Bernie’s Recovery Journey

Bernie is the most important being in my life. I’ve had him since he was 8 weeks old and have done everything in my power to give him the best life that he deserves. Like everyone, Bernie has had a few challenges of his own over the years. There was never one event that caused his injury and to this day, I’m still not sure how it happened bc he jumped and played and never cried. My only indication that something was wrong was when he started to slow down on his walks and not go as far.

Bernie was 4 years old in February 2018 when he had surgery on his back left leg for an ACL rupture (canine cruciate ligament) and patellar luxation- this is when the kneecap dislocates or moves out of its normal location. It was an expensive surgery with a long recovery but overall it was successful and at the time his leg was back to full range of motion. However, his problems didn’t stop there. It was also discovered that he has arthritis in his leg and since then has been on a daily anti-inflammatory medication and joint supplement.

After surgery, Bernie never quite walked the same. He had a noticeable change in his gait and his left leg never fully straightened so he appears a little bow legged. He also started putting more of his weight on his front legs to to overcompensate for his back leg troubles. Because of this, he is very stocky and strong in his front legs and has weak muscles in both back legs. This overcompensating is one reason why in over 50% of cases, a CCL tear will lead to an injury of the other knee within a year. And that statistic is true for Bernie as well.

In June 2020, at 6 years old, Bernie had the same surgery, on his back RIGHT leg. He also had hyaluronic acid injections in both knees to help with the pain during his recovery process. As of today, Bernie’s right leg is better than ever. I had hope that the surgery on his right leg would improve his other but his back left leg is still causing him pain. He won’t put much weight on it and has many stumbles and tumbles while he walks and it continues to hold him back from running and playing.

His care is ongoing and he remains on medication for his arthritis as well as a daily joint supplement. There are a few options left to help Bernie get to where he needs to be to feel better, however, I have spent my entire savings on his last surgery a few months ago. One of the options is physical therapy/rehab: the goal is to help decrease inflammation and discomfort and help strengthen the surrounding musculature to support the knee. The second is a a quad wheelchair. I’ve done everything I can do and afford to do so now I am asking for your help. Please consider helping Bernie so that he will have less discomfort and hopefully be able to get back to the active life he deserves as he is only 7 years old and has many more years ahead of him. If you want to keep up with Bernie’s recovery, you can follow him on Instagram @bernies_journeyy for updates and videos. Thank you for reading our story!

Bernie’s Instagram Link
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=dw7bjxfake34&utm_content=i5inubr