All Grace, My Amazing Grace

Gracie started her journey on Sunday January 26th. Her breathing was abnormal and I took her to the ER for treatment. They had to drain fluid out of her lungs to allow her to breath. The next day I picked her up from her overnight stay and took her straight to her regular Vet. She spent the day there and came home that night January 27th. Over the next few days she did well gaining back some of the 1.3 pounds she lost in a 24 hr period. She was not fond of taking her medications but there was no question that she was going to have to take them so she tolerated it very reluctantly. On Tuesday February 4th, things took a very sudden and dramatic turn for the worse. She had to have an ultrasound. That was my understanding, instead she had an echocardiogram, which the Specialty vet techs told me was an ultrasound of the heart. OK. We were there over 5 hours. I was given some grim news about Gracie, including the fact that she possibly had lymphoma. She had two lymph nodes that were causing her chest to fill with fluid. The Vet suggested we drain that fluid to make her feel better as it had collapsed one of her lobes. So that was done. By the time I got Gracie back home that night she had an episode and I seriously thought we were losing her, we rushed her back over to our regular Vet who had late hours on Tuesday. Now I believe it was the stress of the day at the Oncology Vet and everything Gracie had to endure that caused her to go into a tailspin. She has not recovered from that episode and each day has been one of a wild roller coaster ride. She was given an appetite stimulant that did stimulate her appetite but caused her to have some unpleasant side effects, it was just hard on her. If only I had had a crystal ball, I would never have done the ultrasound and just kept her going in the direction she was going in and remained comfortable, but I didn't and couldn't have known what would happen. Although, I am filled with dread about the Oncology Vet. I know too I cannot unchange what has happened, so I have to let it go. I was trying to do what was best for Gracie and actually get a diagnosis for what was ailing her. We still don't know for certain although the best summation is lymphoma. Today at 3pm Gracie is going for another xray and evaluation. I will not speculate. That is all I know. So I leave you with many of the photographs I have taken of her over the past few weeks. Including the ones I took this morning of her sitting with me while I had my coffee. Please know I only publish photos that show her in her best light. I know you cannot see what these past few weeks have done to her, and I think that is for the best. She is still a beautiful tabby girl and I always want her to remain that way.