(An update from Rylie's family follows his Golden Angel Story.)
How do you do? My name is Rylie and I’m very excited to join the wonderful GRRR family. I’m between 5 and 6 years old and had sort of resigned myself to living a sedentary life with pain before all of you came into my life and took me under your wing. Being a true Golden, I’ve learned to live with my disability and just be thankful for what life has to offer. Now that I’m with GRRR I’ve found out there is some miraculous surgery that can be done to open a whole new world of adventure and mobility for me.
I was surrendered to GRRR because both my back knees are shot – I mean really shot. It’s been a chronic thing that would not have gotten this bad if I had surgery earlier, but not only was the financial burden too much for my family, the time commitment was too much for them to be able to give to me. I think they really loved me and were very sad, but they felt their only option was to end my life. Thank goodness our vet had heard of GRRR and asked them to contact you to see if you could take me and give me the surgery I needed and provide a life where a new family could give me the time required to rehabilitate me after surgery.
The surgery will be very expensive but I’ve been told my life is worth a thousand times more than what it will cost. Gosh, folks around here sure have been great. Anyway, back to my knees. I’m on Rimadyl (a costly pain medication) that is helping some, but even with that when I run up to someone to give a friendly Golden greeting, it is obvious to them that something is very wrong with my back end. I immediately have to sort of slide my legs out and crumple to the floor since my knees don’t bend and the pain is so bad. It’s kind of embarrassing, really, but people are kind and try to pretend they don’t notice and give me all kinds of loving to make me feel better.
Inactivity and lots of food have made me a chunky monkey. I’ve developed a big chest and muscular front legs to make up for what’s missing in the back, but the calories have started to add up to more pressure, more pain – well I’m sure you know what I mean. Even though my back legs are very atrophied my tail works just fine and it’s wagging right now just thinking about how my life is going to be after both my knees are operated on.
Surgery is going to make such a difference for me. How I love tennis balls, but all I can do is sit and hold them in my mouth. I watch the other Goldens run and play and it makes my foster family very sad to see me sitting on the floor and pivoting around on my bottom trying to be a part of the action. It works for a while until they run off. I just love other dogs and definitely plan to be a good boy during my long rehabilitation so that some day I can join the other “kids” in a good romp. There will also be long leisurely walks at a place called “the park” in my future. I hear it’s a place full of good smells and pretty scenery. With the love I have for people, I’ll be so proud to accompany someone special on my first walk and I’ll always remember that your generosity helped make this possible.
RYLIE'S UPDATE FROM TAMMY CAMPBELL
Rylie has been adopted and is doing great! We had already decided to adopt Rylie, but when Shadow, another big male who was up for adoption, came out and met Rylie and gave him a kiss, we knew we had to take both! And they just love each other! They sleep together and play together and even stick with each other at the park. They both had to lose weight. Rylie is down to 98 pounds after being 115, and Shadow is now a svelte 82 pounds after being 106!
We love them both and they act like they've been brothers all their lives. Rylie lost enough weight to finally receive the ACL surgery on his painful knees. During surgery, Dr. Peterson found his knees were worse than anticipated. Rylie had major reconstruction surgery on BOTH knees last week. But thankfully he was able to receive the surgery he needed because of GRRR's Golden Angel fund. We now have 12 weeks of on-leash walking only, and then more time with limited activity, but Rylie is a trooper and is doing great. Rylie and his brother have a future full of running and playing together without the pain he endured for such a long time. Thank you to all who donated to help Rylie and the other Golden Angels who come into GRRR with special medical needs.
Editors note: Special thanks to Pam Hollister & Mitchell Graye who donated to pay for one knee surgery and Nancy Strelau & Kevin Haney who donated to pay for the other. Many other generous donations were made, including Kathleen and Todd Zoller, who donated to Rylie's Golden Angel Fund as Christmas gifts to their family. We incur many more expenses than just actual surgery costs—costs for physical therapy, pain management medications, follow-up visits, etc. All donations made to the Golden Angel Fund will go towards these fees.
