I'm quite stuffed right now. Have just returned from the vet & things have become rather more complex.
But first let me thank all of you wonderful folk for your kind and supportive posts. Every single one of them touched me & made me feel very good about belonging to this community. I felt very comforted by your words. Thank you, thank you!
!
Well, like I said, I've just returned from the vet. I'm a little overwhelmed & would appreciate any advice from any of you who have not yet succumbed to compassion fatigue. This is the situation:
On the positive side:
- The vet's X ray revealed there has not been
any damage to Flatty's spine. It was
not an injury from a car or any other accident, therefore the conclusion is that the cause of his paralysis is thrombosis. The blood supply was cut off to his legs.
- There has been some improvement today. The vet says he managed to stand up (in a wobbly sort of way) & I noticed a little more movement tonight, also.
- Apart from his legs, he looks reasonably alert.
On the negative side:
- He is still on the drip. (Not drinking)
- He is not interested in eating. (However, from the X ray it's clear his innards are full of food! (He's a disgusting garbage guts!) The vet has had to give him something to try & get those bowels moving.)
- He is rather withdrawn. (Not surprising, I guess!)
OK!
So this is what I have to decide: The vet tells me that he can't speculate on how much
more improvement Flatty will make. He believes there
will be more (based on today's evidence) but it is unlikely that he will be his old self again. There will be some deterioration in his mobility.
So this is what I have to decide:
- Do I have him put down tomorrow, to avoid any
further pain & cruelty to the poor possum?
- OR do I bring him home tomorrow night & give him a chance to regain whatever mobility he
does regain within a week? (The vet says that things should be clear by then.) Of course, there is no guarantee that he will be sufficiently recovered to live a reasonable life after that. I may have to have him put down anyway, if there is not enough improvement to lead a reasonable cat existence.
The things that worry me about bringing him home (though that's the way I'm leaning at the moment) are these:
- What if he won't eat or drink properly?
- The fact that I won't be there all the time. I have to work, shop, etc. etc. What if something happens & I'm not there?
However on the credit side (!), I know he'd be much happier at home! He is more likely to
make an effort to get up & try to walk, to move about if he's here. He hates vet's premises! Seen far too many of them in one critter's life time!
OK, any responses to the above to help sort things out for me would be hugely appreciated! (
Of course I will make the decision. But right now I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all. Some rational input would be great!)
Thank you for reading all that! I hope it makes sense!
-Olga
How does that sort of thing happen? Can cjhsa possibly have complained? Surely not! He can certainly dish it out himself! (As I've observed, from personal experience.)