Category Archives for Spoonie Problems

I Want A Dog But I Can’t Have One

I’ve wanted a dog for a long time.

Not for the sake of satisfying a fetishized idea of what it is to own a dog; the way I’ve seen people who go out and buy tiny teacup dogs that can fit in purses to match with their favourite celebrities. I’ve wanted a dog because I really do like dogs and because I fell head over heels in love with my dad’s dog a few years ago when I visited him during what I refer to as my “tropical test trip” to figure out if I could handle traveling long distances and flying in general.

My dad’s dog is adorable. You can see him for yourself right here:

_______________ Chance _______________

 

I returned home from that trip thinking of nothing but when I could get a dog, and more importantly, how I would cope with caring for it while living with daily pain. I didn’t want to become the kind of dog owner who only walks their dog when it’s absolutely necessary. I didn’t, and still don’t, want to subject a dog or any animal to being stuck within the walls of my home day after day because I’m not well enough to take it outdoors for exercise. Nor did I want to become a neglectful pet owner because pain makes it impossible for me to care for its basic needs.

For just over a week, I’ve been taking care of the dog that belongs to some close friends while they are on vacation. I offered to take care of him because, aside from the fact that he’s adorable, I wanted to give myself the chance to see how well, or not, I’m able to cope with taking care of a dog full-time.

_______________ Giorgi _______________

 

He’s small: a Maltese mix that weighs less than ten pounds, so he’s not able to overpower me with his weight. He’s hypoallergenic, which means he doesn’t shed, so there isn’t any daily dog hair clean up, at all. His exercise requirements are not excessive; therefore, short strolls along my block a few times a day are enough for him to sniff around trees and poles, and make use of the outdoor facilities while getting the exercise he needs. I also had the good fortune of being able to let him run wild around a friend’s property in the country for a few days, which took some of the pressure off me to be physically active more than I am able.

The experience of this past week has given me some valuable information: As much as I’ve wanted a dog, I can’t have a dog.

The toll of getting up early every morning to take him for his first walk of the day alone has been hard to bear. Mornings and the latter part of most evenings tend to be the worst parts of the day for me. Whether that’s because I tend to wake in the mornings after not sleeping well or that the minimal physical activity I engage in throughout each day both increase my pain, I have not fared well this past week. In addition, the responsibility of taking him out for a walk multiple times a day has been hard on my legs and irritated my pelvic pain. I’ve been sore during each walk, and even more so, after we return home. That makes enjoying his company and playing when he wants to play difficult.

As unfortunate as this outcome is, I believe it’s best that I learned all of this while taking care of my friends’ dog for a short period, rather than after making the commitment to get one of my own. I can’t imagine what the effect on a dog would be after being brought home and bonding with a person, then having to be returned to a shelter or a breeder. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for doing that to any animal—or to myself.

I’ll miss my four-legged visitor when he goes home. Although, it has been physically painful for me to take care of him, I’ve enjoyed his company.

 

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Eating Healthy, Simply When You Have Hypoglycemia

I’ve learned that eating healthy doesn’t have to be a huge production. These days, it takes a lot out of me to make a meal from scratch. I used to enjoy doing that for myself and for friends, when I had the time, before my illness arrived. There are friends, and some family members, that I’m still beholden to because at some point, beyond the last five years, I promised to make them dinner, which for whatever reasons never came to fruition. Maybe I’ll invite everyone over for a potluck dinner and try to convince them that I’ve paid my debt(s)… Continue reading →

Not So Easy Fashion Choices: Rubber Boots

I’m happy to own a pair of rubber boots. That’s not a sentence I ever imagined writing. But today, was a day that without them I’m not sure I would have been able to leave home to go to my Pain Management Program. In fact, even with them it was still a near miss.

My feet and legs swell – often. It started as a side effect from one of my pain medications. However, I’ve come to believe that it’s more likely an uncommon symptom of my illness because it wasn’t an issue before; and because I stopped taking that medication over a year ago and the frequency with which the swelling still occurs hasn’t changed much since then.

When I woke up this morning, the pain in my legs was intense and I could feel the tingling sensation that usually accompanies a pain flare going up and down my legs all the way to my toes. Getting out of bed revealed that my feet and ankles were swollen – yet again – and the swelling would continue. It’s an odd thing to watch a body part swell to twice its normal size. It’s even stranger feeling it happen.

I hoped lying in bed again and putting my legs up on a stack of pillows for a while might help to reduce the swelling, as it has done in the past, but that didn’t happen today. By the time I showered and dressed, it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to wear any of my usual boots or shoes. I had to choose between a pair of sneakers I don’t often wear and my rubber boots. Because it was cold and raining today, I decided to go with my rubber boots.

I didn’t expect it to be, but it was actually a struggle to get my feet into them. When deciding what to wear I had chosen cuffed cotton pants that look like sweatpants and thin cotton socks to avoid any extra bulk. Neither of those clothing choices made any difference. Pulling my rubber boots on was still a struggle, although they were quite roomy and comfortable once I got my feet into them.

It was an even bigger struggle trying to take them off my feet when I got back home. This particular pair of rubber boots has a zipper along the back of the calf, which usually makes slipping them on and off easy. After undoing the zipper, I wasn’t able to pull them off. I had to engage in a real tug of war to get them off my feet. Unbelievably, my feet and ankles had swollen more since putting the boots on a few hours earlier.

When I started it, it seemed silly to write a post about my fashion choices, but this is and may continue to be a real problem. What would I have done today if I didn’t own a pair a rubber boots? What would I have done if I couldn’t manipulate them enough to push my feet into them? It’s not exactly flip-flop weather outside and wearing an ordinary pair of shoes or boots might have proven to be extremely painful.

As I started out saying at the beginning of this post: I’m happy to own a pair of rubber boots. Because had I not, I might not have been able to leave home today…

 

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