The Healing Power of Kindness

Friday night was an obedience fun match, and Saturday I went to watch the obedience trial. First, my dear friend Diana picked up & dropped me off on Friday - a HUGE out-of-the-way trip for her. Turned around and picked me up again bright and early (8:00 a.m.) on Saturday. She has to be exhausted but I am sooo grateful for her friendship and enabling me to get out and see my dog show pals and work with Blitz.
It is very humbling to have people be so kind and express their healing thoughts, and I was humbled many, many times this weekend. I was moved to tears quite frequently with the sincerety of their good wishes.
The cards and little gifts are STILL coming.
And to top off a perfect weekend, Blitz is still feeling great and gave his all at the fun match. We still have lots of work to do and may not be as ready as I'd like in May but for Blitz and I life is short so we will just go ahead and enter if his health allows it. Just for one day. Saturday I brought Blitz again just to get him reminded of the show environment. He had a blast interacting with puppies and other dogs and people.
So between my ectastically happy Blitz and the many hugs and good thoughts and helping hands, I'm resting comfortably today and grateful to be given this second chance at life.
So, I'll sign off for now with a full heart and feeling like I'm the luckiest person on this Earth.

To Rest or not To Rest

...that is the question. Should I push myself (which hurts) or rest (no pain, no gain)? I haven't figured that one out yet. Yesterday wasn't so great. I did nothing other than get up at my usual time (5:00 a.m.), relax and read the morning paper. Yes, I did exercise the dogs by throwing the ball right-handed (thank goodness they don't care how wackily I throw) but other than that, just get ready for work and I was exhausted. See, the day before I'd trained Blitz. Not long but I did train him. AND exercise the dogs AND pick up poop and got some deep muscle therapy from my awesome chiropractor. While that doesn't seem like much it really did take its toll. I didn't feel bad, not in anything other than the usual pain but I was exhausted. So yesterday was a rest day. Today I slept in until 6:00 a.m. Felt more energy so I trained Blitz and worked Moto. Both those poor boys are woefully behind because of my lack of training with them. The wonderful thing is they both were so happy to be working again so it was great fun. Between the two of them it was about 1/2 hour training. Then I threw the ball and picked up poop and now I'm at work but I am exhausted...again. It's FRUSTRATING. I can't seem to hit that balance of just doing enough yet still not collapsing on the couch by the end of the day.
Tomorrow is a big day. My dear friend Diana will pick me up (a huge out of the way trip for her) and take me to the sho n go about an hour's drive away. This will be great experience for Blitz. Then Saturday she'll pick me up again and drive me to the obedience trial. I can't wait to go and be out in the world again and see friends. Hubby is to be on standby, I'll call when I feel tired. All my energy needs to be conserved to be able to do these two things.
I hope at some point my energy returns - I've never had a serious injury in my life - so this is new to me.

What a Team

Today was my first "big outing" since the accident. Hubby Erik chauffered myself and Blitz to our dog training club's Obedience Match. The club was very kind and allowed Blitz and I to be one of the first dogs in, and the first group of sits and downs.
Blitz was in heaven. Mind you I haven't done a thing with him in well over 2 months as he had taken a downward turn but has been stabilized in the past few weeks. We had a rocky beginning but once we began the heeling Blitz began remembering. I was very very impressed with him and once again am toying with the possiblity of showing him at our Sheltie club's obedience specialty in May. The difference this time around as opposed to last year is to keep the training extremely light and show him just one day. The little guy puts absolutely everything he has into his work and I think it takes away from his daily battle with his disease. So we will try to dance the delicate dance and maybe show him in Novice.
As with myself, we'll take it one day at a time.
We were quite the pair - he disfigured from his disease, and me walking crooked and a bit unsteadily throught the heeling pattern. But we're both fighting to good fight to have a normal life and it was very special and an honor to heel my little guy around the ring and have him smiling up at me.
Tomorrow is to be a lovely day weather-wise, so maybe I can finally get out there and try training my poor bored Moto-man.
But as for today, I'm basking in my teamwork with Mr. Blitz, my other "pea" in the "pod".

Hurt like Hell but I Dressed Myself

My left side was injured from the car accident - broken collar bone and cracked ribs. Nasty bruising on my hip and knees. I'm left-handed. When watching TV I look with envy at the happy people exercising and able to use their bodies and move freely. While I'm feeling better and less pain every day, my most basic moves still require some thought and planning.
For instance: it's cold here now, but I cannot wear turtlenecks. Why? I cannot put my left hand over my head. And if I put my arm in first, then neck, it pushes everything too close together and causes agonizing pain. If it doesn't button in the front, I need to wear large, stretchy tops. And hubby needs to assist. I've been able to put on pants for awhile now and have moved on to socks and even tying shoes - woohoo!
But last night I'd had enough and decided to go for it - undressed myself out of my day clothes and put on my PJ's all by myself. A small triumph but one nonetheless.
This weekend is our dog club's obedience fun match. Since I'm an obedience junkie I typically volunteer to judge one of the classes. This time I hope to just go, and I was going to put in Moto but I'm seriously considering Blitz. He's at the "up" part of his disease where he is looking good and feeling good. He's thoroughly trained and much smaller and lighter so it would be easier to bring him and handle him. So for today, I'm thinking if I go on Saturday I will bring Blitz. Besides we're a good pair right now - he with his disfiguring disease and me with my gimpiness. I hope I feel well enough to do this. I need to start getting out amongst folks again, be brave on the highways (hubby will drive) and returning to normal life again.

Mud Season

Spring has arrived early in this part of Missouri. It's beautiful watching the pastures greening up and I love the thunderstorms here. Being from California I never experienced the beauty of a spring Midwest thunderstorm and will often get up in the middle of the night to watch the lightening show. The robins are back and frogs are chirping at night - my favorite spring sound.
Since my poor dogs aren't being trained at this point, they are left to their own devices for exercise and entertainment. Dusty of course is no problem - he's content to snooze away most of the day. Shiloh and Daisy are 8 years old so while needing some exercise aren't really stirring up too much trouble - well Daisy isn't anyway :-) Blitz and Moto are another situation.
I put all the dogs outside while I ate lunch and played around on the computer. Thought I'd better check on the pooches outdoors and see what they were up to. Shiloh was barking at the birds at the feeder, Daisy and Blitz were romping with a toy and Moto....oh, dear.
Now I'm not an experienced Sheltie person, but up until Moto my Shelties have not enjoyed being dirty. They distain water (although Shiloh will enjoy a good swim after vigorous exercise) but NO ONE has played piggie by wallowing in the mud. That is, until Moto.
So, when the dogs saw me looking out the sliding glass door they all ran to it, including Moto in all his muddy horror. I don't know what to do at this point. I don't have the strenght or mobility to hose him off. Methinks the best situation will be to put him in the doggie room in the basement until he dries off, then I can use my right hand to get some of the larger dirt clods off.
It's going to be a loooooong mud season.

Glass, Glass Everywhere

I cannot WAIT until life is "normal" again and this blog is about training dogs.
My wonderful husband took on the weekend project of going through my personal effects which were in the van. First - I cannot stress enough the importance of traveling seatbelted (saved my life) and dogs in crates. If my dogs had been with me they would have survived, the crates were not damaged and stayed bungeed down. So please folks, belt up and crate those furkids when driving.
However there was tons of glass and glass powder inside the crates. Erik had to take apart the crates, wash them down, and washed the crate pads twice. Same for my dog show gear - blankets, rugs, my emergency clothing (hats, gloves, jacket) and all the training gear. It was shocking to see how much glass came out of everything. Again, I'm amazed I was not disfigured or gashed. I need to remind myself how lucky I really am - this is an inconvenience, I get to return to normal at some point and just be patient.
I have more mobility on my left side which is really encouraging. If I continue to feel well I may toy with a tiny bit of training. What will be interesting is Moto will primarily need to listen to me rather than my using body language or a leash, which is actually a good thing. We'll see.
Anyway I need to rest up. I'm going to work today but I need to store up some energy so I can do so.

Healing, wish it was heeling

Just went to my regular doctor as was suggested by the hospital, to follow up and see how my body is healing. Turns out pretty good except I mentioned my hearing was getting distorted. A hearing test passed with great results but I said I CAN hear just fine, but the tones are really distorted, like a badly tuned piano. Music is agonizing with its multiple notes. So upon closer inspection my dr. discovered shards of glass embedded in my eardrum. Cannot even begin to tell you how much "fun" it was holding still while she picked them out. Then after I asked why is my left leg killing me they got scared it was a blood clot so I was rushed to the hospital....again. X-rays and doppler sonograms revealed nothing which is good news. So they are thinking it is muscle spasms so I am on muscle relaxants...between that and the morphine it is difficult to keep not only awake but thinking coherently.
The dogs are not faring well with this new Mistress. I used to get up at 5:00 a.m., work out on the treadmill or weight lift, then train dogs, then run them and play with them. Now Erik feeds them and they are put outside to entertain themselves. For working dogs this is a stressful life, and little arguments erupt amongst them. I have to convince them I am not weak and am still pack leader but that takes strength and energy. So far, so good.
Oldest dog, Dusty (14) is great for cuddling during my frequent naps. Shiloh is more attentive and remarkably seems to avoid touching my left side. Even Daisy comes up for love and attention. The two young dogs (Blitz and Moto) are young & stupid and need the firmest hand.
While yes, I am supremely grateful to eventually return to normal, I miss training my dogs, driving a car and feeling well. Again my patience is being tested as I want it NOW but it is going to take a long time. Spring is coming so we can go outside soon and enjoy warm sunshine. Until then, the warmth and well wishes of friends and family is keeping things bright. Again, I am blessed to have received so many well wishes in the form of cards, flowers, phone calls and emails. I AM rich and I need to remind myself of this often!