We made it!
I have to agree with those who said week one would be really hard. It was, both physically and mentally, both on Molly and on us. I have had lots of confidence about our choice, and then doubt, and then confidence again. Molly has been a ghost of herself because of the procedure and the pain meds, and then we’ve taken her outside for a short walk and we see her personality perk right back up. We sent six emails to our surgeon and made one phone call to our local vet “just to be safe” — overprotective parent alert! Molly has had lots of successes and accomplishments, and a few days when she was conked out so hard we were afraid she wasn’t breathing. It truly has been a roller coaster.
But GOODNESS, I am glad we are at this seven day mark! We are still working on balancing out her meds (she’s not showing any signs of pain at all but we’re trying to manage her grogginess) and her allergies are an unwelcome part of recovery. Her ears are swollen but it’s the opinion of both our surgeon and our primary care vet that the cause is not hematomas — just more severe symptoms of her allergies because her body is working so hard to heal up from her amp. We have her on Benadryl and while the swelling hasn’t gone away yet, it also hasn’t gotten any bigger. It’s funny what you start to count as a real “win” during this recovery phase.
It’s also been a growing time for our little family. I’m grateful to be married to someone who is equal in his willingness to do whatever it takes for Molly, including spending significant amounts of money, sleeping very little, missing out on time with our friends and family. We have all strengthened our relationships with each other (and as we speak, Molly is having some “alone time” out on the deck, as I think she’s sick of so much family bonding :)).
We’re on to week two and after that, suture removal and the first round of chemo. We knocked out the first set of milestones and we’re excited to see what’s next! I say it a lot, but thank you all for your words of encouragement and wisdom. This community has helped us so much and I can’t tell you how appreciative we are.
Love,
Kirby, Jordan, & Molly
Molly sure is a beauty. You’ve probably gone through the worst part of the recovery. Once the sutures are out then you’ll see huge changes in Molly. She’ll get stronger every day and will develop more confidence. This has taken a lot out of her body. One thing that happened with my cat is that she had dandruff before the amputation (vet said it may be seasonal allergies) and then no dandruff after recovery. You guys are doing great!
Kerren and Tripawd Mona
Woot! You DID IT! Congrats!
Once you go through this experience, other health-related issues, whether it’s a human’s or animals, are easier to cope with. You watch how Molly deals with this major change, despite all of the hurdles, and you just can’t help but be inspired. I know we are!
P.S. You’re not over-protective, you’re a great advocate!