Whew!
I just got back!  I thought I would only be gone overnight, but it turned
into a week!  Harvey had a blockage, not adrenal cancer.  Doc says she looks
fine now.  She gave us a scare for a couple of days, though.  He closed her
up and went to lunch, expecting to call me when he got back to tell me I
could come get her.  She was very pale and didn't seem to be doing well.  He
opened her back up to find a very small vein bleeding persistantly.  It
should have clotted on its own, but didn't and had to be tied off.  He
called to tell me he was going to have to keep her overnight.  I was worried
and prayed all night.  Doc checked on her before leaving work, then returned
later in the evening to check on her, then had a restless night worrying
about her and came in on his day off at 5:30 to check on her.  She was fine,
but he forgot to tell anyone that he had to open her up a third time right
after talking to me because she was seeping blood from her sutures.  It
turned out to be blood from a place that was now clotted.  She had lost a
lot of blood from the bleeder vein he fixed the second time, so he had to
give her cat blood.  Since she was low on blood, the blood from the seepage
(third opening) was put back in to be reabsorbed by the body.
 
Fine, except that no one knew to tell me.  All I know is the first two times
he went in.  I picked her up and noticed fresh blood.  I was petrified she
was bleeding internally.  I had Michael send the other ferrets in case she
needed a donor again.  She can't get any more cat blood for as long as she
lives.  Doc says the body will sort things out once, but can't cross species
more than once.  Anyway, scared to death, I got up every hour last night to
check on her, ready to speed to the vets at any time.  Actually called some
emergency vet clincs to see if I should take her.  Finally got one that knew
about ferrets (third call).  He said her paleness is to be expected after
all she went through (new vet, btw), and that as long as her behavior isn't
dramatically different from when they let me take her home, she was probably
okay.  She made it to the 8:00 appt.  I was the more sick, I think.  I
worried sick.  Doc says she looks good and will be sore and out of it for a
few days.  I am so relieved.  I am glad to be home.  No messages from Harvey
except ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.  Poor thing.  I wore her out, waking her up every hour
to make sure she was still with me.  I am calmer now and letting her sleep.
I could use some of that myself.
 
D
[Posted in FML issue 1762]