Bugaboo goes back in for a more agressive tissue and muscle removal surgery. Dr. Boltz takes muscle down to the "first plane". Tissue is sent in for biopsy. Referral is made to Dr. Fineman for radiation treatments. She came home a little more out of it but alert and her incision is a little longer and has more sutures now. She was prescribed more Buprenex 0.1ml 2-3 times a day for pain as needed and Baytril suspension .8ml one a day as an anitbiotic precautionary since she'd been opened twice in a week.
The doctor called me back this morning and Boo goes in for another surgery this afternoon. She said that she believes she removed all of the tumor but she had less than 1 mm margins and she'd like to redo it and get clearer margins including potentially some of the muscle mass. From what I've been reading ~5 mm margins are prefered. She said she feels optimistic that she got all of it and this will do the trick. They will biopsy the new tissue and refer me to an Oncologist but if the biopsy goes well she might not need radiation treatments. She said that chances of metastasis are low, but regrowth of the tumor is more common and it will grow back more aggressively when it does. I asked her about survival rates and she said she really does feel optimistic about what we've done so far and that it won't impact her long-term. That was very reassuring to hear. This doctor has been pretty blunt about the cancer aspect of this the entire time which I suppose could freak some people out but it makes it a whole lot easier to believe her. Still no promises of course but I'll take what I can get. I of course started crying on the phone with the doctor but resisted all out sobbing. Apparently radiation treatment is not cheap and would involve 10-15 treatments on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The doctor mentioned that radiation treatments will turn her fur white in the area radiated, peculiar.
I think I may have my mother beat for most expensive cat here soon. One of her cat's had reconstructive knee surgery after she flung herself off the top of an upright piano.
----
I'm all dressed and ready to do battle with Bugaboo and her carrier. I have to fight off tears half the time because she's just so pitiful about disliking her carrier. *sigh* I need to buy some waterproof mascara at this rate. Her surgery is at 1pm and she should come home around 3pm again. If they take muscle she may be much more miserable than last time.
----
They called already to say Bugaboo is awake. They want to give her another half hour before I come get her. The doctor said she took the first plane of muscle. I'm not sure what that means but she said if this is a naturally occuring sarcoma that it's deep enough but if it's vaccine related that it'll come back anyway no matter how deep she goes. She said "your girl did great" and that she'll send home more kitty morphine and antibiotics just to be safe since Boo has been cut open twice this week. Boo will get the morphine more often than before. I'll need to figure out the schedule for that. Sounds like I may be taking "kitty breaks" around lunch time to administer drugs mid-day. They will biopsy and the next step will be to talk to the Oncologist about radiation therapy.
----
So Bugaboo is alert and was actually trying to snuggling my fingers through the carrier. She does look to be in a bit of discomfort at the very least. She's hunching down a little when she walks. She's happy to be home though. Now to call the Oncologoist.
----
Bugaboo seems to be doing okay. She is mad at me for forcing not only the pain meds but now an antibiotic down her. I've found a Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS) support group that is providing some insightful information including optimism for a longer remission. I left a message with the oncologist referral person and I should hear back about scheduling tomorrow. I don't know if I can still make my trip out of town Thursday morning (through Friday evening) like planned. Bugaboo gets meds three times a day and her incision area has bled a little. I'm not sure I can leave her. I guess we'll see how I feel tomorrow and what the oncologist has to say. Bugaboo did come out to visit with a friend a little bit during dinner and roled around in some cat nip. My heart aches to have her go through this.
