Struggling with decision...

L,

God Bless you, thank you for your support. Today's decision to NOT put TB through the surgery was probably THE MOST difficult decision in my life. After hemming and hawing about it for 4 days, I discussed it further with the vet and something just told me to not put him through it. I decided to bring TB home with meds and pray for the best. I know he won't have all that long, I must be prepared for whatever is happening to him to get worse, but I won't give up. The doubts of whether surgery would help, or find anything fixable, or whether he would even make it out of the anesthesia was just too much. His clotting was delayed, and that presented its own risk of bleeding. He has been on IV fluids for 4 days, and receiving antibiotic injections as well as vitamins. He looks a lot better than when I brought him in on Monday, BUT he is still wobbly and most likely mildy anemic. Only time will tell if he will eat, I am stocked up on Hill's A/D to syringe feed him though. Man, this is so hard...I actually broke down in front of the vet when finally deciding to take TB home. I will probably go hold him and cry all night, but I just don't think the surgery would have made anything better. I will still pray that he gets better with meds, but only time will tell.

Thank you...

Originally Posted by -L.

NateB323 wrote:
Thank you for all of your support and opinions. However, there is no
need to highjack this post and make it another battle ground for people
who dislike each other. I am stressed out enough, I don't need you guys
fighting here. I went to the vet and talked to her today. I also got
to be with TB for over an hour. He looked so much better from the
drip, but I know if I just took him home, he would probably go right
back. He will not eat at the vet, he never has, and they don't do
feeding tubes through the nose, so I syringe fed him there tonight. He
took it well, and did not vomit or even act like he was going to. He
wanted to go home so bad though, I could tell. Everytime I stood up,
he started purring and stood up too. This is the hardest decision I
have ever made...I know if I bring him home and continue the regular
treatment, he'll go downhill and probably die within a month or less.
The thing that is most worisome is this "lobulated fluid structure"
that is around his galbladder. This could be the cause of his very
high white blood cell count. If he didn't have this structure, I would
not even consider the surgery and hope for the best. But, since this
structure is getting more "extensive" I'm afraid of what it could do.
To make matters worse, I am taking serious flak from my fiance. If it
were up to her, she would put him down, hell, she would have put him
down long ago...she just doesn't understand. Its causing problems
right now...this whole situation just plain sucks!

I am so sorry, Nate, that you are going through this, and that your
fiance isn't being supportive. I hope you can find some peace in
whatever decision you make. This is the hardest part of being a pet
guardian.

I think you have to ask yourself a few tough questions...

1. If I choose surgery and the cat doesn't make it through the surgery,
how will I feel?

2. If I choose surgery and the cat is worse off afterward, how will I
feel?

3. If I choose not to select surgery, will I regret not making that
choice, if and when the cat gets more sick or dies?

Of course if you choose surgery and the cat gets better, you will have
no second-guessing to do.

If and when you are at the place where you might consider euthanasia,
this site might help you decide if and when the time is right:

http://angelshavenhere.homestead.com...edecision.html

My heart goes out to you,

-L.

On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 20:47:16 +0000, NateB323 wrote:


L,

God Bless you, thank you for your support. Today's decision to NOT put TB
through the surgery was probably THE MOST difficult decision in my life.
After hemming and hawing about it for 4 days, I discussed it further with
the vet and something just told me to not put him through it. I decided
to bring TB home with meds and pray for the best. I know he won't have
all that long, I must be prepared for whatever is happening to him to get
worse, but I won't give up. The doubts of whether surgery would help, or
find anything fixable, or whether he would even make it out of the
anesthesia was just too much. His clotting was delayed, and that
presented its own risk of bleeding. He has been on IV fluids for 4 days,
and receiving antibiotic injections as well as vitamins. He looks a lot
better than when I brought him in on Monday, BUT he is still wobbly and
most likely mildy anemic. Only time will tell if he will eat, I am
stocked up on Hill's A/D to syringe feed him though. Man, this is so
hard...I actually broke down in front of the vet when finally deciding to
take TB home. I will probably go hold him and cry all night, but I just
don't think the surgery would have made anything better. I will still
pray that he gets better with meds, but only time will tell.

Thank you...

-L. Wrote:
NateB323 wrote:-
Thank you for all of your support and opinions. However, there is no
need to highjack this post and make it another battle ground for people
who dislike each other. I am stressed out enough, I don't need you guys
fighting here. I went to the vet and talked to her today. I also got
to be with TB for over an hour. He looked so much better from the drip,
but I know if I just took him home, he would probably go right back. He
will not eat at the vet, he never has, and they don't do feeding tubes
through the nose, so I syringe fed him there tonight. He
took it well, and did not vomit or even act like he was going to. He
wanted to go home so bad though, I could tell. Everytime I stood up, he
started purring and stood up too. This is the hardest decision I have
ever made...I know if I bring him home and continue the regular
treatment, he'll go downhill and probably die within a month or less.
The thing that is most worisome is this "lobulated fluid structure" that
is around his galbladder. This could be the cause of his very high
white blood cell count. If he didn't have this structure, I would
not even consider the surgery and hope for the best. But, since this
structure is getting more "extensive" I'm afraid of what it could do. To
make matters worse, I am taking serious flak from my fiance. If it
were up to her, she would put him down, hell, she would have put him
down long ago...she just doesn't understand. Its causing problems right
now...this whole situation just plain sucks!-

I am so sorry, Nate, that you are going through this, and that your
fiance isn't being supportive. I hope you can find some peace in
whatever decision you make. This is the hardest part of being a pet
guardian.

I think you have to ask yourself a few tough questions...

1. If I choose surgery and the cat doesn't make it through the surgery,
how will I feel?

2. If I choose surgery and the cat is worse off afterward, how will I
feel?

3. If I choose not to select surgery, will I regret not making that
choice, if and when the cat gets more sick or dies?

Of course if you choose surgery and the cat gets better, you will have
no second-guessing to do.

If and when you are at the place where you might consider euthanasia,
this site might help you decide if and when the time is right:

http://angelshavenhere.homestead.com...edecision.html

My heart goes out to you,

-L.


Purrs that you will "weather the storm". When my Princess (RB 16) was so
bad, the doctor told me that surgery was the only option. I asked what
was the chance of her surviving the surgery, he said "none"/ She lasted a
month. It has been eight years and I still wonder if I should have let
her go sooner Purrs for you to do what you think best.MLB

I think you made the right decision in trusting your gut. Whatever happens,
you have given him a wonderful life. Enjoy whatever time you have left with
him.
Gail
"NateB323" wrote in message
...

L,

God Bless you, thank you for your support. Today's decision to NOT
put TB through the surgery was probably THE MOST difficult decision in
my life. After hemming and hawing about it for 4 days, I discussed it
further with the vet and something just told me to not put him through
it. I decided to bring TB home with meds and pray for the best. I
know he won't have all that long, I must be prepared for whatever is
happening to him to get worse, but I won't give up. The doubts of
whether surgery would help, or find anything fixable, or whether he
would even make it out of the anesthesia was just too much. His
clotting was delayed, and that presented its own risk of bleeding. He
has been on IV fluids for 4 days, and receiving antibiotic injections
as well as vitamins. He looks a lot better than when I brought him in
on Monday, BUT he is still wobbly and most likely mildy anemic. Only
time will tell if he will eat, I am stocked up on Hill's A/D to syringe
feed him though. Man, this is so hard...I actually broke down in front
of the vet when finally deciding to take TB home. I will probably go
hold him and cry all night, but I just don't think the surgery would
have made anything better. I will still pray that he gets better with
meds, but only time will tell.

Thank you...

-L. Wrote:
NateB323 wrote:-
Thank you for all of your support and opinions. However, there is no
need to highjack this post and make it another battle ground for
people
who dislike each other. I am stressed out enough, I don't need you
guys
fighting here. I went to the vet and talked to her today. I also
got
to be with TB for over an hour. He looked so much better from the
drip, but I know if I just took him home, he would probably go right
back. He will not eat at the vet, he never has, and they don't do
feeding tubes through the nose, so I syringe fed him there tonight.
He
took it well, and did not vomit or even act like he was going to. He
wanted to go home so bad though, I could tell. Everytime I stood up,
he started purring and stood up too. This is the hardest decision I
have ever made...I know if I bring him home and continue the regular
treatment, he'll go downhill and probably die within a month or less.
The thing that is most worisome is this "lobulated fluid structure"
that is around his galbladder. This could be the cause of his very
high white blood cell count. If he didn't have this structure, I
would
not even consider the surgery and hope for the best. But, since this
structure is getting more "extensive" I'm afraid of what it could do.
To make matters worse, I am taking serious flak from my fiance. If
it
were up to her, she would put him down, hell, she would have put him
down long ago...she just doesn't understand. Its causing problems
right now...this whole situation just plain sucks!-

I am so sorry, Nate, that you are going through this, and that your
fiance isn't being supportive. I hope you can find some peace in
whatever decision you make. This is the hardest part of being a pet
guardian.

I think you have to ask yourself a few tough questions...

1. If I choose surgery and the cat doesn't make it through the
surgery,
how will I feel?

2. If I choose surgery and the cat is worse off afterward, how will I
feel?

3. If I choose not to select surgery, will I regret not making that
choice, if and when the cat gets more sick or dies?

Of course if you choose surgery and the cat gets better, you will have
no second-guessing to do.

If and when you are at the place where you might consider euthanasia,
this site might help you decide if and when the time is right:

http://angelshavenhere.homestead.com...edecision.html

My heart goes out to you,

-L.


--
NateB323

in article et, Gail at
wrote on 7/21/05 8:19 PM:

I think you made the right decision in trusting your gut. Whatever happens,
you have given him a wonderful life. Enjoy whatever time you have left with
him.
Gail

I agree. Purrs to you both.