Crikey, it's cold !!!!!!!......the Polls are open......Charlie......

Hey everypup,

It's good to be back !!!!

We have all decided that Melbourne brings a whole new meaning to the word cold !!!! Check out these pictures mum took this morning ! It is the third day in a row that we have woken to frost and ice - probably not a big deal to all you Canadian and U.S pups - but it's freaking cold to us, let me tell you !!!!The DWB Polls are now open - head on over to The Bone Zone to cast your vote -

Awesome Blog Award
Photo of the Month
Post of the Month

If you aren't a member of the Bone Zone, and would like to be so you can vote etc - please send me an email opyatgruffpuppydotcomdotau (without the "bits").

Charlie is doing well - although mum and dad took him back to the Surgeon on Thursday as he was coughing and where his pacemaker is has come up in a big lump. I swear, we are gonna have some fun with this :) Charlie just has to look sideways and mum and dad go into meltdown mode and get all worried - it is hilarious to us !!!!

Anyway, Peter said that the pacemaker has a fluid sac around it and his body will reabsorb it in due course. His lungs and chest are clear. They also did an ECG - and it is pawfect, his heart is sitting at 100bpm. Peter even took some of his stitches and staples out - the rest will come out on Wednesday. Overall, he is doing very well - now we just gotta get mum and dad to stop freaking out and relax alittle !

I have SO much to tell you all - I need to gather my thoughts, so I best have a little rest first.

Mum - get that freaking camera out of my face !!!!!!!!!

Love
Opy
the gruffpuppy who hates the cold !

Dad's home.......

This may be my last post before I turn Opy's blog back to her......

Greg came home yesterday - we were all so pleased to see him. I don't think either of us truly realised the emotional toll that the past week has taken on us. Once he was home - we both pretty much fell in a heap and the week just really caught up with us.

Charlie is doing GREAT ! He had his first night last night where he didn't cough, or do the panting/rapid breathing thing. He is also getting alittle cheeky and starting to try and put it over Greg and I. He has sulked alittle this morning as he wants to go and lay outside - but we won't let him as it has been raining and it is very wet - he can't get his stitches wet, so he is stuck inside. And is none too happy about it, let me tell you ! Charlie likes to be inside - but he likes to be able to wander outside as well.

He gets his stitches out Wednesday week - and he will also get his pacemaker analysed and an ultrasound done at this time too. Fingers crossed it will all be a good result.

I think we can all relax alittle now - everyone that has been crossing things for us, praying, sending us pawsitive thoughts etc etc - take a breath and have a break. I think we are gonna be okay :)

Actually - if you can take some of the prayers/crossings/thoughts etc and go visit Tasha - that would be appreciated. You all got us through this very tough time - lets see if we can do it again for Tasha and her family.

What an amazing community we have here - I am truly overwhelmed.

Brooke

Charlie update........part 1023b

Hi everyone,

Well - it sure is great to have Charlie home - we just gotta keep him quiet now. He can't do too much as there is a possibility that the lead can discharge itself from his heart - definately not what we want ! It will take about a month to settle in properly.

He did pretty well last night - although he was breathing pretty rapidly and panting alot during the night. It has settled down this morning - so will just keep an eye on him. I have rung his surgeon today to ask him if he thinks this is "normal", and he has said that the symptoms of his CHF (coughing, panting etc) will take about a week to subside - so he didn't suggest that I worry too much. I just wanted to set my mind at ease - coming into the weekend and all.

He is on lots of pills at the moment - the main ones are antibiotics and pain relief - it is really crucial that he doesn't get an infection - so he is on heavy duty antibiotics 3 times a day. He is pretty tired - but that is to be expected. The surgeon is hoping that by the time he goes back and gets his stitches out we will be able to take him off his heart tablets and his fluid tablets - which would be fantastic ! He has also said that he doesn't think that Charlie has a thyroid problem - and thinks that it is all connected to his CHF - so, we may be able to take him off the thyroid tablets as well. Fingers crossed !

Greg will be back early tomorrow - he will leave Sydney probably around 6pm - and drive right through. He is pretty eager to get home - he is sensible though, he will stop if he is tired. We will all be glad to see him - it has been a pretty emotional week ! We will all have big hugs for him when he gets home - except Opy, who is still having a major sulk ! I have been trying to spend some time with her whilst Charlie is resting - and she is giving me the big gruff "talk to the paw" attitude - she is such a character :)

Hopefully once Greg is home and can help Charlie update his blog - Opy can reclaim hers. I am sure she is bursting to tell you all how hard done by she is now that Charlie is home, and how much of a big meany I am :) LOL !

Here is a pic of Charlie's tummy - poor baby, it looks alittle sore :(

Thank you all for the love and support - it has been appreciated more than I can ever express.

Brooke

Look who's home :-)

Welcome home Charlie - we missed you so much !

Guess the title says it all :)

Will write more later about all the technical medical stuffs - but at the moment, we are just enjoying having him home.

Snaffled a bone as soon as he got home - and think he is alittle shy about his shaved tummy as he won't show me it to look at his stitches. Maybe later when he settles down alittle.


Opy is sulking - I think she enjoyed having the place all to herself and getting all the attention. Plus - I think she wants her blog back. "Soon" - I have told her.

We are SO happy to have Charlie home - I am sure you can all imagine.

Thanks everyone.

Brooke

Charlie update.....part 643a !

Hey everyone,

Better news today - Peter called me this morning and Charlie is doing better than he was yesterday. His heart has dropped down to around 150 b.p.m - and is starting to stabilise. He did have a few "spikes" of around 170 during the night - but by and large, he has stayed at around 150.

Peter is convinced that once the swelling and bruising starts to subside even more from his heart, that his heart rate will be back to what it should. Which will be 100 b.p.m - as that is what the pacemaker is set at.

I found out alittle more about how the pacemaker works as well - as I didn't quite understand it all. Basically, the pacemaker increases the heart rate - it does not decrease it. So, at the moment - the pacemaker is just in "observing" mode, it does not kick in until his heart rate drops - then it keeps it at a constant 100 b.p.m.

Peter said that Charlie's vital signs were all good - kidneys, blood pressure etc etc - and that he was giving the nurses lots of kisses, and that all the nurses had fallen in love with him. This is typical Charlie behaviour !!!!

I was also told that I could go and see him if I wanted to - but, as much as I would have loved to, Greg and I decided it was best for Charlie if I didn't, as I didn't want him to get excited to see me - or that he may think he was coming home. It's always about what's best for Charlie.

Peter wants to keep him another 24 hours just to make sure his heart settles right down - but with a bit of luck - he will be home tomorrow afternoon sometime.

Fingers crossed !!!!!!

For those who are concerned as to how Opy is coping - well, I leave you with this picture that I took last night - count the bones - I think you will see 5 !!! Spoilt much ??????

Thanks again for all the support - it is so greatly appreciated, and lets hope that Charlie gets to come home tomorrow.

Brooke

Charlie update....

Hey everyone,

Just got off the phone with the Surgeon, and Charlie won't be coming home today :-(

He had a comfortable night, and was doing well this morning. His heart was beating along quite merrily at 100 b.p.m.

The pacemaker guy came and checked it all out - analysed the data from overnight etc - and all was well.

Then all of a sudden, Charlie's heart beat went to about 200 b.p.m - and that is where it is sitting now.

Peter (the surgeon) said we don't need to worry - as this is not unusual when the heart has had a trauma like putting the pacemaker lead into it. His heart is bruised and swollen. They have him hooked up to an ECG machine - and have decided that the best course of action is to just "wait and see" - he doesn't want to give him any drugs to slow his heart rate down as he is confident that once the swelling etc starts to go from his heart - it should return to the 100 b.p.m that it should be sitting at.

So, they will keep Charlie in for the next few days. Disappointing for us - but I would rather he stay there and stabilise, then come home when he isn't ready.

Please keep your fingers and paws crossed - seems we aren't quite out of the woods yet. Peter has told us not to worry - but we still do, we just want Charlie to be better.

Thanks everyone.

Brooke

Charlie surgery update.....

He made it !!!!!!

He freaking made it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously, he needs to get through the night - we aren't out of the woods yet - but he freaking made it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apart from his heart dropping to around 30 b.p.m - which was expected - the Surgeon said that the surgery went as planned and there were no complications. He has come out of the aneasthetic and is looking around wondering what all the fuss is about.

Mummy needs a scotch and a new heart herself, as hers just about stopped when the phone rang !

I have to phone in around 10am tomorrow to see how he is doing - so please all keep your paws and fingers crossed that he has a good night.

Thanks everyone.

Brooke

Charlie update.....

Well - the day started off alittle odd. I had not long left home and I got a call from the Surgeon asking if I could bring Charlie in today for his operation - rather than tomorrow as the pacemaker dude had to fly to the U.S tomorrow.

Sent me into abit of a spin - as I was unprepared for it, plus Charlie had had his breakfast. They said that was okay - as they didn't need him there til 1pm.

I have only just got home from dropping him off. Watching Greg say goodbye to Charlie on Saturday night was the hardest thing I have ever had to witness - me saying goodbye to Charlie today was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I was a blubbering mess ! Charlie was none the wiser.

We will know sometime after 5pm as to how the surgery went - it is going to be a long afternoon. Will keep you all posted - keep us in your thoughts, we need as much love and support as you can all spare.

Thanks again everyone.

Brooke