My Fire Hydrant

Today, my sweet little girl had surgery to remove her left anal gland and 2 sub lumbar lymph nodes. Dr. Schertel just called to say the surgery is complete and she’s doing well. I’m to call tomorrow to see what time I can pick her up.

I was not totally thrilled with my first visit to Med Vet–but maybe I’m also looking at it through the lens of my grief and anger. This second visit has been a little less frustrating. Dr. Schertel–Bailey’s surgeon–is very nice, very informative.

We took Bailey to Columbus yesterday for a consult with the surgeon–though we were pretty certain that we would be leaving her for surgery today. After a 45 minute wait (I’m beginning to think this is normal for Med Vet–you schedule an appointment but end up waiting 45 minutes anyway) they took us into the exam room where we waited another 30 minutes.

Once we got into the exam room Bailey started trembling. I wrapped her in her blanket and I think the warmth calmed her down. We waited. A vet tech came in, talked to us, then left. We waited. Then another vet tech came in and asked if we wanted x-rays to check that her chest had not been compromised. So she took Bailey for x-rays and we waited some more. Then the Dr. Schertel came in–and left almost immediately afterward to do an anal exam of Bailey. We waited. When he came back we talked through how he would do the surgery. He was very patient with me–answered all my questions (I got a much better feeling from him then I did from the internal medicine guy who seemed like he was always watching the clock–maybe he charges by the hour).

I got through almost the entire thing without crying–but then I broke down at the end. And I really felt crappy because when the vet tech took Bailey to be x-rayed I didn’t realize that Bailey would be staying on the other side of The Door (there are 2 doors into the exam room–the one that the client uses from the waiting room, and The One that the staff uses. This 2nd, mysterious and terrible Door, goes into what looks like a back hallway–maybe a parallel universe. It’s The Door through which issues all hope and all despair. It’s The Door to wellness or the rainbow bridge. I don’t like this door).

So there I was, in tears, and unwilling to upset my little dog by bringing her back into the exam room, so we left Columbus without saying bye-bye to the puppy.

Last night and this morning have been a little surreal. I keep hearing Bailey getting into mischief–but she’s not there, she’s in Columbus. Dr. Schertel said I can call later today and ask how Bailey is doing. And then call tomorrow to get her release time.

She’s gonna be wearing an e-collar for the next 2 weeks which isn’t gonna make her very happy.