Thank you all for your sweet words on my Monday post.
Lillie made it through her surgery and I was able to pick her up yesterday (Wednesday); I gasped and choked up a little at seeing the amount of sutures (40-50)on her little lady body. *sigh* Talk about a Tummy Tuck. She was shaking when the tech brought her to me, but after hearing my voice, she perked up a bit and wagged her little tail. We can always gauge her wellbeing by her tail wag.
Weird thing
The Dr. said that he even had to remove her Micro Chip as it was in the way of things. I secretly wondered if he removed it so that he could come back later and steal Lillie from us. Just because he has a fancy degree, doesn’t mean he isn’t a thief.
I’ll not share a photo of her sutures because it is a lot to see and I’m not here for shock and awe.
She has a pain patch taped to her foot. The Dr. said I have to go back to them on Saturday morning between 6-7am (part time DR’s!) to have it removed or take her to our regular vet on Saturday and let them take it off. I asked if I could just do it myself because I practically have a Fancy Degree (I paid off my loans!) but they said it’s a fentanyl patch and I can.not.touch.it.
HOLY DEADLY DRUGS IN MY HOUSE AND ON MY BABY.
She has to wear the Cone Of Shame for two weeks and then we go back and hopefully, have her sutures removed. In between, there are lots of medications to take and we are to use cold compresses on her several times a day for three days, then warm compresses several times a day for four days. Now I have that Katy Perry Song in my head: Hot N Cold.
THE OTHER WEIRD THING
We’ve been dealing with this Group of Specialist Veterinarians for how long now? (goes to check email) Four weeks. Four weeks of emails and paperwork and each and every time they put “Lillie” in quotation marks. As if I’m faking her name for heavens sakes!
THE OTHER OTHER WEIRD THING IS ME
I forgot that when I took her first thing on Monday for all the bleeding, I was so tired and out of it, I could not remember the names of her medications; one that she’s taken forever for skin allergies and one that my regular vet gave me over the weekend at the last minute appointment.
So, I do this thing when I can’t remember the name of something, but I can usually SEE some of the letters in my head.
Sometimes it works in my favor, sometimes I just look like an idiot.
*sigh*
Me to the Tech on Monday morning: Oh, she takes, ummm, she takes, it has a Q in it. And a P. Hmm…
The Tech starts spouting out medication names like we’re on a gameshow and money is involved, finally bingo!! Apequel.
YES, I COULD SEE IT, BUT NOT SAY IT!
I wasn’t even close on the last-minute med, and I believe the tech might have thought I was under the influence of who knows what. Fentanyl?
I don’t think I mentioned it before, but once the diagnosis of a Mast Tumor was revealed, she’s been on Benadryl and Prilosec. This type of tumor puts out histamines within the body and can also cause stomach ulcers. Now we’ve added to those Gabapentin and something else. Wait. I can almost see it… that has the letters C, P, N and R!
You read it here first, there will be a movie made about me one day and it won’t be anything like A Beautiful Mind.
I wish we could fast forward to her feeling better, but that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.
Are you old enough to remember Minnie Pearl?
Do you have a technique to help find those lost words in your head without looking like an idiot?
XOXO
Signed, “Lillie’s” Full Time Nurse 😉
Busy Bee Suz 
So glad to hear canine Minnie is back home and in your loving hands. Poor little girl, she’s been through Hell. I hope she heals quickly and doesn’t suffer much pain. I’ve honestly never heard of a vet prescribing Fentanyl so it must be major discomfort. 🥺
My process for finding a forgotten word is going through the alphabet.
Apple? Aardvark?
Baboon? Bloviate?
It’s time consuming but usually gets me there.
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When I’m trying to remember someone’s name, I start with the letter A and work my way through…sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Thank you for your good wishes.
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I’ve been thinking about you and “Lillie.” The quotations crack me up. There is a sign near our house that said Take A “Reliable” Car On Vacation This Summer, and it made me laugh every time I saw it. I think we should all just use quotes around our names. Hi, it’s “me.”
Anyway, poor thing, hope she feels better soon. I sometimes have that thing too, where I can see a thing but I can’t say it! Or that I’ll know a word I want to use and I’ll have to google the meaning of the word to find it.
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I am so giggling at the “reliable” car in quotation marks! HILARIOUS.
Thank you for your good wishes! What did we do before the google machine? Oh wait, we were young and had more brain cells back then.
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So glad Lillie, or rather “Lillie”, came through the surgery well. Poor little thing (and poor Suz) having to go through this ordeal. I hope her healing is speedy. And yes I am old enough to remember Minnie Pearl, but young enough that I never got the humour in the tag hanging from the hat??
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Pat, thank you for your kind words.
I never understood the price tag on Minnie’s hat, either. ($1.98)
She was a trained actor/comedian at the Grand Old Opry for 50 years!
According to the google machine, she and her husband died a few years apart. They left their entire estate to create Nashville’s Sarah Cannon (her real name) Cancer Care and Research Center, one of America’s most cutting-edge cancer treatment centers.
That is pretty awesome in my book!
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Wow, poor little doggie is on a lot of meds!! I would never be able to remember them all. I do know that I was on gabapentin for shingles nerve pain and it was the only med that finally helped! You are a really good dog mom (and regular mom as well) and I hope “Lillie” recovers quickly.
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Thank you for your kind words, I’ll pass them on to “Lillie”
She was already taking a few meds, and Callie takes three different meds…when I’m preparing their meals, I feel like a pharmacist!
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I know the answer about how pet names are in quotes at vet offices! The human owners are the clients and the pets are the patients. To avoid confusion about if “Lillie” is the human or the animal, the animal’s names are always in quotation marks. That is a hot insider tip from my vet friend.
Hugs to “Lillie” and to you. It sounds like you’ll have your hands full in the next couple of weeks tending to her, but hopefully she’s back at full strength ASAP!
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AHA! Look at you wearing your Smartie Pants today. Thank you for the clarification, but I still like the idea of them thinking I don’t know my “dog’s” name. HA. It makes it more fun!!
Thank you for the good wishes.
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I’m so glad “Lillie” (if that *is* her real name) made it. I was thinking about her all day yesterday and hoping for the best. What a tough girl she is!
I remember Minnie Pearl and her hat with the price tag. Lillie doesn’t need that schtick. Her smile and her jaunty ear are her Thing.
When I’m trying hard to remember something, I pull out several tricks, yours among them. Sometimes, though, I just put my brain on Sort and let it work in the background. It may take minutes, hours, or days, but at some point, I come up with it. Unfortunately, I tend to say the thing OUT LOUD no matter where I am and in a triumphant voice.
You can imagine how that has worked out.
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Nance, you have such a kind heart. Thank you for thinking of Lillie. I mean “Lillie.”
I wonder how Minnie came to have that schtick or if it just happened and she rolled with it?
Sitting up in bed and spouting out some random word at 3 am is how that works. I get it.
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Oh sweet “Lillie.” Is she maybe in the Witness Protection Program?
I’m relieved that the surgery is over and that the healing process can begin.
I have lovely memories of Minnie Pearl. Maybe “Lillie” is a reincarnation of “Minnie.”
I’m sending you all my love. ❤️
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She probably needs to be hidden because everybody wants her! 😳😳
Every time I take her to the vet, they ooooh and awwww at her cuteness. I tell them every time: I’m TAKING HER HOME WITH ME, keep your paws off of her.
Thank you for your good wishes.
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I have a dear friend who puts her grown children’s names in quotes when she shares their birthday dinner photos on FB. It always leaves me thinking, well – who are they when it isn’t their birthday?
I’m not good at remembering names of meds. I rely on the doc looking it up in the patient portal. Where would we be if all the medical people didn’t know how to find all of our “stuff.” See what I did there? 😉
Freaky that you cannot touch the patch. Yikes. Strong stuff. Love her tail wagging trait. I do vaguely remember Minnie Pearl. Didn’t she do commercials? Paper towels or dishwashing liquid? I know she wasn’t selling hats.
You are earning your nursing degree over there. I’d be passing out if I saw that many sutures or had to use a compress on them. Fortunately Coach can usually handle gross medical stuff.
Hope she’s feeling better soon and that her wound heals without issue.
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I think some people are confused about quotation marks.
I know someone who uses the @ instead of an & ampersand. I don’t have the heart to tell her…
Laughing at your “I know she didn’t sell hats!”
See how I used those quotation marks in the right spot??
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Well, it’s all sad business, but at least she’s on the road to recovery. Of course I know who Minnie Pearl is. Fun fact about me: I saw Grandpa Jones “In concert” at the Grand Ole Opry. How do you like those quotes? Lol!
When I can’t remember a name, I sing the alphabet in my head and 50% of the time, it works (first letter of the name seems to trigger my brain).
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Grandpa Jones—that was a flashback moment! I’d forgotten about him.
I like your “alphabet song logic,” and I’ll try it next time.
From now on, I’m using quotation marks every freaking where.
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I’m glad Lillie is home with you and being so well cared for. Poor little doggy! And yes, I’m old enough to remember Minnie Pearl, the price tag dangling from her hat, and her screechy “How-DEE!!!!!”
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HOW-DEEE!!
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It’s weird to put “Lillie” in quotation marks. I’d be bothered by that, too. BUT glad to read that Lillie is back home, the poor dear. Gotta smile about Benadryl and Prilosec– those are two of my go-to OTC drugs.
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She’s just like you but hairier. And shorter. And an old lady dog. But just as sweet.
Thank you for your good wishes.
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Hah! I remember Minnie Pearl and the price tag dangling off of her hat. I suppose in case she wanted to return it someday???
Glad to read that “Lillie” came through OK! Sending speedy healing wishes her way…
Deb
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Thanks so much!
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all the best to Lillie.
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Of course I remember Minnie Pearl. It never failed whenever we went to visit my aunt, Hee-Haw was on the television; and that’s what we would watch while the adults visited.
Sending healing vibes to “Lillie.”
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“Thank you” 😉
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Oh poor baby! I hope she’s feeling ok and healing fast! I do remember Minnie Pearl. I think she was on Hee Haw a lot! Yes, I’m admitting I actually watched that show!
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I’m glad Lillie is home and wish her a speedy recovery! Poor baby! It has to be so traumatizing for them to have a big procedure like that because they don’t fully understand what is happening or why. Yep, I definitely remember Minnie Pearl!
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Glad to hear Lillie came through her surgery and recuperating at home. She’s lucky to have such a good caregiver looking after her needs, even if remembering medication names is a challenge. I write all drug names down and carry too many notes in my handbag. I can’t remember a phone numbers either… Sending more good wishes for Lillie’s healing.
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So glad to hear “Lillie” made it through surgery and is home with her family where she belongs! Wishing her a speedy and complete recovery!
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