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Thursday, March 28, 2024

UPDATE: Blaze Recovery Update

UPDATE OCTOBER 24, 2011 - Blaze Gets Better Every Day: (as always, click on any image for a larger view)Leopard_blanket

After some pretty horrendous oral surgery, Blaze and I had a rough few days but things are looking much better now.   She was not allowed food on Wednesday prior to the surgery and, though offered/coaxed/cajoled, would not even try to eat until Thursday evening. For a little dog who lives for meals, this was very scary. Worse, she has decided she will not drink water out of a bowl. Still don’t know wassup with that.  This surgery was hard, not only because all quarters of her mouth were operated on, but because the anesthesia was difficult for her. The face numbing local left her without sense of smell and the Fentanyl patch really messed up her balance. I was so scared for her, I sat up with her all night Wednesday night while she slept wrapped up like a little burrito in her new binkie. (This photo is her bundled up in her leopard binkie on my bed.)

Over the next few days, she has gradually been less and less zonked and started to act like herself again. The refusal of water in a bowl is a mystery to all the veterinarians and techs. Not to be out fox terriered, I simply make a soup from her canned food and hot water and spoon feed it to her and this has kept her well hydrated AND well fed.

The swelling in her face has gone down a lot so she looks better. I was concerned that she continues to have congestion and sneezing but Dr. Mees assures me that the flaps she did are not loose – if they do come loose (cross fingers not) it will be later after the sutures dissolve. She says the congestion is probably just irritation to her trachea from having a tube down her throat for 3 surgeries in a short period of time.

I had to take her to Ansley this morning to get the Fentanyl patch off. I was told to take it off yesterday and tried everything but could not budge it. It was stuck on her poor little side like super glue. She had a badly needed bath yesterday but even soap and water would not get it loose. When I got to Ansley, Anthony raced over to us with a big grin on his face and all the techs came pouring out of the back – they were all so delighted to see their Miracle Girl again. Anthony said, “She’s gained weight!” and I told him I didn’t think so because when I weighed her Thursday morning after the surgery, she was down to under 12 lbs. He told me I was wrong, that he knew her and she’d gained it back and then he put her on the scale – and she’s up to 13.8 lbs., the most she’s ever weighed! What a great surprise. Just goes to show what 6 big meals,  a jar of Gerber’s chicken flavored baby food,  and several  Buddy’s gummy treats a day will do. The Fentanyl patch came off easily with mineral oil (who knew?).

After living with her 24/7 now, it is very apparent just how sad Blaze’s life was before. She didn’t know how to go up or down steps and was afraid, but finally decided to follow Moose, who is big and easy to see :) and goes down with speed and ease now. Hasn’t mastered going up, so still waits for me to carry her, but it will come in time. We knew she was never petted or held much – though she seemed to like it once everyone started, she never initiated contact until last night. I was in bed with the whole pack watching the World Series (go RANGERS!!) and she just walked over and climbed in my lap, put her head down and did a big sigh. ( I almost cried.) She sleeps in wrapped up in her leopard binkie and rarely moves all night. She loves the other terriers and they are surprisingly gentle with her. She loves going outside and knows that’s when to go potty. She’s been playing with a tennis ball a little this afternoon and loves sitting in my lap.

Dr. Mees called this morning and said that the biopsy she did from the tissue she removed came back negative for cancer, was just severely inflamed, so that’s fabulous news again for our Miracle Girl.

Blazie still has a long way to go. She needs to gain a lot more weight and there are some issues with her blood work that will require regular follow up, but she’s more well now than she’s probably been in years. It is the most gratifying thing in the world to see her now vs. what she was like that first awful day at the animal shelter and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to know her and love her. Mostly, I know that no matter what, Blaze survives and thrives because of the love, generosity and devotion of so many people. I know that the rest of her life is going to be wonderful, no matter how long that is and that’s the best feeling you can imagine. Thank you, thank you, from Blazie and from me.

Holly 

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