The Accidental Bite

March 16, 2012

Good Morning, Readers!  It's a cloudy, dank day in Central Texas.  I had to grab a blanket when I took the dogren outside.  It's nice though to have my patio furniture in place.  I've already spent many an hour out there.  The yard is still looking pretty awful but my focus is on what I have accomplished.  Michael makes the most wonderful coffee in the morning but today the bottom fell out of the coffee decanter when it accidentally hit on the granite.  Oops.  Tomorrow will be a better day!

The best laid plans often get put aside when there's an unexpected hiccup.  I was visiting with Beverly last Wednesday morning when my dogren decided to fight over a toy.  Sadie let go when I scolded her but Toby kept hanging on, growling and taunting Sadie.  I reached down for the toy just as Sadie grabbed for it.  Her bottom teeth went into the soft toy but her top teeth tore into the top and side of my right hand.  As I screamed, she looked up at me with that sad, "What did I do?" look.  I glanced down at my hand and out of instinct, pushed the raw flesh back into the wound, pushed the flap of skin up over the open gape and pushed down for all I was worth.  I yelled to Michael to get dressed and meet Beverly and I at the hospital.

The hospital is just a few blocks from the little casa -- a very welcome sight to a lady in pain!!  The nurse quickly ushered me into a room, took my vitals and said as soon as one of the ER rooms became available I would be taken back.  By this time, Michael had arrived and was trying everything possible to take my mind off the pain in my hand.  I am a mind over matter person, and kept telling myself positive things.  Each time a different nurse would examine my wound the pain would intensify because I had to let go of my grip to keep the flesh together.  The doctor called for an xray, notified Animal Control and the police and then began to repair the wound.  Funny thing ... the nurse remembered me from last May when I broke my ankle.  She even remembered how I did it.  Amazing!  Must be my white hair or my sweet nature.  He he!

I learned a lot about animal bites on Wednesday.  Besides being quite painful, a dog bite has more of a tendency to get infected.  I was grateful when they numbed my hand and the pain dissipated.  They washed the wound with water then used a special soap.  They cleaned out the debris then started the cleaning procedure once again.  The doctor was great informing me of what he was doing and why.  He could not stitch the two inch wound tightly because he wanted it to be able to drain (which it has).  My hand looked like I had been bandaged for a prize fight and was ready to put a glove on!

If you are like me, you are probably thinking that your pet would NEVER bite the hand that feeds it.  Sadie is probably one of the most docile Scotties ever born.  She tolerates Toby's antics and has been ever so gentle with our grandchildren.  I tell her "gentle" when I give her treats and she is obedient.  Her groomers have always commented on her gentle demeanor and how they can probe, brush her teeth, and do anything without her getting perturbed.  Just like accidents happen to good people, accidents happen to good dogs as well.  As owners we need to be smart... 

Animal Control and the police came to the hospital to ask questions ... who, what, when, where.  I am sure it's nothing new to have an owner say that the dog is a gentle one and the bite was not it's fault.  They had to talk with Sadie's vet to make sure she was up to date on all shots -- which she is.  Michael signed the paperwork; now, Sadie is on the watch list.  As I type, she is laying at my feet snoring up a storm oblivious to what transpired.  She stays beside me trailing me wherever I go...

Although Toby is a small Yorkie-Poodle mix, he is an instigator and an alpha male.  We have made the decision not to purchase any more toys.  And we are not allowing some of his alpha behaviors letting him know that he is NOT the pack leader of the household!!  So far so good!

March 19, 2012

The March wind is blowing like crazy.  The big old tree in the backyard dropped a huge dead limb.  Yikes ... until we can get it pruned, I am not sitting (or working under the tree).

My bite wound has been doing well until this morning.  The skin is healing nicely but along with that, it is trapping blood (or something under the skin).  Michael made an appointment for me to see a doctor here this afternoon.  It definitely needs looking at.  In the meantime, the trauma from the jolt to my body acerbated the Fibromyalgia that plagues me.  What a day to day battle...

I did manage to purchase a Texas Mountain Laurel tree and plant it on Saint Patrick's Day.  It's a small one but it will grow.  My neighbor has one and it is blooming like crazy.  Oh my gosh, it smells soooo good.  I could take my chair and sit beside it all day just inhaling the fruitful grape aroma.

Last night, Michael and I went down into the storm shelter and did some arranging and unpacking of boxes.  It's a great storage area.  Now I need to find a dehumidifier ... they seem to be nonexistent around here.  We have not been able to get everything out of the garage so Lupe can start on the casita.  I am not a good person to have lots of chaos around me which contributes to my Fibromyalgia as well.  Am I a Type A person?  I often times think so!!

I hope that you, my Readers, are enjoying this wonderful windy March weather.  Great time to fly a kite, don't you think?  I remember those days as a kid ... making my kite and tying on lots of multi-colored tails made of cloth.  Today, we go to the store to purchase our toys ... in days of yesteryear, we made them.  Who can forget our Holly Hock Dolls, sling shots, shoe box doll beds, and other various and sundry toys we managed to create in our minds before rigging them up!!

Take gentle care and always remember that you are loved and prayed for ... yep(!) each and every day.

Miss Dottie