We got up this morning and Syd was fairly lethargic, but ate his breakfast. It got humid real quick so we decided to put Syd into the basement where we finally got the AC to working, so he could be cooler. He kept wiggling when we tried to drag him on a towel down the ramp to the basement, but he survived. Of course he peed all the way so at least he was comfortable once he got down there. I moved my computer downstairs to be with him and he has been just laying there and doesn't even seem to have the strength or the desire to prop himself up to look around.
I called the oncologist to ask how much time I should wait to see if the meds kick in to help him be able to possibly walk again. She said that the phenobarbitol is anti-seizure meds and the predizone is to help any tumors in the brain become less swollen to maybe allow him to walk again. She said he was walking wobbly between Thursday night and Friday morning, but after that, could not get his back feet up under him to get up nor could he support himself. Whenever we've tried to put a towel to assist him, his back legs act like they don't work to even get into place to stand up. What confuses me is that he can move his legs, because he rolls over from one side to another when lying down and when we try and move him, he will move his back legs just fine, but he cannot move them to walk. I also asked if the phenobarbitol would be making him so dopey that he wouldn't be able to even think about walking. She said no, that it might make him act like he's drunk, but he would be able to support himself and it didn't sound like that was happening. She is beginning to think, since he hasn't shown any improvement with the prednizon, that it might be in his spine in an area that allows him to urinate/defecate and move his legs around, but in an area that affects his mobility as far as walking. As a last ditch effort, she wanted to increase his Prednizone for tonight and tomorrow and wants to decrease the phenobarbitol to 1/2 tablet twice a day to see if he increases his alertness. Of course she said decreasing this med might cause him to get seizures again and that if he has seizures, I would have to wait until he quit seizing to give him some phenobarbitol, but that it's slow acting. Luckily, I've got some valium (3cc's) that I got from the vet who tested Syd's glucose level on Thursday to take with me in case he started having seizures enroute to K-State, so she said I could give that to him rectally.
So with that said, I am sad to say that if these meds do not seem to help him any, we will make the decision to set him free from him being an invalid on Wednesday or Thursday. What sucks is that my husband just said he heard that they might be going into "strike mode" at work in anticipation of one of the unions going on strike on Wednesday and that if we decide to put Syd down on Wednesday or Thursday, I would have to do it alone and transport him after he's gone to K-State by myself. <sigh> I'm trying to get my stepdaughter to go with me and be with me when Syd crosses over. I'm still praying for a miracle, but somehow I don't think one is coming. Syd has gone from wagging his tail and wobbly walking on Thursday and Friday to being not very alert, just lying there, peeing and pooping and eating, and he hasn't even wagged his tail or shown that spark in his eyes for several days now. He had a good birthday yesterday, but today he acts like he's ready to go. I'm going to give him one last chance over the next few days, but I cannot imagine him being in the condition he is in and be happy. That is not quality of life. At least I wouldn't want to live that way, so I'm sure he wouldn't either. I'll keep everyone posted and please pray hard that he has that miracle. Syd just seems to be so very weak and holds his head way down toward the ground as if it's such a struggle to hold it up. I know part of it may be the phenobarbitol, but part of me knows it's him losing strength and the will to fight anymore. He looks at us with that look. Everyone always says he will give me that look. I think I am seeing it as I see him going downhill before my very eyes. I promised him that I would not allow him to suffer or be in pain. But I want to give him ONE last chance. Praying, PRAYING for that miracle. |
