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[gunner]

Hi everyone,

I am either very blessed or very foolish.  It is hard to tell which. 
When I talked to the vet on Monday, he offered to put Gunner down as he had done all he could, her blood work was so far wrong, she looked terrible and he felt the end was pretty much imminent.  I tearfully considered it and decided to bring Gunner home for her last few days and to say good-bye.  When I picked her up, she no longer really had any control over her bowels.  There was blood in her runny poop.  She looked bloody awful, though she was really happy to see me and very ready to go.  She wasn't drinking much.  She just lay there and really seemed to be fading fast.

On Tuesday, I wept all morning.  I couldn't stop my eyes from leaking.  Gunner lay on a towel on the couch.  Every breath seemed like it was going to be her last one.  She couldn't or wouldn't eat or drink.  She could hardly hold her head up and when she walked she wobbled.  When the vet sent us home, he left the cathiter in her leg because he thought we would be back in a day or two for the end because she looked so very bad.  My son, who is visiting for a couple of weeks, said "Mom, she is just breaking my heart." And he only arrived the day she went into the hospital so he never knew her healthy.

Tuesday afternoon, she got up and had a big ol' drink of water.  Then she had another.  Then she wanted something to eat.  By that evening she was rooting in her toy box and teasing my husband!  I thought maybe it was a final rally before the end.  But no, today she was chasing our cat and when outside, she was up to her favorite hobby of trying to catch lizzards.  She still isn't 100% but she is enjoying the heck out of herself and constantly bugging anyone with food for tid-bits or teasing my husband to play.  I am not under any illusions that maybe she won't succumb to Kidney failure, but right now, I believe in answer to prayers and candles lit for her, God must have been listening. 

So I want to thank each and every last one of you who offered prayers, kind thoughts and well wishes because they sure have worked!!!  I was just doing some filing in the office, and looked at her last blood work chart.  Out of the 15 or so tests they ran, only 4 are in normal range.  Most are tacked out on the high end and one is so low they coudln't even measure it.  So whether it is that I am just a fool and got you all worked up for nothing, though I have some paperwork that seems to show otherwise, It is an absolute miracle that she is running around and almost as good as new.  Bless all of you 10 times over and thank you so much!!!!
Love to all,
 Joyce ... on behalf of Gunner 

[luvmyjacks]

Crying so hard for you and Gunner I can hardly type - but this time it is tears of Joy.  Savour every single second, kiss her scrunchy face a thousand times and keep telling her you love her.  You have the winning formula.  God bless.

[Jen]

YAY!!

I don't have a god, but I do believe in something bigger than all of us,
and it's visible in the face of a dog.
Give her a smooch for me.

[Wilson3]

Well I came on here this morning to see how gunner was
I am soooooo excited! what wonderful news!!1
Joyce I am sooooo happy for you and Gunner.
Yes a miracle!
wilson3

[evayola]

Joyce
I cannot tell you how extremely happy I am for both of you... I came on today just to check on Gunner and what awesome news!!! It made my weekend. Definitely send some huge slobbery kisses from Homer and Marge. Give her tons and tons of hugs and kisses. I am so glad that all my praying may have paid off. Like I said before, if there is hope run with it. Enjoy that little bundle of goodness!!! How awesome! 
Eva

[gunner]

Thanks tons for your sweet notes. 
Gunner is still holding her own.  I can tell that she isn't totally up to snuff as she tires more quickly than before this kidney issue and sleeps more.  But she isn't suffering diarrhea or stomach upsets like she was when I brought her home and is looking really fabulous all things considered.  Like I said, I don't know how long she is going to be doing good.  I am just grateful for every extra second we have her.
I have decided that unless it is an emergency, I am just not going to take her to the vet any more.  I just have to find a way to calm down when ever she coughs or looks suspiciously at her dish.  Last night she had a mysterious cough.  I was scared to death it might be something else, but this morning there is no sighn of a cough at all.  I always knew that there was nothing wrong with me that large quantities of Vallium wouldn't cure.   
Thanks again for all your support in my very darkest hours. 
(((hug)))
Joyce

[Jen]

I'm soo relieved to hear it.
So what if she's not chasing her tail all the time?
Keep her home and close to you - it's better than any vet.
j

[mhitesman]

Like the rest of us, I logged in here after a short absence anxious but fearful to hear how Gunner is doing.  I am thrilled that you have more time with your girl.  That's all any of us can reasonably hope for.  Big slobbers from Comet, River, and me in Virginia!  Woohoo!

[Wilson3]

joyce how is everyone doing???
well i hope! been thinking about you guys a lot!
wilson3

[gunner]

Everyone is doing GREAT!!!

My Marine son is out of Iraq.  My other son is here for a visit.  So that part just couldn't be better.

Gunner is INCREDIBLE!  Since she turned the corner, a light bulb went off in my head and I started giving her sav-A-caf again.  What a difference it has made in her recovery!  She has energy, is looking for anyone to play with, she is rooting in her toy box and dragging everything out.  She is terrorizing our way too fat cat so he is getting some much needed exersize.  It is great.  I don't care what her bloodwork says, she looks fabulous!  Her eye is bright and her coat is shiny. 

I talked to her vet on Monday and he said that here are forces in this world way bigger than he is so as long as Gunner is doing that good, not to bring her in for a month and we will see what her bloodwork is then.  I dont' know if I want to do that.  Maybe not knowing is better after all. 

I am cooking her a special low protien, no salt diet.  She gets 1/2 a tagament twice a day to prevent any ulcers and it also has a great side affect of boosting her immune system.  She gets a tums in all her food to keep the phosphorous from building in her blood and provides extra calcium.  She gets a B-complex vitamin, omega-3 fish oil cap and vitamin e capsule every day, that plus sav-A-caf and I think that is about as much as I can do, unless anyone else has any other ideas.  Oh yes, she also is getting a crystal healing treatment twice a week and has her chakras tuned with a Tibetan singing bowl once a week, that part might be a little "out there" but what the heck, it can't hurt and she seems to really love it. 
So I don't know if it was a single "magic pill" that caused all this, I am convinced that prayer and kind thoughts had a HUGE part in it, or if it was just a combination of everything, but right now Gunner has every appearance of a happy, healty dog and a couple of really grateful human companions. 
Thanks for asking,
Joyce

[sequinnw]

This is wonderful news.  My thoughts and prayers have been with you.  I check daily for updates.  Good to hear the great news!

[Harleys Mom]

Glad to hear Gunner's good news. Always happy to hear things going good!!

Harley went to the vet Monday for a follow-up visit. The vet said his liver function testing came out excellent. He's tolerating the Sporanox really well. She wanted to drop the other medication he was on for pain & swelling of his leg. If he shows any sign of lameness he goes back on it every other day instead of daily. At least he's not licking his affected foot as much. He's not liked the Elizabethan collar at all. Had to get a bigger one for him because he figured out that if he stretched his leg out his foot reached just beyond the first collar & he could lick at it. It really does look like an upside down lampshade over his head

Hope to keep hearing good news from lots of you!

[Wilson3]

well my computer has been down
but i am sooo happy to hear the great news!!! this is truely wonderful
hugs to you guys
kristin

[mhitesman]

ok Joyce time for an update

[gunner]

Well, I am still holding my breath...

Yesterday, Gunner seemed to have trouble jumping up on things like the couch or her bed.  Her left back leg would seem to almost give out.  Earlier this week she had a cough that kept stopping my heart.  Today, however, she was 100% our old dog before she ever got sick with Blasto, let-a-lone this kidney thing.  Her appatite is good, she is drinking lots of water, she is terrorizing everyone untill they play.  She firmly plants her forehead on the pantry door and whines for treats that she can no longer have, but we find something anyway.  When I walk into the kitchen she sarts doing tricks hoping for treats.  She is on red alert for those terrorist cats that wander through our yard and she tore out grass today getting after 2 of them (she caught one once and both her and the cat were so suprised neither of them knew what to do next.  It was too funny! The cat got away unscathed, just slobbered on).  And best of all, she had the most normal looking poop she has had in over a year! I can't believe that she was so close to being euthanized.  You would NEVER believe it was the same dog!   

Today was a great day.  Tomorrow I don't know.  It is always kind of a roller-coaster with her.  One day is good the next isn't, I just keep hoping that soon the good days will out number the bad.  But today,  I am just grateful for a wonderful day.

I swear, I have gotten more grey hair over this dog than I ever did over my once teen-age boys.  Though my teen daughter is giving the dog a run for the grey hair money!
Thanks for thinking of us and thanks again for all your prayers and support.
Joyce