My wife Louise, has had a lovely dog named D.J. for a good many years now. Louise adopted D.J. when she wasn’t much more than a pup, and she was an unruly girl, lacking in manners and training. Louise worked with her with patience and love, and turned that difficult little lady into an absolutely magnificent animal. D.J. is a mix of Lab and something else….with a “Lab” build, lean hind quarters, sharp stand-up ears, and very black coat…(save the gathering grey around her nose and face), and has a passion for tennis balls. (I was adopted by Louise when she married me, and lucky me, I get to share D.J. as part of the deal).
A few months ago a growth formed on the lower part of her left hind leg. It grew very rapidly and had to be removed. The wound from the surgery refused to heal properly, and in fact worsened, and became unmanageable. Our vet, who is a wonderfully compassionate and very capable doctor made one last effort, just yesterday…the 5th. of October, to stop the angry red flesh from bleeding, but where one area would be stopped, momentarily, another would begin to bleed. It was at this point that we got the call, that the leg would have to come off if D.J. was to live.
My wife is an O.R. Nurse, and she feared this might be the outcome. Me…I’m an advertising guy, and I just wanted to write a new script. But..there was no new script to be written. So, we agreed, D.J. would lose her left rear leg, and learn to love life on 3 instead of 4, and we’re going to help her do that.
At 5:20 this afternoon we’re going to pick her up. I’m not sure what awaits, but I know with the wonderful medical care she has received, with support of others who have and are experiencing the joy of healthy 3 legged pooches, with the great love that my wife and I have for D.J. and for each other, and with the huge heart that D.J. has, she will be just fine.
We’re glad to have found this website, and now have a place to share our experiences as we go forward.
That’s it for today. Will post pix soon.
