On Saturday, we finally started to put the nursery together (even though Mike had a pinched nerve and was pretty uncomfortable – what can I say, I work him hard!) We got the hutch and changing table put together, as well as the dresser. The crib was to be our project for Sunday.
Well late Saturday afternoon, we saw an older stray boxer dog that we tried to catch. He was afraid of people and was running away from us down the service drive for the freeway – which didn’t make me happy because I was so scared for him. So I told Mike we needed to stop chasing him so he could relax and hopefully move away from the road. I got in my car and found him in a parking lot on Groesbeck (another main road). Another man had stopped to try and catch him and I thought we had a chance. Well, a woman came running up yelling profanities at us to stop trying to catch her dog. She was extremely nasty, but I figured she was the owner and the dog was at least going home. So I left.
Well Sunday morning, Mike comes in the house and says the boxer is out again! I couldn’t believe it. So once again, we tried to catch him. Unfortunately, this time, I took a tumble and ended up breaking four metatarsals in my foot. Essentially, the top of my foot is broken about ½ day down on the base. Off we went to the hospital.
(My foot!)
I was so upset that I was in so much pain and we couldn’t even save the dog. Well – we come home and the dog is still laying where we tried to catch him under a tree. So Mike made it his mission to get this guy – partly because it was 95 degrees and the dog looked so dehydrated and needed help – but also because he wanted to give the owners a piece of his mind because of what happened to me.
Well – it was Mike vs. dog, and Mike finally won! The dog was so grateful for the water and food and we even brought him into the house where we laid on a sleeping bag in our kitchen. We finally got in touch with the owners who came to pick nine-year-old “Jacks” up. Well surprise – it was NOT the same owner from Saturday. So we figured the woman on Saturday was just trying to get a free dog – realized how old he was and the hip dysplasia – and then let him go. HEARTBREAKING!
(Jacks!)
The owners were extremely appreciative – especially the two little kids who he sleeps with every night. They even sent us flowers yesterday to say thank you. So while the foot pain is a little unbearable, it sort of helps make it worth it.
All I can ask is if you see a stray, please try and save it. So many people drove by us, no one stopped to help. People in our neighborhood told us they saw the dog all day Saturday, not one made an effort to try and rescue it. If you fail, that is okay … but you tried. I can’t tell you how much that dog loved Mike after he realized he just wanted to help. People can take care of themselves – animals can’t. They need us. Please consider helping out when you can.
Anyway – getting off my soap box now … I am completely laid up for a while. No walking until my next orthopedic surgeon appointment in ten days; no driving for a month. But I am headed back to work next week in a wheelchair. FABULOUS.
(My temporary device to get around thanks to Mike's dad!)
Also, not sure how this will impact my delivery – so that will be a question for the OB next week. My foot is expected to take 8 weeks to heal … how do you “push into your feet” when one is broken? I definitely don’t want to risk breaking it again. So that C-section that I thought I wanted before may now be my only option. But now, I got myself psyched up for delivering … so who knows.
Beyond all this – our Guinness had surgery last week to have a tumor removed. The vet had no idea what it was, so it was sent for a biopsy. I was having a really hard time with this, because I needed to know my little man was going to be around for our daughter. She is going to LOVE him … and I couldn’t even think about something being wrong with him. Well yesterday, we got the call – it was BENIGN! I broke down in tears. It made me truly believe in Karma, God … something! All I know was we saved a dog, and our dog was saved in return!
(My boo-boo, Guinness!)
Either way – I have some amazing stories to share with our little girl one day and I hope she gets her mommy’s love of animals. I am sure there will be much more news to share over the next week or so as we learn more from the doctors. Stay tuned!
