February 2011

I thought I would keep with the monthly theme.

February brought a ton of snow and bad weather to Prescott.  No riding unless we went down south to Phoenix or BCT.  Andy got a few rides in with the guys but still not enough!

February wasn't really all that exciting.  The weather kept us in mostly.  There was a bike race down in Tucson, the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo.  Andy was putting a team together but everyone kinda "petered" out, which in the long run was good.  The weather at the race was horrid!  50 mile an hour winds, rain, freezing cold... no thanks!

Our friends Sticki did the race... poor people!  But they did have the Sticki Hilton to stay in. (their pop-up trailer) so their time was not quite as bad as others.

January 2011

Well, for all of you who keep checking the blog and are tired of seeing the same post, this is for you!

New Year's Eve we spent with Sticki, our bestest friends!  This is the third year of going to their house, eating lots of great food and playing games until the wee hours of the morning. The only thing different now is they live up here in Prescott!  So the drive home was quick this.

We actually got to get out and ride a bit.  On Jan. 15th, we rode a new section of the BCT trail. (Black Canyon Trail) The weather was so nice!  I had not been riding since the day after Christmas which made the ride tough for me... if you don't stay on the bike, you lose so much stamina!

We also bought a new car, a 2011 Honda Pilot EX 4WD.  We loved the "Subie" but is was just a little too small when we had all three girls in there or when we went on trips, that thing was pack to the gills!  Plus the Pilot can tow more.  This year we are thinking of getting a travel trailer for our bike trips and camping in general, so we needed something that could tow it.

The girls are doing well.  Jessi is doing great!  She is up to running about 10 miles with us, her gate is getting much better and her trot looks more normal.  We are waiting for the weather to warm up so we can fill up the pool again.  The doctors say the swimming will help with that last little bit.  COME ON SUMMER!

Emma and Rylee are doing good.  Rylee is slowing down a bit in her old age but still keeps on truckin'.

Jessi's Story FCE Fibro-Cartilagenious Embolism

Right before Labor Day, we came home to find Jessi scared and huddled in the corner unable to stand or move her rear legs.  She was just," stuck", trying her hardest to get up but to no avail.  We rushed down to PHX because the local vets couldn't handle such a case and thought it would be better if a specialized hospital took care of her.  Long story short.....Jessi was paralyzed from the waist down due to an FCE.  One of those freak things that just happens to dogs between the ages of 4 and 6.  No rhyme, no reason...it either happens or it doesn't and if it does, it never appears again.  

At first she was sad, she had no idea how to comprehend what was going on.  Frustrated, she frolicked about when laying down, unable to move her hind quarters, always getting stuck or falling over.....you could see the disspare in her eyes like below.......

Jessi her first night home...tired and ready to get a good night sleep.

After 5 days in doggie  ICU, she was able to come home.  At first we didn't know if we were going to have to make that tough call and put her down due to the extreme injury she acquired.  After going over the possibilities at the vet, we made the choice to rehabilitate her for the next 3-6 months.  Jessi is one of the best pups one could have, always happy go lucky, tail wagging, always wants cuddle time and cute as can be.  As soon as she awoke the next day, we went out to visit the rabbit holes in front, she was instantly changed, the gleam in her eyes was reignited and her back legs obliged.

They prepped her back for surgery after they first thought it was slipped/pinched disc and a pain patch on the neck.  I had to use a sling around her belly to keep her upright so she wouldn't drag herself around.  Within a week or so she was able to walk on her own, not well, but all four legs moving under her control.

Emma and Jessi take swim in our rehab pool


Fast forward to December.  Jessi has now gone on a couple of short 10-12 mile mountain bike rides with us.  She does well, she does start to get tired towards the end, but pulls through it.  She loves being on the trail running and in the great outdoors in general.  We still have a bit to go with her on physical therapy and rehab.  Stay tuned to see the progress.