It with with a very sad heart that I write this email. Yesterday (Thursday) I lost a cherished member of my feline family to cancer: my one-eyed kitty Uno.
Uno had developed pain towards the end of January. We originally thought that it was bladder pain and treated him for urinary tract disease. He seemed to bounce back, but then the pain returned. I took him into work and had him re-evaluated and we determined that it was T-L back pain, which is not very common in cats. We thought maybe he had pulled a muscle, so we treated him with NSAIDS and acupuncture. It seemed to help at first and then the pain returned and worsened. I had a bad feeling, so I took Uno back into work to have him evaluated by one of our orthopedic surgeons. A neuro exam showed pain higher up this time and some weakness in the front legs. Spinal rads were unremarkable, so last Friday I had a CT scan of Uno's spine done at work. Sure enough, we found a mass at C-4 that had caused some bone destruction and was compressing the spinal cord. A surgical biopsy was not a good option, as it only would have told us what type of cancer we were dealing with, leaving Uno partially paralyzed in the process. I couldn't allow him to spend whatever time he had left like that. I took him home and increased his pain medication. Uno had a great weekend-he explored the house, sat on my lap, terrorized Sylvia :) and generally enjoyed being a cat, even though he couldn't jump very high.
After the weekend, Uno started to deteiorate. I kept increasing his pain meds to no avail. By yesterday morning, he was unable to get up to use the litterbox or eat (I was syringe feeding him). The compression caused by the mass was too great and it was only going to get worse, so I knew it was time to let him go. I called off work, then called a vet who does home euthanasias. She came out to the house, so Uno was able to cross over to the Rainbow Bridge in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by those he loved and those who loved him. We should all be so lucky.
Uno came to me shortly after my other one-eyed cat, Pirate died at 2 years of age from FIP. I wasn't looking for a cat, but was at the shelter helping out and was led to this tabby and white kitten with one eye, whom the shelter workers named "Pirate" after my little guy. Uno had a twin brother, "Sinbad," (with 2 eyes :) ) who was brought into the shelter with him. The kennel staff wanted to try and adopt the 2 out together. A week later, I came back and noticed a hold sign on Sinbad's paperwork, but not Uno's. I knew he was meant to be a part of my family. After I brought him home, I was looking over the shelter paperwork and discovered that Uno was brought into the shelter on the very same day that Pirate died: 4-29-99.
Uno was my lap cat, one of my "talkers." Often times Uno would meow at me and I would answer him back-we would have these "conversations" that would go on for several minutes (I'm sure if anybody witnessed that-they would wonder about my sanity ;) ). He also loved chasing his tortie sister, Sylvia because he could :) Just like all of my cats, Uno and I had a unique and special bond and he will be sorely missed within the herd and within my heart. But there is no doubt that my life has been enriched because he was a part of it for 9 years.
It's odd how the grieving process works. In some ways, I feel as though I've already done a good part of grieving seeing him go through this and being his "nurse." But I'm also grieving the sense of loss I feel not having him around. Even though I still have my "ten little Indians," the house seems so empty and I can feel the void.
Cherish every day you have with your pets; they are truly one of life's greatest gifts and no matter how much time you have with them, it is never enough.
Ellen 3/14/08
Friday, March 14, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Uno's ordeal
It all started a few weeks ago on a Thursday evening. After spending my day off finally taking down the Christmas decorations and tree and getting everything put away, I was all set for a relaxing evening. I came downstairs to turn on some lights and noticed that Uno was slightly hunched and growling. Although he is a vocal cat, Uno is more of a talker than a growler, so I knew something was wrong. I was worried that he might have a urinary obstruction, which can be both sudden and life-threatening, so I palpated his abdomen, to see if I could feel a large, taut bladder. I couldn't gauge the size of his bladder, as he is a big cat (17# !), but I elicited a pain response from him. I immediately put Uno in his carrier and went straight to Dove Lewis Animal Emergency, as I was concerned about a possible urinary obstruction. I used to work there, so it was odd being on the other side of things. The only person I knew was the doctor who examined Uno, as we had worked together.
Uno was taken to the back to examine him and get a urine sample (at Dove and at the clinic where I work, we use a technique called “ultra-sound guided cystocentesis.” It's a good method for collecting a sterile sample in case the doctor wants to send out a urine culture in addition to a urinalysis).
Fortunately, Uno wasn't obstructed, but his bladder was very painful and a urinalysis showed a high pH and struvite crystals (imagine having shards of glass in your bladder-that's probably what it feels like to these cats). Up until that point, Uno had been eating and drinking, but I hadn't seen him urinate all day. They sent him home on a special diet and I planned on taking him to work with me the next day for bloodwork. That night Uno wouldn't eat and seemed uncomfortable-both of us had a pretty sleepless night. By morning, I could tell that he was feeling worse-he was now trying to hide.
At work, the internal medicine doctor whom I work with was able to palpate a moderately sized bladder on Uno, but we were unable to express any urine. At this point the she concurred with the diagnosis from the previous night that Uno wasn't blocked but having bladder spasms. We did an ultrasound, and lateral radiograph, both of which were normal. Bloodwork came back normal as well. We determined that Uno had until mid afternoon to urinate, otherwise we were going to have to anesthetize him and pass a urinary catheter. I gave Uno Buprenorphine for the pain and then later on placed and IV catheter and gave him valium in an attempt to relax him so he'd urinate. The only effect it had was to cause him to hallucinate and then relax somewhat, but not enough to void. I started Uno on IV fluids and set up for general anesthesia and urinary catheter placement, hoping that I wouldn't need either one.
By 2:30, Uno still hadn't urinated, so I took him into special procedures, where I had everything set up. I gave Uno IV ketamine and valium to effect to see if the sedation would relax Uno enough to allow the surgeon to express Uno's bladder. As luck would have it, he was able to do so-and got a good stream. Uno's urine was concentrated and bloody, so we continued him on IV fluids. He woke up from his sedation without any complications, but I could tell he was exhausted. I started Uno on Metacam (an anti inflammatory) and Clavamox (an antibiotic-in case it was a sterile cystitis). I also kept him hospitalized on IV fluids overnight. By morning, Uno was urinating well on his own and was bright and alert. He went home that afternoon and was much better that evening.
Uno is back to his old self-sleeping on the bed with me, playing with Blackjack, chasing Sylvia and eating (that's never been a problem for him :) ). He is now on a special diet to acidify his urine and prevent crystal formation. The other cats are getting it mixed in with their food as well, with the exception of Bagheera.
Every day I deal with sick animals and their worried owners. I do my best to offer the best care, advice, reassurance and of course a listening ear when there is nothing else I can give. And although I believe that every experience gives me a little more insight into my clients' feelings and emotions, there is something about having one of your own animals get sick and then having to actually work on them that gives you a different kind of empathy. Not only are you reminded of your own pet's mortality, but now you are suddenly the client; looking for answers, hoping for reassurance and wanting only the best care for your pet. It is these types of experiences that truly ground us and help to make us better at what we do.
Pt II
One of the most difficult aspects of my job is working with patients who can't tell you what is wrong. It forces you to become a detective of sorts-looking for clues through body language, behaviour, tests and owner's observations; and then trying to construct a puzzle from these pieces of information so you can come up with a treatment plan for your patient-provided that you truly know what is wrong. This type of detective work makes it all too easy to misdiagnose a problem, or bark up the wrong tree (no pun intended:) ).
A few weeks ago, I thought Uno had bladder problems because he seemed painful. After a trip to the ER and then a hospital stay at work, he seemed better and we'd figured out the cause of his problems. Or so I thought.....
A week and a half after his ordeal, Uno started exhibiting the same signs of pain. I brought him into work, thinking that maybe he was starting to have urinary problems again. When I relayed this to the internist, she was very skeptical that Uno was having urinary problems or that it was even the cause of his pain before, as he had not been going in and out of the litter box. She had mentioned at his previous visit that she thought he had back pain at the T-L junction (which is right over the bladder), but we had been unable to determine that for sure. This time we were; one of the surgeons gave Uno a neuro exam which confirmed that he indeed was having back pain. Although it is common in dogs, back pain in cats is very unusual, so this was easy to miss. And when Uno had previously been discharged on an anti-inflammatory, they had given him relief, but had also masked the real problem.
So for now Uno is on an anti-inflammatory every 3 days called Metacam, and has an appointment with an acupuncturist on Tuesday. The pain does seem to be getting a little worse, and the Metacam not lasting as long. Unfortunately, it is not something I can give Uno every day; there is a risk of kidney damage if I do. I've heard wonderful things about acupuncture and am hoping that it will ease his pain and keep him off any medication. If not, then perhaps I can switch Uno over to a steroid, which would be better long term and something I could give more often. I'm also hoping his pain isn't a disk related; I plan on doing a spinal rad at work Tuesday, as well as bloodwork to check his kidney values.
I'll keep you posted, but everyone please keep Uno in your thoughts. It's so hard to see him go through this and feel somewhat helpless. Again, I am experiencing first hand what my clients go through. And I can only hope that it will continue to enable me to empathize more with the clients I work with on a daily basis.
to be continued......
Uno had his first acupuncture appointment this past Tuesday. My appointment was late afternoon, so I brought him into work with me. He'd been painful the night before; I gave him his metacam to give him some relief, not knowing if it would hinder the acupuncturists' assessment of his pain. Of course, that morning, Uno was bright, alert and seemly pain-free, although I knew it would not last.
As I'm driving to Uno's appointment, I can only wonder if this is what mothers with sick children go through. I am willing to try anything to help him; and when I'm feeling optimistic, like now, I wonder in the back of my mind if some of that optimism is false hope. And yet I feel very positive about trying this alternative.
I walk into the office and am greeted with the sound of running water. I feel an unbelievable sense of calm that not only tells me I am in the right place, but somehow makes me wish that I was involved in eastern medicine on a daily basis, if nothing else to get away from the daily stress of my job.
I fill out paperwork and chat with the receptionist. She is very comforting and genuinely concerned about Uno. I feel like she is someone I could go have coffee with.
Uno and I are taken to a room that is not a typical exam room. Oriental music is playing softly in the background. There is a sink and counter with acupuncture needles stocked, as well as some other equipment I'm not familiar with. I notice a stool in the middle of the room and surmise that it probably serves as a small exam table. A water fountain is in the corner, so I decide to let Uno out of his carrier. I resist the urge to take off my shoes, although I somehow think that it would be perfectly acceptable.
The veterinarian comes in and introduces herself as Dr. Kelly. I find this charming, as Kelly is her first name. She has a calm, quiet demeanor that puts me at ease. We chat about Uno and then I lift him onto the stool so she can examine him. The first thing Dr. Kelly does is put her hands above Uno's back. She explains how pain is determined in eastern medicine: heat is generated from the painful area-in this case it's Uno's middle back. She comments that Uno's femoral pulses are thready and that his tongue has a slightly purple tinge. All of these are indicators of pain, which can block the chi. For those of you who are unfamiliar with eastern medicine, the chi is where the energy flows through the body. Pain or illness can cause it to become blocked. Acupuncture treatments help in relieving this blockage without the use of drugs.
Dr. Kelly takes some acupuncture needles and begins by palpating the spots on Uno's body where she wants to place them. As she is doing this, she explains to me why she is choosing certain spots and how each point opens up the spine. The needles themselves are small and surrounded by what appears to be a spring wire. She begins by placing one on the top of Uno's head, and then going on either side of his spine, concentrating more on his mid back, and ending of behind his knees. I notice that Uno doesn't seem to mind the needles being placed and that they aren't placed very deeply. Once all the needles are in, Dr. Kelly says that she would like to leave them in for 10 minutes. She comments that although Uno seems uncomfortable in his posture, due to his pain, he should begin to relax as his chi is opened up (many animals even fall asleep during the procedure). Sure enough, she is right: Uno begins to relax his posture and even closes his eye. I get a sense of the relief he must be feeling. Dr. kelly then takes a laser light and holds it up to the side of Uno's left paw. She explains that the light penetrates the skin and this is another good spot for opening up the spine. Uno doesn't seem to mind it, and I am fascinated as I observe the use of something seemingly high tech in an otherwise simple environment.
While Uno is having his treatment, Dr. Kelly leaves to bring me a cup of Jasmine tea. I contemplate the overall scenario and can't help but think that we have a lot to learn from eastern medicine.
Once the 10 minutes are up, Dr. Kelly takes the needles out. Ironically, Uno didn't like having the needles taken out-I can't blame him, as having them in seemed to bring him a good deal of relief in one session. she explains that it's normal for animals (and people) to want to sleep afterwards and advises me that Uno may react in that same manner.
I take Uno home, and rather than sleeping, he immediately begins exploring the house. I cannot believe the difference; he is bright-eyed, walking with his tail up and hungry (food has never been a problem, but lately his pain has affected his appetite). He doesn't even visit his hiding places, which are the closet and under the bed. The next morning, when I get up for work, he is waiting on the steps for me to come down and dole out breakfast. Later that night, he was painful again, so I gave him his metacm. He came downstairs and ate later that evening, and since then, Uno has come downstairs for meals, and stays downstairs for longer periods of time. He will lay under the bed to rest, but has not gone into my closet since his treatment.
Uno will need several more treatments, but I am already noticing a difference after just one. Dr Kelly feels that since we are treating him early, he should respond well and won't need to many treatments. His second one is this afternoon, less than a week after his first, as it's important for the treatments to build on each other. This is the first step of healing, for both of us.
to be continued....
Ellen 2/22/08
They say that you can have too much of much of a good thing. Sometimes, however, a good thing is not enough, for it can mask a more serious underlying problem and in the process perhaps make one more open to denial....
I'd been taking Uno for acupuncture treatments for his back pain. The first one went extremely well, and I was optimistic that we'd found an answer to his problem. After his second treatment, however, I noticed that Uno was painful the next day. I called Dr. Kelly, who thought he may have re-injured himself. This was certainly a valid proposition, given Uno's exuberance after his previous treatment. I brought him back for another treatment and left with an herbal medication for pain and no charge-the condition being that if this works, we're square with the house (so to speak), if not, I'll bring Uno back and pay for the treatment. As fate would have it, I was back two days later. This time, Uno had not had his metacam for 2 days, so Dr. Kelly saw him at his worst. This time, in addition to acupuncture, she tried a form of Chinese medicine called Quigong (chi gong). Chigong is a form of healing where the chi, the vital life energy, is facilitated to flow smoothly throughout the meridian pathways of the body. Basically the practioner is taking energy from the universe and channeling it into the patient to get rid of the bad chi (pain) and allow the good chi to flow. Similar to Reiki, I suspect. And if you're not familiar with eastern medicine, or are just plain skeptical, either one may seem a bit out there. I however believe they can not only provide healing, but a partial answer as to why there is pain in the first place.
I like Dr. Kelly. Not only is she a good and caring person, but she generates a lot of positive energy. I could feel it the moment I met her. And as she was practicing the Chigong on Uno, I could feel that energy healing me, just as it was supposed to heal Uno. Sometimes healing doesn't quite take the form that expect it to, however. Healing is one of the grey areas that can lead us to a cure or to a different path. When Uno is back to being painful the next morning, I find myself being lead to a different path. Oddly enough, this is what my gut feeling has been telling me all along: there is something more serious going on with Uno and I need to pursue more aggressive diagnostics. With a heavy heart and a logical mind I schedule a surgical consult with one of the surgeons at work and call the Dr. Kelly's office to give them an update. A part of me feels that I am giving up, but I'm really not-I'm just following my heart and mind as well as listening to what Uno is trying to tell me.....
to be continued......
Ellen 3/10/08
Uno was taken to the back to examine him and get a urine sample (at Dove and at the clinic where I work, we use a technique called “ultra-sound guided cystocentesis.” It's a good method for collecting a sterile sample in case the doctor wants to send out a urine culture in addition to a urinalysis).
Fortunately, Uno wasn't obstructed, but his bladder was very painful and a urinalysis showed a high pH and struvite crystals (imagine having shards of glass in your bladder-that's probably what it feels like to these cats). Up until that point, Uno had been eating and drinking, but I hadn't seen him urinate all day. They sent him home on a special diet and I planned on taking him to work with me the next day for bloodwork. That night Uno wouldn't eat and seemed uncomfortable-both of us had a pretty sleepless night. By morning, I could tell that he was feeling worse-he was now trying to hide.
At work, the internal medicine doctor whom I work with was able to palpate a moderately sized bladder on Uno, but we were unable to express any urine. At this point the she concurred with the diagnosis from the previous night that Uno wasn't blocked but having bladder spasms. We did an ultrasound, and lateral radiograph, both of which were normal. Bloodwork came back normal as well. We determined that Uno had until mid afternoon to urinate, otherwise we were going to have to anesthetize him and pass a urinary catheter. I gave Uno Buprenorphine for the pain and then later on placed and IV catheter and gave him valium in an attempt to relax him so he'd urinate. The only effect it had was to cause him to hallucinate and then relax somewhat, but not enough to void. I started Uno on IV fluids and set up for general anesthesia and urinary catheter placement, hoping that I wouldn't need either one.
By 2:30, Uno still hadn't urinated, so I took him into special procedures, where I had everything set up. I gave Uno IV ketamine and valium to effect to see if the sedation would relax Uno enough to allow the surgeon to express Uno's bladder. As luck would have it, he was able to do so-and got a good stream. Uno's urine was concentrated and bloody, so we continued him on IV fluids. He woke up from his sedation without any complications, but I could tell he was exhausted. I started Uno on Metacam (an anti inflammatory) and Clavamox (an antibiotic-in case it was a sterile cystitis). I also kept him hospitalized on IV fluids overnight. By morning, Uno was urinating well on his own and was bright and alert. He went home that afternoon and was much better that evening.
Uno is back to his old self-sleeping on the bed with me, playing with Blackjack, chasing Sylvia and eating (that's never been a problem for him :) ). He is now on a special diet to acidify his urine and prevent crystal formation. The other cats are getting it mixed in with their food as well, with the exception of Bagheera.
Every day I deal with sick animals and their worried owners. I do my best to offer the best care, advice, reassurance and of course a listening ear when there is nothing else I can give. And although I believe that every experience gives me a little more insight into my clients' feelings and emotions, there is something about having one of your own animals get sick and then having to actually work on them that gives you a different kind of empathy. Not only are you reminded of your own pet's mortality, but now you are suddenly the client; looking for answers, hoping for reassurance and wanting only the best care for your pet. It is these types of experiences that truly ground us and help to make us better at what we do.
Pt II
One of the most difficult aspects of my job is working with patients who can't tell you what is wrong. It forces you to become a detective of sorts-looking for clues through body language, behaviour, tests and owner's observations; and then trying to construct a puzzle from these pieces of information so you can come up with a treatment plan for your patient-provided that you truly know what is wrong. This type of detective work makes it all too easy to misdiagnose a problem, or bark up the wrong tree (no pun intended:) ).
A few weeks ago, I thought Uno had bladder problems because he seemed painful. After a trip to the ER and then a hospital stay at work, he seemed better and we'd figured out the cause of his problems. Or so I thought.....
A week and a half after his ordeal, Uno started exhibiting the same signs of pain. I brought him into work, thinking that maybe he was starting to have urinary problems again. When I relayed this to the internist, she was very skeptical that Uno was having urinary problems or that it was even the cause of his pain before, as he had not been going in and out of the litter box. She had mentioned at his previous visit that she thought he had back pain at the T-L junction (which is right over the bladder), but we had been unable to determine that for sure. This time we were; one of the surgeons gave Uno a neuro exam which confirmed that he indeed was having back pain. Although it is common in dogs, back pain in cats is very unusual, so this was easy to miss. And when Uno had previously been discharged on an anti-inflammatory, they had given him relief, but had also masked the real problem.
So for now Uno is on an anti-inflammatory every 3 days called Metacam, and has an appointment with an acupuncturist on Tuesday. The pain does seem to be getting a little worse, and the Metacam not lasting as long. Unfortunately, it is not something I can give Uno every day; there is a risk of kidney damage if I do. I've heard wonderful things about acupuncture and am hoping that it will ease his pain and keep him off any medication. If not, then perhaps I can switch Uno over to a steroid, which would be better long term and something I could give more often. I'm also hoping his pain isn't a disk related; I plan on doing a spinal rad at work Tuesday, as well as bloodwork to check his kidney values.
I'll keep you posted, but everyone please keep Uno in your thoughts. It's so hard to see him go through this and feel somewhat helpless. Again, I am experiencing first hand what my clients go through. And I can only hope that it will continue to enable me to empathize more with the clients I work with on a daily basis.
to be continued......
Uno had his first acupuncture appointment this past Tuesday. My appointment was late afternoon, so I brought him into work with me. He'd been painful the night before; I gave him his metacam to give him some relief, not knowing if it would hinder the acupuncturists' assessment of his pain. Of course, that morning, Uno was bright, alert and seemly pain-free, although I knew it would not last.
As I'm driving to Uno's appointment, I can only wonder if this is what mothers with sick children go through. I am willing to try anything to help him; and when I'm feeling optimistic, like now, I wonder in the back of my mind if some of that optimism is false hope. And yet I feel very positive about trying this alternative.
I walk into the office and am greeted with the sound of running water. I feel an unbelievable sense of calm that not only tells me I am in the right place, but somehow makes me wish that I was involved in eastern medicine on a daily basis, if nothing else to get away from the daily stress of my job.
I fill out paperwork and chat with the receptionist. She is very comforting and genuinely concerned about Uno. I feel like she is someone I could go have coffee with.
Uno and I are taken to a room that is not a typical exam room. Oriental music is playing softly in the background. There is a sink and counter with acupuncture needles stocked, as well as some other equipment I'm not familiar with. I notice a stool in the middle of the room and surmise that it probably serves as a small exam table. A water fountain is in the corner, so I decide to let Uno out of his carrier. I resist the urge to take off my shoes, although I somehow think that it would be perfectly acceptable.
The veterinarian comes in and introduces herself as Dr. Kelly. I find this charming, as Kelly is her first name. She has a calm, quiet demeanor that puts me at ease. We chat about Uno and then I lift him onto the stool so she can examine him. The first thing Dr. Kelly does is put her hands above Uno's back. She explains how pain is determined in eastern medicine: heat is generated from the painful area-in this case it's Uno's middle back. She comments that Uno's femoral pulses are thready and that his tongue has a slightly purple tinge. All of these are indicators of pain, which can block the chi. For those of you who are unfamiliar with eastern medicine, the chi is where the energy flows through the body. Pain or illness can cause it to become blocked. Acupuncture treatments help in relieving this blockage without the use of drugs.
Dr. Kelly takes some acupuncture needles and begins by palpating the spots on Uno's body where she wants to place them. As she is doing this, she explains to me why she is choosing certain spots and how each point opens up the spine. The needles themselves are small and surrounded by what appears to be a spring wire. She begins by placing one on the top of Uno's head, and then going on either side of his spine, concentrating more on his mid back, and ending of behind his knees. I notice that Uno doesn't seem to mind the needles being placed and that they aren't placed very deeply. Once all the needles are in, Dr. Kelly says that she would like to leave them in for 10 minutes. She comments that although Uno seems uncomfortable in his posture, due to his pain, he should begin to relax as his chi is opened up (many animals even fall asleep during the procedure). Sure enough, she is right: Uno begins to relax his posture and even closes his eye. I get a sense of the relief he must be feeling. Dr. kelly then takes a laser light and holds it up to the side of Uno's left paw. She explains that the light penetrates the skin and this is another good spot for opening up the spine. Uno doesn't seem to mind it, and I am fascinated as I observe the use of something seemingly high tech in an otherwise simple environment.
While Uno is having his treatment, Dr. Kelly leaves to bring me a cup of Jasmine tea. I contemplate the overall scenario and can't help but think that we have a lot to learn from eastern medicine.
Once the 10 minutes are up, Dr. Kelly takes the needles out. Ironically, Uno didn't like having the needles taken out-I can't blame him, as having them in seemed to bring him a good deal of relief in one session. she explains that it's normal for animals (and people) to want to sleep afterwards and advises me that Uno may react in that same manner.
I take Uno home, and rather than sleeping, he immediately begins exploring the house. I cannot believe the difference; he is bright-eyed, walking with his tail up and hungry (food has never been a problem, but lately his pain has affected his appetite). He doesn't even visit his hiding places, which are the closet and under the bed. The next morning, when I get up for work, he is waiting on the steps for me to come down and dole out breakfast. Later that night, he was painful again, so I gave him his metacm. He came downstairs and ate later that evening, and since then, Uno has come downstairs for meals, and stays downstairs for longer periods of time. He will lay under the bed to rest, but has not gone into my closet since his treatment.
Uno will need several more treatments, but I am already noticing a difference after just one. Dr Kelly feels that since we are treating him early, he should respond well and won't need to many treatments. His second one is this afternoon, less than a week after his first, as it's important for the treatments to build on each other. This is the first step of healing, for both of us.
to be continued....
Ellen 2/22/08
They say that you can have too much of much of a good thing. Sometimes, however, a good thing is not enough, for it can mask a more serious underlying problem and in the process perhaps make one more open to denial....
I'd been taking Uno for acupuncture treatments for his back pain. The first one went extremely well, and I was optimistic that we'd found an answer to his problem. After his second treatment, however, I noticed that Uno was painful the next day. I called Dr. Kelly, who thought he may have re-injured himself. This was certainly a valid proposition, given Uno's exuberance after his previous treatment. I brought him back for another treatment and left with an herbal medication for pain and no charge-the condition being that if this works, we're square with the house (so to speak), if not, I'll bring Uno back and pay for the treatment. As fate would have it, I was back two days later. This time, Uno had not had his metacam for 2 days, so Dr. Kelly saw him at his worst. This time, in addition to acupuncture, she tried a form of Chinese medicine called Quigong (chi gong). Chigong is a form of healing where the chi, the vital life energy, is facilitated to flow smoothly throughout the meridian pathways of the body. Basically the practioner is taking energy from the universe and channeling it into the patient to get rid of the bad chi (pain) and allow the good chi to flow. Similar to Reiki, I suspect. And if you're not familiar with eastern medicine, or are just plain skeptical, either one may seem a bit out there. I however believe they can not only provide healing, but a partial answer as to why there is pain in the first place.
I like Dr. Kelly. Not only is she a good and caring person, but she generates a lot of positive energy. I could feel it the moment I met her. And as she was practicing the Chigong on Uno, I could feel that energy healing me, just as it was supposed to heal Uno. Sometimes healing doesn't quite take the form that expect it to, however. Healing is one of the grey areas that can lead us to a cure or to a different path. When Uno is back to being painful the next morning, I find myself being lead to a different path. Oddly enough, this is what my gut feeling has been telling me all along: there is something more serious going on with Uno and I need to pursue more aggressive diagnostics. With a heavy heart and a logical mind I schedule a surgical consult with one of the surgeons at work and call the Dr. Kelly's office to give them an update. A part of me feels that I am giving up, but I'm really not-I'm just following my heart and mind as well as listening to what Uno is trying to tell me.....
to be continued......
Ellen 3/10/08
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