Josi is HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We heard from the hospital yesterday late afternoon that Josi was to be released around 6pm and as you can imagine my emotions where everywhere. We didn't want to get our hopes up considering what happened on Wed. night, but this is all I have asked for since the other things are out of my hands. We arrived to bring our baby home and the vet tech went over a bunch of things, like medicine, pt., and yes Josi's now apparent problem on controlling her bladder - not in her sleep, but when we help her to her feet. They say this is probably related to the spinal cord stroke. She walked out of ICU with the help of a sling and still very groggy. I would have to say that her rear end weakness is much worse than I thought, but they say it can get better anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. What makes matters worse is where the sling is positioned sits right on top of her spleen removal staples, but we have hopefully solved that problem since being home by wrapping a microfiber towel around the middle of it. I GOT MY FIRST KISS SINCE MONDAY EVENING ON THE WAY HOME AND THE TEARS JUST POURED!!!! Unfortunately there is no nub wagging because I think the stroke has pretty much paralyzied her nub, but again they say that can come back. Immediately after we got her home and situated she drank an entire bowl of water...so much for the syringe I got that I thought we would need because she had not drinken anything at the hospital. She has also now eaten an entire chicken breast and a hard-boiled egg spread out through the night...she never ceases to amaze me. She is taking tramadol 3 times a day for the next 5 days and metacam once a day. The evening was alittle rough for us just trying to learn what is best for her. She can not really sit up on her own at this point and she seems to pop up periodically and stare at her tail:( She also exhibited a few panting spouts out of nowhere which alarmed us because her heart was racing and it is not a common trait of hers. When I spoke with the vet tech this morning she said the DR. believes it is possibly a sign of pain since boxers tend to be stoic and don't always vocalize. She also said she may also have pain due to the fact that she hasn't had a bowel movement since monday evening, but since she is eating now, that will come soon I hope. I know we have a long road ahead not knowing what the pathology reports will bring and it just breaks my heart that she had to have the FCE set-back, but whatever tomorrow shall bring....she is home and comfortable where she belongs. Thank you all again for your continued support, care, and strength and I promise to keep posting.
*Please also let me know if any of you have experience with a spinal cord stroke(FCE), I can't find too many threads on here and I am very interested to research more.