Rabbit Update - The Sequel

[bk_forever]

So, new update. I just spoke to vetinary nurse Rhiannon, and Misty is out of surgery and awake. They're coaxing him to nibble some food and things are looking reasonably good. He's staying there another night so they can keep a close eye on him, just to be on the safe side, but I'm to phone at 9am tomorrow and hopefully he'll be well enough to come home then. I'll let you know when he's home.

Thank you to everyone for your hugs, good wishes, thoughts and prayers, you've helped me get through two very stressful, worrying days. I'm blessed to have so many great, animal-loving friends, you're the best!

Comments

[bk_forever]

The furry folk are important in our lives =)

I'll be talking to George the vet tomorrow, seems Misty may have absesses in his jaw bones on the left hand side. Just got to wait and see. Right now I'm worried about the cost of treatment, because I'm not able to work there's not a lot of money coming in. I have some small savings, but I'd hoped to save that so I have something to live on later on. Looks like I may need to spend it on Misty. Poor old thing. Hopefully I can have him home tomorrow, but he might wind up staying until the weekend if he still needs treatment. Keeping fingers crossed!

[debmommy22.livejournal.com]

Oh the money part is the worst and unfortunately, at least in the States, there is no insurance for pets like for children. I do have a special card and account that only one vet place takes that makes it more affordable to have our cats cared for when they really need it. As usual, can't think of the name of it right now.

[bk_forever]

You can get pet insurance over here, but it's mostly for cats and dogs. I looked into insuring Misty a few years ago, but it turned out to be more expensive over the year than the treatment (booster shots and one surgery) would be. This year it might have worked out cheaper if I'd insured, but how can you know that in advance?

[debmommy22.livejournal.com]

Well from something Michael just told me, we can get pet insurance in the states...oops!....but like you said, I think, we may end up paying more for the insurance than is actually paid out to take care of our pets. Especially with us, our cats rarely ever need to go to the vet though it might change as they are getting older. Neo is around 10 yrs old and Petey 11 yrs old. Don't know their exact birthdays as they were strays and we found Petey in Sept 2001 and Neo showed up in the summer of 2002 both very small kittens at the time.

I know our cats should have check-up and shots and I feel bad about it, but Alex and the rest of us come first. My medical bills have been bad lately, for obvious reasons and Alex is still having terrible problems with his stomach. He seems to be allergic to wheat/flour - gluton products just like Michael. They can't eat any kind of bread products witout it making them terribly sick at their stomach's. Alex is only 7 so often sneaks foods he shouldn't eat. Poor baby. He's just a kid, I hate telling him he can't eat things he likes, but there are a lot of things he can eat too.

[bk_forever]

Gluten allergies affect so much of a person's diet, it's hard to avoid everything that has it in. I know gluten-free foods are available, but they're more expensive and not always very tasty. I tried gluten-free bread once and it wasn't bad actually, but mum accidentally bought gluten-free biscuits once and they were pretty awful, tasteless and too sweet. I think I'm right in saying there's no gluten in oats, so maybe you and Alex could make flapjacks (I love those, but I love anything with oats!)

[debmommy22.livejournal.com]

Michael has bought some gluten free foods, some are actually not bad and we had some vanilla creme filled cookies made from rice and they were wonderful! They were kind of sweet, but I think I even liked them better than the ones I used to buy made from flour. Michael bought gluten-free bread once, from rice too I think...and it was awful he said. I am sure there are other foods out there, but yes they are expensive. We have a store in town we should try, but we just don't have a lot of money to spend on it. As long as they eat meats, fruits, nuts, and vegetables they are fine. It is breads and some cereals and a lot of processed foods that are bad to have gluten in them. Yes, gluten is everywhere, hidden in a lot of foods. Alex can eat oatmeal, but got tired of it and won't eat it anymore. Alex is a picky eater too which makes it hard to find foods he will eat. Of course he loves spaghetti and the noodles make him very sick. I try to keep him away from it, but every so often he just has to have it. I feel so bad for him and Michael.

[bk_forever]

It must be especially hard for Alex, being so young and wanting to eat what all the other kids eat. It will probably get easier as he gets older and can understand better what foods are safe for him and what makes him sick. I love bread but I can't eat much and I'm not sure why. I know I don't have a gluten allergy, I've been tested several times, but I still have problems if I eat much.

*hugs to you all* Love, J xxx

[debmommy22.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is hard for Alex. He loves pizza's and macarroni and cheese like a lot of kids. I feel so bad, but we try to buy him things he can eat and he likes. He eats too much candy sometimes. It is hard to monitour him all the time and if he goes to his Nana's house, (Micheal's Mom) she often lets him have too much candy and she gives in and gives him corn muffins or she makes some other gluten food that makes his tummy hurt. My parents have a hard time cooking for us when we go over, but they do try to make stuff without flour or very little and use cornmeal when they can.

We have had Alex tested for celiac disease, but I doubt he has that and it would be very bad if he did. It is very serious and does extreme damage to the intestines. Michael told me once, but I can't remember now. We should get the test results next month when we go back to see one of his doctors. His Pediatrician said the blood test they do for gluten is not very accurate I believe, so that would probably not help us much. It is pretty obivous though that wheat products are causing the stomach aches or rather an allergy to them. If he stays away from them, he has less stomach pain and if he eats a lot of gluten stuff in day, he gets so sick. Micheal says it can take 6 months to pass all the bad stuff out of his intestines and for the intestines to heal from it. I think he says the food literally rots and irritates the intestines. ICK! Sorry, I know that is gross. The only way to be sure it is gluten is to biopsy a tiny piece of his upper intestine. Not sure if we need to do that or not yet. We are pretty sure it is a gluten allergy without putting him through that.

[bk_forever]

Poor Alex, I really feel for him! It is so sad to watch a loved one suffering and when it's a child that somehow makes it worse.

*hugs you all* Love, J xxxxx

[debmommy22.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!! :D

love Deb.

♥