Help Mister Walk Again

01/13/2024

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12/22/2023

It's been a while!

We are approaching the 1-year anniversary of when Mister first broke his back. AKA Christmas Day! And, what a day that was.

In a previous post, I detailed the dramatic series of events (go on, give it a read! https://helpmisterwalk.com/updates/giddy-yap/). Between the snow, flights, bills, and exhaustion, it was nothing short of traumatizing. But, even so, it still all feels worth it.

As I sit here typing, Mister is cuddled up on a heated blanket after playing outside with his sister Polly (the poodle). Since the last update, Mister has lost weight, gained leg strength, and gotten that pep in his step back. He’s progressed so much! So much, in fact, he’s been jumping onto the couch! Which he is not supposed to do, but you have to appreciate the milestone. It’s quite impressive for a sausage dog!

Come to think of it, milestones are often all we have to look back on. The finer details fade away as the lessons, memories, and feelings rise to the surface. I remember last Christmas like it was yesterday. I felt sad, rushed, and confused. But, I also had a sense of calm and hope. I remember sitting on the plane with my head on the seat in front of me while a sea of thoughts crashed between my ears. I remember entering the veterinary hospital and seeing Mister’s stupid, doped-up face from fentanyl and muscle relaxers they gave him. I remember that god-awful, 8-inch scar on his back and all 11 staples. I remember it all.

I also remember him walking again for the first time and the look he gave me when he did (Mister’s First Step https://helpmisterwalk.com/updates/misters-first-step/). And, I remember, just 10 minutes ago, when he ran in from the backyard and hopped over the doorstep like a trained athlete.

In the back of my mind, I know he could get hurt again, but I can’t let that stop him from being a dog. Freedom and movement have proven beneficial for his condition and I can tell he’s much happier than when he was boxed up in a pen.

So, for the sake of the holidays, let’s give a cheer for Mister! Who, despite it all, is still a spunky and sweet-loving pup…though, I’m deeply considering putting him in a straight jacket on the 25th just in case.

Merry Christmas,
Dylan

09/26/2023

Always crate your dog immediately when you first suspect a back problem (shivering/trembling, yelping, reluctant to move, arched back, head held high or low, wobbly walk) and get to an IVDD knowledgeable vet asap. Transport carefully using a crate padded out with rolled up towels on either side of the dog to prevent movement or jarring the spine when braking or turning corners. Crating will help keep the dog from further injuring the spinal cord that could potentially lead to paralysis and loss of bladder control

09/23/2023

Not much has changed, so I’m going to do this a little differently today…

Life’s been busy as the holiday season approaches and plans are made for the remaining months. If you’ve been following Mister’s story, you’ll remember I had to fly home Christmas Day last year for his first surgery. It was an experience I’ll never forget...

On Christmas morning, I woke up to Evelyn showing me text messages and videos from our dog sitter. Mister had been shaking the night before and was walking funny. By morning, he had completely lost motion in his back legs. I knew immediately I had to get back. I grabbed whatever my morning brain thought was important and shoved it in a backpack. We hopped in the car and sped toward the airport. We were in Detroit, it was snowing, 15º outside, and I’m from Florida.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap,
Let's go,
Let's go to the veterinary hospital

That doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it?

We got to the airport just in time and I rushed through TSA. But, the flight got delayed 4 times. Honestly, I probably needed the delay so I could relax and take a breath or two.

When I finally took my seat on the plane, Evelyn sent me the estimate for Mister’s surgery. It was way more than I expected–$11,000. A Christmas miracle.

As I sat there contemplating what to do, the lady next to me turned and asked me a question. I don’t remember what she said, but she expressed how she felt like she needed to talk to me. I told her what was going on and we chatted off and on throughout the flight. Just before we landed, she pulled out a $100 bill, handed it to me, and said “Merry Christmas. I hope this helps.” Honestly, she reminded me a little bit of my mom. I don’t know what happens after you die, but maybe it was her. It sure felt like it.

That was the first donation for this cause. A $100 bill from a kind not-so-stranger on Christmas Day. It felt surreal. It felt like a movie. It felt odd. It reminded me of a quote by C.S. Lewis:

“Reality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that q***r twist about it that real things have. So let us leave behind all these boys’ philosophies–these over simple answers. The problem is not simple and the answer is not going to be simple either.”

At this point in my life, I don’t know what’s true: Is Christianity the answer or just an ideology to help us cope with life’s uncertainty? In that moment, as the lady turned and talked to me, it sure did seem real.

Help Mister Walk Again has been my way of dealing with everything that’s happened. It’s a positive and compelling cause I can believe in. It gives me hope there’s a reason we are all here in what often feels like a meaningless game. I’m not going to pretend like I know the answers. I’m not going to say I have faith when I really have no idea. But, I am going to keep asking questions and doing what I know is right. What more can I ask of myself?

Until next time,
Dylan

09/18/2023

Mister wants to remind us all to take a break and roll around in the grass. You deserve it!

09/14/2023

Which Mister are you today?

09/14/2023

Now that Mister’s staples are out, we were finally able to give him a bath! 🌭🛁

09/13/2023

At the vet getting Mister’s staples removed!

09/10/2023

To celebrate Mister’s continued smooth recovery, we are excited to announce our new collar charms!

Head over to https://helpmisterwalk.com/product/collar-charm/ to show your support for Mister and other dogs with IVDD.

Help your dog show their support with this 0.79″, antique brass collar charm. It features the Help Mister Walk dachshund icon and attaches directly to a collar, split-ring, or keychain!

09/07/2023

Never miss an update! Go to https://helpmisterwalk.com/updates/ to subscribe and get updates sent straight to your inbox!

09/07/2023

Mister is rockin’ a strong stance today 🙌

09/06/2023

The dust has settled from the weekend. Evelyn and I are back at work and Mister's been catching some much-needed ZZZs. And, he's got a lot to show for it! His back-left leg regained some strength and he's been able to stand/walk in short spurts!

The next main event is his staple removal. The incision is notably smaller than last time and far less gruesome looking. Though, it's far from pleasant. What's really great about getting the staples removed, is we'll finally be able to give him a bath! Recently, it's just been baby wipes. You may not have thought about it, but the smell a little sausage dog can build up after p*eing and p**ping on himself for a week is nothing to turn your nose at. There's only so much Pampers Baby-Clean can do for you....

The Nashville Oktoberfest Dachshund Derby is coming up in a month on October 8th. Mister raced in this event last year and even won his heat! Can you believe it? He won and now he can barely use the bathroom. If you know anyone connected to the derby, I think it would be awesome if Mister could do the opening heat. A pup can dream, right?

Anyway, the excitement and sweat of summer is dwindling away as the fresh air of fall welcomes us into a new expanse. For some, it may simply be a change of season, but for others it is a season of change. Every year, I find peace in this delicate transition. Just as the leaves fall, It's an opportunity for us to brush off the past and stand naked in the street while everyone drives by and comments on how dead we look. I'm sorry, that took a sudden turn. If it were up to me, the year would start in September and end in August. Who wants to start off in the freezing cold? What a stupid idea. Wow, I'm getting way off track now.

I think I'm just going to stop there,
Dylan

09/05/2023

The Boot Scootin' Boogie 🤠🔈

09/04/2023

Mister's on to us and doesn't like pill pockets anymore. What do you use to give your dog medicine?

09/03/2023

Day one wasn’t so bad. In fact, is was better than I expected. Mister slept a lot and hardly made a p*ep. We can tell he’s glad to be back.

As he catches up on sleep and levels out on medication, I suspect he’ll get a little restless. Crate-rest lasts 6 to 8 weeks. Afterwards, he’ll still be restricted in what he can do. For now, we are making sure he’s comfortable and loved.

In the backyard, Mister can scoot, but still can’t walk. His back-left leg is significantly weaker than the right. In order to p*e and p**p, he just stays in motion and lets it flow. It’s quite innovative if you ask me. We also make sure to give him plenty of sunbathing time. Mister is a Florida boy at heart and never passes up an opportunity to catch some rays.

09/03/2023

Ever wonder what crate-rest looks like? Dodgerslist- Disc Disease - IVDD Education & Support made a simple infographic explaining it.

09/02/2023

Compared to last year, Mister's incision is smaller and much lower down his back.

09/02/2023

Mister is home!

The doctor called this morning with great news. She said Mister improved significantly and attributed it to us visiting him. Since then, he’s been more alert and regained ability to move around and potty. The poor guy was scared and just needed his parents.

His recovery will be similar to last time, but should be a little easier due to a few reasons:
1. We’ve done this before.
2. He was not completely paralyzed this time.
3. The injury is in his lower back instead of the middle.

But, complacency can cause problems of its own. So, we must remain vigilant.

The medication regiment is basically the same and includes carprofen (anti-inflammatory), methocarbamol (muscle relaxant), gabapentin (anti-convulsant, nerve pain), and trazodone (atypical SSRI, anxiety & sleep). Should he have trouble emptying his bladder, we also have diazepam to aid in bladder expression. Bladder expression is the act of compressing the bladder with your hands in order to encourage urination.

Right now, Mister is fast-asleep in his exercise pen. He even fell asleep in the car on the way home. It makes us happy knowing he can relax. We’re taking this opportunity to rest on the couch and watch college football. Well, I’m watching college football.

We have a long way to go. This journey doesn’t end after he’s recovered because he will never be fully recovered. These injuries have permanently altered his life and long-term health. All we can do is everything we can do, and we're honored to have you alongside.

If you know anyone who would be interested in Mister’s story, please share it with them! I hope I can continue to bring joy and light to an otherwise grim situation.

That’s all for now,
Dylan and Evelyn

09/01/2023

Evelyn and I just visited Mister and he’s doing great! You can tell by the look on his face he’s in good spirits. He even felt like giving me a high-five!

The moment he saw us he started crying and we both could have broken down in tears. He continued to cry for two minutes while we gave him kisses and snuggles. It’s crazy how much a dog can be a part of your family. He’s basically our kid.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t bring him home, but we’re hoping we can tomorrow. What’s important is he’s stable. And, if that means spending another night at the hospital, then we’re in support. We may get another update tonight, but tomorrow morning is more likely.

In the meantime, we’re setting everything up at the house. Our bedroom, office, and living room each need to have either a crate or exercise pen to keep him contained. We still have some of this from last time he had surgery, but there are several items we had to buy.

Overall, Evelyn and I feel good. Visiting Mister took off a load of stress, but having been in this circus before, we know what comes next. Caring for a dog after back surgery is exhausting and downright frustrating at times, but worth it. We're not going to have it all together over the next several months. We will lose sleep, be in bad moods, be distracted at work, and want to quit. But, we won't quit because we'll have your support and Mister to remind us everything is ok. And, that is enough for us.

From the tips of our tails to our cold, wet noses, thank you,
Evelyn and Dylan

visit our website to view more content or support Mister through donation: helpmisterwalk.com

09/01/2023

Good morning and happy Friday! Mister did well overnight. Evelyn and I thought he’d be coming home today, but the hospital said he’ll need to stay another night.

He is not walking despite entering surgery with motor function in his back legs. The surgeon said this is expected and should regain this ability as he stabilizes on the medication.

Apparently Mister is acting very nervous and p*eing himself when approached by technicians. This makes me sad, and I can’t imagine how scared and painful he must be. On the bright side, I couldn’t get him to p*e prior to surgery so maybe that’s a good thing. As long as they don’t start scaring the s**t out of him, we’re doing good.

What I’m most excited about in this update is….We are able to visit him today around noon! I will give him a snuggle and a kiss for everyone and get a few pictures.

Talk soon,
Dylan

P.S.
I can’t say enough about the care, discretion, and professionalism we’ve experienced at Nashville Veterinary Specialists. And, specifically, with Dr. Rossi House (https://www.nashvillevetspecialists.com/staff/rossi-house). She has overseen and performed both of Mister’s surgeries and has instilled confidence in us the entire way. Thank you, Dr. House!

08/31/2023

Mister is out of surgery! Everything went smoothly with no complications. He is currently curled up in his bed at the hospital under 24/7 monitoring.

We can expect him to stay there tonight with the possibility of coming home tomorrow. It all depends on how he's doing in the morning. Either way, we'll get to see him tomorrow!

The scary part is over, but the hard part is just beginning.

I think I need a nap,
Dylan

08/31/2023

See Mister's status 24/7 by visiting helpmisterwalk.com

08/31/2023

Mister is done with his MRI and it’s clear he has a herniated disc between his 5th and 6th vertebrae. Herniations in this region (lumbar) are less likely to cause full paralysis which is why we haven’t seen his motor skills deteriorate any further than they already have. However, this will not heal on its own and surgery is required.

At time of writing, Mister is entering surgery to receive his second hemilaminectomy in the span of 8 months.

I will provide another update as soon as he’s out of surgery.

08/31/2023

I talked to the doctor this morning. She said Mister is stable and hasn’t gotten any worse. He ate some food last night and has been fasting today to prepare for the MRI which is expected to happen around 3pm (central). Based on those results, he will likely go straight into surgery.

She suspects the damaged disc is in his lower back in the lumbar region. His first injury was in his middle back in the thoracic region. The good news is lower-back injury typically requires less recovery time than middle-back injury. That paired with the fact we’ve been through this before should make it easier this go-round. We can hope.

Nothing major has changed with this update and I will keep everyone informed as the day moves on.

Talk soon,
Dylan

08/31/2023

We’re home from the emergency room, defeated and despaired. After a 4-hour wait, the neurologist performed an evaluation and echoed our fears–another disc has ruptured.

Tomorrow, they will perform an MRI to confirm that suspicion, but, there is very little logic to suggest otherwise. Upon confirmation, they’ll move Mister straight into surgery while he is still under anesthesia. Meaning, Mister will most likely be getting another hemilaminectomy tomorrow, just 8 months after his first one.

There’s a lot of reason to lose hope. How many times will this happen? And, how many times is surgery a viable option? Mister is just 4 years old and is already in deep with IVDD (intervertebral disc disease). His young age gives us all the reason to make the rest of his life is as enjoyable as possible. But, his young age also reveals the terrors that could lie ahead as his body becomes weaker with the passing of time.

If it’s this bad at 4, what will it be like at 8? 10? 15?

That’s a hard question to stomach…but it must be asked.

I don’t have a clever way to make all of this sound optimistic. I don’t have a theme to thread this through to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy inside. Sometimes, it just hurts, and that’s ok.

That’s all for today,
Dylan & Evelyn

08/30/2023

Hi everyone! This is not how I wanted the next update to be, but bad news never has good timing.

Mister reinjured his back some time last week and his motor function has deteriorated since. He is not able to walk effectively and is having issues going potty. We've had him on meds and crate-rest for several days now, but it is not helping.

Today, after talking with our veterinarian, we decided to take him to the ER for scans and evaluation. We are on the waitlist at the same place he received his first surgery and should be able to get in in the next couple of hours.

02/28/2023

Mister is off crate-rest and will continue to improve over the next several months 🙌

02/11/2023

Hi everyone! This is Dylan, Mister’s owner. The last couple have months have been a rollercoaster to say the least. Your selflessness, generosity, and support made it bearable. I thank you for that ❤️

In this endeavor, I’ve learned just how much work it takes to run a fundraiser and the amount of time required to move it beyond its beginnings. I, simply, do not have the capacity to do this anymore.

This is not a goodbye, but rather a see ya later. Mister has an appointment soon for his final checkup, and I’ll be sure to provide an update when that happens. Just know he’s doing great. Better than we could have ever hoped!

Until next time,
Dylan

02/03/2023

Like son like father. Mister has taught Dylan a few tricks since this all started.

01/29/2023

Hiya! It's Dylan, Mister's owner, here again with another update!

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email us at [email protected]

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Here we are in the middle of Mister’s road to recovery. It’s flat and straight as far as the eye can see. The only entertainment are trees, road signs, rest areas, and the occasional idiot. What would we do without them? Really though, it’s going well, but there just isn’t much excitement. Now, it’s about being steady at the plow.

Mister has an appointment with the vet this week. He’s been arching his back which indicates he’s in a bit of pain. It can mean there’s a small flare-up around his spine, but it can also mean he’s re-injured something. Given he seems better over the last couple of days, we think it is the former. For now, we’ve been instructed to increase his Gabapentin dosage to 3 times per day. This medication has a sedative effect causing him to sleep more, but that is a good thing given the circumstances. Because of his overall limited motion, I’ve been cutting his calorie intake so he doesn’t gain too much weight. Gaining weight only increases his risk of re-injury.

You can tell he’s sick of being confined. It’s endearing to see him buck like a bull when kibble hits his hard plastic bowl, but any quick movement like that can cause serious damage. Dog owners in this situation are instructed to keep their dogs on STRICT crate rest. This means even if your dog thinks he’s doing better, don’t give in. I made the mistake of letting him hobble in the backyard a couple of times without his harness, and he tried to “run” off. Going from nothing to running can be an enormous strain on a weak back. But, hey, help Mister run again, right?

Tomorrow marks 5 weeks since Mister’s surgery and it already feels like a year; so much has been done. Taking care of an injured dog has had a huge effect on my daily routine. It’s taken a lot out of me, but it’s also given me something to care about. And, that is a gift. It’s given us an opportunity to reach beyond ourselves to do something bigger. Is it going to grow? Yes. How big? I don’t know. Regardless, I appreciate and need the encouragement you all have given me!

In that, may I ask a favor? We are starting a Care Package drive and are raising funds to purchase the first round of goods! Yes, we’ve been raising money to pay for Mister’s recovery, but we want to shift our focus towards helping others. A good way to start is providing supplies to dog owners in our same situation. The goal is to send them home from the hospital with a week’s-worth of supplies. I’ll be discussing this with the animal hospital at Mister’s next appointment, but we need proof we can subsidize this endeavor before I can promise them anything!

I’ve added a form to the website that lets you give directly to the Care Package drive! Go to https://helpmisterwalk.com/donate to help us get there! If you choose one of the care package options, 100% of that will go to this drive. You can even set up regular giving by clicking “Monthly” at the top of the form.

I look forward to keeping you updated. Remember, keep walking even if it’s only a hobble.

Until next time,
Dylan