10/16 Butters AMPS 317 / Update: staying overnight. & Possible heart issue? (unsure)

Butters & Lyla

Butters & Lyla

Member Since 2020
Yesterday

I had to go out and deal with my own issues this morning and so now I'm back waiting and I really have nothing to tell y'all. Other than, I haven't received an update yet today. I'm waiting for the IM to call. I've called and left messages hoping to at least get an update from a vet tech, but haven't gotten through to one yet.

They are very busy. I'm sure that's all this is. That's what I keep telling myself.

Have a good day, all.
 
Finally got hold of the IM at 2pm EDT. My mind went to very dark places today while I waited. I don't know why.
  • The hospital is out of fentanyl patches. There was supposed to be a delivery of them; it hasn't arrived. They think maybe by tomorrow morning.
  • Butters is in too much discomfort with anything less than a combo of methadone and gabapentin.
  • She ate a little bit at 9pm last night and 2am overnight, and nothing since.
  • She has a gallop (heart rhythm). Her vets in the past have said she has a murmur. The IM hears a gallop. So maybe she has both? At any rate, more for me to worry about. I was told to book an appointment for her with the cardiologist.
  • Respiration rate and all other vitals have been stable.
  • She is continuing to get IV fluid.
  • They will check a marker for fatty liver with her next blood panel. This was on my request.
  • IM still doesn't think a tube is required.
  • They offer her food every four hours or so.
  • Her BG continues to be high.
She will remain there until she either improves enough for the pain meds to be dialed back, OR until they get a fentanyl patch on her and are confident that it does enough with the gabapentin to keep her pain under control. And I am worried about her heart now. The IM said she is handling the fluids well, so no immediate concern. The IM won't book her in for an echo because she says it is not urgent.
 
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Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
Is there any reason you can't call and ask for an update?
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I call and ask for updates regularly but it is hard to actually get a vet tech on the phone. It often goes to voicemail or the front desk takes a message and says they'll have one call back, but the callback never happens.

It is a very busy place made busier by the myriad of COVID protocols they all have to follow.

I did get a brief update from the tech around noon after many calls; but it wasn't a good update and I just felt sad. I wanted to wait until I got the full story / hopefully better news from the IM.
 
Aww. I'm sorry you now have another issue to worry about. I hope the patches come by tomorrow morning so Butters can be more comfortable. Poor girl. And poor mom, too. So much to take in.
Sending positive thoughts to both you and Butters. I hope she is eating enough that she doesn't have to deal with fatty liver. I would think just bites of food since Friday would be a concern, but I'm no vet. Seems strange to me.
Hope there's good news updates tonight.
:bighug:
 
Lots of prayers and hugs:bighug::bighug::bighug: Sorry I know how upsetting it is to not have any one call you back. It happened to me with Amethyst 2 weeks ago I found that if I called between 10PM and 5AM ( I did not sleep while she was there) that you would always get a doctor to talk to Try that maybe??:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Oh Lyla, that's not the news we were all hoping for...and I'm sure you more so. I'm sorry to hear this...I was so hopeful that she would start eating and as long as they can manage her pain, perhaps she is able to rest.

I know this is a difficult time for you.

Just know that I'm sending strong healing vines and prayers to you and Butters. :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Sorry about the heart gallop, but it is good the IM Vet does not think an echo is needed right away. Neko’s IM vet was on that right away when she needed it.

Lack of communication is hard. I learned that I could expect calls end of day, after scheduled visits/work was done. That’s when the vet had time to catch up.

Loads of healing vines for Butters, and these for you. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Hugs Lyla :bighug::bighug::bighug: our IM would call on morning rounds but I'm sure it depends on schedules and hospitals. I'd hold my breath for 7:30 AM every day. And if I got super worried, I would call the front desk and they would put me on hold and go to the back for me and talk to a tech themselves - I'd just get an update saying he's stable and if he's eating but it always made me feel better (I'm guessing a tech would just quickly read his chart and then tell the front desk person). Not sure if the front desk staff would do that for you if you said you were worried. Try to take some peace in you are doing all you can :bighug::bighug::bighug:Ice cream helps.
 
I am sorry that it took awhile for you to hear from someone but it sounds like you know that they are making Butters & her hospital mates the priority during a difficult time :bighug:.

It is great that her vitals are stable and pain is under control enough that she is eating :).

One question that may be worth asking just to give you peace of mind is how many ounces is she eating? My guess would be that because she is able to eat at least a minimum required amount that is why they haven’t done a feeding tube at this point. That may be the other question to ask—what is the required minimum in amount they need Butters to eat per day or per shift? Just a thought :). I know that if I heard a specific amount, such as 6 ounces for the day or something in that ballpark, I was pulling out Pom Poms for a mini celebration vs hearing “he ate a little this morning and some last night” :nailbiting:—my mind went to :eek: how much is a little or some? Again, my guess is she is doing well with it but maybe you it would help you feel more at ease with more details.

More thoughts and prayers AND ice cream or wine or whatever can help you right now :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Pamela & Amethyst said:
Lots of prayers and hugs:bighug::bighug::bighug: Sorry I know how upsetting it is to not have any one call you back. It happened to me with Amethyst 2 weeks ago I found that if I called between 10PM and 5AM ( I did not sleep while she was there) that you would always get a doctor to talk to Try that maybe??:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Thanks Pamela. I'm laying awake staring at the ceiling anyways. I'll try that. :bighug:

Tomlin said:
I am sorry that it took awhile for you to hear from someone but it sounds like you know that they are making Butters & her hospital mates the priority during a difficult time :bighug:.

It is great that her vitals are stable and pain is under control enough that she is eating :).

One question that may be worth asking just to give you peace of mind is how many ounces is she eating? My guess would be that because she is able to eat at least a minimum required amount that is why they haven’t done a feeding tube at this point. That may be the other question to ask—what is the required minimum in amount they need Butters to eat per day or per shift? Just a thought :). I know that if I heard a specific amount, such as 6 ounces for the day or something in that ballpark, I was pulling out Pom Poms for a mini celebration vs hearing “he ate a little this morning and some last night” :nailbiting:—my mind went to :eek: how much is a little or some? Again, my guess is she is doing well with it but maybe you it would help you feel more at ease with more details.

More thoughts and prayers AND ice cream or wine or whatever can help you right now :bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Ha. I have been drinking more wine this week than I have in the past four months.
Why did I not think to ask what the conversion of "one small amount" is into "ounces". That is on my list for the next call. I'm not feeling very smart these days. I hope I can borrow your Pom Poms for Butters soon. And I agree with you: I'm not upset because I can't get someone on the phone...even if my mind starts thinking the worst. I know they are busy with their patients. :bighug:
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Sorry about the heart gallop, but it is good the IM Vet does not think an echo is needed right away. Neko’s IM vet was on that right away when she needed it.

Lack of communication is hard. I learned that I could expect calls end of day, after scheduled visits/work was done. That’s when the vet had time to catch up.

Loads of healing vines for Butters, and these for you. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Thank you :bighug:
I will be getting her a cardiologist appointment as soon as possible. I don't want to take any chances.
I think communication and trusting people is a heck of a lot harder right now when I haven't seen them face-to-face. It's really challenging doing all of this over the phone and I think that is adding to the stress of this. That, and not having seen Butters since Tuesday morning.
 
JaxBenji said:
Hugs Lyla :bighug::bighug::bighug: our IM would call on morning rounds but I'm sure it depends on schedules and hospitals. I'd hold my breath for 7:30 AM every day. And if I got super worried, I would call the front desk and they would put me on hold and go to the back for me and talk to a tech themselves - I'd just get an update saying he's stable and if he's eating but it always made me feel better (I'm guessing a tech would just quickly read his chart and then tell the front desk person). Not sure if the front desk staff would do that for you if you said you were worried. Try to take some peace in you are doing all you can :bighug::bighug::bighug:Ice cream helps.
Click to expand...

Mostly the answering machine picks up when I call. Front desk staff will transfer a call to a tech anytime. The fact is, COVID has them running a bit short staffed and so I have to lower my expectations and that's just how it is going to be. More wine is needed, perhaps? lol. Wine and ice cream. I made a homemade strawberry maple syrup ice cream with a cashew milk base when strawberries were in season. I will take peace in what I'm doing, and will go eat ice cream. :bighug:
 
Any chance you could do a Facetime call with the IM....and to see Butters? I don’t know if the face to face with the IM would help you feel more comfortable. An office I use is doing face to face vs just a phone call and I like it. I’m not sure if it would be possible at the hospital given how busy it is right now, but maybe worth asking :)?


Now I’m craving your ice cream......sounds amazing!!
 
Thanks so much for the support and kind words. They help a lot. :bighug::bighug::bighug:

I had asked about video calls when I first dropped her off, knowing many of the people hospitals where I am will do that. But this vet hospital doesn't.
 
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