UPDATE OCTOBER 17, 2011 - BLAZE COMES HOME: (as always, click on any image for a larger view)

After two and a half months, Blaze finally got to leave Ansley Clinic today.

Pulling on her leash in her new jeweled collar (a gift from Maria), and weighing in at a hefty 13.6 lbs., she ran right to the door like she knew what was happening..

I pondered this decision a little, but thought it would be easier for her to come home after surgery to a place she was at least a little familiar with, rather than stressing her with both things at once.

Everybody told her goodbye.. it was very sweet and a little sad (thought I even saw a tear in Dr. Brandley’s eye), but we’ll be back to visit and for frequent check-ups.  Dr. Brandley says the surgery coming up on Wednesday will not be nearly as hard on her or as painful as the first oral surgery was, and that she expects Blaze will come through it with her usual tenacity, especially now that she’s so much healthier than she was for the first one.  She’s had another round of blood work, and I’ve had instructions on her meds and her diet. I have her oral x-rays on a disc to take to Dr. Mays on Wednesday and Dr. Brandley has spoken with her and faxed everything up to her office.

She rode in my lap in the car and was perfectly sweet – wanted to hang her head out the window, which I wouldn’t let her do. I could tell she wasn’t familiar with car rides, but like everything else that happens to her, she just rolls with it with her usual terrier aplomb.  I made sure she met all my dogs individually. Held her in my lap so they could come smell her, etc. She actually growled at Danny when he got too close – first sound I’ve ever heard her make! – which was really funny. Moose and Nancy were very respectful and Neo is totally fascinated with her. This is Neo with his nose at her crate door.

We walked outside. She’s clearly never seen steps but tried them and fell a little before I caught her, then she jumped right back up and kept going. She loves her new crate as you can see from the pictures. The whole ride home and yard inspection and meet and greet with the pack was exhausting to her, so she’s napping (and snoring) happily. Neo goes over to check on her every now and then. Her crate is in my office, so the dogs would come and go while I started dinner and caught up on work.

I don’t have any sense of what she does all day because I’ve only seen her in short visits. Maria says she sleeps a lot, which most old dogs do, so that’s not unusual. Her deafness prevents her from being bothered by the barking and TV and usual sundry racket around here.   I look at her and can’t believe she’s the same dog I got out of the shelter over two months ago. I urge you all to go look at those first horrific photos to see how far she’s truly come. She’s put on weight, her coat is shiny, she feels good, runs around, wags. She’s learning to play ball and will surely learn all kinds of other terrier mischief if she stays here very long. We plan to teach her about toys and walks in the neighborhood and sleeping in bed and a hundred other things she’s probably never had.

So here we are. As I write this, the dryer is humming in the laundry room, and five terriers, instead of just four, are napping in their beds and baskets in my office. It’s a nice feeling.  I’m worried about Wednesday morning, of course, but am assured by Dr. Brandley that we are in good hands with Dr. Mays. These next few days will be a big learning experience for Blazie. We are going to try hard not to stress her too much with this change and make sure she always feels confident and loved.

I am so grateful and so impressed at Blaze’s resilience and her spirit – it’s an example we could all emulate: that, truly, no matter how bad things are, there’s always a reason not to give up. This little girl was not “gonna die anyway.”

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, your kind thoughts, crossed fingers and paws, good karma and most of all for your donations. I promise you, Blazie was SO worth saving!

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