Stress makes us stronger...or so they say

I have been meaning to post another update because so much has happened over these last 7 months but somehow I never found the time or just thought whatever was going on wasn't exciting enough to talk about.  Maybe my normal suburban life isn't all that crazy or exciting but I am going to make more of an effort to blog about it.

It's crazy that my last post was about the 2 year anniversary of adopting our sweet girl Kinny back in March.  She's still the best part of my life besides D and honestly she's the one who keeps me going when all I want to do is give up.

We had quite a bit of stress we've been dealing with over the last couple days with Kinny.  What should have been a routine checkup at the Vet has turned into one of my worst nightmares and I'm hoping that my faith and constant prayer will help mend her.
On Saturday, we took Kinny in for a checkup and teeth cleaning.  Thankfully we have Banfield's Wellness Plan that allows for us to take her in twice a year for a comprehensive exam and medical tests.  This was her normal checkup and really we weren't worried about anything taking her in.  She's still her same sweet, cuddly and bubbly self.

Kinny hitting the weights.

The doctor at Banfield ran all of her tests and noticed that her Potassium was in a dangerous level.  She also noticed that the tumor on her right arm, which was previously benign, had grown in size.  We have the tumor checked on every visit and in the past it was even biopsied to make sure that it was not cancerous.  We were told that it was just fatty tissue and over the years we've accepted that because it hasn't caused her any problems.  To be honest, I'm not sure if it is causing her problems right now or if she's just that strong of a girl that she's pushing through any pain and discomfort. Knowing my feisty girl, she probably just figures she's not going to let it slow her down.

In any case, we had additional tests and x-rays completed just to make sure nothing was life threatening.  The results have been terrifying.  After a biopsy and x-ray, our Vet showed us the results. The reason why Kinny's Potassium is high is due to the tumor. They believe she has Tumor Lysis Syndrome.  Kinny's tumor, if left untreated will eat away at the bones in her arm, causing her to become paralyzed.  There is not a prescription that will treat this and the only treatment available is amputation.  It has hit both D and I hard!

Our Vet also encouraged that we visit an emergency vet clinic last night to have her Potassium levels checked again.  Thankfully, her Potassium levels were back to normal but they are still fearful that left untreated her life with be shortened.
So we're proceeding with the recommendation from our Vet and we've got a consultation tomorrow morning with the surgeon at the specialty clinic.

I've been beating myself up over the past day and a half wondering what I could have done differently so that my sweet girl wouldn't have to go through this.  I feel like I've failed as Kinny's protector and mom.  My only hope is that once the surgery is complete, she is back to 100%.  I know there are a lot of animals that survive with only 3 legs and that many cats thrive after facing this sort of health issue.  My girl is definitely a fighter and I will always try to be the best protector and mom I can be to her because she's my companion and #1 fan.

Please keep my Kinny girl in your thoughts and prayers.