I really really wanted to be able to post a picture of the new Lucy face. (the camera is still not functioning properly but I've found out the problem.) She is so cute I can't even stand it. Two Mondays ago (July 26) she had her cataract surgery and this past Monday we went for a post-op visit. In between the two the week progressed in her favor. After a few days of laying low (and me feeling not much had changed with her) she started to open up, come out of her crate a little more. Thursday I could see the difference in that she could see things to walk around them, instead of into them. Yeyyyyyy!!! Her eyes look bright and happy. They shaved around her eyes for the surgery and it looks so good on her, her beautiful brown eyes (without cloudy discs) are happy. She's smiling a lot, too. Really. She has changed, a little more confident. At first you could tell she wasn't so sure about this sight thing and that made me a little nervous, would it backfire and make her more nervous and scared? it didn't, thank goodness. She walks differently, runs differently, well, she actually runs I should say because she can see if something is coming up in front of her, she didn't run before. Her head is high, she prances like a horse. Did I mention how cute she is and how much she is in my heart?
Her eye drop schedule is beyond anything you'd want to have in your life, but I haven't gotten all flustered about it, surprisingly, but I was lacking some sleep. I just set my phone alarm for the time reminders. It went off 10 times a day for a week. Each time, I gave anywhere from 1 to 4 different eye drops, at least 5 minutes apart, for each application, there were 8 meds to shuffle around. I had a chart...it was the only way. It started at 6am and ended at 11pm. This cataract after care is serious stuff. This week she has eight, also, but the alarm is sounding only 9 times. She is SO GOOD at getting the drops. That's when she is coming when I call, for the drops! love that girl.
Her eye check on Monday went smoothly with a little shaking on Lucy's part. She was very curious of the new sights but after sitting around for a bit, she started to hide between or behind my legs and shook lightly.
The left eye didn't have a lens replaced (insert non-understandable medical jargon here as to why) so she will only and always have far sightedness in that eye. The right eye is still inflamed, so she actually isn't seeing much at all (she could have fooled me) this eye did have the lens replaced but she may end up, when all is said and done, not really being able to see out of this eye. I am thinking in a positive manner that the inflamation will go down and she will see as sharp as ever.
What I am amazed at is how she is a different dog...still afraid of loud noises, or too much noise, but most of the time will come to me when called. She ONLY came before if I asked her if she was hungry and then her body would stretch out as far as it could in order to get the food. Sometimes, she'd come out and turn right around, she'd do this 3 or 4 times and then decide to not come out into the kitchen. Tough Love here...she didn't get to eat. The next day she'd come out and stay, a little more eager.
Right now I think it's the e-collar that scares her off a bit because there isn't any peripheral sense of sight or hearing. She's gotten used to it being in her way and just barrels through if it stops her by getting caught on something. Initially they said it would have to stay on for 4 weeks, ugh!, but now it can be removed over the weekend.
It was so funny...on Friday I took her to my job (I paint interiors) and my client loves dogs so she said to bring her in. I did. She followed me around each step I took, while working. I was working in an 8x10 laundry room with a washer and drier in the middle of the room. Painting scrunching down and Miss Lucy needing to be right there, well, it took me a little longer than it should have, and yes, she ended up with paint alongside her body. It was so funny to see her following me around like that, she showed no attachment to me before her surgery.
Today I stopped by a friend's and Lucy was right there with me, not venturing too far with me out of her sight. Did I tell you how cute she is?
We didn't get a lot in donations for this surgery and used up just about all our funds, but we felt it was really worth doing for her...it has brought me so much joy... I think she's pretty damn happy about it, too.
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Wow. It's like she knows all that you have done for her and wants to be next to you showing her love. Who knows what's going on in her little mind and what all she can see. I can't wait to see some new pics of her! I'm also thinking positive thoughts and sending them your way that she will get full eyesight once the inflamation has gone down.
ReplyDeleteShe is so lucky to have you in her life, and boy, that eye drop schedule does sound greuling! I once had to bottle feed newborn puppies every few hours and my sleep was always being interrupted by an alarm clock. I got to the point where I couldn't think straight and YOUR schedule sounds worse.
I would say that you have earned your angel wings!
XOXO - Cindi