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Ginger is doing well; Mom not so much
By Liz Palika
November 14, 2009
Ginger has changed a lot in the last five days. She’s gaining confidence, acts much happier, and is settling in quite nicely. This morning, for the first time, she played with Archer and Riker.
Every morning without fail, Archer brings a toy to Riker and shakes it in Riker’s face. After one or two shakes, Riker grabs it and the game is on. If Riker’s hips aren’t too sore, he’ll get up and actively play with Archer. If his hips are sore, he’ll play dead dog on the floor until the toy is close enough to grab and then he’ll just hang on as Archer pulls him across the floor. They play well together and Archer’s youth is keeping Riker active and involved.
Well, this morning, Ginger started dashing in and out and around the boys as they played. Then she grabbed another toy and began playing with that by herself around them. Eventually she got brave enough and reached in to grab the toy they were playing with and the boys were kind enough to let her. Well, the game was on!
I’ve been bringing Ginger to the training yard with me every evening, too, and she would play a little but usually just hang around my feet. Last night, as Bashir and Archer took off running, she went, too, and had a long glorious run up and down and back and forth across three acres of grass. She came back to me smiling and panting, her tail waving like a flag.
Ginger has also been quieter in her crate. No more temper tantrums; no more screaming fits; and no more bouncing the crate across the floor.
My Mom has a dog door so the dogs can go in and out on their own, and Ginger has been using it since she was a puppy. But apparently the dog door Paul and I have is just different enough that she didn’t want to use it. A cookie in front of her nose to lure her through didn’t work. I even had Archer go back and forth several times to show her. Her lack of confidence caused her to just sit outside and whine and cry rather than try it.
But wonders of wonders, this morning she went through it on her own right in front of me – good timing! – so I showered her with praise and told her what a smart, good girl she was!
I’m happy she is settling in, becoming happier about being here, and is beginning to try new things. Not just for herself but for me, too, as it looks like she’s going to be here a while.
My Mom has never handled pain well and even though this is her second knee replacement, she is not doing her physical therapy. She’s resisting it and is not making progress. Her surgeon is very unhappy with her. So she’s going to have to go to a nursing home before she can come back home. That means Ginger will be with Paul and I for a while.
So, mixed emotions this morning. I’m happy about Ginger but worried about Mom.
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I’m so happy Ginger is settling in! My mom has had two knee replacements as well. The physical therapy is critical. She’s got to do that, or else she can’t be mobile again. I know the pain is a huge factor. Has anyone mentioned the wonders of bags of frozen vegetables (better than ice, because they conform!)?
Best wishes.
Comment by David — November 14, 2009 @ 8:02 am
Post-surgical compliance makes the world go round.
Professor Chaos’ foot surgeon told him about a patient who had the same bunion surgery he just had (he had the other foot done this spring) who, a year later, is still not recovered and nearly lost her damned foot.
She walked on the foot immediately, drove immediately, went swimming when the stitches were still in — in a pond — and otherwise contravened every doctor’s order they gave her. She bought herself multiple surgeries to fix the damage, tons of exotic antibiotics, painful physical therapy, and pain, pain and more pain.
Meanwhile, Professor Chaos should be entirely pain-free (as far as feet go) in a few months, if this second surgery turns out like the first.
Honestly, I’d get pretty hard-core with a family member who did this. I’d bring Ginger to visit in the nursing home — only immediately after Mom completed a round of PT successfully.
Tough love for the lady who made you take your vaccinations when you were a kid.
Comment by H. Houlahan — November 14, 2009 @ 8:49 am
Very glad to hear Ginger is doing well ! I feel for you with your Mom though . Its hard to make adults listen. Maybe the promise of Ginger or your dogs visiting wouls help ?
Comment by Leslie K — November 14, 2009 @ 9:10 am
Comment by H. Houlahan — November 14, 2009 @ 8:49 am
Honestly, I’d get pretty hard-core with a family member who did this. I’d bring Ginger to visit in the nursing home — only immediately after Mom completed a round of PT successfully.
My parents did something like this with me when I was a kid after I had (my first) knee surgery. I wouldn’t put weight on it and they made a similar kind of “deal” contingent on my putting weight on it.
You better bet I started following doctor’s orders after that!
Bribery can be a good thing . . . . . . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — November 14, 2009 @ 9:17 am
I hope Katie B will come in and post on this. She IS a physical therapist. She may have some ideas.
Katie?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — November 14, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Oh - and if she questions what gives you the “authority” to decide to withhold visits from Ginger, just explain very sweetly that until she regains her mobility, she’s going to have a hard time caring for Ginger properly, and therefore Ginger will be staying with you for as long as it takes . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — November 14, 2009 @ 9:20 am
What wonderful news about Ginger!
I’m sorry about your mom, though. My dad just had surgery on his hand and he uses play time on the guitar as his reward for doing the physical therapy work (which hurts a lot more than the surgery itself did). I really hope there is some motivator for your mom (like others said, maybe Ginger visits).
Comment by Rinalia — November 14, 2009 @ 10:32 am
It’s been fun reading about Ginger’s progress. Sorry to hear Mom is not doing as well. A couple thoughts….
Just like we all preach when our dogs have “issues”; rule out physical stuff first. Work with the nurses and doctors to be sure pain is being adequately controlled with meds and ice packs, and to be sure there are not any post op complications that may be making PT harder than it needs to be.
You may see an improvement in progress with the transfer to the nursing home. A lot of folks going there for rehab take a look around and see that a) there are a lot of people worse off, and b) that it is not somewhere they are ready to stay on a permanent basis so getting home becomes a powerful motivator.
I like the idea of using Ginger visits as a motivator or reward for good compliance with PT.
Good luck with continued success with Ginger AND with mom!
Comment by Katie Bruesewitz — November 14, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Sorry to hear that Mom is having a rough time. But it’s great that Ginger is settling in well.
My Mom goes off for a week of pt and a stay with her sister after 3 years in my care with no more than an overnight away. It’s tough to send her off, but I’m hoping my Aunt, the Drill Sargent will convince her that I’m not so bad…
Comment by schnauzer — November 14, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
Mom did better today! Woo hoo!
We did rule out physical problems; her knee is actually healing very well and her overall health is very good for 76 years old. They are working on the pain meds and today she seemed more comfortable.
The physical therapist in the nursing home was awesome. Firm enough to push her yet compassionate enough to give her breaks and make sure she had enough pain meds. And then, after her PT, I brought Bashir in for a therapy dog visit. Ginger is not under enough control and I didn’t want to risk her jumping on Mom’s new knee.
Bashir was a wonderful therapy dog for her; leaned up against the good knee, gave her some kisses on the hand, rubbed under her hand so she had to pet him, and while we were talking, he rested with his head on her foot.
(And then of course, we had to visit the rest of the facility - staff and residents!)
My sister brought in her two boys, too. So Mom had therapy dog visit and grandkids ‘therapy’.
I told her if we had a good report from the PT tomorrow we’d do the same thing!
When she makes some good progress and her knee isn’t quite so painful, I’ll bring Ginger in.
Bribery? No, just motivation, right?
Comment by Liz Palika — November 14, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
Who cares if its bribery, it worked !
Comment by Leslie K — November 15, 2009 @ 12:28 am
YAY for Ginger - what progress you’ve made!
I feel for your situation with your mom, but I love the idea of Ginger as a bribe. It would definitely work for me if I were in your mom’s position.
Ginger sounds like she is certainly blooming under your tender loving care. No surprise there!
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — November 15, 2009 @ 9:24 am