Journey in his gazebo, looking through the window space, for passing food dishes.
It was morning, shortly after our first walk of the day. Journey was feeling great and was in his gazebo, awaiting his breakfast. I had just taken his dish in to the kitchen to fill it for him. The gazebo has a door (Journey is leaning on it in the picture above). It also has a flap down window in the panel next to the door - you can see it in the picture above, where Journey is looking out through it. That window latches in place and I normally keep it latched, Since I had just reached through it to get Journey's dish, I left it open while I took it to the kitchen (only a few steps away) to fill it with his breakfast. Although I never left it down for more than a moment or two, I would never have believed Journey would have jumped out of it, even if he were in perfect condition.
Journey could see me from the gazebo. As I turned to walk back through the dinning-room to his gazebo, behind me stood a White Shepherd wearing a collar. That is when my heart nearly stopped. No one wears a collar around home unless there is some special reason, such as the need to be able to grab that dog to connect a leash. I realized the dog was Journey. I hoped with all the heart I had, that was still working, that I had forgotten to latch the door. But I knew I hadn't. A few more steps and I confirmed the worst fear. Journey had jumped out the flap-down window. That space is 25" off the floor and the opening is only 12" high. I never leave it open for more than a moment if I am transporting his food or water dish, so that I don't need a third hand to open it when I am carrying the dishes.
I began a frantic examination of my boy. He seemed okay, but I knew the odds of that being true, were not good. He was still only walking with a sling and was slightly less than three weeks out of a very serious surgery. He had jumped higher than he jumps in competition, and through an opening I could not imagine him even clearing. He had not made a sound and I put him back in the gazebo, latched every opening, and sat down to think about what to do. Emergency hospital? Call and describe what happened? I knew Dr. Lozier was out of town until the following week. Journey was forbidden to jump on the furniture or the bed. He was not to even walk out of the sling until the eight week examination. He was only four days past the two week examination. I gave him a sedative and pain pills. I watched him like a hawk and looked for swelling or a difference in skin color. I kept testing for heat or anything different. I called the ER and asked to speak to the tech that was in charge of Journey's case. I answered all the questions and apparently he passed on the scariest possibilities. Then they left the decision up to me.... if we could have seen Dr. Lozier I would already have been on my way to Clackamas, Oregon. But we would be seeing a different vet if we went. Journey's operation was not just a regular TPLO, (which is serious enough), he had some complications that I would never had trusted to any doctor other than Dr. Lozier, who is the best in the Northwest, in the opinion of everyone I have talked to. I left a message on Dr. Lozier's message machine just in case he or one of his techs thought we should do something else.
By the time I was finished on the phone, Journey was sound asleep. I cried a bit, then talked with a friend on the phone. Then cried again, and never felt more alone and frightened in my life. I did know how I was going to handle it though. If Journey was walking okay (and he was) and if I could not see any of the danger signs I was watching for, I decided to wait for Dr. Lozier.
When Dr. Lozier returned and called me, I told him what had happened and he wanted to see Journey to check on the leg. I set our alarm for 4:45 AM on Saturday. We all walked in the rain, then I loaded Journey in the car. Pirate and Andiamo stayed home. We drove a little slower than usual, but still made it by 8:00 AM. It is about 60 miles and the rain was pretty heavy.
On Saturday morning they took Journey right in for x-rays and i just sat and hoped. Dr. Lozier came back to the room and pulled up the picture of Journey's knee. He said everything appears to be okay. That really made the tears almost start again after just about one of the worst weeks of worry in my life. He pointed out all the danger areas and described how well he is healing. He pointed to an area that showed that even the new bone growth was already beginning to show, which, he said was surprising.
So it appears Journey and I really lucked out. All my bad dreams and the thoughts of all that could go wrong are apparently not an issue. Journey's walking is improving every day. His knee is slightly more shakey than before his jump, but he is not knuckling under, or dragging his toe nails at all. He is best on the early morning walks. Through the day, as he tires a little more, his knee shakes a little more and he does not put as much weight on it as he had begun doing before the jump. So he did not escape without some added problems of discomfort.
I not only close the pass-thru slot in the gazebo. I use a clip type lock in each upper corner. I also use a clip lock on the latch on the door. I don't care how impossible it would be for any one of them to open the gazebo. There will never be a moment when I will need to think about it again because there will be locks on everything!
"Mom said this is the last time I ever get to look out this window. I don't know why. I did a beautiful jump and never even knocked a bar down."
I cannot believe how good Pirate and Andiamo are being as they help me care for Journey. All my boys are talkers. When Andi and Pirate begin their evening wrestling matches, they are noisy. Journey is noisy with sad songs telling of his wishes that he were joining in on the rowdy play. Saturday night when Journey complained, the other guys immediately took the match to Journey. They played right up against the side of the gazebo so Journey could poke them occasionally and feel more a part of things. It was very cute.
Sometimes I open the gazebo gate and sit with Journey. He enjoys massages and cuddling. When we do this, one or the other dog always asks to be allowed to go in the pen with Journey. At first I let just Pirate do it, but now I even allow Andi in there while I sit right next to them. I have never had to correct either of them. They are so careful with him. After Journey's jump, Pirate sniffed his leg from his knee to the floor and up and down the other side too. He seemed satisfied that it was okay, which made me feel a little better. I know that their noses tell them a lot. I was wishing that Pi could confirm that all was well and actually he sort of did that.
Not much other news. Everything else is good with Journey. He is under my desk while I am writing this. He likes to be in the same room with us and I try to allow that as much as is safe for him. He has a leash on and the handle is looped around my ankle. Our next appointment with Dr. Lozier is on the 13th of October. If all is well, he may be released from having to walk with the sling. Not sure what other freedom he might receive, but I will be very glad to be rid of the sling walking. He has not needed it for support for several weeks, but our doctor does not believe in taking chances and neither do I.
When I was sitting in the exam room, waiting for them to bring my dog back, I heard two sets of footsteps coming down the hallway. I also heard the doctor's voice, "heel, Journey, heel!" The tech opened the door for them and Dr. Lozier and Journey stood together not looking too happy. Journey was practically digging his toe-nails into the tile floor, trying to get to me. (Did I mention that Journey is a mama's boy)? Dr. Lozier was practically holding his hind quarters off the ground with the sling, trying to keep him under control. He looked at me and said, "you must have the strength of wonder woman to control this dog".
I told him he doesn't pull that hard when I have him. (He sort of does though, when he wants to get out of the hospital). Well it is time we get outside to enjoy the late afternoon, before the sun goes down.