To all my fans, friends and canine buddies, I thought I’d better let you know that I’ve done myself a mischief and partially ruptured my cruciate ligament which explains why one of my back legs wouldn’t work properly and I didn’t want to sit down.
By the time you read this I will be recovering from surgery at West Midlands Veterinary Referrals near Barton-Under-Needwood in Staffordshire where Mum was advised to take me by the kind and caring team at Bakewell Vets who normally look after me if I’m crock or poorly.
I’ve had first class treatment appropriate to my celebrity status with no expense spared. However, it will be a long and slow recovery so I can’t join Mum on walks for a good few weeks or even months to come. In the meantime I know her and Dad love me very much and will try their very best to make me better.
At the moment Mum is too busy being my carer to head off over the hills on her own. However, it won’t be long before she gets stir crazy, ratty, grumpy and fat, so no doubt I’ll get dumped on dad for the odd day while she goes off for a good wander. She will try her best to escape without me noticing and even sneak her rucksack out of the house when I’m not looking but I can read the signs and know when she intends to go a walk without me.
I gather that most Peak Advertiser readers are not actually bothered about Mum’s boring peak district write-up that is not intended as a walk guide, but prefer instead to read about me in my entertaining little footnote blogs. You will be pleased to know that my front legs are still working fine so whilst I’ve got lots of time on my paws I might even look into writing a little book. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could do it in time for Christmas and you could buy one for your stockings! In the meantime I will continue to write my fortnightly footnote to update you on progress.
When I had my op Mum and Dad had to leave me at the posh pet hospital for two days, which meant an overnight stay. As well as the surgeon who operated on me I was looked after by several nurses and a physio. All of them did an excellent job of keeping me calm and cuddled.
I was quiet and on my best behaviour in my little padded cell. My nurse said I was no trouble at all and a proper little princess but in the kennel next door my neighbour was being a lot more challenging, trying to dig his way out.
When I woke up from surgery my back leg was bald right up to my bum and I’d got a lampshade on my head. When Mum came to pick me up I noticed a tear running down her face when she saw me. Don’t worry Mum, my fur will grow back really quickly and hopefully I’ll be right as rain very soon. Actually, that sounds a bit depressing; I’d rather say I’ll be right as sunshine very soon. Consequently, as a result of my appearance, both Mum and Dad said they have gone right off eating chicken drumsticks and won’t be buying a leg of lamb every again!
Anyway, you will be pleased to know that I’m drugged up to the eyeballs so I’m not in any pain and I’m having some right good dreams of running fast over the fields, even if I can’t do it for real. I’m being smothered with kisses and getting oodles of hugs and attention.
For the first couple of weeks I can only pop out for 5-minute tiddle walks three times a day. I can’t go upstairs so no sleeping on the bed or jumping up onto the sofa. The lounge has been turned into a ‘Nellie friendly’ space with a mattress and rugs on the floor. The sofas have been blanked off so there is not much room for Mum and Dad, but that doesn’t matter as it’s all about me at the moment.
By the time of the next issue I might be able to walk along the front street and back. Hopefully I will have progressed from a hop, skip and wobble to putting all four paws on the ground. I’d cross my fingers if I could but it doesn’t work so well with paws!
Anyway, I hope you don’t mind me telling you all my news and I’m sorry if any of you are disappointed that there is no walk in this paper. Mum will try her best to write again for the next one.
Love you all lots. Nellie xxx
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