Murdocks Mama: Are You Listening God [Murdock & LIFE Update]

Wow...this week has just sucked! Just when I don't think it can get worse...it does! I'm trying really hard to stay positive and be thankful for everything I have...a happy, healthy baby... an awesome relationship with my husband... a warm home ...awesome family... But I'm not going to lie...it's been tough!

Again, thank you everyone for your [unanswered...sorry!] calls, texts, FB messages, emails, etc. We really do appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers!

Here's an update since Murdock became sick and went to the vet...

Monday night Dr. Foster called to check on Murdock. He wasn't getting worse, but he definitely wasn't getting any better. He had eaten about 5 jars of baby food all day. She suggested we start the medication tomorrow [Wednesday]. I was to call her after Adam's surgery.

Tuesday Ashley took vacation to come over and dogsit Murdock for us. [I should also mention that while she was here she cleaned my house!! Thank you sis!] I took Adam and Jordyn to the clinic where Adam was having his Upper GI. Long story short, the doctor ended up giving Adam 3 times the normal about of sedation medication but he never really was 'out' enough for her to be able to complete the procedure. So...she said he would have to see his family physician to get approval for anesthesia and reschedule at the main hospital where he could be put under by an anesthesiologist. Awesome...did I mention that we're trying to get it done by the end of the year for insurance purposes?! Adam came home and slept for hours as the doctor said he would because of all of the medication he received.
Dr. Foster [the vet] called me back around 6pm and went over the 4 prescriptions she was calling in for Murdock. She wanted them started that night. After a whole ordeal at the pharmacy [& $275 later] I was home and wondering what in the world I was going to do with a dog that was physically unable to go up and down the stairs from our house to the back yard to go to the bathroom with a medication that makes him urinate way more [speaking from his last experience on this steroid] and a husband that was unable to walk without getting dizzy let alone carry a 88lb. dog up 20 stairs! So...Adam and I decided it would be best if I took Jordyn and Murdock down to the lake house [with no stairs and hardwood floors in case he had any accidents]. We made it to the lakehouse I was was able to give Murdock his first dose of medicine around 9:30pm. Adam's parents stayed over with me to help with the baby and pup.

Wednesday was not fun giving Murdock his medications [see below] but with the help of my father-in-law, we survived. We spent the day hanging out at the lake house. At 5pm [when Murdock hadn't started urinating all over the place like anticipated and seemed to have a bit more strength] we decided to head home. I felt pretty stupid going to the lake house since he doesn't seem to have the uncontrollable urination problem like we anticipated, but I know that it wasn't fair to make Murdock walk up and down the stairs at our condo any more that he had to, especially since Adam was going to be home from 8:30a to 8:30p. We got home last night around 8:30 and called it a night shortly after.

Today he seems to be doing about the same. He fell coming up the stairs for me again around noon, but luckily we were only 3 stairs from the top and I was able to [slowly] carry him up one stair at a time. I won't be taking him out anymore before Adam gets home. Watching your dog fall up the stairs is the hardest thing ever! :( So far today he has eaten 1 jar of baby food, 1 cup of rice, a scrambled egg, and some bites of chicken. Getting him to eat has been increasing difficult since we've started his medications. The problem is, we can't open his mouth enough to toss the pills in and have him swallow them so we have to crush up the pills and 1) mix with water and syringe into his mouth or 2) sneak into his food. The medications he is taking are extremely bitter once you break the capsule, so every time we stick something in his mouth he thinks we're giving him the 'yucky stuff.'

-------------

Here is our medication process...twice a day :(