if i've been - or continue to be - quiet for a while
Over the past week, my girl BD has grown quickly and visibly uncomfortable, and at times appears to be in pain. She remains generally alert and in good spirits, but she has been scratching with increasing frequency at the spreading growths along her abdomen. My mother and I are taking her to the veterinarian on Friday.
She undoubtedly needs surgery to remove the growths, but she's at least 12 years old, and the growths have begun appearing in random pockets along her chest at a dispiriting rate. Surgery would be expensive. At her age, invasive surgery would require a lengthy (and probably painful) recovery period, and would merely remove the current growths. I have no doubt other growths will continue to appear; I discovered another this morning.
She sleeps curled behind my knees or along my side. She pushes me around for legroom in the middle of the night, cries to be walked at 6:30am, then grumbles when she realizes she actually has to leave the cocoon of blankets. I want more time with her. I want someone else to make a decision. I want her to be pain-free.
I am a wreck right now because this will be my choice, and I know which choice needs to be made.
She undoubtedly needs surgery to remove the growths, but she's at least 12 years old, and the growths have begun appearing in random pockets along her chest at a dispiriting rate. Surgery would be expensive. At her age, invasive surgery would require a lengthy (and probably painful) recovery period, and would merely remove the current growths. I have no doubt other growths will continue to appear; I discovered another this morning.
She sleeps curled behind my knees or along my side. She pushes me around for legroom in the middle of the night, cries to be walked at 6:30am, then grumbles when she realizes she actually has to leave the cocoon of blankets. I want more time with her. I want someone else to make a decision. I want her to be pain-free.
I am a wreck right now because this will be my choice, and I know which choice needs to be made.