CALGON... take me away!

So... what I've discovered... or at least what seems to be a pattern here.. is that when it rains Max has bad days and when it's sunny and crisp out, he has super fantastic days!   He had a very tough time after Hurricane Sandy, and a tough time during the Nor'easter, and the other day when it was raining he also seemed to not be doing well. But in between, when it's been nice and sunny out, he's been doing fantastic.

So fantastic that I need to run away and get a break!  I'm sure any parent of a to (as I write this he's peeing on the floor - it has not been a good day for carpets)... as I was saying.. I'm sure any parent of a toddler probably knows what I'm talking about.

So.. 2 nights ago, Max woke me up at 2AM.. panting and grunting and looked like he was just freaking out. He appeared to be badly dehydrated (I've clearly fixed that issue), He also was burning up. His ears were super hot and read, his nose was super hot, all 4 feet were burning hot as well. So I turned the AC on and cooled the house down to 65 (the rest of us were freezing) and put the fan on Max and then put him in his cart and started to try and get him to drink water.. He wasn't interested. I didn't know what to do so went back to the kitchen (aka the drawing board) and decided to put a few drops of my Vitamin B complex (non-alcoholic) into his water.. which turned it orange.  Came back and gave that a try (I know Vit B will flush through your system if there's excess) I also know it's good for your neurological system and your overall health too.. So went back to Max and he LOVED it!  - I managed to get about a cup of water in him (not on the floor) over the next hour and a half.. (yep.. not too much sleep that night). He also ate an extra can of food too.. I guess he figured, while we were up, we might as well have a snack.  He needed to put more weight on so all was good.. At 4:30 we finally got back in bed, only to wake up again at 6:45 when he had to go pee!

He had a great day that day... I was EXHAUSTED!  He took a bath and went swimming in it - wearing his life jacket.. He kicked his back legs, not sure what to do with his front legs.. (sorry no photos - need to find a water proof camera first).  When he got back on "land" he practiced using his front legs as he walked... they are still very stiff - but his right leg is being placed perfectly when he focuses.. The left one is dragged and doing some knuckle walking (this is also the one he's putting some weight on.. )

He had another great day yesterday.. but I could tell he was getting more and more frustrated that he can't do things.. His eyes are opening up wider and wider each day and becoming more and more clear, and every so often they are following what's going on and he's turning his head toward noises.  The ER nurse who was on duty when I first took Max home from the hospital told me that as he was getting stronger and more and more aware of what was going on and what he couldn't do, I'd start to see him panic, and I think that's what I'm beginning to see more of.

Max this AM after breakfast looking a lot like his normal old self

So flash forward to this morning.  Super Max ate a whole can of food within an hour, he practiced his kicking, drank some water,  took a nap with the cat and then took a ride into the family room, where he decided to work on using his front legs on his own. He did manage to move himself (sorry - can't find the camera with the video on it!!).. So I went over to help.. as I was watching him perfectly place his right left and working hard on the left front leg and trying to help him get more of his weight on his legs - he's relying on the cart a lot to hold him up vs. for balance (although sometimes he'll get frustrated or stuck and stand up with the cart on his hips and turn himself and go in a different direction).. as I was watching his front end.. and not his back end.. his back end decided to excrete a few poops.. which I stepped in... on the carpet..  (as I said earlier.. not a good day for carpets.. )   Max has always pooped on the run, so now is no different.. I just forgot to keep an eye out ... and now... we'll be getting a new carpet..

Then he decided it was time to try and roll over Rex who came to inspect the stink... A few days ago.. Rex had gotten in Max's way in the kitchen.. now Rex, you see, may have played a role in Max's current condition. About a week before Max had this bad seizure (the day before he had the small one) Rex PLOWED over Max on the street and bowled him over and Max his his head on the asphalt.  Max's neurologist thought the bleed was from an accident - which seems to work with the theory that Rex did it.. Anyway... I'm wondering if Max remembers this... The opportunity was ripe for him... Rex was right in front of him and I saw him wind up his legs and drive as hard as he could - faster and harder than I've EVER seen him push his cart, directly into Rex's side (Rex does like to get in the way A LOT).  Then he was on the hardwood, and he wound up and did it again, turning his cart just so he could hit Rex squarely again  - this time causing a bit of an injury, with Rex whimpering off and limping...   Yet another thing that makes be think Max is a little more with it these days and more aware of what's going on.

Max napping with Simba

Kind of a messy eater

Perhaps a bib is in order?

Taking a morning stroll on a cold fall day

Afternoon nap