Edgar's Up Again

Edgar is up again, acting like a pup again, as the old rhyme goes.  What a week this has been, from tearful disbelief to tremulous joy and relief.  Most of you know the story from reading Jon's blog.  He did a wonderful job keeping readers updated and in encouraging so many people from all over the world to write to me with prayers and good wishes on Edgar's behalf.  Totally amazing.  I am so grateful to all.  Those prayers certainly helped.  Poor St. Francis must have been blanketed in requests-all for one little old dog.

My Veterinarian, Dr. Joy  Watkins  of Bedford Animal Hospital, deserves an accolade for service above and beyond the call of duty.  She was in surgery when I called with my frightening report of Edgar's strange behavior.  As tired as she must have been, she was here at the door the moment she had finished her surgery at the hospital.  She treated Edgar and told me 24-48 hours would tell the story.  She was right on, for he began to move about unsteadily at 24,  seeming so much better at 48, that I knew he was going to make it.  Dr. Watkins has kept in touch and decided to put Edgar on a low dose of a K9 arthritic medication, though he does not have arthritis, to prevent the incidence of blood clots forming.  

This morning he was once again hopping over the tall spots in the grass (he hates stepping in tall grass, which often leads to poor aim when he pees and those unexplained wet spots on the sidewalk).

To my amazement, he lost none of his newly learned hand signals.  Running through them, he responded quickly with a very pleased expression on his face.  Dr. Watkins explained to me that strokes affect dogs differently than humans due to less complex "wiring" in the brain.  Yes, he could have more strokes.  I am trying not to feel that moment of fear whenever I note an ear twitch.  

It has been a week and all is well.  I will just enjoy continuing to work with him.  The use of the training collar has been okayed, so the cats are anxiously awaiting those results.  The new ramp to access the couch is up.  We may try it tonight.  Much smaller in length, but similar in width to the agility ramps, Edgar should certainly have no problem with it once he conquers his concern.  I have seen tiny Chihuahuas dash up those ramps when I was teaching agility.

Someone wrote that Edgar must love me.  I don't know about that.  He certainly knows he is mine--that he is most comfortable close to me.  He always wants to know where I am, so much so that he shoves his bed across the doorway to the bedroom at night so I cannot leave without moving him.  He cannot trust his ears, so he devised another way!  

Today he demonstrated another way he has become close to me.  You recall the bite early on.  Today I hooked his leash to his harness. Then I rolled the wheelchair forward signalling him to come forward.  He just sat there.  I repeated the signal.  No response, so I gave the leash a sharp tug.  Edgar squeeked and came forward and we went outside.  Not until we came back in did I realize what had happened.  There where he had been sitting, refusing to move, was a big  twist of the long red hair from his beautiful tail.  I had been parked on it!  He certainly could have bitten the hand that tugged that leash---but he did not.

Yes I love this funny little red dog---my "Chorgie", as I tell people who ask his breed.  Does he love me?  

I hope we have some good years together.  Thanks to all who had a hand in his recovery.  You kept me positive.