A Change in Plans

Kim here. Stella has asked me to fill in while she's away.

We arrived for our 11:30am appointment to get checked in for the abdominal surgery to remove the mass in Stella's small intestine. During her intake, Dr. Bottorff performed another ECG to look at her heart since the new drug seemed to be helping. When I finally got to talk with him after an hour or so and he explained went over the results, we decided to put aside the abdominal surgery for now and immediately go to the pacemaker since her heart activity had declined further since we were there just last week. 

So tomorrow morning early she's going to have the pacemaker put in and they will take a sample of the mass in her interstines while she's under to determine what it is all about. An eleventh hour decision, but I believe absolutely the right one.

Here's what the pacemaker looks like:

 The wire will run down through her carotid artery down into the muscle of her heart. The electronic part will be place up behind her neck. Once inserted, the doctor will be able to regulate the pulse of the pacemaker until it's right for Stella. 

 In some ways, I'm relieved that we're not doing the abdominal surgery -- for now anyway. Bottorff felt, and I agreed, that the possible benefit to Stella's heart as a result of dealing with the intestinal mass would not offset the danger she's in right now. 

Providing all goes well, and I'm SURE it will, she'll come home either tomorrow night, but more likely Friday. Then she'll have to be calm and quiet for a month in order to give the pacemaker wiring enough time to fully attach to her heart muscle. Then she'll be free to run on the beach once again.

Update: The doctor just called - Stella is all tucked in in the ICU and has been equipped with a heart monitor. There will be someone in the ICU all night tonight keeping watch and making sure all is well. Her procedure is scheduled for 9:00 am.

There was a lot going on at the OSU Small Animal Hospital today. It's quite a place with a lot of heart (no pun intended). I want to give a big hello to Shadow and wish her well.