PT and Progress 3.12.21

Well we've made it through 24 hours home.  To be honest, my heart sank when I picked Surf up and saw that she still wasn't mobile at all.  And then they said she still had not peed on her own---that's never good.  But we went home armed with instructions to start her PT right away, to head off any atrophy and start addressing her proprioceptive deficits.  Her right leg has made huge progress just in the last day, but her left leg is still just hanging out there.

Surf still needs to be supported with a sling to walk, or she winds up just dragging herself.  I think in the next day or so, that right leg will be strong enough to support her though.  I am constantly moving that left leg under her, reminding her it's there, and trying to let it bear a little bit of her body weight.  

Her daily schedule looks like this:

1.  Heat, massage, assisted standing and ROM 4 times per day

2.  Laser once per day

3.  LED light therapy once per day

4.  Walks out to potty as needed

I am also adding in a few other things like putting the base of the running dremel on her leg and foot to stimulate the nerves and having her put that left foot on a covered ice pack.  Again just to stimulate nerves and remind her that she has an appendage there.

Thankfully she peed on her own this morning, and then pooped too!  It's hard for her to get into position, but knowing that she has full control over her own functions is absolutely HUGE.  Then it was daily toy toy time, and she wanted to be a part of the game!  That made my heart so happy.  We modified the game, of course, but she got to play.  

I am not going to lie, this is going to be a tough road for both of us---and the other dogs.  Surf doesn't want them near her, and they don't really understand why.  Gypsy just keeps going and laying in the crate next to her so keep her company.

But if nothing else, Surf has always defined resilience and I will follow her lead here.