Hi Mel...
First, to be clear - that is 15" total since starting the diet - not as a result of the surgery!
I love your uncles story - I bet that is and always will be a special place for his children to go. I would love to have a place like that to go.
Its just really hard to see Muffin so scared and confused. She is really frightened - and as she is deaf too, she can't hear us tell her its OK - so it must be a very scary place for her right now. There is tiny progress every couple of days. I hope she can adapt. They say it can take about 6 weeks and not to make any decisions before then. And I always let them go when they need to. That is what I am preparing myself for, in case she cannot adapt - I cannot let her continue to live her life in fear. For the 3 years we have had her we have been able to do what we wanted for her. For the first time in her life she got to be a real little doggy. Roadtrips, walks, being playful - all sorts of things she never could do with mom because of moms sedentary life style - and her first 2 owners abadnoned and neglected her - so we have been able to let her spend her last years as a little dog should. And that will always give me comfort when the time comes. I love what you say Mel, but it is just so hard to listen to her cry out and for such a long time. I have been advised not to give in and collect her - to let her work it out - and it takes a lot of strength to do that. I think the depression comes mainly from the connection of her suffering now, reminding me of mom, then reminds me of moms suffering. My husband got mad at me and told me I get to emotionnally tangled up in things - but I can;t help it. I am an emotional creature. It would be much easier if I weren't!
My husband has instructed me that all our animals ashes are to go with him when he goes. We have quite a collection. lol Bless him.
I like your idea of putting her ashes on moms grave.
As for my little hemis - not a lot of treatment has been done on them. They originate in 1979 after I have several operations in 2 years trying to rebuild my knees which I broke when I was 19. As a result of all the surgeries and the constipation that comes from anesthesia and pain meds - that is what started them. Then, after all the surgeries stopped, I had no issue for many many years.
It wasn;t until I moved over here, so within the last 12 that I started having some blood in my movements. I lived with that for about 6 or 7 years I guess?? A long time - because it was never more then a bit of blood in the water - so no bother. Then, it was AFTER I did Lighter Life and lost that massive weight that they really kicked off. So that was 2008.
Pride kept me from having them looked at until this year. So the only treatment I have done is tried creams and cortison cream, etc., to no result. So then left it again. Then finally went and they tried banding them. They had small success - in that they could band the smaller ones but there was one significant one that had gone beyond the banding stage. So that is why they opted to do the surgery. They also tucked up all the prolapsed skin and stitched it up inside to return my body to be more anatomically correct. This is i think what caused so much pain. I would not have this op done again. I do not want to suggest one way or another to you. You might breeze it. And be glad for having it done. But really question your doctor. My mum in law is a nurse and she knew it was going to be bad but did not tell me becuase she felt I would have opted out. So I am glad on one hand. On the other - I would have liked a bit of warning. I don't think it woul dhave been so difficult and depressing if I had a better expectation.
But its done now. My GP told me it can take several weeks before functions return to normal.
Its a very sensitive part of our bodies. Lots and lots of nerve endings. If you do it, just be prepared for more time to recover than they might reccomend. Just in case. Then you will at least be prepared.
xx