About a week after the high of my Jasmine Star shindig, we received the results from She-Ra's biopsies. It was what the docs had feared, a nasty fungus had started trying to kill my girl. We had no idea how widespread it was, how far advanced it was, if it was in her organs, or just in the two legs that had swollen up. As my new derm doc best friend, Dr. O'Neill of Nashville Vet Specialists, told me: it doesn't matter how far the fungus has moved in, the treatment will be the same.
The Treatment:
We are replicating a treatment plan of the only known success story of a dog surviving this combination of afflictions - a whippit in Australia in 2006. The NORMAL course of action is amputation/excision of the affected area. That is not possible in She-Ra's case because it's in two legs (that we know of), and because her immune system disorder has affected her clotting, she wouldn't survive surgery anyway. So for us, we place a drug in fluids under her skin, and the medication is slowly absorbed into her system. We do this twice a week - thank our Heavenly Father that I work in Nashville and that NVS lets me drop her off early in the morning so I can continue working my normal schedule! The staff continue to amaze me in their generosity and affection toward She-Ra.
After 8 anti-fungal treatments, She-Ra received the go-ahead from the internist to start weaning off her final immune-suppressing drug (woohoo!). We are hoping that with a full-strength immune system, she and the anti-fungal drug will start kicking some serious fungus tail. The last two visits have been encouraging - it looks like we don't have any new lesions, which is very exciting!
I've been debating about addressing the question I am asked the most...isn't that EXPENSIVE?
Um. Yes.
But I am what you might call....determined. She has a chance to survive. Dr. O'Neill is determined to have her survive. Boyfriend and I are resolute that she will survive. My 6 year old nephew speaks daily with God about helping her survive. So as I told Boyfriend, I will find a way to make this happen.
And God has provided.
I have had more opportunities to take pictures and make extra money in varying ways than I ever have before.
BUT, it's truly not about the money. I don't add up the current costs in my head, I don't count how much it will cost in the future. We all have our own battles that we have to decide to fight. Right now, this is mine. It's about triumph. Miracles. Faith. It's about fighting the odds and not backing down when things get tough. The chances of her survival were 50/50 with just the one immune disorder. Even slimmer when the fungal infection moved in. But even with those slim chances, A CHANCE DOES EXIST. How could I not take every advantage to be the one in a million long shot hail Mary that makes everyone wonder how in the world we did it?!?! To stare challenges in the face and declare that WE will win?! I'm a fighter. I'm not a quitter, or a fair-weather fan. I like long shots, because I like coming out on the other side tougher and having done something few others have done. These two freak and rare diseases trying to take my girl down don't stand a chance.
It's not about the money. It's about not giving up.
Don't give up.
