May 27, 2012: Arri's first excursion

Every day Arri is moving with more comfort and grace.  I think once we get back to taking walks, I will have to be jogging.  I never walked fast enough for him and his balance is better the faster he goes.  I read about this happening and so far, Arri is proving it to be true.

Today is Arri’s first outing since surgery.  We are going to (his) grandma’s house.  He loves grandmas.  There are dog treats, soap and tissues in the trash.  Tim lifted him out of the van and Arri headed straight for the door – making a brief pit stop to water the hosta.  Sorry mom. 

 In all the excitement, he forgot that going up steps are a challenge.  Grandpa opened the door and Arri hopped right in.  Unfortunately for him, there were no carpets.  The inside is undergoing a fresh coat of paint so all area rugs have been rolled up.  There was a little slipping but that didn’t stop him from exploring.   

From there we went to Uncle Dwight’s to drop off some cupcakes and say hello to everyone.  We didn’t take the dogs inside (Oregon was with) but chatted in the yard.  Arri roamed around and peed on stuff.  Oregon met cousin Maggie – a Saint Bernard.  He didn’t seem as impressed as the other pups have been.

We left to go home, driving past Grandma’s and saw Uncle Darryl and family were visiting.  We had to stop and say hello.  (Grandma and Dwight only live a block apart)  By now you may have figured out that I am just driving around showing off Arri.  Oddly enough, seeing him on the move is a lot more convincing that he is doing great than just telling people.

While we were out and about, I noticed a swelling on Arri’s thigh; a couple of inches above the incision.  It feels squishy, like fluid build -up.  Naturally, it is a holiday weekend and no one will be at the doctors tomorrow.  I will keep an eye on it and hope is goes away on its own.