The lost is found!

This morning we got up earlier than usual to go to the beach–37degrees expected (about 100 fahrenheit). Got the water bottles (his and mine), folded up his towels.

And then looked for the thong (that’s one of a pair of footwear items ;).

Not in the beach bag. Not in the buggy. Not under the buggy near the buggy behind the buggy anywhere else. Major heart stop. He’s had that thong (red and white stripes) for about 5 years, his favourite above all others (and easy to see on the white sand).

Self talk…it’s only a thong. I can get another pair. On the internet. Yeah. You can get anything on the internet. Oh no this is another sign it’s a new era for Gandalf. I want the old life back, along with the thong….sigh. Get a grip. It’s only a thong. This green one is fine. It’s nice and light and maybe he’ll like it better.

Being earlier than usual the tide had only just started to go out. It was hard slog with the buggy. It’s definitely not designed for soft sand! Stopped along the beach away from the ramp and the stairs, no repeats of the last couple of days!

Gandalf was happy enough with the green thong…swam out a few times, then was ready to go back to the buggy. He just didn’t seem to have his usual pep. Maybe it’s the wrong thong….

Gandalf met a few of his mates on the beach (doggy and human) and I bemoaned the fact of the lost thong. I’d obviously failed to pick it up when I put the boy back in the buggy. Humans looked at me like I was slightly demented worrying about the thong.

Then an old human friend stopped along and I retold the story. I know he walks the entire length of the beach and if it was washed up, he’d find it. And guess what! He’d seen it! Yes! Top of the ramp, someone had hung it on the pole….he went up and retrieved it…Gandalf joyfully rushed back into the water to get it…yippee….life as we know it continues!

Seriously, though. I still feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster. It’s been three full months prior to the amputation that we were trying to rest him/reset the leg/ pin it again (five operations). For the last one, just before Christmas, we simply stayed in my bedroom and I pretty much carried him if he needed any more than walking outside to wee. I’m still on worry alert, because I’d assumed all through that horror that I’d lose him if it didn’t work. His other hip is a pseudo hip and I really don’t know if there’s any precedent for a tripawd to have this. So I continue to worry.

I think I’m still grieving, too. I love that he is swimming again, but my throat constricts when I see him “running” into the water for his thong…different. Is it ok for him? Is he happy?

I guess everyone goes through this. Dear friends of mine would say GET OVER IT…hmmm.

I’m trying to be positive, and am talking to the hearing dog jacket people….I thought I’d get him a ruffwear jacket and have it embroidered. Can it be worn in the water? Maybe he should be wearing it all the time?

Gandalf is a bit quieter today, looks a bit sore. The animal physio hasn’t returned my call yet…wait…text just came in…she’ll contact me later today. Sigh. Physio vs. chiro….

I think it’s time for a cuppa. Too early for something stronger, and I have been avoiding that completely because, hey, what if Gandalf needed me to drive somewhere….:)

But the good thing is…we have the thong back. The lost is found!