Parker

So we had to make the difficult decision to amputate Parker's leg. As you may remember back in December we found a tumor on his leg. It turned out to be malignant. We were lucky that the type of cancer it is it's one that does not spread but the tumor keeps growing. He had surgery at the end of December to try to take as much of the tumor out. Because of the location they were not able to take the entire thing. So the tumor grew back and it was becoming a problem again. The problem with the growing is that it became ulcerated so it was bleeding and it was making it hard for him to walk. He kept picking at it. We tried keeping it bandaged up but as you know Parker well there is nothing more that the likes than picking something, especially a wound. So the poor thing was with a cone for a while and then a boot.

In April the tumor was back and worse than December so we decided to try another surgery to try to take the tumor out. The tumor was so large at this point that after the surgery he did not have enough skin to be able to close the wound. Since April it has been a nightmare trying to make it heal. He keep getting infections and he was just in pain.
So last week we decided to amputate. By amputating the cancer problem goes away but then the new issue of walking on 3 legs arises. We were concerned about his age, he will be 11 in November. But we figured that at this point it was either amputating or putting him to sleep and I was not ready for that especially since there was a chance he could recover.
So he had surgery on Wednesday. He spent the night at the vet and we picked him up yesterday afternoon. I was amazed when I saw Aaron walk out of the vet with Parker hopping next to him. I was expecting a big wound and lots of stitches but it was worse than I had imagined. I forget how much they have to shave him, he looks like a poodle with no hair in about 1/2 his body.
The girls were excited to have him home, although Izzie lost interest on him and went back to playing within 5 minutes of being home. Somehow they did not notice the big wound or the fact that he was missing a leg.

I had tried to prepare Natalie and after we got home she told me that I was wrong. That I had told her that Parker would look different but that he looked the same to her. Apparently she thought that he was going to change colors or something because while we were waiting for Aaron to come out of the vet with Parker she asked me what color he was going to be.

So we put a t-shirt on him to cover the wound and he is doing better. He looks good, he is in pain but I am amazed at how animals recover. He can pull himself up and he stands and hops around. He gets tired quickly and he does not sit anymore, he goes down and lays down but it is way more than I was expecting.

He ate his dinner well last night (again this is Parker when has he turned down food!). He slept well, but at 1am I woke up to his whimpers. Turns out that somehow he had turned and he was laying on his surgery side so he could not get himself back up and I am sure it was hurting. Because he is so heavy and I was afraid of hurting him I had to wake Aaron up (which he was thrilled). But we turned him around and he was better and he slept fine. This morning we put him out and we left him in the yard for a few minutes when then I heard a whimper and I found him on the back porch. He climbed up the 4 steps from the yard to the back porch. I have no idea how he did it, and it exhausted him but he did it! If he can do this not even 2 days after surgery I have hopes that he will recover.

He is taking it easy, given that I think he will try to go upstairs I am keeping a gate so that he does not even try to climb upstairs. It helps that our bedroom is downstairs so at least he can sleep with us. Also given that it is so hot he is happy to stay downstairs where it's cooler.
We are sad for what he has lost and that he will never be the same but we are lucky that he is still alive and he will get better.
here are some pictures...

Parker on Tuesday, the day before his surgery wearing the boot.


When we got home yesterday afternoon. His whole belly is shaved.



This morning, tired after climbing up 4 steps.



As I was writing this he kept whimpering because he did not like being by himself. I then hear him hopping and I turned to find him in the entrance. He had crossed the living room and wanted to come and lay by the front door closer to me and where he usually lays. It is amazing watching him because he loves to lay against the walls and as he was getting closer I could see that the way he was standing he was going to have to lay on his surgery side but he must have a realized it too because he turned around so that he could lay on his good side.
Here he is standing making his way across.

Ballet

I know it's been a while since I have updated the blog. We have been busy and I keep forgetting.
The girls are done with school for the summer so the next 3 months should be interesting. I have never looked forward to Labor Day as much as I do right now!

Natalie had her big ballet recital yesterday. We are so proud. When she started in September I just hoped she would stay interested and make it through the recital. Well she loved it. She loves ballet and she would practice at home. She is taking a class this summer and she is already signed up for the fall again.

She did great at her recital. She was so excited. I was worried she would get scared, given this is Natalie and she is afraid of everything. But she danced and enjoyed every second. They did two dances. The first one is ballet and they danced to Tinkerbell's song "Fly to your Heart" and then tap to Bambi's song "Little April Shower". During the first song Natalie jumped and her hair piece went flying. I was afraid she was going to stop dancing to pick it up but she never even noticed.

By coincidence the daughter to one of Izzie's teachers was at the same recital (they have so many classes they have 3 different ones). She volunteered to help so she was able to get in early and she got some great seats. Well she had her husband takes pictures of Natalie. Which was great because I was sitting so far back and had Izzie on my lap that there was no way I could have taken any good pictures.

So here are the pictures. Hope everyone is doing well.

Snow!!!!

For I think the third time this winter they were calling out for snow today. I did not think it would happen given that previous times it was pretty much sleet with tiny flurries that lasted 5 minutes.
Also it was hard for me to believe given that on Sunday it was 75 degrees and we were outside in shorts.

This morning we woke up to rain, as expected. But they had said that by 10 am it was going to switch to snow. Well I was shocked when at 8am I looked out the window and saw big snowflakes. The girls had school today but given that I know the snow here can last just a few minutes I took them outside so they could see it and take some pictures.

On the way to school there was a mix of everything. Rain, then sleet and finally big wet snowflakes.

When I picked them up at school it was still snowing. They had a great time at school, they took all the kids outside so they could enjoy it.

When we got home it was naptime and around 3 the snow started up again so I bundled the kids up and we went outside.

The dogs are loving it. It has been 2 years since they have seen snow. But boy have the dogs aged in this past 2 years. Parker who loves the cold and love the snow was eating the snow and trying to play but he kept shaking so after about 15 min I had to bring him in the house.
Abi did better, but she does not like the cold so she is happy to be inside.

Natalie was very excited. We tried to build a snowman but there was not that much snow and every time we tried to turn it into a ball Parker would come and try to eat it. So I had to do a little one and put it out of his reach.

Izzie for some reason got scared of the snow. The moment her feet touched the snow since it was a different feeling she freaked out and started crying. She went back up on the back porch and stayed there. She touched the snow she just refused to walk on it.


this morning before school. Izzie is still in her pjs :-)





mid morning, the snow is picking up.






I have never seen palm trees with snow.


the golf course


getting ready to go out




Parker eating the snow we wanted to make our snowman





Izzie refusing to come down and play in the snow. She wanted me to carry her.







our little snowman. the girls lost interest before we could finish it.

All Grown Up!

Well Izzie is all grown up! We took the side off her crib and she is now in a toddler bed. For some time now she has been getting up on Natalie's bed and trying to sleep there. She has not climbed out of her crib but we figured she was ready for a toddler bed. Plus she is almost getting too big for the crib and we want to get her used to sleeping without a side before we put her in a big bed.
She was so excited. As Aaron was taking the side off and putting up the little rails she kept saying "big girl bed" over and over again. She is very happy to be able to get in and out all by herself.
Now if we could only get rid of the paci and the diapers......

During nap time....