It's Been a While...

And a lot has been going on.

When did I leave off? What did the New Year bring? An ongoing struggle with my health - mostly the right arm nerve issues.  A new dog.  A confirmed diagnosis and disability status. And a few other hiccups and glitches as every life  has.

Through the course of  a couple of independent medical examinations and seeing my own neurologist it has finally been confirmed / decided that I definitely have complex brachial neuroplexy.  Basically - the nerves in my right arm don't work right - whether they are being trapped and pinched by muscles or surrounding bone, damaged from injury at the surgery site, or a combination of the two, plus overuse and stress. So that means my arm doesn't want to work properly.  My fingers swell and hard to move.  My thumb, index finger and part of my hand are numb.  There's significant pain though my wrist and forearm.  My elbow feels like I've just smacked my funny bone all the time.  My bicep burn or throbs or pulses - ah, it can't decide what it is doing.  My tricep aches, it just aches constantly.  My shoulder is a whole other combination of pains, burning, aching, pinching un-niceness. And the pain extends up my neck and across my shoulders to the left as the left side is always trying to compensate.  The pain makes everyday activities challenging.  Typing and writing - writing is the worst, after only a few minutes I can barely hold a pen.  Carrying is limited to a couple of pounds.  Forget about anything requiring strength or the need to apply pressure like mashing potatoes, washing windows, etc.  It's not pleasant.  I don't recommend it to anyone.

I had a four month "vacation" courtesy of my neurologist from mid April to early August because of my nerve issues.  At the peak of my pain we tried two another medications to try and settle the pain down.  The first I had to stop taking immediately as the pharmacist said it counteracted something else I take.  The second I took for about 6 weeks and it was helping the pain but also helping me become a viscous, angry, miserable to live with person.  So that had to stop too. 

After a long struggle and with the help of my docs and my male boss I finally have a decision on my disability status from my insurer.  I am partially disabled.  Finally.  A decision. I'm still working on how I feel about that.

In early March we got a message from our dog Sophie's breeder.  Sophie's mom Macy had a little of 9 - 5 boys, 4 girls.   And 2 of the boys were not homed yet... were we interested.  Twisting our rubber arms, we adopted Titan, the first born, biggest boy of the litter.  He arrived home to us on May 2nd.  He and Sophie made quick friends and are inseparable.  Literally if one goes out, the other has to go to.  They are great company for each other and keeps each other entertained.

Titan, 1st born March 5, 2012

Sophie continues to grow and excel at obedience and agility training.  Titan is now in his 3rd level of obedience and is a little more headstrong than his big sister.  We're learning as much from them as they do from us.  Sophie, now 19 months old weighs in at 51 lbs full grown.  Titan at 7 months already weighs 61 lbs.  He's going to be a moose!

Left - Titan 7 months. Right - Sophie 19 months

As for the other hiccups and glitches??  

I decided early in the year to sell my motorcycle.  It was not an easy decision for me at all.  But knowing how weak my arm is and how much pain I am in, it was not at all safe for me to ride her.  I finally sold her in June to a very nice Asian man.  I see it all over town, so I know he's enjoying the ride.

We had to travel with Sophie to the University of Minnesota Minneapolis for a root canal on a lower canine tooth.  She ran into a fence post or her brother's head and shifted the tooth from the blood supply, killing the tooth.  You do not want to know how much it costs for a root canal on a dog.

I continue to try and promote education about Chiari Malformation wherever I go.  At my craft shows this year I have for sale Chiari awareness pins on cards with a brief description of the disease. 

I have also expanded my crafts and added dragonflies... and I'm loving them!! I just hope they sell!

But I guess that's all for now... I remain here, fighting everyday.

Moving Forward

On this, New Year's Eve, I thought I would pop in and say hello.  I know, I have been completely ignoring my blog.  It just doesn't hold the same appeal as it once did to "air my dirty laundry" to everyone on the web.  But I will not delete it as there is pertinent information about Chiari surgery here that should someone want to read, I want to be available to them.

Six months... what has happened in six months.  

Work: It was far too difficult for me to return to work full-time.  Symptoms flared up fiercely.  New, strange symptoms developed.  The neurologist even thought I'd had a stroke at one point... I'm alright, but I have very little tolerance for over-exertion.  I work 4 hours a day and manage with that... though some days are harder than others.  My biggest hurdles are the nerve / arm pain and guilt.  I feel tremendously guilty that I am not working full time.  The guilty feel will hopefully be addressed in the New Year when I start a grief and loss program.  Grief and loss of my former life and lifestyle.

Home:  Sophie is wonderful and amazing and smart and a pain in the neck at times.  But we love her to bits.  She's not a big Weimaraner.  Only about 50lbs.  She is petite like her grandma China.  Fine with me.  We have completed 3 levels of obedience courses and will look at something new in January to keep her active.  With the cold and ice and snow here I can't walk her as often for fear of slipping (despite wearing metal snow grips) so we play in the newly fenced backyard or at the nearby dog park.  She has her own winter attire - a lovely purple fleece-lined jacket.  It can get -40 here.  So far the coldest has been -23C / -10F.  And we have plenty of snow!  She loves the snow and would play until her paws froze if we let her!

Hubby is good and working lots with all of the snow.  Me, I'm a home-body.  If I'm not at work - my 4 hours of the day - I stay pretty much at home.  I still do as much crafting as I can, but I limit it to 1 hour a day for my neck and arm's sakes. I signed up for a cross-stitch exchange forum on FB and I stitch for a few of them, but not all as 2 per month is lots! I concentrate on my Christmas crafts mostly.  I've just been asked to make 7 spiders for a Christmas order for the coming year so I will definitely get onto those soon.    Here's one of my Christmas spiders:

They are very popular at the craft shows I do every year.  I think this year I sold approximately 60.  I include the story of the Christmas spider with each one.  They are meant to be on the Christmas tree, but many of my returning customers leave them out on the mantle or a shelf year-round.  It was actually one of my best years at the shows this year, and I'm thankful.  A little pocket money this time of year certainly helps.

I'll stop here.  I still pop in to read my favourite blogs from time to time.  Know I think of all my bloggy friends often.  I might be gone from the web, but you are not forgotten.

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year and all the best for 2012!

I'm still here

It's been a whirlwind of activity lately...  Being a puppy owner, trying to get back to work full-time, summer prolonged April weather, and everything in between...

Saw the neurosurgeon on June 6th in Toronto. My one year zipperversary was yesterday.  I'm good!!  In terms of the Chiari, Dr. G is very happy with the surgery and my recovery, as am I.  I don't need to see him again unless I start having an increase in symptoms.  We're going to keep an eye on things every 18 months with an MRI.  This will also monitor the arachnoid cyst I have in my brain.  I have to return to the ENT who initially diagnosed me with Chiari to have my tinnitus checked again as it hasn't cleared up with the decompression surgery.  In terms of the brachial neuritis, I've got another 6 to 12 months recovery ahead of me, as I do with a full decompression recovery.

I got the full report from the neurologist I saw who confirmed the brachial neuritis.  She doesn't recommend I work full time yet, and my family doctor agrees.  Hurray!!  As the current return to work plan is going to be the death of me! I'm supposed to increase to full time by July 4th.  But I'm exhausted after 5 hours.  Like, go home, need a nap exhausted.  Plus the increase in hours has increased my pain, fatigue and my shoulder blades are winging again...  All signs that the increase of hours is too much at this juncture in time / recovery.

We're still awaiting the arrival of spring and summer.  The weather has only been nice 2 days in a row.  It'll be nice, sunny and warm 24C.  Then it will be cold and raining 12C for 3 or 4 days in a row... very depressing and gloomy.  Makes me cold, miserable and sore.  My gardens are barely growing.  There are only a few blooms on my tomatoes and I am just seeing hints of basil and green onions I planted over 3 weeks ago... Very depressing. We need some heat and dry weather for a few days... or nothing is going to grow!  Which means buying and not picking my own :(   And I down-scaled the gardening this year for 1. my arm's sake and 2. space and 3. a puppy who tries to eat everything!!

And puppy... loving the puppy... Sophie is wonderful.  We are loving every minute of puppyhood.  Including the occasional late night trips outside to pee, the incessant biting as she is teething 4 teeth right now, the defiance when we're trying to train her.  Everything.  She is the only dog I have ever been acquainted with who does not want to go for a walk.  Especially in the morning.  Forget it, not gonna happen.  Treats, pulling, bribing.  Nothing works.  So we don't go for a walk in the morning.  If she's receptive I take her out back and throw a stick or ball.  Or we do training.  Most morning she just wants to sleep or cuddle.  Tonight we will graduate from puppy school.  It's been a great class.  We're learning lots and in fact were instinctively doing some of the things they are teaching us.  (helps that I read everything I could get out of the library on training a puppy beforehand!)  She is also afraid of water.  In the tub.  In the yard.  At the beach.  In kiddie pools at the leash-a-thon... If it's wet and not in her bowl, she wants NOTHING to do with it.  Very unusual for a Weim.  

I'm helping dad fix the back door, honest!!

Water!! Ack!! Nobody told me there was water at the beach!

I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor... or am I swallowing him?

She snuggled up to me for a nap so I closed my eyes too!

Sophie is a huge attraction wherever we go as Weims are not a popular breed, but they are a very beautiful breed.  She won the youngest pet award at the leash-a-thon and came home with at least 10 bags of treats.  Everyone at puppy school wants to say hi to her.  And wherever we go - walks, the pet store, even just to the corner store - people stop to meet her and ask what breed she is.  We're very proud parents.  She is quick to learn, even if she doesn't always listen or obey.  She sits, lies down, comes, fetches usually without fail.  We're working on no pull walking, going to mat and staying.  She is the love of my life, after hubby of course.  And I wouldn't trade her for the world.

Affirmation

I finally have a firm diagnosis of what went on with my right arm last summer at the time I had my decompression surgery.

The neurologist I saw in Toronto for the nerve study speculated that I might have brachial neuritis.  The NL I saw locally a couple weeks ago confirmed it.  At first she wasn't sure what was going on.  She reviewed my MRIs, x-rays and nerve study results.  Hmmm.... they all just left her with more questions.  She muttered out-loud to herself and ran a off a list of possible diagnosis.  Then she said something, of which I only caught "scapular winging".  I said "I had scapular winging!"  To which she replied, "but there's nothing here in any of the notes or reports.  Well, if you had scapular winging, then you have brachial neuritis!"  

EUREKA!!!!!!!!!!  We have an official diagnosis!

We chatted a bit more and she looked back at the nerve study.  If the NL suspected it was brachial neuritis, he didn't test the right nerves during the study! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I went through agony for NOTHING!!  Well. almost nothing.  There is also a superficial radial nerve issue in my right hand.  

So the local NL and I discussed where to go from here.  The average recovery is 2 years, meaning I have a year to go still.  Okay, I can live with that.  I am to continue massage, physio and acupuncture.  I should not ride my motorcycle until I regain the feeling in my hand. (bbbuuutttt, I wanna RIDE!!!!)

I move forward from here.  I had a return to work assessment to get back to full time this week on Tuesday.  My chair arrived yesterday and my cart (which is pretty useless in everyone's eyes at the office) arrived today.  The rehab manager who came Tuesday brought me the RinG pens and some monster paper clips to help me out too.  Just waiting on my headset for the phone.  The rehab company will be setting up a return to work schedule to increase my hours.  It's going to be gradual.  Very gradual.  Days like today I was exhausted by 9:30.  I was attempting to get my new chair comfy.  Wasn't happening as I can't get the tilt right.  I feel like I'm falling off the edge all the time.  I tried to contact the tech at the chair company, but didn't hear back before I left.  Monday, no wait, Monday is a US holiday, Tuesday, I'll have to call Texas and see what I can do.  I'm not strong enough to actually tilt the chair and then lock it in place at the same time... yep, I felt completely weak and inadequate.  My co-worker even tried to help!   I'll get it right in another couple day or so.

Until I'm up go snuff, I'll continue where I'm at.  Snuggling a puppy, working and getting on with my new "normal" life.                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                      

Ten on Tuesday!

Top Ten Things About Owning a Dog I Never Knew Before

1.  You can fall in love in seconds.  And from that point in time you will NEVER be the same person.

2.  Feed a dog once.  She'll poop 3 times.  Laws of physics are mystical here!

3.  Puppy breath (which I'm told everyone LOVES) smells to me like mild skunk.  Just saying... it's not like fresh baked cookies or anything, I'm kinda disappointed!

4.  When she's sick, your life is on hold.  And you are terrified that you broke her.

5.  The smell of puppy treats makes you hungry.  Mostly because you haven't eaten lunch in the past 4 days being too occupied feeding her a lunchtime.

6.  It doesn't matter what it is, a puppy will try to eat it.  Poop.  Rocks.  Concrete.  Dead worms.  Dead leaves.  Grass.  Sofas.  Blankets.  Slippers.  Mum's toes.  Mum's pantyhose (ARGH!! 2nd time wearing them!) and everything else she can get her mouth around.

7.  Puppies are escape artists disguised in furry wrappings.  And when they escape from their kennel while you are at work they are very proud to show off their skills when you find them when you get home.  (Yesterday was a long day... Sophie was sitting proudly on her blanket when I came home.  Not in her kennel where I left her!)

8.  Puppies think running away is fun.  Mum thinks running hurts my brain.  Puppy doesn't know I'm missing part of C1 and I'm not supposed to bounce!

9.  A sleeping puppy moves and shakes and growls and woofs and snores and whines and runs and twitches and does all kinds of funny little movements.  And has no idea she is doing it.

10.  A puppy sleeping in your lap is your own personal heating pad.  Not to mention cute, wonderful and makes you fall in love all over again.

Sophie with her Wubba Rabbit.  She loves her Wubba!

Sophie!

As promised, here are some pics of Sophie when we first got her home on Tuesday.

What's up!

Princess Sophie

Pretty Girl!

Zzzzz.... it was a long morning flying to my new home.

It's MY Wubba Wabbit!

As new parents, I think we're doing well.  Sophie is very energetic and smart.  Three days and she is learning her name and "No!"  She even went to the vet's yesterday.  She wasn't too happy when we first got there, but she is stopped shaking and actually fell asleep on the exam table, then rolled off of it!! I caught her just before she hit the floor.  No harm done, not even a squeak out of her. But scared the life out of mummy!  And she met a few of the people I work with after the vet's.  Everyone loves her.  It was suggested she become the new office mascot.  Somehow I don't think the managing partners will go for it!

We love her.  Plain and simple.  From the moment the airline attendant brought her out to the counter we were in love.  Pictures don't do her beauty justice.  

Introducing....

I'd like to introduce you to Breica's Don't Wanna Miss a Thing, aka Sophie!!!

Sophie - stacked - awesome conformation!!

She was born to championship parents Macy and Kai on March 4, 2011, in Southern Ontario.  And tomorrow morning she will take the biggest steps of her life and fly to our home a couple hours away!!  We've already been told she will need some heavy sucking up to once she is off the planes!  We're beyond excited, and we're nearly exhausted already, but it is all worth it for her!!! 

We have been EXTREMELY busy!!  Shopping, puppy proofing, fixing the fence - which frost heaved at least 8" in some spots this winter!  installing puppy proof garbage cans, moving things out of the "chew zone" etc.  And more trips back and forth to the pet store and H. Depot than I care to count!

The night we decided on which puppy and which names to give her hubby asked if I was happy.  I gave him the duh-stupid look.  The second happiest day I can every remember, so I know tomorrow will be even more memorable!! Only my wedding day surpasses my current emotions!!

Sophie at 4 weeks - first trip outside

Sophie - 8 weeks

I will post more pics of our little girl once we have her home!