PERMISSION

I took Marley back to agility class last night. It was Intermediate Class so it is a little under what we should be in, but Marley can't handle the chaos of the behavior of some of the dogs in the Advanced Class. Marley is a sensitive dog and I will do whatever I have to to keep her safe and happy. So I made the decision to take her to class.

KK was a good little agility dog. She's up to 3 obstacle sequences. She's paying much more attention to me. She's started sniffing the sheep poo so we will be working on keeping her nose up and paying attention to me. She's doing great with her contacts. She's going to be a fast little dog for me but I look forward to the challenge.

Marley sat in her crate with her fan going all during KK's class. When her class started, Marley came out all happy and frisky. She did everything I asked of her and did it perfectly. It didn't hurt that the class cheered for her!

As a reward for their good behaviot on the agility field, both Marley and KK got to swim in the pond. They had a big time!

This class was a deciding factor in Marley's agility career. If she did well, we were going to continue with group classes, if not then we would do privates only. She hasn't been in a class setting since February. I haven't gotten to practice with her since the April AKC trial where I ran her with my fractured hip. I'm just so pleased with her!   :)

Marley's agility trial schedule will be very short this year. I'm just happy for every run I have with her. You never know when your or your dog's career will be over. Everytime I step to the line with her will be winning for me! No matter the outcome, Marley is my girl and I will treasure every moment with her.

I am feeling better emotionally. I think the fractured hip was God's way of making me be still and think and deal with everything. I have finally come to the conclusion that I needed to give myself permission to keep living. I have been just existing for months and I finally feel like I am living again. I will always miss my mom and will always think about how things could have been different, but I can't change what happened. It's time for me to start living again.

BYE BYE CRUTCHES!!

I was released from my crutches today. Heading back to work tomorrow. Ortho says I can start back to agility but I won't be able to run as fast as before. Like I could run fast before! LOL!! That seals my decision about the USDAA trial. I just can't risk re-injuring my hip.

Ironically enough, the first trial I have planned for Marley is the trial where I broke my hip. Hoping this time things go better for me.

Marley and KK have been spoiled by not doing their daily crate time since I've been off work. They will get re-introduced to their crates tomorrow morning. I think Molly and Missy will be happy to have peace and quiet in the house tomorrow!!

HOPING FOR GOOD NEWS!!

I go back to the Ortho MD tomorrow for a recheck of my hip fracture. I'm pain free and able to walk some without a limp. Hoping I get released to work at least.Then on Thursday I go to the Endocrine MD to see if I have an underlying bone disease. We have a week break from agility so I will have more time to recover before KK's class starts back.

I hope to be able to trial with Marley at the end of June in an AKC trial. I really wanted to do an USDAA trial around then but have decided to do AKC because they have more course time and plus I
think AKC is way easier than USDAA. It will be our first trial after a couple months of time off so I feel AKC is the right choice for us at this time. I'm planning on taking KK so she can get introduced to the trial environment.

I will leave you with this thought, if you are lucky enough to be healthy and have a healthy dog, you are blessed. That is something I have never known for any amount of time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND MOTHER'S DAY IN HEAVEN

Today was a little rough for me. Not only was it Mother's Day but it was also my mom's birthday. She would have been 72 today. It was my first year not buying a card or gift or cake. My dad and I talked about where she would have wanted to eat or what she would have wanted to do.

Days are getting better for me. I feel more like myself than I have in a long time. Getting away last week was helpful. I still have another week and half off from work due to my fractured hip.

For the first time in 8 weeks, my hip has finally stopped hurting. I first noticed I could turn over in bed without being in severe pain last week. The pain has progressively decreased. I can walk short distances now...almost without a limp. The crutches are a pain and swallowing all those supplements is also a pain. But if it gets my hip better, then I will keep crutching and taking the supplements.

My good friend is coming early to agility classes on Mondays and training KK for me until I am released back to train. KK is so friendly that she will work for other people. Marley on the other hand is getting a break from agility. I am taking this time off from work to decide what my goals are for Marley in her agility career. Lots of soul searching going on....

FRACTURED

I have been diagnosed with a stress fracture of my femoral neck...aka cracked hip. No weight bearing and crutches for at least 4 weeks. I was sent to my endocrinologist for a work up to see if I'm osteopenic from the loss of my thyroid and parathyroids from my cancer in 2007. They are concerned that I've had 2 strange fractures in a year.

Marley has been pulled from the Berryville AKC agility trial and will probably be pulled from the Tulsa trial also. KK's agility starts back on Monday night and I will have to sit back and watch someone else work her. Lucky for her, her Manners Minder came in and I will start working her on that.

Marley is trying to be alpha in the house. She's been snarky to Molly twice lately and I fear we will have more scuffles as Molly and Missy age. I have to be on my toes with Marley.

It's hard just sitting around, not doing anything. You don't realize how much walking you do until you can't do it anymore. I don't know how my mom stood being wheelchair bound for years. I'm just on crutches and I'm already nuts.

OK GOD, MY PLATE IS FULL!

I have been dealing with what was originally diagnosed as a right hip flexor muscle strain for over 6 weeks. I have been doing the prescribed NSAIDS, heat, and stretches as ordered. Unfortunately the pain has worsened and I am still limping.


I made the decision to run Marley at the GSKC Agility Trial in Memphis over the weekend. I had orginally entered Marley in 8 events. I pulled her from 5 and ran her in 3. She did a great Send in Open FAST but just missed the bottom A frame contact. But she was happy and running well for me.


She earned her first 2 legs in Excellent A Standard in her first 2 times in the Excellent ring. So proud of my blue eyes. She hasn't been to a class since before Monroe in March and I have been unable to practice with her due to my hip.


I am now scheduled for a contrast MRI of my right hip on Monday. I have been given a tenative diagnosis and so hope that diagnosis isn't the cause of the pain. If it is, our agility season is probably over for the year. I've already pulled Marley from a trial in early May. Will probably pull her from the others I had planned for her also.


I am so worried about Kalea-Kate's training. This is the time where she is a fearless little sponge and I don't want her to fall behind. Thankfully a good friend has agreed to be "my legs" in agility class until I am pain free.

I am waiting for the day when things fall into place for me. I have been through so much this past year and I deserve a break. Until then, I will just keep holding on and relying on my friends during the bad times. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. By George, I should be Super Woman soon!!

GOD GIVES YOU WHAT YOU CAN TAKE

This year just isn't turning out the way I hoped. Both Molly and Marley have been snake bitten within the past week. Marley doesn't want to go to agility class but rocks in privates. Go figure??


My leg continues to really hurt. I've been to the Ortho MD twice and they just keep prescribing NSAIDS and hip exercises. I do have a right hip flexor strain that I was told would be better by the Memphis agility trial. Well, it isn't (Iam still limping after a month) and I am now hoping a friend can run her for me. I'm now seeing a chiropractor and it has seemed to help.


Little Kalea-Kate is a little rock star in her beginner agility class. She loves it and can't wait to run. It's been so fun training her.I feel like she's getting the right start that I wish Marley had gotten. Poor Marley had so many strikes against her...health, etc. I would love to start Marley over training where I'm training now. Maybe she wouldn't have had so many issues early on. I've said it before, I would still pick Marley from the shelter knowing what we would have to go thru. She's just a precious girl.

I made it thru the 6 month anniversary of my Mom's death. It was a very hard day but my good friends encircled me and helped me through it.

I really think I've been tested these past 6 months. There are days that I really can't take 1 more thing going wrong but then I get an encouraging word or two from someone. I just hope things settle down soon and the tide turns for me.