Melissa (Corrie and Byron's daughter)

[Godmother]

I'm away for a few days with my sister. I'd left all the meds mixed up and labelled and my husband agreed to take care of everyone. We didn't bargain on Melissa having a sudden worsening of her condition. She started having noisy laboured breathing last night.

MY husband got a crash course on how to measure and disguise meds and how to keep her eating, but she was still not doing well. He called the on-call service but the vet on call doesn't know much about rats.

Luckily Linda came to the rescue. She is very experienced with nursing sick ratties, so she went over to help out. She is skilled at giving fluids with a syringe, so she's got Melissa and a buddy with her for a while. Melissa is now getting pred in addition to her usual CHF meds, as well as extra lasix.

Last I heard, Melissa is improving. It is such a relief. With the flood possibly blocking the major route home, I wasn't sure whether I'd even be able to get home. For several hours today I was in an area with no cell phone reception. Maybe now I can hold off.

Thank you, Linda!!! I owe you some rat-sitting duty for sure!

 

[lilspaz68]

OH how scary for you!!! anic: Feeling all helpless and too far away to get home in time!

Your husband is wonderful for trying soo hard, and Linda...she's amazing to come galloping to the rescue!!!! Rat people are the best!!! :thumbup:

I hope Melissa feels better soon. When are you supposed to be home?

 

[jorats]

Your hubby is a saint and so is Linda!!! How wonderful of her to come to the rescue like that!!! :bow:

 

[Dahlas]

I hope Melissa will be all right....Thank goodness for great hubby's and great friends

 

[mamarat]

Hope Melissa feels better soon. How fortunate to have a great husband and a helpful friend.

 

[Moon]

What a scary thing for you to be away from! How wonderful that everyone was able to come together.

 

[Godmother]

Yes, I can't believe how lucky I am. I adore Melissa, and she seemed fine when I left. Poor husband, having to cope with an emergency. He spent all day Saturday tending to the ratties, and he would have felt awful if Melissa had died. Without Linda's help he might have felt there was no other choice than to have her pts (that's what the on-call vet had said).

So Melissa is still holding her own. Linda is keeping her another night. I get home tomorrow evening, so will get her a vet appt asap. Looks like it's time to increase all her heart meds and to add the ones she hasn't been getting. She had done so well between New Years and now. My dear Corrie daughters are probably all living on borrowed time, Melissa especially.

So Linda is our heroine! It's not like she has any spare time on her hands, either.... swamped at work, even on weekends.