When it rains, it pours.  The last four weeks have been a nightmare.  I ended up with Type B Flu, which went on forever, and I am still recovering from the worst cough imaginable.  During all of this, six of our dogs had to go to the ER, and three required major surgery.  Today, I am posting for dear Maya.

Our big, goofy Mastiff cannot seem to get a break.  Whenever we think the worst is over, something else happens, and her recovery starts again.  Maya suddenly came up lame in her rear leg.  Maya is a hundred-pound Mastiff that needs every leg to work.  When one leg is out of commission, the other three take on the extra weight, which causes another set of problems.  Suddenly, a large lump appeared on Maya's right hip above where she had already had surgery.  

Maya was immediately taken to the hospital, where x-rays and an aspirate were done.  The x-ray showed a sizable mass that needed to be removed.  We scheduled the surgery, which turned out to be highly complicated.  A grade II Soft Tissue Sarcoma was wrapped around her sciatic nerve and attached to her right greater trochanter of her femur.  The surgeon said it was the most complicated surgery she had ever done.  

When she described the procedure, she also explained that she did the best she could not to damage the sciatic nerve but was not sure if that was possible, given how extensive the damage was.   Maya was bandaged up and remained in the ICU while she was recovering.  Once the swelling began to go down, we brought her to our Rehab Facility. 

Unfortunately, we could not stop the excessive bleeding that had started from her massive weight, and she had to be taken back to the hospital.  The fluid buildup from the procedure was immense, and sadly, bacteria began to grow, which needed to be treated.   Fluid was drained, and the hip and leg were bandaged again to prevent fluid buildup. We are now at a place where we are seeing improvement in this beautiful three-year-old Mastiff that we love and adore.

Maya has been on a journey of resilience since she was hit by a massive truck two years ago.  Her life with us has been a testament to unconditional love and rehabilitation. That's all Maya knows.  No matter what challenges arise, we spring into action, knowing that this could be the last time we see her. Yet, Maya's spirit remains unbroken, inspiring us all.  

Dogs as large as Maya do not do well with hip or leg issues.  Their massive body weight causes more damage to the other limbs, and each one begins to fail.  We have been very creative and dedicated with Maya and have made her various carts to compensate for her disability at the time.   When Maya is doing well, she is up and moving around and goes on her walks.  She plays with the Littles and loves being their big Sister.  

Maya is family, and we'll never give up on her.  As long as she's willing to put in the hard work of getting up, walking, and loving life, we'll continue to face any challenge that comes our way with this precious girl.   Her quality of life is what matters most to us.  Maya is a happy girl who loves life and never complains.   She perseveres when no other dog, half her size, would. She's our hero dog, and we're committed to ensuring she lives her life to the fullest.  

Please help us do whatever we can for this amazing dog by DONATING.