thanks all for the reassurance!  The surgeon ultimately advised that we didn't need to bring her in on Tuesday for the seroma since she'll be in tomorrow for the staple removal and first oncologic appointment.  Since then, there has definitely been some fluid build up (now I know what to look for!) but no more "bursting".  I have been using the warm compress for as long as she will tolerate it and that seems to help.  She had a fantastic day yesterday - when I came home from work, she actually rolled over for belly rubs like she used to and gave me KISSES!!!!!!!  unfortunately, her night did not go so well as the heavy breathing/panting started again around 10:00 and went through the night.  I got up and slept on the floor with her at 3:00 and sometime after that, she settled down.  She was sleeping and breathing fine when we woke up at 7:30 and daddy reports she's doing fine today although she didn't want to get up until later in the morning. (I didn't either after the night we had!)  It doesn't seem like its a drug issue in that she's only on the Gabapentin (300 mg) once every 12 hours and she has no problems between 7:30 am and her next dose at 7:30 pm.  It's almost like night terrors or something!  She's dreaming a lot when she does fall asleep as I see (and felt last night)moving and twitching which in turn wakes her up again!   Or maybe, it' just the seroma bothering her cause when I tried to gently touch it last night, she was NOT happy!  anyhow, getting the staples out tomorrow will be a good milestone and I just hope that she will not have a hard time with the chemo...Fingers crossed that the surgeon will have only good news tomorrow after checking her out!

..I'm almost afraid to jinx Amira by even saying this (since they last few times I did, the very next day she would regress) but Amira is now doing pretty well!  She definitely seemed better after the staples were removed 17 days post op and almost immediately, seemed to be more like her old self.  She had her first dose of CCNU (Lomustine) the same evening and unfortunately, within 36 hours took a turn for the worse...

Amira did not do well with the chemo and it was a terrible week+ for her (and me especially since Daddy had to be out of the country during that time).  Amira went back to not eating anything other than hand fed chicken breast, not drinking, panting excessively at night, seeming very lethargic and downright miserable. There were moments/days that she seemed better but then she would regress.  The worst days for her were days 6-7 post chemo.   It was so bad for her that I was having serious doubts about putting her through such suffering. 

Thankfully on day 9 post chemo, she seemed to be better which coincided with a few things:  I stopped giving her any meds including the Gabapentin (vet said we could ramp down); it was just shy of 4 weeks post amputation and Daddy came home.  She's been doing well since then and seems to have gotten her sparkle back thank God!   I know that she will likely go through a rough patch again after her next CCNU treatment on 10/30 but I think she has pretty much physically recovered from the amputation so at least she won't have the 'double whammy' to deal with next time.  Wish us luck!