Duchess Suffers a Seizure

I was working a pretty long day today, so my mom graciously offered to go over to check on the girls during the day.  Thank goodness she did, because Duchess had a seizure.  She couldn't stand on her own and had great difficulty breathing.

My mom called me at work and we frantically agreed to meet at the vet.  I couldn't get to my car fast enough and driving from campus to the vet felt like the longest trip of my life...I got every red light imaginable and they each seemingly lasted ten minutes.  Very frustrating, as I was imagining the worst possible outcome and sobbing uncontrollably the entire time.

I actually arrived at the vet a few minutes before my mom and Duchess did, so I am sure I looked liked a lunatic running towards my mom's car as she pulled into a parking space.  She had Duchess wrapped up in blankets and sitting in a laundry basket for safekeeping (Duchess despises going anywhere in the car).  I grabbed Duchess up into my arms and she had a very vacant look about her.  No wagging tail, no look of recognition, no kiss.  Not good signs.

We were taken into a room very quickly and thankfully Dr. T. was working.  She spent over two hours monitoring Duchess, examining her, taking an x-ray, and holding her in her arms.  Have I mentioned she is the most amazing vet on the planet?

My mom and I sat silently in the exam room together while the ticking clock marked the passing seconds at what seemed like a deafening volume.

At long last, Dr. T. and Duchess reappeared.  It seems as though she has an enlarged heart, but everything else looks pretty good.  So the unexpected outcome is that she got to come home!  She is on pain and anti-seizure medication and the next day or so will be telling...C and I will be sleeping in shifts and my mom will spend the day here tomorrow while we are at work so she will be with someone around the clock.

The good news she did give me a kiss when we got home, as if she was relieved to be back on her turf.  And despite me trying to snuggle her on the couch with me, she squirmed and wiggled to get down (she also hates being up on the couch), which I took as a great indication that she is feeling a little better.

When we adopted her in 2011 at age 15, we knew time was not on our side and we have treasured every day with her.  And we know we will never be ready - in any sense of the word - to say goodbye to her.  But coming so close to that reality today was terrifying.

So for the foreseeable future, we are going to be smothering her with as much love as possible, whether she likes it or not.  After all, who could not adore this face?

Happy Tails to you!