I didn’t get any sleep the night before the surgery. My mind wouldn’t stop. Sebastian was also up all night shifting and moving around like he could get comfortable. The morning of the surgery we woke up really early so that we could have him at the surgeons by 7am. We had already had our consultation so we just needed to only drop him off. My anxiety was through the roof but he seemed like he was ready to go. Even when he was dropped off he didn’t even hesitate like normal about following the staff into the back. He just went on with his nub a wagging and didn’t look back. I imagined he was just thinking that they were going to make him better and everything would be alright. They advised us that they would call before they started the surgery and again after.
I was so antsy and couldn’t concentrate on anything. When were they going to call? So many thoughts were going through my mind. I was scared to death. Worried about the surgery and how he was going to handle only having three legs. Would he be able to get around ok? Would all of this be worth it? What if he really struggles and ends up having only a short amount of time? Was it all worth it? Were we being selfish? How are my other dogs going to react to him? Is our home ready enough for him? It seemed like forever before they called to say they were going to start. When they finally called to say they were taking him back I got even more anxious and worried. Will the surgery go ok? What if something goes wrong? Had i given enough time for the supplements to work their way out of his system? I set waiting for the next call to come saying that the surgery was complete. It seemed like it would never come.
A very long and excruciating 3 hours past and then the phone rang. The first word out the the surgeons mouth was hello but I could tell that she had a happy tone so before she could even finish speaking I was in tears. She said that everything had went great and that he was now in recovery. He would be monitored all night so if I wanted to call and check on him I could at anytime. She said that no news is good news and that she would call back the next day after patient rounds and give me an update. I continued to cry and couldn’t stop. I called my husband and my mom to let him know the news. Then I was just hit with a heavy feeling of sadness. I had just had my babies leg removed. How will it all turn out?
You’ve just described what we all felt as we started this journey…you will continue to doubt that you made the right decision in the following days. I don’t say this to scare you, but to prepare you. The next 2 weeks will most likely be stressful for you – we had a difficult recovery, and others have had even harder ones then us – while others had it relatively easy. All you can do is put one foot in front of the other, stay as calm and peaceful as you can, and know that it will get better. Wine and chocolate help too!
Paula and Warrior Angel Nitro
I am definitely worried about the recovery. I want to make sure that we make it as easy as possible for him. I will definitely have to stock up on wine and chocolate. I think that maybe it might also be a good idea to start doing some yoga or meditation 🙂
I felt the same when my kitty, Lawri, went through surgery and radiation. It broke my heart. For two years I worried I would lose her after she went through this. After that, I began to relax and she was so accepting of her new life. Surgery was early August 2011. She’s here, healthy, kicked cancer’s butt. All Tripawds are warriors. You know you did the right thing. Blessings to you both on your journey through recovery.
Can’t speak for the wine, but chocolate isn’t good for dogs . . .
We all have similar feelings about our baby’s legs, but when Casey was diagnosed on December 16, 2017, the vet gave him 2 weeks to 2 months. Next week will be 8 months post-diagnosis, and we’re very happy we made that difficult decision. Casey is a happy boy, without pain, and he has a high quality of life.
It may have been the knowing, but in the two weeks after diagnosis, but before surgery, Casey’s pain grew much worse. He would hold that cancerous limb out to us, asking us to help. Then, in the week before surgery, he started shedding, incredibly. The vet explained this was stress shedding due to the cancer and the pain. That shedding stopped within 48 hours of his surgery.
So yes, you’ve had your baby’s leg removed, but he didn’t really need that. What he needed was relief from his pain.
🙂 The wine and chocolate are for me..
I am so glad to hear that Casey is doing good. All of the stories and post have helped me so much. Thank you!
Omg yes as every one else said, this is exactly how I felt! I took my dog to specialists for a potential infection on Tuesday (7.8.18) to be told it was bone cancer and they needed to check if it had spread. I waited around until 2pm the next day anxiously waiting on the call! When the vet asked me “how are you today” I almost flipped out. Fortunately it was all clear and he has amputated his leg (his right hind). He’s home now and we’re all learning to adjust to this change. I am relieved to read that what I thought and felt is natural for us all going through this, thank you so much for sharing!