As you know I visit the Physical Therapists three times a week.  And since I have a couple people requesting more info specific to a medical prognosis,  I will give you what I have been told.

Based on the amount of muscle mass I continue to develop and the amount of flexion I continue to gain in my tendons and ligaments, unfortunately, just like in people,  there still are no guarantees I will walk again.  On the flip side of that, they say I have not reached a place where I am not progressing.  I am not over weight by any means but due to the amount of muscle mass gained, instead of weighing in the mid 50's, I am now in the mid 60's.

I am bearing full weight on my hind legs with assistance but cannot do it for long.  My front legs still require further degrees of flexibility in the pastern area and my rear left knee has subluxation issues so they are going to order a custom-made support to help with that.  I gained another 1-1/2 inches of muscle mass in my hindquarters and another inch in the front.

Actions speak louder than medical words and anyone who can see me from when I first arrived to where I am today is totally astounded by my progress.  Physical therapy  can be a long  process but coming from a place where my feet were completely bent up like flippers almost as if they were attached to the back of my upper forearms AND, where no amount of force was going to change that, to a place where one straightens completely and the other is close... is,  a lot!  To go from literally no muscle mass at all to gaining a total of 4 inches is, a lot! To go from not being expected to live to celebrating my 2nd year birthday is, A LOT!  To be in a forever home with two people who love me more than the very air they breathe, is, quite honestly... everything.  None of us are asking for he impossible,  just a chance to make room for the possible - THAT'S the chance I'm getting.  Medical translation....LOVE.

EVALUATION TIME!!! for my progress at physical therapy!  Wish me luck but mom thinks it's gonna be a Rhu-iffic one!  With assistance, I have been bearing weight now on all my legs, especially the back ones, though I am still needing to be a little more flexible in the ankles and knees.  But,  I am Rhu-ready!  Well okay... in all honesty?   I'll admit it.   I DO kinda enjoy mom carrying my furry behind any time day or night …yeah, yeah, yeah,  sometimes I've been known to need to "go" in the middle of the night!  So this is the way I work this deal out… I usually start by gettin' right within inches of mom's face, then with all my might… AIR-BARK!!! Usually two real close together does the trick. Ah....  Works like a charm and guess what?  Mom still doesn't get mad at me though she usually DOES give me a chance to confirm that this is my greatest need…"You have to go outside?"  "Right now?"  "Are you sure?"  "You better not be kiddin' me".  Hee-,hee…  Sometimes when I'm out in the grass and it's all dark 'n stuff,  I make up things that I think I see or noises that I think might be a monster or somethin' - course I have yet to really see a monster, but, you know, what if there were?  Well I'd be right there just like any good guard dog…waiting' for my mom to pick me up and get me the heck outta there!!  You know, she can move pretty fast even carryin' my lard packin',  furry behind!  I LOVE IT!!  We've always seemed to light years ahead of that imagined monster too, thank goodness.

Mom and Dad took me to a dog and people restaurant around here called "Lazy Dog Cafe" Check out the pics!   It was so fun and everyone there asked about me - ooh big surprise!!  I was the ONLY dog-on-wheels there and I KNOW the other dogs were jealous!   Then we went to the frozen yogurt place where I always score on slurpin' the bottom of the cups.  I LOVE that!  I even have an order of events for my begging routine… work mom first because she finishes first, then go to dad.  When the other members of my pack are there, I know EXACTLY who finishes,  in what order,  and then I, righteous Rhu, work my charm accordingly.

I have been going near the dog beach area a lot lately and it's so fun 'cause I meet new dogs on the way there and back.  If we had one wish it would be that the wheels on my cart were more sand-on-the-beach friendly so that I could go out closer to the water.  We would need those fat tires that kinda float over the sand.  There are wagons with the big fat tires which are pretty cool but my legs are too long and also it's better if I get to walk in my cart!  Soooo, all you inventors out there if you know of any ideas…well that would rock my world in a big way.  It's a quad cart from Eddies' Wheels.  BTW, I'm like a walking advertisement for Eddie's Wheels!  I think as many people ask about the cart as they do me!  It is the coolest thing ever.

You know, I could teach a thing of two to the other dogs in my therapy group about my cart .  Most of them are fraidy-cats of their carts.  Not me,  and when they brought mine in one day I had to show 'em how totally awesome I thought it was!  I wiggled 'n wagged and just couldn't wait to be put in mine - even if it was only for the sake of checking the height of it.  I'm like, dude you need to watch my "Off Road Rhu" video to see what the possibilities are!

Well I'm going to get some rest to get ready for my evaluation tomorrow - Tuesday July 31st.  I'll report after the results come in and let's hope for 2 big paws up!!!

Keep your paws on the ground and your tails waggin' high