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!

A Few Minutes to Myself

I have a few extra minutes to myself today :)  Hubby has a dentist appointment right after work, which gives me an extra hour before I would usually start making dinner. What to do?  Sit down and blog of course!

I have to admit, I want to keep up with my blogging, but my spare time is spent doing a variety of other things lately.  Reading puppy books, finally finishing a cross stitch project I started almost 5 years ago (pics will follow once it's framed), physio, yoga, visiting a friend who has just had major surgery again :( and the list goes on.

I'd like to pick up ideas I've seen on other blogs, like Junebug who is tackling the A to Z Blogging Challenge, or even Marla's Ten on Tuesday, but I can't commit.  There are days when once I'm home and away from the office computer I don't even grab the laptop except to input stuff into our food diaries.  And that I can do from my iPod.  

It's not that I don't love all 3 of my loyal readers, I just don't think I'm that entertaining and engaging that people want to read all about my little corner of the frozen world on a daily basis, especially now that I have gone private.  (And I mean it, my world is  frozen, again.  Snowed all weekend... But it's starting to melt.)  And once we get puppy, in just under 3 weeks, I'm sure I'll be on the computer even less.  We'll be walking twice a day, plus puppy school, training and playing.  I will apologize in advance if my future posts are 1. all about puppy and 2.  fewer and further between.  It's just a fact of life.  Now that I'm feeling better, I don't want to dwell on my surgery and my Chiari and my nerve issues but move forward.  I don't try to stay in the past and rehash everything.  I keep moving forward, just as my favourite quote from Walt Disney says.  Especially because I have had such success with the decompression surgery.

I'll be here, now and again, but I can't promise the frequency.  And thank-you, my loyal readers, for hanging in this long!!

And Stuff

Yes, the phone finally rang a couple weeks back... 3.5 hours later.  And the first call wasn't who I was expecting, but within 2 minutes of hanging up, the caller I waited on phoned.

I was waiting for the insurance adjuster to call.  I was in a minor truck accident.  I boo-booed my pretty lil truck.  And I also boo-booed 3 ribs - cracked the ribs from the cartilage.  Not one of my finer moments in my driving history.  I backed into a concrete pole.  Yep.  It wasn't even a moving object.  And, at 5km/h in reverse I injured myself.  I don't do anything half-assed.  I go full tilt into everything!!  Long story short, my truck is fixed.  I had to drive a car (ugh!!!) for 5 days.  Now I'm working on getting me on the mend, again.  Just when you start to feel good, the carpet gets pulled out from under you, again.

But, I'm still shiny side up, even if the shiny parts are a little bruised and tarnished! 

The first call the other day was the occupational therapist hired by my long-term insurer.  I had my ergonomic assessment at work.  The OT is recommending a headset for my phone, a new chair, a funky no-grip pen to make it easier to write, and a cart to carry files.  I agree with all of the recommendations, but I'm self-conscious about using a cart.  It looks like a little ol' lady's grocery cart... The pens look cool and might help as I can't grip a regular pen for any length of time as there is no feeling in my thumb and index finger most of the time.  We will wait to see what the insurance company approves.  

I've requested a referral to a local neurologist from my family dr.  I would like someone to actually confirm the EMG study findings as brachial neuritis.  And have someone tell me whether I'm recovering well.  I'm starting to feel better, which is wonderful.  Lots of physio, massage and acupuncture are helping!!

We're getting closer to puppy time!! Our little girl will be ready to ship to us on May 6th.  We have decided to have her shipped to us rather than subjecting an 8 week old puppy to an 18 hour drive home, which we would have to do over 2 days for sure, finding a place that accepts pets along the way to stay the night.  By having her shipped she is in our loving arms in about 4 hours instead.  And the breeder ships dogs all the time without any problems.  

We've been doing a lot of shopping for puppy, who still is unnamed.  We went to 3 pet stores last Friday and hubby's wallet did not get away unscathed.  And Sunday, we repeated the process :)  We have a whole basket of toys, chews, balls, rope toys and a blanket.  Plus I bought her designer poop baggies and a winter jacket for next year.  We ordered the collars and leads last night off the net.  We just need food, bowls and beauty supplies for her, and her of course!!  Hubby would love to fast forward the next 3 weeks until she is in our arms.  

Very soon one of these little bundles of fur will be all ours!!!