So, I figure it's about time I write about this. I wanted to wait and make sure that my puppy was alright and I was over the hysteria.

Penny was diagnosed with a mild case of heartworms about three weeks ago. After researching the treatment options and keeping in mind her age and health, I decided to go with the Immiticide treatment, which is an arsenic injection in the lumbar muscles. I dropped her off on Wednesday the 2nd, and got her back on Friday the 4th. Those two nights without her were nerve wracking to say the least. The rolling blackouts had me worried there would be no heat in the kennels, the snow made me worry there would be no one to take care of her, and of course above all I was scared there would be a mistake or she would be one of the less than 1% of dogs who died as an immediate result of the injection.
She wasn't.
Now she is home, and I have to keep her quiet so that she does not have an elevated heart rate. If she does, she runs the risk of a pulmonary thromboembolism, which basically means the dead worms would get lodged in a blood vessel in her lungs (I think?) and then cause her to stop breathing and die. So there's that. I'm managing that by keeping her on a leash when she is around the other dog in the house or in stimulating situations like company.
In addition, she is on a steroid and an antibiotic for a month.
The steroid makes her thirsty, hungry, and restless. So Penny has been waking me up every two hours all night for the past week and a half. I am so very tired and wish I had someone to help me with it, but at the same time it's alright. This will pass. Penny is fine for now and I am so thankful for that.
Life is life. And life is okay.