I am having surgery in November, and it’s all Doug’s fault.
She’s a liar, I’ve never done anything wrong in my life. 
Last fall, I was lifting Doug out of my SUV. We had just been to rehab and even though he was cleared for activity, jumping out of the back of the SUV is a little tough on his stubby hippo legs so I always lift him out.
It is important to note here that aside from my parents house, Doug will not go #1 or #2 anywhere but in our yard or in our neighborhood. He would drink 5,000 gallons of water at rehab and never pee before I got him in the car to come home.
Why, Doug, why?
I’ll tell you why, my body, my rules. If you get to say it, so do I. 
When I put him down on the ground and took the leash, I didn’t expect for him to lunge-run to the closest grass, which was about 30 feet away. I was pulled down and dragged/slid. The pain was terrible and I honestly felt dizzy from it. All I could do was hold onto his leash and get us both inside.
Ok, if I’m being honest, I may remember doing this now. But in general, I would never try to purposely hurt my sMother. I mean, my Mother. 
My shoulder and arm hurt so bad, I thought they were broken. I had road-rash up and down my entire body. As someone who has a blood clotting condition and a takes blood thinners, you can imagine the horror scene. I had to make my way upstairs and into my shower so as not to bleed out on all of the white furniture I see the need to invest in!
Why, Tracey, why?
The road rash eventually cleared up. My shoulder pain went from excruciating to acceptable. I managed to still love Doug.
Over the past six months or so, my shoulder has become more and more painful and the activities I’m able to do with that arm have become more and more limited. Also, sleeping is impossible. There is no position that works. I mean, who needs sleep anyway?
I got an MRI and some X-rays and it turns out that I have fully torn Rotator Cuff on my right (dominant) shoulder. Surgery is set for mid-November and apparently recovery is terrible. Thanks again, Doug! I will be off work for one week, working from home the 2nd week and hopefully be in the office a little more from weeks 3-6. I guess the first two weeks I won’t have much use of that arm at all, which seems like it is going to make everything challenging. I’ve been trying to not use that arm at all to get my left arm ready but so far it’s not going well. I tried to put make-up on with left hand and I legit looked like a crack whore. I also tried to get dressed, brush my teeth, makes Doug’s food and blow dry my hair with just my left hand and I can say with absolute certainty that if it was only up to me, none of those things would happen. Luckily, I will have plenty of help.
The worst part about all of this is that I can’t drive for 6 weeks. Well, the actual worst part of this is that the pain I’m currently feeling is causing problems with my neck and likely contributing to an increase in migraines. But the not being able to drive part is up there.
Way to go Doug!
Um, who’s going to take me to get Pupccinnos?
Um, who’s going to feed me? It’s not my fault my brother is a jerk!
Melvin pulled me down once on a walk when he tried to take off running after another dog. I escaped with only a bruise. Jake poop’d on me but that mostly caused emotional bruising, nothing physical. Doug has caused the need for surgery. I don’t know what award he wins for this but congratulations on whatever it is!
Oh man, I am sorry to hear this! I hope the surgery goes well and you recover quickly. Sophie has broken my nose before (bucking bronco waiting her turn to race in flyball) and also caused a bloody lip. Swy, amazingly enough, has not caused any extensive bodily harm. I feel like I should go knock on wood and maybe pick a bunch of four leaf clovers now after writing that.
Burn some sage or something too! Yikes, a broken nose sounds miserable too! xoxo
Prayers that you may have a quick and painless recovery. I know Doug is sorry and wishes he could take it back (until next time 🙁 Glad you have lots of help. Keep your chin up. Sandra
I have decided to keep him! Although I reserve the right to curse at him in silence after the surgery when it hurts! xoxo
Well, speaking as a nurse they have come along way with the pain control following this surgery, but you are right, you will be winged and down to one arm. Interesting at best. Wishing you a fast and speedy recovery! As a fellow pittie owner, I cannot believe the power of these dogs. I love my little girl, but she has snapped my neck and pulled my arm this past weekend so hard in pursuit of a squirrel while on leash, I nearly kissed a large tree trunk. Like you said, I was actually dizzy and felt like I had whiplash! What immense power! Hope you are up to posting while you are recovering because I just love your blog and all the descriptions of yours and Doug’s antics!!!
Yes! You get it! I mean I would do the same if I had to pee so I forgive him! Hope your neck and arm are on the mend! Glad she didn’t behead you! I do plan to blog more in my downtime. xoxo
Oh, sorry to hear! Ouch!!! I hope Nurse Doug tends to you hand and paw until you are all better. Here’s to a comfortable recovery and enjoying some good netflix binges. Good thoughts coming your way from Seattle!
Thank you!!! I have low hopes about his nurse skills but high hopes on snuggling!
I love that you were worried about bleeding on the furniture. Reminds me of my mom yelling “Don’t bleed on the carpet!!” when I was a kid.
Hope you have an easy recovery. I’ve known others that had that surgery. They say the key is to do the physical therapy exercises even though it hurts.
I have heard that too about rehab! And yes, there is a reason I buy bleach wipes in bulk. I’m nuts!
These crazy strong dogs! I am so sorry! I will be thinking of you in the months to come! My 100 pound Rottie took off after a squirrel while I was sitting on the porch holding his leash. I crashed my hand into the porch post and tore the ligaments keeping my thumb where it belonged. It took 30 thousand dollars of surgery and months of therapy to get back to 90% use of my hand(thank goodness for insurance). I am sure he was very sorry and I wasn’t ever mad at him but at myself. I knew how strong he was and how extra exuberant and crazy he was. Now that we lost him at a very young age to cancer, I look at that scar and it makes me smile and remember that crazy, wild child I loved so much. It is a badge of love and all the pain is long forgotten!
I feel bad for loving parts of this. ‘There was this amazing dog and see this scar, it’s really a badge of love.’ This is what joy is all about. There are surgeries and loss of money and physical pain. And then there is true love and loss and grief. But connecting all the beautiful dots, is part of the joy journey. Cheers to dogs whose biggest crime is exuberance, and to those of us blessed to love them! xoxo
Oh no! So sorry to hear about last fall’s trainwreck and upcoming surgery. As someone who got laid up with a dislocated right shoulder a few years ago, I do have a couple of practical tips.
1) Placquers are your friend for dental hygiene. One-handed floss takes a bit of practice but is doable. An electric toothbrush helps if your left hand is as uncoordinated as mine was.
2) My computer password was apparently stored in my right hand, rather than my brain. I couldn’t log on with my lefty hand, because I couldn’t remember the darn thing. Write your password down ahead of time.
3) If friends and relatives offer help, take them up on it. 🙂 Glad you have plenty of help already lined up. There are lots of things that are pretty much impossible one-handed.
4) But you’ll also find that your left hand really will get the hang of stuff when it has to.
5) Ditto above comments on PT. It took awhile, and wasn’t easy, but I eventually regained full range of motion, and you will too.
Sending warm and healing thoughts from Boise! And a couple of hugs and scritches for Doug and a wave out the window for Bob2.
Argh! I’m so sorry that happened and for all you have ahead of you. Here’s hoping for a simple surgery and a speedy, as-painless-as-possible recovery!
When we were still in DC, and he was still a terror, Lucas spooked at something and flung all 75 pounds of him at top speed the opposite direction. He pulled me straight into a No Parking sign and down into the road. I had cuts and bruises on my face, arms, and legs… just in time to go in for my 30-day review at my brand-new job! 🙂 These dogs, these dogs.
I look at it as love battle scars! I mean, we both earned them! xoxo
Oh Doug (shaking head). Your poor Mama has to have surgery which means you need to take good care of her and maybe learn how to drive, I hear they teach dogs in NZ how to do that. Hope it all goes well xox