I am FINALLY taking a minute to sit down, reflect, and update everyone after our four day roller-coaster ride post-op.  Sully is doing great!  He had his amputation surgery to remove his right front leg last Tuesday and it did not go as well as planned.  Our vet called late afternoon and reported that Sully was out of surgery but that the tumor in his humerus appeared to effect the joint so he removed Sully's scapula as well.  At first I was so worried about what this meant for Sully, but after searching through the forums here I began to see that this is really not such a bad thing in the long run, just a more invasive surgery initially (so thanks again for the support!).  About an hour later, our vet called again and said that when Sully woke up he tried to stand an a concerning amount of blood/fluid began to leak from the incision and the vets and technicians were afraid of a ruptured artery, so they put him under again and opened him up again.  Once he woke from that surgery, he refused to stand or even lift his head.  Our vet asked us to come see him but didn't want to send him home as planned.  When we saw him it was terrifying.  Our vet wanted to send him to a 24 hour hospital for observation (our vet travels and does work for the local zoo so his clinic is not a 24 hour service).  Unsure as to whether or not Sully would make it through the night we opted to bring him home so that he could be with the people he loves most.

Of course at that point I was second guessing every decision I made.  I chose our family vet partially for financial reasons, although he is a wonderful vet.  The amount that the veterinary surgical center quoted us was just not feasible as I am a stay at home mom and we are raising two children with one income, and it certainly left no option for even thinking about chemotherapy afterward.  I was afraid that because I went with the cheaper option I had put Sully in a horrible position.

For the next two days we took our 135lb Sully to the vet to be checked on a stretcher.  He wouldn't eat, we had to give him water with a syringe, he wouldnt go outside to go to the bathroom and the two times he tried to stand he fell.  It was a nightmare and again I thought I had made the wrong decision for him by amputating.  Luckily our vet's office has taken him under their wing and treat him like one of their own.  They asked us to bring him in to spend time with him and they worked with him and loved on him and they finally got him to stand and walk outside to the bathroom (meanwhile we are at home taping baby diapers together to try and create a pad absorbent enough for that mess!) As soon as he realized he could do it, he started improving rapidly.  Yesterday, 3 days post op, we took him for a walk around our house (with several rests and stops) and he and my husband laid outside in his favorite spot in the sunshine.  And last night he got up and "hopped" to the door all by himself to let us know he needed to go outside, and if I'm honest, my husband and I both teared up a little when he finally pooped on his own (its the simple things, right?)

For now he is doing great.  The vet changed his compression wrap today and he constantly reminds me that each day at this point is a blessing.  Another vet in the practice asked me about his chest x-ray (which looked clear) because she heard decrease breath sounds on Thursday.  I can't seem to shake that conversation and the fear that has come with it.  Could the cancer really progress that fast?  Could it just be from the stress of the surgery and 2 rounds of anesthesia?  Are there mets there now when they weren't visible a week ago?  Our vet will not answer questions that he doesn't know with 100% certainty, and I appreciate that.  He doesn't want to give me false hope, his response is always, "He looks great, today."  I know he is right, but some days it his harder than others to come to terms with.  I don't do well with uncertainty and there is nothing about the timeline or progression of OSA that is certain.  I just want to get over this hurdle and let Sully have as many wonderful days as he can before he doesn't.

I cannot say how thankful I am to have found this site, the information and support over the last week and a half has truly kept me from losing my mind. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Today is a great day!

Rachael and Sully