Be Gone My Lumpy Friends - Mina's Surgery

Poor Mina! I took her to the vet today to have five lumps removed. This is a pic of the sad Mina and one of her suture sites. She is not happy. And right now, she is in pain and it is breaking my heart. Her food is being cooked up and I'll give her her evening pain meds and maybe that will help.

The vet was a little concerned, but tried hard to temper that with a "let's just wait and see". One of the lumps was far deeper than she would have liked to see and it was highly vascular. The other lumps, she was less concerned about.

I explained to the vet that Mina does awful in those metal cages and often self-mutilates. So I got to be there after her tube was removed. It was a rather surreal experience, more so for Mina.

I can remember getting my wisdom teeth removed and having to be anesthetized. I got to 7 from 10 before and when I woke up, it wasn't a very strange experience. It was like coming out of a deep sleep. But this is different. The quick-acting anesthesia means dogs wake up faster, so I think it can be more of a jarring experience. She was especially sound-sensitive, but that was partially helpful - every time she heard my voice, she looked for me and leaned into me.

She also tried to kiss me. A lot. It was hard for her, because her mouth was so dry. So it was really sandpaper kisses. Still, pretty darn precious.

I won't know the results for another five days. I hate that part the most.

But all in all, Mina is doing great and I'm hoping with my  hyper-vigilance, she won't have to wear the cone of shame! You may of course feel extra sorry for her ,preferably via cookies sent through the mail. :)

Now behind the cut is me whining a little. You've been warned

The entire procedure cost a $1,000. I cried a little, because oh my gosh, I am so not monetarily wealthy. I am wealthy in many other ways, and I really would not trade in my job - which is an integral part of my life - for a large sum of money. I feel what I do is important and powerful and empowering. It has so much meaning to me and it means something to other living beings. And I know the non profit I work for would pay all of us staff members a lot more if it could.

It cannot, and so while there was zero hesitation in accepting that bill and paying it with my credit card, I feel like a small failure knowing that I won't be paying off my credit card bill this month. Or probably next. I've always been good about spending as much as I have, but that just was not possible this time.

Thus endeth the whine!