Emma's Fight for Life

I wish I had something more cheerful to blog about, but the biggest, all-encompassing event in our lives right now is our sweet pup, Emma. On December 23rd, Emma was suddenly stricken with a seriously life-threatening disease called AIHA, Auto Immune Hemolytic Anemia. Emma went to bed the night before, not wanting her treat from her pre-bedtime potty break (HIGHLY unusual), and woke up not even able to get herself downstairs. My dad and I rushed her to the vet early that a.m. She was lethargic and not eating, two things a healthy Emma NEVER is. We were told later that afternoon, when Eric picked her up, about what they thought it was, AIHA. We were to bring her back the next morning for a follow-up blood check. AIHA is when one's immune system suddenly turns on itself, lysing its own red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body. It can be the primary disease, or a secondary disease triggered from things like allergies, medicines, vaccines, cancers, etc. A normal PCV range (a measure of red blood cells) for a dog her size is 35-55. At the vet's, she was 10.6 then 9.3 the next morning. The doctor couldn't even believe she was able to wag her tail like she (Sort of) did, let alone be breathing. This disease is treated with prednisone and other immunosuppressents to try and get her immune system to back off the lysing of the RBC's. Unfortunately, the drugs take time, several days to work, and time is not on our side. So here it is Christmas Eve, we're in the vet's office and we are just realizing the full extent of how serious and life-threatening this is. The vet thought she would need a blood transfusion to survive, so we took her to Georgia Veterinary Specialists (GVS) to get the ball rolling. It was critical to get her RBC count up or she would be gone due to oxygen depletion/organ failure, etc. At GVS, they measured her PCV at 17, and we determined that the test was run differently at our vet's office, so she was probably never 10 or 9, but perhaps close. They still recommended the blood transfusion. The blood transfusion boosts her RBC's, only temporarily until her body lyses them and they no longer carry O2. The transfusion acts as a bandaid to keep her alive, long enough for the meds to kick in. She had her first transfusion Christmas Eve and did well for the next two days. We were even thinking she might come home to be monitored from home. Unfortunately, yesterday her PCV went from 25 to 16 and 18 (they measured it twice). Her respiration rate increased rapidly and they recommended yet another transfusion. So for now she has another bandaid, another dog's blood, to keep her alive until her meds HOPEFULLY kick in. If her immune system doesn't back off from the drugs, her fight will be over. We should know in the next 24-48 hours whether she can hold her PCV on her own. If she DOES survive, then it will be a long, long haul to monitor her condition. Trips to the vet every 2 days at first to test her PCV to make sure she's not crashing, etc. Then every week for a while, then every three weeks, etc. If she can hold steady and increase her PCV, she will be weaned off drugs hopefully completely. We only decided to fight this fight, because if she does make it through this initial crisis, there is a chance that she can get back to a normal, healthy life. So that is why we've chosen to fight with her. To get our Emma back to live out the rest of her well-deserved years with her family.

So... Emma is 8 years old. She has been the most amazing dog we could have ever dreamed up. She's our first baby. We've had so many good times with her it's ridiculous. Backpacking, hiking, swimming, camping trips, dog jogs, snow storms, trips to NY, lake trips, unconditional love, chewing damage, safety pin incidents, and tons more unconditional love. The stories of love for that girl are endless. She has the sweetest demeanor. Anyone that has ever met her has commented on how sweet and gentle she is. Then two kids came along, and although attention from us to her was reduced (after all, she's no longer the "only child"), she gets it back twofold from Lauren and Ethan. We are not ready for her to go. SHE is not ready to go. She is fighting the best she can, and we KNOW she wants to be here with us. I love that girl with all my heart.

So how are we holding up? Well... this is tough. Really tough. It's basically a waiting game with serious ups and downs. Very little ups, lots of downs. There's a good chance things won't work out in favor of Emma being here on Earth.. I'm feeling like my heart might burst. I spend the time here at home constantly fighting back tears, which is becoming physically painful. Everywhere we turn, everything we do, there's a Emma trigger, a memory, a split second where I think she's here like always. A piece of food drops on the floor, I see her favorite spots to lay down, her dog hair, her bowls, the woods out back, everywhere I look I feel her, and then it feels so empty. I am not really sure how to deal with these feelings. Eric has these moments too, and we call them PBM's. Poo Bear Moments. I realize that if you don't have a dog, there's no way you could understand the depth of love you can have for an animal, so perhaps you think this is crazy! But I can assure you it is very real.

I guess I am done for now. If you wouldn't mind, think about our sweet girl for a moment and send her some strength, some love, some prayers, some vibes, some something. I will post some updates on her condition. We go see here every night at visiting hours, and I call to check on her several times per day. Until then...