My little Maggie Bear!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That's hard. Like Veronica said, just try to be in the moment and not torture yourself with thinking and guessing. At least you know what's coming and have time to prepare. In some ways, the desperate hoping and the not knowing whether they'll recover or not can be worse than knowing for sure that their time is approaching.

When Maggie is really ready, I think it will be more obvious. As long as she seems happy and eats a little, I think maybe it's not time yet. She might have a day without eating which could be just a normal fluctuation in her weakened condition, or a morning when it's hard for her to get up for a while. When they are really failing for the last time, it's more obvious. I'm guessing from your posts that you only want to prevent the last phase when they are typically very uncomfortable and completely weak.
Your strength and your love will pull you through.

[emily_in_nc]

Hang in there, Amanda. This is a very hard time I know, but one small silver lining is that these little reprieves give you more time to prepare for the inevitable, and to enjoy your sweet Maggie Bear's last days. Our last year with Pepper was filled with many ups and downs medically, and I thought we were going to lose her more than once, only to have her rally back. By the time the end finally came, we had a terrible week, but my DH and I both bounced back pretty quickly after that -- I think because we had already gone through some of the grief work ahead of time, very different from a sudden, unexpected loss.

Thinking of you....

[kermit]

They just don't live long enough. She knows she is loved and she thanks you.

[nancielle]

Oh damn. I've been off-line for a few days and just saw this.

So sorry for the heartache you're going through. Through all of this Maggie Bear knows how much she was loved. You've given her something that so many other dogs (and cats) will never get to experience. Keeping you all in my thoughts.

[Aggie_Ama]

Thanks girls, I have been not guessing and not worrying this week. She has started to complain about the subcu which means stress for mommy and daddy but guess what? I have to go get another bag tonight for a dog the vet was thinking was ready to go Monday. I am not getting optimistic but this little girl just refuses to quit. So another bag, a few more cans of food. She is still pottying, she is still eating, she is moving a bit slower but as the vet said this food is not the highest in protein. She still puts her paws up on your knee to say hello when you come in, trots over to her name and she still snuggles if you pick her up (she has never been able to climb up on you like Heidi). I don't think she is ready to say goodbye yet.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That's good. You just keep her comfortable and keep pouring on the love.

I know sub-cu's are the pits. Try doing it to a very pi**ed off cat for about a year!
You're doing great.

[Aggie_Ama]

That's good. You just keep her comfortable and keep pouring on the love.

I know sub-cu's are the pits. Try doing it to a very pi**ed off cat for about a year!
You're doing great.

At first she was mellow for it but now she is restless and at least once pulled the line by moving. He wants to keeps doing 100cc two times a day, Maggie is verbally telling us she isn't happy. I can't even imagine doing it on a cat, especially if they had claws.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

At first she was mellow for it but now she is restless and at least once pulled the line by moving. He wants to keeps doing 100cc two times a day, Maggie is verbally telling us she isn't happy. I can't even imagine doing it on a cat, especially if they had claws.

We found that if the 'assistant' held the cat gently but steadily, then I was free to insert the needle, then when things got flowing I would scratch her head and distract her with one hand while holding the needle in place with the other hand. I found if I pinched some fur (not skin) onto the needle while holding the needle between my thumb and index, then when she struggled for a moment the needle would not pull out accidentally. And I rubbed and 'scroonched' her head and neck a lot to distract her throughout it all.

[bmccasland]

At first she was mellow for it but now she is restless and at least once pulled the line by moving. He wants to keeps doing 100cc two times a day, Maggie is verbally telling us she isn't happy. I can't even imagine doing it on a cat, especially if they had claws.

I had to wrap Erin in a towel, and do some contortionist moves, but I managed to get her stuck. Sometimes she escaped, sometimes I didn't get her restuck, and sometimes I stuck me. Once in full dispair I took her back to the clinic for help. Generally she'd growl, doing a very good Lion imitation, and she'd bite & hold, to let me know she was irritated. I figured she had that right. But my motivation like yours, was that without the IV therapy, I knew she'd very quickly spiral down, and I wasn't ready to quit.

It is definitely easier with two people.

My heart goes out to you Aggie_Ama, and to Maggie. IV sticks are never fun, even with sharp needles.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Amanda, how is Maggie doing?

[Aggie_Ama]

She seems to be okay, we are exhausted from the subcu. This morning she only ate half her food and refused her pepcid but I think she was annoyed she had to go out in the rain. She is pretty lethargic but she has always been less active so it is really hard to say how she is doing.

She has had a slight bit of blood in the stool which makes me think another organ might be starting to weaken, need to call the vet about that today. He said it was just a matter of time before something other than the kidneys might give out. Still we have gotten two weeks since we took her out of the hospital, what a blessing that has been. Thanks for checking Lisa.

[sundial]

Gentle hug for you and your Maggie bear.

[bmccasland]

Pooh.

May she have a gentle night.

[emily_in_nc]

Still thinking of you and Maggie Bear....there are no good words, but just know that everyone here is sending warm wishes your way.

[Aggie_Ama]

She wouldn't eat last night and had very little energy but I tried not to read too much into it because after 6-8 weeks I know I can't guess anymore. I also was too tired to worry so I let DH cuddle her and I laid on the couch with the spazz-monkey Heidi. This morning Maggie ate like a little pig.

Some days I feel like throwing my hands up and saying "wheeee" because it is one heck of a roller coaster. I try to tell myself her days are limited to lessen my pain but DH will have none of it.

Why can't I be Dr. Doolittle so I know if she is just tired or getting sick? I used to have a music box that played "talked to the animals", I wish mine would talk to me.