Happy 8th Birthday, Maisy!

Today is Maisy's 8th birthday. I can't believe she is firmly middle aged now. It seems like just yesterday she was a puppy.

The day I met her. The day my life changed forever.

This last year has been hard; she was so terribly sick last fall. Everyone but me knew that she almost died. I still can't really make that work in my mind. I just can't let myself think about her dying. I am glad that I have been spared that heartbreak.

Maisy was on steroids from last fall until the end of June. She was weaned off them slowly, and she's done wonderfully without them. I haven't seen any sign of relapse, for which I am grateful. Because her illness was immune-mediated, she's always at risk of it happening again, but so far, so good.

Maisy saw the ophthalmologist last week and was discharged. Although she still has some corneal dystrophy, it has improved greatly. Maisy will continue to receive the eye drops twice a day for the rest of her life, but unless her eyes get worse, she won't need to see the eye doctor again.

So all in all, Maisy is doing wonderfully, and as we enter this new year, I'm grateful for everything.

So happy to have my hiking buddy back.