It’s funny how the skills you pick up help you later on in unexpected ways. After the stunning failures of my IVFs, I thought I could lock up that experience in a dark closet in my brain and forget about it. Not so.

One of my pups (not really a pup, that’s just what I call him) has been limping and in pain for the last couple of days. He’s 10 but he’s still my hero. Whenever DH travels for work, this pup is the one who makes me feel safe. I guess he’s been showing his age lately… grey hair, arthritis etc. But it’s been getting worse since we’ve moved a few months ago.

He’s been taking some tablets from a vet for his arthritis. I think they’re called HCG (or is that something from IVF? See, the info is all locked up tight). At any rate, they haven’t helped at all, and yesterday, things were looking so bad that I took him to a new vet.

They took xrays of his hips and back. When I saw the results, my heart broke. He’s been in worse pain than he’s let on for so many years. His hips are bad and his back’s not much better. The vet did say that medication can help; a combination of a liquid anti-inflammatory and weekly injections.

She asked if I had any concerns about giving injections. No ma’am, not me.  I didn’t want to get into WHY injections don’t bother me, so I humored her and let her teach me how to give my dear pup subcutaneous injections in between his shoulders.

Easy peazy. He didn’t even react. He’s so brave.

I might make light of all this, but I was really worried for him. He’s my boy. He’s been with me through some rough times. Even though our IVFs didn’t work, at least it’s made me so comfortable with injections that I can help make him feel better. And I guess that’s the silver lining.

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