Post-Post-Op

This is where we've been spending a lot of time and where Stella is again tonight after her second day of surgery. Greatest place on earth.After a long night last night and several conversations with Drs. Bottorff and Trottier (Stella's primary and long-time doctor), we decided to go ahead with the splenectomy primarily to avoid a potential bleed-out by doing nothing at all. That and it felt like the right thing to do for Stella.

The decision was like this: if the splenectomy went well, we'd consult about going ahead and removing the mass in the intestine. If there were any complications with the splenectomy, no extraordinary measures would be taken. If they opened her up and saw a gawd-awful mess, they'd stitch her back up and we'd take her home.

When we got there, just before the surgery, Dr. Bottorff, whom Stella has come to adore, came out to talk with us and asked if we'd like to see Stella. "Heck yes!" He brought her into a consultation room along with a blanket for Stella to lay down on - which of course she did not do. Stella? Well she just looked great - and I wish I'd taken a picture - but I was just so glad to see her. She's shaved around her neck, is bandaged up, and looks wonderful.  Someone had brushed her out and put her bangs up in a top-knot. I loved that they did that.

Front of the Small Animal Hospital

 The grounds just outside the hospital.

Here's what happened: the splenectomy went off without a hitch. We consulted on the intestinal mass and decided to go ahead and remove it. It went off without a hitch. Dr. Seguin (the abdominal surgeon) spoke with us after the surgery and said all went extremely well and that Stella did great. There won't be any definitive information about the nature of the tumors/masses until about the middle of next week, but they were all contained and appeared not to have spread, so you never know.

She'll spend the night in the hospital tonight and tomorrow and then, providing all goes well, will come home on Sunday. It's been a roller coaster few weeks and who knows what tomorrow will bring, but today was a good day. Thank you Dr. Trottier, Dr. Bottorff, and Dr. Seguin.