[Multiple posts combined.  BIG]
 
Hi everyone,
 
I wanted to give the update to everyone about Sapphire.  First, unless
there is such technology that can send me in hologram to give all of you
a big hug, the word, "Thanks" will have to do for now, but in truckload
amounts for all of your help in referrals, invaluable informations, and
much more.  None of them has been overlooked or missed and I've been on
the long distance phone calls with all of your information for many, many
hours with many vet doctors without any sleep.  I've responded to every
one of you and if I missed responding to one of you, please get back to
me and let me know.  I truly appreciate it more than you could ever know.
 
I don't know where to begin.  I know I may not able to write such a long
letter with all the exact details and descriptions of how this treatment
really worked in this FML.  I'm working with Sapphire's vet doctor in an
article about it which it will be posted maybe in Ferret Magazine and
other resources for everyone to have access to this.  I really wanted this
information out to everyone because it's too valuable and life-saving
techniques where we would not have to put our babies to sleep just because
we have nothing to save them, let alone lack of knowledge.  That is one of
my nightmares in putting a kid to sleep only to learn later that there is
something that would have save them so easily.  I made that mistake once.
Never again.  Right now, Sapphire is blossoming, thanks to all of you.
 
Also, I wanted to thank to the FML editor for continuing this FML after
Lynn retired from the job.  Without this FML, Sapphire would have not
survived at all.  I shudder to think what it would have been.  Again,
thanks.
 
Update on Sapphire as promised:
 
The day I sent FML posting, I was very desperate beyond comprehnesion.
My two best ferret expert vets were out of town at the time when this
crisis happened and there isn't many other vet doctors with ferret
medicine knowledge as much as those two do.  The alternative doctors in
their 30+ years of profession said they never saw such severity like
Sapphire's infection.  The vet assistant understandably had to leave the
room because it looked so bad once I removed the leg's protective
dressing.  The infection quickly reached the bone mass, nerves, and
muscles in view within 72 hours.  They simply said, "Put her to sleep"
despite of how active and playful Sapphire was.  They said they don't
want to deal with such severity of a case and find resolutions to save
her.  That's when I fell apart.
 
With so many informations and referrals from all of you, I went through
every one of them and talked to so many people.  I arranged to travel to
two states to meet with the referred vet doctors that wants to work with
Sapphire with everything they get.  I also arranged to meet with two vet
clinics in Minnesota - Stillwater and Princeton towns on a Monday after I
get back.  As I packed everything to leave Minnesota in the morning, we
got hit very hard with Blizzard that night in this south part of this tiny
town (doesn't plow until 24-30hours later) that I live in temporarily.
I couldn't believe the worst timing because Sapphire was reaching the
critical point of survival.  I went back to FML responses and was back
on phones within minutes.  Talked for hours long distance with many vets.
I was supposed to drive out to meet with this vet doctor, Dr. Crowe, in
Nevada.  He is a critical care surgeon and he doesn't work with very many
ferrets in this kind of case, but he has enormous knowledge of the support
care, treatments and everything else in severe and critical cases like
Sapphire.  I explained about the blizzard situation.  We talked for a long
time on the phone.  He has confidence in what will work best for Sapphire.
I mentioned about HBO - hyperbaric oxygen therapy.  HBO chamber treats
gangrene and many necrotizing infections, even the advanced stages.  I
learned about it from a ferret owner who is certified in operating them.
 
Since I was stuck here, Dr. Crowe came up with this idea that I should
apply this ingredient that may work just as well as HBO.  Guess what it
is?  HONEY!  My eyebrows raised skeptically, but I instinctively trusted
him.  He suggested to pick up unpasterizing (sp?) honey to apply to the
legs to help de-breed the infection.  He gave me a lot of instructions and
informations in how to work those things and support care.  I used ATV
(terrian 4-wheelie) in snowstorm to pick this honey ingredient from the
grocery manager I called that day.  Brought enough to last for 10 years.
We started this treatment on Sapphire immediately.  We couldn't believe
the astounding results it shows within the first 48 hours - the rapid
progressive infection finally stopped and Sapphire started a long road of
healing.  It's been a couple weeks now and our jaws are still on the floor
about the incredible healing power it has done on Sapphire.  She's doing
great today.  Her belly is round and chubby, her energy is at the spitfire
level, eating and drinking twicefold, and shaking the cage door, demanding
to be out to play often.  She's back in her colorful wheelie, darting in
and out with Hope, her friend.  When she's tired from running, she would
come to me and plop her upper body on my foot or leg, saying, "I want to
get out of wheelie and grab a nap."  Sometimes she would say, "Give me a
break, I'm tired of this dressing changes - I want to play!" (grin)
 
We will never know how the infection started, but we learned a lot of
valuable information out of it.  I was told it may be an infection called
"flesh eating strep", but again, we don't know.  Sapphire is still in
supportive care treatment with a great deal of careful dressings and
applications to her legs, but she doesn't require so much of dressings as
she did in the beginning because of the healing part.  Her right leg is
almost all healed up.  Wow!  She may need a minor surgery to help remove
excessive scarring tissue on her left leg because it healed toward one
area where it should not, but it's something simple that we don't worry
about right now, the vet said.  The priority is that she heals fully and
be healthy before we take the final step in correcting one tiny scarring
area then she's back on track.  She is not out of the woods yet until she
heals fully.  I'm cautious.  She doesn't need amputation after all.  Yah!
I admire Sapphire's resilience in the entire treatment.
 
Right now, she is doing great all thanks to all of you!
 
April, Deb and the wardancers
MN Wardancers Ranch and Rescue
[Posted in FML issue 3748]