Search Results for: blog life with murphy the cone head

Rehabilitating Murphy

Wednesday morning Murph and I had what’s become our ritual two week check up with the vet who operated on his paw. (Since the beginning of October, every two weeks we go in for a progress check.) I thought since the one last time, which I thought was going to be Cast Off Day but didn’t quite turn out that way, was a little more involved than normal we’d have a quick in and out trip this Wednesday. I also thought the soft cast would come off and Murph would be done with all that. Wrong! The vet did take … Continue reading →

Adjusting to Life with Murphy the Cone Head

Life without Murphy was miserable, but life with Murphy the cone head has been interesting. Wayne and I have had to make some adjustments to our lifestyle to accommodate Murph’s new one. Confining Murphy the Cone Head Because Murph is on super limited activity restrictions, the vet suggested we keep him confined in a bathroom or crate. The times I’ve had to lock him behind the laundry room door (like when we had tornado threats earlier this year), he’s gone bonkers jumping and scratching to be let out. That wasn’t going to work. And he’s not too fond of crates. … Continue reading →

Life with Murphy the Cone Head

Last Friday I was lamenting life without Murphy. He ended up getting the go ahead to come home that day. (Thankfully.) But coming home meant making some changes to our lifestyle. Caring for Murphy the Cone Head The surgeon sent us home with some strict instructions for caring for Murphy for the next eight weeks. 1. Because he has stitches, he has to keep his cone (a.k.a. Elizabethan collar) on at all times. (I’m sure he has stitches at the surgery site, but a cast’s covering those up. The stitches the vet’s trying to keep him away from are on … Continue reading →

Learning about Coping Gracefully from My Pets

Over in Marriage I wrote about how this year has been one blow after the other and I feel like I’m living under a black cloud. A string of them to be exact. No sooner does one pass than another one moves in and pours on me some more. I don’t even get a chance to fully dry off. I’ve been trying to cope as well as I can, but I have to be honest. My defenses are wearing down. Yesterday I got another blow. My dad’s girlfriend called to say she was at St. Anthony’s with my dad. He … Continue reading →

Cast Off Day!

We woke to much anticipation and excitement in our house this morning. After eight weeks, today Murph was set to get his cast off. I woke up early so I could get him to the surgeon’s office a little after 7:30 a.m. But before we left, I lay on the floor with him and petted his belly. “I need you to be a brave boy for me one more time, okay? Today I have to drop you off at the vet’s because they have to give you the sleepy medicine again to get your cast off. I know you don’t … Continue reading →

Hurt Paw = Sympathy Windfall

I mean to tell you, Murph has not minded his hurt paw very much. Another title for this blog could have easily been: “Murph Makes Out Like a Bandit.” That’s what’s happened ever since Murphy’s fan club got word of his demise. The Vet It all started when my friend Brenda sent Murph a care package. Inside was a note from her dog Mocha hoping Murph would get well soon, as well as a stuffed vet toy. When I thanked her, Brenda emailed me back and said, “I wasn’t really thinking. I guess he can’t really play right now.” “Oh … Continue reading →

Yikes! I’m Sniping!

Over the weekend, when Wayne and I were embroiled in our “get me to the ER/I’m not going to the ER” brew ha ha, he made this comment: “Listen, if you’re sick we’ve got to get you help. You can’t die and leave me with them.” (“Them” being our “kids” –Murphy, Mr. Meow and Tabby.) This was my reply: “I know. You don’t have the patience to care for them like they’re used to.” Yikes. Thinking back, no matter how much of a meltdown I was having at the moment, that comment was uncalled for. Wayne let that one slide, … Continue reading →

‘Twas the Night Before Halloween

Here’s something way, way, way off the normal course of offerings from me to you here in the Pets Blog. My attempt at paying homage to a classic holiday poem, “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore –but with a twist. And it stars my three little monkeys: Murphy, Mr. Meow and Tabby. (Along with some seasonally appropriate Halloween cohorts, of course.) I’ll warn you now I’m no poet. Most of the rhyming is a stretch, the meter’s off, and who knows if any of it makes any sense, but this is what taking a nap the day before … Continue reading →

Black Clouds

Have you ever seen a cartoon or a comic strip featuring some poor soul who has a black cloud overhead following him (or her) wherever he (or she) goes? They can’t get a break. Everywhere they turn, everything they do, doom awaits. I’ve had days where I’ve felt like that. Days where no matter what I try, I can’t shake the black cloud. I know Wayne has too. Usually we don’t experience it at the same time, though, so whoever’s got the sun on their side tries to stand as close as possible to the other. That way we can … Continue reading →

Why I’m Shopping for More Pet Halloween Toys

I know in another blog I admitted that one way I could ease my worries about the economy and its affect on my pocketbook would be to cut out buying toys for my pets. But I had to make an exception for Halloween. See, a couple of weeks ago Murphy’s best friend Tucker came for a visit when his parents had to come through town on their annual trek to Indianapolis for the pet shoot they do up there every year. Since Murph’s down and out with his cast, he wasn’t able to play with Tucker. (Not because he didn’t … Continue reading →