Baby
Satchmo's Heart
MEDICAL
EMERGENCY September 9, 2002
Satchmo was
rescued yesterday from a puppy mill auction.
Satchmo is
16 weeks old today. He has a heart murmur and sounds as if he is already
"wet"...(congestion on the lungs) He is still and does not move. I am worried.
Please pray.
We have an
emergency appointment for him tomorrow morning at 11:00 A.M. at Texas A&M
University Vet School We have successfully done this procedure 11 times
before.
Small Paws® Rescue: The Heart Murmur Reunion
Page
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation for
Satchmo's heart surgery you may do it here. Please pray. I am worried for this
one.
Update September 10, 2002 4:30
P.M.
A kind stranger at the Dallas airport holds Satchmo for you
to see. This is another one of those that I felt I had to keep checking to see
if he was still with me. (Satchmo...not the stranger.) The eyes tell the
story. He does not feel one bit
good and is very lethargic.
Satchmo barely had his eyes open most of the trip down. He
only wanted to sleep.
We
made it to Texas A&M with one live puppy. 4th year vet student, Emily, takes
a history on baby Satchmo. Cardiologist Dr. Matt Miller will be the one in
charge on this one.
I
feel relieved when I walk through those sliding doors of the Small Animal Clinic
and hand these babies off to someone who knows what they are doing. At that time
I feel like I have done all I can do. It is up to them...and God what happens
now. More news as it becomes available.
5:15
P.M.
I
just got the call from the vet school! It IS a PDA and they ARE going to try to
coil him tomorrow at 2:00 P.M.! The coil technique is a much less invasive
procedure. If he is too small to coil (If they successfully do it, he will be
the smallest coil recipient ever at Texas A&M!)...they will take him through
the double doors to surgery for the crack the chest open procedure. Please pray
for this baby...he just worries me. More later as it becomes
available.
UPDATE!!!! 9/11/02 5:20
P.M.
They
coiled Satchmo and he made it!!!! He is in ICU recouping now! Pics and more to
follow later tonight!! Thank you GOD! He made it!!! They made history today,
coiling the first THREE pounder ever!!
Update 9/11/02/10:00
P.M.
Cardiologist, Dr. Matt Miller, the doctor who perfected
this technique at Texas A&M, performs the smallest coiling ever at Texas
A&M on THREE pounder, our baby Satchmo!
After
surgery, Satchmo is warmed with something called a Bair Hugger. It is a warmer
blanket with hot air blowing off of it.
In ICU
afterwards...
I hope if I
ever have anything wrong with me. that I would get 1/2 the care that these
doctors, vet techs and students give to our heart murmur babies. You would just
have to see it to believe it how impressive it all is. They treat them like the
precious little souls they are...and we are ever so
grateful!
I may take
Satchmo home tomorrow! More later as we know it!
Update September 12, 2002 6:00
P.M.
I had hoped ot go home today! I'm flying "stand-by" and all
flights back to Tulsa were
booked today so I will go home in the
morning.
Satchmo was
released from the vet school this morning...and the only prolem is...his
energizer battery is turned up to 100 now that he feels good! Here he isssss! He
thanks you for ALL fixing his heart!
"Hab you
seen my toy?"
"That's it...gib it to
me..."
"It's MY
toy....
and it needs
KILLIN'!"
We head for home tomorrow
morning!