Diseases & Conditions

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

jessies_mom — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:15:50 GMT

babelfish:
As Jerry arrived, he called her name. She started scrambling herself up - with help she got up and started moving towards him, techs had a hard time keeping up with her. (two slings one to support front, one to support rear). They all looked extremely surprised. Jasmine not walking well, legs shaky, but walking.

Then they sat around a bit, Jasmine getting pets and attention.

Then Jerry suggested to ease off on the slings for the second trial. Front sling removed, rear sling loosened. Jerry and one of the techs walking away from Jasmine. She got up with a little help for the rear and followed Jerry. Vet tech at the rear sling screaming in excitement and surprise "I am not lifting at all!" Jasmine walked up to Jerry's side and stopped for a leg rub, remained standing for a while before laid down again. Very weak, but moving pretty much on her own. Legs not shaking the second time. All present very surprised

How wonderful, and I'm so glad the surgery went well.

babelfish:

The techs really like Jasmine, she's doing her number on them :-)

She must be a great girl; I've known some very sweet Rotties.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

babelfish — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:11:27 GMT

Thank you all, all good vibes and prayers appreciated.

Update:

Weekend reports on Jasmine good on vitals, but very disheartening and depressing on the legs.
Also the weekend icu DVM again had a hard time accepting the fact that her legs were fully functional prior the event (stuck on the normal post op development I guess). Eventually I was told the legs are not a priority, since not life threatening unlike the other issues.

Very worried, very depressed. Her legs and mobility ARE a priority to Jasmine.

Then Jerry and I got thinking - they were using slings to support her all along (understandably so). But Jerry and I recalled our moot attempts to towel her after either surgery - which resulted in more danger to her legs than letting her do it on her own. Hope filled our hearts thinking that she might not be walking for them not because of the state of her legs, but because she doesn't like the slings.

Discussed with the weekend icu DVM, but she didn't seem to be hearing what I was telling her.
Eventually we decided Jerry would get down there, talk to them, and see for himself.

As he arrived they already took Jasmine outside, she was laying on the grass, vet techs sitting around after number of moot attempts to get her to move or do anything.

As Jerry arrived, he called her name. She started scrambling herself up - with help she got up and started moving towards him, techs had a hard time keeping up with her. (two slings one to support front, one to support rear). They all looked extremely surprised. Jasmine not walking well, legs shaky, but walking.

Then they sat around a bit, Jasmine getting pets and attention.

Then Jerry suggested to ease off on the slings for the second trial. Front sling removed, rear sling loosened. Jerry and one of the techs walking away from Jasmine. She got up with a little help for the rear and followed Jerry. Vet tech at the rear sling screaming in excitement and surprise "I am not lifting at all!" Jasmine walked up to Jerry's side and stopped for a leg rub, remained standing for a while before laid down again. Very weak, but moving pretty much on her own. Legs not shaking the second time. All present very surprised.

That was a huge relief. But all along I couldn't understand why she would be able to walk (poorly but however) during the worst times and then got worse instead of improving. So some relief after a whole weekend of broken bleeding heart. As much as they might not see the legs a priority, they surely are a priority to Jasmine, and therefore to us.

The techs really like Jasmine, she's doing her number on them :-)

Abscess apparently size of a large chicken egg.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

kpwlee — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:13:53 GMT

Johnny&Tessy:
just wanted to send some prayers and healing thoughts your way. Good to hear the surgery went well.

excellent news!

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

babelfish — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:40:17 GMT

thank you, much appreciated!

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

Johnny&Tessy — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:02:44 GMT

Hi Babelfish....just wanted to send some prayers and healing thoughts your way. Good to hear the surgery went well.

Johnny & Tessy

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

sl2crmeg — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:42:03 GMT

Glad she seems to be on the upswing - gentle pats for her and hugs for you.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

Jewlieee — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:06:55 GMT

That is great news!

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

babelfish — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:46:55 GMT

Hi all lovely supportive souls.

Some good news today. Platelets jumped to 63 (safe margin is around 50), surgery done, no bleeding issues during the surgery, abscess was attached to fat tissue, so it came out beautifully, arrhythmia also seems to be resolving ...

The state of the muscle strenght isn't clear at this point (since she wasn't mobile), but neurological or other bad causes seemed to have been eliminated also.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

babelfish — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:37:00 GMT

Went to visit, brought a shirt. She was under mild sedation, calm.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

willowchow — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:56:39 GMT

Willow had a pretty long recovery but she's fine now. . .just thought you'd want to read that.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

babelfish — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:21:19 GMT

:-(

Well, they do feel confident that she should make it through ok... This is the most advanced place she could be in - veterinary teaching hospital - that's where all ontario vets learn. Lots of equipment, lots of specialists. I am worried about the too slowly improving mobility.

Responsive and alert otherwise, the problem seems to be focused on the body. Even through the worst time it was clear that she was enjoying all the attention she was getting (she loves attention).

Thank you for your prayers, I am praying also. I would ask about your experience, but I have the feeling I don't want to hear it at this point.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

willowchow — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:41:55 GMT

Reading that I started to panic. I know these symptoms a little too well. I'm praying for her!!

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

Jewlieee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:43:28 GMT

Go. I know it will do you both good.

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

babelfish — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:31:12 GMT

Thank you all for your support and good vibes.

Some of you know that Jasmine has a rough history. This however was out of the blue. On Tuesday she was in for x-rays. Then seemed not comfortable, it was assumed it was because of pain. Injection for pain was given. Then she spiked a fever of 42.5. Fever brought down and believed she was just very weak from the ordeal so eventually she was let to come home.

Very weak, couldn't get up on her own, barely made it out to pee. Improvement expected by next day - didn't happen. Urine brown. Rushed to emergency. Lot of crazy ideas, rushed to teaching hospital. Her blood fried. During multiple exams and tests abscess found in abdomen.

Not clear whether the pain meds caused the fever, or in combination with the abscess which was unknown ... On IV, platelets slowly rising. Doubled since yesterday from 6 to 12 (out of 100 or whatever is normal). Still can't really walk.

That's a brief summary :-(

Re: URGENT, opinion needed - to visit or not to visit

willowchow — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:27:43 GMT

I know for me when Willow was sick and I was leaving her for extended periods at the hospital-it helped her to know I was coming and going. I used the words I usually use and I "think" she understood that I wasn't leaving her there for good.

And, also, from my perspective although I was dying inside to leave her there it did help me to see her for myself, to know how she was doing and be able to ask questions while I was there etc. It made my imagination wander a lot less to see her with my own eyes.

Whatever is going on, I hope she will be coming home very soon.