Then one day my “dad” put me in the car and off we went for a ride.   I was so happy to be going somewhere and getting attention!  I hoped maybe we’d even stop at the park. But we didn’t stop at the park – we went straight to a place called the shelter.  I overheard talk about, “We just don’t have time for her anymore.”  A few papers were signed and my dad left. Then one of the shelter employees took me down a long hallway to a small kennel in the back where a few sick and injured dogs were being kept. I was limping terribly and was very afraid. I didn’t sleep at all that night on the cold concrete floor, and I just kept wondering if there was something I could have done to make my family love me more and want to keep me.

 

The people at the shelter were quite concerned about me. They used the word “crippled” when they talked about me. Realizing I had no chance of being adopted in this condition, they contacted GRRR. It wasn’t long before I found myself going on another car ride. This time I  was with some wonderful volunteers, Pete and Nancy Lynch, who kept telling me over and over with such kindness that I would be fine now that I’m part of the GRRR family. I sighed contentedly and slept most of the way to Denver.

 

I was immediately taken to see Dr. Carpenter at Arvada West Veterinary Hospital. After carefully examining my knees, he determined I’ve torn both of my ACL’s (anterior cruciate ligaments), and without surgery I will continue to get more and more crippled until I can’t even walk. I will soon have TPL0 surgery (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) performed by Dr. Petersen, an incredible orthopedic surgeon, who will fix my knees up as good as new. The surgery will be expensive, and without your donations to the Golden Angel Fund, my life would have been over -- just when I had found love and happiness.

 

I’m staying with my foster mom, Mary Kenton, until I have my surgery.  For the first time in my life I have canine friends to play with. I try so hard to be part of the gang.  I know it makes Mary very sad to watch me as I try to scurry along with them when they play. My little legs get all curled and tangled up until I just can’t move. I have to give up and watch from the sidelines, but even sitting can be horribly painful when my pain medication wears off. Some of my best buddies will play with me in one spot because they understand something is wrong. I’m in heaven when one of them wrestles with me. I’m a great wrestler! How I long to be like the rest of them. Mary says I will be soon, and my heart just soars at the thought of running and playing with no pain and no limping. 

 

Mary combed all the mats out of my coat and gave me a bath to get rid of all the dirt and grime. My coat is so pretty and full of beautiful waves now. How I love to sleep on Mary’s bed, but I can’t get up there by myself. I go to the side of the bed when I want attention and beg with my sad eyes to get some help up. I was really starved for attention when I arrived. I would just go crazy with excitement when Mary would talk to me or stroke my head. I’m starting to calm down now that I know there is always love waiting for me and that it isn’t going to be taken away from me again.

 

My goal is to attend the GRRR reunion picnic this coming fall. I plan to run and swim with all of the other rescued Goldens. I also plan to run up to each of you and say a great big thank you! But I have a lot of recovering and therapy to do before then. It would be a dream come true if some wonderful family adopts me before my surgery so I can recover in my new forever home. I have the rest of my life to share my love, my sweet nature and my happy outlook with someone very special. My heart is filled with love for all of you who care so much for the Goldens in need. Soon I will no longer sit on the sidelines -- I’ll leap right into life with all four paws!

 

 

I thought you'd all like to know that I had my TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) surgery on February 11th, 2010. Dr Peterson is a great miracle worker! I can straighten my legs all the way out now. Then on the 15th I went to live with my new foster mom, Pat, and her dog Brandi and cat Luna in the mountains. We all get along great! But I soon discovered I do not like horses! They are sooo big! Anyway, I wish I could play with Brandi, but for now I have been told there is no rough-housing. I can’t wait until I can run around in the yard and go for long walks!

My wonderful foster mom helped me with passive range of motion exercises for two long weeks after my surgery. The good news is that I now have good range of motion. My follow-up x-rays from a few weeks ago showed that everything is healing nicely. Unfortunately, I started limping a week ago and I am now back on limited walking, antibiotics, pain medication, and having my right knee iced twice a day. Bummer. I have a thickened patellar tendon which can sometimes happen after surgery and may also be caused by an infection.

I'm getting lots of love and attention which I just eat up! I’ve been lucky enough to get outside and roll around in the snow too! Who says we have too much snow?

I enjoy sleeping on a doggie bed in my foster mom’s room at night and my trips down to Denver have been fun because I love to ride in the car. Whenever a car door is open, you’ll see me trying to get in because I love car rides! Did I tell you that?

I'm being a really good girl, just ask my foster mom. I don't beg for food or get on the furniture and I know the commands sit, down and stay. I now am learning to walk on a leash like a lady since I got my Gentle Leader; no more dragging mom around for me. We're working on improving potty skills because I can't use the doggie door and need to be let in and out regularly. I want to thank all the fantastic people at Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies for not giving up on me. I think the Angel Fund is super as it helps girls like me get back their “get up and go!” Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart.

 

 

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