I shared in the last blog post how the last several months have been a rough patch for Forrest. We’ve been navigating a whole new season of adjustments. Back in the spring he started potassium bromide, and between that, medication changes, side effects, liver concerns, bile acid testing, and working through tapering down his phenobarbital, it’s been a lot. So we’ve been adjusting together. There are a lot of moving pieces to this merry-go-round right now, but things are beginning to look up, and for that I am so grateful.
I don’t look at him and see epilepsy.
Do I wish he didn’t have it? Of course I do.
Do I wish he didn’t have to take multiple medications and deal with side effects? Absolutely.
But when I see him, I see my big, grown puppy dog. My best friend. My shadow. My family. He’s an epilepsy warrior, no doubt. No matter what life throws his way, he always shows up with a joyful attitude. It’s the reason I call him my hero.
I see the dog that still gets excited over walks. Still wants to sniff every smell. Still wants adventures. Still wants to be included.
I don’t expect him to do everything exactly like he used to because that wouldn’t be fair to him. We work around what he can do now. We respect his limits. We make adjustments when we need to.
But I don’t want his world to become small.
I don’t want his diagnosis to become his whole identity.
I think sometimes we get caught up in what our epi dogs can’t do anymore and forget to see all the things they still can.
Forrest can still enjoy life.
He can still be happy.
He can still just be a dog.
It looks different than I thought it would.
But different doesn’t mean less beautiful.
It just means learning to walk a different path together.
If you’re walking this journey too, what has been the hardest adjustment for you — the seizures themselves, the medications and side effects, or learning your “new normal”?
If you’d like to following Forrest’s day-to-day adventures, updates, and all the little moments in between, you can follow his Facebook page. I share the real side of our journey — the hard days, the good days, and all the wags, walks, and Forrest moments in between. 🐶
From our lavender world of grace, we’re holding onto hope walking by faith. 💜
The Epi Dog Mom Blog 
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