My Surgery

Early in the morning of May 3, people came and got me out of my cage. Then they gave me a shot that made me very sleepy. After a long time I woke up but not very much because they kept giving me groggy drugs. I kinda hurt but I didn't really know I hurt. I felt very odd.

Later the vet called mom and explained that she had found cancer in my intestines and lymph node. She snipped out some of the growth and also a piece of my liver. She said could not remove the cancer. Mom was very upset at this news although she knew, deep down, that cancer was the most likely cause of me feeling so bad.

So mom went out an pulled weeds. We have a really bad plant in our yard and hand-pulling is the best way to get rid of it unless you want to use really bad herbicide which mom does not want to do. Mom told Smokey - who supervised when he wasn't chasing squirrels - that it was like ripping out a cancer. That made her feel a little better. Then she took Smokey to the coast! Of course, I didn't hear about it until three days later but it didn't bother me. When Smokey goes to the groomer, mom takes me places. She says it's a lot easier to handle one dog at the time. Mostly that's because Smokey gets over excited and he also likes to show off in front of me. Honestly, though being a dog, he is our protector and he takes his job very seriously.

Here's Smokey exploring the boat ramp at the end of Bottoms Road near Panacea. He wouldn't go in the water because it was moving. And these things looked downright scary to him. Mom said they were mating horseshoe crabs. Whatever. They don't look very friendly to me either. Smokey was impressed by the variety of trash but mom said to let it alone. So he did. Mostly.


 

Then they went to Bald Point State Park. Smokey had to stay on the leash because the shorebirds are starting to nest and he couldn't chase them. Besides, who wants to step in dog poo on the beach? The tar balls are bad enough.

It was  late in the day so they headed back to town. Smokey said he thought I'd be picked up on the way home. He wondered where I was and he slept in my bed that night. He really is a sweet softy. The next day mom left him home alone when she came to get me from the hospital. He was disturbed because he's never stayed at home without me before.

Smokey sniffed me a lot when I came home from the hospital. He said I smelled funny. Men!

I ate a little bit of my special food when I came home but mostly I wanted to sleep. I was tired and a little sore and the groggy drugs were still in my body. Maybe that's why I smelled funny to him.

One thing for sure - it hurts to sit. Don't I look pathetic? And what about those bald spots? Does that look like mange to you?

I was still cold my first night home. We all slept downstairs. Mom put me in my chair and wrapped me in a blanket to keep me warm. I am so happy to be home!