Recalling the OUCH!

When I was a little over 1-year old, Julie took me to that fantastic 32-acre off-leash park in Red Deer, Alberta.  It was late evening and we were playing fetch – I was ridiculously fast at getting that ball – in a wide open area.  There was an Australian Shepard on a leash getting a walk about.

I thought it weird that they were on a leash at an off-leash park.

When I was happily getting the ball for Julie, I was hit hard by that dog.  Apparently their owner thought it was a good time to release them from security.

Obviously there were reasons they were on a leash at an off-leash park.

I was dizzy.  I tried to stand but fell over.   I think I threw up in my mouth.

Julie was so calm when talking with me but I had never seen her run so fast!

I think she ran to me faster than I had ever run after a ball.  Who knew she could cover 50 meters in a couple of seconds!!!!

So, this is me after surgery.  I’ve been nearly 6 weeks since the “event” so the hole is healed nicely and the many tubes for drainage are removed.  I am impressed now, looking at this photos years later, that all the scratches and bite marks on my chest are not apparent.  My hair grew in more quickly in those days.

Apparently, the hole made by the assailants bite was deep.  I won’t put up the more graphic photos Julie took.  She kept quite a photo-journal of the injury, the veterinarian visit, the surgery, and the various stages of healing.  Apparently the Alberta Animal Services took this event quite seriously.

I am far more discrete and will not show you the grizzly, oozing bits.  Ha. There were several tubes, too!  Those doctors certainly knew what to do.

Julie made sure I was never alone for the first week or so in recovery.  There were many of her friends coming to stay with me while she went to work.  I rather enjoyed the fuss and snuggles.  All that love and care helped me heal perfectly!

Even now, nearly a decade later, the scar is hardly visible and I have perfect mobility of that joint.

I can still run as fast as I did when younger.  I don’t think Julie can, though.  She is really old now.  I think she has more grey hair now that I do!  And I hear her give a gruff harrumph every once in a while as she tries to get out of bed. Ha, I still bound out with glee every morning!