This is going to be such a harrowing month for me, my dears! No sooner did I finally get over losing my Kelly (click on my March issue to review my anguish and torment over THAT debacle) than I found out more awful news! Mom broke it to me that I need to have cruciate surgery next week. I have been having trouble with one of my hind legs for some time - in fact it was operated on twice by a very nice orthopedic surgeon in our area last year - but I am still not able to use my leg normally. My Mom says that I certainly fit in well with the rest of my family, because my Mastiff friend, Sofia, had bone surgery last year, and she had her anal glands operated on last week, too! This time, I am going to fly to Massachusetts and one of my Mom's veterinary friends is going to open up my knee joint and see why I am not getting better. Dr. Pitcairn is a very nice Doctor and she thinks she knows what the problem is and she says that she can fix it 100% this time. I think I will read up on cruciate surgery so that I can ask Dr. Pitcairn all the questions I need to ask so that I have a good recovery. I will let you know what I find out, just as soon as I return from my surgery at the end of next week. Wish me luck!

UPDATES.....

April 5th: Oh my! You should see the size of the carrier that I have to fly in - I wish those airline executives who decide this sort of thing had to fly in one of these @*#&@! carriers.  I will do my best to be a good little flyer, but I am NOT happy about this.....

April 6th: They sure start surgery early up here in Massachusetts.  I was in at 7:30 and out before 9am!  My Doctor says I should have a very good recovery.  She found that my anterior cruciate ligamant - that is a very important ligament in the knee that keeps your leg from feeling like it is sliding out from under you - was torn badly and so was the meniscus it attaches to.  Just like the pad on my doggie bed cushions my butt, the meniscus cushions the area between the upper leg bone and the lower leg bone.  The tear in the meniscus was what was hurting my knee whenever I tried to bend it.  So Dr. Pitcairn took out all the torn parts, and she put an artificial ligament in my knee, and she says I should be running in no time.  I didn't have to have a big bandage, but I do have to take some pain pills and be careful on the leg for a couple of weeks.  And I have to do some physical therapy for many weeks.  Dr. Pitcairn also did some acupuncture on me - that made me feel much better - and she iced my knee.  And here is the best part:  I didn't feel like eating my diet doggie food (it seems that I am a bit plump and need to lose a little weight) so she has been cooking chicken for me.  IS SHE A GREAT DOCTOR, OR WHAT!!!!  I get to fly home on Saturday, and I'll keep you updated.

April 10th: OHHHH, I AM TRULY MISERABLE!!!

#1: I am now on a diet and I only get a ridiculously tiny amount to eat twice daily.

#2: I get physical therapy twice a day, and I think these people are sadists!  I HATE having my knee worked on, and I am being as loud and obnoxious about it as I can possibly be!

#3: My Mom is stuffing an herbal pain reliever down my throat twice daily.  I got excited at first, thinking that I had convinced her that I wasn't getting enough to eat and that she was maybe giving me a treat, but noooo.....

#4: I am getting an acupuncture treatment twice a week to help my leg heal faster.  This is the only nice thing that is happening to me lately.  It is very relaxing and once I even fell asleep during my treatment!

#5: Ok, I guess I have to admit to another nice thing - I am also getting chiropractic adjustments from my Mom twice weekly until my leg heals and I can bear full weight on it.  Mom says this is because my spine is a little twisted when I hold my leg up, and that the adjustments will keep me more comfortable. (I think more food would help a LOT more, but no one is listening to my ideas!)

#6: This is the worst of all: I am not allowed to chase chipmunks, squirrels, or even the bunnies that are in the yard.  I am very worried that they will take over the yard before I heal enough to chase them, so I am reduced to sitting on the deck and barking very loudly when I even think they may be near.  My Mom keeps telling me that this isn't a good idea, but what does she know about scaring away these creatures?  It's a good thing I'm not listening to her, I say...gotta keep a watch out for that Easter bunny!

April 20th: I am having complications... why doesn't anything ever go smoothly for a veterinarians dog? I have a very tight muscle in my groin, so I don't want to use my leg, so I am losing muscle mass rapidly and my leg looks all skinny.  Mom has changed my meds, so I am now getting a muscle relaxer, and I have to wear weights on my leg.  I sure hope this helps!

April 26th: YAY!!! I am finally feeling better!  I can put weight on my leg again, and I am using it when I play ball, now that I feel like playing ball again.  My leg is not so skinny anymore (not that I will ever have legs like a model). This diet I am still on really stinks, but I think I am starting to  see a little bit of light at the end of this tunnel!!!

Your friend, LIZZIE THE STARVED