2/21 Jess update

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Bron and Sheba (GA)

Bron and Sheba (GA)

Member Since 2015
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is well and your kitties are doing well also.
Just giving you an update on Jess, our Australian cattle dog, who was diagnosed with a tumour on the heart the same week Sheba was diagnosed with cancer.
Jess is doing very well at the moment. She is on chemo tablets every second day and an anti inflammatory twice a day. So far there has been no further bleeding. She has been back to the specialist twice for ultrasounds to check the tumour and blood tests to see she is managing the chemo OK. Her quality of life is excellent at present. We know the tumour will spread and will eventually bleed again but until then we are enjoying her company and spoiling her rotten. I take her for three very short walks a day now instead of our long walk which we both enjoyed, but she can't do anything which will raise her blood pressure and increase the risk of bleeding. She is terrified of thunder storms and we have had several in the last couple of weeks. I try and drown out the thunder by turning the TV up very loud but it doesn't stop all the noise. She shivers and pants until it is over.....poor love. We have also had the hottest summer on record and we have had to keep her in the airconditioning.

I am missing Sheba a great deal. It was all so sudden and I still find it hard to believe at times. Life has changed a great deal for me. Apart from Sheba suddenly not here any more, my youngest DGS has gone to school so I have time on my hands. I have plenty that needs doing and plans I had made, but at the moment I can't motivate myself to do anything at all.

Here is Jess.
jess.JPG
 
So good to hear from you Bron and especially good to hear that Jess is good at the moment! She is beautiful!!! Thank you for checking in! I have been hoping you would post something.
 
Hi Bron.

I'm so happy to see an update from you, and still happier to know that Jess is hanging in there. I hope you are taking good care of yourself and feeling well. Please do keep us posted on Jess, and you, too!

Sending vines for that adorable doggie.
 
Bron I was thinking about you and Jess yesterday. I'm glad Jess is doing pretty well right now. It is so hard to keep living after losing a furbaby. It takes time. Sending prayers. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Thanks Sandi, Tricia and Carla. It is lovely to hear from you.
Yes I am taking care of myself Tricia. For the first couple of weeks after Sheba died, I felt exhausted, no matter how much sleep I had. As Carla said, it takes time to get over losing a precious furbaby.
Thanks Sandi.....Jess is beautiful and she has a lovely nature too...she loves people. Whenever we are out walking, she smiles and wags her tail to everyone ......even the cars that go by!
I hope all is well with you all.
 
Don't worry about being motivated at the moment..it's over rated :) I'm glad to hear Jess is doing pretty good and you're enjoying the walks together. Sorry about the excessive heat and thunderstorms. Always keeping you and sweet Sheba in out hearts and thoughts. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
So lovely to hear from you Bron, I'm very pleased to hear that Jess is doing well on her chemo.
I love her photo, she looks like a gentle soul.
Take care of yourself, and when you can stop by to say hi.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Hi Bron, I was thinking about you and am so glad to see this update about Jess. I'm happy that all is going well with her (with the exception of thunderstorms!) Have you considered getting a Thundershirt for her?

I know how much you miss your Sheba. She was a wonderful kitty. It takes time to grieve and it's good that you are taking that time.

Hugs to you and pats for Jess,

Ella & Rusty
 
So good to see an update on sweet Jess, what a lovely girl she is. Long may she have a good QOL.
Just realised it was a month last weekend since your beloved Sheba passed ....keeping you and your beautiful girl in my thoughts and prayers always dear friend :bighug::bighug::bighug:
Suki
 
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Very nice to hear from you Bron. I am so happy Jess is doing better than expected and having a good QOL. She's a lovely looking girl.

Do take care of you. I know that feeling of exhaustion in spite of better sleep only too well.:bighug: Those walks with Jess will be good for both of you.
 
Thank you so much Kris, Karen, Amy, Gill, Ella, Lucy, Julie, Suki and Wendy for all your lovely messages. I have missed all of you. Thanks for the link to thundershirt Ella. It looks interesting and I will investigate it.
Suki, it will be 5 weeks tomorrow since I said goodbye to my beautiful girl. I have found homes for all of her DM stuff.
The other day I found an injured possum and took it to the vet....they treat native animals free of charge. It was the first time I had been back to the vet since Sheba died and it was hard to walk in the door. Everyone was very kind and understanding and Mary the vet came out and said she was so sorry she had not been there for us on the day Sheba died and I had had to have a locum come to the house...(who was lovely). I had been dreading having to go there to pay the account for the home visit so I did all that while I was there.
I'm just back from a long walk...I'm trying to go every day like I used to but it is hard to get motivated. I then took Jess for her short walk.... we now stop at every smell which she investigates thoroughly before moving on to the next smell.
 
Hi Bron,
I've been thinking of you too wondering how your heart was healing:bighug::bighug::bighug:
Gussie definitely walked in Shebas footsteps across that bridge:bighug::bighug::bighug:
Sending you huge hugs:bighug::bighug::bighug:
Please give Jess a huge scritch in just the right spot for me..and a gentle hug:bighug::bighug:
Les
 
Lovely to see a photo of Jess, Bron, and to hear she's doing well. Thank you for the update :bighug:
I can understand your feelings about going back to the vets - it is really hard, even when you know it has to be done. I guess the possum will go to WIRES or somewhere?
 
@Gussie's mom. Les thank you for stopping by. I have been wondering how you have been as well. I hope you are OK. It is a tough time to get through.:bighug::bighug::bighug: I hope Gus and Sheba are together playing with all the other GAs.

@sarahtee Thanks Sarah. Yes I rang WIRES first and they were going to send someone to get the possum but they didn't know how long before they found someone. It was a really hot day and I didn't like the idea of the possum in the sun so I went back and managed to get it in a box. As you know they can be very feisty when they want to but he was fairly docile. Wires were going to come and get him after the vet had checked him out. I had a call from the vet later in the day to say the possum wasn't too bad and was going to WIRES until he was OK for release.
 
It's hard to lose any fur baby but even harder for a sugar cat. One's life is so regulated by the clock and how that cat is doing. It's a big adjustment. It took me months before I could be out of the house and not have a minor panic attack that I had left Zener unattended. Plus I just plain miss him. So be easy on youself, it will take a while and you need to grieve. You miss Sheba, we all do, too. :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
Liz
 
Your description of Jess' personality just made me smile!

I'm glad to hear you're hanging it. Like everyone has said, losing a sugar kitty is a huge loss and a huge change. Even Gizmo knows when it's shot (aka food) time and doesn't let me forget.
 
Thank you Anne and Liz and Sienna for your messages.
What you said is so true Anne and Liz......we are so regulated by the clock and the bsl that it is a huge adjustment when we do longer have that commitment.
Sienne, Jess does have a beautiful personality....she just loves people.....anyone.....she would never make a guard dog!
Your Gizmo sounds a character.
 
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