hi everyone
i have been back in touch with Tufts and they have performed the lung x-ray,
and it revealed everything was normal except for what they determine to be a
very old problem called "Consolidated Lung".. this basically means that he
has an opaque section of lung which was most likely caused by some sort of
trauma years ago...
they also found that his sternum is at an "abnormal angle" and he has two
vertebrae which are in an "abnormal position to one another". she said this too
points to some sort of trauma to the area.
the thing that has me most upset about these findings [even though they have
little to do with what is causing his present problems] is that he was
declawed as a kitten, by his previous owner and it is doubtful that he was ever
an
outdoor cat, so it is unlikely that the trauma came from something like
being hit by a car when he was younger.
i can't help but wonder if poor Hobbes wasn't abused by his previous owner,
or her son.. i remember that the reason the owner gave for giving him up
[which was posted on his cage at the shelter] as "Owner's son is sick", and
that
never made sense as to why she couldn't keep her cats..
now that statement takes on a much more sinister term for me, and has had me
in tears all afternoon.
but aside from all that, the very worse news is that she is pretty sure he
has Eosinophilic Leukemia or Hypereosinophilic Syndrome, neither of which have
treatment or a cure.. i asked if there was another form of chemo he could
take to help him, but she said no.
they have taken him off Leukeran and Prednisone for the time being, which i
imagine will just hasten his decline.
i really wish he weren't in such a bad state and could at least get the MRI,
but as i understand it, that is not an option.
they are going to do a repeat Ultrasound tomorrow to see if they find any
evidence that there was ever lymphoma, but since he has been on the Leukeran
and
Prednisone for so long, she even doubts if they will be able to tell.
she said the diagnosis of EL and HS could only be arrived at by performing a
bone marrow biopsy, but if there is nothing they can do to help him, is this
even worth putting him through?
if there is no cure for what he has, then what hope does he have?
this is all so sad, and i am completely broken hearted!
please continue to pray for miracles, because every once in a while, i still
believe they happen.
karina and her precious Hobbes.
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