Category Archives: All About Max

All About Max

Saturday – 10:30 am

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Max looking sharpPam tells me Max had a restful night. The vet gave us some pain pills for him, so we gave him one last night and he had a good sleep. He ate a nice breakfast, too and got his meds.

This morning, it’s raining, which he hates. When he was healthy, he’d come over to the door, and raise his paw to let us know he wanted out. We’d open the door, and he’d charge out, but as soon as he’d see the rain, he’d slam on the brakes and run back in the house! Made of sugar!

I just took him for a squirt; he was reluctant to go on the wet grass lol. But his rear leg is amazing today. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but he’s walking normally on it! When he balances, he puts it in a strange way I haven’t seen him do previously, but it works!

When I brought him back in, there are 3 beds in here, so I put him in the middle of them, and let him chose which he wanted. He’s decided to lay on none of them! Crazy guy.

My sister Karen arrives tomorrow, with her husband and son. They have not met Max. I’m hoping he doesn’t get too stressed over it. He’s not the best with ‘strangers’ at the best of times. Maybe we’ll give him some St. John’s Wort and see if we can calm his nerves! haha

Anyways, he’s good today. All positive!

All About Max

Max update post Vet visit 5:55 pm

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We took Max over to see his Dr , Dr Shawn Llewellyn at the Scottsdale Veterinary Hospital at 3:30 today for an assessment. Shawn checked him over, was pleased with his progress. He saw that Max was able to move his left hind, responds to pain stimuli quite easily on the hind leg, so it’s really good news. He’s not making big progress on his left front, but he’s still trying. The vet decreased his prednisone because we were noticing a bit of blood in his stool. Not good, prednisone can be so hard on the gut. He’s on sulcrate but it’s not enough so we are adding new meds to the regime.

Also we mentioned the pain med situation. He’s ordered tramadone I think the name of it is, and we are just going to give him one at night to help him calm and sleep as he seems to be more antsy at night. I think we are going to take him  upstairs with us tonight to sleep and hope he has no diarrhea upsets and if he does, that we can take him in our bathroom as it’s got a vinyl floor. we all need to get a good night sleep and it’s worth a try.

Today is another day, and while we have not seen great improvements today, he’s holding his own. He did vomit earlier today, but the poor bugger had eaten some of my cooking, so who can blame him?

All About Max

Some thoughts

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Max hurtingGood old Max…. he’s doing his best. Here is the thing: when he is bad, I despair for him; when he is good, I’m overjoyed. I have to realize it’s only been a couple of days. We can’t discern patterns yet. I need be a little less emotional, and a little more stoic. We’re just trying to roll with the punches.

We do know Max is a brave guy. He’s struggling with the front paw that won’t lay on the pad properly, but lately he’s been putting weight on it, even though it’s not flat. I’m worried he’ll break that ankle, but he’s just ‘giving her’ when I’m supporting him with the sling. I could barely keep up to him last night when he went for a squirt!

But here is the thing: we’re going to give him all the time HE needs. I see positive signs, and I’m not going to let the little setbacks throw me into despair. We just need to keep struggling on. The vet was very encouraging to us. Many signs we’ve seen she said can take weeks. So Max is obviously special! 🙂

The difficulty comes in December when we go to the Caribbean. Certainly Anne-Maria is not going to want to deal with Max in his current state. So there is our “hard deadline.” By December, he needs his mobility, enough to manage his needs.

So, bear that in mind with everything we say. We have a goal in mind. Max needs to be able to manage his needs by December.

I think he gets more sleep than Pam and I combined! lol

All About Max

Max update Thursday 5:54 pm

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One of the vets from Scottsdale Veterinary Hospital called today to check on Max. I told her what we had been observing over the last 3 days since we saw our vet Shawn… she said that this gave her good reason to be hopeful, the fact that he is correcting his hind foot when he knuckles and then corrects to walk on pads.. that it shows he’s feeling his foot at least. She said that this sort of thing sometimes takes months, not days.. and that it could be a slow road to recovery but that she has seen dogs some back from being totally imobilized to walking again. She gave us hope when she told us that.

Also, I called the Abby SPCA today to talk to Alicia , the gal there who loves Max so, and wanted to keep her updated as to whats happened with him. She was not in, but I gave our ph# etc and she called while I was on the phone with the Vet, so I found her message and Maurice called and talked to her.

Alicia, you are welcome to come by anytime to visit Maxie..  heheh he might bark at you though.. you know how he is! 🙂  He’s had a quiet time of it the last few days doing mostly laying in the family room by the fresh air and door, or just outside on the cement pad, on his sheepskin bed…

We are doing ROM (range of motion) exercises with his limbs and the left hind leg shows no stiffness, but his left front leg is stiffening up and so we are going to double our efforts and do his exercises more often.. we want to try to keep his limbs limber and not go stiff as a carp!

We are expecting houseguests in a couple of days, and I’m not sure how Maxie will react to them, but we will take it day by day.  He will not be left alone to struggle or flop around. Either M or I will stay with him.

Last night Maurice was able to get more than 2-3 hrs sleep and I had a solid 6 hrs so we are both feeling alot better today, we were going on fumes there for a bit, but feeling stronger today! 🙂 For me, today has been a day of hope. When we were eating dinner Max stood up and balanced on 3 legs and drank water.. he’s not able to walk on 3 legs by himself, but just the fact that he was able to stand and balance on it, made my heart sing. THAT is courage.

All About Max

Thursday update; 3:10 pm

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Max has had a decent day so far since I’ve gotten up. Maurice said that Max seemed in pain when he tried to move him, and was crying a bit, I’ve seen that too, but then he settles, so it’s hard to know if it is frustration or pain that he’s having.

A big victory for Max today was he was getting restless and trying to get up, and Maurice got him to the grass and Max was able to hump over and have his poop! It’s the little things in life that make us smile. It was loose and watery but he’s on meds and I suspect that’s the cause of it. We are giving him things he’s used to eating, his crunchies and his human food, so nothing new there. He’s taking water so we are thankful for that, keeping him well hydrated.

I am so very very impressed with how Maurice has taken to being Max’s nurse. He’s totally amazing with him, and it brings tears to my eyes just watching the love between them. This is a hard time for us all, but Maurice has been Max’s rock, and mine.  We continue to watch for the small improvements and celebrate those.

at 3:20 I looked up and he had moved a bit, pulled himself forward, and I went over, he had peed on his bed, but that might have been my fault as I didn’t see him move, I was writing this post.. 🙂  we’re all cleaned up  now, on a new bed and his sheepskin bed is in the wash.. it’s all good. 🙂

…Pam…

All About Max

Ten Commandments

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I was reading about dogs with mobility problems on the ‘net and found this lovely bit of work.

I thought 2 was wonderful, 3 was so true (and one of the reasons I had to leave my job – when trust in the people you rely on is gone, there is no point in being there), 4 made me think how very true, yet I hadn’t thought of expressing it that way, 7 just made me nod, and 9 is so so true. 10 I don’t want to think about, but agree with, with all my heart. It was no great hardship to be with Buck in his final moments. It was indeeed comforting.

A PET’S TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, maybe I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak, I might even have a toothache.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

All About Max

Morning with Max

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It’s early Thursday morning, and I’ve sent Pam off to bed. She watched him all night and he rested pretty comfortably. I took him out, and it’s raining, which he doesn’t like! He had a quick squirt, then he wanted to come right back in…

He’s trying to get around once in a while, but his legs are letting him down. His rear one seems to be a bit stronger. If we can get the rear one going, then the front one is not that big a deal. Lots of three legged dogs around! It is heartbreaking to see him struggle so…

I haven’t had the heart to go for a run without my little buddy. Doesn’t seem right. Silly, I know, cuz Max will never run with me again. I’ve got to accept that, but it hurts to think of it…

There have been so many changes in my life lately. Being forced to leave my job due to a racist office manager and a general manager who lies to support her… poisoned by the company I spent 13 years working for, with no hint of responsibility or apology… memory loss so significant I can’t remember my 31st wedding anniversary… and now poor old Maxie is in trouble.

At least, I’m at home to give him the care and support he needs.