An Update

[annabellarose77]

I'm sorry I haven't been on here in awhile. I hadn't even been back from California a week and my dad died. We found him outside in the field. They said he had an aneurysm and went quickly. It was so unexpected and a complete shock. I still can't believe he's gone. I'm having a very difficult time dealing with his death, but I know he would want me to get fixed. He was working very hard to help me financially to get out to California and get the surgery. I reached out to Dr. K.'s office to get a copy of my operative report from my upper endoscopy, and Dr. K. called me personally after he found out about my dad's death. We discussed everything and he told me if I could make arrangements to stay out in California for up to 6 months or how ever long it takes if there's serious complications, then he would go ahead and get Kristina to put me on the books for surgery. He said the risks of cutting into the chest will not change regardless so i just need to be prepared for leaks and infections. I told him I would think it over and make a decision.

Last Monday I called his office to talk to Kristina about getting a new surgery date. I got a shock when Dr. K. answered the phone himself. He said he saw my number and took a chance that it was me. Kristina was by herself that day and on the other line. How many surgeons answer their own office phones and he recognized my number. I know that may seem like a small thing to most people, but after everything I've been through, this act of kindness blew me away. He is such a wonderful man. Our plan is to get the surgery scheduled for sometime this January. I'm trying to find a month to month rental or airbnb for my mom and I to stay. She's determined to go with me now so after my dad dying I cannot tell her no. Kristina is suppose to call me this week to get a new surgery date for January. Hopefully everything will work out.

I have a problem with leaving my dogs here while I'm gone. My oldest dog, almost 12, was just diagnosed with heart disease, and is on medications now. She will only take it from me. My cousin is willing to come over to take care of both my dogs and keep an eye on my place, but I'm concerned she will not get her meds while I'm gone because she's so stubborn and she doesn't do good without me. But I think taking the dogs with us will be too much trouble especially not knowing what is going to happen during surgery. I know I should worry more about myself, but my dogs are like my babies, and I have enough guilt with my dad's death. If something happens to my dog while I'm gone, I don't know if I could forgive myself. I did think about taking them and just driving up there, but it's about a 30 hour drive from Nashville to Pasadena. Then you have to worry about finding a place that allows for pets.

I think I'm just driving myself crazy. I can't control everything. Sometimes I just feel like my life is completely falling apart, and there are no good answers. I try to focus on positive outcomes, but it gets hard sometimes. I AM grateful to have found a surgeon who is willing to try to correct the mess left by a much inferior surgeon--if you can even call him that...Sorry for the long post. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday.

 

[k9ophile]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad. You had been through a lot before losing him. I'll keep you in my thoughts as you go forward.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.

will your dog take the medication in one of those treat-pockets? vets sell them.

 

[southernlady]

I am so sorry for your loss.

As far as your dogs, esp the one on medication, start now getting your cousin over to give the meds with you there so your dog knows it’s okay. It may take several weeks to make this work but it’s for your peace of mind.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

Oh, I'm so very sorry! Having a loved one taken out of the blue is the hardest thing ever. I don't think you're being silly about your dogs at all, I would be and AM the same way. I've been through the dog with heart disease too. We get our stubborn one to take his by "glueing" the pill to a piece of that paper thin "budding" meat that's about 50 cents a pkg., then rolling it up and popping in the mouth.

What size dogs are they, especially the one who is having problems? Does he/she do the coughing sound like trying to hack up a furball?

I agree, Dr. K is a gem and him knowing what your number would be was amazing. I'm glad you are with him and will be getting the best there is.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

Oh, I'm so very sorry! Having a loved one taken out of the blue is the hardest thing ever. I don't think you're being silly about your dogs at all, I would be and AM the same way. I've been through the dog with heart disease too. We get our stubborn one to take his by "glueing" the pill to a piece of that paper thin "budding" meat that's about 50 cents a pkg., then rolling it up and popping in the mouth.

What size dogs are they, especially the one who is having problems? Does he/she do the coughing sound like trying to hack up a furball?

I agree, Dr. K is a gem and him knowing what your number would be was amazing. I'm glad you are with him and will be getting the best there is.

Oh, gee! I get ahead of myself and leave things out. I meant we glue the pill on with peanut butter inside the meat. It helps keep them from culling the pill out and eating the meat.

 

[Larra]

I'm so sorry for your loss!
I think @southernlady 's suggestion about having your cousin do meds with you before you leave is excellent. I have dogs (and cats) as well and understand completely your feelings about them being your babies, because I feel the same way. It's hard to leave them even for just a couple days, but this is one of those times when you have to put yourself first, and trying to haul them across the country, and then trying to take care of them when you are recovering from major surgery just doesn't seem realistic either for you or for them. Plus, with this surgery it sounds like you'll be in the hospital for at least a few days, maybe longer, and someone other than you will need to care for them during that time anyway. So best to let them stay home, in their familiar surroundings, and get the one with the heart problem accustomed to having your cousin give the meds now, while you're not post-op.
I remain hopeful that this surgery will help resolve the problems you were left with and that you will be able to enjoy life once again.

 

[galaxygrrl]

I'm sorry about your Dad. I don't know anything about dogs, and would defer to other people, but the sooner your get the opertation, the better your life will be.

 

[bearmom]

I'm so sorry about your dad. We are never ready for that. Your worry about the dogs is completely understandable, and I was the same when I traveled for my DS, and it was hard to not ask first on phone calls "how is Bear" before asking how the humans were all doing.

Could your cousin come over and start doing the medication before you leave, so you feel OK about it? There are lots of tricks to getting dogs to down a pill, from peanut butter, to putting it in a bit of meat, and a personal favorite of our last old pup was Greenies pill pockets (he thought they were treats). Sometimes it's easiest to just use fingers to quickly stick the pill as far down the throat as possible (and head is often tiled up an you if they as they sit on the floor and look up at you) so neck is sort of stretched, and then pet DOWNWARD on the front of the neck, with forces them to swallow, but they just think their neck is getting petted.

 

[DianaCox]

This is just a random thought, but since I'm becoming a bit of an RVer - if you bought an RV, and drove to LA, you could stay month-to-month at an RV park in the area, and you could keep your dogs with you. It would be less costly on a monthly basis than a rental apartment.

 

[annabellarose77]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advice. @JackieOnLine she will only eat 2 kinds of treats--the original greenies and those small crunchy peanut butter ones by Nutro. Very picky!

@southernlady thank you for the advice. That's a good idea and then I can see how well she will do with her when I'm gone. She's just so stubborn.

@Susan in Tennessee she's an 8lb chihuahua--both my dogs are chi's. Yes. she does the gagging thing, especially after drinking water. Sometimes throughout the day she will attempt to gag likes she's choking on something. The tipping point for me was when she started panting and shaking excessively and trying to hide. I knew after listening to her breathing it was either her heart or lungs, turned out to be heart disease. The vet said I caught it early. Her heart is enlarged, I think the term used was "globular' heart shaped where the entire heart is enlarged not just one side. She's so picky. Sometimes I can put the meds in some cream cheese and she'll eat it, other days no. The one thing she will eat is chicken. So mostly, I just bake some plain chicken breasts and cut it up into pieces, put her meds in a piece, roll it into a ball, and pop it into her mouth. She's on 4 different meds so it takes several pieces to do it, but it works for us.

@Larra you're right I know carrying the dogs across the country is a lot to handle especially with having a complex surgery to deal with. I too, remain hopeful for a positive and successful outcome.

@bearmom before she got her appetite back, I was having to crush her pills, dissolve in water, and force them down her throat with a syringe. Not pleasant for her or for me. She will not eat real peanut butter for anything, but loves her Nutro peanut butter treats. Go figure!

@DianaCox I had thought about renting an RV originally, but I don't know if I could drive one. Are they difficult to handle? I'm so used to driving a little car, I don't know if I could get used to backing up and parking something that big. Maybe they have rv driving lessons I could take. I guess that's something to look into if I thought I could drive one. It is expensive to stay near LA. I haven't found much under $3000 a month even for an airbnb. Thanks for the advice.

 

[bearmom]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advice. @JackieOnLine she will only eat 2 kinds of treats--the original greenies and those small crunchy peanut butter ones by Nutro. Very picky!

@southernlady thank you for the advice. That's a good idea and then I can see how well she will do with her when I'm gone. She's just so stubborn.

@Susan in Tennessee she's an 8lb chihuahua--both my dogs are chi's. Yes. she does the gagging thing, especially after drinking water. Sometimes throughout the day she will attempt to gag likes she's choking on something. The tipping point for me was when she started panting and shaking excessively and trying to hide. I knew after listening to her breathing it was either her heart or lungs, turned out to be heart disease. The vet said I caught it early. Her heart is enlarged, I think the term used was "globular' heart shaped where the entire heart is enlarged not just one side. She's so picky. Sometimes I can put the meds in some cream cheese and she'll eat it, other days no. The one thing she will eat is chicken. So mostly, I just bake some plain chicken breasts and cut it up into pieces, put her meds in a piece, roll it into a ball, and pop it into her mouth. She's on 4 different meds so it takes several pieces to do it, but it works for us.

@Larra you're right I know carrying the dogs across the country is a lot to handle especially with having a complex surgery to deal with. I too, remain hopeful for a positive and successful outcome.

@bearmom before she got her appetite back, I was having to crush her pills, dissolve in water, and force them down her throat with a syringe. Not pleasant for her or for me. She will not eat real peanut butter for anything, but loves her Nutro peanut butter treats. Go figure!

@DianaCox I had thought about renting an RV originally, but I don't know if I could drive one. Are they difficult to handle? I'm so used to driving a little car, I don't know if I could get used to backing up and parking something that big. Maybe they have rv driving lessons I could take. I guess that's something to look into if I thought I could drive one. It is expensive to stay near LA. I haven't found much under $3000 a month even for an airbnb. Thanks for the advice.

I'm not Diana, but am an RVer and that thought crossed my mind as well. Our latest RV is very small, and fits into a normal car parking space (just barely) but is easy to drive. Some can be scarey, but you won't be traveling around really, and you can probably even stay in or near the hospital lot. LOTS of RVs in the hospital lot here in town, but it's filled with old growth trees and is sort of nice. Many hospitals are used to this anymore, and it may be worth asking even if someone takes the RV to where you want it, parks it for you, and you don't even have to drive it. Or you may decide you feel good enough after a bit, and decide to move a few miles to somewhere more picturesque.

 

[nedsmehlp]

I am so sorry for your loss!! It is so hard to lose a parent, let alone it being unexpected! I know the first time I called Dr. K's office to ask about the DS, Kristina asked if I wanted to talk to Dr. K and he could answer any questions I had about the surgery. I was so shocked that he actually got on the phone and talked to me, that I forgot all my questions!! I am so happy I had him for my DS surgeon! I would trust him with my life. He is an amazing surgeon and amazing person! He genuinely cares about each patient. In my opinion, you are in the hands of the best surgeon you could have! Please keep us updated. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[DianaCox]

As a matter of fact, my husband and I just bought a big-ass 40’ RV, upgrading from our smaller “starter” RV we bought 3+ years ago. I was content to let him do all the driving on the old one, but I feel I should be able to drive the new one too, so next week we’re both taking a 2 day RV driving school class. But you can rent smaller ones that drive like a van like BearMom suggested.

 

[hilary1617]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Hang in there!