Home Again

Home again!

Damon and Alexa flew to Fresno this afternoon, so Ani and I are on our own this weekend, and I've never been happier to have Alstott with us too.  We went to the animal hospital tonight to pick up my beloved puggle, and he will be under very close observation for the next two weeks.  His diet is very restricted - primarily chicken and rice - and he cannot spend time outdoors except when on a leash to do his business.  I must really love this dog if I'm cooking dinner for him; he ate better than I did tonight (bowl of Crispix)!

We had a very sweet reunion with Alstott in the exam room.  Ani was babbling away as the technician went to retrieve Alstott and the doctor.  As Ani "talked" away, the door pushed open, and I looked to see Alstott dragging the vet into the room.  The vet said she had not seen him that lively since he'd been there.  She mentioned he was excited to see his leash, but once he heard Ani, he immediately scampered to the room where we were waiting.  Ani's eyes got really big when she saw Alstott, and her babbling got even louder.  Apparently Alstott means a lot to every member of our family. :)

It's very bizarre to have Alstott at home but not acting fully Alstott-esque.  He is understandably fatigued, and the medications also contribute to his overall drowsiness.  The veterinarian advised that he stay off furniture for the next few weeks, to avoid jumping and potentially ripping the stitches, so I've made a very soft bed on the family room floor with a sleeping bag and giraffe fuzzy blanket.  Although he's more lethargic than normal, I was happy to see signs of typical Alstott behavior as I cooked his dinner tonight.  He gobbled up the small amount of chicken and rice I put in his bowl, and his nub tail went wild when I broke off some string cheese for him.  If the chicken and rice keeps him off the underwear & socks diet, we might need to stick with this permanently!

As Ani and I waited in the lobby of the animal hospital, I could not help but think about all of the weeks I had spent in the hospital with Grant.  People or pets, a hospital is a hospital, and I am sure a vet hospital probably sees more lows than a pediatric hospital.  I even found myself tearing up as I saw a mom, who clearly had been crying, come out to bring her kids back to an exam room.  A few minutes later, the whole family left in tears.  It was impossible not to empathize with the family, as I remember the number of times that I left the 6th floor of Phoenix Children's in tears, or even worse, the night that Damon and I walked out of PCH for the last time.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending thus far; I am hopeful the next few weeks of tlc will return Alstott to his normal vigor....just away from the laundry room.

Resting comfortably after his home-cooked meal....