Freya Date – Day 1 AA (After Amputation)

Well, I’m calling it Day One. Day One After Amputation.

Today, 21 December 2012, I picked Freya up at the vet’s in the afternoon. After a hefty bill was paid (come on down pet insurance people!! Show me the money!! Wait – mixed metaphors there – who cares!) and pain killer prepared and antibiotics obtained (liquid form please) I see her.

She’s in a cage. She has a Cone of Shame. She is so pleased to see me!! I am so pleased to see her too! She’s moving around. Woops, bit unsteady there. Oh no, there it is. Not so bad really. Feel relieved. FYI, my vet used internal sutures, no staples, immeasurably less confronting.

I pick her up – it’s so quick there’s no time to wonder about right way and wrong way, she’s just in my arms. Then carry her to the carrier, she practically lunges at the thing. I think I actually got a face full of absent leg as she clambours in.

Back home and out she gets, weaving and listing,  into the luxuriously appointed recuperation room (the front room I use as a sort of library). I spent the last two nights clearing out obstacles and moving in a mattress for me and boxes for her, and decorating it appropriately.

It’s also Xmas and instead of heading home to Taree to my Mum’s, I’ll be here with the cat (don’t worry, I will be temporarily adopted for Xmas dinner). So I made the house a bit more festive and the recuperation room positively glows with candles (battery operated tea lights), crystals, flowers, colourful throws and beautiful pictures. It’s to be my home too for a few days (possibly longer as my bedroom is upstairs and that is where she normally sleeps, and I’m not sure how long until stairs are OK) and it needs to be beautiful and uplifting. The stuff I’ve read said make it dark and quiet and calm, keep her confined and all that, but I also chose to make it beautiful and inspiring.

She wanders slowly, listing to one side, staggering almost. Her front paws are a bit awkward as she lies down then gets up again. But lying down seems to cause no concern. Of dear, the Cone of Shame came off. Watch and observe if she licks the wound …. back goes the cone of shame (not agreeable to Freya at all).

She sees me prepare some food, lots of miaowing in agreement. Woofs it down, liquid pain killer and all – cone a challenge. The vet said she hadn’t eaten while she was with them, so really pleased to see that. She hasn’t gone to the kitty litter tray yet, which may pose a challenge.

Realise I need to give her some anitbiotics. Prepare the syringe and rapidly find out the ‘arrangement’ she and I had come to after her first surgery is null and void as the cone prevents me grabbing her by the scruff on the neck and prising  open her mouth. Dang. Darn. Drat. Review her known eating habits (all food fair game) and think if I hide it in some smelly tuna/broth then she might take it that way. Successs!!!

Right now? I’m creating posts on my laptop while lying stomach down on the mattress and Freya has taken up one of her favourite positions, curled up between my legs. Euphoria. Bliss. Contentment. Hope.

Freya at home after surgery
Freya at home after surgery
Close up of internal suture incision - no exterior sutures or staples
Close up of internal suture incision – no exterior sutures or staples
Freya at her food bowl on Day 1 after amputation
Freya at her food bowl on Day 1 after amputation

Bring on Day Two.

6 thoughts on “Freya Date – Day 1 AA (After Amputation)”

  1. Yay for Day 1AA – I love the idea to make it beautiful and inspiring. I played beautiful music for Bart while I was a work during his recovery and it always felt calm around him.

    Yep, Bring On Day2AA!!!

    Darcy & BArt

    1. Hi Darcy

      We are listening to some Loreena McKennitt right now – lying on the bed together (I say bed, a mattress downstairs!). Will keep it up – I don’t need to be at work until Monday and only then for four hours, but will be anxious for me, and hopefully fine for her.

      Thanks

      Michelle and Freya

  2. Awwww, sounds like things are progressing nicely.

    I’d love to see a pic of the incision. I’m not sure we’ve ever had a Tripawd without any external stitches or staples. While internal ones are always used, we typically see a second row of external ones. Post some pics so we can see what this looks like, sounds interesting.

    I hope Day Two is just as pawesome for your pack!

    1. Hi

      I hope to get pictures up soon – need to find pesky connector. The incision looks, well, like two bits of skin pressed against one another.

      Day two has started well!!

      Michelle and Freya

  3. That incision looks amazing for day one! 🙂 Wow!

    So awesome that she was eating on the first day home too. Mine is coming home tomorrow from his amputation. He’s a big eater, so hoping he will eat that quickly too!

    Thanks for sharing the photos!

    1. It’s my pleasure to share the photos and make the journey of new tripod kitties (and their humans) easier and less stressful.

      My vet did internal sutures so the incision looks very clean. And Freya is a champion eater – my tip, and it’s later in my posts too, is smelly and strong tasty food if they are looking a pit picky (I hid her medicine in hers)

      All the best with your boy and I hope he, and you, do well.

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