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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

K's injury and a lion

Yesterday was a hard day. K hurt her paw badly, probably rupturing or partially rupturing a flexor tendon. We saw our regular vet yesterday, and have an appointment with a surgeon tomorrow. If he thinks he has a good chance at success, he will try to surgically repair it tomorrow afternoon. This morning, K and I had a heart-to-heart during our short walk.
The range of prognoses stretches from here to the horizon, depending on whether the tendon can be fixed. My heart is aching partly because K's and my mountain biking adventures are over for now. I miss my girl, and I'll keep missing her by my side on the trails for as long as she's sidelined. I also simply hate watching K limp and feel pain. She's my sweet K who deserves no pain in her life.

At some point in every dog's life, the range of possibilities starts to narrow due to health and age - I've been through those life transitions with many dogs. However, tomorrow is K's seventh birthday - way too soon for romping to become a memory.

To soothe my soul, we watched a magical sky together yesterday evening with the moon and sunset-shaded clouds floating together and apart.My sweet K watched the sky too.
As we walked home through the meadow after the surreal sky show, I saw a tawny animal move through the ocean of dry grass that's as high as my shoulders. He was about 75 yards away, and simply lay down in the midst of the grass, moving no more. That's a cat behavior. A coyote would keep moving. While moving, he looked sufficiently big that I gave him a wide berth as I walked toward home, using a defiantly confident gait (an act, I assure you). I suspected it was a mountain lion but I had no way to know for sure. This was the scene, with the animal invisible out near the middle of the golden sea.
This morning, during my mountain bike ride, I found undeniable verification that a lion had visited our woods last night. He/she visited one of my trail cameras, marking the ground by kicking the dirt backward with gargantuan hind paws and then giving the camera a close examination. When I arrived to check the camera, one glance at the 18" wide pair of furrows in the dirt gave me chills - the scrape told the story of who had visited my camera. I didn't stay long, especially since I didn't have K with me to cover my back.
When I checked the camera's memory card, I found out who had visited...



Despite my excitement over my camera visitor, I still desperately needed to lift my spirits with some good hard pedaling through our brilliantly colored forest.
Dark paths often led to bright places.
May that be true for sweet K.

27 comments:

  1. K will be in our thoughts -

    LOTS of Vibes headed your way for her AND for the rest of you -

    It will be a challenge for the 'pack'

    Thanks for sharing the awesome khat!

    The sky pics were incredible as well -

    Please give K some early birthday snuggles from US!

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  2. Oh no, K! I'm just aching for both of you. As a fellow trail romper, I can only imagine how it feels to have your pup sideline with such a fickle injury. Sending good thoughts for the best possible outcome and for you and K to be out on a special birthday adventure soon! K is so healthy and strong with all the time you give her in the forest, her body should be set to make the best possible recovery. Do keep us updated. Healing thoughts your way...

    (Still have chills from your lion story)

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  3. Oh, that makes us so sad, both for you and for K. We all have you and she in our thoughts and prayers for good news.

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  4. A sad story about K, but positive thoughts that her surgery will be a success as the surgeon says. You both are in our thoughts and prayers ... please keep us updated.

    A happy birthday to K!

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  5. I started thinking this afternoon that I didn't remember seeing an update from you yesterday and hoping that everything was okay.

    I will definitely be thinking a lot of good thoughts for sweet K tomorrow! She is definitely too young to be sidelined yet. I hope that her age and the fact that she must be in excellent shape due to all the exercise she gets with you will swing in her favor and make her recovery go very smoothly! Even if she's not able to go biking with you before this winter, I'll bet she's back at your side come Spring.

    I'll be watching for news on her tomorrow!

    Happiest of Birthdays to her a day early, too!

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  6. Oh how awful for both of you. I hope it can be repaired with little damage. You sound so sad and worried and I feel for you. Please take care of yourself and K. It is not over until it is over. Our prayers are with both of you.

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  7. Poor K...its always so hard when our pups get injured. Murphy & I will keep her in our thoughts for a speedy recovery.

    as for the lion...wow! Those pictures are so amazing. Keep your senses about you when you are out riding alone!

    Murphy's Mom

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  8. How awful for both you and K. I am thinking good thoughts and hope that the tendon can be repaired. K deserves many more years in your expansive Colorado mountains with you.

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  9. We too hope for a highly successful tendon repair! So sorry this has happened to K, our beautiful mountain girl!

    Beautiful cloud pictures and very scary lion pictures. Whooo, that gives me the willies!

    You will let us know how she is doing, I am sure, since she is a little bit of "our" dog too.

    Cheers,
    Jo and Stella

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  10. You will all be in our thoughts today.

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  11. Fingers crossed for K - will bee thinking of you and pour K. What a birthday! The lionstory tells how much you need her. Love EM

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  12. so bummed to hear about K's injury! (what leg? was she just running when the injury occurred?)
    i know how devastating this is for you...to not have your partner at your side..hang in there, sending positive energy your way and to K..
    incredible images and love, love the pic of you and your K...
    xoxo

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  13. Oh KB!
    I am really sorry to hear about K's injury. You must be besides yourself with worry. I will be thinking of you in the next 24 hours...and beyond. Remember...sometimes is good just to go with the flow and not anticipate the worst...
    Sending lotsaluv to you and to K
    TOBY'S MAXMOM IN SA

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  14. Oh dear... best wishes for a speedy recovery for K! I hope that it turns out to not be as bad as you are thinking, and that she's back out on the trails with you soon!

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  15. Woooos to K, I hope the foot feels better soon. Injuries and illnesses are so hard to take, I was a young dog when Mom had to stop running with me, although I miss it I understand that it is fur my health.

    What a spectacularly beawootiful place woo live in, especially now with all of the fall colors. simply stunning. Take your joy in the life around you.

    ¸.·`*~husky kisses~*´¨
    -Kira The BeaWootiful

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  16. K will definitely be in our thoughts. Hope that K will heal soon.

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  17. Discovered your blog a few months ago and love it. I treasure all my daily walks through the hills of Boulder and surrounding areas and have a deep connection with being outside. We are fresh off a personal family tragedy and the love between my dog and me makes each day a little easier. I want you to know you photos and easy words bring me joy. I can't imagine losing my side kick dog friend right now. My heart goes out to you.

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  18. Paws crossed for you and K. My favorite walking buddy is side-lined just now with a knee injury. Beautiful cloud shots. Healing thoughts coming your way...

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  19. Poor K. I'm purring for you to get better fast. Fall and winter in the Rockies is too pretty to spend sidelined for too long.

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  20. Oh poor K (and you too...). I hope that whatever the vet (surgeon) decides to do, that K will have a rapid recovery. I know you will miss him on your rides. Spectacular pix of the lion - he/she looks soooo well muscled and fed - amazing shots. And the size of its feet must have stunned you - I could tell by how you wrote about encountering them. What a curious cat. And those moon/sky shots are stunning. All paws and fingers here crossed for K.
    Hugs xoxoxo
    Sammie, Avalon and Mom

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  21. Oh, no! I am thinking you all since it is now the afternoon and perhaps K is having surgery. Your photos and video point to adventure and happiness -I wish more of the same positive vibes for K and you.

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  22. I got worried when the post came late. I'm so sorry to hear about our sweetie girl, K.

    We're sending all the healing energy we can to her injured limb.

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  23. Dear KB

    I am always in such AWE of your intense devotion to your dogs. Your bond with K is almost mystical to me.

    I am hoping so, so much that your news re K is as good as it can be tomorrow, and I know, as always , that you will find the bright side to whatever has to be.....that is simply who you are

    Hugs to all !

    Bibi

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  24. I am so sorry to hear about K's injury. Sorry for all of you. I will think positive thoughts that all will be well and the recovery will be complete and uneventful.

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  25. Woo, so sorry. We have been out of pocket and just catching up on a few blogs. We had no idea that K had injured herself. But now that we know, paws are all crossed and SibeVibes being sent.

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  26. Wow, leave town for a few days, and come back to this surprise. I've read backwards, though, and know now that K is home and trying to recover and cope with your attention to R's training. I guess it's kind of good to know that part before hitting this!

    I just love that picture of you and K having a heart to heart. Of everything you've published, I think that's my favorite. It speaks so many volumes.

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  27. Now I understand your story...so inspiring to watch your caring nature take care of your special friend/s. I love animals and have had a dog all my life. Can't imagine be alone by myself without a canine beside me. I always feel sad for those people who are afraid. I don't understand their predicament and try to help to no avail. Fear is a strong force. Besides all that I so enjoy your adventures with K and R.

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