silver lining

i love being home.  i love when you've been away and you realize that your house actually has a smell and it's a really nice one.  most importantly, i am happy that we are all home safe... it's been a wild few days...

so the story begins... every year we head up to Northern Michigan to celebrate Dave's Grandpa's birthday at their cottage in Lake City, MI.  This year he turned 99, so it was a pretty big one. There are always 30+ people in a tiny three-room space.

the trip was to begin with Sarah driving with the dogs on Friday to Midland to spend time with her Dad and good friend Sarah.  About 90 minutes in to the drive, the computer on her car flashed that the transmission was about to go, she pulled over and was told by the mechanics to pull over immediately and have it towed to the nearest dealer. apparently dogs can't ride in tow trucks, so sarah waited for Dave, who came to the rescue.  

silver lining: was able to see our good friend chris, who was in-town for his bachelor party, CK : excited for august!

a big thanks to the Nayler's for helping out with the car - here it is being taken away.

Part two of the tale, begins with Sarah picking up Dave post-bachelor party to make the ten-hour drive together on Sunday AM.  We arrived in Michigan, swung by Grandpa's to see how he was holding up - he recently was put on oxygen 24 hours a day.  He was looking good and ready to go to the cottage.  From there we rushed to Midland for dinner with my Dad.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to see Sarah Smith because of timing, hopefully next time.  Had a great dinner and then took a walk with the dogs.  

While we were walking we let the dogs off the leash to run on the golf course which was a really bad idea.  Ogi was hit by a car.  It was one of those moments where you see it all occur before it even begins.  It was a rapid-fire experience.  Dave sorted out that he had broken his right hind leg, at the very least.  And in a town the size of Midland there isn't an emergency vet.  Thanks to Judy (Dad's girlfriend) she called her vet (it was midnight) and he came in to do triage and x-rays at his practice about 30 miles away.  Ogi was in terrible pain, screaming and 

the thought of the night still brings tears to my eyes.  Based on his size (90 pounds), age (15 months), activity level and break (spiral fracture).  It was decided he had to have surgery and a normal cast would not do.  So we put him under - my Dad was the anesthesiologist (that is the only funny note in this story) and splinted the leg and got a few more x-rays.  We were sent home with lots of pills and planned to find a surgeon in the AM. 

Part three...The closest surgeon was in Grand Rapids, about a 2.5 hour drive... no one really slept that night especially Ogi.  He was on massive meds but nothing was really working.  As of 7a we were on the phone with our vet in STL and the vet in GR - the decision was made to make the 2.5 hour drive and they would try to do surgery that day.  Off we went.  The drive was rough, lots of tears.  Made it to the surgeon's and within minutes they had him ready to go for surgery.  Amazing.  The surgery was complete around 6p and we were able to pick him up the next morning.  It took one plate and nine screws but Ogi's leg will be back in action in a few short (about 9 to 11) weeks!  We are so very lucky it didn't end differently.  

The silver lining here ... we were on the West side of the state which allowed us to visit Sarah's college roommate, Sophia, and her new baby, Gus.  So fun!  And we had dinner and spent the night with Dave's fraternity brother Evan and his wife Sarah.  We were able to have a great fresh perch dinner and end a very long day with a campfire on the beach of Lake Michigan.  Everything that night was shadowed by fear and concern for Ogi.

Thanks to very good friends and all of the support of Judy and Dad in what could have been an even more difficult time. 

We went back to Midland and were able to spend a bit more time with Dad and Judy and gave Ogi some time to recover.  When we picked him up it was like the same old puppy we are used to - the only problem we face is to keep him calm and sedated.  Which is going to be harder for his parents than him.  It was a bittersweet trip, we were able to see good friends and family and celebrate our Grandfather who still stays up to midnight to beat everyone at Uno.

In a way it was a blue moment, just not the fun kind.

xo