Oct
5
Life Right After Amputation
October 5, 2011 | 2 Comments
It’s been over three weeks now since Jewels’s surgery. It went smoothly. I didn’t really worry because we had one of the best surgeons in the State of New Mexico perform the surgery and I knew he would do a great job. I was more stressed about post-amputation care and making sure she recovers from such a major procedure.
The surgeon wanted to keep her for two nights post-surgery to make sure there are no complications. When I picked her up from the hospital and saw her for the first time on three legs with a huge “cone of shame” around her neck, I got pretty emotional. But she was so happy to see me!
The surgeon had wrapped a bandage around her torso, so the incision with all its stitches was covered up pretty good. She didn’t seem to pay much attention to the bandage, so I took off the pesky “cone of shame” so that she would be more comfortable. The first night home I stayed downstairs with her to make sure she would be okay through the night. Later into the night I made the mistake of letting her go upstairs to our bedroom where she usually sleeps. For a front limb amputee, going down the stairs is very challenging without help. The next morning she wanted to come down the steps, but knowing her limitations she just hung out at the top of the steps, perhaps waiting for me to help her. I was at home alone with my twin boys (now three years old) and tried to help her get down the steps by myself, but she weighs over 80 pounds, and I was not strong enough to help her. Great. Now I wasn’t just super tired from being up with her all night, I was also getting stressed out first thing in the morning about how I was going to get her down stairs! I finally called my neighbor next door to ask for his assistance. Hopefully the two of us can get her down safely.
When my neighbor arrived at the front door, Jewels got so excited about a new visitor that she literally stumbled down the steps all by herself! I was mortified. This is exactly what I did NOT want to happen. She might break open her stitches or injure her remaining legs! To my astonishment, she was fine. She was not hurt. Just excited to greet our neighbor at the door. And she is down the stairs. After that I blocked off the stairs so that we won’t have to deal with this again until she is fully recovered from the surgery and she is stronger to handle descending down the stairs.
Already she is doing great. I can tell the pain is gone for her now and she is back to her old self. She is adapting well to having three legs. I am impressed that she can carefully get in and out of the dog door all by herself. I look forward to having pain-free memories with her for as long as we get to have her! Having the amputation done was definitely the right decision.
2 Comments so far
baby gates are god’s gifts to tripawd parents. glad jewels is doing so well… don’t forget the medicinal naps – for all of you!
charon & gayle
Glad to hear she is doing well and that you are happy with your decision. I hope you have a lot more time with her. She sounds like a sweetheart.
All the best,
Jackie, Abby’s mom