Aquitaine At Ever Now

[greyhead]

Lots of prayers for you and Aquitaine. Is your step-father a doctor? He's nice in any case!

 

If we weren't spending thousands this month ourselves on our dogs, I'd offer to buy your pendant and hold onto it for you until you want it back someday. Which I bet you will, so I hope you can keep it. It doesn't matter whether you wear it or not, speaking as an inheritor of such things myself.

[duncan41]

Hoping and praying for the best possible outcome for Aquataine and your wallet.

[Burpdog]

Sending lots of prayers. (just as a side note: that is an awful amount for what is being done)

[seeh2o]

Good call in listening to your gut this morning and getting her to the e vet right away. I know how this can go from $0 to $6,000 in moments. My s/o was kind enough to spot me when Sheila ended up ay the e vet. I was, and still am so grateful for that...and that I had her insured.

 

I'm keeping good thoughts rolling your way.

[Guest Adrianne]

More good thoughts and white light coming to you and sweet Aquataine from me and her half-brother, Chevy.

[tbhounds]

Sounds like they think it's a hemangioma - B9! If all goes well she should be home right quick! Praying for a easy recovery and an even better path report!

[DesiRayMom]

Sending good thoughts & prayers!!

[Xan]

Fingers, toes, hands, feet, legs and arms all crossed here!!

[45MPHK9]

Just seeing this, Carron. We will be thinking good thoughts for your pretty girl tomorrow. Sending her worried momma a big hug.

[carronstar]

Aquitaine made it through the night well. Her blood pressure was a bit elevated but they believe it is due to her being in hospital and away from me as the elevation is minor.

 

Another dog scheduled became a priorty so Aquitaine is due to start her surgery at noon. Please pray for both of them.

 

We still need a miracle.

 

I am holding on to the fact that my pathologically blunt (I love him) former oil trader vet says that based on what he has seen, the lack of mets, and the spleen coming out, that we have reason to be cautiously optimistic. For him, that is major.

 

Thank you all, more than I can ever say, for caring about us. My girl is my heart and there are no people who understand that more than the people here. It is appreciated tremendously.

[Guest Tes623]

Prayers and white light being sent for your girlie

[queenwinniesmom]

We will be keeping your precious girl in our prayers too. Your love and concern are so clear. If she needs the spleen out, everything else sounds positive---no lung mets, it didn't burst, etc. Many dogs have lived long lives without their spleens.

Please keep us updated.

[MP_the4pack]

Having lost two to cancer of the spleen, I am impatiently waiting an update.

 

B9B9B9B9B9B9

[robinw]

You both continue to be in my thoughts. i will jump on the B9 bangwagon!

[carronstar]

The surgeon just called, Aquitaine made it through the surgery and they are waking her up now. As we all know, the waking up process is almost as important as the surgery so we still have a bit of a road before us.

 

What the surgeon told me is that she did quite well in the surgery. He removed the spleen with the undeterminded mass in it, the mass was larger than a tennis bll but not pushing out of the spleen. He said her liver looks grossly normal and that everything else inside her looks healthy and normal (big sigh here). He reminded me that we have to wait for the rerports on the mass itself. However, with no outright signs of cancer, I am beginning to see a glimmer of light. Our best choice is that the tennis ball is a blood clot, next best choice, fat. Then fatty lipoma, etc. We don't want hemangiosarcoma.

 

I get to see her tonight for a short visit. Once again I was told emphatically that, no, I cannot sleep in the run with her.

 

What I have learned from this is that we all really do know our dogs and when something seems off...it is. Here I've been watching her legs like a hawk for any sight of growths, etc. Apparently, the fact that she had a tight tummy could have alerted me earlier. In her case, she has always had a tighter tummy than Scarlett or Aquitaine did. Theirs were softer and "pushier" for lack of a better word. Aquitaine's has always been tighter, kind of like a greyhound six-pack. Yesterday morning however, that tightness bothered me. It is a good thing that it did. Combined with her lack of brio on the leash, and her general lethargy, it pushed me to take her to the evet. I figured that the worst thing that would happen is that I would be out $1,500 less what the insurance company paid me. A price I was more than willing to pay.

 

To the person who asked, no, my stepfather isn't a doctor. He is an accountant who spent his entire career at Ralph's Grocery Company in SoCal. He is also on their credit union board and the Wilshire Boulevard Temple credit union board. Most importantly, he has been my daddy since I was 6 (even if that wasn't official until I was 13) and it one of the nicest men ever put on this earth. His accountant brain hesitated for an 1/8th of a second yesterday when I asked to borrow this huge amount of money that could have been a crap-shoot, but he loved me enough to do it. That is the greatest gift.

 

To say that I am so happy that I have a calm, even natured greyhound who lets me lay on her couch with her, pet and rub her all over, and generally check her every inch for something that seems off is an understatement. I have to admit that I did the same thing with Morgaine who had severe space agression, I just figured that a wound to me was well worth her health and life. Yes, don't flame me, I know that is a dumb thing to do but I am okay with that. I accept that any hurt that comes to me is my responsibility. I grew up breeding and showing dogs, I knew how to intubate them to feed them by the time I was 7. I am very willing to take risks for them.

 

To those of you who have lost your dogs to this same issue, every one of you was in the room at the evet with me yesterday. Your stories, your losses, your wisdom. You helped me tremendously.

 

To the person who pointed out that $6,000+ is an insane amount of money to pay for this surgery. Yes, it sure as heck is but as far as I'm concerned, it is worth every penny. I live in NYC where everything is just far too expensive. The simple truth is, my hound will always mean more to me than money. I am lucky enough to have inherited some gorgeous jewelry. I love it, I wear most of it. However, in the end, diamonds are cold carbon stones and pearl are oyster puke. I'd give them up any day if ithey could save my hound.

 

When she wakes up and is cleared to go home, I will let you know. Thank you all.

[robinw]

Great news about Aquitaine! Fingers continue to be crossed

[CaliforniaGreys]

Don't post very often but have held you both in our hearts

[Guest greytbookert]

Sending B9 thoughts your way!

 

I did lose a hound to hemangio and it is horrible. My eyes leaked terribly when I read your note about all of us being in the room with you!

 

Please keep up the good spirit! We're all thinking of you!

[Charlies_Dad]

Great to hear she came through surgery well! Now let's hope for a speedy recovery and B9 results.

[DesiRayMom]

So glad to hear that all is well, so far. Prayers coming that it just gets better & better & B9.

[duncan41]

It so sad to think that there is a price on our hound's heads. Hopefully I will never be in that situation. In the meantime, doG bless your "Dad" and sending prayers for Aquataine. You did what you needed to do as her Dogma-ma and she will thank you a million times over for it. And yes, if it had been my practice, I would have let you sleep in the kennel with her.

 

Please update when you can.

[Burpdog]

Sending lots of prayers! When I mentioned it was "an awful" amount, I almost said "you must be up east" NYC no less, no wonder!

 

thank goodness you have a sweet father who is able and willing to help.

[TheFullHouse]

Glad to hear she came through the surgery just fine. Prayers for B9 lab results.

[seeh2o]

Thanks so much for the update, so far so good! All fingers, toes and paws crossed for a continued good outcome. We're all holding our breath and saying a prayer for your little girl.

 

I'm so glad your stepdad is able to help you out to get Aquitaine the care she needs, what a blessing that is. That takes a lot of extra stress away so you can help Aquataine focus on her recovery. As you said, vet bills in big cities are huge, but whatcha gonna do? Not having dogs is simply not an option in my life and I would guess that's the same for most dog owners, especially here on GT. Gentle hugs for you and your girl from here in LA.

[Batmom]

So glad she is through the surgery. Hope she makes a full recovery!