Sickie Monsters Go Away !

Hi,

Bella here and I just want to say Sickie Monsters, please, please go away.  Really you don't have to visit all of us. 

This is how we spent 3 1/2 - 4 hours of our day today...

That's me the Bella, Bella Bean, Bella Vanilla, Bella Bam Beano.  Waiting for the Dr and the test results. 


It started out like every morning we woke up and all had to go outside to potty before breakfast.  Emma went first, then Sweet Pea, and then me.  I did my tinkle and walked around and then I vomited and it was bright yellow and then I laid down and wouldn't get up and Mom was freaked.  She was able to get me up and inside and I went straight to bed. I felt so bad and so yucky.  Mom and Dad were in my face and saying stuff and trying to get me to respond and I wasn't interested in anything.  Dad checked my gums and they were gray no pink or color whatsoever.   Then Mom really started freaking out and no one in our area is open on the weekends.  They have recordings with numbers to call in an emergency and then no one answers at that number and the nearest emergency veterinary clinic is an hour away!  Mom's freaking and Dad's scared too but he holds it together a lot better than Mom.  They threw on clothes and off we went.  Mom sat in the back with me and she prayed and prayed and prayed the entire drive.  I was not feeling good and still no color.  I was so very weak.  Thank the Good Lord we did not get noticed for speeding.  About 15 minutes from the emergency hospital I looked up, sniffed, stood up and the color started to slowly return. 

We got out of the van and went inside and I was pulling and trying to leave but the sliding door shut behind me and it's not as easy to open as just walking in front and it magically opens Mom or Dad has to push a button and they wouldn't let me leave.  Where are we?  It smells like a Dr.'s but this isn't my Dr.'s office.

The Dr. came in a very nice lady and Mom felt reassured by her right away.  She really knew how to communicate with them and with me.  She could tell right off I am very fearful of people and she didn't force me or invade my space suddenly.  She had Mom hold me with my face toward Mommy while she listened to my heart and felt my tummy, bladder area, hips and back.  She took her time and was very thorough.  I have been having pain in my lower back hip/kidney area off and on since the first of the year and a bladder infection in January and again last week and I'm still on antibiotics for this most recent bladder infection. That is when the pain usually occurs - just before the bladder infection.  Our regular Dr. already checked with x-rays and I don't have any bone problems.

Dad did most of the talking he is very detailed and communicates well.  He asked it if could be a kidney or  liver issue.  She said they were going to do blood work and that would give information about organ function.  So, they took me to the back area to draw blood, check my blood pressure and heart rate.  My family waited, waited, waited...

I feel bad sissy had to lay on the hard uncomfortable floor most of the day waiting for me to get all poked and x-rayed.  Emma said Mom and Dad got so worried because it never takes that long at my regular Dr. to get my blood drawn.  I'm usually back in a jiffy.  Mom peeked out the backdoor to ask about me.  They were holding me in the back until the blood results came back in case they needed to draw more blood.  They allowed me to go back and wait with my family.  I know Mom and Dad were just sick with worry.  The good news is my blood work came back normal with just slight elevation with the liver which the Dr. said she would expect coming off of a bladder infection.  The white cells and kidney function are all good, but I am dehydrated.  Not sure how that happened because I didn't vomit but a little bit.  The Dr. did explain how that could still happen.  The Dr. said she was going to administer fluids either I could spend the night and get an I.V. or I could get sub-q fluids and go home with my family.  We had spoken with our regular vet via phone on the drive to the emergency hospital and he said they would do x-rays of the stomach and spleen as those are things that can happen suddenly and maybe cause the collapse and gray gums/lips/ears.  The E.R. Dr. didn't feel it was anything related to the stomach or spleen as she did not feel anything in the exam and she gave very detailed information as to why it wouldn't be that vs. the symptoms and collapse I experienced.  She said for peace of mind since we live so far away she would do the x-ray especially if I wanted to go home.  Mom and Dad decided it would be the best for me emotionally to go home because I am so fearful of things and they were afraid the emotional distress wouldn't be good for me physically either.  Great news, the x-rays came back normal too.  Yeah !!!!  The very nice Dr. lady went over all 3 views of the x-ray with Mom and Dad and the kidneys, heart, spleen, intestinal organs, bladder, hips, back/spine all look good and nothing jumped out as being unusual or abnormal.  The Dr. said she wanted to give me sub-q fluids and a shot of Benadryl and then Mom and Dad are to give me 50mg of Benadryl every 8 hours from then on for 24 hours. 

The only thing the Dr. could think that caused this collapse is anaphylactic shock.  Maybe I was stung or bitten by an insect.  Dad examined me before we left the house and couldn't find anything.  Usually I swell up and will show them where it is by licking or pawing at it.  This time all I did was vomit and collapse.  They kept saying I was a rag doll.  Since we had been there at the E.R. for several hours and I have not had another episode the Dr. said she is comfortable with me going home.

My family went to wait in the waiting room.  When the nurse brought me out I was pulling to see my Mom and get on out of there.  Mom and Dad thought they were going to put the fluid under the skin on my back and I would look like a camel.  They were surprised to see they put it under the skin on my sides around my tummy area.  Dad took me outside to potty.  The x-rays was right I had some poo poo that was on the move out :)

Yeah!  homeward bound.  Dad says I picked too hot a day (90°F) to take a road trip out of town.  Dad stopped and bought us a lot of ice water and we drank that on the way home.  We left at 10:30 a.m. and we got home about 4:00 p.m.  I was feeling much better on the return trip and was moving around, looking outside, drinking.  When we got home we got our breakfast and I ate a full serving.  Mom and Dad were happy to see I was eating.  Then Mom, Emma, Pea and I took a nap because she was exhausted emotionally.  We woke up and I played with my new monkey.  Dad and I played.  Pea and I tried to play but both Mom and Dad said NO.  We aren't allowed to run about or rough house right now because Dad said it might not be good for my "beer belly".  No, I did not have any beer...we don't even have any alcohol in our home.  Dad was being silly about my sub-q fluids ;)  Can you believe it all this work to maintain my petite girly figure and now I look like a swollen cow.  The nurse said it should all be absorbed in 24 hours and most of it will go down in 8 hours.

 

They keep looking in my mouth all afternoon and evening.  I think I'm feeling much better.  I even played with my monkey for awhile.  Dad can really make it fun.  He's great at playing he makes all my toys do funny things.  Emma and Pea are still enjoying their newest toy too.

Pea sure is starting to come out of her shell and really discover who she is.  She is bouncy, goofy, snuggly, and just a little "jester" as Dad calls her.  She bounces just like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh when she is excited or happy.  She even posed nicely for Mom to take this picture of her.

I just want to say Thank You God for hearing Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa's pleas for a healthy and healed me.  I can't wait to get back to playing soccer with my Emma and romping and playing with my Pea.

My next post will be something more fun and upbeat :)  I heard Emma, Pea and I will be taking turns.  Not sure what that goofy Pea will post about.  I guess I will just have to wait and see because she hasn't said anything to me.  Maybe next time I will show how that silly Pea goes for a walk.  I know how could going for a walk be any different than normal you ask.  All I will say is....she must have forgot to put one foot in front of the the other and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Bella