Penny update: She was panting heavily at the vets last night and this morning whenever awake so they called early and I went to fetch her.
Next two weeks: No stairs. Leashed yard turnouts. Hand-feeding small meatball-shaped bites. Feeding at a 30-degree angle. (She has yet to eat anything and doesn't seem interested in trying, but is adjusting to throat 2.0 with lots of water so that's great.)
But she is one happy camper to be back in the "big kennel."
And...
she...can...breathe! Her reps have gone from 30/min at rest to 12/min at rest. What a difference! I wonder what her experience is in terms of struggling to breathe before and breathing easily now? My guess is that it's all present moment: pain and weird stuff. That's the rub with the present moment: the bad with the good. But animals get through it all without alcohol, a fact I cannot fathom right now. But they do. Such good teachers are they.
Honeypig, thanks for the oil lamp, I love the thought that there is a little light burning somewhere for Penny, and for Argus. If I remember, I think you lit the lamp for Argus last year, so I am sure he basked in its familiar, welcoming glow.
My deepest sympathies for Ned's passing. What a sweet, sweet boy. I absolutely know he and Argus are friends.
If you can, I'd love the lamp (and candles) one more night. I expect I'll be up with our little girl tonight who will wake soon from her anesthesia haze, and will be in a state of pain and bewilderment. I'm good at a lot of things; none of them includes animals in pain.
My husband will be out of town Friday and Saturday nights (planned before we knew about the operation). so I'll be bunking downstairs on the 20+-year-old pullout couch as I can't carry her upstairs.
Purplrks, teeheehee! I laughed out loud at the "drink plenty of fluids" pic, and immediately after Penny gave a big sigh. You relaxed me, and my being relaxed did the same for her. Thanks for that!
Giving hugs to Penny from all (in the form of looooong, sloooow, pets to tap into that nifty parasympathetic system) and she does the "move front paw" thing to indicate she wants more. So send along as many as you'd like...all will be delivered.
Sorry for the long post. The anxiety still pretty high up there. Writing helps to calm me, which in turn calms Penny.
And I just now realized: Day 11! Second time in a year! Will try to stay close as last two big slips were when my husband was out of town. I'll be honest, I'm worried.
Think SR, think SR, think SR. Breathe. Repeat.