BarkingProse

Ash has been asking me to post a bark about how I’m feeling. If you read my previous bark, you know I was pretty sick for a while.

I felt dizzy and sick and all messed up. Dr. Brad said I have geriatric vestibular syndrome. All I know is my head wouldn’t sit straight on my neck.

It’s been ten days since I got dizzy. Now my eyes don’t twitch but I still can’t straighten my head. You should try walking around with your head off to one side. It’s not so easy!

I’m still a little unsteady on my feet. I stumble when I first get up in the morning, but mom always spots for me so I don’t fall over.

Once I get my pegs under me I can trot around pretty good. Last night I even made a little play bow on our nightly walk. The other mutts looked at me like I was crazy. Tess came over to see if I really wanted to play, but then she realized I’m still too weak.

It bothers me that people feel sorry for me. I know I’m a sorry sight but I’m still happy. I follow mom everywhere. I eat like a horse. A BIG horse! I can drink water just fine, and I love my treats.

I felt so full of myself yesterday that I grabbed my blanket and shook it real hard. That makes the people laugh every time.

In two weeks I’m gonna see the eye doctor. That way I’ll know if I’m going blind or just can’t see good because of cataracts. I know I’m blind in the dark. Even with a flashlight I can’t see where to walk, but that’s okay too. Mom says I’ll just have to stay in the backyard where we have great big lights.

So that’s the latest news about my dizzy spells. I’ll tell you one thing, it’s not getting in the way of me enjoying life at Asherpark.

 

 

Maybe the lady at the shelter was right when she said I wasn’t worth saving. She said I didn’t have long to live and mom should pick a better dog to rescue.

I’ve been at Asherpark for four months. I’ve had surgery to fix my teeth and remove a lump on my eyelid. I’ve had lots of supplements and good nourishing food. I was getting stronger all the time.

And then…..I went to sleep Sunday night like usual. My bed is on the floor right next to mom. That way she can’t get up without me knowing it.

At 4am Jack started moaning. That’s how he asks to go outside. I felt mom get out of bed and I jumped up to go with her. Boom. I fell into the wall. I got up again and fell in a heap.

Mom tried to steady me but my legs collapsed. The world was spinning and I felt like I was upside down.

Mom quick let the other dogs out and came back to help me. I staggered outside and did my business. When I tried to walk back I kept going around in circles. My head was tilted at a crazy angle and I felt sick to my stomach.

I lay down but everything kept moving. My eyes were twitching. I thought this was the end. I felt so bad mom had to see me like this. She wants me to get better and here I was getting worse with some goofy condition that made me look crazy.

Mom was really worried about me but she also had an idea what was wrong. She thought I had vertigo. Mom called and wrote all sorts of people about my condition. Our vet, Dr. Brad, said I have geriatric vestibular problems. Kinda like old age doggie vertigo.

Dr. Brad said I should slowly get better on my own and there’s not much he could do for me. Well, that was good news. I wasn’t going to die and maybe my head wouldn’t always be tilted like a hawk circling its prey.

Three days later I’m much better. I still stumble when I walk and my head is crooked, but I’ve got a big appetite and drink plenty of water. I’m really proud that I didn’t soil in the house even when I could hardly walk.

Mom says my getting better is the best present I could ever give her. She says I will always have a place at Asherpark, even if my head stays crooked. For now I’m taking life easy. Sleeping, eating and giving thanks that I still have time ahead of me. I’m grateful for each day, whatever it brings. Life is good!