Today’s Update on Bunny

Posted on | November 11, 2008 |

Bunny had an examination with a neurologist this afternoon and I was given yet another possible diagnosis.  

At this point it looks like she has either FCE, a tumor, or a slipped disc.  The surgeon was leaning more towards the slipped disc and although that is a serious issue requiring surgery, at least we have some recourse with that.  In no simple terms, if it turns out to be FCE then I have to debate a quality of life issue and make a very hard decision.  If it turns out to be either the tumor or the slipped disc then we can operate and shoot for a recovery.  The recovery time is dependent on the animal and their willingness to want to get up and start moving again.  Based on that, as well as several other factors, everyone involved felt like Bunny was a good candidate for surgery.  So tonight she is having blood work done and staying at the surgery center.  Tomorrow morning she will have a CAT scan to start with and if that doesn’t help with the diagnosis then we will move onto the milogram.  If at any point during either of those two tests the surgeon finds something that can be, or needs to be operated on, then they are going to call me to make sure I want this done.  

You might think this is a no brainer of a decision, and in some respects it is, but we are talking about a serious amount of money here, and I am not a rich man.  The initial estimate for the cost of the milogram and the other tests have more than doubled, and that’s just for the testing phase.  The cost of surgery, and the rehab process that will take one to three months afterward is going to be considerably more.  With that said we come back to a quality of life debate.  

In my mind, if I do not go with the tests then we are at a very low quality of life.  If I go with the tests and then find out it is operable and do not go forward with the surgery, then we are at the same very low quality of life.  So at this point I feel that my options are to either stop here, or go forward with the tests, with the understanding that when and if they find something operable, I say go for it.  

To me, I feel like the only way I can live with myself is to go for option number two.  That’s why barring any new pop ups, like multiple tumors or something that would exponentially drive up the already incredible cost, I will be green lighting the surgery.

This is by far one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made.  The recovery phase for Bunny is going to be very involved and require lots of time, effort, and money.  I am very lucky to have a brother willing to help in many ways right now.  One who is accepting where this is headed and is not shying away from it at all.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am very fortunate.  

The last few days have been quite a roller coaster, full of emotions both high and low.  I feel better now about things than I did last night, but I also understand what I just committed myself to.  With as much as I have been through in the last few days I understand that tomorrow could bring yet more unexpected turns.  I’ll just have to keep things in perspective and roll with them.

Please keep those thoughts and prayers coming.  Thank you.

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