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Days of a Girlie Girl's Life......

I Had Emergency Surgery Today.....

Hello my dear friends and prayer warriors sadly I am back for more prayers and support....Today started like any other except when I was washing the babes faces....I got to my sweet Lucy and she jerked away and was very touchy...upon further checking I saw her eye had a spot that looked to be an ulcer....I called her doctor who of course is off on Thursdays but fortunately her partner Dr. Wendy was in and told us to come right over. We did a stain test and a flush got a good look and Wendy said Lucy has a tear in her cornea...OMG...okay I jump on the speed dial and call Dr. Isherwood our eye specialist....she's out of town in Tampa at an Ophthalmology seminar...Okay not to worry I'll call Dr. Kelly the specialist at the hospital where Norma Jean was cared for...Hmmmm not what I wanted to hear, Kelly is at the seminar too....Now I am a bit panicked who am I going to go see and is anyone here in the area who did not go to Tampa?....Wendy said lets call Dr. Ann Weigt...Yea she was in town and I was told to come right over they will see Lucy ASAP....

Finally after an hour long drive we got to Dr. Ann's clinic they rushed us right into a room and Dr. Ann took over....Lucy did indeed have a tear in the cornea and would require surgery...not sure to what extent until she got in and was able to see what was going on.

The end result was that Lucy had an ulcer 80% in depth and it resulted from an infection deep in her eye that erupted in an ulcer....Dr. Ann did a keratectomy and conjunctival pedicle graft....Lucy was back in my arms as soon as the intubation tube was removed...Norma Jean and Savanna were there too helping care for their sweet sister Lucy.

Not long after we got home Lucy started to have a bit of a panic attack....thankfully Dr. Ann (Norma Jean's savior) is such a sweetheart I called her and she said Lucy most likely needed a bit more pain med so I went to my "pharmacy cabinet" and gave her the tramadol Ann suggested and now she seems to be resting comfortably. Ann also alerted the ER doc on tonite about Lucy and what is going on just in case she needs to be seen tonite....thank you so much Dr. Ann Stoneham you are a wonderful doctor, friend and person!!!

So my friends I am sure with your prayers and good wishes my dear Lucy will come through this ordeal with flying colors.....I'll keep you posted on Lucy's progress...

Shih Tzu Kisses...XO ~Caryn & LUCY

Praise Report for Norma Jean!!!!!

I am so very happy to share the latest report from Dr. Stoneham about my Lil Norma Jean. Aside from the fact that Dr. Stoneham call Norma Jean her little "Star" she says she looks wonderful!!! And I indeed have to agree she is back to her regular routine, eating great, a spring in her paws a happy smile and just all around sweet Lil Norma Jean....only difference is now she does not let me out of her sight and of course she now goes everywhere with me and Miss Lucy.....Back to the latest check-up....the sonogram showed NO fluid needing to be aspirated!!! Can you believe it???....this is fantastic news....Norma has a re-check with Dr. Terrell her Cardiologist on Wednesday....I just know he is going to be absolutely amazed to not only see Norma Jean but to see her looking so fabulous!!!...Dr. Terrell will check for fluid as well as check the tumor for changes which in turn will contribute to the recommended course we should take if any regarding the tumor....If there is fluid we will see Dr. Stoneham later in the day for aspiration...if no fluid then we will see Dr. Stoneham the fallowing week....Oh my gosh it's been 1 week and 1 day since fluid was aspirated...that is just awesome news....please keep the good thoughts and prayers coming.....

Norma Jean got a nice trim to even up her "ICU" hairstyle....I think she really enjoyed being pampered....she looks so adorable...I left her hair long just blended it a bit where she was shaved the hair is coming on very fast...I just think she looks so cute and has earned her battle scars for sure......I'll get some new pics up soon....

Once again here is Norma Jean's candle site it would mean so very much to me if you my dear friends would help keep it going......



http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=en g&gi=stafn

http://www.dogster.com/dogs/235728


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♥Caryn

Norma Jean is Home at Last!!!! WooHoo!!!!!

Hello dear friends.....I am so sorry I have not updated you sooner, however, as you will see it has been extremely hectic around here......I think you are gonna need a little snack and tea this is kinda long.......

First I am estatic to let you know that my dear sweet Norma Jean came home from the hospital last Tuesday 1/27....Dr. Stoneham decided that the 4th surgery originally scheduled for that day was not necessary at this time....Yea!!!!....When we got home all the babes were so happy to see Norma Jean they sniffed her, kissed her then sniffed her a bit more!!! It was so cute to watch the reunion....we are all so very happy and truly blessed to have our sweet girl back home where she belongs.

Thursday 1/29 Norma Jean had her check-up with Dr. Stoneham the sonogram showed fluid so Dr. Stoneham aspirated the fluid....240MLs were drained...the fluid was very red in color and consistancy very different from what was being aspirated previously....a sample of the fluid was sent to cystology for evaluation and several blood tests were run....Apparently the tumor was bleeding causing the change in color....Norma seemed to be acting okay but the change in the fluid was in question....Dr. Stoneham said she would call me the next day with results......Friday 1/30 Dr. Stoneham called asking about Norma Jean....finally after several questions I sensed something may be wrong and asked what she was thinking....she said Norma's numbers were not great from the day before and was concerned she may need a blood transfusion...well that was all I needed to hear..... I grabbed up Norma, Lucy and Abigail and off to the hospital we went....Dr. Stoneham ran bloodwork, did a sonogram to check for fluid..thankfully no fluid had accumulated since the day before....when the blood numbers came back they showed Norma Jean to be looking much better than the day before....so all was well...Cystology results did not show any new cells in the fluid...apparently the tumor was bleeding and it stopped...since no new cells were identified we still do not know what kind of tumor we are dealing with...When I asked Dr. Stoneham if it was good that no tumor sells were identified she said it's neither good or bad..."it just is"....At any rate I think Norma just wanted to see how fast I could move in an emergency....as if I had not already demonstrated that talent for her very recently....lol...

Norma Jean continued to do well over the weekend she seems to be back to her old self...PTL...this in itself just amazes me how this little soul could have endured so much an is now laying resting peacefully on my desk as if this ordeal has never happened...It just warms my heart, brings tears of joy to my eyes each time I look at my swet little girl....I than God for giving her to me and allowing me to keep her with me I truly could not imagine being without her.....

Norma Jean's next appointment with Dr. Stoneham is on Monday and Wednesday she has an appointment with Dr. Terrell her cardiologist....Please keep the prayers coming I truly believe God has heard everyone of your prayers..... Also please keep the candles burning
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=s tafn http://www.dogster.com/dogs/235728

And just a little footnote on Friday I all of a sudden started having wicked lower back pain it sent me to bed and nothing gave me relief....in the midst of this I get the call to bring Norma in....It's amazing what you think you can't do until you have to do it...ignoring the excruating pain I managed to get Norma to the doctor and get home and to bed....A friends came and had to help me get the babes cared for that evening....Saturday was spent in bed in pain as was Sunday when my dear friend Rosemary came and checked on me and the babes....Monday I was feeling like it was getting better but then realized something is not right here....so my dear friend Rosemary met me at the hospital and took care of Norma, Lucy and Abigail while I checked into emergency....I was sure by this time I had a kidney stone....well I guess I'm not ready to diagnoise folks quite yet....The doctor says I have a herniated disc and somehow my siatiac nerve is involed....so I was given steroids to take for 2 weeks and vicadan for the pain told if it got worse come back right away...if it just does not get better I got a orthopedic referral....I do believe that today I am feeling much better I can definately manage the pain and at least slightly function....hopefully these steroids will do the trick....I guess this is just part of getting old....lol....

Sorry for such a long update I will try and keep the volume down....XO