Haku update

I just got off the phone with the vet. Basically what it looks like is that there's some massive bacteria in the joint, probably making a kind of barrier around the prosthetic ligament. As for why Haku is so immunocompromised, that's still a mystery. His blood work came back normal (which I take as a good sign because it seems to me that the infection didn't get a chance to spread. His WBCs were normal.) They can't totally rule out something systemic that's causing all of this, but for right now it looks like he just has a super bad reaction to prosthetics and foreign stuff being in him.

So, they have to remove the prosthetic ligament and spend a week draining it every day, and keeping it sterile. Or maybe more than a week.

It could be that his own ACL has already started to grow back, and if that's the case, then they can let it heal and he might be able to walk on it without any further surgery. Usually it takes 3 months for the ligaments to grow back, and Haku's surgery was only 2 months ago. But he might still have that option. But if the ligament is still too weak to hold his weight, then they have to do a 3rd leg surgery, this time not using a prosthetic, but rather a more aggressive operation. In this one, they cut a piece of the tibia and set it under the femur to stabilize the bone.

The good news is that there have been some good results with this surgery, with dogs up and about quicker than with the prosthetic. The bad news, of course, is that it's bone surgery.

Also, it will be his 5th surgery in as many years. He's only 5 years old.

The hospital kindly is giving me 50% off all procedures, which is amazing. This may or may not be because I was talking about selling my blood plasma at the hospital last night. (Which, I just found out, you actually can do that. I'll have to look into that for sure!) But it's really decent of them to do that for me.

But meanwhile, Haku is in the hospital again for over a week.

Also, Sano's platelets dropped again so he has to go in for more blood work, too.

I'm not sure why I get broken things, actually. I don't know that there has to be a "reason," but everyone seems to think that there is.

Which reminds me, I need to order the latest Pet Shop book, since it's out.

Haku update

I just got off the phone with the vet. Basically what it looks like is that there's some massive bacteria in the joint, probably making a kind of barrier around the prosthetic ligament. As for why Haku is so immunocompromised, that's still a mystery. His blood work came back normal (which I take as a good sign because it seems to me that the infection didn't get a chance to spread. His WBCs were normal.) They can't totally rule out something systemic that's causing all of this, but for right now it looks like he just has a super bad reaction to prosthetics and foreign stuff being in him.

So, they have to remove the prosthetic ligament and spend a week draining it every day, and keeping it sterile. Or maybe more than a week.

It could be that his own ACL has already started to grow back, and if that's the case, then they can let it heal and he might be able to walk on it without any further surgery. Usually it takes 3 months for the ligaments to grow back, and Haku's surgery was only 2 months ago. But he might still have that option. But if the ligament is still too weak to hold his weight, then they have to do a 3rd leg surgery, this time not using a prosthetic, but rather a more aggressive operation. In this one, they cut a piece of the tibia and set it under the femur to stabilize the bone.

The good news is that there have been some good results with this surgery, with dogs up and about quicker than with the prosthetic. The bad news, of course, is that it's bone surgery.

Also, it will be his 5th surgery in as many years. He's only 5 years old.

The hospital kindly is giving me 50% off all procedures, which is amazing. This may or may not be because I was talking about selling my blood plasma at the hospital last night. (Which, I just found out, you actually can do that. I'll have to look into that for sure!) But it's really decent of them to do that for me.

But meanwhile, Haku is in the hospital again for over a week.

Also, Sano's platelets dropped again so he has to go in for more blood work, too.

I'm not sure why I get broken things, actually. I don't know that there has to be a "reason," but everyone seems to think that there is.

Which reminds me, I need to order the latest Pet Shop book, since it's out.

Now for some good news ^_^

I just got off the phone with the vet. She says it looks less likely for infection and looks like just a hematoma. But they still have to wait for the cultures and they still had to remove the prosthetic because, she said, it wasn't good to keep it in there with this going on. As to how he got the hematoma: kind of a mystery. But while we were in the waiting room saturday I do remember that he tried to run after another dog. I was paying my bill at the time so it's possible he banged it on the bench, or the counter, or he fell. I couldn't tell if he purposely lay down on the floor, or if he slipped. Anyway, I really feel like that's what it was.

The inflammation seems to have caused the fever, too.

So, no cancer, (*knock on wood!*) and possibly--probably--no huge infection. This shortens his hospital stay a lot.

He still has to have insane rehab because the muscle is still in contracture though so they're bandaging and keeping him for a few days.

IMMENSE RELIEF!

Here's more good news. See this HitRECord payment proposal? See my name on there? I'm getting paid for the Tiny Stories story! That's my first paid writing thing! I'm so super happy about it, I could not wish for a nicer first time (that's what s/he said.)

And more good news, still: I passed my state boards with an 88, and I got my license in the mail. I'm fully legal for my profession and I can start at any time and make my own rules. I also got a nice job offer from a swank hotel on the East end. They want to start offering in-room massage. It's not the med-massage gig that I want, but damn, think of the tips. I have to figure out the details of that, if it's what they really want, and get it legal (they've never done this before so I have to let them know what the law is re: hiring massage therapists etc.)

Here's something else awesome: Boychild's 4th birthday was the other day and he had a fantastic time at his party. I have some super cute pictures, too.

( PICSSSSSSS. )

So that was really nice. And the night before that, SB and Jo-chan and I were over at my Mom's house and we watched Tropic Thunder again.

Other things I'm happy about: Being back to my happy weight after a week of eating ice cream.

Nice people.

It's March.

I know Kung Fu. I mean really, that's the coolest thing.

So, to review: Haku – not life-threatening nor as bad as originally thought. HitRECord, Tiny Stories. State boards, license, job offer. Family, good times. Almost spring. Kung Fu. Etc.

Now for some good news ^_^

I just got off the phone with the vet. She says it looks less likely for infection and looks like just a hematoma. But they still have to wait for the cultures and they still had to remove the prosthetic because, she said, it wasn't good to keep it in there with this going on. As to how he got the hematoma: kind of a mystery. But while we were in the waiting room saturday I do remember that he tried to run after another dog. I was paying my bill at the time so it's possible he banged it on the bench, or the counter, or he fell. I couldn't tell if he purposely lay down on the floor, or if he slipped. Anyway, I really feel like that's what it was.

The inflammation seems to have caused the fever, too.

So, no cancer, (*knock on wood!*) and possibly--probably--no huge infection. This shortens his hospital stay a lot.

He still has to have insane rehab because the muscle is still in contracture though so they're bandaging and keeping him for a few days.

IMMENSE RELIEF!

Here's more good news. See this HitRECord payment proposal? See my name on there? I'm getting paid for the Tiny Stories story! That's my first paid writing thing! I'm so super happy about it, I could not wish for a nicer first time (that's what s/he said.)

And more good news, still: I passed my state boards with an 88, and I got my license in the mail. I'm fully legal for my profession and I can start at any time and make my own rules. I also got a nice job offer from a swank hotel on the East end. They want to start offering in-room massage. It's not the med-massage gig that I want, but damn, think of the tips. I have to figure out the details of that, if it's what they really want, and get it legal (they've never done this before so I have to let them know what the law is re: hiring massage therapists etc.)

Here's something else awesome: Boychild's 4th birthday was the other day and he had a fantastic time at his party. I have some super cute pictures, too.

( PICSSSSSSS. )

So that was really nice. And the night before that, SB and Jo-chan and I were over at my Mom's house and we watched Tropic Thunder again.

Other things I'm happy about: Being back to my happy weight after a week of eating ice cream.

Nice people.

It's March.

I know Kung Fu. I mean really, that's the coolest thing.

So, to review: Haku – not life-threatening nor as bad as originally thought. HitRECord, Tiny Stories. State boards, license, job offer. Family, good times. Almost spring. Kung Fu. Etc.