Kalli and I are hitting milestones in our recoveries – yay!

Kalli First:

Kalli with the cast just off, discovering that, yes, she can still move that leg. You can see some of the very long scar. Fur’s starting to grow back

Eight weeks after her surgery to fuse bones and put in a steel plate on the front leg whose ligaments she obliterated chasing a squirrel, the cast came off today. The surgical vet says the x-rays were “beautiful.” She’s all fused. It was the best possible report today.

We’re not done, however. In fact, this is the halfway point to normal for her.

She continues the next four weeks in “confine convalescence.” No running, no long walks, no cavorting, no squirrels. Definitely no “Collie Gone Wild” – a game I play with the dogs in the family. Kalli goes outside on the leash to go potty, then comes in to one of three confined areas set up in the house, depending on where I’ll be. Two trips a day up and down the stairs, max. And at a reduced speed.

This is to “harden” the leg now that it’s no longer protected by the cast.

After these next four weeks, she will start an exercise program to gradually reintroduce activity.

And Now Me:

For those who’ve said I share updates about Kalli but haven’t about myself (and you know who you are 😉 ) I’m doing really well.

I consider myself in the reintroduction of activity phase. Received the okay to start lifting more than five pounds about 5 ½ weeks after surgery (early!) and I’ve been working up on that.

I did a yin yoga class a couple days ago for the first time. I was super pleased that I wasn’t tighter and stiffer than I was. It all felt great while I was doing it … several hours later, not so great. The incision area was sore and prickly and I had what other folks who’ve had this surgery call “swelly belly.” <wg>

But I figure that’s going to happen for a while. I’ll go back to that class next week, might add a second low-movement one next week. But holding off longer for active sessions… A bit at a time.

I figure Kalli’s gradual reintroduction of activity is also likely to involve me <wg>.

Thanks for caring, folks!