Lucky Dog…Lucky Me

What’s that saying, in like a lion…out like a lamb?!

I’m waiting for the lamb part since March most definitely came in like a lion.

The first two weeks of March have been filled with a ton of work and very little downtime…plus…all hell broke loose.

1. I decided to rip my house to shreds and, with my brothers help, paint all of the walls, windows, ceilings and doors.
2. My dog got sick.

OK…so, let’s assess.

One – Painting and Decorating

Everything about this is fun and exciting! Well, except for the massive mess and tear up part…and I’m deep into the mess and tear up part. It’s not fun yet…but I’ll let you know when that changes! Keep an eye on the blog beginning in April when I do a few room reveals…and hopefully my house will be more appealing for someone looking to buy! (If not, I’m sure gonna enjoy all the new decor for a while!)

Two – The Dog Got Sick – UGH!

Zucchini is almost ten and the thing is…I knew this would happen some day. We had this family joke..albeit a really odd family joke…that one of these days I’d be left alone in the house with all the kids gone off to university…and then the dog would croak.

YUP…HILARIOUS!

The fact is, anyone who knows me knows that I’m completely addicted to this dog…and vice versa. It’s absolutely amazing how they manage to needle their way into our lives. And really, into the lives of everyone who visits my home. Zuke is a bit of a superstar!

On March 1st, Zucchini got sick…like, really sick. The next thing you know…I was sitting in the Emergency Vet Clinic suggesting she might have a bladder infection or something as she was feverish, weak and incredibly shaky…and they let me know that they thought it was far worse than that…like, Cancer worse.

I could almost feel the gears in my brain come to a grinding halt as I sat there trying to comprehend what this vet was saying to me and next thing you know, I was actually asking her if I needed to have my dog put down. Her response of “not yet, we need further testing” didn’t really put me at ease.

I headed back home with my weak, shaky, noble beast…a prescription for pain killers and antibiotics…and an appointment for further testing.

Telling my kids…was miserable.

Within 48 hours, Zucchini was perking up again and a “mass” that had been pointed out that I’d never seen before was blaring at me every single time I looked at her. HOW COULD I NOT HAVE SEEN THAT BEFORE?!

A few days later, we were off to our regular vet where, low and behold…the dog seemed fine. The mass seemed to have shrunk (maybe the antibiotics helped), nothing really crazy was showing up in blood work…and she seemed to be a bit of a mystery. It was decided that we probably wouldn’t have a good understanding of whether or not there was something more ominous going on, without doing a core biopsy.

I booked the surgery for the following week…but over the next few days thought long and hard about what that would mean.

Bottom line is this…if a cancer diagnosis was confirmed, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Based on where the growth is (near her spine) and her age, I wouldn’t have it removed.

Here’s the thing…I am committed 100% to caring for this dog. Should she need pain meds (she’s off them now), she’ll get them as needed but not to the point of it affecting her quality of life. If whatever this is were to show up in other organs…say suddenly affect her breathing or kidneys…again, I’d move pretty swiftly to stop any discomfort. I have promised her nothing but an amazing life…and an amazing life she will have until such moment that it’s time to say good-bye.

At this very moment, the “mass” that was mentioned at the emergency clinic and seemed quite visible the days following her initial assessment, seems to have all but gone away. Maybe it’s not cancer, maybe there was an infection of sorts…regardless, I’ve got my eye on her. She’s an “old lady” and as such, I’m treating her with kid gloves.

Zucchini is off all meds. She’s full of energy when she’s awake and snoring like a demon when she’s asleep. She’s acting completely normal and had she not had two days of being sick…I’d think there was absolutely nothing wrong with her at all.

This last two weeks I’ve coddled her. I’ve cried. I’ve consoled my kids. I’ve bought special dog food. I’ve taken her for drives. I’ve given her many, many more treats than she’s ever had before. I’ve made peanut butter toast for her. I’ve let her sleep on my white duvet. I’ve treated her like she’s the very most important dog in the whole wide world.

Because she is.

And today, on St. Paddy’s Day, I’m feeling extra lucky that she’s planning on sticking around.

At least for now.