Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Solsey Update

I am always a little hesitant to give a Solsey update because things change so fast with her, but, knock wood, this last week and a half Sol has been doing very well. The new meds definitely seem to be helping.

Granted, she still coughs, but it is not constant and is much more manageable. Since none of the medicines will completely eliminate Sol's cough we have come up with our own little gauge over the last few months. Here are a few of the things we look for:

• Does she cough when she is sleeping or does she wake up because she is coughing
• Does her coughing prevent her from settling
• Does she have her "help me" eyes on? Her eyes tell it all.

Needless to say with Sol feeling better we all have been feeling better. In addition to relying strictly on the medicine we have been trying to find other things that we can do that help her feel better. Walks seem to be one thing that fits the bill. Not just pouch walks, but walks where she actually has to walk.

For about a month, we stopped walking Sol because of her cough. We tried to keep her as still as possible thinking that would help her cough. A month of her leading an almost sedentary life just exacerbated her arthritis which took a toll on her mobility. Plus, it didn't seem to be helping her cough at all. So, about a week ago, we decided to try and get in one little walk with Sol each day. We walk at her pace and we don't go too far. Right now, we are just walking to the mailbox and back. We have a community mailbox, so it is about 5 houses away. The first time we did the walk it took her a little over 15 minutes. Her record was walking 6 sidewalk squares without stopping. Her rear end was wobbly and she coughed a bit in the beginning. But by the time we arrived at the mailbox her cough had subsided and she was breathing well, for her at least.

Each day for the past week, we have walked to the mailbox twice a day. We go for our first walk right after lunch and our second walk in the evenings. In just one week, Sol has shaved over six minutes off her time. Last night we did the walk in about 8 minutes. As she is feeling better she is exploring more, straying from the sidewalk to smell the grass, light poles & tree trunks, so I don't think her time is necessarily reflective of her pace anymore. She coughs for a bit in the beginning, but then she settles into a rhythm and her cough subsides. And the best part is that her cough is significantly less for the hour or two after her walk. That is just the icing on the cake.

Last night when I grabbed her harness off the hook by the door to get her ready for her walk, she ran over to the door. She couldn't wait to get suited up and get on her walk. In just one week, her mobility has drastically improved. In fact, there was a noticeable difference just after a few days of walking. Plus, I think we are both feeling better. She likes getting out for the fresh air and smells and I cherish the time out and about with her.