Lana,
Sorry about your baby. These are some amazing stories here. However, I don't have such a great story. My lil Chuey was just laid to rest on Monday night. He got pneumonia, was hospitalized and when he came out, he was never the same. He was first hospitalized on Christmas Day! He came home two days later and was stumbling every since. You can read my thread in Sick, Chueys back in the hospital to follow what happened and the details.
So on Monday, since Chu was just 5 months, an ultrasound was able to show the swelling in his brain. By this time he couldn't walk at all and could barely stand (maybe once a day). He was already peeing and pooping on himself. But we were with him at all times and using belly bands, thinking he would get better. The drs said his condition was congenital? and that maybe surgery could be performed, but that his condition would be very guarded and he may never be able to recover fully.
For us, quality of life was the most important factor. And with surgeries and medication and poking and proding we knew it wasn't going to be a good life for him. So we made the very tough decision to let him go and be in peace. We we put him to sleep (with another dr) she asked if he had been having seizures yet, and we said no he hadn't. She said that was one of the next steps of the disease.
Still, I want to believe there was more I could've done. Although we have a lot of medical bills to pay off, and I still don't know how I'm going to do it, I wonder what if's all night long. I wonder what if I would'nt have left him in the hospital that first time? What if we would've done the surgery? But those things would've been more for science than they would've been for Chuey.
Dr. Valentine, a holistic vet I took Chuey to just last week said this to me. That my decision was tough and courageous and it's what was best for Chuey. When we give our pets a good life here, and if they are ill let them go quickly without suffering or subjecting them to prolonged medical treatments that may not work, we are making it easier for their souls and spirits to come back. So in a sense we are making them stronger for their next life. This seems so wise to me and I understand it a little better. Don't get me wrong, the pain is unbearable and I haven't been back to work since, but like the saying goes, time heals all wounds and I believe the Lord is with me.
Sorry if I made you read to much but thought this info could help. Please feel free to PM me and if you need to talk I can do this too. Best of luck to you and I will be saying a prayer for you and your baby!!
Raquel----
www.chubaca-chuey-gomez.critters.com, chuey's memorial page