Adele's Big Adventure

Look At Me. Walking Around Logan Square!

2012-01-28T16:26:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone,

It's been a few days since my last post but I wanted you to see how much progress I'm making! My wheels are "in the shop" while they make some adjustments to make it easier for me to walk. In the meantime my foster mom was able to retrofit this standing sling with wheels and some extra support and I can use this as a wheel chair too! Here I am walking around Logan Square using all 4 legs to motor. My back legs are still way less functional, but heck, I'm not complaining because I can use these front legs to scoot scoot scoot! My friends at Integrative Pet Care haven't seen this video yet -- I bet they will love it!

And guess how much I weigh? 18 lbs! Yup....fatty! Enjoy.

My First Steps Outside. It Feels So Good!

2012-01-19T20:00:00.005-06:00

I got to take my first steps outside in the "real" world this week. It felt crazy good. Now I am obsessed with looking at the window to see all of the cool stuff out there that I have been missing. With these wheels I can go anywhere! I dare you to try to slow me down! Love to Emma and Dr. Ridley for helping me get to this spot!

Get A Load Of This! I'm MOVING!!

2012-01-19T15:27:00.000-06:00

Barracuda No More!

2012-01-18T22:01:00.000-06:00

Well, the big day arrived. I lost my first baby tooth! Of course it happened with my favorite therapists and friends at Integrative Pet Care. Foster mom missed my big moment! It was my top right canine. I'm excited because apparently the tooth fairy is coming tonight. Foster mom is excited because she says that's one less fang to gnaw on her with!

What will the tooth fairy bring me? I can't wait!

More Friends and More Friends and More Friends!!

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have to admit that I'm a pretty darn social little gal. I make friends wherever I go. My foster mom likes to say I'm "breaking hearts and taking names!" Anyway, I got to spend a few days with Aunt Jackie, she is another CEBR volunteer who babysat me. I got to meet Daisy, her rescue bully, 10 years young, and Anthony and Colton, human kids and my new BFFs. We had a ball. I love being the center of attention. Nope, I'm not ashamed to say it!

I've Got Lots Of Fun Lil' Things To Report

2012-01-10T20:00:00.017-06:00

Hi friends,

I have had such a busy few days and am making friends right and left! Cranberry, Nena, and Fifty, a 2-legged pitbull. I loved him and was very curious about him. I could tell he was "challenged" like myself. But he seems to get around just fine.

I also got to spend time with a frenchie named Tug who really did love to...well...tug. He didn't give me any special treatment in our play. He tugged hard and strong and really made me work for this playtime.

I wish I could have stood up to pull back and forth with him, but know I will be able too in good time! More updates later this week!

Diapers That Stay On! Whooppeeee!

2012-01-10T13:11:00.000-06:00

Get a load of these diaper suspenders! Yup! We figured it out and my diapers now STAY ON! No more poo patties!

YAY!

By the way, look how much I have grown. I'm a big girl now!

Did You See Me Moving In My Wheels?

2012-01-10T13:00:00.000-06:00

Just in case you missed it, I HAVE to post it here! Look at me go!

XOXO

Adele

Cranberry and I Had A BALL!

2012-01-08T01:24:00.000-06:00

My foster mom gave me a big surprise this week. She took me out for the night because said she wanted me to make a new friend... one that would tell me what having orthopedic issues is all about. I wasn't sure what I had in store...but boy oh boy...what fun I had!

I got to meet Cranberry another CEBR rescue bully who was born with issues not too different than mine! She gave me a pep talk and then we got down to business....playing!

Check out our playdate! http://youtu.be/enUgXaYs2fU

I also got to play with Nena too -- we were all fast friends!

I Can Swim Like A Fish!

2011-12-10T20:15:00.000-06:00

Oh....I so love my time with Emma at Integrative. Look at me go!

I'm a Turtle!

2011-12-06T07:30:00.011-06:00

Good morning! I am quite a morning puppy today. I have a full belly and am looking forward to my physical therapy today. Rolling around and scratchin' my back feels so good.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;gt;XOXO&lt;/p&gt;

Have a great day! Love,

Adele

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'!

2011-12-05T21:09:00.000-06:00

Today was a very exciting day for me! I got to spend almost the whole day with my favorite therapists at Integrative Pet Care -- Emma and Jeanine! I am over the moon with my care team. You know what? I am going to be going there every day for the next few weeks! Yup. You got that right! Every darn day! These wonderful folks want to help me get on my feet so badly. They see my potential (and I think they are pretty darn enamored with my puppy kisses too). So momma drops me off and I get to spend time with the therapists throughout the day. She and all of the CEBR volunteers are so grateful.

Today I got to go swimming in the therapy pool not once but twice! Plus I did lots of exercise and flexion and range of motion too. Towards the end of the day I got to meet with Robin, my orthotics expert. I get my own pair of custom boots! She measured me and took a mold for my back legs. Check me out http://youtu.be/a__llCppJDg.

I will soon be the proud new owner of a pair of custom boot braces to help support my back legs as well as a second set of orthotic devices called "walking flippers" which will help me learn to use my back legs properly.

For my front end I am getting something called Dog Legs which will help keep my shoulders and stance in the right position and prevent me from falling into the swimming motion which comes so naturally for me. And now onto some hind leg wheels to help with my therapy. We are hoping that we can find a set of wheels to be donated (Eddies Wheels has been great in the past). Because I am growing it won't be long before I will grow out of them so keeping the expense down is key.

I hope you will follow my physical therapy journey. When I am finally old enough to be out and about and meet you all hopefully it will be on my feet -- both front and back!

Will you help CEBR pay for my orthotics? You can donate directly to my care fund at http://shopcebr.com/items/donations~donation-gifts/Donationadele-detail.htm

More later. Love to all (and especially Emma, Robin and Jeanine)

Adele

My First Thanksgiving! Boy Am I Thankful!

2011-12-03T11:50:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to say "sorry" for not posting for over a week. My foster momma came down with a terrible cold and she was really sick. Of course the best medicine was cuddling with me so she didn't have much time or energy for much else. I was all ready to write my blog but I didn't know how to turn the computer on.

Anyway, I'm back in action now! What do you think of this picture of me? They played a silly Thanksgiving joke on me and put me on a platter with parsley and apples and said they were going to "cook the turkey." I was none too pleased! They were just joking...I think.

I traveled with my foster mom to visit famliy out of state and I got SOOO much attention. They doted on me, kissed me, loved me, held me. I got to meet the extended family including my new human cousin Pam. I nibbled on every finger east of the Mississippi!

Now that I'm back in Chicago things are settling back into the routine. I went to therapy yesterday and you know what? I know weigh 10 whopparooni's! That's pounds for those that don't know. I was only 6 pounds 3 weeks ago and am growing like a weed. On Monday I will get my full physical therapy plan which they say is pretty extensive. I will need lots of help both financially and emotionally to get up onto my feet. But I'm excited to make it happen.

I'm back people! Get ready for some Adele this upcoming week.

Love, turkey and pumpkin pie!

Addie

My Legs Are Starting To Bend!

2011-11-20T23:55:00.000-06:00

I am so proud of my progress that I asked my foster mom to put together a progress chart. She did it in pictures to show the types of exercised that we do. It's very hard work to get my severely contracted muscles to stretch and stretch and stretch. The goal is to get those back knees bent so I can learn to walk on them. So we flex my ankles and mom puts gentle pressure on the back of my knees over an extended period of time to help me. It works! Look! If you want to see this image blown up click here!

I thought you'd be proud of me!

XO Adele

Wooo Weeee Exhausted!

2011-11-20T10:36:00.000-06:00

I took a much needed break from blogging because I have been crazy busy settling into my new therapy routine! Here's the good news (and a hint at my road ahead). I am being treated by the team at Integrative Pet Care and had my initial consultation last week and my first therapy and exercise session. I was SUCH a good girl as they tinkered with my legs, made me stretch, bend and do all sorts of silly yoga poses (including dog head down).

Those ladies that are caring for me are the bomb. I fell in love with them (and the entire practice fell in love with me -- of course!) I got to go back yesterday for another therapy session in which we work mostly on my back legs.

They said that I don't have any flexibility in these hammy legs at all. So the most important thing is going to be to get me pairs of custom orthotics to help me stand in the right position. I also now have a very rigorous exercise plan which includes the Bully Boardwalk, the belly roll and lots and lots of wrapping and stretching of my back legs.

My foster mom said she would post pictures of me doing all of my therapy poses so you could see how intensive it is.

Even though it's lots of work...I love it because it means I get rubs, pets, kisses and attention. Let's hope this helps get me on my feet! Check out how much I love my foster brother Meaty. And my cool Hello Kitty hobbles!

More later.

Adele

"Poo Bunny" Is My Middle Name

2011-11-17T11:22:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to write yesterday. I guess I have to make up for it today with twice as much cuteness. So I decided that today I would write about my favorite subject. Pooping. My foster mom says "poo queen" is my middle name. I'm not afraid to admit it. I like to poo....a lot. In my baby crib, on towels, on the carpet, on the couch, and yes, even in the unsuspecting hands of those that hold me to love me up.

Where does it come from you say? I can't possibly eat that much right? Well, it is a mystery to us all. All I know is that I get a big chuckled out of watching my foster mom say "Adele, again? Really?"

This is her favorite picture of me up to no good....looking angelic, cuddling into my wubba, but look at my back side. Doh! Busted!

I think I smell like roses. Others may disagree. But nothing can mask the scent of my heavenly puppy breath. I promise to update you later today because I have my first appointment with an integrative care veterinarian and a therapist today! Stay tuned for an update on my new exercises and progress later this evening.

Peace and Love,

Adele the Stink Bomb

Walking the Bully Boardwalk!

2011-11-15T22:18:00.000-06:00

Oh boy oh boy! Today is a banner day for me. I have been up on my feet most of the day! I spent lots of therapy time with Debra, one of my favorite care givers. She worked with me on my belly roll and even had me standing on all fours -- ON MY OWN -- for about a minute. I couldn't walk but I could balance myself which made me feel so big and brave and strong!

And then tonight I worked really, really hard in the therapy chute (also known as the Bully Boardwalk). Momma used some freeze dried beef lungs to entice me along and with the help of the sling, I made several passes up and down the chute.

It wore me out pretty quickly but everyone seemed really excited about my progress. That made me excited too. So, I decided to bark, and talk, and squawk.

It's bed time for this little lady. I had a long day with lots of hard work. I'm going to take a nibble or two of my Himalayan Chew and hit the hay.

Love and kisses and puppy breath wishes.

Adele

Making Progress and Friends!

2011-11-14T23:29:00.000-06:00

I woke up totally full of myself this morning and gave my foster mom a a heck of a time when she was trying to get my leg braces on. I kept biting her fingers with my razor sharp teeth. I thought it was hilarious. She went through a half of a roll of tape trying to get it right. I was howling and carrying on the whole time. She wasn't amused. She called me a vampire. Is that rude?

I am getting the hang of this blogging thing and think it will be fun to update you each day. From the time CEBR laid eyes on me on Friday until today, just 3 days later, I am already using my front legs to sit myself up. The braces are definitely working. My back legs are still weak but they force me onto them all day. It's exhausting. I eat standing on my belly roll. I play standing on my belly roll. They hold me up in a sling. So when I need a nap. I need a nap!

Today I got to spend time with Courtney and Dewey. They loved me up and gave me lots of fun new toys. Courtney is a professional photographer and spent hours snapping this machine in my face. Whew...it's tough to be so loved. Momma says that she will show a few of the pictures at a time -- I am too cute and she doesn't want anyone to pass out from all of this adora-bull-ness!

I especially love the donut toy that I stole from Dewey. And Courtney gave me a Himalayan dog chew which I thought was the bees knees...until Alice stole it. Momma kept telling Alice that it was for babies, but Alice didn't care and kept taking it back to her bed. And that darned Meatball keeps taking all of my stuffed toys. Momma keeps saying "no Meaty, that's for baby" but he takes them anyway. Doesn't anyone listen around here?

And now Meatball has taken to getting into my bed with me. They fashioned a really nice baby crib out of a plastic swimming pool -- it's all my own. Until Meatball comes along and hogs up half of the thing!

I have found a friend in Matilda. She is deaf and we speak our own language. She likes to play with me and tosses me around with her nose. I bite her leg and she flips me over and stands over me. It's a heck of a lot of fun!

Check out my videos from today:

http://youtu.be/nRmzovofo-g

http://youtu.be/mMXBXmwyiig

Tomorrow we will be working in the Bully Boardwalk much of the day and work on standing up. I stood about 3 times on my own today. I can't walk on the back legs, but I am pulling myself up and getting them pulled into position beneath me. I'm smart like that.

Until tomorrow,

Adele

The Amazing Staff at Home Depot on Kimball/Addison Help Me On My Journey!

2011-11-13T23:02:00.000-06:00

When you are this cute the most amazing things seem to happen! Right after I arrived on Friday my foster mom learned that I would need a “chute” or walking passage to help me learn to use my front and back legs properly. She set off with measurements and ideas and headed to the local Home Depot to buy the supplies to make what she now calls the “Bully Boardwalk,” my therapy chute.

She picked up the 2 x 8s in the lumber section and realized that I might get a splinter if I rubbed up against the wood. So she decided to head over to flooring to see if there was some sort of covering that could wrap around the wood to make a safe passage for me. She asked several employees for suggestions and they immediately jumped in to help. When they found out what she was making they did the most amazing thing – they offered to build the Bully Boardwalk for me! Porzia, the store manager, asked several wonderful Home Depot staffers named Sergio and Belinda to pull all of the necessary supplies and put their master craftsmanship to work. They hadn’t even met me but they saw pictures of me on my foster mom’s phone and knew they had to help. They fell in love with this sweet face. Who could blame them?

Sergio my hero!

They told my foster mom to come back a few hours later and that it would be all finished. She was so grateful she was crying. They were so kind to her and to my struggles.

As a surprise she brought me to the store with her when she went to pick up the Boardwalk. What happened couldn’t have been more magical! She and I got to meet all of the kind employees who helped make my therapy tunnel with so much TLC. They got to hold me and love me and my first steps in the Bully Boardwalk were successful! I walked with the help of my foster mom. I showed them it worked!

The built me the most beautiful therapy tool. It has smooth rubber sides that have grips to help me anchor myself. The carpet lining on the bottom is nubby so that I can get a good foothold. It is adjustable so that when I grow, it can grow with me. It is nothing short of perfect.

They were so generous that they donated the entire project including supplies to CEBR! And to top it off when the Bully Boardwalk didn’t quite fit in my foster mom’s car, they offered a Home Depot truck to drive it home! So Sergio hand delivered his beautiful creation. Thanks to Porzia, Sergio and Belinda I am going to walk. I just know it.

If you are in the area, please be sure to stop in the Home Depot at 3500 N Kimball Ave and say thank you to their amazing team. Or better yet, drop a line to the paper or Home Depot management telling them that their kind hearted employees have made a huge difference in my life and the lives of CEBR rescues.

THANK YOU HOME DEPOT! I can’t wait to see you all again. I plan to walk in next time!

XOXOXO

Adele

6 Weeks Old and Life Is Getting Better

2011-11-13T21:33:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad you are here reading my blog. After all, it is pretty extraordinary for a 6 week old puppy to write a blog you know. Do you know how hard it is to type on a laptop with paws? I promise to update you often and use this blog to track my journey in my new and wonderful life.