5
out of 5
POSTED: | BY: Gena Woodward
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Was Such A Blessing
In January of 2012 my black lab, Lucy, was diagnosed with adrenal cancer (and Cushing's Disease). Her cancer was inoperable because it had also "severely invaded" her vena cava (vein to the heart). However, the University of Missouri Veterinary Teaching Hospital decided to take her as a patient in their oncology department. Lucy was scheduled to receive radiation treatment at the hospital M-F for four weeks (the entire month of March), and would spend the weekends with me at home. She was a trooper through it all - stoic, and such a sweetheart. However, on Tuesday, March 26th she took an unexpected turn for the worse. As best the doctors can tell, Lucy developed a tumor clot that traveled through her heart into her lungs (which then produced fluid in her lungs resulting in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, ARDS). Because of their quick care, they immediately took her into ICU and stabilized her so she was not struggling to breathe for long. However, within a few hours of my arrival she began to get worse. I had to put her down at 1:30am Wednesday morning; it was the hardest thing I've ever done. Her radiation was going well and she was due to come home two days later (on Good Friday), so this was an extremely unfortunate turn of events. Since her passing, every day has been a struggle. I miss my best friend so much I hurt, continuously. The twelve years seemed to fly by in a minute; what I would give for more time.
Though my greatest pleasure would come from seein