My dog Suzy

Last night, my mom drove into town for my niece's 3rd birthday. She brought my dog Suzy along to bring her back to me.   When I had the 2nd right foot surgery, the surgeon said no walking for 6 weeks. I live on the second floor, and so to let Suzy go out, I have to walk her down the stairs and back up on a leash a few times a day.   My roommate and friends helped me out the first 2 weeks, but it got to where I needed a solution for the full remaining month. My mom was in town back then for my nephew's birthday, so she took Suzy which I am so thankful for!

I was so happy to have her back last night, I played peekaboo with the car and gate and I was coming out to get her, she kept looking like, wait, is that my mom?!  

We went upstairs (I can walk now, just in the boot one more week and then should be totally back to normal foot wise!)  and as we got to the top of the stairs, she started stumbling. By the time we were 3 more feet on the bridge, she fell over sideways.  She tried to get up and kept falling. Then tried again and literally did the splits.  I freaked out, but thought it Might be because she was in a car a long time?  That or I would be taking her to the vet first thing in the morning if she is still stumbling while walking. 

She stopped stumbling, and we had a nice night. This morning I took her out, no prob going down the stairs, but going up was a struggle for her, and when we got to the top she flung herself sideways into the wall and just stayed down, panting and drooling heavily.  I think that means she is in pain.  I held her head, and spoke soothingly, but she couldn't move for a bit. She tried to get up, and I picked her back legs up and put them in position, and slowly we made it back to the apartment door.

:(  I think I have to say goodbye to my sweet dog and let her live with my mom in the country where there aren't any stairs. I want to say I am confident in my ability to carry her up and down the stairs, but my foot Just healed from being broken for 9 months, plus in a year I need it on my left foot.  And, besides that, *sigh*  what is really the best for Sue?  My mom said she was sooo happy exploring outside (my mom has a massively big backyard all fenced in for dog exploration enjoyment), and was sticking right by my mom's side when inside.   Ugh, I want her end years to be really good happy ones, she is 12.5 yrs old. I think the loving thing to do is let her go.  Plus, I would be lying if I didn't say that the added stress of worrying about her would probably put me over the edge emotionally with all my health issues going on right now.

She will have a ton of fun, and I will visit and say hello to her on the phone.  New phase of life all over the place. I got Suzy when I was 23.  She went Everywhere with me (including the hotel to take the Bar Exam!!) Now I am 30 and ready for a 30 yr old's life, and so maybe if it had to happen, a gift is the timing of it all. I love her so much, she is such a stinker ;)  so beautiful. I have been given a wonderful gift in that dog.