After 10 hours of driving, our sweet girl is back in South Carolina. I left early this morning so I could get her back and get her situated. I will be posting earlier in the week the facility where she had her surgery and also pictures of her surgical team. Bubbles is doing remarkable. Everyone on her Surgical Team is amazed at the progress she has made. As difficult as her surgery was, it appears it was nothing compared to the unbelievable pain and suffering she has endured. The weight of the tumor that was removed was 4 kilograms which is 8.81 pounds. Imagine having a 5 lb. bag of sugar attached to your head and then adding 3 more pounds to that. It is mind-blowing when you think of it that way but that is pretty much what she was doing. She is now gaining weight and is averaging half a pound a day. She was almost too tired to eat plus her head would not allow her to eat out of a regular dog bowl. She always had to be fed in a really large tub so her head and her tumor would fit in. The same goes for her getting water. Her head will now fit in any regular size bowl for her size.
After we got in, I decided to take Bubbles out to the enclosed garden area so she could run around. Bubbles was having a field day chasing me around the raised stone garden bed. I was so busy watching her that I tripped over a garden hose and fell on the ground head first. Before I knew it, she was on the ground next to me with her really big paws wrapped around my neck and showering me with sloppy kisses. She may be 30 pounds underweight but she is still 88 lbs and I could not get her off my back for anything. All she wanted to do was just lay there. She did not have a care in the World. "Life is Good" is her new motto.
Bubbles will be going in and out of the hospital for the next two week while she is healing and in two weeks she will begin chemotherapy. Her chemo will be based on the pathology report that will be back in 10 days. Her team of Oncologists will determine the best course of action based on the report and the type of cancer she has.
Bubbles eye will remain sewn shut for two weeks. It is not a normal eye right now and needs to be protected from drying out. At the end of two weeks, we will have a specialist remove the stitches and determine how viable the eye is. At that time, we will either keep the eye open or it will be removed. Bubbles is used to not having the use of the eye and is doing just fine without it.
Bubbles is one of the happiest dogs you will ever meet. She will sit outside and look around with the most peaceful expression. She is finally free to be a DOG and is loving every minute of it. Thanks for caring and being part of her Journey.
"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight". Albert Schweitzer |
