Kirk's Hips =( **8/26 GOOD update!**"

[chocolatepuppy]

Yes, try to stay positive, even though somedays it may be hard. I am keeping Kirk in my thoughts and prayers. Here's hoping for that celebration BBQ.

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh Kate, I am so sorry to hear that Kirk is not making the progress we had all hoped for. I hope the hydrotherapy helps and that he finds that swimming is his real passion and what will help him get well. Early Happy Birthday wishes for Kirk, and I hope you get your barbeque.

[pitc9]

I hope and pray the hydrotherapy helps him.
Please know that you and Kirk are in my thoughts and prayers.

{{hugs}} to you both!

[Ceph]

I'm keeping you both in my Prayers!

Stay positive, things may get hard but they will get better!

~Ceph

[ramanth]

Kirk, I'm so sorry to hear you're not recovering quickly.

I hope the hydro therapy perks you up! *hugs*

[Daisy and Delilah]

I'm so sorry that Kirk isn't doing as well as expected. I've got such a soft spot for this handsome man. As I've said, he reminds me so much of one of my son's dogs. Hydrotherapy is the best thing out there today. It's proven to be so beneficial to so many people. I hope that Kirk will become a new man and see better days ahead. After all, he'll be wanting to flip some burgers and hot dogs at the BBQ won't he??

You're both in my thoughts and prayers as always. Bless you for going all these extra miles to help him He's a very special boy

[Kater]

Here are the swimming pictures I promised. Kirkie was in the water for about 10 minutes, after a nice session of Healing Touch and massage. The land work opened up all his major chakras (heart, brow, crown, throat, solar plexus, sacral, root) before the hydrotherapy.

She measured corresponding parts of his leg muscles (didn't see what part exactly) so we can better track his progress. His right side measured in at 49 mm while the left was only 32 mm. That's a lot of atrophy for one month (although he has actually been favoring the left side for longer).

He is soo trusting and very good with letting people touch him all over. It was amazing to see her calm him (at first he was all over, sniffing, chewing her plants, etc.) and eventually fully relax him to the point where his eyes were closing. Only when he was fully relaxed did she want to get him in the pool.

In the pool he made about 6 laps total against a low level current. It was so cute - he carried the octopus toy around the whole time!! He took to the water like a lab, if you ask me. I'm so proud of him!!

Here he is swimming:







Short video:


I'll probably get in the water next week so I can practice doing the exercises with him. I have (dog-loving) neighbors who have offered their pool for Kirkie's therapy (it's the same type of heated therapy pool with current). So maybe next week I can get him in the water a second time! For now, I just want to gradually build him up and be sure I am comfortable with the exercises before I attempt them myself.

She talked a lot about the importance of positive thinking and its impact on healing. I know she is totally right, but it has been a frustrating 6 months, and I can admit that I have lost sight of this. However, now that I feel like I have another great supporter on Kirkie's "team" I hope I can better maintain the positive thinking I know he needs. Pet Talk prayers are great for this too...so keep them coming!!

Thanks so much for reading!