I meant "mentions reticulocytes"...sorry. :) Wendy
--- wendy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Caroline, > > I'm sorry that Monkee's HCT count is not too good. > I > cried when I read your account of going to Dr. > Maier's > office. It felt like a rainbow bursting through the > clouds. I loved the story about Monkee trying to > get > at those cats. He sounds like a hoot. > > If Monkee isn't making any RBC's, which means he > doesn't have any reticulocytes, then it's called > nonregenerative anemia, and it is not a good anemia > to > have. It means the leukemia is probably active in > the > bone marrow, which is, as far as I know, > irreversable. > I wish I could tell you differently. Here is a > good > website to read up on types of anemia. > > http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/10200.htm > > Here is another link: > > http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/clerk/tolbert/index.php > > I think you are right not to put kitty through chemo > again. The anemia is enough to deal with. I am so > sorry your beautiful, healthy kitty is going through > this. I truly am. Fighting anemia is like fighting > a > ghost. You just don't know when it's really time to > let go until sometimes it's too late. Even with the > lowered HCT, some kitties have a good quality of > life. > And no one wants to let their kitty go before their > time, even if they aren't feeling 100%. I lost my > Cricket to the same thing. His was regenerative > anemia, but we could not reverse it in time. > > If you do go with the blood transfusion, you will > see > a different cat, even for just a few days. He will > feel so much better. But your vet is right in > telling > you it's temporary; she is doing the right thing in > being honest. Even though there are many good vets, > there are those out there that will not give you the > full scoop because of greed or ignorance or > whatever, > and give false hope. Your vet seems to be a good > one. > > It will be a good time to spend a lot of quality > time > together, feed Monkee a lot of whatever he loves, > let > him enjoy the outdoors and sun if that's what he > likes, takes pictures and video (After I lost > Cricket, > his photos helped a lot), and prepare for good-bye. > I > hate telling you this because I never want to give > up > hope. I'm as tenacious as they come. But if your > vet > did test for reticulocytes and there are none, then > there are studies to prove the graveness of the > situation. And I want you to be able to make the > most > of it instead of looking back and wishing you'd done > this or that. The only real hope is if the vet > missed > the reticulocytes and the anemia is actually > regenerative; then the Epogen is important is > helping > to stimulate need RBC's. I pray this is the case > for > Monkee. Make sure your vet tested for these; I'm > sure > she did if she's saying Monkee is not making any > RBC's. You can ask how she came to that conclusion > and see if she mentions RBC's. > > Prayers going out for reticulocytes and that Monkee > is > comfortable. Prayers also going out for peace for > you > and your mom. Please keep us posted on sweet > Monkee. > :) > Wendy > > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful > committed citizens can change the world - indeed it > is the only thing that ever has!" ~~~ Margaret > Meade ~~~ > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > The fish are biting. > Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search > Marketing. > http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/sponsoredsearch_v2.php > > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world - indeed it is the only thing that ever has!" ~~~ Margaret Meade ~~~ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC
