Easter weekend

I just thought I would give a little update on how Sebastian is doing:


He doesn't seem to be uncomfortable, in fact... he actually played a bit last night, but he is so bony! His appetite is not good, and he will only eat a tiny bit at any sitting. I still am concerned. At least, he has relatively normal bowel movements, jut small.
I am trying to be patient, but it is hard when I am reminded every time I stroke him, by feeling his bones.


I hope all of you have a good holiday weekend! Enjoy your Families!

Food Wars...

He had a follow up appointment this past Tuesday, and seems to be doing better. His new x-ray showed that his stool was staying soft, and not building back up in his colon.


His fanny is still shaved, so he feels a little silly, but he is acting more like his normal self.  My next challenge, is to find a proper food that both he , and the two ladies will actually like to eat! I have struck out with two cases of High Quality, and expensive canned food, already...and I am stuck with them. The third case and flavor seems palatable to them, so I ultimately guess 1, out of three is better than batting zero. 
...Each case was $24.00 a piece, so I am out the $50, but at least they like the other one. XD 
For the rest of his life , I have to give him cisapride and mira lax...But, as long as he is happy, that is all that matters to me.


Our Current vet bill is down to $2,200. We are struggling to pay it down. My Home vet was kind enough to not charge us for the follow up visit. We did pay for the X-ray though. Fortunately, the one shot was clear, and we didn't need any others. The 1 film was $75.00, not too expensive...I think.


We still need all the financial help we can get. I have begun making Key Chains, And pendants, for raising funds.


If you are able to donate <$10.00 you will be sent a red, Blown Glass Heart Key Chain with a paw print hand painted on it.Shipped for Free!!! 

If you are able to donate $11.00- $20.00 You will be sent a Dihcroic Paw Print Key Chain with silver angel wings.Shipped for free!!! 

If you can donate $21.00-$50.00  You will be sent a red, blown glass heart pendant with the hand painted paw print on it. The cord is non-allergenic rubber in a 20" length with a lobster claw clasp.Shipped For Free!!!

If you are able to donate $51.00 - $100.00 you will be sent a Dihcroic Black Cat silhouette pendant  with angel wings on the same 20" rubber cord, and lobster claw clasp.Shipped for Free! 

Any generous Donation Over $101.00 Will be sent Both a pendant, and a key chain, in a gift box. Hand painted by myself. Shipped for free!   

Once I get some of these gifts made up. I will include pictures for you to see. Please check in once a week, to see if there has been any new changes, or developments!

Like a roller-coaster ride...

Sebastian seems to be sort of leveling out in his recovery. Some days, he still has issues, but more often than not, he seems to be acting more like normal. He even has taken to bullying the two other girls when he is frustrated. 


I really wish he would gain back some muscle mass though. Every time I run my hands over him, I still feel his bones. His appetite seems good, just not maybe eating enough? He has a follow up appointment tomorrow at our regular vet to see what has been going on. 
We now have gradually changed his , and the other cats food to a more suitable diet, and everyone looks happy. But he will have to have cisapride, and miralax daily for the rest of his life. Lactulose was making him nauseous, and the long term side effects were pancreatic issues, as well as possibly diabetic hazards. Cisapride is very expensive, but essential to keep him going. I will have to get all my refills at Hopkington, since they are the only compounding pharmacy that carries it. It will run me $70.00 per refill. "A small price to pay, for keeping him happy, I suppose."


Maybe I will get a new x-ray tomorrow to see if his colon looks okay. If it does, then we will be spared the additional $5,000.00 in new bills for the surgical options as a last resort.


Hopefully, I will have more to report after his visit tomorrow. 

...Rounding the corner?

 His last vet visit
Once we returned him to the vet, they examined him and took a new x-ray. He had more blockages. He was immediately prepped for sedation once again, and was given a third obstipation  procedure.


While he was being worked on, we drove to pick up his Cisapride prescription. He will need it to help his colon work better. Also, the vet handed us some medication for his pain, and some to increase his appetite.This new visit has incurred yet another $500 dollars.  I am pretty sure the bill total is around $2,700 or so by now. If this new course of treatment doesn't work, we will be forced to either continue the next two stages of treatment, or Euthanize. Sebastian's vet has talked with us regarding those circumstances; They will be the most costly of treatments, and the most extreme.

First, the feeding tube insertion. That will cost us around $1,200 to perform, then he will have to go back, every day for checks and adjustments. Each one of those visits can cost $150 or more. Depending upon how long it takes for him to gain weight again, and become regular, that could possibly go on for weeks.


Next, is the most high risk; Major Surgical removal of his non-functioning colon. That will certainly run  into the thousands. We know that there is no way that we can afford that treatment alone. I have applied for grants, and other financial helping organizations, will not a single acceptance or approval. It has become really dis-heartening.  Even if for some miracle, we find the funds, he may not make it through the recovery, or even end up with even more complications.


He is such a sweet boy that everyone at the hospital loves him, and wants to help in any way. He has put up with so much indignity, and pain, but he still purrs for anyone there to stroke his head. It would turn into the most heart-breaking story ever, it he has to be put down. We all do not want to give up yet!


Donations have creeped up to $297.00 but that is hardly enough. It has however helped us pay for all his prescriptions to date.


Yesterday, was frustrating.  He kept wanting food, but then when I offered it he would sniff, and walk away. I had to force feed him prescribed high caloric canned food sprinkled with a 1/4 teaspoon of Mira-Lax mixed in every hour, only maybe a tablespoon worth  each time. I am exhausted! He has to take the Cisapride every 8 hours, and the appetite stimulant every 3 days, and his pain medication as needed.


Today, there is good news to share!

He Is eating Better!....and on his own!

I am happy to see this.
I am thinking the pain medication, and the new Cisapride doses have seemed to help. He is chowing on some regular canned cat food in these two pictures. He still is not touching the dry food, but that is fine...we really do not want him to eat that again anyways.
We still have a long road ahead, but maybe we can avoid having to have surgery.  I still have to continue the new medication course, and, still give him laxatives, but he did have a normal bowel movement mid-morning!...that is very good!


I will continue this blog thread as we plug away, at the treatments. We still owe  about $2,500 in bills, but we still need help.
Please, Donate!

...A turn for the worse.

This morning has found me discovering that Sebastian has seemingly gotten a bit worse than yesterday. No Bowel Movements since he came home, and his appetite is less than good, only maybe eating perhaps a tablespoon of food or so throughout the day. At least he is drinking water. He wasn't even doing that two days ago.


He has an Appointment back at Tufts today at 1:00. We will have to see what is next on his health course agenda. The visit alone, is $150.00 not including the additional radio-graphs, and other screenings they may do. Not to mention, if they will need to place a feeding tube.  *reels over impending bill* We have already racked up $2,200 so far, including everything.  Now...Who knows....


I have to get everything ready now, so I will update later on...


Please help! This is beginning to get out of control! I have only received $135.00 which we are very grateful for...we are indeed struggling.

His Decline

My Boy Is Not Getting any better
More Updates: 
Sebastian was discharged the other day. But, since then, he really hasn't eaten more than a tablespoon of wet cat food each day, and I have yet to see him drink any water. The vets at Tufts as I said above, had problems with his belly being too fat, well...that may be so, but then why is all his bones visible, and his eyes sunken in? If an animal is wasting, wouldn't the "Belly" go away first?

Everyone I have talked to says that Tufts is the very best animal hospital in New England. I want to believe this. I have been playing phone tag all morning trying to talk to one of the vets that worked on him, and am still waiting. I have never even seen all his x-rays, what if there is something else that is causing his illness? ...Did they have possibly by accident maybe perforated his colon? Why isn't he any better-at least he isn't straining in pain from stomach contractions, but he is still very lethargic, and his appearance is alarming.

My heart is Breaking...It kills me to force him to take his meds. Why won't he respond to the treatment? I am beginning to wonder if we were all looking in the wrong place. It is possible that his bad eye, is to blame?  I noticed just this year that there was a cloudy sort of growth inside his left eye's pupil, deep inside the cavern before his retina. We all thought the tummy was the priority. We all would take care of his eye secondly. ...Could it be Cancer?


...What if we all figure this out too late?


Donations are still needed! He may need to go back into emergency if he won't eat or drink anything soon. 


I thought I could get more work done, but I am so worried. I'm afraid I will come back up from my studio, and find him dead. "This is Horrible!"  D-; 


Please, anyone.... 

Saving Sebastian

Meet our Fur-baby Sebastian
This is my boy. He is 10 years old, and my muse, and familiar. Our bond is immense. He has become very ill. His colon is weakened due to some sort of disorder called mega colon. He is what the vets consider 'Oscipated', which is worse than being constipated. Basically, his bowels have been distended to the point where his stool cannot pass though his pelvis to eliminate. If it is not treated... the colon walls can rupture, or die off, causing death.


For days... he hasn't eaten, or had any water.  He was taken to our regular vet this past Saturday to try to get some help.  He was given two warm water enemas, and one mineral oil enema, which did not work. We were sent home with some more Lactulose, instructed to administer every 4 hours to help draw water to his colon. This also did not work. 
At this point we have incurred $250 dollars. I paid it...Monday, he became severely dehydrated, and was too weak to even move. He has wasted away until his bones have become easily felt under his loose skin. Alarmed, I brought him back to my regular vet, to try to get some more help. She had explained to my husband and I, that they were not equipped to do anything more for him. I was now faced with the grim possibility of having to euthanize my boy. 

Our vet suggested to admit him to TUFTS University Animal Hospital.  It is the very best in the New England Area.  She discharged us, and sent us on our way to the hospital with his records and x-rays. The Hour drive was rough, as Sebastian was barely clinging to life. Once we arrived, we took care of all the necessary paperwork and signed our lives away. 

He was immediately placed on IV's and bloods were drawn. They also took some x-rays. He was prepped for his overnight stay to try to stabilize him enough to perform the sedation the next day for treatment. Before we even left, to head home, Our bill has tacked on an additional $1,600 dollars. Between my Husband and I, we scrounged up another $800 dollars to deposit for his overnight stay.

This morning, I received an update to his condition. He made it through the night, and has been stabilized....Now, he is scheduled for his first sedation so the vets, can attempt to go in and break up the compacted bowel waste, and pull it out of his colon. If this is successful, then our bill will reach $2,000 and he may go home, and my own vet will help us deal with his aftercare. Our fingers are crossed.

  

If, this treatment does not work, Then we are faced with a Major Surgery, where they will cut open his tummy, and physically remove his diseased colon, and re-connect what healthy bowels he has left. Granted...He has to survive the surgery first. We both hope that things do not have to come to this point. Then, for the rest of his life, he will require various medications, and follow-ups. We should be able to manage his care for the rest of his years, accepting the hassles and circumstances. Since I work from home, I will be caring for him. It is a burden I will carry as long as he is happy. TUFTS states that if the second Surgery is necessary, the bill will increase to well over $2,300 dollars. 
We have applied for Veterinary Insurance for our pets, but it is not available to us until a full year from application approval has accrued. I need to raise money for his care. Currently, we are already tapped out as far as we can see.  
If anyone can donate to his care, I would be forever grateful! I will be compiling some inventory and other arts to sell in my e stores specific to his fund.


Any help is appreciated, even as little as $1.00. We will keep a tally on Facebook, so my friends and followers can stay updated. Our boy, Sebastian is well loved at both our regular vet, as well as at TUFTS. He is very sweet, and is putting up with all the pokes, and prods, like a real brave, trooper. He just keeps on Purring, knowing we are all just trying to help him. 


If anyone is interested in Donating, My Paypal is amanda@dreamingtreestudio.com


I am beginning a campaign to raise money for my Fur-Baby Sebastian. I will be compiling a bunch of stuffage in my e stores to sell just for his care. I will be doing this beginning this afternoon. Any help is really appreciated, donations are accepted as well. All donations will be given a free gift as a token of our appreciation. Please make sure that a valid mailing address is included so I can mail it out to you all as a thank you.    


Please Help!
3-31-2011 Update:
His Updates:


Sebastian is having three oscipation procedures since my blog entry. The third is happening this afternoon. Hopefully, this will be enough to clear his bowels. They claim that they are having a tough time manipulating his digestive tract because his belly is so big. He has been given pain medication through his IV drip along with all the necessary fluids his body needs. He still refuses food,...."And who can blame him!" but, he still needs nutrition. TUFTS hopes that once he comes home, he may be comfortable enough to try some wet food. *crosses fingers*


Our vet bills are up to $2,200 at this point. Donations has saved us $135.00. We are so very grateful! Any help is very much accepted, no matter how little.


Sebastian, and his whole family cannot thank everyone enough!