I make a deliberate effort to go through life assuming things are going to work out. I have to. I am constantly juggling so many things that if I get too worried about any one thing it becomes too hard to manage all of my day to day responsibilities. I simply don’t have time to be mired in worry. The last two weeks though were a test for me in terms of staying focused. In the last two weeks we had one Misfit, Petunia, need to have a suspicious growth removed from her skin and Solstice, our new cat, went in for her spay.
Sweet little Petunia has already had one bout with cancer. She had mammary cancer when she arrived here. All of her mammary tumors were removed and while the vet recommended chemo for her when we tried the chemo her liver values spiked so high we had to stop it.
A few weeks ago when I was giving her a bath I found a round black growth on her chest; close to where mammary glands would have been.
When we took her in for the removal procedure, despite all the scary narratives I could play out in my head if I let them, I kept the attitude that this was going to work out. We received the pathology a week later and while the results were not something that is considered strictly benign (a sarcoma) this type of sarcoma when on the skin is apparently not something to worry about. They achieved clean margins on the tissue and for now we will keep an eye out for any additional growths.
Petunia is a tiny and fragile girl; there have been several times that we thought we were losing her as her little body has really suffered from a life time of neglect. We don’t know how old Petunia is but she was probably at least 10 when she arrived here a few years back. She has had her share of challenges…particularly with her fragile back. We manage her back issues on the theraplate, daily lasering, acupuncture and a natural supplement called Duralactin that has worked really well and does not agitate her stomach like NSAIDs do. Duralactin has become our go to option for any of our dogs that have chronic pain issues.
Petunia is a super sensitive dog; I know right away if she is not feeling well or having any pain. Luckily we have a lot of tools to deal with and nip any issues in the bud right away.
Last week we had to take Solstice in for her spay. While I always know in the back of my mind that every procedure has risks; a spay feels so routine that I didn’t give it a second thought. Solstice was really lethargic when she came home from the spay. And she didn’t improve for 3 more days. She wasn’t eating and wasn’t moving around very much. On Saturday we rushed her up to vet for an ultrasound to make sure that fluid had not started pooling in her abdomen. Thank goodness the ultrasound was clear but she was definitely more painful than a cat typically is after a spay. She also clearly was not bouncing back from the affects of the anesthesia. Our vet gave her a pain shot, a B12 shot and fluids. A few days later she bounced back. I’ve never had a pet struggle like this after a simple spay. Today she is back to eating like a little piggy and being very rambunctious.
Life with a house full of pets, most of whom are either senior and/or handicap, is very fragile. I have to constantly remind myself to live in the present day, take nothing for granted and to rest in the happiness of every moment that they are healthy.
Rosie is obsessed with Solstice….she wants to be wherever this sweet cat is. While Solstice was under the weather Rosie kept her company. The two of them spent an entire afternoon on this bench in my office watching the rain. Just two pals sitting in solidarity for the one who wasn’t feeling well. Moments like these just make me gush with love for them. There are definitely challenges to running a multi pet household…but there are also a lot of magical moments like this.
January has started off just as crazy busy as December left us! Our shops are busy and the rentals are booking up. This year I am turning the home page of this blog into my own online Shop and will no longer be focusing on selling on Etsy. While we enjoy working with Etsy it is the right time to take the step to being our own e-commerce destination!
Please check out our progress with the Shop! We are also launching several new Pawty collections so stay tuned from some really cute products for celebrating your life with dogs!
Have a blessed week!
Nancy & The Misfits
Fingers crossed for Petunia! And I’m very glad to hear that Solstice has gotten through her spay and that she had Rose to comfort her along the way. Good luck with ditching Etsy and moving out on your own!
Thanks! building my own shop has been a lot more work than I expected but its super exciting!
You go, girl!