Here I am asking for prayers again--for Willow

janobonano

she is a very lucky doggie to have such a caring mommy.

 

Thanks everyone--I had an issue with my car and she was very stressed out because we had to take our truck to the appointment--which she really doesn't like riding in.  She was very stressed out and her usually favorite tech Luis got snapped at so hard we could hear her teeth against each other.  But, she was good for the blood draw

I hope the stress she felt doesn't effect the results--we'll know tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for all your support!!!

Lori

Pull thru Willow!

I was laughing, before. I posted about Pirate the tree-climbing wonder dog - and I think it was Callie that said that when they are SO sick you'd give anything if they were well enough to BE naughty...got my wish, LOL. Willow will get there too, Lori. I'm hoping you get good results tomorrow!!

sl2crmeg

I drew a heart on my calendar and wrote 'Willow' in it on today.

Awwwwww. . .thank you!!

Thanks, everyone.  I'm trying not to worry. 

Good thoughts for you, Lori, and Willow. And DH.

Lori -- you weren't HERE tos ee how bad Billy's skin got -- to see the HUGE **NON-SYMETRICAL** fat pads that developed on his hips (he had 3 vets completely worried that he had growths on his hips and we actually had an ultrasound!!) -- trust me -- worry?  OH YEAH!! 

Been there, done that, still doing it!!  a month ago his liver values whacked out .... jumped on the milk thistle (AGAIN) big time -- and then even super bigger big time ... got the levels down BUT does the skin know this? Nope ... the skin goes completely whacked out.  All of a sudden last week the night before we're supposed to go away I look down and his whole belly is blood FIRE RED.  Yeast burn -- I mean YEAST *******BURNNNNNNN******* and even his nipples were swollen?  What the heck??  I bathed him in Selsun Blue -- holistic vet sends me home THREE strong herbs **and** a rinse to make up and pat on his tummy. 

All that was **after** I got the liver values down.  It was a direct result of the liver values -- liver crap ALWAYS makes bad skin. 

The running joke for almost two years, Lori was "Oh ... his skin is all inflamed and bad -- gee whiz ... shall we put him on prednisone ... or maybe Atopica (cyclosporine)?????"

It was a joke but every time it almost made me cry. 

He bobbled shoot -- I'm going to say like three times.  One time we had JUST gotten him off the pred ... and we'd just begun to reduce the cyclosporine (remember Lori -- Billy was on as big a dose of pred as Willow for his weight AND he was on these gigundo massive HUGE doses of cyclosporine TOO -- like his cyclo was as much as my house payment!!)

We got the cyclosporine from 125 mg down to 110 ... and then to 100 ... and ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK his pack cell started to fluctuate.  noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo way!

Back up to 110 we go with the cyclosporine -- fully thinking maybe we'd have to shove it back up to 125. 

We didn't.  But dang he was at 110 for weeks and weeks and it was the WORST doseage for him.  There was something about 110 mg. that he just plain did NOT tolerate well at all.  It made his skin SOOOOOOOOO bad.  I can remember almost weeping when I gave him the meds.  You feel like you're killing them with every dose in a way.  But you know to NOT give it makes it worse.

Will we get him off the darned meds before they kill his liver and kidneys?  will getting him off the meds too quick kill him??

Lori -- I SOOOOOO understand.  You *will* win.  But you feel soo darned conflicted all the time.  The way you feel is SOOO normal.

Callie, yes, I can tell you've been thru this because that's exactly how I feel.  I'm in a race against time and a tug o war with an immune disease. 

Thanks guys, she called me early this morning and because I work 2nd shift I didn't hear the phone.  She left me a voice mail saying she wants to talk to me but that things are looking, "pretty good". 

willowchow

Thanks guys, she called me early this morning and because I work 2nd shift I didn't hear the phone.  She left me a voice mail saying she wants to talk to me but that things are looking, "pretty good". 

Yay, that sounds like it'll be good news. Let us know what you find out.

I am so excited to post that Willow's platelets were 159,000 and we are stopping the Prednisone for two weeks and rechecking again then.  The liver and kidney values looked very good and she said "I'm actually very pleased with these results."  The alk phos level for the liver was slightly elevated but not badly and she wasn't too worried.  We are still continuing Denosyl and Marin for a bit longer to help the liver.  But, overall REALLY good news for Willow! 

I think I'm going to have a off Prednisone party for her this weekend.  She's been on it since July. 

Of course there is always a chance she will need to go back on it in two weeks but I want to enjoy this moment.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I can't really explain what your friendship to Willow means to me. 

Lori

willowchow

"I'm actually very pleased with these results." 

Dontcha just LOVE those words?! I'm so happy for ya, Willow!

wonderful! I'm so glad to hear it =]

KEEP IT UP WILLOW!