Another morning to test my feelings of total incompetence and helplessness…

Macie was limping a bit last night, which I assumed was because of muscle loss.  This morning, she wouldn't put any weight on her back left foot, and it looks like she's got a bit of redness in there.

I was able to get her morning meds into her by bringing them to her in pill pockets, but she wouldn't come out to the kitchen for breakfast.

Tried to use the handy dog-lifter thingy I'd bought to help her to the car for her vet appointment, but she's swollen up too much for it to fasten around her now.  So it was luring her out of the bedroom with soft treats to the car.  She stubbornly refused to be helped into the back footwell, so it was a few (!) minutes of seeing who was more stubborn.  I was finally able to get her front paws in the footwell, and boost her the rest of the way in.  (She then had NO problem jumping up onto the back seat... 🤦‍♀️)

Got her to the vet, but she was being just as stubborn about coming OUT of the car.  So I texted them that I was there, but was having difficulty transferring her.  The vet tech Brooklyn came out, and oh look, suddenly Macie was happy to come out of the car to see her!

Her muscles sucked, though, as she tried to make her way from the parking lot onto the lawn (for her first pee of the morning) and then into the office.  Plus she's attempting to walk on only 3 muscle-less legs, since her back paw is sore.

They took her blood and gave her her injection, and she happily ate the food at the vet's office, so... yay?
Brooklyn lifted her into the back seat of the car for me, and I took her home.  Where she refused to get out of the back seat.  So I left her there, and grabbed Jasper to take him to Ruff Haus.

The women at Ruff Haus all took turns coming out to visit Macie, and she gave them kisses and snuggles.

Then I took Macie home, and... she still refused to get out of the car, or even in to the footwell.  I have trouble lifting her at the best of times, but with an extra 5 kilos of water retention, it ain't happening.  I tried supporting her by lifting her back legs with a towel, but she'd have none of it.  I brought out the ramp for her, and spread treats all along it, but no freaking way.

Finally, I called neighbourfriend Iris, who came up the hill to help tag-team.  Macie loves Iris, but even then, it was a bit of an effort for us both to get her down the damned ramp, with Iris supporting her back legs with the towel, and then up the stairs into the house.

Macie lay down in the side hall and wasn't going any further, which is fine by me, as long as she's inside.
I brought her some water, which she ignored, and her breakfast.  She ate some of the breakfast lying down, then stood up and managed to get maybe 1/3 of it in to her before asking to go outside.

She walked outside on her own, ate some snow, had a pee, then walked to the front gate to watch the world go by.  She's come back closer to the door now, but doesn't want to come in, she's just sitting and surveying her domain.

Fine, if that's what you want, sniff the breezes as much as you want, girl.

But she's booked to go back to the vet tomorrow morning to check on her foot, and again next week for a follow-up ultrasound, and I'm already stressed out just thinking about how the hell to get her into the damned car.
I have no idea what I'll do if Jasper is ever unable to walk... drag him on a blanket and skateboard???

11:40pm edit

This poor girl can't catch any breaks – her back foot is swollen to comic book proportions.  Looking forward to our vet appointment in the morning!

I did manage to get her to eat, and she had a nice drink.  But has yet to go outside, because of her foot.  She can pee on the carpet tonight, for all I care.  I just want her to feel better!  😭