Getting into a routine

Andee's doing well. She's alert, bored in her crate, but seems to accept that there's no alternative (or maybe that's my frame of mind that I'm seeing reflected in her...). So here's our routine now.

• 5:30-6 am--Sling walk for Andee, change the bedding in her kennel, add a damp towel to the collection of damp towels in the hamper or washing machine. If there are three or more towels, start a wash load.
• between 6 and 7 am: Medication and breakfast (for Andee and everyone else)
• between 7 and 8 am: second morning walk. Carefully express Andee's urine and stimulate bowel movement if she did not go during first walk; physical therapy exercises--range of motion.
• 12 to 1 pm: Come home from work, change into "dog clothes" and shoes, sling walk Andee. Check bedding, change if necessary. If the weather is nice, Andee can sit outside while I eat lunch. I can't leave her alone on her outside mat too long, though--if she sees a squirrel or if Happy chases off after an invisible gremlin, Andee drags herself across the patio in chase. Our patio is a rough aggregate surface that I can't walk barefoot on without pain--not a good place for her to scoot around.
• 2:30 to 3 pm: Sling walk or cart walk if weather is good; physical therapy exercises.
• 5:30 to 6 pm: Sling walk, change bedding.
• 6 to 7 pm: Medication and dinner
• 9 to 10 pm: sling walk; try to stimulate bowel movement if not observed during regular walks; change bedding; physical therapy. Start wash if three or more towels are waiting, and transfer any wet towels to the dryer.

Of course, regular activities still need to go on--work, getting the kids to school, cooking, regular laundry and cleaning. Housework, never a strength area for me in the best of times, has suffered. The extra load on our laundry is already noticeable. Although I wait until I have several towels before I run the washing machine, we are still doing at least one extra load each day, including bedding items and any clothing soiled in accidents carrying and walking Andee.

We don't have a regular physical therapy appointment for her yet at LSU, but she will go to her regular vet for a post-operative check up this week. At that point we will find out whether our vet can board her during vacations, or whether we will have to make in-home arrangements for Andee when we go on trips. Right now, the routine is pretty demanding, even for a paid dog-sitting service. Recently I stayed at home instead of attending a family wedding because we could not provide proper care for her even for a couple of days.

The highlight of Andee's day is a cart walk if it's nice weather and we have time. She is still officially recuperating, so we have to limit her cart time; it's just not worth the 5 minutes it takes to get a wiggly, excited dog into the cart for a 5-minute walk. When she is past the magic six weeks of cage rest, we will incorporate more cart and less sling, I hope. We also need better ways to get her out of the kennel. Right now, either Steve or I have to do it in an awkward scoop-and-lift motion. The idea is to get her outside without putting pressure on her abdomen, thus delaying urination until we are outside--but that doesn't always work. Neither Sarah nor Charlie can get her out of the kennel safely without assistance.

Steve and I have some ideas about things we could do to make some aspects of Andee-care easier, but all of them take time and/or money. We'll see what's possible over the next couple of months. We see progress in terms of Andee's strength and stamina every day--but no sign of voluntary movement in her back legs.