GRACIE DOODLE'S HAPPY DAY!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

FINALLY…it has been a long 10 months but finally I can come up for air and say that Gracie Doodle is back to her old self, healed and happy!!  YAY  It has been a long tearful journey but now the light at the end of the tunnel is burning bright and our sweet, silly, goofy, loving and happy girl has returned to us.  We are now down to 5 mg of Prednisone every other day for the next month and then she is off the medication completely.  The vet said that she has a 70% chance that the Masticatory Myositis won’t return. 

Gracie’s hair is growing back and filling in nicely.  It is coming in soft and silky and she looks like a hi/lo shag carpet at the moment.  The new hair is coming in darker than her apricot color and in some areas it is flat and coarse.  I am thinking that as it gets longer we may start to see a wave pattern come in.  Her tail is sort of funny looking.  She lost 80% of her beautiful plume and the hairs that remained looked like hanging fringe.  She still has the fringe but now the tail is covered in soft brownish hair.  As it grows I will taper down the fringe to start blending the old and new together.  Her bald legs and feet are now starting to get that Doodle look again.  The only lasting effect from the Prednisone that we can see is that her back feet collapsed a bit.  She went from the high knuckle (Poodle type feet) to being flat footed.  This caused her foot pads to strike in a different spot which got tender and bled.  With the help of socks and time the pads toughened up and now she is back to running and enjoying life.

What we are most thankful for is that her personality is back and there is that mischievous sparkle and laugh in her eyes again.  We have our sweet girl and best friend back and it is wonderful! 

I just want to thank all of you who constantly sent messages and checked up on us.  The last few I am late responding to.  We were so close to achieving this goal that I was afraid I would jinx it by speaking too soon.  Thank you all for your caring, prayers and well wishes.  Many of you gave me encouraging words which were a big help getting through all of this.  I had many very low days and it was nice to know that my DK friends were here thinking of us. 

And guess what…Gracie Doodle is catching and carrying TWO TENNIS BALLS again!!!  It doesn’t get any better than that in her book!  Love and hugs to you all!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

This is such good news!  I am so happy for  you and Gracie Doodle!!!!

[Jennifer and Jack]

YAY!!!! seriously so happy and grateful .......Thank you for the update.......so happy ..I was worried about you ..your heartbreak for your sweet girl came through in every update..and now it is such a relief to see the light!!!! Xoxoox

[Kyoko]

So glad to hear that all is well now!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Happy, Happy, happy!!!!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Best news ever. I'm so glad to hear this!

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

This is wonderful news Nancie!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Nancie, this is just the BEST NEWS!!!  We'll keep Gracie Doodle in our prayers that the MM never returns -- but if she's running around with 2 tennis balls, I'd say someone heard all of the prayers for Gracie and your family.  I admire you so much for the way you handled the long hard journey you guys have been on.  Yay!!!!!!!!!  

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

You've made my day with this news : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, Nancie, this is just the best news! I am so glad that Gracie is back to her old self! Here's to nothing but happy, healthy days ahead for Gracie and for you!

[Sheila & Finnley]

Good news indeed. I hope that very soon this will all just be a dull unplesant memory, and you will just have nothing but happy days ahead !