Willie's Surgery, March 9, 2004
On Tuesday morning, Willie went back to the veterinary neurosurgeon for a pre-surgical check and surgery itself. (We'd driven up the previous day and stayed at my parents' house again.)
I chatted with the doctor who'd be performing the surgery beforehand, Dr. K. He showed me the MRIs from the previous visit so that I could see the cyst at the base of Willie's brain (cerebellum) which appeared to be the source of his wobbly gait. The MRIs were pretty interesting to see since I've never seen any for an animal or a human.
I asked the doctor if he'd come across a similar problem in other animals. He said that he and other doctors he showed the MRIs to had encountered or seen cysts, but nothing like Willie's. I joked that Willie would be his case study, then. The cyst, though, was no joking matter. From what I saw in the MRIs, it was huge. A cat's skull isn't large and the brain certainly didn't look all that big either. It appeared that the cyst comprised about a fourth or fifth of the matter in the braincase. Maybe I'm wrong, but it sure looked that way to me.
I asked about the procedure. Skipping the technical jargon which I can't repeat anyway, he would be cutting open the skull near the cyst site which was on the right back side of Willie's skull. He'd have to be careful of the large blood vessels in the area lest he cause a life-threatening bleeding situation. With a fine needle, he'd drain the cyst and attempt to remove the cyst covering as well. With that done, the opening in the skull would be covered with a bone concrete material. Willie will then be in recovery and observed for any post-operative problems.
Willie was scheduled to go into surgery around 11:30 and it would take around 2-1/2 hours.
An assistant came in after the doctor left to take Willie away and told me to say my good-byes. I couldn't do that. I just looked at him sadly as she picked him out of the carrier and walked out the door. I hoped that wouldn't be the last time I'd see him. Another assistant came in with the estimate and a release form. We walked out to the lobby so that I could make a partial payment. Again, I'm not saying how much it cost because it's a lot. (Future subject of an editorial.)
I drove back to my parents' house not wanting to think too deeply. So I tried to think of other things. I called the hubby to tell him everything I was told.
Sometime after 3 PM, Dr. K. called me with an update. All afternoon I'd been looking at the wall clock or my watch wondering what had been going on, whether the surgery was going well, how Willie was doing. I was relieved to hear that the surgery went as expected for the most part and Willie was recovering well. The doctor said it went as he explained to me. The only thing was he was unable to recover any piece of the cyst lining for a biopsy as it disintegrated upon touch with the forceps. But he was pleased overall with how the operation went. So was I. And relieved. I called my hubby to let him know, too.
I was expecting a call in the evening from him, but he either forgot to call or decided not to call as he said he would. I didn't bother trying to call either. They had my cell phone number and my parents' number and my home number, so if there were any problems, I was sure someone would be called right away.
I was feeling more upbeat that evening but tired.
The next morning (this morning) Dr. K. called me with an update of Wilie's condition. He was still doing well. They fed him liquids. He went potty. Dr. K. said that Willie was still walking wobbly and more pronounced (not his words) but that was due to the surgery. He said Willie's condition should improve in six weeks or so. He may still walk funny but it shouldn't be as bad as before the surgery. Dr. K. reiterated how pleased he was with Willie's surgery and recovery. There was no brain-swelling as could happen after this type of operation.
When can I bring him home? Well it depends on how fast Willie's recovery goes. As soon as he can eat solid food and pass stool (kind of like hospitals do whenever we humans undergo surgery -- in our case as soon as we pass gas!), he'll be ready to come home. It may be tomorrow or it may be Friday. I'll know tomorrow when Dr. K. calls.
That will be the next update -- when Willie comes home.
On Tuesday morning, Willie went back to the veterinary neurosurgeon for a pre-surgical check and surgery itself. (We'd driven up the previous day and stayed at my parents' house again.)
I chatted with the doctor who'd be performing the surgery beforehand, Dr. K. He showed me the MRIs from the previous visit so that I could see the cyst at the base of Willie's brain (cerebellum) which appeared to be the source of his wobbly gait. The MRIs were pretty interesting to see since I've never seen any for an animal or a human.
I asked the doctor if he'd come across a similar problem in other animals. He said that he and other doctors he showed the MRIs to had encountered or seen cysts, but nothing like Willie's. I joked that Willie would be his case study, then. The cyst, though, was no joking matter. From what I saw in the MRIs, it was huge. A cat's skull isn't large and the brain certainly didn't look all that big either. It appeared that the cyst comprised about a fourth or fifth of the matter in the braincase. Maybe I'm wrong, but it sure looked that way to me.
I asked about the procedure. Skipping the technical jargon which I can't repeat anyway, he would be cutting open the skull near the cyst site which was on the right back side of Willie's skull. He'd have to be careful of the large blood vessels in the area lest he cause a life-threatening bleeding situation. With a fine needle, he'd drain the cyst and attempt to remove the cyst covering as well. With that done, the opening in the skull would be covered with a bone concrete material. Willie will then be in recovery and observed for any post-operative problems.
Willie was scheduled to go into surgery around 11:30 and it would take around 2-1/2 hours.
An assistant came in after the doctor left to take Willie away and told me to say my good-byes. I couldn't do that. I just looked at him sadly as she picked him out of the carrier and walked out the door. I hoped that wouldn't be the last time I'd see him. Another assistant came in with the estimate and a release form. We walked out to the lobby so that I could make a partial payment. Again, I'm not saying how much it cost because it's a lot. (Future subject of an editorial.)
I drove back to my parents' house not wanting to think too deeply. So I tried to think of other things. I called the hubby to tell him everything I was told.
Sometime after 3 PM, Dr. K. called me with an update. All afternoon I'd been looking at the wall clock or my watch wondering what had been going on, whether the surgery was going well, how Willie was doing. I was relieved to hear that the surgery went as expected for the most part and Willie was recovering well. The doctor said it went as he explained to me. The only thing was he was unable to recover any piece of the cyst lining for a biopsy as it disintegrated upon touch with the forceps. But he was pleased overall with how the operation went. So was I. And relieved. I called my hubby to let him know, too.
I was expecting a call in the evening from him, but he either forgot to call or decided not to call as he said he would. I didn't bother trying to call either. They had my cell phone number and my parents' number and my home number, so if there were any problems, I was sure someone would be called right away.
I was feeling more upbeat that evening but tired.
The next morning (this morning) Dr. K. called me with an update of Wilie's condition. He was still doing well. They fed him liquids. He went potty. Dr. K. said that Willie was still walking wobbly and more pronounced (not his words) but that was due to the surgery. He said Willie's condition should improve in six weeks or so. He may still walk funny but it shouldn't be as bad as before the surgery. Dr. K. reiterated how pleased he was with Willie's surgery and recovery. There was no brain-swelling as could happen after this type of operation.
When can I bring him home? Well it depends on how fast Willie's recovery goes. As soon as he can eat solid food and pass stool (kind of like hospitals do whenever we humans undergo surgery -- in our case as soon as we pass gas!), he'll be ready to come home. It may be tomorrow or it may be Friday. I'll know tomorrow when Dr. K. calls.
That will be the next update -- when Willie comes home.
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