Friday, August 16, 2013

Starting Over

Not sure why I decided to start writing on this blog again. I think it is so I will be more accountable to my dogs, my dog training business and myself. I am not someone who likes to complain about the negative things that happen in my life, but now I am attempting to look at them as opportunities rather than problems. Some of the best times of my life have been doing agility with my dogs, but I am not able to do it any more, at least not in a conventional way, due to severe osteoarthritis in both of my knees. My doctor's tell me that I need complete knee replacement surgeries in both of of my knees. Right now I am only able to walk with the help of a cane. My orthopedic surgeon says he is surprised I can walk at all and that I should get a wheelchair, but I come from independent (read stubborn), German stock and I refuse to quit teaching and give up.

So, my dog training is very limited right now because I am not able to do much walking. How do I train an Agility dog without moving? Well, I have to find an unconventional way and I will have to have help from my friends! It is very hard for me to ask for help, however, if I am going to ever do what I dream about (Agility with my dog) I have to figure this out.

One of my problems along the way is that I put the needs of everyone else in my life ahead of my own. I think most women of my generation do this and we were programmed to be this way from birth. I pledge to do something that is for my own benefit every day. Lets see if I can keep this pledge! For today, I left a training seminar at noon so I could go home to nap and help my recovery from the acute gastritis I have been dealing with. I will go back tomorrow and catch up if I am up to it.