Another Gracie Doodle Update

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Hey, the discussions are falling off the front page too quickly.  Mine is already gone and therefore you wouldn't have seen the next chapter on Gracie Doodle!!  

We went and got our second opinion today and there is nothing new, different or much to report.  He said he would treat Gracie exactly the same way and it is the way this disease is treated.  What Gracie is experiencing is not that uncommon.   Though to those of us who live with her and love her, we think everything is extreme...the hair loss, loss of personality, bacterial skin infections.  To us that is horrible but to the vet it is something to be expected.  It turns out this auto immune disease is being seen more and more.  We also were told that the goal was to stabilize Gracie so that she could be without or on minimal prednisone the rest of her life and the muscle loss could be suppressed.  There is already muscle loss on the top of her head.  The Golden Retriever bump is very pronounced and he told me that it would never fill back out.  She is slowly loosing her poofer which normally would cover it but her hair is becoming pretty thin up there. He said that if we could successfully get Gracie to a very low dose of prednisone then her hair would grow back and her coat would be shinny and soft again.  Right now it is sort of dried out and rough feeling instead of the silky hair I am used to. He knows our vet because they used to work together and he was Gracie's puppy vet.  He said our vet was a very smart and great vet and to stick with him.  He said that we could try all the holistic stuff, neurologists and such but in reality it is what it is and there is nothing else medically that can be done or changed.

The final sad thing is that this may be the disease that finally takes her life but not any time soon.  Still she might have a shorter life than we have planned for her which has me in such a numbed state that I can't imagine it.  There, I have finally said it and now I am going to go hold her and cry .................

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Oh Nancie, this has me crying too!  But I'm glad you got the 2nd opinion. I wonder why they are seeing more of this? Vaccines, GMOs, lawn chemicals, flea treatments?? I wonder what?  Hoping she stabilizes very soon.  Gracie couldn't have a better mom.  Hugs to you and sweet Gracie.                                

[F, Calla & Luca]

Nancie it is sad but might and eventually are not certainties. She might live a normal life span but we all know even that is far too short for dogs. You are doing all that you can, you have a good vet and live every day. And there is always a chance new treatments may come along.

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Oh, this makes me feel so sad and yet I know it is only a fraction of what you are feeling. :( I'm so sorry but I'm going to continue to hope that there might be improvement and that Gracie is going to continue to have a long, wonderful life.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

F's right.  You just can't jump to a worst case scenario.  Live every day and do all you can -just like you're doing.  I hope Gracie has a long and increasingly wonderful life ahead of her.

[Christine & Camus]

Nancie, I am so sorry that you did not get better news.  And I agree with F, too. Try to keep your spirits up; I know it is hard but it will help Gracie too.  Have you heard anything further about your vet contacting the doctor at UCSD?

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I am glad you got a second opinion, now you can go forward with confidence.  Take it a day at a time and look forward to when Gracie returns to herself.  These autoimmune things are the pits, but once you get it under control, life gets much better.  Thinking of you both. Believe.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Awe Nancie, I couldn't help but hold my doodles and have a little cry myself. I'm sorry that poor Gracie doodle is suffering and you too, but I agree with the others. Let's focus on the here and now and keeping Gracie as happy as possible for what may very well be a long and full life. We love you Gracie-Doodle-Doo! hugs and doodle kisses to you all.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Nancie, I am so sorry you did not get better news, but now you know, and can move forward in getting Gracie better. I hope she stabilizes soon on the medication.  I have no idea what to say to make this better other than Gracie is lucky to have you and as long as she is here for you to hug and love, there is hope. Gracie may just surprise you!  Until then, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and am sending hugs your way.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Doctors allways give a worse case scenario. My hope (and it's a realistic  one) is that Gracie will stabilize soon and that she will go on to have lots more happy years ahead.  Try to stay in the moment and take one day at a time, Gracie couln't be more loved so we are sending lots of Doodle and human hugs right now to you both.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I like to think that doctors try to give you the whole oicture some of which includes the worst case.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

At least now you know that you have received the best medical advice and you can have confidence in Gracie's treatment.  I know how sad you must be feeling just thinking that your girl may have a shorter life, but then again we just never know with any of our dogs...it's out of our hands.  We're lucky to be able to have them in our lives, and I think our time with them will always seem too short.  I'm keeping you and Gracie in my prayers and hoping like crazy that the treatment will get this under control and she'll be able to cut back on the prednisone.  Hugs to you and Gracie Doodle.

[Carol and Banjo]

Nancie....I'm crying with you.    I'm so sorry you and your DH are having to go through this with your beloved Gracie.   To have a healthy, vibrant dog suddenly become so ill is devastating.   I've been thinking of you daily and sending prayers.   We just have to believe that she'll turn a corner soon and get back to herself.   ((((HUGS))))))