
I love sledding. This sledding hill was in Boulder, CO where my mom and my dad used to take me hiking. It was summer time, but not up in the mountains. I got to go swimming AND sledding on the same day. I loved it there. This year there is no snow in Michigan, and it makes me sad. There's just nothing like rolling upside down in the snow, especially when you are a lab that some people call a polar bear. It feels good, all that cold icy stuff in my fur. It's good for catch and for eating too. Mom says it's just as well it hasn't snowed because she doesn't want to slip and drop me when she helps carry me down the steps to go outside, but I tell her we could just buld a sled hill and I could fly everywhere! Humans just aren't creative. Mom says she hopes it doesn't snow at all, because when I come home from surgery, one slip on the ice the first couple of weeks and I could bump a screw. I don' t know what all this talk is about surgery. Mom seems worried, and I think it has something to do with how it hurts to stand up and walk. I tell mom there are lots of good lying down games, like getting belly rubs and playing chew the duck, but I admit, I miss going for walks. and sledding in the snow. I especially miss running with my friend Shinta.
People say dogs don't have tense, but they're wrong. When I was at the beach last time with my bestest friend, Shinta, she and I had so much fun. We ran in the sand just like we did before mom moved to go back to school. I was suppposed to take it easy because I'd seen a lot of doctors about me sometimes limping, but I never limped for them and they didn't know if anything was wrong, because I didn't want to have to stay home and not have any fun. Well, I had lots of fun with Shinta, and we were playing top dog of the beach, which, if you are human, you might not know, but it means you roll in sand and try to jump higher than the other dog at the beach and then maybe you run into the water and take her toy. Well, this time, when I landed in the sand, I expected Shinta to land on me and for us to do a crazy dog roll, but instead something happened and I don't know what it was. My left leg where it bends hurt really bad and it pulled up into me and I hopped and yelped and yelped. Mom and Aunt Jenny couldn't calm me down. I was afraid they would hurt it more. It just wouldn't stop stinging. Finally, mom lay me on my other side and held my leg still for a long time until I calmed down. She wasn't strong enough to carry me home, but I am a strong girl. I hopped on three paws up the beach. There's a ramp there for people who have hurt their paws too. Mom and Aunt Jenny walked that way, but after a while, I decided to take the steps. I can hop just fine on three legs, and it was faster to the car. I wanted my mom to take me somewhere in the car to feel better. That night mom and Aunt Jenny seemed sad. They put a big pillow on the floor and mom made me take pills with peanut butter-- I hate it when humans do that. Yuck. I got to open my stocking, but I didn't feel like playing very much. I lay down on the pillow and Shinta lay next to me and tried to make me feel better.
Everything was going just fine. I was going to go to a special doctor in the new year, mom said, but it seemed like a long, long time. So, i practiced walking on three legs. Mom always said slow and careful, and only let me outside to go potty, but I knew I was alright. I was fast too. Mom didn't like it, but it was still fun. Then when I was running and my mom was telling me go slow after going potty, my grandpa's dog knocked me down, and wouldn't you know, the same stinging feeling as at the beach. This time I didn't cry that much. Mom was yelling and I wanted to make her feel better. I got to the stairs to the house, but I fell and couldn't go any more. I tried to pull myself up by my front paws, but I just fell on my stomach. Mom carried me in the house. She was yelling at first, and I thought I was in trouble, but then she picked me up and pet me and told me I was a good dog. I think she was mad at that other dog, Weiland. Everyone always calls him stupid, becuase he potties inisde and sometimes he tries to bite or steal food, which is a thing dogs are not allowed to do if they want to live in houses.. I don't think hes' stupid though. I think hes' sad because his parents didn't teach him the rules the people like us to follow. I tell mom to be patient with him. It doesn't hurt so much now, and that she shouldn't be angry at that dog, but she is. People are like that. Sometimes they get angry even when it doesn't fix anything, and they can't undo it. People have too much mix up with the past and present. That is what causes humans to be sad or angry I think. I'm awfully glad I'm a dog.
After that night, I've been making lots of new doctor friends. I met Dr. Prellesnnik, who told mom I have to go to a hospital. I met doctor Sara Snow, who tells me Spartans are better than Wolverines. She makes me feel better. She gave me a magic green bandana, and mom lets me wear it, even though I'm a traitor, whatever that is. She says only until football season next year. I don't know what she means, but Dr. Sara took pictures of my legs and gave me medicine that made me very sleepy and I didn't hurt.
Mom cried a lot at first, and I felt bad. Then after all the pictures, mom got happier. They said I should get two surgeries and that I can be running again at top speed by next year. I don't know what all that means, but mom seemed happier and said she was worried she would have to put me down, whatever that is. I tried to tell her that I stay down most of the time anyway, but she was still sad. I'm gald they can do the surgeries. I wonder what that means they'll do. Maybe I'll have new legs in my stockings from Santa.
What I do know is mom is asking people to help. Even just 5.00 or more from a lot of people would help. The surgeries are going to cost over 5000, and mom says if 1000 people each gave $5, we'd be doing well. Mom always says going back to school has cost her a lot. I know she no longer works as much, but it's other stuff, like moving from Colorado too. I think she thinks I would never have had bad knees in Colorado, but I think I started getting hurt playing there with my big Great Dane friend, Robert the Bruce. The doctor says I have a lot of "min-tears" in my knees--that means I got hurt little by little starting a long time ago. Humnas just never understand that fun is more important than feeling hurt. They have so much to learn. -- Now I am waiting for Santa to bring me new legs and some snow for sledding. How many timis is he coming this year again?
Kayla
If you want to help Kayla, you can make a contribution directly to Michigan State University Small Animal Hospital at 517-353-5420. You can put any amount of credit on my accoung, Kayla Griffiths / Owner Brett Griffiths. There should be a note on the account to this effect. The receptionist's name is Liz. If you have any problems making a donation, please just talk to her.