I tried it again tonight but the rain was coming down pretty hard, which made a lot of noise on the roof, which was just too much for his little nerves to take. First, I had to drag him out there and you would have thought I was leading him into a lion's den. After standing out there with him for about five minutes, I just couldn't put him through it anymore and we went back in. He didn't go potty and so far he hasn't gone potty inside either but it's just a matter of time.
Now for Gracie.....what a nightmare! Her leg ended up swelling up huge from ankle to thigh, turned red/purple, and had places in it that were hard. It was hot to the touch and she literally tried to attack me when I tried to look at it. Luckily, she had the cone on her head or else she would have surely really hurt me. Then all of a sudden her skin broke open in two places and fluid started oozing everywhere. I took her back in and they hospitalized her. It turns out that the surgical pin came off of the bone and ended up coming through the skin. I can't imagine the pain she was in. So, now we are having to up the ante. They went in today and took the pins out and she is having to have another kind of surgery next week if we can raise the funds. Her bone around her knee is just too damaged and so she is going to get a cadaver knee. I can't help but feel so very grateful to the wonderful dog that has passed away and is giving Gracie his/her knee. The surgeon is confident that this will hold and will allow her to be able to finally run, play, and jump like all the other doggies. Most importantly, it will help prevent several painful conditions that would arise from how her knees are now. It has become such an ordeal and quite discouraging and so I wrote a funny letter from her and put it on the Camp Cocker facebook page, which I am going cutting and pasting here in case any of you want to read it.
Before I do that, it was fun to watch Alvin's reaction to her coming home again. Last night with her gone, Alvin was back on the bed with me, which was really nice for me. With the surgeon having pulled everything out again and Gracie clearly being far more comfortable, Alvin is going to sleep on the bed with us again until she has her next surgery. I think Alvin is really fine on the floor in his dog bed and although he initially reacted by going to the bathroom all over the house, he doesn't act like he particularly wants up with us. He just wants the bedtime snack. But I really miss him when he's not next to me and so I am very happy to hoist him back up, give him his bedtime snack and have that little Alvin breath in my ear. When Gracie came home Alvin didn't have any response to the cone on her head and his little tail just wiggled and wiggled. I have mentioned it before but Gracie is really good to Alvin. He is a very difficult dog for most other dogs to understand but because Gracie can't play due to how her legs were formed and Alvin doesn't know how to play, they seem to relate well to each other. Alvin often bumbles into or around her and she is so patient with him. I know it is patience because Gracie has a whole other attitude with Stevie and she has shown her ability to be very inpatient and naughty with Stevie.
I am trying very hard to help Camp Cocker raise money for Gracie. They have been willing to try so hard on her behalf and I really think she is worth it. She loves harder and stronger than most other dogs and humans light up when around her. I think she has a lot to offer human beings. If any of you feel so inclined, I have put a link to donate at the bottom of "her" letter. I hate even mentioning money, I mean I really hate it, but it's a selfish reaction on my part and she does need me to swallow my money shyness and ask on her behalf. What has been interesting is that for the most part it has been a lot of little donations that have made her care possible. So if you are thinking that you can only give $5.00 or $10.00 so why bother, please know that it was all of those kinds of donations that have got us this far. I have become a ridiculous sap in regards to the donations and every single time I see another donation I get teary because there is something so touching about human willing to give their hard-earned money for a little dog they have never met. Aren't people grand? Really, we often hear stories on the news and think, what's wrong with people but in actuality, most people are very kind. If you can't donate, please keep us all in your thoughts and/or prayers.
Here is "Gracie's" letter:
Hi
Fans!
Camp Cocker Gracie here and
I am so glad that you are out there because I really need to tell you some
things. I am back home and my foster mom thinks that I am looking and feeling
so much better. I heard the doctor say that my surgical pins came loose, which
is why my leg swelled up like I had Elephantiasis, my
skin broke open and fluid went everywhere. Now my foster mom knows why I was
acting like Cujo when she tried to look at my leg. Helllooo! She isn't
the brightest human around. The doctor went back in today and took everything
out and I feel so much better!
Why I am writing all of you
is because the whole way home from the hospital, I tried to communicate
my thoughts to my foster mom by engaging in non-stop chattering and screeching and I had to do it
really loud because clearly she doesn't catch on very quickly. I did my best,
extremely high pitched screech, which I have heard humans
describe as a noise only dogs can hear but when looking over at my foster mom
who was driving with her finger in her ear and holding her head, it was clear
she could hear it too. What she isn't understanding is my description of
what goes on in that house of horrors, aka the animal hospital so hopefully you
all will get it.
My foster mom keeps getting
on the phone with Cathy and the next thing I know I end up back at that
"hospital". They clearly don't know what goes on behind closed doors but I
thought since all of you are giving money for it, you should definitely be
informed pronto! First, they stick me in a cage. HELLLOO! Do I look like a
zoo animal? Then they put a big needle in my arm and smile sweetly at me as
they purposefully roofie me, which I am certain is a felony in most states.
Here's the worst part of it, they PURPOSEFULLY cut dogs open there! The next
thing I know is that I wake up feeling like I partied too hard the night before
and I have a lamp shade tied to my head. It makes me wonder if in my drugged up
state I was forced to lead a canine Conga line. Then I'm back in the cage with
stupid humans pressing their faces up to gawk at me and then I look down to see
that those same humans purposefully cut me open again. While sitting there
waiting for my foster mom, who is clearly as dumb as a box of rocks by the way,
I was able to talk to the other "victims" in there and we agreed that we need to
get the place shut down. We just help making a petition and then we will all be
happy to stamp our paws on it. Then my foster mom shows up looking as guilty as
the parent who forgot to pick up her kid from summer camp and she doesn't even
bring me flowers and chocolates because something about chocolates killing me,
as if chocolates is my biggest worry. I not only let my feelings known the
whole way home but as soon as I got in the door, I squatted and went pee pee all over
the floor. HAHA! I'm saving the poop for later tonight after she goes to bed
in hopes that she will get up in the middle of the night and step in it.
Now get this one, my foster
mom said that I have to go back there and have another surgery but here is where
you all come in. She said we have to raise money for it and I suggest that we
take any money you give for me and we all go take a trip to the zoo and free all
those poor animals. Then we can use the rest of the donations to bail you all
out of jail.
My
foster mom said that during the next surgery I will get a brand new knee that
will come from a wonderful dog that passed away and is giving me his/her knee.
She said something about me being able to run and play and not be in pain. She
even mentioned me being
able to jump up on humans like I always unsuccessfully try to do. Before
my surgery, I always tried to jump up on humans to convince them to pick me up
and hold me like a baby because I just can't get close enough to humans and
I have so much love in my heart that it is constantly overflowing. My back legs
don't hold me so I always fell over onto my back but I just got right back up
and tried it again. I would like back legs that let me show humans how much I
love them. I have never ever been able to run and play like other dogs. I
would like to try that, but couldn't we just try a faith healer instead?
My foster mom gets on
facebook and keep crying when she sees that people keep donating for me. It
kind of makes me giggle when she cries because I'm a little bit mad at her and
so maybe you could give again so I can keep laughing at her. It should also be
pointed out that she is only the foster mom because I suspect that Camp Cocker
has figured out that she ain't too bright and they can't
trust her to take on the responsibility of actually owning a dog like me. So, I
guess I need three things, two new knees and a real mom. I would also like my
own cat. I came home tonight and my cat, Maddie was the first to greet me and I
was so happy to see her that I even let her into the lamp shade on my head so
that she could wash my face. She then got into my dog bed with me to let me
know that at least she understood my plight.
So please consider giving
for me so that I can go back in, get roofied, get a dead dog's knee, and then
heal so I can get out of this house and find myself a much smarter human to call
my own. If nothing else, maybe when I get my new knees I can then back up my
bones and run away. Please be sure to send your address so I can come find
you.
In solidarity,
Gracie
Stanely
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