We were called in the early am on Thursday and told that he was able to go home and we were elated. This was confirmed by the vet/student Nick who called and left a message that he was doing well and could probably come home earlier than expected. So we left around 2:00PM and arrived at the school/hospital at 3:30PM and it wasn't long before we were walked to one of the many examination rooms. There we met with Nick the student/vet and he was upbeat and happy with the outcome of the surgery and was quick to tell us what good news it was. So we tried to remember all the things we'd learned in the last few days about this surgery and what they'd done and then we were given the word that the biopsy was still not back but that they found hard bone, then soft bone, then hard bone and didn't feel that they were related. It would be highly unusual for bone cancer to "skip" to another bone in the same area and it usually spreads in a much more linear fashion, but they weren't sure what it was so they wanted to be sure with the biopsy. So we will wait on that to come in. It was a great way to start out the appointment and the client representative asked us if we minded being filmed for Nick's class project and we said we were ok with that. He had to have it in by the end of this week and we were the chosen clients. Guess good news is much easier to do as a project than bad news. We did joke that we were wondering where the hair and makeup people were and if this was going to be broadcast somewhere else besides a class~but joking aside we were very anxious to see our dog. Nothing was given to us to prepare us for the sight we saw as Nick brought in our poor little dog...grotesque would be one word to describe him, mangled, another, beat up a third. It was hard to see. I was in shock and Bob was too. If we'd been given a better idea of what this kind of surgery actually looked like, we would have been better prepared when we first saw him. He looked awful. But that little tail was wagging and he was elated to see us, just as happy as he always is when we come home. I could still see the little dog who loves us there wanting very much to be with us and taken home. So we were able to do that...but not before bestowing on the Oncology department two books about pets and heaven. My feeling was that these new doctors are going to be dealing with pets and their owners and some comfort can be drawn from our faith in God when we face the loss of our beloved pet. This was my gift to them for taking good care of him and maybe one day they will come in handy.
So off we drove home to face the at home care we were entrusted to give him. But who knew that this little guy would not be so amenable to taking the liquid medicine they gave us. He fought us tooth and nail and we had to resort to putting it on a piece of bread that he would eat, but with the antibiotic that was another story, thank God we had the same medication in pill form and was able to give him this in a pill pocket that he readily ate. He ate his dinner ravenously and was at his sister's bowl looking for more. That part of his personality is still on the mark.
We unfortunately established a rather spoiled habit of his - sleeping with us on our bed...that turned out just what he wanted to do and of course I let him sleep there for a little while while I read...but then I was so tired and his snoring and gurgling and snuffing was pretty loud so I figured that he'd be much better off in the crate...only problem was he was having none of this either. He lasted an hour, or rather I did because he whined. Little whines, crying, whimpering, whatever you call it and the next thing you knew he was with me on the bed. He was happy, I was beat. So I figured well what can I do? So I searched out a pair of earplugs that my poor husband keeps on hand for him and my snoring and put them in. I found out if I lay on my left side I can't hear much because of hearing loss in that ear, so I finally fell asleep. He won.
So far, it's been relatively "easy" to take care of him, three pills a day at 12 hour intervals and then we can wean him off of those in a few more days. They said eventually we'll only give him pain medication as needed, so we are prepared to not have to give him much in the next week or so, or at least until we have the stitches out. He will get those our on the day after Christmas, what a great present that will be for him. Anything to get the dreaded cone off!
I am going to document his "recovery" and changing face because that will show a significant difference to us over time. He has no hair so that will have to grow out and from that we'll see more of the "old" Mack. I hope that the oncology department will accept my final photos to have on hand if someone else faces this situation...maybe it will help in the shock department. Now I totally understand why the oncologist kept saying he will look normal once some time has passed, because he sure doesn't look normal now...a few weeks or months and he will, but for now, he's the Frankendog...
Here's his photo and hopefully no one will be really grossed out by it, but it's the way he looks.
We still love the little fur face no matter what he looks like~
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