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Thursday, December 30, 2010

K flies and leaps

This morning, K and I hiked out together into the start of a winter storm. Clouds surrounded us but the sun barely glowed over the eastern hills.
Yesterday, K's surgeon concluded that the lump on her paw is probably a pad of scar tissue that is forming between the amputated end of her paw bone (metacarpal bone) and the skin. As he described what he thought was going on, I visualized something like an internal callus preventing her sawed off bone from poking the skin on the top of her paw.

Because so many unexpected twists have occurred since the paw odyssey started in September, I now tend to expect bad news at vet appointments. I was so glad to be pleasantly surprised!

The surgeon's opinion is that we should stop the antibiotics in a week and then watch carefully to see if the bone infection recurs. I'm very good at "watching carefully" :)

In the meantime, I'm supposed to ramp up her exercise even more. The surgeon was very impressed with how strong K's paw muscles have become since that nasty cast was removed. I think that we'll do an extra hike in our fresh snow this afternoon!

As the snow started to fly this morning so did K! And, I didn't even hold my breath with worry!
I had my camera out when she chose to leap onto a fallen tree rather than walk around it. The choice to leap was a sign of how good she's feeling.
After our happy and mostly dry hike, I headed out to hit some of my favorite singletrack trails that I'm afraid will be shut down for the season by this storm. As I started my mountain bike ride, a snowflake fluttered out of the sky every now and then. However, near the middle of my ride, it turned into an intense storm with wind-blown snow stinging my eyes as it snaked its way behind my riding glasses.
Silence fell on the hills. The muffling effect of the snowstorm gave me the sensation of pedaling along in a cocoon, with little visibility in any direction and no sounds reaching my ears except the patter of snowflakes hitting my helmet.
Over my ride, snow transformed our world. The boulder-strewn landscape below was almost bare of snow during my hike this morning with K. By the end of my ride, it looked like a garden of rock and snow sculptures.
Several of you asked about my new camera - it's a Canon Rebel t2i. So far, I love it! However, I also love my old camera, a bomb-proof, waterproof, freeze-proof, and KB-proof Lumix point-and-shoot. I was afraid of whether the snow would hurt my new Canon this morning so I used the Lumix for all the photos in this post except the sunrise.

34 comments:

  1. Yay! So glad to hear it! I'll bet she's happy to run fast again!

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  2. That's great news!! So glad to hear it is only scar tissue and that K is feeling/doing better :)

    Pugs & Kisses,

    Yoda, Brutus & Ellie

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  3. We are SO glad to hear good news about K. Happy, happy, happy!!!

    Kisses,
    Emma Rose

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  4. I'm so happy you got great news at the vet! K sure is improving in LEAPS and bounds, isn't she? ;)

    I love the snow pictures and I think it's amazing how quickly your world was transformed!

    I'm in the market for a new, high-end digital camera. I was looking at the Rebel line, but I'm really not interested in having a lot of different lenses. I was also looking at the higher quality Lumixes. Do you have any insight on to what might be best? The pictures I take don't differ very much from the kind you take - mostly animals, landscape, etc (and the occasional commercial jet - for when Louie and I go watch the planes at JFK Airport).

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  5. Hooray for K! I just couldn't be happier for this girl to get her world back and get her exercise "upped"!

    Cheers and hugs,

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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  6. Awesome news, K, and excellent celebration with the fallen tree leap!

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  7. wonderful to see K flying through the air again!! and i can hear the relief in your words....
    such beautiful images! i want snow...but, we are getting rain...arg!!
    we're heading up to Sundara Spa tomorrow morning for the night and some treatments..can't wait..i have a student coming to my house for the night...she hasn't had dogs for years...should be fun for her! now that Nelli is gone, i don't worry as much..
    hugs to K and the wild one!
    xoxo

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  8. I'm so glad to hear that it was good news for K! But are you sure you didn't hold your breath just a little bit when she jumped? ;-))

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  9. Way to go K. And we agree that when the going gets tough, the tough should take the old camera.

    Mogley G. Retriever

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  10. K's got the Zoomies! And, isn't she lovely to behold. I loved this entry, and the way that snow changed the landscape as you rode along. What a beautiful part of the country.

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  11. I think the victory leap over the tree stump is a good start! I am so glad it was good news. No doubt you and K were happy to hear the part about "more exercise." :)

    I can't believe you've been getting all those great shots all along with a point and shoot!

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  12. Isn't it wonderful to get good news when you are geared up for the opposite? We are very happy for you and K. It sure looks like she was celebrating today.

    Any chance that snow could possibly wend its way to KC - not a chance per the weatherman:(

    That is the camera we have been considering for a while, still thinking on it.

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  13. FWIW, I have been shooting with a Rebel Xsi - 2 models older than your new baby - for 2 years and my choice is to not baby the camera. I made sure it was insured and it goes with me everywhere. I've dropped it 4 times, I think... I have a sling pack that is comfy, protects AND makes the camera quickly accessible.

    I've had a variety of lenses - usually buy from Amazon and I've been able to resell for little loss. Currently I'm shooting with 50mm 1.8 only but will get a 24mm soon. I used to think I wanted/needed zoom but I am more of a landscape and/or pet/pet face shooter and the 50 and 24 will do most of what I want AND make my camera "small" enough to fit in my purse as well as the slingpack.

    My main love of a DSLR is that at 55 years young, my eyes are loving a viewfinder that really allows me to see what I'm shooting. If not for that, I think I would go to a P&S with full manual options. I do shoot full manual and would not give that up :)!

    Beautiful photos - so happy to see your K doing so well.

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  14. YAY for K! Oh, what super WONDERFUL news! I know you must just be beside yourself with happiness. Run, K, RUN!

    Wiggles & Wags,
    Mayzie

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  15. So happy to hear the good news! Love that jumping sequence! There is no stopping K!

    Your pal, Pip

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  16. It is so great to see K flying! I can only imagine how you felt seeing her!

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  17. Oh we are so happy that we feel we are also flying and leaping with K over the logs..
    We could not read the words fast enough.
    Look at her go,,,, and oh we hear the joy in your heart..
    Awsome photos...
    I would like a new camera, all i use is an old Nikon 6.0. Yes, its outdated,, but hey,, I won it.
    I need something that does not require a lot of learning... I just want to shoot pics.
    Your post today is beautiful as always
    love
    tweedles

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  18. That is such exciting news about K's paw!

    Gorgeous snow pics. We are suppose to get nasty weather for New Year's eve but we are looking forward to some snow since it was 62 freakin' degrees today in Omaha!! That is SO WRONG for this time of year!

    Happy New Year!!!

    Holly and Khady

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  19. Bet K loved her run this morning! What great news for both of you. So glad she is feeling better and adjusting well. We still have our paws crossed for you both.

    Hope you have a Happy New Year!

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  20. Know what you mean about bad news at the vets. This however is really good news to see out the end of 2010. After the last year a special wish for a happy, healthy and care free 2011 to you all.

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  21. We have all our paws crossed that the vet is right and K is irrevocably on the road to full recovery! It's wonderful to see her flying again.

    Happy New Year!

    Jed & Abby

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  22. Glad for the good news, what a year 2010 has been. Hope for the best for 2011 for your all. All the best EM (;o)

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  23. Oh K R and KB!
    I haven't been to visit in awhile but so glad the year's closing with K leaping and dashing thru the snow.. sigh. yes!
    norwood

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  24. Hi Y'all,

    Such wonderful news! What magnificent shots of K!

    You transported my Human back in time to horseback rides in the silent snowy world of winters in her youth.

    Thanks for the journey!

    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  25. It makes sense what the surgeon thinks. My husband is a below-the-knee amputee, and he agrees.

    We will keep our paws crossed that K's recovery continues in leaps and bounds!

    Sam

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  26. Great news! Happy New Year! I love the photos of K leaping the log. All the photos look great! One of my goals for 2011 is to work on my photography. You've inspired me as usual.

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  27. That is SUCH good news about the lump. It makes total sense that she might form some scar tissue like that. It's terrific to see her getting her strength back. Happy New Year!!!!

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  28. Yay!! Perfect news to send off 2010! I'm so happy for K...she gets to start flying again! And I'm so happy that you get to continue on more outings with your special chocolate ball!

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  29. Love the description of...the snowstorm gave me the sensation of pedaling along in a cocoon...how many times have I been walked the trails and felt the very same sensation! Tks for putting it into words. K...is so happy...the pictures exude this...Happy New Year to ALL!

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  30. So happy that good news came from the vet! I love watching that leap after all you 2 have been through.
    I'm insanely jealous of that white stuff. There doesn't seem to be much hope for us...unless Arwen makes some for us **wink**

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