[Ohio-talk] Deborah and Tuscan update

[Deborah Kendrick]

So many have been so kind, checking on recovery status of both Tuscan and me 
that I'm sending a group message.

It will be 4 weeks tomorrow since my surgery, and I'm recovering well.  The 
most amazing part is that the pain that accompanied every step I took for 
the last few years is gone!  My walking is better every day - first a 
walker, then a support cane, and now I use the support cane going up and 
down stairs but not otherwise.  There have been some ongoing issues with 
pain in my lower leg from a serious injury I had several weeks before 
surgery and which was exacerbated by the rough handling that accompanies hip 
replacement, but time and patience will probably take care of that.  My only 
significant issue in recovering is stamina.  I had low blood pressure and 
low blood counts throughout the hospital stay.  As of a few days ago, they 
were still low, but I received blood while in the hospital and am taking 
iron, so again, time and patience will probably return my energy.  I hope 
so, because patience isn't actually my strong suit, if a suit at all.

Tuscan's story isn't as positive.

After months of various treatments and a multitude of tests, he still walks 
on three legs.  What is known for sure is that it is a neurological problem, 
in the brachial plexus, a group of nerves that affect the leg.  As Dr. 
Williams at Guide Dogs explained it to me, this could have been caused by 
infection, inflammation, or tumor.  There was no infection and the MRI 
showed slight inflammation, so we treated him with steroids for 30 days.  No 
improvement.  There was one more long-shot possibility that the neurologist 
in Columbus came up with.  Again, although unlikely, there was the tiny 
possibility that the steroids had actually helped, but that his leg wasn't 
getting the message.  The test is to put him on medications that block the 
pain center in the brain, and thus prevent his leg from getting the signal 
that it still hurts.  If inflammation had been the problem and the 
prednisone had fixed it, this new treatment would result in his using his 
leg again.  Two out of three weeks of the treatment have passed and there is 
no change.

Dr. Williams warned me that it was a tiny possibility and that both he and 
the neurologist believe it is actually a tumor on the nerve sheath which was 
too small to be seen on the MRI.  Bottom line: he advised me to make plans 
to get back into class for another dog.  I finally filled out my application 
online Friday night.

This is all so heartbreaking.  I've had Tuscan less than two years and he is 
a fabulous dog.   Selfishly, I have been looking so forward to long serious 
pleasure walks again and, of course, he can't do that or any other guiding. 
And yet, he is still absolutely brimming with joy and animation.  He follows 
me everywhere, constantly has a toy in his mouth and begs anyone who might 
be willing to play with him.

There's still one more week of the pain-blocking medicine and I'm still 
hoping that there might yet be a sudden change, but logic tells me it isn't 
going to happen.

No one has any explanation for how this happened.  Of course, if it is 
indeed a tumor, we will probably never know how it got there.  It is coming 
up on two years since I lost Joni, my golden retriever, to a sudden and 
pervasive cancer, so this is all pretty difficult.

Meanwhile, I am ever so grateful that I am stronger every day, looking 
forward to walking without pain, and have the sweetest dog in the world who 
thinks hanging out with me is a big fat privilege!

thank you so much for your concern and your prayers.  I'll keep you posted.



Deborah