By 11:00 this morning I still hadn't heard a thing so I called UF. Guess who Billy's new student is? ERIC (and he's switched actually to a whole new section but he took Billy when he saw him). (I was so thrilled!!!)
Dr. Goldkamp again is also on board and happened to be with Eric when I got him.
She thinks HONESTLY that Billy's body just hasn't gotten it yet. BECAUSE it did last longer, he DID feel so much better.
Now strangely it then held at the 18 percent til this morning!! It zoomed down yesterday and now was holding again. She's pulling the CBC to keep track of the baby red blood cells (reticulocites), but she's also wondering if he's iron deficient for some reason. IF SO that's way easy to correct (you just supplement the iron). They're going to give him a shot of iron this morning.
The biopsy of the bone marrow is back (this was last weeks sample) and THAT looked iron deficient. So she's thinking he can come home tomorrow -- he doesn't need a ton of testing, and they don't want to adjust meds YET. He's indicating progress and she thinks it's just that we humans are impatient -- he's a buff cocker and they are KNOWN to not respond fast. She wants to give him ANOTHER WEEK before they even add another immune suppressor. She was also really NOT HAPPY that the e-vete said they couldn't possibly transfuse him with the discharge summary they had.
She said it was too cute -- he saw her this morning and IMMEDIATELY "sat" for his treat. That was her greeting -- he SAT. She was so darned tickled that he was so incredibly well behaved it wasn't funny. She's going to call me "later tonight".
I got a call from Eric this afternoon and I CAN pick him up tomorrow.If I'm at work EARLY I can get nearly a whole day (7 hours) and then leave from the office at 2 and go to Gainesville.
They're going to put him on an additional iron supplement. He's been on that nasty Science D _ _ _ _ (not "Diet", the I-Doggers word for it *smirk*) while he's been up there where I was shoving iron down his throat in gobs -- but we'll see. I asked them to talk to Dr. Xie about that because the Oriental meds/herbals would have something I was pretty sure.
There just aren't enough hours in a day right now -- it's not a matter of taking it easy cos I just can't. I've gotta work enough to keep my own job and David likewise (so we can afford this). Getting thru another weekend will help. The holiday hurt rather than helped because it caused more job pressure for both of us (and for David "month end" stuff rolling after a new computer conversion).
So one other thing I'd ask you guys -- most of you know my 'real' email (callie at critturs dot com -- no spaces and just use the punctuation) -- if you see a post that needs me if you'd email it to me I'd appreciate it. When this all settles down I'll be able to go back to checking in on posts more frequently but right now I'm gonna have to be minimal but that doesn't mean I can't help a few folks that can really benefit from what I know. So feel free to email me.
I'm not even gonna email Billy this time cos I'm going to get him tomorrow -- but when I get home I'll READ them all to him, so tell him... he LOVES it.
Luvarescue -- did you know Billy's 'full' name is Bilbo Baggins the Adventurin English cocker spanYELL??? We wanted a LOTR name (I had a "Pip" thirty years ago!!) and it was apparent after we had him two weeks and he was jumping up onto 8 foot shelves in the laundry and bringing little girl possums in the house in his mouth as a 'gift' to my husband after the hurricanes 2 years ago that he had that "adventurer" hobbit spirit and he's got ENORMOUS furry feets!! LOL
Sandra -- apparently every time he makes it from one tx to another with a 'longer' length of time between that IS a good sign of 'progress' and the fact he only plunged 'so far' and the body halted the downward trend actually was another sign of progress. Not 'well' but progress.
Tracy -- you're absolutely right -- it is important that he's going longer between times. You're also right about the stress on the other two. Poor Miss Kee had a TOUGH 3rd and we took both of them with us last night because I honestly didn't dare leave her when I knew there would be more firecrackers -- I didn't need to spend the rest of the night in emergency with HER for a seizure.
You guys, I appreciate the kick in the butt about taking care of ourselves. But actually we *are*. My house is a mess and I could care less. I've got a lot of research and a lot of phone calling to do (gotta find the best price on that steroid I can -- it's bigger than a car payment a month). But thankfully I had a husband who made the decision yesterday "we take him to Gainesville today altho the emergency charges will be fierce BECAUSE it will be easier than having to take him during work time for either of us (not do-able at all by Davey I fear). He even took the speeding ticket he got in stride (he told the officer who was pulling over like 10 cars in an organized 'holiday stop') that we were making an emergency trip to the UF Small Animal Hospital with a dog in need of a transfusion to save his life and all she said was "I'll write the ticket FAST then". *sigh*
We'll go out for dinner yet again tonight cos David doesn't want to create work for ME. My husband deserves the biggest pedestal I can put him on. He's an absolutely awesome man. (and you gotta love that Scot's burr!!)
I was talking to my 'regular' vet tonight and I told Dr. Bailey one of the things that truly motivates me is that I hope someone is 'learning' with this -- because I'm positive that some of the dogs who don't make it thru IMHA are actually never given the chance to -- because they assume if they crash early on again that the body just "isn't going TO respond" -- and I think sometimes it just takes longer. IF people can afford it, and are willing to provide the care then I'm hoping our case may at least let them know it is possible. Maybe that will help someone in future anyway.
I'll let you all know if I hear in between. Thanks again! I truly can't even begin to tell you how much the support has meant!! It's made me sort thru it all mentally and stay "smart".