Xander's Journey

Its been a very long time since I’ve updated Xander’s information, and I would like to share my gratitude for the support each of you showed for my beautiful boy.

During the winter of 2010 Xander slipped on some stairs and sprained the inside toe on his back left foot (opposite of the side that was ampawtated in the front) and also had a greenstick fracture of the first long bone. It was trying for a couple weeks of getting up and down stairs and helping him out of snowbanks and such, but he never once complained and soon was tearing around as usual although the sprained joint would always be a little “off”.

Around Christmas of 2011 he began limping and favouring the same back foot. Through rounds of x-rays and combinations of pain medications and anti-inflamatories it was determined that his foot was now full of arthritis and using it caused constant pain. My baby was SO awesome at adapting to just touching it down for support and bouncing off the good toes when running, and even learned to poo on 2 legs while using a toe or 2 for balance from the 3rd.

By February he was showing no improvement in his pain, and when he wasn’t sleepy from his medication, he was cranky from the dicomfort and prefered laying with me where ever he could to anything else although he tried so hard to play like he used to. I knew I was going to have to let him go…

On February16th, 2012 my baby Xander ran across the Rainbow Bridge on all four legs to jump and play in the sun until we meet again. Through his incredible spirit he taught me so much about my own life and person, and made me into the person he saw me as. I have been blessed to have such an angle in my life, and one that will live on forever in my heart.

Xander “Vom Eishenblick” Graves ,  June 1, 2008 ~ February 16, 2012

Pawrents are MUCH easier to train when we lay down some *paws* for them!

1. If I like it, it’s mine

2. If it’s in my mouth, it’s mine

3. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine

4. If I can take it from you, it’s mine

5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours

6. If it just looks like mine, it’s mine

7. If I saw it first, it’s mine

8. If it’s edible, it’s mine

9. If you have something and put it down, it’s mine

10. If I chew something up, all the pieces are mine

11. If I get tired of it, it’s yours

12. If I want it back, it’s mine

Luv Xander

Mom says I’m so strong now!  This is from a few weeks ago but I really like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mk3irKiFx0

p.s. mom’s not so good with the embed stuff – I bet she’ll try again next time!!

Sending some of my strength to all my Tripawd buddies!

Luv, Xander

Xander meets the new wheele barrow for the first time…. he was never very fond of the old one for some reason, suppose this relationship should be no different 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kIjQkFVROk

Luv, Xander

This morning didn’t start any different than the others, however, Xander finds at least one way to make me smile every morning.  This morning’s smile was preceded by the air of authority when I sternly tried to reacquire my socks!

Xander followed me to the bathroom as he does every morning for his usual session with the hair dryer… I dry may hair, he gets a once over with the dryer… but as he was hopping out of the bathroom I noticed that the sock that had been on the floor had vanished. I stepped in front of him and inquired “do you have mommies sock”? He paused and dropped his head which in “his” language means “crap, she caught me!”. I asked him to drop it and out popped a rather damp ankle sock. I stepped out of the way, plucked the sock from the floor, and deposited it on the counter. Xander proceeded to the living room, in my mind he was sulking…….. UNTIL I realized the other sock was also missing!

I stuck my head around the corner and called “Hey you!”…. in return I got the “who me” eyes…  I asked him if he stole the other sock too which he replied with a “chomp chomp”, and the end of the sock peeking out of his lips…  several minutes later he relinquished the now twice as wet version of the first sock and his morning mission was almost complete.

Not 5 minutes later while I was making lunch I could hear him bouncing on the floor behind me. I turned to find that he had “rescued” the sock from the bathroom counter….. the ransom had been set… I traded him for a piece of bologna.  🙂

Well, mom is being slack, and I’ve finally taught the cat to turn on the typie thing so I can give everyone an update!

My new collar finally came so I can run around the yard by myself without mom constantly following me! My old one broke from the accident.  

I also got to go back to the dog park for the first time since the accident in November too! Mom took me in the greeting area and I was sniffin around and a smaller black dog came over to say “hi”. He wasn’t very friendly and mom had to grab his collar till his dad got there!  I just wanted to say “hi”!

I went back to sniffin along the fence and the other dog came back and jumped on me again. Mom stopped him again but I think his dad thought it was my fault cause I’m bigger than him…  mom decided it would be a better idea to go for a walk on the path instead.

The path was a little steep at the top, but I climbed and climbed! There was a brook running down the side so I could stop for a drink! We didn’t go far, but on the way back down mom gave me some help with my harness :).

When we got back to the car a nice man that my mom knows told us that the other dog had gone now, so I got to go back in! It was hot that day and I was a little tired already but I got to say “hi” to everyone! Then I flopped in the shade of the bench by mum’s feet. There was only one yappy guy I wasn’t in the mood for, but I think he had too much energy for everyone cause one little one named Pixie kept hiding behind me!

After laying in the shade a bit mom decided it was time to go home… there were SO many dogs there that when we were leaving I had to sniff everyone again to make sure I didn’t miss any!  One big guy even put his head down under my chest and was sniffin my stub!  I think mum was a little nervous cause he’s one of the more dominant guys, but he was just tellin me how cool it was that I’m a Tripawd!!

I think if I use my “food eyes” mom will get on the ball and post my new runnin videos!!

See you again soon!

Love, Xander

Morning everyone!

Mum said I should give everyone an update on how I’m doin since I got my stapaws out! I think she just wants me to tell everyone about my new friends in the field beside our house!  I never really paid attention to them before, but something sparked my interest this time!

Tuesday was the day I was going with mum after she got home to get my stapaws out. That morning I wanted to show her just how good I’m doin! Mum’s friend took me outside for my morning romp in the yard and way at the back of the yard, the closest they have ever been, were 3 deers! I sat there watching them for a sec (and I think mums friend said “no” but I wassnt payin attention).. then their big white tails flipped up! I think they were sayin “Comeon!” cause when they started to run I did too!!

I ran and I ran, and I was runnin so fast! They wern’t runnin so fast, they just trotted down the field out of my reach.. I didn’t slow down though!  Mums friend was runnin behind me to saying “something” – I think she was tryin to catch them too! She must have poked her head in the house too cause mum was runnin behind her. I ran all the way down to the other end of the big field.. the deers went in the woods so I thought I should go back home.

I turned around and ran and ran back towards the house. Mum and her friend were calling me too, I think they wanted to play but they looked all tired. I was so excited that I was nipping at mum’s sleeve a bit and I keep forgetting she doesn’t like that. She had me by my scruff and sent her friend runnin towards the house – I was ok with her getting a head start cause I’m so fast! When mum let me go I sprinted after her.. she swqueeled and then was laughing cause I almost caught her! 

Mum wanted to go inside when we got back but I still wanted to play. I finally decided to go inside though, I was getting a bit tired. I relaxed for the day (from all the morning exercise!) and then when mum came home we went to see the vet lady – I love the vet ladies!  She looked at my stub some and took those itchy things out.. then I got a treat for sitting still on the black pad that tells them how big I am! Did I mention I love the vet!?

*The way mum sees it*

Xander loves deer. There is a 10 acre field beside the house where they like to hang out that continues into hills and valleys of woods. He used to sit, sometimes laying, for long periods at a time just watching them. This particular morning the deer were closer to the house than Xander has ever seen them – maybe the temptation to play was just too much!

The part where I came in was when the door flew open and I heard “Xander took off down the field after the deer!”. I flew outside with boots in hand and by the time they were on my feet he was half way down the field with my friend in hot pursuit! I started running too (as well as I could in snow boots). He didn’t turn to come back until he reached the treeline at the OTHER end of the field. When he reached me and became a little to “grabby” in his excitement I held him and sent my friend running for the house – when I “thought” she had a good head start I let him go and he took off like a shot! I hollered “he’s coming” and somehow she ran faster!

It took another 15 min to get him in the house – so much for making good time that morning :). I’m certain he slept well that day, and he was an angel at the vet’s as usual. Will post new video soon!

I think Xander draws on all the positivity his new buddies are sending – I know I sure do!

Xander’s shoulder was the FIRST thing I noticed Tazzi, even I thought it was going too! He is VERY fortunate to keep his shoulder. Even after the accident it was the one part that he could always feel, and the only reason he was able to do stairs so well as his shoulder lifted his leg far enough to keep it from bumping on the stairs.
When he “stretches” his little stub flexes up and down. He does this a lot when his back feet are stompin side to side (or dancin as I call it) and he puckers his face in a big boy RRRRrrrrrrr! I truely think he gains some momentum from his shoulder!
The vet said that all his ligaments were so contracted that he was most likely in discomfort with every movement. NOW he is free to move and he loves it! Only ONE more Deramaxx pill left!

Before Xander’s accident every time he started “dancin” with his back feet David Bowie would come to mind and the song “You can dance if you wanna”… As of Friday the new version is something like this.. *Arf along if you know it!*…. “You can dance if you wanna, you can leave your leg behind… cause your leg don’t dance and if it don’t dance then it’s no leg of mine!”

And Holly… WOW is definitly ok to use over and over again!  I feel “WOW” every day that I still have my best friend… Xander sends GREAT BIG kisses to everyone who’s best friends are whole again and waiting for them on the other side of Rainbow bridge!! <3 <3

Mom has a hard time getting me to relax. A couple times a day I just HAVE to get outside for a few minutes and drain some energy! Otherwise I get a litte stirr crazy!  Here is the NEW ME in the new snow we had today!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejKi1EgMnQe

Sending some extra strength to all my tripawd buddies!

Love Xander