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Sep. 27th, 2009 06:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raynebowrangerFinally got a few minutes to myself, so I thought I'd take the chance to update and let everyone know what's been going on with me.
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who sent me Birthday wishes. it was a really great day! I got a whole bunch of cards from my family, and I got some neat gifts too:
Julie from work bought me a kitty mug and coaster set.
My Nan gave me $10
Haku sent me a virtual LJ gift
My parents got me a PSP (more about that later), and Dissidia: Limited Edition
And Gina bought me Crisis Core and War of the Lions. Best!Girlfriend!Ever!
So... the PSP. A month or two back, my Dad bought a PSP, and I was a little miffed because I've wanted one for years, and he hasn't even used it apart from to set it up, download a game trailer and watch half of The Simpsons Movie. So, I kept stealing it to play games on. Then, on my Birthday, mum gives me a box... it was really light, and I couldn't think what it could be - I half expected empty box. And in a way, it was. It was the empty PSP box with a note saying that I now own it.
We had a small family tea. Mum bought these Vesta Chow Mein box meals we used to have when I was younger, with crispy noodles, which are delicious, and then we had birthday cake for pudding. I also had a bottle of Lambrini that Mum bought me.
All in all it was a great day. But there is where the good times end. Wednesday night while I was on the phone to Gina, my Dad shouted through to tell me that my dog, Jack, was having a fit. Now, at first, I thought he meant one of his angry hissy fits where he snaps at everyone and gets all worked up, but when I got into the room, Jack was on the floor having a proper fit.
It really freaked me out. I've only ever seen one other dog fitting, and that was Libby when she died in our arms. So I was truly expecting Jack to die there and then in my arms, but he came around, but then freaked out and just stood barking and growling. He had no idea where he was or who we were. With time he calmed down and settled. So I stayed up with him in the living room. I got NO sleep and over the night he had another nine or so fits.
Thursday morning we took him into the vets where we got told off for not phoning her in the night. He was diagnosed with Epilepsy. He had a blood test to rule out other problems and was put on Phenobarbital (2x 60mg, twice a day). So, we brought him home, gave him his first two tablets and kept an eye on him. A few hours later he started fitting again, so Mum had to go back to the vets to pick up some emergency Diazepam Rectal tubes, but they only had the small tubes, so he needed four all at once. Even after those, he still kept fitting, so we had to rush him back into the vets Thrsday night.
She basically told us we should have him put to sleep. She said to still be having fits after all that, his chances were minimal. The other option she gave us was to have him on a drip under intensive care for 48 hours to get his levels under control - which could cost at least £700 and once he was off the drip there was no guarantee that he would be fit-free. There was no way we could afford £700, so my Dad said we could take him home, let him last out the night and see what the morning brings. The vet wasn't too keen on this idea, and she kept telling us that he could fit and die (selfish as it may seem, I'd've prefered this to having him put down - at least we'd known it was the right thing).
So, we get him home, and the vet upped his dosage to 5x 60mgs three times a day. Jack had a few more fits and it wasn't looking good, but... He has been seizure-free since 9:50pm on Thursday. However, he was placed on such a high dose of medication that he can't walk at the moment. Apparently it's a common side effect of the drug, and especially at the high dose he was on, and can last a few weeks. (He was on 15x 60mg tablets, then 10x, and now 8x.)
It's still proving to be a very tiring and hectic time, not to mention expensive. My dad is having to carry him outside every so often for toilet time since neither mum or I can lift him (He's a full grown GSD), and he is still requiring constant supervision - I'm currently living on a mattress in the living room.
We shall be speaking with the vet over the phone tomorrow to discuss his progress and he is back at the vet's on Friday for another blood test to see whether his medication levels are too high or too low.
Hopefully things will start to improve soon.
On top of that, I've messed up my hip. I believe it was from laying on the floor with Jack the night of his fits, since I spent ALL night next to him. Everytime I move it is like an electric shock running though my hip and back, and Mum says my lower back is swollen. So, I'm gonna try and get a doctor's apointment tomorrow.
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who sent me Birthday wishes. it was a really great day! I got a whole bunch of cards from my family, and I got some neat gifts too:
So... the PSP. A month or two back, my Dad bought a PSP, and I was a little miffed because I've wanted one for years, and he hasn't even used it apart from to set it up, download a game trailer and watch half of The Simpsons Movie. So, I kept stealing it to play games on. Then, on my Birthday, mum gives me a box... it was really light, and I couldn't think what it could be - I half expected empty box. And in a way, it was. It was the empty PSP box with a note saying that I now own it.
We had a small family tea. Mum bought these Vesta Chow Mein box meals we used to have when I was younger, with crispy noodles, which are delicious, and then we had birthday cake for pudding. I also had a bottle of Lambrini that Mum bought me.
All in all it was a great day. But there is where the good times end. Wednesday night while I was on the phone to Gina, my Dad shouted through to tell me that my dog, Jack, was having a fit. Now, at first, I thought he meant one of his angry hissy fits where he snaps at everyone and gets all worked up, but when I got into the room, Jack was on the floor having a proper fit.
It really freaked me out. I've only ever seen one other dog fitting, and that was Libby when she died in our arms. So I was truly expecting Jack to die there and then in my arms, but he came around, but then freaked out and just stood barking and growling. He had no idea where he was or who we were. With time he calmed down and settled. So I stayed up with him in the living room. I got NO sleep and over the night he had another nine or so fits.
Thursday morning we took him into the vets where we got told off for not phoning her in the night. He was diagnosed with Epilepsy. He had a blood test to rule out other problems and was put on Phenobarbital (2x 60mg, twice a day). So, we brought him home, gave him his first two tablets and kept an eye on him. A few hours later he started fitting again, so Mum had to go back to the vets to pick up some emergency Diazepam Rectal tubes, but they only had the small tubes, so he needed four all at once. Even after those, he still kept fitting, so we had to rush him back into the vets Thrsday night.
She basically told us we should have him put to sleep. She said to still be having fits after all that, his chances were minimal. The other option she gave us was to have him on a drip under intensive care for 48 hours to get his levels under control - which could cost at least £700 and once he was off the drip there was no guarantee that he would be fit-free. There was no way we could afford £700, so my Dad said we could take him home, let him last out the night and see what the morning brings. The vet wasn't too keen on this idea, and she kept telling us that he could fit and die (selfish as it may seem, I'd've prefered this to having him put down - at least we'd known it was the right thing).
So, we get him home, and the vet upped his dosage to 5x 60mgs three times a day. Jack had a few more fits and it wasn't looking good, but... He has been seizure-free since 9:50pm on Thursday. However, he was placed on such a high dose of medication that he can't walk at the moment. Apparently it's a common side effect of the drug, and especially at the high dose he was on, and can last a few weeks. (He was on 15x 60mg tablets, then 10x, and now 8x.)
It's still proving to be a very tiring and hectic time, not to mention expensive. My dad is having to carry him outside every so often for toilet time since neither mum or I can lift him (He's a full grown GSD), and he is still requiring constant supervision - I'm currently living on a mattress in the living room.
We shall be speaking with the vet over the phone tomorrow to discuss his progress and he is back at the vet's on Friday for another blood test to see whether his medication levels are too high or too low.
Hopefully things will start to improve soon.
On top of that, I've messed up my hip. I believe it was from laying on the floor with Jack the night of his fits, since I spent ALL night next to him. Everytime I move it is like an electric shock running though my hip and back, and Mum says my lower back is swollen. So, I'm gonna try and get a doctor's apointment tomorrow.
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