Enucleation

A few weeks ago we noticed that Marley's eye was bulging; it wasn't enormous, but noticeable. So, on the 9th we took her to the vet and they noted that she had Primary Glaucoma in her left eye and referred us to a Veterinary Ophthalmologist.

On Good Friday we were told that her left eye was a blind eye and it was time to make her comfortable. The options were constant medication to keep the pressure behind the eye down, enucleation or a prosthetic eye. The first was not really an option for us, as it doesn't guarantee her comfort and they use human Glaucoma medicine which would be very costly. The prosthetic seemed daunting to us, a task too big to undertake. Marley would have kept the outer portion of her eye, and a black marble would be placed behind the outer layer to look as if she still had her eye. The daunting part was the daily care of the eye. We would need to be diligent about putting eye drops in her eye to keep it moist and clean. This seemed like a lot of work for a purely cosmetic option, so we opted for the enucleation.

This is one of the hardest decisions I have made as an adult. Not only did we have to decide what to do we also had to decide where to do it; the ophthalmologist or the vet. After checking a few other health issues (last dental cleaning, the cause of a small lump on her chest) we opted for the Ophthalmologist. We had the option of the specialist, it seemed best to use it.

Last Thursday I scheduled the appointment. On Friday, I took Marley into our vet to have her surgical blood work done and had to see a different vet in the practice. He did not make a good impression on me. After seeming irritated that he was doing blood work for a surgery he wasn't performing, he had the audacity to call me back and give me a spiel about how Marley has bad teeth. According to him, she really needed another cleaning (even though it had only been 8 months and his partner told us just the week before that her teeth could use a cleaning, but it could wait) and he told me he thinks she has a cracked tooth that will need to be surgically extracted (he wouldn't be sure until she was under anesthesia), so as a consumer it would be in my best interest to have all the procedures done all at once, by him. I felt swindled. I don't know if she has a cracked tooth or not, but if she does, he will not be doing the extraction. It felt slimy and dirty... I am not sure I will be going back to that practice at all.

Sorry... Rant Over!

So, this morning, I took Marley into the ophthalmologist at 8:00 and dropped her off for her surgery. I was totally prepared... so I thought. They went over the standard information about how Marley will be going under anesthesia and, although unlikely, anything could happen. I was prepared for this... I know the anesthesia spiel. Then they pulled out a DNR! I was not prepared for that. I had to check a box that said that I would like them to perform life saving procedures on my Marley... I lost it. I tried so hard to be strong, but I crumbled under the vision of my little girl laying on the operating table wired to all of these machines getting chest compressions... the reality that it could happen broke my heart.

Luckily, nothing bad happened. The surgery was a huge success and she is doing very well. She is groggy and her eye is terribly swollen, but that is all temporary. Within two weeks she will be comfortable and happy (hopefully). The kids were a little freaked out when they first saw her, but they are adjusting. Eli still won't pet her, but Bel and Emmy have both stepped up and given her some much needed loving. I am sure Eli will step up as soon as the swelling goes down, which will hopefully be within the next 24 hours.

We love you, Marley and can't wait for you to be back to your old self (well, minus your left eye)!!!