Skip's scare

We had a scare with our dog, Skip, this morning. He is a sweet Beagle/Bassett Hound Mix. He has been acting sick since Tuesday, but yesterday he was acting more like himself, so I thought he was fine. This morning, he didn't get out of his bed until I made him go outside before I took the kids to school. He got up wobbly and staggered out the door, almost falling down the stairs. He couldn't stand while he did his business and had to be helped back in the house. After I took the boys to school, I took Skip to the vet. He has Intervertebral Disk Disease, which means one of the soft disks between his vertebrae has pushed up against his spinal cord and inflamed it. We could either pay $3000 to get him a surgery that may or may not repair it, or put him on Steroids and muscle relaxers and keep him confined for 3 weeks. We definitely can't afford a surgery, so we are trying the drugs. We have to carry him up and down the stairs, which is hard because you have to go down stairs to get out of the house both in front and in back to let him go to the bathroom. And being carried is painful for him as well (Plus, picking up a 40 pound dog while 8 months pregnant is a challenge). We are keeping him in one room and trying to keep him put. He doesn't like it because he is a very social dog and wants to follow me all over the house. If he is not kept confined the disk could slip and paralyse him. We don't want to think about that happening. The kids are understanding that skip is sick and can't play with them until Easter. They love him so much. We are also getting ready for Ben's 6th birthday. He as asked for heelys or skates and his own computer. I think we are going to go with the skates. And still no resolve to the housing dilemma. It has been a stressful week and the boys are now off track for 3 weeks. Hopefully the good weather will hold up, after this small storm that is coming Sunday and Monday. Getting out will do us all good.