Griffin's Journey

We’ve had a few gorgeous days in NYC!  Griffin and I have enjoyed lengthy morning strolls to bask in the breezy sunshine.  Last night I did my part to support the local restaurant economy (ok – I just really didn’t want to cook!) by ordering dinner from The Hudson, located at the entrance to our favorite park.  Restaurants in NYC are open only for take-out/delivery, although outdoor dining options will be permitted soon and I can’t wait since this is the view from that restaurant!  That’s the George Washington bridge connecting NY on the left and NJ on the right.

View from The Hudson NYC restaurant in the Inwood neighborhood.

Griffin continues to love his home-cooked meals, which I make in batches of about 10 at a time.  He still gets one-third can wet food and 1 cup kibble in the morning, and whatever kibble remains is mixed in with his meals in the afternoon.  Griffin’s supplements include vitamins, powdered and capsule mushrooms, colostrum, Chinese herbs, joint supplements, and fish oil each day! As I portion out his home-cooked meals after cooking, I add the supplements so that the gelatin covering on the pills will soften and disintegrate for easy mixing into his food when I’m ready to serve them.

Griffin’s pill organizer is very helpful in keeping track of his many supplements!

One of our neighbors who recommended the rehab center we went to recently is also a photographer.  We often see him with his pup in the park during our evening strolls.  He had his camera last night and took this photo of Griffin:

Griffin was ready for his close-up!

And here are a few photos that I took of my happy boy!  Enjoy!  xoxo Stacy

Tomorrow will mark 8 weeks since Griffin’s surgery.  It feels both longer than that and also like it was just yesterday.  I am incredibly thankful that he has recovered so well, is living a happy life, and shines as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others. ♥

xoxo Stacy

Griffin in his man-spreading glory!

A helpful reminder from the NYC Parks Department!

A hike in the woods on Monday…

A game of fetch in the park on Tuesday…

A moment of Hudson River zen on Wednesday…

Since Griffin’s rehab appointment on Friday, I’ve noticed that he is moving more fluidly and seems to have more pep in his step, especially on our morning walks of about 1.4 miles done all under his own power.  His new wagon arrived yesterday and we took it for a spin on our late afternoon walk, which allowed us to get home more quickly when we were caught in a downpour, although we both still needed to spend some time with a hair dryer once back home!  We used the wagon again this evening, when the photos and videos below were taken.  I popped Griffin into the wagon, pushed him to the park, lifted him out to run around, and then popped him back in for the ride home when he got tired.  The inside dimensions of his wagon are a standard medium dog bed size (30″ x 20″), so I purchased a 3″ foam bed with an indoor/outdoor washable cover which gives him a very comfortable ride.  Griffin seems to enjoy his new chariot a lot, and I love being able to push the wagon and keep him in front of me instead of pulling him behind me.  Bonus elements include brakes, all terrain wheels, a collapsible basket, and a canopy (which will be great on sunny days and kept some of the rain off Griffin yesterday)!  The new red wagon is going to get a lot of use this summer!

xoxo Stacy

Napping with his Eagle buddy after a long morning walk.

Griffin enjoying his luxurious new limo!

We saw this duo paddle-boarding on the Hudson River tonight!

Griffin has his second rehab appointment today, this time at Advanced Canine Rehabilitation Center in Warren, NJ.  It’s about 45 minutes from our home, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to have to drive to New Jersey!  Griffin was also excited to go for a car ride – both of us are tired of being home!  I was lucky enough to accompany Griffin for his entire visit, which was so helpful in terms of seeing the massage techniques and stretching exercises for Griffin.  David was so patient and informative, taking his time and explaining everything he did.  Just like with human massages, there were some moments when Griffin was uncomfortable due tension in his body, but I could see when the massage would release that tension and his whole body would go limp.  David’s assessment was that overall, Griffin is doing remarkably well.  We will be going back in a month, at which time David will have a recommendation for a brace for Griffin’s carpal (wrist) joint on his remaining front leg.

Griffin got a summer haircut yesterday.  It’s a tad shorter than I normally have it cut, but it will grow fast and the shorter hairdo helped to even out the patchwork all over Griffin’s body from the many recent times he has been shaved for surgery and subsequent procedures.  He’s a happy, handsome boy no matter what!

After waiting 6 days from the second round to chemo to make sure he did not suffer any side effects, Griffin started taking some of his supplements (vitamins, colostrum, and Turkey Tail) yesterday.  I’ll introduce the remaining ones slowly to ensure he tolerates them well, mindful that dosages may need to be tweaked to be just right.

Nothing much else is new on our end.  Griffin continues to thrive (he is now 7 weeks and 1 day post surgery) and as long as he is doing well, I am happy!

xoxo Stacy

I guess I make a comfy pillow while resting under a tree in our favorite park!

Happy boy before summer haircut…

…and still incredibly happy after grooming!

Griffin was worn out by rehab today!

Today was a lazy Sunday for Griffin, taking a 1.5 hour stroll in the morning and sleeping most of the day.  He loves the recipe I made for him yesterday (ground turkey, kale, bell peppers, apples, cottage cheese, sardines, and dried blueberries – yum!) and licked his bowl clean this afternoon.  Griffin wasn’t super excited about going for a walk this evening, so I pulled out the wagon, loaded him up, and off we went.  He walked around for a bit once we arrived at the park and when he was ready for a ride, he stood next to the wagon so I could lift him back inside.  Smart boy!

xoxo Stacy

This is our bench where we rest for a while before heading into the homestretch on our morning walks.

Enjoying a rest in the grass!

Getting a lift on our evening stroll!

My boy, the clown – a little fetch, a little snacking on weeds, a little roll in the grass, and then back with the ball!

This is point where we stop to rest before starting the last leg back home.

Lots of good smells in the park today!