegetable version, combined with fresh meat.  That way, we won’t have to worry about him getting all the nutrition he needs.  Then, we’ll have more time to figure out the best homemade diet for him.

I think this was a really great visit for him – such great energy from the people in that office.  After Porter finished his session (and Dad picked him up), I got my treatment too (from the people acupuncturist) – which was extremely good.  I remembered all the advice from other Tripawd moms that said – don’t forget to take care of yourself too!

Porter slept a lot today, which was good because he’s seemed a little tired.  Getting up and off the couch regularly on his own.  He’s also jumping in and out of the car on his own too!  After we “panic-yelled” the last time he scratched his stitches (and tore two out), I think he’s a little worried to scratch.  Both times today that he wanted to scratch, he twitched his back leg first – kind of a warning – “I really want to scratch, is that alright?”  Each time, I held his back paw & did a little itching around his stitches for him.  He liked that!

Yes, we’re one week post-amputation!  Porter saw the vet today for his second laser treatment.  He also looked at the stitches he pulled out last night.  No repairs needed!  No infection, no signs of problems.  In fact, the entire incision looks great, except for the middle part (where he pulled stitches) which is apparently always the last to heal.  He does have to wear daddy’s t-shirt full time now 🙁 which makes him sad.  Better a little sad than no stitches, we say!  Next visit, the acupuncturist on Thursday to get some work AND to get his naturopathic supplements and homemade diet worked out.

Porter also has been trying out his shoe – the RuffWear Grip Trex Bark n Boots on loan from the vet.  He appears to be ok with it!  Only on his front paw, not his back.  Which is fantastic because we definitely need some traction solutions on our hardwood floors!  The vet doesn’t need them back right away, so we’re going to keep trying them out.

I went back to work for the first time today (daddy took the afternoon off to stay home with the baby).  It was great, all my coworkers asked about Porter & how he was healing.  I was happy to report to them how well he’s doing and how fast his progress has seemed!  My boss was also VERY supportive of me working from home for the rest of the week too.  We won’t be updating every day, now that week one is done (yay!) – so we’ll just update when the important stuff happens!  Thanks everyone!

Porter started off the day with STEAK!  Hand-delivered by our former neighbor, who was so concerned for him.  Daddy cooked it up so that he can eat it with his kibble (he eats better when there’s a little incentive).  We had a couple of attempts at itching this morning, so he got to wear one of Daddy’s t-shirts.  He wasn’t very happy about it, and fake limped around the yard in embarrassment.  But while he was out there, a stranger stopped her car to say hi and ask about his leg.  Our first interaction with a stranger, and it was totally positive – just like all the Tripawd parents on the website said!

He was so annoyed by the t-shirt that we took it off for the afternoon.  But after his dinner, he caught us off guard and got four or five good scratches in before we could stop him.  Damn!  Two stitches out, right at the area where fluids had been collecting.  We got a gusher of bloody fluids – three or four gauze pads and 15 minutes later, it finally slowed.  He’s now outfitted with a gauze pad, an Ace bandage wrapped around him, and a t-shirt over that.  He goes to the vet tomorrow for another laser treatment, so we’ll have them check the area to see if anything needs to be fixed where we lost the stitches.

Our reduction of his evening pain meds seems to have worked – very minimal panting at night. We can’t believe it’s been a week since his surgery!

Yesterday was Porter’s first full day off of the Fentanyl and on the Tramadol pills.  Which meant that last night was the beginning of the panting!  Poor guy, he was going pretty hard all evening.  But I guess excessive panting is way better than other options!  He seemed to work through it and fall asleep after midnight.

Because he’s been doing so well and getting more and more mobile, we decided to take off the vet’s harness this morning.  He was so happy!  He immediately wagged his tail and was faster than I’d ever seen him.  I can’t blame him, the thing probably stunk of vet and mediation and surgery.  We’re going to wash it &  hang on to it for a while as it makes it very easy to get him in and out of the car.

But the best news of today was…no screams!!  I’d been worried all day about him having another episode (it’s been one a day for awhile).  Every time he got up or moved around, I braced.  But he didn’t have a single one, and I was so happy for him.  I’m going to be optimistic and hope that means it’s not phantom limb pain.

Other than that, a great day.  A long nap on the couch (he jumped up himself), lots of mobility, extra long walks around the yard with dad, and a visit from his human brothers.  We reduced his Tramadol from two pills this evening to only 1 1/2 (to help with the panting).  We’ll see if that helps.

Our spirits are good and we’re happy to see our buddy boy slowly emerging from this.  My husband loves our boy more than himself – on a humorous note, he has always had a long list of “nicknames” for Porter.  All funny, and all intended out of love and affection.  Well, since our boy lost a leg, he’s been trying to think of some new ones for him.  Peggy was rejected immediately (our psychic massage therapist said Porter did NOT find that one funny!), Tripod seemed too obvious…so today, he’s come up with a few.  Tipper (ha), Eileen (get it?  i-lean? if only he were a girl), Peter (Cottontail, from his nice new hopping action).  He’s still working on others!  Sorry if folks find that strange, but it’s their thing (Porter loves it!).  I’m happy that my husband is getting back to himself & is healing from this along with Porter.

He’d been eating so heartily for the last 4 1/2 days, we knew it had to be coming…and boy did it ever!  I’ve chuckled at others’ posts about the first poo, but it really WAS that great!  Hee hee!  Porter is regularly peeing when we go outside without hardly any hesitation.  He’s sleeping through the night without crying.  Eating and drinking so well it’s barely noticed.  Getting around really well.  Porter even had two visitors today, which he was very happy about!  He hopped himself across the yard to greet them & even gave them smiles.  I think it really makes him happy when he gets visitors – it makes him feel special!

The only remaining issue seems to be the “screams.”  Another one happened today, and it didn’t happen after trying to right himself after sleeping.  He was already up and standing this time, when he just spontaneously started.  They last a good 20 seconds.  Someone posted that they thought it might be phantom limb pains – I don’t know if there’s any way to know if that’s what it is.  I was hoping our massage therapist might be able to tell us something today, but our schedules didn’t match up so he didn’t get his visit.  So it still worries me a lot, but I don’t really know what to do about it.  If he has more episodes, I might call Dr. Brown and see what he thinks.  Poor boy, just breaks my heart.  But at least they don’t appear to be happening frequently nor do they last super long, so I’ll take it as a minor glitch in a pretty smooth recovery so far!

Not too much to report today!  He had a good night – successfully slept in the bedroom, although a bit closer to the bed than normal.  Porter is walking on his own with no assistance – even on the stairs.  He peed this morning with dad, but has been reluctant to go the rest of the day.  Since Valentine’s Day was Porter’s surgery, we didn’t celebrate.  So today, Porter and I made red velvet cheesecake brownies for Dad.  Porter helped!

This evening we had a strange incident.  Porter has been reluctant to sleep on his side (his good side).  I have been pushing him over on purpose because he sleeps so much better on his side.  So far with no problems.  Tonight, I pushed him over again and he immediately fell asleep – for two solid hours.  However, when he went to position himself back over his center, he started “screaming” again – for a solid 30 seconds.  It was horrible and painful for us, and we’re not sure why.  Best guess, he used some of the muscles associated with the amputation when he attempted to “right” himself.  He was shaking all over and his heart was racing.  I won’t be pushing him over anymore for naps, unless I’m there to help him get back centered afterwards.  Poor guy, bad mom!

Mom had a night off tonight!  It was a bowling night birthday party for a friend, and since I’ve been home with him all day, dad said he’d watch him while I went out.  Of course, all the birthday party attendees knew Porter and most of the discussions were about his progress and recovery.  But it was still nice to have a “night off” – he did great with dad!

Dad still isn’t sure if amputation was the right thing. I’m hoping that, 3 years from now, when Porter is alive and happy, I will be able to tell dad “i told you so!”

Well, last night had a few challenges but overall went very well!  We brought Porter to bed – to the same bed he’s slept in every night for the past 5 years, in the same place it’s always been – and he whined.  Persistently.  For over an hour.  Not a pain whine, but an unhappy whine.  I tried laying with him on the floor.  Giving him a drink.  Nothing.  So, as a last attempt, we thought maybe he’d be ok in the living room, where he’s spent his days since his surgery.  So dad took him back out to his living room bed & set up shop on the couch.  He was fine, no whining!  So we have no idea why, but it worked.  Happy to report that we both got a straight solid 8 hours of sleep!

A great day for Porter!  Getting stronger and more stable on his three legs.  Every trip outside, I barely supported him with his harness, just enough to get him up & down the two stairs on the porch.  It seemed like he needed the mental support more than the physical support!  The vet called this morning to check in & we were happy to report that he was doing excellent!  He even jumped up on the couch with me.  Back to a normal personality.  But still no pee.

He had his second laser treatment at noon with Dr. Brown.  He thought he looked and acted fantastic, the incision looked great, and he was doing ok on his three legs.  After his laser treatment, he brought the ultrasound in to check his bladder status.  Totally full to the seams!  So the doc and I took him for a quick walk outside (his longest walk yet), and then he gently pressed his bladder.  Voila, pee!  Gallons of it.  A couple minutes later (ha), on his walk back to the car, he even smelled a bush and tried to lift his leg on it (nearly tipping over).  So the mental pee barrier is hopefully broken!  On the way back from the vets, we stopped by my office where a couple of friends were happy to come out and say hi to him & tell him how great he looked!

After dad got home, I ran some errands.  When I returned, my hubby happily informed me that as he was making dinner in the kitchen, Porter got up (all on his own), drank water off a bowl on the floor (all on his own), and walked himself over to the kitchen (all on his own)!!!  It’s true, his belly really does rule him 🙂  So, a really great day for the whole family!  We’re very happy with his progress.  Now, we’ll just see where he decides to sleep tonight!

We all had a rough night!  That hydromorphone was NOT great.  It knocked him out, but also seemed to do other weird things.  Whenever we tried to move him, he cried as though he was in great pain – ilke the screaming cries – even though we knew he wasn’t.  He also was under the impression that both his hind legs weren’t working, despite using them earlier at the vets.  So, lots of whining and two awake parents!  By morning, the Fentanyl had kicked in and the other stuff was wearing off (thankfully).  At 4am, we attempted to take him out (screaming the whole way) and back in (still screaming) back to his living room bed, where dad stayed with him while I got a couple more hours of sleep.

By 9am, he figured out his back legs DID work and we successfully made a trip outside under his own weight with a little support from us.  Drinking water, eating bites of buffalo jerky, getting more and more alert.  He finally deciding that laying on his good side was possible (again, the hydromorphone had messed him up earlier when he tried that) and he took a GOOD long 2 hour nap!  By lunch, it felt like he was back!  Hungry, ate a regular bowl of food, drank two more small bowls of water, and was sitting up on all three legs regularly.  A few more trips outside with mom (mostly to enjoy the fresh air and sun), and a visit from his (my) best friend – by now, tail wags were regular and he was giving me expressive ears and eyebrows too!

So, all in all a very successful day!  All except for no pees and a couple attempts to scratch the incision.  By the way, we hope we won’t be annoying…but we’ll probably be posting daily for the first week.  THANK YOU everyone for the great words of support!

P.S.  Porter received:  2 phone calls, 7 emails, at least 9 text messages, and over 20 Facebook messages.  Plus two in-person inquiries.  I’d say he’s a popular guy!  Two years ago, my husband had a brain injury scare and was in the hospital ICU for a week – we’ve already acknowledged that Porter has received more messages of concern and support than he did 🙂