Spike - a tail of inspiration

Relaxing and dreaming at BSA Ringwood...

It is now two months since Spike had his TPLO Surgery for the ruptured cruciate ligament in his hind leg.  He has been on restricted exercise since then and his mind has struggled to cope with this.  We have tried to manage the situation as best we can and numerous toys and special permissions have been given to him.  Not every dog gets the living room to themselves with their choice of movie playing on the DVD on the rare occasions when both Ian and I need to leave the house together!

The good news is that the operation has been a success and a recent x-ray has confirmed that the bone is healing well.

The face of apprehension - at the Vets

The bad news is that Spike has a very inflamed patellar tendon, which is clearly causing him pain and discomfort.  

He is also acutely lame in his front left leg, a combination of soft tissue damage and his elbow dysplasia worsening, something we have been prepared for ever since we learned of the extent of the damage in his elbow joints.

The really good news is that Spike has already exceeded the life expectancy that was predicted in January and it is clear that his spirit and determination remain strong.  

Spike's devout attitude to wanting to run is one that I can relate to very well. 

However, while I understood why I was not allowed to run for 4 months, Spike is confused and does not understand why he cannot run and have fun with the other doggy members of the team.  It is heart-breaking to see his little face when the others go running.  He has been incredibly accepting of the restrictions imposed on him and not once has he rebelled or become destructive, not even his toys….

Spike has a little den in our living room where (through choice) he spends most of his time.  He has special bes and lots and lots of toys which he neatly piles up in one corner of his den.  Every now and again he rearranges them into the diagonally opposite corner, in just as neat a pile.  He is very protective of his den and his toys and gets quite upset if one of the other dogs wanders into the den and removes a toy.  Being bottom of our pack he cannot stop them and we have to be discrete when “rescuing” his toys from a fatal ending.  

Thankfully the toy destroying husky of the house is very respectful of Spike’s little den and only ventures into Spike’s den when he is trying to get my attention…..

Spike has been receiving excellent help during his recovery.  As well as the amazing support from the North Pole Marathon Spike has had special laser treatment from one of his most special friends.  Without her help and support Spike would never have received the medical help essential to his survival.

Icing Spike's leg - he is very helpful :-)

Spike’s biggest supporter and helper is most definitely Ian.

Ian carries Spike when he needs to be carried; helps him eat when he refuses to eat; ices his leg when it needs to be iced; cuddles him when he needs a cuddle; rescues his toys when they need to be rescued; makes him do his special exercises; basically Ian is there for Spike 24/7.  They have a very special relationship and it is heart-warming to witness.

Spike has many people to thank for giving him the gift of life and hopefully they are reading this and know just how grateful we are for their help.  Without their help Spike would never have made it this far.   There are some wonderful people in this world, people that choose to help save a life no matter what it takes.   

Humanity in its purest form crosses the divide between species and there can be no other greater inspiration than knowing that whatever happens, everybody has a guardian angel for them somewhere.

Ghostly adventures

Huskies Running's Hallowe'en Jack-o'-lantern

Friday 31^st October, the night of terror that comes but once a year….. Hallowe’en night means tricks for some and treats for others.  We prefer the treat option.

For the last three years Believe and Achieve have organised the fabulous Ghost Race, which takes place on the Friday closest to the night of Hallowe’en.  It is a 5 mile race starting at Alexandra Park in Portsmouth and runs across varied terrain around the Hilsea Lido and Foxes Forest.  It is run in complete darkness and there are many ghouls and beasts that leap out from the trees as you negotiate the course which includes wooden bridges, narrow paths and exposed tree roots.  Not for the faint hearted this is a course that requires a very good torch, focused mind and courage to enter the woods…..

Krofti the Moth

Or if you just fancy having some fun on a Friday evening then this is the perfect event for you.  Fancy dress is not compulsory, but is recommended for extra fun.

We first learned of this event in 2012 when our good friend Amanda ran it with Krofti our eldest Siberian Husky (dressed as a moth).    We would have loved to run it with them but had been invited to run New York Marathon as official pace team members.  Amanda and Krofti had such a fabulous time that we decided that we would definitely run it in 2013, and we did.  I ran as a Fairy Princess with my two pumpkin Siberian Huskies providing the “ride” and Ian ran as a Ghostbuster.  I don’t think anyone had ever seen two pumpkins move as quickly as those two did off the start line!  We slowed as soon as we encountered the first ghoul as one of the husky pumpkins decided that it was better to trot and “woo woo” at any nasty ghouls that dared cross his path.

Ghost Race 2013

This year the plan was to just potter round the course as I was wearing a fracture boot and am currently recovering from injury. 

This year I was dressed a ghost and Ian was a werewolf.  Ian ran with Kez while Kroi helped guide me round the course. 

The werewolf and the Ghost....

We had fun.  I tripped over my sheet and landed in a heap on the floor, had my head torch yanked off my head by a low overhanging branch and went a little bit quicker than just a potter.  Ian the werewolf zoomed of in the distance at supersonic speed with Kez the Husky by his side ready to protect him from any Zombie threat…..

Kroi remembered the course and his experience from last year and instead of “wooing” at ghouls he laughed at them and trotted past, cursing me for slowing him down.  He also let me know when I managed to wander off course due to a lapse in my concentration.

The medals: 2012, 2013 & 2014

Awaiting us at the finish was a fabulous bespoke medal and goody bag with lots of sweet treats.  Even the dogs got medals.  The Huskies Running team are all now the proud owners of a full set of these fabulous medals.

If you fancy some fun next Hallowe’en Friday, check out this race, you will not be disappointed.

(Images thanks to Ian J Berry, Ian Burnett, Amanda Tattersall & me)

Spike: Negotiating Mountains together

A smiling Spike

It was with great trepidation that we decided to take Spike with us on our little family trip to North Wales.  Only weeks after major surgery on his hind leg and currently under very strict restrictions combined with the fact that he struggles to cope with new situations had us thinking that the best option would be to leave him at home.  

Life has been very stressful lately for our little “family” and we were concerned that our plans could potentially compound the situation.

A sad Spike

The three Siberian Huskies we have had since babies are very flexible and relaxed about their attitude towards change and new things.  They follow my lead and if I am cool about it, then so are they.  Spike has a completely different attitude and struggles with any form of change.  He needs to eat in the same place, sleep in the same place and keep his toys in the same place (neatly arranged in his sleeping quarters in the living room of our house).  “New” or “different” brings fear to Spike and brings about a very negative response, a responses that can be both unpredictable and hard to manage.

Spike’s recovery from surgery is very slow, fraught with worry and full of fear and there are many occasions when it feels like we have huge mountains to climb together.  Precipitous peaks that we fear will never be negotiated satisfactorily.

However, Spike is an integral part of our family and to leave him at home would have been both heart breaking and worrying.   We decided to take him and deal with come what may…

Scary sand, where paws sink

The good news is that we (okay me), over-thought the situation and Spike absolutely loved his little family holiday and thrived on the experience.  In the past three weeks he has not smiled much, but while we were away he smiled a lot.  He ate very little, but that is okay as food is not a priority to him and never has been.

Spike got to meet lovely people and watch the Snowdonia Marathon, where the love of his life (Ian) ran an amazing time of 2:56.  One of his ambitions in life was to run a sub 3 on Snowdonia Marathon and this year he totally nailed it!  I personally think that his 5 am very fast running with Siberian Huskies on muddy hills helped him a little bit. Ian believes that it was solely down to the beer and pizza that he consumed before the race at the awesome Gallt-y-Glyn.  The reality is that he works very hard and digs deeper than most when he needs to.

Spike went to the beach for the first time ever and his response was both heart-warming and heart-breaking.  He loved the waves as he watched them crescendo on the beach.  But he was petrified when his paws sunk into deep sand as we walked close to the surf.  He dropped to the sand, scared to walk further.  I tried to convince him that it was safe, but I failed and we had to return to the sanctuary of the other huskies and Ian that were waiting for us on the sand dunes.

Meeting a jelly fish... I try to help

Meeting a jelly fish

Spike also met a jelly fish.  Sadly it was a dead jelly fish left on the sea shore when the tide ebbed away to the ocean.  When he first saw it, Spike froze and tried to leap over it.  But I was determined to help him understand that although he needed to “respect” it, there was no imminent danger.  He hesitated and tried to approach it, appearing confused when he saw his reflection upon its shiny surface.  He stood staring at it for a very long time before slowly advancing forwards and “testing” it with his teeth.  

After that he decided that all was well and whenever we went near it he tried to pull me towards it!  I guess that must mean that Jelly Fish taste nice, perhaps a little like a jelly bean?

Meanwhile we took one of the other Huskies over to “meet” the Jelly Fish and he merely looked at the creature for a millisecond and tapped it with his paw before moving on to explore the rest of the beach.

I wonder if Spike dreams like I do...

We are home now and as I write, Spike is sleeping in his special place with his toys nestled against his back.  He is smiling and looks very content.  We made the right decision taking him with us, of that I am sure.

Spike: Stepping Stones to Success

It has been nearly three weeks since Spike had the surgery to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament.  Three weeks full of many ups and many downs.  The wound on his leg has almost fully healed and the fur is growing back on both his leg and the area of his spine that was shaved for the epidural.

Spike is putting weight on his leg, but is struggling to always fully weight bear as he has lost confidence using that leg. He hops on three legs given the opportunity as that is his preference.  Hopping is quicker that walking on a weakened leg and we all know that Spike likes to move as quickly as possible!

We are working hard to help him regain his confidence and leg strength, but recovery is long and slow and a process fraught with fear and worry.

Big stepping stone - scratching an ear with his injured leg

Spike is not allowed to play with his husky friends which makes him very sad.  He cannot go upstairs, mix freely with his pack or run around the garden.  He is confined to one room in the house on the rare occasions when neither of us humans are not home to take care of him.  Our lives revolve around his care and welfare, a situation that we are fully committed to and leaving him alone is very difficult.  

He has a big cage which has become his special place, it has his special beds and toys and treats in it and none of the other huskies ever venture inside.  We placed the cage in his favourite place in the living room, very close to where Ian does most of his work during the day.  This is a place where Spike feels happy and secure, close to his favourite human.  We have never had to close the door on the cage, for which I am extremely grateful as to force him to live in such a confined space would be heart-breaking.  Spike chooses to spend 90% of each day in his special place, with his toys and treats, resting and recovering.  Spike has little desire to eat and we have to tempt him with whatever we can.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.

Our dogs have not historically been given dog chews or dog treats.  They are fed raw and natural food and have never been trained using food as motivation.  Although the exception to this is probably the homemade flapjack that I make especially for them! Spike struggles with bones due to his deformed jaw and lack of strength and technique, so the option to use bones as a boredom reliever does not work.  We decided to get some raw hide treats for him to try….  I am pleased to report that our plan appears to be working as he likes the raw hide chews and they don’t upset his tummy.

Meeting new friends

Following on from the success of the chew treats, we decided today to take Spike out for the morning as a special treat and to break the monotony and boredom of his current situation.  We took him to a parkrun event in Bath where there would be lots of people and lots of trees to sniff.  His friend Krofti came too.  Krofti at 14 years of age no longer runs further than once around the block, is completely deaf and a big bit senile, but loves being with people and going on little adventures.

A pre run cuddle and promise for the future

I am pleased to report that Spike and Krofti loved today’s little adventure.  For the first time in nearly three weeks Spike smiled.  That very special smile that we have all come to love was on display for most of the morning.  He tried to jump around every time a person came to say hello, his enthusiasm was delightful to witness but quite hazardous for me to experience.  Trying to restrain an over enthusiastic young dog with my broken foot in a special boot and in the mud requires a great deal of concentration!  Fracture boots do not provide the same grip or control that Salomon shoes do!!

When we returned home both Spike and Krofti were very tired, but they looked content as they lay down on their special beds.  Both were soundly asleep and dreaming within minutes of walking through the front door.

Watching and waiting.  One day we will run again....

Spike and I both have a long road ahead of us before we will be able to run again, but days like today are amazing stepping stones in our adventure.  

Spike: born to be a Champion

I get a boot, Spike gets just a sticky plaster....

A couple of weeks ago I set a challenge for Spike and I.  The challenge sounds like a simple one, with the winner being the first one to run without limping for a distance of one mile.  The hard part is that we both need to recover from having a few nuts and bolts and metal bits fitted to our bones first.

Last week Spike had the operation to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament.  Spike had an operation called Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO), which basically means that they broke his leg, changed the angle of his tibial plateau and secured with a metal plate.  It sounds harsh but due to Spike’s chronic problems with hip and elbow dysplaysia it was the only viable option.  He needs all four legs to work and distribute the strain applied to his weakened joints, extra force on a weakened joint could ultimately spell disaster for Spike.  TPLO surgery would hopefully allow Spike to weight bear on his damaged leg within hours of surgery, or so we hoped.

Thanks to the wonderful support of the North Pole Marathon, Spike was able to have this very expensive surgery, which took place on 22^nd September.

Resting, and relaxing

When we picked Spike up from Anderson Moores after his operation we were prepared to see a very subdued and unhappy Spike having had to undergo another medical procedure and spend more time away from his family.  But we were not prepared for what we were told.

Spike had been more than just “unhappy” during the 24 hours he had been away from us and had reacted very badly to strange people handling him.  They had been very fearful of his aggression and had resorted to heavily sedating him.  This is the same Spike that we have come to love for his strength of character and determination, the dog that is bottom of our pack and allows us to do anything to him because he trusts us and respects us.  But he is a survivor and a fighter and he now has major issues with most veterinary people as he thinks they mean him harm.  While we are with him he accepts what must be done, when we are absent he trusts no one.  This breaks my heart as we cannot be with him every time he needs treatment. 

There is one exception to this, this only vet I have ever met that has my full and utmost trust and respect.  She knows Spike and sees the amazing little dude that we have all come to know and love.  Spike trusts her, probably only one of three people in this world that he now completely trusts.  She has diagnosed Spike’s condition right from the start.  I describe the symptoms and she knows what is happening inside his body.  Without her in his life Spike may well have had to experience far more exploratory procedures that would have caused him more emotional harm.  She is good, very good and we are so very grateful for that.

Huge progress - a post operative scratch with his bad leg

It is not yet two weeks since Spike’s operation, but already our worst fears have been dispelled.  He walked on his leg within 24 hours of the operation and today he tried to “do a zoomie” around the garden.  Thankfully I stopped him in time!  He is on very restricted exercise for the next 12 weeks, but he is refusing to accept that….

He requires lots of physiotherapy treatment and lots of tender loving care.  He has the determination and the attitude to recover from this minor setback and one day he will return to running one day, of that I am sure. 

The beer that was created with Spike in mind

Behind all the smiles and happy Facebook uploads lay countless hours of trying really hard to teach Spike to walk again.  Spike will only regain his proper conformation by learning to walk properly. This means that every time we work with him we have to go VERY slowly while desperately trying to curb his enthusiasm to leap around on three legs.  It tests our patience and we mutter bad words under our breath, but it is what he needs and we want the best for him.  We can manage our frustration by having a few beers while he sleeps.

The past two weeks have been very stressful as we worry about every move that Spike makes.  He did not eat for a couple of days which worried us lots.  But we tempted him with special treats and lovingly prepared dinners and it worked, eventually he started eating and has not looked back.  He hates his medicine, much like me!  I force it down his throat while refusing to take mine, which I agree is a little bit hypocritical.

Our combined drugs basket

I have not yet had my operation and continue to limp around under a dark cloud, feeling sorry for myself, meanwhile Spike sleeps a lot but when he is awake he acts just like a normal Husky.  He wants to run and wants to live life to the full.  At the moment he is definitely leading the way in our one mile running challenge.  I firmly believe he will run that mile before I do and he will so love his special prize.  He is the most worthy winner and deserves recognition for the fact that he has the right attitude and the right determination to succeed.  This boy deserves to be a Champion and one day he will be just that.

The CT Scan: A journey through time...

Siemens CT Scanner

When I was first informed that I required a CT Scan on my foot I was not worried.  Many years ago I had a scan performed on my left ankle and I have no negative memories of it.
I know that in simplistic terms CT scans produce computerised images of inside the bone – lots of little slices through the bone rather than just the surface like conventional x-ray images.  I envisaged CT Scanning equipment that looked like a giant x-ray machine and as I lay there it would silently capture images of my insides.  I was prescribed a CT scan to determine an “abnormality” within the big toe joint of my right foot which had been seen on previous conventional x-rays.

The actual CT Scanning machine looks like a giant doughnut and the subject is positioned inside it dependant on which area of the body is being scanned.  In my case I was laying down looking straight at it with only my foot inside the actual “doughnut”.

As I looked at the machine around my lower leg I was instantly reminded of scenes from science fiction films where people are transported to other worlds and parasitic aliens try to invade human bodies.  I laughed at my active imagination and blamed it on all the Patrick Lee books that I have been reading recently.   I had just about composed myself when the noise started…

The actual Stargate....

When the CT machine started working it  took me by surprise.  I was not prepared for the noise and to be honest I felt very scared.  The noise reminded me of the noise that the portal gate makes in Stargate SG1 when it starts dialling into another world.  My imagination went into overload and I could see spinning symbols and wormholes appearing through the giant ring….

It was over in minutes and I am glad to report that I was not transported into another world or attacked by aliens!  However, something amazing did happen, I was transported back in time…..

I am not sure at which point it happened, but I suddenly accessed a memory of an incident that happened a very long time ago.  This incident is now the biggest suspect in the quest to determine what the problem is with the bone in my big toe joint.

As I emerged from the scanning machine I looked down at my foot and saw that the scar across my big toe was still there.  I had forgotten all about the accident, wiped it from my memory and not once had it entered my mind during all the investigations

and recent medical developments with my foot.

When I was a young teenager one day at school a desk fell on my foot.  It was a heavily built wooden style desk and the edge of it landed on my right foot, the big toe absorbing most of the impact.  It hurt like crazy and there was a nasty little wound.  I remember the teacher telling me that it was nothing serious and all it needed was a little plaster to cover the bleeding wound. 

The accident with the desk happened at a time when I was getting a reputation for being someone who “pretended” to have a sore ankle as I would limp one minute and then be fine the next.  (This ankle injury would ultimately live with me for the rest of my life and take two decades to find a doctor that actually believed me. Three operations later I still frequently find myself limping one minute and then running very long distances the next….) 

I couldn't find a photo of the desk...

Anyway, I basically ignored the problem with my big toe as my ankle was more painful and a greater concern.  Once the wound healed up I ignored it and eventually it went away or certainly was no longer a problem until about ten years ago I started feeling pain in it.  The pain was intermittent and I never worried about it, just assumed that it was due to over compensation when my ankle was hurting.  

Then about two years ago it became a significant problem, causing a lot of pain and inflammation when I was running and significant distance.  The pain intensified as time passed, like really bad toothache deep in the joint.  I saw a foot specialist in 2013 who diagnosed the problem as hallux-valgus for which surgery was recommended in early 2014.  The surgery involves bolts and screws in the bone and the recovery is very long, not something I was keen to pursue unless absolutely necessary.  I would also need to have a 6 week period of no running at all and taking daily anti-inflammatory drugs before they could perform the operation.

I decided to postpone the surgery as I was able to manage the pain and control the swelling and to be honest my ankle was more of a problem earlier this year.  Plus there were other priorities in my life such as realising my sub 4 minute mile dream with Spike.

A very special Husky and "his" beer

My plan was working until July of this year when suddenly the pain in my big toe became unbearable.  It was so painful that I could not even walk and had to resort to serious hobbling and walking on the outside of my foot.  The doctor prescribed very strong painkillers and anti-inflammatories, based on the hallux-valgus diagnosis.  I then developed a strange pain further up the foot and was advised that it was due to over compensation, which made sense as I walking in a very weird way.

Then one day there was a really loud crack and the pain was worse than ever.  It took two days to convince the Doctor to send me for an x-ray at A&E, where I was advised that I had two fractures – one at the top of the shaft on the second metatarsal and one in the big toe joint.  The second metatarsal fracture was almost definitely a stress fracture, but there was something weird about the bone structure of my big toe, it looked like an old fracture.

When my consultant viewed the x-rays and compared them with all the x-rays that have been taken in the past two years this “fracture” appears in all of them.  My consultant cannot explain it neither could any of the Radiologists that were shown the images of my foot.  Hopefully the images from the CT Scan will identify what it is and my consultant will determine how best to treat it.   

In seven days’ time I will hopefully have the answer and a way forward that will allow me to walk again and lead a normal life.  I have been disabled for 2.5 months and as each week passes it becomes harder to manage. 

The experience yesterday was a revelation that I did not expect and has given me a renewed hope for the future.   

The CT Scan may have helped me travel back in time yesterday and ultimately provide a solution to my pain, but I don’t need a time travelling machine to show me the future, I have my dreams for that….

(Photos courtesy of Siemens, Stargate Command & Ian J Berry)

The Spikes of Life

Spike in the early days

When Spike first entered our life as a pathetic and very underweight puppy in April 2013 he had been severely neglected and abused.  Our job as his foster home for SHCGB Welfare was to rehabilitate him and help him find a wonderful home.  We were a temporary home and transitional place on his journey of life. 

We helped him gain weight, grow a fabulous coat of plush fur and watched his personality grow and shine.  As he grew in body and mind we dreamed of finding him the perfect forever home that would allow his personality to fully shine.

Big Spike smiles

Sadly fate has not been kind to Spike and the combination of his ancestry and the extreme neglect in the formative months of his life resulted in a body that is very broken.  When we learned of the full extent of his disabilities and the prognosis for life we chose to adopt him and made a vow to give him the best life that we could.  As long as Spike smiled we would know that were fulfilling our vow to him.

In January this year, after his last CT scan when the full extent of his elbow dysplasia was confirmed, we were told to expect Spike to live for 6 – 9 months.  We are now near the end of September and he is still with us, but his condition has deteriorated and last week we feared the worst.

Last Sunday Spike ruptured his cruciate ligament and has walked (or hopped) on three legs since then.  This is putting huge strain on his other hind leg and both forelegs.  Not good news for a dog that has severe elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia.

Doing what he loves best

Prior to the cruciate injury (sustained when he stumbled in a pothole yards from home), Spike had started showing extreme lameness in his front right leg (arm).  His ability to exercise had reduced and he was smiling less.  But in true Husky style, Spike found other ways to entertain his active mind and hedgehog hunting became a nightly activity.  He would head off outside every evening and wait for the hedgehog to enter our garden….

One of Spike's friends

Normally they arrived around 2am and Spike would greet the hedgehog with a crescendo of barking.  That was the cue for Ian and me to leap out of bed and rescue the hedgehog.  So far we have rescued and relocated three hedgehogs, much to the disappointment of Spike who still longingly looks at the fence line each night looking for his spikey friends.  No hedgehogs have entered our garden since Spike injured his cruciate, but we still have the special “hedgehog holding pen” just in case….   

It is very interesting watching Spike manage his pain and see how much he still smiles even though it hurts so much.  I find it especially humbling as I too have to manage daily pain in two of my joints. I am grumpy, miserable and having been unable to run for over two months I am really struggling to cope with normal life.  I refuse to take drugs and pretend that I can continue without an operation, ignore it and it may go away…

Meanwhile we give Spike drugs to make life easier for him and when surgery is suggested, we accept that it must happen and somehow we will find the time and money to manage.

Thankfully Spike has the most amazing sponsor and supporter.  Thanks to the North Pole Marathon Spike can have the operation required to repair his cruciate ligament.  There is only one surgical option available to him because of his elbow problems and it is very expensive.  It is called TPLO, if you would like to know more about the procedure please do have a look.

Without the help that the North Pole Marathon have provided, Spike would not be able to have this surgery which for him is life-saving.  Without this invaluable help Spike would not be able to continue smiling, something that we dream of continuing for the foreseeable future.

Dreams are what propel us into action and I am someone that dreams a lot.  I once had a dream that Spike and I would run together on top of the World.  Two beings with broken bodies brought together by their love of running and doing it on one of the most amazing places on this Planet.

Whatever the future holds for Spike or for me, neither of us is ready to give up running.  Spike will have his operation tomorrow and my surgery will follow in the coming weeks.

With Ian’s help and support and the support of people like you, combined with our joint determination to run I know that Spike and me will once again run together.  We may never actually run on top of the World, but in our hearts we will.