Oh, Piper…
Today is November 5th, 2020. Piper is around about 10 years old now. We’ve shared so many adventures together, I know there will be many more blog posts with her name in the title.
But I hope there aren’t any like today’s posting. Last Wednesday, we went to Tuft’s for her 3rd and final shockwave treatment. All seemed to go well, and she was her dopey self, post- anesthesia. Very sleepy, but keeping an eye on me coming home, eating all of her dinner, and sleeping next to me on the love seat throughout the evening. All quite normal.
Except when I stood up, my britches were damp on the left side (next to Piper). Huh? And an aroma altogether unpleasant wafted about us. Luckily, I had placed a large comforter under Piper and I and it was rather damp and smelly, and I threw it downstairs to wash. Piper had, for the first time ever, peed in her sleep. Okay, so she’s still under the influence, no big deal.
I noticed that she was weak the next morning, but again eating was NOT an issue. So, it’s just a hangover from the treatment.
Over the next several days, she wasn’t getting better. Still quite weak, so I upped her meds (she’s been getting her meds once a day, she could have them twice a day) hoping that the increase would help get her back to ebullient Piperama. No such luck.
Monday night I did not sleep. It happens, it’s horrible, but I just “keep on” going after “one of THOSE nights.” Tuesday, I got up, got coffee and voted, came home and warmed up (it was very cold standing outside in line).
Piper was very weak, stuggling to get up and stay up walking to the back door. I’d seen enough and called Tufts. What the hell did they do to my Piper??? They sent a message to her ortho doc and I began the process of waiting for a call-back.
I went out to the front door, and as I came back in, Piper collapsed in the hallway. Her eyes were bright, but she could not get up. I helped her up and walked her outside; she went out eagerly and promptly collapsed again, sliding down the cellar hatchway, landing in a heap at the bottom. I went to her and helped her up with a towel under her belly. I walk with her around the yard, following her lead.
As soon as she pee’d, I helped her in. Then I called Tufts. Again. This time I went for the ER desk. I got routed back, hung up and re-dialed for ER again. I got through and was assured that they would see her as soon as we got there.
Now, I did not panic. Really. But I did quickly throw things into the car and try to think of everything I would NEED. In the end, I really needed All my dogs, so Tripp and Tyson came, too.
Side note: I’ve been helping a friend clean out some things and I took two foam cushions that by some strange miracle, fit the back of my car quite well. It’s extra padding for the puppies!
I had to lift Piper into the car. Sixty-Five pounds of yellow dog. She just couldn’t do it herself. Too weak. She lay down where she could see me, whilst the boys clambered all around her.
We drove off with the GPS running (I could never find Tufts without it). I-84 eastbound, as fast as I dared.
I-90 eastbound, as fast as I dared.
We got there around 3:15 and the poor guy on the intake desk/phone told me they were full up in the ER. I about had a cow, told him I’d already talked to someone there and driven an hour to have my girl taken care of… I wasn’t a bitch, but it was a close call.
Next thing I knew, two orderlies/college kids were at the hatch of my car with a doggy gurney. They whisked my Piper away and I drove to the regular lot to wait. I parked the car in the sun (It was a cold fall day) and went to walk the boys.
As if the day was not stressful enough, no sooner are we on the grass than Tyson gives a huge yank on his leash and his collar gives away, falling to the ground completely useless. OMG! He snuck under the fence and although he came to me when I called, he did not come Close enough to grab!
I took a couple of deep breaths, picked up the useless collar with all his tags and settled myself. “Tyson, HERE!” The Really Reliable Recall was engaged. He bounded back to me, coming under the fence and this time, I Grabbed him, told him how wonderful he was and wrapped the leash around his neck. Meanwhile, Tripp was tugging lightly for more room to roam… as soon as they pee’d, we were back to the car. OMG, I really am gonna have heart failure today.
We waited. And waited. And waited.
I called a few friends, asking for prayers – for Piper and by extension, for me. I tried not to think about all the possibilities, and snuggled the boys by turns. I played a few games on my phone. And we waited.
Sometime after 4 p.m. the ER doc called me. She was very kind and of course, Piper refused to limp for them and although she’d had trouble getting up from lying down, they weren’t seeing the issues I’d been seeing. Of course not. Piper would never show weakness. She’s that kind of girl. But she wasn’t bouncing around either. I explained that she came by her formal name honestly. Hyper Piper is a description as well as a moniker! Well, they weren’t seeing that side of her at all. So, they would run all kinds of blood tests, urine tests, enlarged lymph nodes tests, etc. and that would take another TWO hours or so.
I asked if Piper would likely be coming home after those tests/results were completed and she would so we would wait.
The ER doc encouraged me to get something to eat and I remembered that the GPS could find FOOD. Of course, with the boys in the car I was not going into a restaurant. Fast food it is.
GPS sent us by all these little backroads into Westboro to Mickey D’s and I ordered food for me and the boys. GPS found us a much quicker, more direct route back to Tufts (weird, I know) and once there, we enjoyed our unhealthy dinner, a nice walk to water the lawn and I settled down to nap with a wool blanket thrown over me.
I was almost dozing when my phone went off. The results were in and much like the presidential election, they were - inconclusive. All of the quicky tests came back negative and they would call me with the results of the other tests. Piper came out more like herself (eager, she missed us), but still unable to leap into the car. At least we’re going home. All of us.
Happy to have everyone home, I slept like a rock Tuesday night. The ride home was blessedly uneventful. Blackie missed us and was delighted to get his dinner, and Piper was happy to get hers, too. I fell asleep around 9:30, with the bathroom and bed room lights on, the outside dog’s yard lights on, and the back door only locked at the knob. Dead to the world until 8 am Wednesday morning.
Late yesterday afternoon I got the rest of the results from Tufts. Nothing. There is nothing showing up in her blood, her urine or in the fluid they took from her slightly enlarged lymph node. NADA.
Betty (my beloved step MOM) thinks Piper might have had a stroke. I think that’s a distinct possibility. If I’d thought of that on Tuesday, I would have mentioned it to Tufts.
So, Tufts is sending all her info to Bolton Vet, and if anything changes, we’ll fly up the road to Bolton. Five minutes versus one hour, plus. While she hasn’t collapsed in front of me as she did on Tuesday, she’s still very weak and lethargic physically. Mentally, from what I can see she’s fine and dandy – tracking me with her eyes, wagging her tail, snuggling a little more than usual. She hasn’t had any more “accidents” (yay) so . . .
We’re now in that uneasy time of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Or any shoe to drop. Anything. And hoping that Hyper Piper of Haven gets stronger and back to her ebullient, bouncy, bull-in-a-china-shop self.
After all, she is the child my mother always wished on me.
Special thanks to the Piper Prayer circle: Aunt Lisa, Carole, Helene and Grammy-Betty.
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