CaliforniaGreys Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Good update, I am praying the good news continues for this precious little girl Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graciehound Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 Gracie update: 06/19 ~ 6 PM We worried all day about Gracie's MRI today. We expected to hear from the neurologist around 4 or 4:30. By 5:30, we hadn't heard anything so I called. I finally got through to Dr. Pettigrew, who was about to call. He was just waiting for one more result, which he got while we were on the phone together. GOOD NEWS! NO TUMOR!!!!!! The MRI results showed nothing grossly abnormal and no evidence of gross disease. There was no tumor or evidence of inflammation/infection. The spinal tap came back clear as well. There was a small highlighted area on the mid-brain which indicated a small stroke. However, this area is not a typical location to induce a seizure. It appears that the seizures are cryogenic seizures. She is still extremely affected neurologically. She still is non-ambulatory and has no menacing response. We don't know if this is as a result of the stroke, brain damage, or if it is all related to the many drugs she has been on in the last few days. The phenobarbital loading she experienced can be very hard on some dogs, and it is like they are on a very bad drug trip. The neurologist said that many dogs begin to recover from these symptoms in a week or so. We are hoping she will begin to come out of the drug fog by the end of the weekend. She still is showing signs of blindness. He said it may be 1-2 weeks, or it may be permanent. She may have behavior changes post-stroke. However, despite all of this, he feels she has a great prognosis for recovery. He said several times that this may be very recoverable. We still don't know what caused the seizure in the first place, or why she had status ellipicticus. We may never know. They believe the seizure caused the hyperthermia (she was at a lethal body temp when she got to the ER), and the severe hyperthermia caused the stroke. I get to go visit my baby girl at 9 tomorrow morning. I know that we may never get 100% of our pre-stroke Gracie back. She may have permanent blindness. We can handle that. She may have to be on anti-epileptic meds for the rest of her life. We can handle that. She may have some residual ambulatory issues. We can handle that. As long as she can have a reasonable quality of life, we'll do what we can to make her happy. I'm just so happy to hear that she doesn't have a tumor that would be life-limiting disease. Thank you ALL for the thoughts and prayers on this roller coaster of an experience. I truly believe this is the most continual stress I've ever experienced in my life. AND I GET TO GO HUG MY GIRL TOMORROW!!!!! That's the best stress reliever ever! Quote Lisa, Matt, Travis, and Kathryn Furkids: Gracie (Styled Princess) and felines Tilly and Nike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokealong Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Sounds like greyt news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Give her some hugs from all of us, too! Any idea when she might be able to come home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 What a great update! Gracie sure sounds like a fighter, continuing :candle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HappyHarleysMom Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 good news to hear Keep it up Gracie! We're pulling and praying for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaineysMom Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Lisa and Matt -- I am keeping your sweet baby girl in my thoughts and prayers constantly :hope :hope she's a fighter, and I know she's going to pull through!!!!! :wub: love ya guys!!!! Kim and Bruce ps. Rainey and Nube have been sending out ALL their sloppy kisses and LUBS to Gracie!!! Rainey especially is sending Princess Hugs to her buddy Gracie!!! (those are the BEST and STRONGEST kind!!!!) Quote Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." -- Ernest Hemmingway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 What fantastic news to get. I pray she has a speedy recovery from this. Hoping to hear she's doing much better by Monday! Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KyGrey Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Sending more prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VelvetEars Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 so very glad to read this. A Whiskers/Wags/something harness was very helpful for us when I brought Janey home. It doesn't pull in their armpits -works more like a martingale around the body, if that makes sense. I'd send you ours, but I lent it to another GTer and don't have it back yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadasMom Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Wonderful news! Quote Carol-Glendale, AZ Trolley (Figsiza Trollyn) Nevada 1992-2008...always in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamngrey Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 That is WONDERFULL news!!!!!!!!!11 Quote Cassie: Pikes Clara Bell Swoop: My Man Swoop BRIDGE ANGELS Psi:WD'S Aleford 3/17/00-4/25/10 Snowman: Gable Snowman 1/9/96-2/14/08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest longdogs Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Hang in there. I need a happy ending to this story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona3 Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 What a great update! It sounds like Gracie will be coming home to you eventually where you can spoil her and love and hug her every day. I am sure you will begin to see small changes daily (your poor girl has been through so much). Please give her a big hug from me when you see her today. Quote Hobbes - April 2, 1994 to April 9, 2008-----Tasha - May 23, 2000 to March 31, 2013 Fiona - Aug 29, 2001 to May 5, 2014-----Bailey - March 22, 2001 to Jan 20, 2015 Zeke - June 1, 2004 - Jan 26, 2016----Callie - July 14, 2006 to July 27, 2019 Forever in my heart: Chooch, Molly, Dylan & Lucy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 That's a greyt Update . We keep the Hugs and Prayers coming and for the severely Gracie deprived Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sighthounds4me Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Greyt news, and continued prayers from us! Quote Sarah, the human, Henley, and Armani the Borzoi boys, and Brubeck the Deerhound.Always in our hearts, Gunnar, Naples the Greyhounds, Cooper and Manero, the Borzoi, and King-kitty, at the Rainbow Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandysMom Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Great news, continuing to send prayers for Gracie Quote Beverly. Missing my happy toy-flinging boy Sammy (Where's Mandrill), (8/12/2009-9/30-2021) Desperately missing my angel Mandy (BB's Luv) [7/1/2000 - 9/18/2012]. Always missing Meg the Dalmatian and Ralph Malph the Pekeapoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Keeping Gracie in my prayers. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBass Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 What a delight to read the largely good news about your girl. As Judy said, epilepsy can generally be managed and dogs can usually lead a happy life even with that chronic condition. Fingers crossed and prayers offered that the current neuro symptoms will clear with a bit of time. --Lucy Quote Lucy with Greyhound Nate and OSH Tinker. With loving memories of MoMo (FTH Chyna Moon), Spirit, Miles the slinky kitty (OSH), Piper "The Perfect" (Oneco Chaplin), Winston, Yoda, Hector, and Claire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbrindlebunny Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Oh, thank heavens. I'm so glad you had the MRI done. No tumor, we're so happy to hear that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Soooo, how was your visit? Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graciehound Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 Soooo, how was your visit? We got to visit Gracie yesterday morning. They wheeled her in to the comfort room in a garden cart, and she was holding her head and chest up! When I said something to her, she turned her head and looked at me. She was nice and bright - very alert. We got a few minutes to spend together before Dr. Pettigrew came to see us. We reviewed the MRI and honestly, most of it went in one ear and out the other for me. I was loving on my Gracie. Matt told me later that they discussed the small possibility of a tumor at the site of the stroke, but he said it really doesn't look like it at all. If it was a tumor, it would have been highlighted more because of increased blood flow that tumors usually demand. Gracie was getting bit agitated while we were visiting. I think she was overwhelmed by all of the talking, being taken from her crate and put in yet another new environment. Dr. Pettigrew suggested we take her outside for some fresh air and let her lay in the grass while we visit some more. Once we were outside, she started sniffing and squinting - she LOVES being outside, and she looked so happy. Dr. Pettigrew tried to get her to stand, but she wasn't bearing much weight. He did say that she will occasionally thrust herself forward as if she is determined to get somewhere. We got to see that when she was laying on the ground. She pushed off and moved herself along the ground a little. She also rolled from one side to the other. It's not pretty, but she has feeling and movement in her limbs. That's a good start! At one point, she lifted her head, pushed again, and put her head in my lap. It didn't seem accidental, it seemed purposeful. After about 20 minutes outside, I noticed she was a naked neck greyhound! Here I am constantly educating others at meet and greets about how they must ALWAYS be on leash or in a fenced in yard. They must ALWAYS have ID tags on. And here I am, in the middle of Madison, with my dog laying in the grass - no fence, no collar, no leash, no id tags. We joked that if she got up and ran we'd be cheering for her first! While talking w/ Dr. Pettigrew, I asked about how fearful she might be while adjusting to blindness, especially with a toddler in the house. He said that she still has no menacing response, but it appears her vision is back. The menacing response is very complex, so that may come back in time, but it appears her vision is coming back. Earlier in the morning, he got her attention and tossed cotton balls. She tracked them! When we were outside, he pulled a coin out of his pocket and did the same thing. It was great to see her watch it go up and down. WAHOO! She is continuing to eat when presented with food. It's not pretty. Her proprioception seems to be off - she doesn't seem to know where she is in relation to other things. She stuffs her snout into the water bowl. When I fed her some cooked ground beef, she nibbled it out of my hand, and actually nibbled my hand at one time. She is still in the Critical Care Unit to be able to be monitored for further seizures. She also tries to roll in her cage, and they don't feel comfortable having her doing that without someone in the room monitoring at all times. They don't want to sedate her to stop the movements, so it is better for her to stay in CCU. The minimum standards the hospital has for her to leave are that she must be able to: 1 - eat on her own, 2 - drink on her own, 3 - be able to relieve her bladder on her own. We added that our comfort level is that we want her also to be somewhat ambulatory, as in she is able to hold some of her weight so that I can assist with a sling, etc. When Matt is working a stretch of days, I'm alone all day and night with Travis. I need to be able to manage her care in addition to taking care of Travis. Right now, Gracie is able to do all three of the basic minimums for her to come home. They would like to see her drinking more water than she is, but she is eating on her own and drinking some water. She is able to control relieving her bladder, and she demonstrated that for us yesterday! The most exciting thing, aside from seeing her have more control, was a comment that Dr. Pettigrew made several times. I commented that we understood we will not have 100% of our pre-stroke Gracie back. He said, several times, "Don't be so sure about that." He thinks we'll be surprised by the amount of recovery she is able to make. Matt is still holding off on too much hope, and I am trying to not get myself to worked up, but we do have hope that she will have good quality of life. We get another visit with her today at 9 AM. YIPPEE! Quote Lisa, Matt, Travis, and Kathryn Furkids: Gracie (Styled Princess) and felines Tilly and Nike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 What a wonderful visit you had! Hope the good news continues. Please give your little girl a scritch from me and tell her to keep working on getting well so her admiring fans can meet her one day. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EmilyAnne Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 The most exciting thing, aside from seeing her have more control, was a comment that Dr. Pettigrew made several times. I commented that we understood we will not have 100% of our pre-stroke Gracie back. He said, several times, "Don't be so sure about that." He thinks we'll be surprised by the amount of recovery she is able to make. Matt is still holding off on too much hope, and I am trying to not get myself to worked up, but we do have hope that she will have good quality of life. We get another visit with her today at 9 AM. YIPPEE! I think you will be pleasantly surprised! When Henry had his cluster, I was so upset when after a couple weeks, he still hadnt recovered as much as I liked, but a month later, he really was a world better! The post seizure blindness thing, (for Henry anyways) I dont think they are actually *blind*, but it's more that the vision does not register correctly with the brain. At first they will seem like they are totally blind, then, you may notice she definately notices when something passes in front of her, but she will likely have a problem with depth perception. She will see that something is in front of her, but think it is further than it is, and thus bump into it. She may also have great difficulty getting down off furniture, due to the depth perception problem. Henry in post seizure blindness acts like the floor is fifty feet down and is too scared to get down without help. Just give it a full month and I think you will be pleasantly surprised! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EmilyAnne Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 BTW, has your vet said anything about keeping Valium on hand? I would highly reccomend it. I have a blog entry on that~ http://healthyhoundz.blogspot.com/2009/05/valium.html (Please excuse my messed up blog background, I've been meaning to get around to fixing it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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