Just got back from visiting Sprig, he looks amazing! I've never seen him so excited! He started out laying one way on the bed and worked his way in a circle all the way around it to end up back where he started. He had me a little worried he was going to fall off at one point, but he sat up, scooted his back end up then laid back down to be loved on some more. I had a few questions today but they were "short staffed" and I didn't get to talk to anybody so I guess that will have to wait until tomorrow. He still has 2 staples on his left leg (they went in through the inside of his leg instead of right on top of his knee this time). I thought they would have all been removed by now, I hope they're not having trouble with that incision. The incision on his right hip is back to having a bandage on it, so I didn't get to see it. The tech that called yesterday said they have to keep the cone of shame on him again. He'll look at them all sweet and innocent, then as soon as they turn their back they hear him licking, turn back around and he's untied his bandage. His knee seems a little big, I don't know if it's swollen or if that's the effect of his last surgery. One of the pin tracks from his fixator looks a little raw and is draining some...all questions I didn't get answered today. We did have a message on the answering machine when we got home, it couldn't have been more than a minute after we left, to let us know Sprig will be getting more x rays this afternoon so they can see how he's healing.
Sprig is sitting up by himself!!!!! He's able to roll over on his back, his absolute favorite position. He really looked good today!!!!!! And of course he had his bag of cookies. We made some deer jerky over the weekend but were in such a hurry to go see him we left it sitting on the kitchen counter. We'll go back before the end of the week and take him some.
I've got new videos posted on my facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001172504329&v=app_2392950137#!/video/video.php?v=141507339231682
November 15, 2010
Dr. Williams called over the weekend. Have you noticed the pattern...when the techs call, everything is fine, when the surgeon calls, something isn't fine. Sprig will be going back to the OR this week. Dr. Williams is going to remove all the pins, screws, wires and whatever other hardware is in Sprig's right hip. It's been about 3 months since his hip was rebuilt the second time and the incision still hasn't closed. Dr. Williams said after this much time on the appropriate antibiotics the incision should have healed but every time he's closed it it opens itself back up so he thinks his body is reacting to the implants. Sprig's last x rays show new bone growth, all the tissue in his incision is healthy and Dr. Williams is hoping enough time has passed that his hip is stable now. I hope he's right!
November 16, 2010
We got a message this morning that Sprig is doing well. He's going in tomorrow to have all the hardware removed. Not much of an update, but that's we got. I'll post tomorrow after the surgery and let you know how things went.
November 20, 2010
Sprig got through his surgery fine. Charmin says his right leg is looking much better. He's starting back in physical therapy today. He's also got a new friend at the hospital. They had a lab come in that fell out of the back of a truck and the car behind them ran over him, bless his heart. He's in the kennel beside Sprig so I guess they're keeping each other company. Of course Charmin says Sprig is still the favorite!
November 23, 2010
Well, I just got back from visiting Sprig....what a night! The tech brought Sprig in and of course I started loving on him as soon as he got on his bed. The tech told me he brought me some gloves (kinda threw me off, Sprig's been there nearly 4 months and I've never worn gloves) so my reaction was "for what?" That's when he tells me Sprig is MRSA positive. I'm not sure what pisses me off more, hearing that Sprig has MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) or wondering why I haven't heard about it before tonight. Of course it's after hours when I get there so it's only the emergency crew working who have very limited knowledge of the surgical patients and can never answer my questions so I have to wait to call Charmin tomorrow.
Sprig was pretty agitated tonight. He was especially grumbly and just seemed like he was in an over all grumpy mood. I was rubbing his face and he made it very clear he wanted me to rub his chest instead. He had a hard time getting comfortable. He napped for a little while and then kept trying to reposition but eventually got frustrated and just laid back down the same way. It was very evident he did not feel well. He was not his happy self. I hope I can get some answers tomorrow. The reading I've done since I got home about MRSA is definitely not giving me a warm fuzzy feeling.
And to top it off, I can't upload any of the pictures I took tonight!!!! I'll try again in the morning.
November 26, 2010
Leslie called yesterday to tell me Happy Thanksgiving from Sprig. We had a long discussion about him having MRSA. I told her I had been reading everything I could find about it since I got back from visiting him the other night and everytime I'd read one site and think I'd learned something the next site would contradict what I just read. It was all quite confusing. She told me Sprig will always have MRSA, she doesn't wear gloves when she handles him and they have many patients with MRSA that lead normal lives. He'll have to be on medication for the rest of his life, but he'll already be taking arthritis medicine so adding one or two more won't hurt. All in all she made it sound better than I imagined it was. It's still bad, but we'll deal with it. I did tell Leslie it's pretty disappointing to watch Sprig go from walking pretty well back down to having his back end held up for him again. Leslie says we shouldn't take anymore steps backward now that the implants have been removed. Let's hope so.
November 28, 2010
Katherine has called the last 2 days. She was very excited yesterday! She said Sprig is putting a good amount of weight on his right leg!!!! She said he is doing much better walking this weekend and Dr. Williams is very pleased with the progress on his leg. There's a little bit of swelling on his right hip since they took the drain tube out but his incision is still holding closed. Dr. Williams is not concerned about it yet, he's going to wait and see if Sprig's body absorbs the fluid and if not he'll drain it out. Sprig will continue with therapy this week and they'll keep an eye on the swelling. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that we don't have anymore setbacks.
If you would like to help with Sprig's vet bills, please use the donate button below or call Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral at 910-790-1070.
