Message Number: SG5368 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "Patti Higgins"
Date: 2003-07-18 01:05:13 UTC
Subject: Butter
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <00f301c34cc8$a47fb970$6601a8c0@reina>

Butter went in for adrenal surgery on Monday the 14th. He had atypical hair
loss with loss on his shoulders and the bottom of his neck. The surgery
lasted 1:20 minutes and afterwards he did great. Around midnight he ate a
bowl of Marshall's moistened with warm water. At 2:00 am he ate a lot more.
At 4:00 am he ate more. I changed from being afraid we would have to force
feed him to wondering if it were possible to eat too much.

During the surgery the doctor removed the left adrenal gland, the enlarged
spleen which totally filled the abdominal cavity, and found nodules in the
pancreas, one of which she removed.

He did great until today. I was taking newspapers to the car to recycle and
there he was sprawled in the floor by the back door. He had thrown up,
wasn't moving and was very cool. If not for the surgery I might have
suspected insulmonia but instead I panicked, wrapped him in a towel and we
drove to the doctors'. Thank goodness for cell phones, I could call on the
way and say we were coming.

He is right now in an incubator, glucose being given, etc. Last report is
that Butter is OK for now. I saw the biopsy report while there but must have
left it behind. I'll get another copy when I go get him. The biopsy did say
the nodule was an insulinoma.

He has had symptoms of walking and his hind legs suddenly collapsing. But he
quickly recovered and kept walking like nothing happened.

I am sure the doctor will recommend surgery again. How long should there be
between surgeries? His sutures healed very quickly - will they cut through
the same place? It hurts just to think about it.

Patti Higgins

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