Paolo Walking

He walks like a drunken sailor on a ship but I'll be damned that boy is walking!  I'm so proud and totally inspired by this dog. 

Ham Stand

Guess who stands for ham? Paolo takes a stand for ham. He did a ham stand! Imagine if I offer him ham & cheese? The possibilities are endless!

Help Has Arrived

Carrie, Heather and Max came down from Tennessee for the weekend to help clean up after the major shitstorm that has swept through our lives.  First it was Paolo’s injury and then we lost both of our cars within two weeks of each other.  Carrie and Heather came down to lend a much needed hand.   They generously helped out around the house (picking up dog shit) and with the kids (allowing Trent and I to sleep in and take naps!) and with the dogs (walking Paolo on his sling & taking Bruco to the vet for an ear infection).  Also Carrie, being the saint that she is, left us her car to borrow until we get back on our feet.  We’re so thankful to have family to lean on during times like these.  Thank you Carrie and Heather!

Paolo's Progress

It’s been one month since Paolo’s injury. Paolo is making progress and we’re feeling pretty confident that he falls into that 70% chance of recovery from spinal surgery. He’s wagging his tail, he’s moving his right leg, he’s able to control his bladder (mostly), he can stand with some assistance and he can walk a few steps with a sling.  Those are pretty significant strides for a dog that was paraplegic one month ago. He is a fighter and he has a will to live.

I first met Paolo as an emaciated, flea ridden puppy in a boatyard in Sicily six years ago.  He’d been hit by a car and his mouth was taped shut with medical tape. The man in the boatyard, Salvatore, said he’d been dumped there and I should take him or he would die. After a lot of tears and an argument with Trent, Paolo came home with us. The vet told me that Paolo had a severely deformed nose and a massive respiratory infection and probably wouldn’t make it through the week.  

Fast forward six years, 2 children, 2 countries, 3 cities and 4 homes.  I wake up to find that Paolo’s fall off the bed the previous day was more serious than I thought.  He’s paralyzed and he needs a very expensive surgery that I can’t afford.  I’m faced with taking out a loan or putting Paolo down.  While I’m left in the room alone with Paolo to “think about it”, I say to Paolo, “Damn you!  This isn’t how it’s supposed to end.  You’re supposed to grow old with me.  Please tell me what you want me to do?”  And he just looked up at me with those same eyes from the boatyard and said, “Save me!”      

I know some of you think I’m crazy for the choice I made. Someone said to me, “Wow, you’re a better person than me. I can think of a lot of other things I’d rather spend $6,000 on than a dog!” I have two things to say to that person. 1. Yes, I am a better person than you. 2. Paolo may be just a dog to you but to me he’s someone that I share my home and my bed with. He is family. He is my child. He is my friend. He was there beside me on the bathmat when I peed on a stick and learned I was pregnant with my first child, he welcomed two babies into our family, he cuddled me through several periods of debilitating depression, he has greeted me at the door everyday with ridiculous enthusiasm even when I’ve just stepped out to check the mail, he has witnessed many trials and tribulations in our family. To me Paolo is not just a dog. He is part of my life story and that chapter isn’t over yet.  

Valentine's Day

Within two weeks of paying an exorbitant amount of money for Paolo’s surgery both of our cars died (and by died I mean beyond repair!) so needless to say money is a little tight.  Instead of gifts this year, I made the kids coupons for Valentine’s Day.  The coupons are for things that are free but appreciated like television on a school night, breakfast in bed, sleepover with mom and dad, etc—and these were a bigger hit than any box of chocolates.

For Rya and Currier's classmates, we made these personalized Valentine's.  Thank you Pintrest for this adorable idea!   

Football Season Finale

Another football season down.  Another medal.

Beer Tea Party

Rya asked me if I wanted to have a tea party with beers. I said, "Hell yeah, that's my kind of tea party girlfriend!" and Trent clarifed that she meant "teddy bears" I retorted, "Oh, forget it then!"

Face Painting

Oh Paolo!

I was going through some old pictures and videos of Paolo through the years and found this gem.  Not sure what's funnier—Paolo humping Currier or my Muttley laugh at the end.   

New Skills

Well, I can now add successfully administer a catheter to my resume. We took Paolo into the vet on Tuesday because I wasn’t able to manually express his bladder. The vet put a catheter in Paolo and showed me how to maintain it at home. It actually makes life a little easier for me now that the urine soaked mountain of laundry is eliminated. He was supposed to wear this lampshade around the clock so he wouldn't pull out the catheter but he ate the damn thing right off his head while I was at work.  I'm not too worried about him getting to his catheter because I honestly think he's too chubby to to reach his penis.  Poor thing! 

Also, while we were at the vet the doctor put a clamp on Paolo’s tail and Paolo yelped which means he felt it! The vet didn’t want to get our hopes up too high but he did say that’s a very good sign and a step in the right direction.  I also keep having very vivid dreams of Paolo walking.  We're trying to stay as positive as possible. 

This whole experience has had a profound impact on my family. It’s crazy to think that one little incident, like falling off a bed, can change a life and the lives of those around you so much. There was a song that came out over a decade ago called The Sunscreen Song and there's a verse in that song that has always stuck with me—“Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.” Paolo’s injury has blindsided us but has also put things into perspective for us.  The stupid shit I worried about two weeks ago seems so trivial when faced with this.  

Paolo's Recovery

Paolo is much happier to be at home with his pack.  The life is back in his eyes and if he could wag his tail I’m sure it would be going crazy!  Paolo remains paraplegic and caring for him is an exhausting and daunting task.  He has no control of his bladder or bowels so his bedding needs to be changed every two hours.  His positioning need to be rotated so he doesn’t get bed sores and his legs need to be exercised to prevent atrophy.  It’s like caring for a newborn and to be completely honest I wonder if we made the right decision by putting him through this surgery rather than putting him down.    

And then I see how happy he is snuggling on Bruco or one of the kids and I know that we made the right decision.  We didn't choose the easy path as our lives have been turned completely upside down but I have to believe that Paolo will recover and live a normal life.  He just has to—he’s a fighter and he has moxie.  Keep the prayers and healing energy coming.  

Muffins For Moms

On Friday Currier's Kindergarten class had "Muffins for Moms".  While we snacked on muffins, the kids got up in front of the class one by one and announced why they loved their mom.  Some of the kids had some funny reasons: "I love my mom because she lets me drink coffee in the morning" or "I love my mom because she has good hair" but Currier's was simply put, "I love my mom and she loves me."  

Disclaimer: Neither of us had time to shower that morning hence the bad hair and greasy face. Don't judge.

Benvenuto a Casa Paolo

We picked up Paolo today at 4pm. At discharge he was still unable to move or feel his hind legs and he requires bladder expression (I only milk those I love!) but he was in good spirits.  The surgeon warned that the recovery may take several weeks to months so we brought Paolo home to do his healing.     

Hearing him snoring in our bedroom is music to our ears!  My family is complete again.  Thank you for all the positive thoughts, prayers and well wishes.  Please keep them coming! 

You say Virginia, I say Vagina

So Currier and Rya are roughhousing and Rya screams, "Ouch, my penis!" and I correct her, "Rya, you don't have a penis. You have a vagina" and Currier adds, "Yeah Rya you have a vagina and vagina is also a state." I then correct him, "No vagina is not a state. Virginia is a state!"