We just got our first bit of good news about Miles in four days. Was it everyone's positive "beamage" (not to be confused with Beamish, although they're both quite tasty) or was it just coincidence? To quote Shakespeare: Don't know, don't care.
Dr. Stewart from the SFVS called this morning to give us Miles' status. Not much new, he said. Miles is stable, still not eating, but also not vomiting. The test results from the blood work and the fluid analysis wouldn't be back until Monday, or possibly Tuesday. Did we want to come over and see Miles? Of course! He told us we could come by around noon. We were there at 11:59.
After a little wait, Sarah, a technician, brought Miles into the examination room swaddled in a towel. Despite the gentle attention he was receiving, he was very scared and nervous. He gradually built up enough courage to emerge from his towel cocoon, and it was clear that he wanted OUT. He paced the examination table over and over, looking for a way to reach the doors, and quitely mewed in frustration when he realized it was hopeless. Physically, here's how he was: a little thinner than yesterday, his IV catheter had recently been removed so his arm was unbandaged, the paw where he catheter had been was swollen, and even more fur had been shaved from the additional ultrasound.
We got to love on him for a bit and take a few pictures before Dr. Stewart came in. When he did, he had late-breaking news, and it was good: the blood work had come back already, and it showed that Miles is negative for FIP! Even though he stressed that this test isn't 100% conclusive, I was amazingly reassured. So it looks like we're dealing with at least two separate issue here: the fluid in the abdomen and chest, and the heart murmur (this is new info) being one, and the corrugated colon wall and vomiting and diarrhea being the other. Although the heart and the fluid might be separate issues. Ah, the permuatations of symptoms are endless. No wonder there are so many hypochondriacs!
If the heart and fluid are the same issue, it might be cardiomyopathy. Or it might be nothing. The colon thing might be cancer, or it might be something else, so they want to do a colonoscopy (ow!) to get more information.
But -- and here's the really good news -- based on the test results and the fact that Miles was stable, the doctor felt it wasn't doing Miles any good to stay in the hospital while they waited for the fluid analysis and while they waited to do the colonoscopy. So, while he was talking with us, he decided it would be okay to let Miles go home for a while. We nearly broke down with that news...maybe we're projecting, but we think having him at home will raise his spirits and energy so very much. The hospital is great, but it's clear that he's really uncomfortable there and probably wouldn't eat no matter how hungry he was.
With that great news, we packed him up and brought him home. As soon as he entered the apartment, despite being tired, he was his usual curious self and immediately explored everything. Owen sniffed him mercilessly and was very happy to see him. After a few minutes, Miles plopped down and began to groom and get the stink of four days in the hospital the hell off of him. His bare belly caused a bit of consternation, but he plowed on.
Eventually Miles settled in to his usual seat near the window. He's deleriously tired, struggling to keep his eyes open, but it's a losing battle. He keeps his eyes open, but his third eyelid closes anyway. He sleeps for a few moments, but twitches nervously and wakes at the slightest sound. We're just trying to keep quiet and make him as comfortable as possible.
Tomorrow one of us will stay with him, and on Tuesday the other one will take him to get the colonoscopy. Although he's not allowed to eat on Monday or Tuesday, even if he feels like it, hopefully he'll eat again soon, build up his energy, and stop losing weight.
Keep those positive beams coming.
Yay, Miles! Home is so much better than that awful hospital, Bishonen agrees. Continued good wishes for Miles are coming from all of us here.
Posted by: C J Silverio | August 22, 2004 at 06:03 PM