New development. Not a good one. Parlay has something wrong in his mouth. Not sure what, but he has stopped eating. He makes faces at me. Something is wrong.
Called the vet and the dentist. This is a horse that CANNOT miss a meal! The vet got back to me first, so I told her to come out. Naturally, we can't find anything that would be causing this reaction, per se.
The dentist will come in the next few days. CURSES!! In the meantime, banamine and mush. And Lasix. And Accupril. And all of the other stuff...
(sigh)
The things we do for love...
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Notes to the vet
Thank God for my local vet and my not-so-local equine cardiologist. I cannot imagine how I would have gotten this far without them.
My local vet, Dr. Jenny Kimble, is so completely supportive and helpful. She listens to me when my voice is breaking. She hears me out on my thoughts about treatment plans and encourages me to keep trying. She is patient and kind and it means so much to me to have her on our team.
Thanks Dr. Jen.
And Dr. Sophy Jesty, from Cornell. I have never met this woman in person, but she has had so much impact on what I have done to keep Parlay here and in the best condition that I can. Dr. Jesty answers my emails, adds her incredible breadth of knowledge and input to my treatment plan for Parlay and asks for nothing in return. She is also supportive and thoughtful and sympathetic when needed.
Thanks to you too, Dr. Jesty.
I owe a lot to these strong women for the strength that they are lending me.
Especially now. It is getting harder. I know that the summer heat is going to be a true test for Parlay and I am bracing myself for the battle. I understand that he may not win this one. I watch. I pray. I continue to research and provide the best supportive care that I can.
I prepare.
I think that I am anyway. I see the "plot" area every day. I have a memorial stone. I washed his blanket and cleaned his personal leather halter. I have discussed *arrangements* with my excavator. I keep going through the motions so that when the inevitable happens, I won't be without a plan. A plan that could be enacted by anyone. Anyone other than me. Because when this fateful day arrives, and the terror of the unknown takes over, and the reality of loosing my best friend arrives, my cry will go up to God, but my family is going to have to take over.
The tears come more often. Like the fits of coughing. Like the increased respiration.
As the warm fuzzy nose rubs on my body and the soft brown eyes meet mine, we have our unspoken conversation every day. I find myself asking Parlay if he is doing okay. I ask him if I am doing okay. It seems like we silently stand and contemplate the next few hours. Par seems satisfied that all is well and walks off to check out the hay piles. I stand and watch him move away--assessing his condition and attitude and making sure that I am reading it all right.
And I pray. I pray every day. Several times a day. For a horse. Not just any horse. My horse. My friend. My trusted partner. My soul mate.
A piece of me is dying and it feels so heavy. It's the burden that every pet owner has to bear. Damn. It's the burden that anyone that has felt true love has to bear.
I hope that I can do this with dignity. For Parlay and for me.
My local vet, Dr. Jenny Kimble, is so completely supportive and helpful. She listens to me when my voice is breaking. She hears me out on my thoughts about treatment plans and encourages me to keep trying. She is patient and kind and it means so much to me to have her on our team.
Thanks Dr. Jen.
And Dr. Sophy Jesty, from Cornell. I have never met this woman in person, but she has had so much impact on what I have done to keep Parlay here and in the best condition that I can. Dr. Jesty answers my emails, adds her incredible breadth of knowledge and input to my treatment plan for Parlay and asks for nothing in return. She is also supportive and thoughtful and sympathetic when needed.
Thanks to you too, Dr. Jesty.
I owe a lot to these strong women for the strength that they are lending me.
Especially now. It is getting harder. I know that the summer heat is going to be a true test for Parlay and I am bracing myself for the battle. I understand that he may not win this one. I watch. I pray. I continue to research and provide the best supportive care that I can.
I prepare.
I think that I am anyway. I see the "plot" area every day. I have a memorial stone. I washed his blanket and cleaned his personal leather halter. I have discussed *arrangements* with my excavator. I keep going through the motions so that when the inevitable happens, I won't be without a plan. A plan that could be enacted by anyone. Anyone other than me. Because when this fateful day arrives, and the terror of the unknown takes over, and the reality of loosing my best friend arrives, my cry will go up to God, but my family is going to have to take over.
The tears come more often. Like the fits of coughing. Like the increased respiration.
As the warm fuzzy nose rubs on my body and the soft brown eyes meet mine, we have our unspoken conversation every day. I find myself asking Parlay if he is doing okay. I ask him if I am doing okay. It seems like we silently stand and contemplate the next few hours. Par seems satisfied that all is well and walks off to check out the hay piles. I stand and watch him move away--assessing his condition and attitude and making sure that I am reading it all right.
And I pray. I pray every day. Several times a day. For a horse. Not just any horse. My horse. My friend. My trusted partner. My soul mate.
A piece of me is dying and it feels so heavy. It's the burden that every pet owner has to bear. Damn. It's the burden that anyone that has felt true love has to bear.
I hope that I can do this with dignity. For Parlay and for me.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Day 5 of the Qunipril
Last week I added 120 mg of Quinipril (Accupril) to Parlay's menu of "stuff" to help him cope.
I can't say that I have seen a huge difference at this point, but am going to give it another week. He is still coughing pretty regularly, but doesn't seem particularly distressed. His respiration rate was at 32 bpm yesterday mid morning. Not overly high (since this whole mess began) and obviously not nearly normal.
The heart rate is a true mystery. I cringe when I check it. There is no rhythm at all. I don't bother counting anymore. I just check it to see if it seems any more regular or irregular and then stop. Otherwise, it just gives me something more to worry about. Who needs that?
Parlay is also shedding like crazy. I spend an inordinate amount of time grooming him (much to his chagrin) but he is starting to look pretty darn good for an old, dying horse! If you had asked my vet, back in the fall, if I would have been shedding Par out this spring, I am guessing the answer would have been no. Actually, I am not so sure that I believed that I would be shedding him out this spring. I guess that it is TRUELY a blessing and a curse! LOL!
I am still trying to get his weight up slightly, as his last episode in February really took it off. Although you can't really see the ribs unless you look closely, you sure can feel them. I am hoping that he doesn't look like a skeleton once all of the hair comes out.
So, for now, Parlay is still his sassy self. He savagely went after Q last night at dinner time (sigh) so he is obviously not ready to throw in the towel yet. More to come...
I can't say that I have seen a huge difference at this point, but am going to give it another week. He is still coughing pretty regularly, but doesn't seem particularly distressed. His respiration rate was at 32 bpm yesterday mid morning. Not overly high (since this whole mess began) and obviously not nearly normal.
The heart rate is a true mystery. I cringe when I check it. There is no rhythm at all. I don't bother counting anymore. I just check it to see if it seems any more regular or irregular and then stop. Otherwise, it just gives me something more to worry about. Who needs that?
Parlay is also shedding like crazy. I spend an inordinate amount of time grooming him (much to his chagrin) but he is starting to look pretty darn good for an old, dying horse! If you had asked my vet, back in the fall, if I would have been shedding Par out this spring, I am guessing the answer would have been no. Actually, I am not so sure that I believed that I would be shedding him out this spring. I guess that it is TRUELY a blessing and a curse! LOL!
I am still trying to get his weight up slightly, as his last episode in February really took it off. Although you can't really see the ribs unless you look closely, you sure can feel them. I am hoping that he doesn't look like a skeleton once all of the hair comes out.
So, for now, Parlay is still his sassy self. He savagely went after Q last night at dinner time (sigh) so he is obviously not ready to throw in the towel yet. More to come...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)