Recovery Day 5 - Mail and Cones

Hi friends! As I am sure you can see from the above picture, this doggy has been cracking me up today! Our experience with the Bonafido was truly hilarious. So, not exactly what I was expecting. When my mom looked at the pictures, she made a comment that I was essentially ordering an inner tube. I did not buy this at all. When I looked at the pictures, I thought I was ordering a "floppy" or "soft" ring that would not blog Heisman's peripheral vision. NOT TRUE!!!!! Chalk this one up to a toal cone FAIL. Mother knows best - and mine was right this time! I think that this thing could keep a 500 lb. man afloat in a swimming pool. To say that it did not work would have been the understatement of the century. Not only does Heisman HATE it, she can get it off in seconds flat. I will be sending it back PRONTO. Needless to say, I had to find a new solution FAST if I am ever going to go back to work.




Enter The Comfy Cone. I left Heisman alone for the first time since surgery - coneless - and rushed to East Atlanta to Park Pet Supply - the only place in the city that carries the Comfy Cone. It looks quite humane now, and I have it at home, but the Bonafido experience has Heisman quite leery of any new "hats," so we are going to wait for Daddy to get home to try it on. I mean, just look how peacefully the cute dog in the ad is sleeping. This is TOTALLY going to work, right? We'll see, and I'll report back for those of you who will be going through a TPLO in the near future.

On to more exciting things...Heisman got her first piece of MAIL today - all the way from Charleston, South Carolina from her cousins Sully and Tail Biber!! She was THRILLED! Sully and Tail sent FOOTBALL TREATS - perfect for a dog named Heisman - and one of Heisman's personal favorites, the Busy Rollhide! They sent the sweetest card and the gifts and treats really brightened Heisman's spirits. I just had to snap a quick picture of the envelope so that we will always remember Heisman's first piece of mail...Thanks, sweet cousins!


While I was out shopping for the Comfy Cone, I was able to swing by the City Dog Market and pick up a deer antler for Heisman to try. She loves it! A total success - she chewed on it for about an hour and was plum tuckered out. She is passed out on her bed right now with the antler still in her mouth - I will have to get a picture of that! The wonderful owner at the City Dog Market also offered me a piece of shark spine and stingray tail to give Heisman - it is a great source of Omega 3 and will help both Heisman's leg and her skin! They are so cool looking, so we are saving it for when Daddy comes home from work, but I can't wait to see what she thinks of them!


Finally, I must mention the pet product that has gotten us through these first few days - Greenies Pill Pockets. Heisman's Grandma Brannon picked these up for her because of the quantity of pills that she has to take. Because of her chronic skin problems, the surgeon could not discharge Heisman with the typical pain management protocol - a Fentanyl patch. Rather, Heisman had to be on oral pain killers, Tramadol, with a dosage of 3 pills 3 times per day. In addition, she gets 2 Benadryl every 4 hours, 2 antibiotic pills twice a day, an anti-inflammatory pill every day, and we recently added a Pepcid AC ever day because - imagine this - all of these pills upset her stomach. Heisman HATES taking pills, so getting them down her was really an almost all day process. Greenies Pill Pockets are like dog gummy bears. You can mold and shape them however you want. I can get 4 or 5 pills in one pill pocket, and Heisman will still swallow them with no problem. Trust me, this is an AMAZING product.


And a few more pictures from today - though none can top the Bonafido...

Day 5 Incision Shot

A look at my "office" for the week. There's no place I would rather be... Please note the greasy potato chips and Frosty Paws cup in my tennis shoe. Heisman and I are clearly coping with recovery the same way - junk food! Also, check out the fortress we have built to keep Heisman off of the sofa and "her armchair."

More antler chewing

A good look at the antler

Shark Spine and Stingray Tail

Loot from the Sweet Biber Family: Sully, Tail, Ella, Elizabeth, and (last but not least) Jay