Dear Steve I wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and Loki. Like just about everyone else on the list, I know the pain you're going through watching Loki battle against all the odds, and I know the anguish you felt when you had the tests run. And you have already been through so much. (I have never been able to maintain composure, and I admire you for being able to do so, because I know that what our little furballs need to hear are not the sounds of sorrow.) I am just so very glad that Loki found you, Steve, and knows that he is so very much loved and cared for. Please know that I'm thinking of you and Loki at this difficult time. love and hugs to you both, Kerry
----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 6:28 PM Subject: Loki Update > First off, in addition to the other nice notes, thank you Jen, Hideyo and > Terri for your prayers and healing vibes... and I am so glad Thor is coming > around. > > I did take Loki in to the vet. It was difficult to get a spot, but > eventually found a vet very near my house so as not to upset Loki with a > long ride. The initial prognosis did not look good, so I had x-rays taken. > The x-rays showed that Loki's lungs were only expanding to half their normal > size which means something else was taking space within the cavity. In > addition, the Trachea was pushed up to the spine, which suggests the cavity > did not just have excessive fluid, but that a tumor was taking the space. I > was given lots of options, but I can't do most of them or put Loki through > hell. In the end, I asked for, and will probably take the doctors opinion, > which is to make him comfortable and take the weekend to say my goodbyes. > He is living with the pronounced lung action just okay, but I know it is > hard to be perfectly comfortable for him with the distressed breathing. I > don't think he has pain per se, but letting him go on too many more days > like this, I think gets to the point of becoming painful. > > I hadn't mentioned it before, but Loki's left eye sometimes dilates much > more than the right. This is a sign of a viral infection, FeLV+ or > otherwise. Once again, not a good sign, especially with everything else. > > The doctor gave me some meds to try to alleviate things, for the short term. > I'm giving him Furosimide, a diuretic to help with the excessive fluids (I > will not subject him to the trauma of extracting the excessive fluid with a > needle), and antibiotics to help with a slight, but lingering URI. All this > should help his breathing a tiny bit. > > When it gets worse, or I feel the happy days with him no longer offsets the > lingering lack of comfort, I will PTS. > > This has been a long hard road. I tried, but it was difficult to maintain > composure at the vets office. I know I will crash hard after Loki goes. I > just can't stand what this disease does. > > Steve > >
