More on Billy -- this is getting really scarey

Without a doubt, your, your husband and especially Billy h ave my thoughts and prayers.  I walked this path once and there is no way I could let someone else walk it without sending prayers for them.  It is a hard path with many bends and turns and no way of knowing what is around the corner until you make the turn.  In your case I hope and pray it is HCT numbers continuing to climb, RBC climbing, WBC going lower, good appiteite for the little guy, and  a long live ahead of him.

Callie - I'm so glad to read your post.  It's going to be the last one I see before logging off for the night.  One good thing about being on the west coast is I'm always on late at night (so it's REALLY late on the east coast), and therefore I see your late night posts almost as soon as you post them!
 
I know it's a guarded optimism, but I'm feeling encouraged by your report.  One of the main reasons is the delight in hearing how Eric read the messages to Billy!  Unbelievable!!!  If I even suggested such a thing to any of the vet staff we've had, I think they'd look at me like I had 12 heads!  The quality of care he is getting there is awesome!  And as you said, it's cool that Eric is in his educational phase of his career - and that he seems to be open to absorbing all these new ideas that he'll carry forward as he advances in his profession.
 
I hope all of you get some good rest tonight, and we're still sending Billy all kinds of gentle pats and well wishes!

Oh, Callie, what a special gift Eric is to this world!  
 
Please let Billy know Willow and I are still pulling for him. 

Prayers, thoughts, and good vibes coming you and Billy's way. All fingers, toes, and paws crossed here.

Callie, I KEEP having the Rusty dream.  And I keep remembering the Rusty dream.  It's bizarre because he KEEPS telling me to tell Billy to hold on cuz there isn't room for another buff cocker at the Bridge just now.  I don't HAVE dreams that I remember......ever.  But this dream is soooo vivid and so repetitive.
 
I'm having those network problems myself....dial up is torture....so I'm not on as much, but by golly we're thinking of you, and keeping ya'll in our prayers.  And still sending out those random hugs.  And still hoping that you're feeling them throughout the day.

Continued get well thoughts and prayers coming to you guys.
 
 Billy dear - hears to you being out of the woods and on your way home soon! 

Sometimes I almost feel manipulative, but then I realize my dog is worth it.

 
An owner has to speak for the dog since the dog cannot.  Billy is lucky to have you.

Sheesh Callie,
 
Sorry to hear this. Hope all goes well. If karma plays in to it, it will as you have been a big help to many here~

Callie, I'm just reading this. Just wanted to let you know that Billy, you, your DH, and all of your other critters are in my thoughts and prayers!

Any word yet today?

On the fun side, Eric told me this morning that Dr. Xie's folks were there early

 
"In 2000, Dr. Beebe attended the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine in Reddick, Florida, and received her certification in veterinary acupuncture under the instruction of Dr. Huisheng Xie, DVM, PhD, MS. Dr. Xie is a native of China and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), University of Florida, Gainesville. Dr. Xie is Head of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Service at the VMTH and also coordinates the veterinary acupuncture internship program.?
 
Hey Callie - I thought the name was familiar.  The cut/paste above is from the Holistic Vet Clinic [linkhttp://www.sacvetrehab.com/IVCStaff.htm]http://www.sacvetrehab.com/IVCStaff.htm[/link] here in Sacramento that I think we will be visiting very soon for Sassy.  Sounds like she was trained by one of the best.  That makes me feel real good, so maybe I'll give a call and make the appt.
 
I'm so glad that Billy made it thru one more hurdle.  It really is one day (or moment) at a time, isn't it?  It sounds like the staff have taken a very personal interest in him.  That can make such a difference and I know it must give you great comfort when you can't be there yourself.  I'm still hoping that he continues to improve, even little bits, and can come home on Friday.  We all need a reason to celebrate [].

I don't know how I missed this other than being really superficial in my perusing with the closing this week and building fence and all.  I'm glad there is a positive turn to these events - I just read three pages with bated breath and a growing sense of unease - I've been through the tick disease part of this more times than I care to think of, twice with my "heart dog."

My view of the whole prayer thing is much more simplistic.  I believe in a personal God who DOES care not only about baby sparrows who fall from the nest, as the Bible says, but also about the beasts to whom we have given our hearts (since we are made in His Image, we have a tendency to love his creatures).

I believe in a God Who is there, Who is not silent, and can offer healing, and grace and peace to soothe our pain and fear.  I just wrote Billy's name on my notepad here and I'll remember him when I come back to the computer from time to time.

Hope and grace to you, Callie . . .

Billy is so lucky to be in such a great place!!!  I really wish I was able to have something like that around here!  With care like that, hes going to be fine.  Good job mom!

I'm setting a record here!! It's only 8:09 p.m.!!  Whoo hooo!!
 
Billy's blood held at 29 overnight (they consider even one point fallen FINE).  So they took him off IV this morning and he did well (literally *any* change can freak out the immune system).  And so IF HIS BLOOD HOLDS overnight again, they will call me at 8:00 tomorrow morning and let me know if I can bring him home tomorrow but that's the plan. 
 
Dr. Xie has changed his herbs again (the intense ones were short term only).  He will consult with me tomorrow when I get up there.
 
Dr. Goldkamp called me at 7:30 and Billy's blood was back up to 30 (Callie happy dance).  Now the 1 point difference, at least in part, is simply because he's off IV fluids so his blood is less "dilute" -- but taking him off didn't have a negative effect so RAH!!! BIG TIME).
 
Dr G and I talked at length -- Billy will *not* be "out of the woods" literally for months.  They can't take him even to a partial wean off for weeks yet and the tick thing has to be dealt with fully and the antibiotic withdrawn without problem.  (it was the addition of the antibiotic that caused this whole meltdown and taking it away could do the same darned thing).  When they get the path report back on the whole tick thing to find out if they are still "active" or not -- that's gonna tell a big part of how we proceed.
 
But he's gonna be ultra fragile for a while and this weekend is gonna be totally intense.  I'll have to bring him straight home tomorrow and I really don't want to leave him alone AT ALL until I absolutely gotta on Monday. 
 
I've lined up a vet to pull blood Saturday morning (my vet's not open Saturdays), and then another to do it Monday morning at 8 (she's closer than my vet -- I gotta keep this do-able so I can keep my job intact!!).  But she's someone I've wanted to develop a relationship with ANYWAY. 
 
Tonight we gotta pick up Rockin Raspberry fresh!!! LOL  Oh ... I so hope we get to use GALLONS of it!!!
 
And ... btw ... for those off you who asked in snippets to 'tell Billy ..." -- I made up a page of one-liner sentiments from each of you who expressed them (Cathy says ... Redbird says ...., etc.) and faxed them up so he could get his daily emails AGAIN.  (and yeah, my husband wrote a precious one to him -- have I said today how much I LOVE that man??)
 
So a couple more small steps forward we go ... and thanks folks .. AGAIN!

PS Cathy -- go to the Chi Institute website.  Under 'staff & faculty' you can see what the wise man looks like (he's far younger than you'd guess).  Then use the locator and see if this lady is listed -- I"d betcha she is.  (My Dr. DiNatale is on the faculty page too, as is -- to my surprise this week -- a bunch of my other favorite people!!)
 
http://www.chi-institute.com

Callie I'm so glad that Billy's hematacrit went up with the partial transfusion and has stayed up; that is wonderful news. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers; sounds like he's coming home for Rockin Rasberry.