You may remember that I mentioned I had a stout battle with parvo as a young one. The illness wrecked my insides for a while, but I fully recovered after some gentle coaxing of the IV needle. It seemed like all was good and dandy after coming home from the hospital, but my little stomach wasn’t quite as ironclad as some would hope. A change in diet, a certain kind of treat, or maybe those dust bunnies that I eat on occasion all seem to give me the vomits. The digestive part of life has improved as I’ve grown older even though I may enjoy a dust bunny here or there. The problem that does persist, and may be of no consequence of my parvo, is my joint problem. I was quite the rambunctious young lad with little concern for my well-being as I ran full speed into tables, leaped impossible distances and swam for a solid 8-10 hours in a day. I’m not sure I can pinpoint the exact time when my first knee went, but the residual pain in my back right knee kept me floor ridden for the whole next day after exercise. The vet says I tore my ACL equivalent called the CCL (cranial cruciate ligament). Life could continue without surgery and my other CCL was likely to tear as well. Devastating, right? I’m an athlete in my prime and SNAP! Sad days ahead unless you’re me and luckily, I’m me. Who needs one knee when you run on four legs!? I’ll run as long as I can on three legs and then two legs and then one leg and then I’ll roll around like a barrel when all my legs go out! It was a good idea until some grade A jerk at a dog park yanked me by my back two legs because he was unaware that dogs bark and growl when they are at a dog park. I forgive him, but he’s still an anus. He pulled my legs and SNAP! went the other rear CCL. Now thems some dark days. Things got so bad for me that I had to be carried around for a few days because the pain of getting up was hell. Eventually the pain and swelling subsided and semi-regular life resumed. Running around had tough consequences and I dealt with them as any man would…lying down and crying for a while. The pool was my only haven; A place where I could glide with the speed and agility of someone who is an excellent swimmer and very hairy. My time in the pool would end and I had to return to the world ruled by the harsh mistress that is gravity. A solution lay ahead, but that’s for a whole new blog post. Until then, my favorite person!
My Life as a Ham 
