The Day I fell on my dog.

What I really want to start with is that today is my Grammy's 89th birthday. Every year I love her more. That's a lot of love. Happy Birthday, Betty Jane McInnes Lund Lee!

Tonight I was doing a headstand in my living room. I got a little wobbly and fell forward. (What? It happens.) Alice (our will-be-14-weeks-tomorrow standard poodle puppy) was in my fall path. She barked and ran away. When I saw her, her back right leg was drawn up to her body. I just knew it was broken. Jake came over when he heard me ask her if I broke her leg. We switched and I called her vet, and they suggested I take her to a Veterinary Hospital that keeps later hours. I took her right away. She put weight on it when I got her out of the car, and after a lengthy examination, the vet couldn't feel any breaks or displacements. He suspects a soft tissue injury. We have some pain medication and she's visiting her vet for an appointment we already had scheduled so she can get her last vaccination. When we got home, she ran around the yard for a bit. I'm such a first time dog owner, it's like being a new mom. Next time (hopefully there won't be a next time), I might wait more than 2 minutes between injury and loading her up in the car to go to the vet.

This afternoon, Cora had the follow up appointment to her well-child check. At her WCC, we found out her eardrums weren't moving because her ears were so full of fluid. We started on a steroid nasal spray, and today came back to see if there was any change. There was! There is still fluid present (she had some dairy last night, which she is allergic to, and almost instantly started snorting and getting congested), but she make peaks. At the last test, both of her ears flatlined, which meant little to no movement. What this means for now: no tubes. I'm anxious to see if she'll get an ear infection because of her excess mucus. If she does, that might change the game. We are scheduling a formal hearing test (she's passed all of the basic ones in the past) because what we really want to get to the bottom of is what's causing her speech issues.

I have decided that I am done with diapers. In a few weeks I will be. We did the 3-day potty training method with Cora and it was amazing. The trick now is finding three days where I can be completely present at home (nor errands, no carpool, etc) with Magnolia. Jake consulted his schedule, and May 13th is when it begins. If we had three days now, I would start tomorrow. Or yesterday. Or three days ago.

Jake read me this poem tonight. It's beautiful, and very fitting for me right now.

Prayer
Marie Howe

Every day I want to speak with you. And every day something more important
calls for my attention—the drugstore, the beauty products, the luggage
I need to buy for the trip.
Even now I can hardly sit here
among the falling piles of paper and clothing, the garbage trucks outside
already screeching and banging.
The mystics say you are as close as my own breath.
Why do I flee from you?
My days and nights pour through me like complaints
and become a story I forgot to tell.
Help me. Even as I write these words I am planning
to rise from the chair as soon as I finish this sentence.

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