One Year Anniversary

Well how about that!  We're just past the one year mark since Gigi's surgery and it is time to do an update.  It has been a good year.  And we learned a lot along the way.

Gigi has made a pretty darn good recovery.  She is able to run and play, although she does have a peculiar gate in the repaired leg.  The leg swings out a little, paddles, I guess but it sure doesn't stop her from gallumphing around her world.

 If I had to do anything different I think I would have been more aggressive with the rehab exercises - the bending of the knee has not returned 100% and a result she has a hard time lifting her leg as high as she needs to to get up some high-rising steps.  We still use a sling to go up stairs just to be safe.  We've had a few slips, but no injury to either of us,  but the increased difficulty and the occasional slips have reinforced her dislike for stairs - which has made going to work an issue.  We are looking for handicapped accessible space but it is shocking how difficult it is to find easy access at a rent we can afford. 

 The diet...well...she lost about 6 lbs and then gained some back.  We had to discontinue her carrots and add in green beans, but it didn't make much difference and we lost our momentum.  We had hoped to walk  it off this winter, but mom has had her own health issues so it hasn't happened.  We do walk around town when we go to the office, but I can clearly see Gigi's stamina is much lower than in previous years.  She is 10+ now.  That may be making the difference.  We seem to be creaky on the same days, but she is still HIGHLY motivated to walk, go for rides, do her work, and play with Cato.  Except on Saturdays.  When she refuses to even get up until dinner.

Was it worth the surgery.  Absolutely.

Hugs all 'round.