[Lindsey]

I'm sorry I've forgotten to update here. Layla went into emergency surgery yesterday at the animal hospital in the university. They have the best of the best specialists, surgeons, and equipment. It's the only place like it in Western Canada so we're lucky to be so close.

She had deep pain in her back feet when I picked her up from the vet (meaning she showed signs of being able to feel when they poked hard between the pads of her feet). By the time they observed her at the hospital, she had lost all signs of deep pain. Her chance of full recovery after surgery at that point dropped from 80% to 50%.

The doctor in charge of her care as well as the surgeon let us know all of the risks involved and what COULD be causing her paralyzation and the chances that it could get worse, and it was so hard to hear that Scott and I both sat there bawling. We said to absolutely go ahead with surgery since it is the only chance to save her. There's basically no chance of recovery without it. We asked to see her before we left and they brought her in for us. She was SO happy and licking away our tears and licking our hands and she had such life in her eyes. When the surgeon came to take her for testing, Layla didn't even look back at us as she was being taken down the hallway. She was just looking straight ahead like she was feeling good and determined. It didn't matter that we were leaving.

After a few long hours we got a call saying they had done the test (can't remember the name) where they injected her spine with dye and found one exact spot with definite compression and that's where they would be going in. She'd be in surgery in half an hour, and it would take about 2 hours for the procedure. It was the best news we could have gotten. There was no fluid causing it, it was just one spot of solids that they could remove.

I called the town vet to update her and she said she couldn't believe it, she and her techs had JUST finished saying a prayer for Layla and the surgeons when I called with the news. She said she absolutely believes in the power of prayer and she would continue to pray for her. She was so relieved there was only one spot in question and she said she is so confident that Layla will get better.

Almost 3 hours later, the surgeon called. They removed something (I think she said a plate, or a disk??) from the area but then found some more in the next vertebrae up which is why it took a little longer than expected. But they removed a LOT that was putting pressure on her spinal cord and it was sitting nicely where it should be. She would be waking up in ICU and they would assess her in the morning, when I'd get another call.

At around 10 last night we were in bed when I heard my cell ringing downstairs. I RAN down but missed the call. It was the hospital. I was frantic, why were they calling me at that hour? I had already got the call from the surgery, what if something happened while she was trying to wake up?? I tried calling back and just got a recording, and Scott was hoping they'd call his phone, but then I had a voicemail. It was just the student vet wanting to introduce himself and apologizing for calling so late. He just wanted to let me know she was comfortable in her cage and sleeping soundly. He said he would call me in the morning.

This morning we decided to catch up on sleep and not go into work until this afternoon. I woke up with the call from the hospital. It was the student again, letting me know that Layla is awake and alert and they have done an assessment and she is not better but not worse than yesterday. It's good news because they worked with such a sensitive body part, plus it probably means they targetted the right area because she was going down so quickly yesterday.

We are going to visit her tonight right after work. We will have to see if she does well with our visits or if it stresses her out when we leave.

It's tough being at home without her. There's evidence of her everywhere, but it's just a big old empty house. She is what makes it a home. We were laying in bed last night and Scott tearily said "I can smell Layla on the blanket" and I said "Maybe she's sending us her scent so we will feel better and know she's okay"

Please keep your thoughts and prayers coming. They are working so far. She's a tough little girl and I am praying with all my heart that she can make it through this. We just have to wait and see what her nerves are going to do. Hopefully they will rebuild and she can regain feeling in the next few days or weeks. Even if it takes months, I am hoping she will be okay.