Letters

Got two letters in the mail today from my grandkids. Just puts a smile on my face :)

Surgery

After a year and a half of pain in the #$@# shoulder and multiple doctor visits, cortisone shot, MRI... etc., I finally decided to have arthroscopic surgery done on my frozen appendage. Lee drove me in on Friday morning where I met the nurses and changed into the beautiful hospital attire. I then was wheeled into the recovery room and given a nerve block by the anesthesiologist and then put under general anesthesia for the procedure. When I came around my left arm was totally numb from the block, so I was feeling no pain. I underwent one round of assisted PT on Friday afternoon and another on Saturday morning. I spent the night in a not so comfortable hospital bed being hooked up to a cryo-cuff which circulates ice water. Saturday I was anxious to get home, but feeling nauseous from the anesthesia. Luckily they let me go home after lunch and I spent the rest of the day resting. Sunday I woke up feeling 100% better and was able to get out and enjoy the warm summer temps.
Since I went thru a similar procedure (no surgery though) on my other shoulder, I was anticipating lots of pain and a long road of PT. Well... I am so pleasantly surprised that my movement is coming back quickly and I am virtually pain free already. The doctor removed lots of scar tissue and shaved a bone slightly to give one of my tendons free motion. I had my sutures removed this morning and my first round of PT which went extremely well. Hopefully I'll be swimming at the lake this summer :)

Introducing "IKE"

Well, We went and did it again!!! A new puppy... His Mom was a Best in Show winner at the National Dog Show a year ago and his Dad is a Best of Breed winner in his own right. Having a good friend and knowing all her dogs and their personalities helped me pick out this little guy. I wasn't really in the market, but this litter was exceptional and I had to jump at the chance. Anyway... it takes two years to train for agility before I can compete and Kyra will be 10 by then and probably on her way to retiring.
So... he was born on President's Day February 16th 2009 (the same birth date as Tucker 7 years ago) and all the puppies were named after Presidents... Ike, Truman, Grant, Carter for boys and Madison and Regan for girls. I liked the name Ike, so it stuck. Anyway, it's an easy name to yell on the agility field I-K-E!!!!
He is named after the 34th president of the US... Dwight Eisenhower who was president shortly after I was born from 1953-1961. He went to West Point Military Academy where he was given the nickname "Ike" and went on to be a 5 star general. Here's hoping I have a little 5 star general of my own. Enjoy the pics....

Welcome Home!!

Here's hoping for many fun family days hangin' out at the beach this summer....
Welcome home.... we missed you lots.

Frozen Shoulder

Well, I had an appointment with my orthopedic doctor yesterday afternoon to discuss my MRI. I have a small tear in my left rotator cuff muscle and a frozen shoulder. I am sort of between a rock and a hard place as far as getting them fixed. If I have the muscle tear fixed my shoulder and arm would need to be immobilized for 4-6 weeks while it heals and that would make my frozen shoulder worse. So we have elected to do an arthroscopic manipulation to free the joint and clean up any scar tissue. I will need to get the arm moving as soon as possible after the surgery and have physical therapy.... sort of like my other shoulder, but this time there will be arthroscopy involved to see what he is doing. After that whole thing is over and I have regained my range of motion the muscle tear can be surgically fixed if it is still bothering me. I know there will still be some pain involved, but am hoping that it's not as bad as my previous manipulation (probably wishful thinking, but trying to stay positive). Anyway... I've probably got a long road to hoe, but after a year and a half of pain, I just want to get the entire thing over with.
So two weeks from today I'll be having the surgery. Wish me luck!!!!

Pennsylvania Dog Show

Well, I got home from VA on Thursday night, and, thanks to my dear husband, who had bathed dogs, I was able to get it together enough to drive to CT on Friday morning to meet Nancy for our trip to PA. The drive down was LONG and we hit bumper to bumper traffic just outside of Philadelphia. It was our first outdoor show of the season and the weather was nice and sunny, but Saturday was so windy that it felt more like a hurricane. We had two shows morning and afternoon. Tucker and Denver each won their classes and I had to take them both into the winners class. Nancy took Denver and I took Tucker and we were in line back to back. Denver kept turning around to look for me and wouldn't put up his ears for Nancy. The judge picked Denver for the cut for Winners, but then gave it to another dog and gave him "Reserve" (second place to the winner... but no points). At the end the judge chastised Nancy and I for switching handlers because if I had been handling Denver she would have given him "Winners". Oh well... just my luck, I guess. Nancy did take a nice "Best of Breed" with her altered girl on Saturday morning and another "Best of Breed" with her boy Bolero in the afternoon show. We were both exhaused after being sun and wind burned all day and got the dogs and us fed and settled and went to bed early.
Sunday morning it was less windy and there was only one show in the morning. Neither one of us won anything in that show and we headed for home. The trip back was much smoother than on Friday and the traffic was light. We arrived back at Nancy's around 7:30PM and I started loading my stuff in the Suburban to come home. I then looked for my keys where I thought I had put them and they were nowhere to be seen. I tore apart all my luggage, but nothing!! They were just gone. Lee was on his way back from Maine and was too tired to drive to CT, so I stayed at Nancy's overnight. Monday morning I had to cancel my Dr. appointment and go about trying to get a key made. Apparently, you have to produce your registration and a picture ID. Since Lee is the only name on the registration, we had to call the Maine dealer where we bought the car and they had to call in a "key code" to the CT dealer. After all that hassle, I was able to get my key. Nancy and I had lunch and played with Bolero and Swizzle's puppies and then I headed for home. Kyra was SO happy that her "pack" was together again.

Virginia Visit

Thanks girls for the wonderful visit to Virginia!! Irene and I were able to get in some runs, she was able to sleep in, yummy lunches and smoothies, ice cream, shopping, yard work, dog grooming, quiet evenings, Mama Mia, and my first adventure to Chuch E Cheese. And... the best thing of all was that my planes were all "on time" :) Only three more days now before the "big day"!!!!