Two entries ago (I'd link it but I just don't have the energy), I told the story of my sick little rat, Muffin and her new abscess. We'll come back to that. Then on Saturday at Petsmart, Jeff discovered a piece of metal (looking kind of like a big paperclip) sticking out of the sidewall of one of my tires. All the while, we've been dealing with Muffin getting steadily more unhealthy every since we brought her home from the vet. Today we took her back because she just looks absolutely miserable. The vet thinks she has a tumor in her abdomen. If this is the case, she probably won't last through the week. Actually, tumor or no... I still am not very optimistic.

When we got her into her own little cage on Thursday, we found that even though she seemed to be eating and drinking normally, she was having all sorts of digestive problems. By the time today rolled around, her belly is about twice the size that it was a week ago. The X-ray showed that it's full of fluid. Personally, I'm not totally convinced that it's a tumor. I still think that she may have an intestinal blockage. Either way, it's not good. We could have them do an exploratory surgery, but that will cost a couple hundred dollars, and if it does turn out to be a tumor, they'll just put her to sleep anyway. I would be more for it if we could be guaranteed that we'd get a full lifespan out of her (even if it is only another 2 years, at most). I just really think that we'll be making her more and more miserable before she has any hope of getting better. And then by the time she does get better, how much time will have passed. I don't know that I want to put her through that. I am also not sure that I want to put Jeff and I through that... Taking her back and forth to the vet, thinking each time that she'll be getting better. I'm wondering if it'd just be better off for all of us if we put her down if she doesn't improve this week. As it is, she really only has 2 options: improve this week or get even worse. There really is no hope that she will plateau. We have not seen the worst of this ailment.

I guess I'll know for sure when I get home tonight. The vet gave her a shot of steroids today and said that if it is a tumor, that the shot should help alleviate some of the inflammation and maybe she can eat a little and breathe a bit more easily. We're supposed to call the vet back tomorrow and let her know how Muffin is doing.

So yeah, now I'm wondering if Muffin's two problems count separately or together. If together then that means I still have one more catastrophe to look forward to.

How crazy am I for making such a huge fuss over a rat?

Stay tuned...

Before And After

Would I get a discount if I birthed the baby in the store? - 5/16/05
The end is near? - 5/13/05
The progession of me - 5/10/05
Cleaning update - 5/7/05
Pre-nesting - 5/7/05