The last post was difficult to digest and I needed time to figure everything out. Two surgeries, two ER visits, two hospital stays, and the first round of chemotherapy… all in one month. I was overwhelmed and under slept to say the least, and I’m happy to report that Munch is doing really well despite her circumstances.
Picking up where I left off… Munch was discharged from the hospital on 1/17/17 with a brand new Fentanyl patch that was placed next to her amputation site. The pain patch in combination with the medication, Gabapentin (used for nerve pain) put Munch back on the road to recovery. During her first few days home, Munch was still anxious at times and was given Trazodone to manage her anxiety. I removed the Fentanyl patch on 1/22/17 and continued giving her 50mg of Gabapentin, 0.6mL (this is based on body weight).
1/24/17 was suture removal day! Munch’s surgical site healed beautifully and she no longer needed activity restrictions. The surgeon was very happy with her mobility and we agreed that Gabapentin was doing the trick for pain relief. We agreed to continue using it and taper off as the weeks progressed. Her medication schedule was as follows:
1/17/17-1/31/17 (first two weeks) Gabapentin every 8 hours
2/1/17-2/15/17 (next two weeks) Gabapentin every 10 hours
2/16/17-currently Gabapentin every 12 hours
*It is very important to taper off of the medication since it can induce seizures if stopped abruptly.
Glad to hear Gaba did the trick. In my opinion it really should just be prescribed to all amputee animals. Unfortunately , most kitties do not get it! I do not think we are sent home with enough meds period! We are taking off a limb after all ! Makes me sick! I hope things change for all kitties and all animals.
We knew in advance and asked for the Gaba to be prescribed. Im sorry you guys had to go thru all that. I hope Much gets around ok with no nails in the back leg. Purrkins uses his back nails more since he lost his leg.
Hugs! Holly & Purrkins
You guys I have to apologize for being so absent from your blog, the last few months have been insane for me. But I’m SO glad I got up early to read more about Munch’s journey. WOW.
First, I’m glad things are looking up and the road to recovery is in the rear view mirror. Second, THANK YOU for such amazing detail about Munch, especially when it comes to phantom limb pain. I’m really sorry you went through such a terrible scene but I also know that by documenting what happened here, you are helping someone else in the future who may be in the same upsetting spot. Thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy day to educate everyone!
It’s folks like you who make this community so amazing. We’re so glad things are better for Munch!
Hello! Thanks so much for reading our story. I apologize this response is so delayed. I had surgery the day you replied and a second surgery two weeks later dealing with a painful recovery myself. I hope over the next week to provide more information about Munch’s treatment, her biopsy reports and overall how she’s doing. We’re very proud of our baby girl and she’s thriving.