An expensive week...

This is Duracell. My 8-year old "Jack Russell", whom many of you already know. Poor Duracell has been a very unhappy little man lately and has cost me a small fortune (especially at this time of year!). 2 weeks ago, today, I took him into the vet to have his right hind leg checked out because he's been limping around on 3 legs for a while. Every now and then he seemed to come right and manage on all 4 legs, but generally, the problem was just not getting better. After his examination, the Doctor informed me that Duracell had severed his cruciate ligament, which holds the shin bone to the knee. It's not something that can ever re-grow or heal itself, so I was kinda forced into surgery. The price tag - R4,500.00 (that's nearly $600.00), which didn't including the consultation fee nor the antibiotics I had to give him until the date of surgery!

The op took place on Thursday and my baby had to spend the night at the vet's clinic. I collected him on Friday afternoon and he's been as good as gold ever since. He's normally hyperactive and I was pretty worried about keeping him quiet once he got home, but he's been quite lethargic so it hasn't been too tough. His leg is bandaged up from toe to thigh. It's hard work and I hear the rehab is quite a thing too, but worth it. Duracell's not even allowed to walk around the garden without a lead at the moment, he has to take it very slow too, which forces him to put his foot down. I can't wait for him to be back to his busy old self!

Added to my woes, Amber, my 9-year old Ridgeback has also got some problems that have developed over the last few days. She's always had hormone problems and a non-functioning thyroid and takes huge doses of medication every day to help her overcome these problems, but she's been needing to get outside to 'wee' literally every 5 minutes. It's insane. I had to collect a urine sample on Saturday morning (don't ask, I'll just say that we need a new soup ladle). Turns that while there is no trace of infection, her urine is very dilute. She does drink a huge amount of water though. I was instructed to limit her water intake over night and to re-collect and test again today. I'll probably only hear from them again after lunch time. I am in a bit of a panic that, with all her medication, Amber's kidneys have just decided to call it quits. The vet has assured me that there are a few things they can do to help her, but the fact of the matter is that she is 9. I am feeling pretty down about it. She was Jacques absolute princess.

Other then all these dog related expenses, I also had to replace all 4 tyres on my car on Saturday - I wasn't aware they needed replacing, I went in to have a puncture repaired, that couldn't be fixed and was then told that I actually only had 1 good tyre on my car. Safety comes first, right? So another R2,270.00 (± $300.00) later and I at least have a safe car again...

And on top all of that, I had SUCH a busy weekend. And work's been totally off the wall busy. I had a look at my diary and between now and Christmas, Jake and I have 2 weekend days where we have nothing on, one of them being yesterday. Seems the silly season has arrived in full force. This week, I've got Christmas shopping to do (and hopefully finish), Christmas lights to go see in Town (it's the first tomorrow!) and our office Christmas party, which we're having at Gordon Ramsay's Maze at the One & Only in the V&A waterfront. I'm really looking forward to it this year. There are only 13 of us going, but it'll be fun anyway. People are always so different out of the office. In March I'll have been working at this company for 10 years (!!) and, even though they drive me nuts, I mostly love my bosses and colleagues. They're all men though, so it's quite nice to meet their better halves too!

Hope every one's doing OK, I'm off to go catch up on some blog-reading!

Love, Sue XXX