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Hey Tripawds! It’s been a while.

Just felt like saying hello, and giving a quick low-down on how Rascal is doing as we approach 2 months post-op. For the most part, he’s doing wonderfully. He’s getting quicker with moving around and his belly is more loose skin than ever with his carefully measured diet. He’s still a rolly-polly but I think he’s lovable anyway!

His bald area surrounding his scar has finally got a good scraggly coat of fur coming in, though being the dead of summer I imagine it’ll continue to look sparse until colder weather comes along.

The thing I need to talk about though is a minor issue with his eye, and an upcoming trip for his human. I’m going out of town in 9 days to visit my brother and take a short vacation before the school term starts, and I’ll be away from my boy for 8 days. This was already sort of disconcerting for me, since I am virtually always around save for maybe a few hours here and there. I know when Rascal is thirsty, I know when he needs a trip outside, I know when he just wants help getting down from the sofa since he’s a lazy thing that can jump down, but much prefers a quick lift. I also notice issues with his general health faster than anyone else, not even the tiny marble of scar tissue near his amputation site escaped my radar.

Enter a bloody eye last Friday night. Cue freaking out and calls to the vet by Saturday morning. Told to watch the eye in question for 24 hours, and if it doesn’t bleed again it should be fine. It didn’t, we went about our business. Then yesterday morning arrived, along with a green discharge and a swollen eye socket. Cue more freaking out and a rushed visit to the vet!

Just when Rascal thought he wouldn’t have to keep going there!

I was so worried about big eye problems that it was a huge relief when my vet explained the source of the blood and gross discharge was probably the skin tag he has on his upper eyelid. He’s had it for years with no issue, but the vet suggested he probably scratched it while itching his face and started off the irritation and blood which then led to a minor infection over the weekend. His actual eye is fine, it’s just been the avenue for drainage. 20 bucks of antibiotic eye-goo and some rimadyl later and we’re home and relaxing. Now I’ve got to keep him on these medicines for 7-10 days, so pretty much right up until I leave town.

Somehow I imagine this vacation is not going to be as relaxing as I’d hoped. If everything wasn’t already paid for and more or less set in stone I’d be tempted to cancel entirely, though I know it’s not exactly healthy to be so attached at the hip with my elderly puppy. But I alone knew about that bloody eye, and I alone noticed how swollen (not very) his eye socket had become. Anxiety doesn’t necessarily listen to reason, and knowing my mom is an excellent care giver doesn’t really ease the feeling.

This trip is going to be a lesson in co-dependency, and I know it’ll be good for us. But I also know if anyone understands unreasonable anxiety and attachment to a three-legged wonder, it’s the Tripawd Nation!

Thanks for letting me get all that off my chest guys.

Wishing you lot the best of the best,

Rascal and Co.