10th Anniversary, and what did we do???? Got Indy Spayed, of course!

 

Here we were, February 25, 2011.  We had ONLY met in person earlier in the month, but we both knew we wanted to be together.  It was a cold, windy day in Pine Bluff, and the only person there was a preacher, fellow Rotarian, Library Board Member, and Friend, Robert Thompson; who married us and took this picture.  Yes, in Arkansas, you don't need witnesses.

How did we meet???  Online, of course.  Dating Site???   Nope.  It was a gaming site, we both were playing a 'war game'...we were on the 'same team'.  The team would have Skype meetings, which at the time meant you can talk but not see due to the number of people in the Skype, but you could private message during the meeting, which is what we did from time to time.  One night everyone left the Skype room, so we started our own Skype room and actually saw each other.  One thing lead to another and we decided to get married...but thought we should at least meet each other in person first.  So Marcia came out to see me, and two weeks or so later she flew out again and we got married.  Gave my one year notice to the Library Board, and our RV part-time adventure began at the end of March 2012...as did this blog.

Yes, yesterday Indy was finally spayed.  Back in July the Vet in Citrus Heights would not do it because she was in heat...although she never did bleed.  In November, around Thanksgiving, she really went into heat.  I called our local Vet's office at the end of January, and the first appointment we could get was for February 8.  After a $47 new dog exam, we scheduled the spaying for February 25th, again, the earliest date they had available.  Unlike most businesses here in Florida, they won't let you in the door...you call when you get there, they come out and get her, they come out to talk to you and you sign papers, they do the exam, they come out and get your credit card, the Vet comes out and talks to you, they bring back your credit card and your dog and you drive away.  So personal, but as 'they' say, safe.

I dropped her off at the Vet at 8:00 am yesterday...but it was more like 8:15 when they came out to get her.  Of course, I had a few things to sign before I could leave.  WOW, that was a hard day...we both felt like something was missing.  When I picked up Indy at 4:30 she was a mess.  She knew me, was happy, but her face was sopping wet, she had this large, awkward, heavy plastic cone around her neck, she looked very tired and beat-up, and she SCREAMED when I picked her up to bring her inside the condo (my bad--need to pick her up at neck and butt for a few days).  We immediately took the cone off her, gave her a body wrap so she won't lick the incision (reason for cone in the first place), and put her on her bed next to me.  For the next hour she rotated, got down, moved from place to place trying to find anywhere where she could lay down comfortably.  Finally, she slept.  About 6:30 she wanted outside, did her business (both kinds) and came in and drank a lot of water.  She would not eat anything, and she was coming out of the daze.  Overall, she had a good nights sleep, and so did we.  We did wrap an additional Ace Bandage around her to be sure that the body wrap would stay in place, and so far this has worked well.  This morning she did eat, but only part of a hot dog.  She has what amounts to one hot dog per week normally as a 'treat'.  She would not eat any pork, her daily food is pork and dry food, so I gave her a little more hot dog and her pain pill...which knocked her out for most of the day.  We 'were' planning to have dinner at Mama Maria's with Marcia's brother Mike and wife Sandy for our anniversary, but Sandy got ill.  Looking back, that was all for the better because Indy, who would have stayed in the car while we ate, did much better being at home.  We did have Mama Maria's for dinner...to go though, and it was good, with lots of leftovers for tonight too!

In the next couple of hours we will get a delivery from Amazon which includes one of these 'Recovery Suit for Dogs/Cats After Surgery' to help keep her from licking the incision.  The back part comes off (Velcro) for potty breaks, and it also adds a little cushion when she lays down.  ANYTHING is better than the cone of shame.  Here it is 4:30, and it still says "Out for delivery, Now estimated 4:15 PM - 6:15 PM" from Amazon.

Wednesday, knowing she would not be able to go to the Dog Park for awhile, I took Indy there.  We make it over there at least once per week, normally on a Saturday or Sunday.  Last Saturday there were nine dogs in the small dog park area, and she had a ball...she was tied with another dog in speed and agility, and those two played and played and others joined in from time to time.  But on Wednesday, she was all alone until this dog arrived.  

'He' is 8 months old, weighs 10 pounds like Indy, and they both were equally fast and agile.  'He' had been neutered, so nothing to worry about (not that she was in heat anyways.)  Just as I was getting ready to leave, another two dogs arrived, so I took her leash off and let her play another 10 minutes or so.  As we were getting into the car, two more small dogs arrived, and as we were pulling out another one pulled up.  Well, she had her 40 minutes worth, so we continued on our way.

Marcia has now finished all her Doctor's appointments, and now it is my turn in late April.  I had been thinking about getting a Recumbent Exercise Bike for some time now, but since we are not home but three months or so, I have always used that as my 'not yet' excuse.  But last year, due to Ryan's wedding which was delayed by COVID (they married in a private service), we were here for six months, and this year, due to Ryan's hopeful Wedding Reenactment Celebration, we are here for at least six months.  So I talked to Marcia, and she agreed and encouraged me to get one, and it arrived last week.  What I like about it is that you sit in a chair, and not a bike seat.  I have used it each day, two to three times per day.  I feel my legs getting stronger, and don't over do it ... so far, my knees have held up fine to it.  A few times Indy wanted to help, so she jumped right up on my lap as I was peddling away.

So that has been our 'month', and no, I have not got the camera out just yet.  Still working on that one...