Day 8 - Ruth is officially 10 1/2 years old today

6:30 a.m. - Ruth is hanging in there. She is still moving her head up and down against the pillow... I don't understand why she can't just lay still and sleep peacefully. I'm sitting right next to her and am watching her, trying to figure it all out. She has not cried out in pain whenever we rub/massage over her, or when we do the passive range of motion exercises. That's a good thing.

What if the Coonhound Disease is not what is wrong? Although the sites I've found give us hope, because of the similar symptoms and method of onset and that there is a very good chance of recovery, albeit long, what if something else is wrong?

6:45 a.m. - She pooped! She never did yesterday, but she also didn't eat anything other than the peanut butter. Maybe that's why the stool was hard and black. A little part of it was "normal" ... which indicates to me that it's a change in her diet, or the meds, that caused the hard blackness - not blood in her system finally coming out. Will have to see on the next one.

7:30 a.m. - We barely got her meds down, she wasn't too excited about the peanut butter. Now Bud is hand feeding her Cheerios. At first, she refused, but now she's eating!!!

It's noon. We haven't received any kisses today. Because I was typing, rather than touching/rubbing her, I received the first yelp for the day!

1:15 p.m. BROUGHT KISSES!!!
Bud had helped lean Ruth up on her elbows, and after a few minutes of looking around, even stretching to check out her bottom, she sniffed his nose, then gave him a kiss! Then bunches of hard kisses!!! Of course, I had to put my face down for bunches of kisses, too!

One of the main reasons we decided to sit her up (she's on her right side) was because her left eye seems to have rolled back. When we lifted her up, it did come back... for a few minutes. It was great seeing her "look around" for a while!

We leaned her up again about 3:15. She wasn't as excited this time around because she couldn't/wouldn't get her elbows underneath. I continue with the massage over her entire body and even put her to sleep for a little bit! I'm also trying my best to get fluids in her.

About 5:00 we leaned her up again and I was able to move the appropriate elbow underneath her. She leaned on her Daddy, however, the entire time because she wouldn't/couldn't relax her other leg. It's confusing ... for her to be paralyzed, but will stretch and stiffen, seemingly, at will or with some sort of stimuli, I guess the nerves are not firing correctly when she gives a mental command... or does she remember she's suppose to give a command?

While exercising her hind legs today, her toes would curl and press into/against my hand. I guess that's a baby step in the right direction... that's a "new" event anyway!

I so pray that she accepts the peanut butter covered med tonight. She's only taking the Prednisone now and it's critical. I also pray we can get her to eat something tonight.

Ruth took her med tonight, not very willingly, but Bud managed. She wouldn't eat anything else.
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