Posted by allisonm on August 31, 2003, at 7:48:27
In reply to Re: Roll Call » allisonm, posted by judy1 on August 30, 2003, at 20:00:21
Last week we started him on 2 unitis of Humulin U in the evenings.
On Friday, we went for a follow-up vet visit a week after diagnosis to see how he was doing. I had noticed he'd been a little lethargic the day before, and he was the same at the vet's office. They took a look at him and called the triage vet who put him into ICU because he was jaundiced. This is at the university vet school animal hospital where I am living now while I am in school.
Blood tests showed extremely high liver enzyme levels (double and triple the high numbers of last week). However, the BUN, albumin and cholesterol levels are normal, so the liver does not appear to be failing. Bilirubin is 2.1, though. If you know what the acronyms stand for, his ALT was 1301, AST 422, ALP 253, GGT 3.
They also did x-rays and ultrasound and found that the texture of his liver has changed and there are nodes. They want to do a biopsy. I talked with my regular vet, who graduated from the same university, and he thought waiting a day or two to see if the antibiotics they are starting will kick in and help. It could be an infection, inflammation of some sort, lipidosis (fatty liver from possibly stopping eating, which can kill), hepatitis, latent feline leukemia, lymphoma...
The university has on staff a leading researcher of feline liver disease, and I have been told that she is consulted on every liver case and sees all of the liver biopsies. She pioneered a version of SAM-e for cats that they use for liver problems.
I am having a hard time concentrating. My roommate went out of town for a couple of days so I am here alone with my two other kitties. We are sad and lonely in this quiet house. I went to visit Spoddy in the hospital last night. He has an IV in his paw and is receiving fluids, and a catheter in his neck so that they can more easily get blood samples to test for glucose. The vet student watching over him moved him out of ICU because he was stressing out. She has him in a stepped-down area of critical care. He was so happy to see me. Couldn't get enough ear and chin rubbing. I left him with a pillowcase that smells of me hoping that will help him feel not so abandoned.
Classes started Friday for me. I am supposed to finish my degree project and graduate at the end of this semester. I also am TA-ing a class. The whirlwind has begun. I don't have much energy for any of it.
Other stuff is happening on the sidelines such as disagreements with my boyfriend (our relationship has a lot of synchronicities as well as a lot of sparks), and in-depth negotiations with my dad on how he wants to hand over his business to me and to my cousin. He is very emotional and this business has been his entire life for more than 30 years, so it is difficult for all of us. My boyfriend and my dad/my house are about two hours' drive apart. There is talk of marriage and babies, working at the business, two hours apart...how to reconcile?
There is too much going on. Sorry this post is so long. I guess I needed to vent.
poster:allisonm
thread:255171
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/2000/20030702/msgs/255844.html