2/8 Fortune AMPS 268 +2 165 +3 342 PMPS 379 +1 519

RachelG

Member Since 2021
Yesterday

Thank you for all of the support yesterday - it was long and hard day for Fortune (and us,) but Fortune crawled into bed with us and slept in my arms all night which makes it all worth it!

I barely slept because I kept checking to make sure he was breathing. Me and poor DH have some bags under our eyes...I need to figure out how to calm down and not be so on edge. I just keep playing what the IM told me on Saturday that he could go at any time, and I'm a complete mess. Fortune is much more put together than I am right now!

His BG seems to be bouncing a bit - we had given a half dose yesterday cuz he wasn't eating well. But this morning he was at the bottom of the stairs waiting to be fed!

We are figuring out that he is doing much better with smaller, more frequent meals. It's tough to balance wanting him to eat as much as he wants with the new drug he is on to help with GI tract bleeding, sucralfate, which needs to be taken an hour after eating, or two hours before eating, which means he cannot eat for 3 hours.

So hard when he has clearly lost weight from his hospital stay! He didn't eat Wednesday night, and Thursday they kept him fasted til his ultrasound so he went at least 36 hours without food! Thankfully, the anti-nausea meds seem to have kicked in today. (bli ayin hara)

I was able to get him an oncology appt with Red Bank VH for Monday. We aren't going to try the ER again because it was such an ordeal for him yesterday, and I don't want him to have to spend so long in the car/hospital stressed out with no guarantee that he will be seen. Poor baby was drenched in urine from holding it in, and so happy and relieved to be home, and then that evening he was stressed from the syringe feeding attempt. I want him to have as much peace and comfort as possible, and balancing that with getting him treatment urgently.

We do have an oncology appt with Blue Pearl tomorrow - where he was hospitalized Wed-Fri, and I hope to get him started on a rescure drug while we wait for a second opinion. I don't have high hopes since none of the vets or doctors we interacted with since the IM visit last Sunday seem terribly invested. But yes, the priority is to get him on a rescue drug, and maybe some pain meds, possibly adjust his cerenia dose.

@PerfumedCatMom
@Wendy&Neko
@Suzanne Williams
@tiffmaxee
@Diane Tyler's Mom
@Butters & Lyla
 
I’m glad he slept with you. That’s a very good sign in my book. I’m glad you will see an oncologist tomorrow and have a second opinion as well. They all don’t think alike. They will give you the worst case scenario statistics to not get your hopes up. In my opinion I would treat him and let his actions be your guide. If chemo is working once any side effects are gone he will feel better. You have seen that by treating his scl. Prayers that he has quality time left. :bighug:
 
That Fortune is eager to eat is also a good sign, imo. I'm glad you got some quality snuggle time with him overnight. You and DH are so attentive and dedicated; I know it must be taking such a toll on you but you're doing an awesome job. Try to hang in there and keep doing what you're doing. Prayers that he continues to want to eat well and that the Red Bank oncologist gives you a better second opinion.
:bighug::bighug::bighug: for you and strength to you and DH.
 
oh, yes, Rachel. It makes me smile... I'm tearing up in fact... to think that Fortune slept in your arms all night and that he wants to eat today! SO HAPPY! Don't give up. Lomustine can really buy him some more time if he's able to take it. God bless you and Fortune!
 
H Rachel, it melts my heart that he slept in your arms last night.
I'm glad you are getting a/second opinion at Red Bank.
I'm happy to hear that he's eager to eat, bless his heart.
I'm praying that Red Bank can help him and that you have a lot more quality time left with him.
You and DH are such great parents, please hang in there .
Keeping Fortune in my prayers ♥:bighug::bighug:
 
Thanks for keeping his FDMB aunties updated! You are doing such an amazing job balancing his care with his comfort. Always so hard when they can't talk to us and tell us how they are feeling, but the cuddles and good appy say loads. Give him some scritches from me and Ruby. Keeping you and Fortune in my heart.:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
So glad he slept with you :bighug: Good luck with the upcoming appointments - it's so clear much you all love sweet Fortune - he's lucky to have you as his people.
 
Thanking for keeping us all updated. :bighug::bighug: Give Fortune a little kiss on the top of the head from his FDMB aunties.

Good luck with the vet appointments. I hope he can get off the sucralfate soon - timed meds is a pain.
Me and poor DH have some bags under our eyes.
I've heard those are actually fashionable now. :p
 
Thank you all - it means more than I can say to know we have folks rooting for our Sweet Fortune.

He has been a champ at taking his meds today, and after eating 75% of his breakfast (two cans/6oz), he grazed for two hours finishing 90%, he at almost a full can (3 oz) at +5 and another half can (1.5 oz) at plus 7. Trying to feed him as often as he wants food, and him meowing at me to hurry up and feed him is such a relief. I hope I didn’t overstuff him and he still wants dinner!

I will push hard for one of the rescue drugs tomorrow, idgaf what they say tomorrow, I’m tired of dancing around catering to their egos because I am scared they won’t treat him.

Fortune is so grateful for his FMDB aunties, and so are we :bighug:
 
Poor bunny seems to be bouncing. The last time he was this time is when he was hospitalized/severely anemic, so we are pretty nervous. I'm trying to remind myself that he has been all over the place, and that the depot is messed up too.

He is alert, eating, snuggling, and complains if we do something he doesn't like, so I don't think he is symptomatic, but I'm still scared.

He seems very nauseated this evening - he ate half a can (he usually eats two cans) and keeps sniffing/licking vs eating. I have been taking it away and giving it back to him every 20-30 minutes to entice him to eat more. We have been adding a higher carb rabbit topper that is his FAVORITE to try and get him to eat, I'm concerned trying to balance with his BG. I'm looking at toppers that are lower carb, but his favorite is gravy types (which are usually higher carb, go figure).

I learned that raw is not recommended for kitties on chemo (they are immunocompromised for potential infections/bacteria, it just didn't occur to me) and I feel SO guilty that we were feeding it to him, even though he LOVED it. :banghead:

Tomorrow is the oncologist, and I'm hoping for a productive and calm visit for him.
 
I don't know about the raw and the chemo. But I know he needs to eat something, so personally I would also be adding something higher carb to get him to eat, if that's the only thing that gets him to eat.
I'm sorry he is still nauseated. Have you tried to get ondansetron (brand name is Zofran) as well? It is another anti-nausea med and can be used with Cerenia. I don't know if it was mentioned to you previously. I had both for butters when she had her pancreatitis attack in October. They can be used at the same time. Might be worth looking into.
 
I'm happy to hear he's meowing at you to hurry up and feed him.
You better hurry up mama :p
We are all rooting for your baby. Give him kisses for me ok ♥:bighug::bighug:
Just read you post, I'm sorry he nauseated. I would second what Lyla about trying to get some ondansetron if you don't have any.
Good luck tomorrow, please keep us posted ♥:bighug::bighug:
 
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Have you tried to get ondansetron (brand name is Zofran) as well? It is another anti-nausea med and can be used with Cerenia.

Thank you, yes I have! Fortune got an injection of it yesterday at the ER, and that may be why he ate better today. I also requested it from the hospital when he was discharged, but they declined and told me they only give Cerenia :(. I am going to ask the oncologist tomorrow, and press my GP, too. No one will give me a REASON, it's absurd. I also want to ask about increasing the dose of Cerenia, which I know can go up higher.

He IS eating, just with breaks, which is inconvenient when he has to take one of his new meds on an empty stomach. :banghead: Fortune has always been a good eater, to a fault lol. This is the same kitty that figured out the auto-feeder I set up for him at 1.5 years old :rolleyes: He was a bit plumper for most of his life, and it's so painful to see him so skinny.

Fortune is dozing on me right now. I keep putting his bowl in front of him every 20-30 minutes and he'll take a few bites for me. I feel like my grandma right now, when she would tell me to just "take one more bite," before I could leave the table! ;)
 
lol. "Why do you not take seconds? You don't like my cooking? Is there something wrong with it?" "Eat, eat. You're too skinny";) Yep, I know that of which you speak:joyful:.

I'm glad he is taking a few bites every so often (and yay that he is napping on you). I had real trouble getting ondansetron, too. One vet at one hospital wanted me to pick either that or cerenia. Another flat out refused but had no explanation. I hope you get some tomorrow.
 
Haha yes! Exactly, “eat, eat!” is the general grandparent slogan. Maybe I can start guilting Fortune to eat more, hmm...

One vet at one hospital wanted me to pick either that or cerenia. Another flat out refused but had no explanation. I hope you get some tomorrow.

It is absurd. The IM at the hospital flat out told me I just need to trust her. If a doctor practicing human medicine said that to me in response to my questions/request for explanations, I would never go back! Unfortunately, I don’t want to wait til our later appointments to get Fortune care, so we are stuck for now. But my goodness they are big headed!
 
I learned that raw is not recommended for kitties on chemo (they are immunocompromised for potential infections/bacteria, it just didn't occur to me) and I feel SO guilty that we were feeding it to him, even though he LOVED it. :banghead:
Just to let you know, that idea is very individual to the vet. They are not fans of raw in the groups.io group. Neko's internal medicine vet thought it was great for Neko, and I had a general practice vet say the same thing. My current SCL+IBD girl gets raw rabbit - don't tell anyone over there. :p I went to a vet oncologist once who said that you could pan fry lightly the raw. Of course, that's provided there are no bone fragments in it. Unfortunately the Small Batch rabbit does have ground bones. Similarly, there have been recalls on dry/canned food for salmonella.

With Fortune hopefully getting chemo, the oncologist should absolutely be giving you a prescription for ondansetron. I was the client who pushed back, and sent papers justifying my position. To my IM vet's credit, he read and listened.:)
 
Just to let you know, that idea is very individual to the vet.

With Fortune hopefully getting chemo, the oncologist should absolutely be giving you a prescription for ondansetron.

That’s makes sense.

Fortune has been on chemo (chlorambucil) for three years and only prescribed cerenia, but he didn’t have much difficulty eating. Only starting in May 2020, when he started losing weight. I didn’t realize the connection to the cancer; and in July his ultrasound showed remission! What you learn in hindsight, right? I wish I had thought to see and internist and oncologist at that point. Even in January, when his ultrasound showed his “IBD out of remission” according to his GP, I didn’t think of it. I thought it may be the diabetes. The groups.io brought up that the chemo needs to be switched.

I’m trying so hard not to be angry, but I am. I’m also grateful - for this group, for you, teaching and sharing. Even though the IM we saw last Sunday was terrible - in bedside manner and now I know, negligent - I understand better what is happening to my sweet bunny and I am fighting like hell for him. Without the knowledge, I wouldn’t know what to ask for!

i have another list of questions for the oncologist tomorrow - hopefully they won’t be put off like the others.
 
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