Monday, March 5, 2012

Horrible Day For Lola and Mommy

As you know Lola went in at 8 am this morning for her spay and a hernia repair to be done at 10 am. I was a wreck and know they got tired of me calling to check on her but the vet staff is so nice they kindly checked every time. I was told at about 1:30 pm that she did fine and was just waking up but the vet needed to talk to me when I came to pick her up at 4 pm. At 1:40 pm my phone rang and it was the vet clinic asking if I could come in immediately that Lola wasn't doing so well. I think I made that 15 mile trip in about 7 minutes, of course cussing every other car on the road. By the time I got there my poor baby looked and sounded awful. Being her first surgery or injury we had no idea she is a free bleeder. The vet said the surgery took longer than normal because of the bleeding and transfusions but she had seemed to come out of it OK. Right after talking to me on the phone she went into shock. They got her to come around but it happened two more times while I was there. More rushing, more blood and more meds brought her back again. Making it extremely hard to get her to wake up. I was so terrified and quickly learned being a nurse flies right out the window when your baby is involved. I was asking some very basic nursing 101 questions, the vet kept telling me to calm down and think because I already knew all those anwers. He was right, I was just in in a panic. They don't have an overnight emergency crew there so felt better sending her home, even when it was with a human nurse. So we came home armed with IV's, pre-loaded syringes and anything else needed to stop a bleeding, breathing or shock incident.  She has to stay warm and I won't let her out of my site so she is wrapped up like a burrito in my lap. I was very pleased when she wanted to get down briefly to go to her paper and pee, got a sip of water and actually ate a few hand fed bites of food. About an hour ago she barked wanting Her Boy to come sit with us, a weak bark but still a bark. When he came she licked his hand like she hadn't seen him for days. A few minutes ago he got up to go to the bathroom, we were shocked when she got down to follow him. I guess even being as sick as she is the bathroom is just too much of a temptation to her! Right now she is doing much better but very, very weak and I pray she keeps on this path.

Unfortunately for her now that we know she is free bleeder she can't go to dog parks, rough house with other dogs or do anything that could cause a wound, scratch or cut, for her it will always be a life threatening event.  She can only be boarded overnight at a vet facility that has a 24 medical staff. So in Mom talk that means Lola will never, ever be boarded and I will never travel without medical equipment.

I do have to praise the quick thinking of my vet and his staff today for saving her life, of course when I see the bill next week I may be the one in shock! I know it is going to be several hundred more than originally planned for but worth every penny to have my baby safe. I do have to tell you this has got to be one of the most beautiful incisions I have ever seen, human or animal. Only another medical person is going to appreciate or understand that comment! LOL

Thank you all for the prayers, good thoughs and all the juju you sent my baby girl today. I also want to thank all her wonderful friends that sent pre-surgery toys and treats for her. I am sure she is going to have a great time playing with them when she feels better. Tomorrow I am going to go see if I can find her some new toys and treats, this baby deserves them after all she went through today.

This is what she looked liked for the first six hours she was home, taking pictures at the hospital was the last thing on my mind earlier:

If you could have heard the labored breathing brought on by the shock it would have scared you to death.

Her little tongue was out for so long I had to lubricate it to keep it from cracking, I couldn't take a chance on it bleeding.

33 comments:

  1. Oh, Lola...I'm so sorry this has been so scary and traumatic for you and your humans. My human Mom is in tears reading your post. I'm so sorry you are all going through this and if there is anything we can do, just ask!

    Sending lots of love and good and fast-healing thoughts!
    xo,
    Lulu (and my human!)

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    1. Thank you so much Lulu! She is doing some better today,weak but she did eat a little chicken when I got her up for her meds a bit ago.

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  2. oh,poor lola and mommy
    we are sending you big,big hugs and good thoughts and crossed paws and everything,that will help to make you both feelbetter.you can be very proud of yourself,cause you are soo strong . not only the vet,but you,too saved the little live.
    hope,you both will feel better soon and believe me,following the boy also beeing soo ill is a very ,very good sign.
    she will sure be happy go lucky again and you will learn to live with the little fear in your backhead.
    it will be better,i know that,cause we went through such bad times,too.
    sending you love
    the foxbrothermomma
    ps.i love all of our blogs and your sense of humor.
    its fabolous

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    1. Thank you so much! I would do anything for that girl and at this point it seems I have. LOL Glad you enjoy my other blogs too!

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  3. Prayers for you and Lola.

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  4. Lola and mom,
    That is super scary. I have had incidents where mom and dad have had to travel to or from Chicago with my IV bag hung on the hand grips and a schedule for dispensing antibiotics. Not fun for either of us. Please know that we will continue to pray often for you both. Keep us posted.
    Love,
    Payton

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    1. Thanks Payton, I know if anyone understands it is you. You have been through so much too!

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  5. Lola is totally in our prayers and our heart goes out to your mommy because I know how truly painful those fears can be and medical training doesn't trancend family!

    Love,
    Gampy and Gammy

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    1. Thanks for thinking of us Gampy and Gammy! I know you guys know what it is like because of Payton. But Payton and I are strong, we are going to make it and show what super hero's we really are!

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  6. Poor little thing. Such a nightmare for you both! Who knew dogs can be free bleeders too???? So, so, crazy!!! I was thinking you also need to be very careful having her nails done? Here's hoping she heels quickly and without incident!!!

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    1. Her nails can now only be done by the vet. The tests came back today and she is a Type 4 Hemophiliac, I told her that makes her part of the royal family.

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  7. Best wishes and love to that sweet girl.
    You go! We know you can do it.

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  8. OMD, that is horrible! My mom would have freaked out if it were me, so she totally undertands what you are going through!! My paws are crossed for poor Lola!

    ~Higgins

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    1. Thanks Higgins, your such a sweety to think of me and thanks for the crossed paws.

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  9. I am so hoping my FURiend Lola is up and running soon. How scary this whole event has been for you.
    Love Noodles

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    1. Thank you Noodles, I am feeling some better today and Mom gave me a little chicken a bit ago and I scarfed it right down!

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  10. Oh poor baby Lola!! I'll keep my paws crossed for one of my BFFS, stay strong Lola!
    Love
    Dachshund Nola

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    1. Thank you Nola, we saw the cutest little Dachshund when we were at the vet and it made Mom think of you.

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  11. Lola darling, I'm so so sorry yesterday was such a rough day for you (and your mom!), but it sounds like you had the right vets taking care of you because they saw you through the roughest of times! I know your mama will take the bestest care of you and make sure you are as safe as she can keep you! I'm still sending along more juju because it takes a while to recover from something as stressful as that - for both you and your mama!! And yeah, maybe keep an extra lick or two available for her when the bill does come in..you may need to revive her with those licks!

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    1. I still need that extra juju and as soon as I feel better I intend to give Momma all kinds of licks!

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  12. What a horrible experience, I will keep her in my prayers. I can't imagine how I would react,

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  13. How scary! I'm glad you brought her home. I've never understood why vet hospitals don't have someone there at night to check on animals who have just had surgery. It seems so very wrong!!

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    1. I don't understand it either, all clinics should be staffed overnight. I went into shock again at home, I would not be here if it had happened at an unstaffed hospital! Mom has been so upset she is thinking of volunteering her time to stay overnight at the clinic for the doggies that have to stay there.

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  14. Lola and the Mommy we are praying that she heals up properly and fast with no more complications. It must have been so scary for both of you we are just glad to hear she is getting her energy back some and starting the healing process.

    Many hugs
    The Girls

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  15. Lola, Mom and Tucker! What an awful day! My person go tears all over and said if that ever happens to me I'm in humungous trouble. Fortunately she is a nurse too so she understands about the incision:) and whenever any of us are sick we go stay with her and keep her up all night (we have 4 dog-moms:) 2 sisters and their mom and her sis) We wish we were closer so we could help, lots of healthy thoughts and hugs from Quincy, Ca!

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    1. At least someone understands about a beautiful incision! LOL I think only nurses and doctors look at stuff like that, while eating lunch even and think "Damn, that's a good looking incision!" Thank you for thinking of me!

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  16. I'm sorry about your entire ordeal!!!:( If something similar happened to me, I think my humans would die at the vet's so I'm glad your human is a strong one!

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  17. Oh no....we sure do hope that things continue to improve!! We will add Lola to our prayers.
    xoxo Chloe, LadyBug and the mama

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