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| Home "Murphy" 11/3/05 I arrived home from work at 5:00 pm, Murphy
was moving slow but everything else seemed normal. At 7:30 pm Murphy
got up from a nap and was walking wobbly. I called the emergency hospital
said I was on my way. I had a standing referral from my local vet for
any dachshund back issues. We arrived at the hospital 8:30 pm. Murphy
would be next in line for a myelogram. The doctor called at 1:00 am,
they aren’t going to even wake Murphy from the myelogram, he needed
to go straight into surgery. 3:00 am surgery went very routine. I felt
good about things the day following surgery. I had been reading and
preparing for this situation for a long time. I thought I had done everything
for Murphy in a good time frame. Prior to surgery he was still walking,
had bladder and bowel control and feeling in his back feet. The morning
following surgery 11:00 am the doctor calls me at work. He is very concerned
about Murphy, he has no bladder or bowel control, he is completely paralyzed
in the back end, he has no deep pain AND the doctor is concerned about
a condition that can occur after surgery where the spine swells excessively
and can effect lung and heart function. The doctor said if we are dealing
with this type of swelling I will have to put Murphy sleep and that
I should come and see him tonight. I spent the next couple of days crying,
going to see Murphy and sleeping - total shut down. Three days after
surgery I was told there was nothing more that could be done for Murphy
medically. He had regained some bowel control but nothing else. It was
time for him to come home. His release papers stated “"The
cause for the sudden change in his neurologic status is unclear and
may indicate a poor prognosis for walking again"” and “"Keep
him on a well padded bed until he is able to rise and move about on
his own (although this may never happen unfortunately)"”
It seemed very overwhelming the day I brought Murphy home. I had to
learn to express his bladder, this really takes practice. The first
3 days, my head was just spinning, the 4th day things started to fall
in place, in a week we had a routine down. (I promise you this does
happen a routine does fall into place) We went about 30 days with no
signs of improvement. You just can't give up, each pupper heals at their
own rate, some slower than others. Murphy's surgeon gave me some advice
that really made a difference for me. He said, go to the Christopher
Reeves website and read about spinal injuries, read about physical therapy
and how it made a difference for him. Doggie physical therapy can do
the same for Murphy and remember Murphy's best chance for walking again
is a committed owner. Murphy is now walking almost all the time, it's
a silly wobbly walk, but he continues to improve. We are having more
successful outside potties. I hope you never have a doxie go down, but
if you do you will discover a love and bond that is indescribable as
you watch your pup and his pure determination and fight to get better.
And the first time your paralyzed dachshund scoots across the room and
“boings” into your arms you just can't help but giggle and
kiss him. Have a story you'd like to
submit? Send an email to
lindox5@yahoo.com. |
