Here We Go Again...

Hickory needs to have surgery on his left knee! I can't believe it, although we were warned that about 60% of dogs will have to have the other knee done.

I took him to see Dr. Dew yesterday. Hick was actually looking good, but over the weekend things had seemed "off." We'd gotten a little sloppy about protecting the deck stairs, and he'd gone tearing down them a few times. On Sat., I was going to walk him down, and he collapsed right at the top. He did some left toe touching, not putting weight on it, but it was hard to tell if his right or left bothered him. His right still gets sore.

I was feeling like "bad mommy" and, even though he seemed better, called and got worked in yesterday, the only day Dr. Dew is in the LR area. I figured it would be better to go...and hoped that everything was just normal healing.

Well, that didn't happen. :-(

Dr. Dew assured me that it was nothing we did. It wouldn't have mattered if we'd never let him down the stairs...more than likely, it's just bad genes.

It's such a LOT of $$...and this is such a bad time...but how can we not do it? On the bright side, if it's going to happen, I figure we might as well get it done and over with...and get our $$ worth ...instead of this happening 6 years from now, and then wondering if it's worth doing on a nearly 10 yr old dog. (Hick will be 3 in Jan, by our best guess)

DH wasn't very happy...he knows the financial situation...but I said, "I'm getting a job." I went home and found a position as a library page at a nearby branch. It pays only about minimum wage with 20 hours/week...and I'm extremely overqualified...but I need the flexibility. I've got an interview on Wed.

I also heard about a position at the Univ of AR at LR Archives. I found out from my friend from church, Judy R, who told me that the head of Archives is the daughter of a church member...and that she'd just hired another woman from our church! I talked to the Archivist, and it sounds like she's going to hire me! I need to talk to her today, since I'd prefer the archives job. It would also be flexible, and the pay would be a bit better. I'm excited about that opportunity.

Of course it's also all a bit daunting. I haven't been in the work-force for about 11 years! And my goal continues to be finishing the book, getting published, and earning $$ that way, although I'd prefer my $$ to go to things besides TTA surgery! But that's not an option right now. Luckily, I am only looking at part-time work, so I don't have an excuse to not continue to work on the book as well. I just have to keep focused.

Another plus, besides getting Hick 100%, is that I'm a little short on my Social Security "points" or whatever it is that you need to fully vest or qualify. I need another 10 to have the required 40. I think you can earn up to 3 points a year, so there is another advantage to my getting some sort of paying job.

Added to that, next year DS starts middle school, and that will greatly alter our life. Our top two school right now would both require us to transport him. One is an excellent charter school downtown, close to DH's work, and the other is an excellent public (out of our zone, but we can transfer or use ILs address) that is a bit less convenient, but could be "on the way" for DH...and so it could work that I put in my hours in the afternoon since I would be going to get DS anyway.

I'm trying to keep a good attitude about it, but it's hard. I hate that Hick has to have surgery again, I hate having to spend so much, I dread the 12 weeks of restriction, I'd prefer to not HAVE to work...but...que sera sera...I believe things have a way of working out for the best...including whichever middle school DS gets into, whichever job I get (before I get that big book contract...altho I'd still want to put in my time for Soc. Sec.)...and Hick will be good to go!

The vet said that the bright side is that Hick only has 2 knees (the front are elbows, as I had to remind my dad)! And I always appreciate trying to find a bright side! :-)