A Toe Lost, a Family Gained: My Final Rehab Chapter

Hi everyone! It’s me, Junior. I know you probably thought I forgot about you guys, but I didn’t! But I have been busy with my new legs.  My rehab is officially OVER! 

When my mom took me to the vet they were shocked to see me doing so well.  Not sure why because I’m such a freaking stud! But my mom said since my injuries were so extensive, they were just surprised by how well I responded to everything.  They said if they didn’t know me, they wouldn’t know by looking at me that I’d had ANY surgery, let alone two ACL repairs!

The doctor said I do have some bone hardening, but that is something that I had before the surgeries (because of my injuries), so she wasn’t too worried about it.   My hair on both my legs has grown all the way back in, and you can barely see the big scars on both my legs.  I’m like a brand new pup!

Me, looking handsome, as usual.

I have some more news to share…do you want the good, or the bad first? Okay, the bad it is.  But before I start telling you, just know that everything is aye-okay now!

I went to the vet to have a hysteocytoma removed from the back of my leg, and while I was on that crazy medicine that puts me to sleep and makes me pee myself (gosh, so embarrassing), my doctor found something fishy on my right front paw.  She stuck a needle in it so she could look at the cells under the microscope, and told my mom what she found wasn’t good. 

My mom and I were in the waiting room for what seemed like forever, and when she finally came in she gave us the news.  My mom was really sad, and sat down on the floor with me.  I hate it when she is sad, so I sat right on her lap to try and make her feel better (and I think it helped a little!). 

The doctor told my mom that I had a mast cell tumor on one of my toes, and that she wanted to remove it as soon as possible.  Being the worrywart that all moms are, my mom immediately had flash-forwards of life without me and got even sadder.  I gave her lots of kisses to comfort her.

The next week, I was back at the vet to have my toe amputated and a precautionary ultrasound done on my abdomen.  The surgery went well, and thankfully, the ultrasound came back squeaky clean.  Whew!

They sent my toe (gosh how I miss that thing) off to be biopsied and got some promising news—it was a very low-grade (1-2) tumor and they had gotten really great margins on the amputation.

My recovery was tough though—I had to go back on crate rest for almost 8 weeks, and this time it was worse than my knee surgeries because I couldn’t even go on my rehab walks.  I also had to wear that stupid cone when my mom and dad weren’t around to “supervise” me, and had a bandage on my paw that they had to cover with a plastic baggie every time I went outside to pee.  I was done with this injury thing and wanted to revolt. 

But I’m a better dog than that.  So I didn’t. I listened to my mom and dad, and even though my sutures broke quite a few times (it’s much easier said than done to keep this doggie quiet!) I’m back in business now.  My toe (well, the place my toe used to be) is all healed up and I’m able to go on walks and play.  Woo hoo!

Okay, so are you ready for the good news?! My mom and dad are engaged! They said I can’t be in the wedding, but I did make it into a few of their engagement pictures. Oh, and did I mention I had a role in the engagement? A pretty big one, actually! I wore a tuxedo and waited for my mom to get home to start the night of surprises.

I mean really...how could she have said no to this?

After the initial shock of how freaking adorable I looked in my tuxedo, my mom realized something was up. She saw a ring box on the table, and of course, opened it.  But there wasn't a ring inside.  Instead, there were five pink Post-it's with instructions for a scavenger hunt.  She eventually found my dad outside her door.  He fell to his knee and said, "will you marry me" faster than I’ve ever heard him talk my entire life.  

I'm so excited I can't stop kissing her.

So we’re going to be a family! I’m so excited I can’t even stand it.  I’m really curious when we’re going to get one of those baby things, like my cousins have at their house.  Keeping my paws crossed on this one.

Me and my family.

I can’t end this entry without saying a big thank-you to Toby, who’s fund, Toby’s Gift, gave me the best gift ever.  Better than any bone, squeaky toy, walk, or treat—a gift that allowed me to stay with my family, and be a dog again. 

But since Toby was a dog like me, he wouldn’t be able to give this gift if it weren’t for the Boxer Rescue Foundation, and all the generous people on the Boxer Mailing List.  Because of all of you, I got to stay with my family and live the rest of my life like a normal dog.  And I couldn’t ask for anything more.

To say thank you, my mom and dad aren’t giving wedding favors (because who really remembers those, anyway?) at their wedding.  Instead, they will be giving the money they would have spent on wedding favors to the Boxer Rescue Foundation to support Toby’s Gift.  Because another family needs their dog, just like we did.

With my mom and dad.  Thanks to you!