Prayers for Phoebe

We've been kind of preoccupied around here this week with an unexpected bump in the road for our precious Phoebe.  I wrote earlier last year about her trials and tribulations with going from being a Cushing's patient to being an addison's patient, and the numerous trips to the Vet with everything from skin issues, an eye abrasion and addison's crisis. 

 We've gone down and back up again with her weight, and her skin issues which were doing better for a while seem to be returning.  We go once every 25 days for a shot that keeps her "up", and every other day or so, she gets some steroids.  Whatever it takes to keep our girl going!  Very recently, there have been a few changes that just haven't been right.

 Wednesday, during her exam, our vet felt a mass in Phoebe's abdomen.  He took x-rays, ultrasound, and attempted a fine needle biopsy.  She had a very difficult time coming off the sedative and ended up back at the vet yesterday to get rehydrated with fluids.  Last night when she came home, she was looking and acting much better, but she's not quite herself.

 This morning, we went and met with the surgeon. A Board Certified Veterinary General Surgeon - If it sounds expensive, yep, you got that right...  Right now, he's thinking it's an adrenal tumor. Could be cancer, could be benign.  It may be able to be removed, but we really don't know. There's really no way to tell until he goes in and sees what's really happening.

 As you can imagine, we are beside ourselves with worry and anxiety.  Do we do the surgery, do we not?  If it's the worst case scenario, I don't want to put her through a surgery and cause unnecessary suffering, I'd rather enjoy our time with her while she's here.  If it's just a benign mass, and we leave it, I feel like we are giving up hope on our precious girl.  It's been agonizing trying to make decisions on what is best for her.

We've been praying about it, crying over it for the last three days and asking God to guide us on what to do.

 Phoebe is almost nine.  She is the bossy boots in this family.  She tells us what to do and when to do it - she rules this roost.  Of course, the selfish side of me wants her to be with us for many years to come! I love this girl - so much - I almost can't stand it.  The shih-tzu on the right - yeah - he's okay too... ;)

 So, we're going ahead with the surgery to see what is happening and try to get our girl feeling better.  I hope and pray this is the right decision.

If you are so inclined, any prayers, positive thoughts, energy, *anything* positive for our girl would be greatly appreciated. We decided to do the surgery on Monday so she wouldn't have to stay at the vet all weekend recovering alone.  She'll have her surgery and spend hopefully only one night surrounded by vet tech's and a vet at the 24 hour emergency clinic, then hopefully come home to us where we can baby her.