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Friday, March 29, 2024

UPDATE: Another Visit With Blaze

UPDATE SEPTTEMBER 16, 2011: (as always, click on any image for a larger view)

Blaze_dirtynoseBlaze’s star is shining just a little brighter every day. Today when I got there, George was about to take her outside for her potty break – he told me that in the whole time she’s been there, she’s only ever had one accident in her cage and that was just a day or so after she first got there and was so sick from all the stuff going on in her mouth; once they got that cleared up, not even a little wee-wee has happened; even after surgery when she was still so groggy, she waited to go out to relieve herself. She’s very meticulous about her potty, so I suspect she was housetrained at some point.

He and all the techs tell me that she never makes a peep – never barks, never cries (even in pain), never fusses or makes any noise at all. They just know she wants to go out when she starts circling anxiously. When he brought her to me this afternoon, she literally ran toward me, another first – up until now, she’s been content to just walk around slowly. During the first awful days, she could barely do that.
 
It’s a lovely cool day in Atlanta – the air is rich with tea olive, which is blooming everywhere now, and Blazie was clearly delighted to be outside. She took care of business in short order and then we walked around outside wherever she wanted to go. She’s trotting now, much more animated, is interested in exploring and smelling things.
 
She knows which is her cage back in the kennel and goes straight to it and goes in to see if there’s food. If you don’t shut the door right away, she pops right back out and escapes down the hall. When they’re not busy, they let her walk around the kennel and she goes and greets all the dogs down on her level. George says she is very social and has made friends with the golden retrievers next to her. Another first: George was scratching her favorite spot on her neck while he was talking to me – when he quit, she nosed his hand to make him keep on, a thing I’ve never seen her do. She’s basically been sort of unreachable until now: so sick, so remote, so unaffected by anything going on around her that I was beginning to wonder whether her joy had all gone – but it’s coming back a little every day, which I’m so grateful to see. A ghost of a tail wag, a little nose to a petting hand, a little glimmer of happiness at seeing someone that loves and takes care of her.
 
She is not gaining weight, but not losing it – is eating enough calories every day to accommodate a 35 lb. dog and she is only 11.5 lbs. (including that awful tumor). The tumor seems to be getting bigger and suspect it is leeching nutrients from her system, so we’re all so happy that it is scheduled to come off next Friday. Her mouth is healing well, she’s eating with enthusiasm and starting to show a little more terrier spirit and that is so wonderful to see!
 
I have to travel for work next week, so won’t see her from Tuesday until Friday when I get home. I’m fretting about it, of course – but I know she’ll be in the same loving hands as always. Surgery is Friday, so everyone please keep your prayers and powerful thoughts coming for this next big hurdle. I’ll try to send more pictures before I leave on Tuesday.
 
I hear that money continues to come in for her care and can’t thank all of you enough. At some point, Blazie will need more corrective surgery on her mouth, but for now, we’re just taking care of the worst first and trying to get her healthy enough to have a happy new life. Little Blaze truly is a love story – I wish all of you could see her every day like I do. It’s such a privilege to witness her stoicism and her bravery and I am humbled by the strength this tiny little girl shows.
 
Holly

 

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