Thank you!!

I haven't been able to put together a final post for Lilo yet. Every time I try it ends in tears and not a lot else. I am working on it, it is just slow going. I did want to let everyone know that I'm hanging in there. I have good days and not so good days. She was my world for over 4 years and its been a real adjustment without her. I never could have made it through this without all of you!!! The comments and support here, on twitter and on facebook have been amazing! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's amazing how much love and support you can have from people you have never "met". Through the blog and KPR, Lilo touched a lot of people and I am touched and honored that her memory will live on with all of you!!! There are not enough thank yous in the world to adequately express all that you have done for me!! I will get Lilo's farewell post ready and I also have some exciting news for everyone!!! I'm ready to embark on my next adventure and I hope all of you will be a part of it!!


Until next time . . . .
Pugs, Hugs & Kisses
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

RIP My Angel

At 6:15pm, Lilo's little body finally gave out on her. Just after the front desk told the vet I was there to see her, she stopped breathing and arrested. I watched while they tried to revive her and bring her back to me. But she was gone. I selfishly begged for her come back to me even though I knew she was tired. I sat and held my baby and told her how sorry I was that I could not fix her and how much I loved her until they came to take her away. My heart feels like it has been ripped to pieces and will never be whole again. I never in a million years thought that snorting pile of fur would make such an impact on my life. She was the catalyst for so many changes in my life and for that I will always be grateful.




July 18, 2003 - July 6, 2011

I will do a proper post for her in a day or two, but you have all been so loving and supportive that I wanted you to know that she has crossed and she is breathing easy now.

Update

My parents picked Lilo up from Purdue yesterday afternoon and brought her home for me. She was very bright and alert when she got to the house. She looked 100 times better than when we left her. We went to Dr. K's to drop off the "snot sample" as my dad called it to be sent out for testing to see what we're dealing with.


By the time we left PetSmart, you could tell the heat and the shuttling in and out of the car were starting to get to her. Her breathing became much more labored. About half way to Anderson on I69, she had another "episode." I couldn't have pulled over faster if the entire Indiana State Police had been behind me!!! The "episode" only lasted about 30-45 seconds before she went back to panting heavily again. Thankfully, the rest of the trip to Anderson was uneventful!!!!

They got her into an incubator right away when we got there. I spoke with the after hours vet who did not impress me at all!!! He was an a$$ and did his best to make feel like the world's worst momma!! To top it off, he was the doctor that performed surgery when she ate the rock!! I'm sure he thinks I'm a real winner.

When I left, she was resting in her incubator trying her best to breath through the mud in her nose and lungs!!

This morning I spoke to Dr. Smith and he said there has been no change. She's still labored, but she's calm and there have been no more "episodes." I have asked them to do a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia as a possibility. That was the last I have heard. I am clinging tightly to "no news is good news!" I am going over tonight to see her and drop off her antibiotics.

I have been so bad about getting around to the blogs and commenting and I'm sorry! I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for their support, their posts and their prayers here, on Facebook and on twitter!! It all means so much to Lilo and I to have you all in our lives!!! Please keep the prayers coming, I am sure she feels the love surrounding her!!!

Until I have another update. . . . . .

Pugs, Hugs & Kisses
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Power of the Paw

The momma here. Normally, Lilo and I are asking everyone to pull together for a member of our blogger family in need. Today, however, I am asking for your prayers for Lilo.


Over the last two months, she has been battling allergies and what eventually became a respiratory infection. She has been on a few different antibiotics that have not cleared the infection. After her dental in May, her vet suggested we schedule soft palette surgery as well as nasal surgery. Her surgery was scheduled for July 1st. The morning of the 1st, I received a call from her vet stating that her white cell count was quite elevated indicating that the Baytril she had been on had not cleared the infection. She changed her antibiotic and released her to me Friday evening. On our way out of the store, Lilo started having a sneezing fit and stopped breathing, dropping to the floor. We rushed her back into the clinic thinking she'd had a seizure. A few moments later Dr. K came and got me and informed me that what happened was not considered a seizure. She had gotten worked up during the sneezing fit and couldn't get any oxygen. They gave her oxygen for about 20 minutes and released her to me on the instruction to keep her calm. The rest of Friday was uneventful. She ate dinner and slept through the night.


She was sluggish on Saturday which I attributed to the infection. Saturday afternoon I picked up some saline drops as suggested by the vet to put in her nose and help break up the congestion. Just after putting the drops in her nose, she again stopped breathing. The episode only lasted about 30 seconds to a minute before she came around and was acting like nothing had happened. For the rest of Saturday and Sunday, we took every precaution to keep her calm. I picked her up and carried her outside to potty and then carried her back in. Sat with while she ate so the cats would get her excited. My dad even set up a fan for her to sleep in front of to make sure there was plenty of air circulating for her and she wouldn't have to strain so much.

Late Monday morning while I was in the kitchen getting stuff ready for lunch, mom called my name from the living room. Lilo was lying on her side on the couch with her legs running in the air, mouth open gasping for air and glazed eyes. We tried everything to get her to come out of it. Rubbing on her to try and stimulate her systems, giving her a squeeze in case she was choking on something, even blowing in her face to try and get her attention. Mom held her while I scrambled to find a vet that was open on the 4th of July. By the time I reached Purdue on the phone Lilo was coming out of her "respiratory distress." (They can tell me it wasn't a seizure all they want!! I just hope I never have to see her or any other dog go through it again!!!!) Mom got dressed, we loaded Lilo into the car and headed the 30 minutes to Purdue. I'm pretty sure those were the longest 30 minutes of my life.

Purdue got us into an exam room right away and got us a vet student to take her history. While we waiting for them to get back with us on a course of treatment, she once again quit breathing while lying in my arms. The doctors came in and snatched from my arms and took her to ICU. They came back a few minutes later to tell me again that it wasn't a seizure. They told us that the combination of her nasal passages being packed with mucus combined with her elongated soft palette were causing her to quit breathing.

She has been in an oxygen crate in the ICU since about noon yesterday. There has been no improvement, but there has also been no decline. Purdue will be discharging her to my mom any minute now and she will be bringing her down here. We will check in with her regular vet to get a nasal culture and attempt to isolate whatever the hell this infection is and get it treated and then she will be heading to the VCA in Anderson where she will go back into an oxygen cage until we can clear her for surgery.

This will be the longest I have been away from her since she ate the rock!!! Those of you that know Lilo know she is a fighter, but her little body is so worn out from struggling with this infection and to breath for the last two months. PLEASE take a minute to say a prayer for her and help give her the strength to fight this and come back home.

When you go home tonight, make sure you give your fur babies an extra squeeze from us!!!!!!!


Until I know more. . . . .

Pugs, Hugs & Kisses
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO