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I was due to be at The Valley Tomorrow...

SDAddickSDAddick
in General Charlton
As a way of celebrating leaving my job where I've been hugely successful at making other people a lot of money, and in honor of my upcoming 30th birthday, I was due to spend around three weeks in the UK this month. My flight would have been landing right about now. I had the Bristol and Cardiff home matches lined up, and the plan was for me and a bunch of mates to meet up at Fulham then go out on the lash after to celebrate my birthday. These yearly sojourns back to my old stomping ground are usually the highlights of the year for me, as I tend to work 80 hour weeks and get little time off.

Last week, very suddenly, my dog Cassandra (Cass for short) became very lethargic and out of breath. I rushed her to the Vet, then the local animal hospital. It turns out she had terrible heart arrhythmia, with her heart rate double and sometimes triple the normal resting heart rate. We got to the hospital just in time. According to the doctor she was less than a minute away from coding (he was prepping the defibrillator) when the injection they gave her kicked in. After a day in the doggy ICU, she's been back home for about a week. Knock on wood she's responded very well to beta blockers and her heart rate has stayed down. She's been very limited in her activity. As a result of all this, and the fact that she needs pretty constant monitoring, I had to cancel my trip. I have no regrets about this whatsoever, I would rather be with her, take care of her, and make sure that she's healthy.

Sorry for the rambling. What I'm trying to say is make sure you enjoy the matches (and protests) a little extra for me. When you only get to go to the football 2-3 times a year, it really does bring a lot of joy, even if the result don't always (I was at Millwall and Ipswich at home last year). Like all things, I know it can quickly become a ritual and routine, and thus start to take on the feeling of the mundane. But now seems as good a time as any to say to try to enjoy the upcoming fixtures as though they were your first of the year. Having a proper manager in charge should help with that.

Thank you if you made it through this,
Alex

The picture was taken when she first got home from the ICU last week :).
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Comments

  • Brendan_O_ConnellBrendan_O_Connell
    Get well soon Cass.
  • LargeAddickLargeAddick
    ah, looks a right cutie. Glad she is recovering well and hope she is back to her normal self soon.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    Lovely looking dog @SDAddick... Hopefully you get down the Valley before the end of the season.
  • JarmanJarman
    Lovely pooch.
  • Davo55Davo55
    Sorry you won't be over mate. We'll give the lads an extra loud cheer for you when we smash Brizzle tomorrow.

    Hope Cass continues to make progress. She looks like a sweetheart.
  • Friend Or DefoeFriend Or Defoe
    I hope you have a good birthday, perhaps get your friends to fly to meet you?! Where are you working, the middle east?
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    Have to admit that look from Cass does look like she's thinking: Oh crud, I hope Dad dont realise I've shat in his slippers
  • GlassHalfFullGlassHalfFull

    What a beautiful dog. Can completely understand your decision - you know that Cass would do the same for you.

    I have to miss the match also - Pat & Mick. I'm sure that all absentees will be telepathically willing the ball into the Brizzle net.

    Best wishes to you both. UTA !!
  • T_C_ET_C_E
    Not a fan of dogs myself ;) but Cass is gorgeous. Get well soon pretty girl.
  • MacronateMacronate
    Jose should show this to the players before the game.

    The 'Win for Cass' campaign starts here.
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  • SDAddickSDAddick
    Thank you so much for the kind words everyone. You never know how it's going to go when you post something personal on the internet. We have a follow-up with the Vet on Tuesday, and hopefully from there she'll be able to start going out more and we can start going on walks again.

    I'm hoping that, assuming everything goes well, I'll be over in late March/early April.

    I also support all "win for Cass" campaigns :). We'll need something meaner for Big Mak though...
  • i_b_b_o_r_gi_b_b_o_r_g
    Godspeed little dog x
  • mistrollinginmistrollingin
    Had dogs most of my life and Cass is a real little beauty. Get well soon.

    You ain't missing much at the moment anyway, just 11 grown men running around the pitch trying to look like footballers.
  • AFKABartramAFKABartram
    Let us know when you are over SD and we'll get a beer in.
  • IsawlearyplayIsawlearyplay
    Now that is a proper dog

    COYR
  • telboytelboy
    I hope Cass continues to improve and hopefully the same goes for our team.
  • SillybillySillybilly
    A faithful dog is worth a million times this bunch of pricks. Good luck Cass.
  • Raith_C_ChattonellRaith_C_Chattonell
    I was hospitalised for the exact same reason as Cass in 2009. My heart at 200bpm from rest. I also have the exact same treatment, beta blockers (+aspirin and statins).

    Long story short, I’m ok now - don’t think about it much - I just keep taking the tablets.

    Good luck Cass my little kindred spirit.
  • Fanny FanackapanFanny Fanackapan
    So glad you felt you could share your story with us, SD & that you know we are here for each other.

    Hoping that Cass' recovery continues apace and that she's back to her old self very soon.

    Bless her cotton socks and have a great birthday.
  • johnny73johnny73
    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.
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  • SDAddickSDAddick
    Again, thanks so much everyone. Perhaps because she knows it's a match day, Cass decided to wake me up this morning by licking me on the nose...at 3am. Bless her, she knows that I like to have a lot of time to prepare myself on match days :).
  • T_C_ET_C_E
    johnny73 said:

    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.

    Did I miss this Johnny, what happened?
    The memory is not as good as it was and with what happened to Bailey with misdiagnosis this always touches a nerve with me.
  • johnny73johnny73
    edited February 2016
    T.C.E said:

    johnny73 said:

    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.

    Did I miss this Johnny, what happened?
    The memory is not as good as it was and with what happened to Bailey with misdiagnosis this always touches a nerve with me.
    Ruby had lumps on stomach. Local self employed independent vet said cancer, would need to operate etc. Came on here and advised to get a second opinion. Went to another vets, part of a nationwide group (where vets were employees), and told the lumps were because she hadn't been spayed. Had Ruby spayed and lumps removed, as a choice, and Ruby has been fine since. Definitely non cancerous.

    I would probably have trusted the judgement of the first vet if it wasn't for CL members.
  • nth_london_addicknth_london_addick
    But instead I am stuck not being able to be more than ten foot from the loo

    Fuk off colitis and infect some other bstd
  • T_C_ET_C_E
    johnny73 said:

    T.C.E said:

    johnny73 said:

    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.

    Did I miss this Johnny, what happened?
    The memory is not as good as it was and with what happened to Bailey with misdiagnosis this always touches a nerve with me.
    Ruby had lumps on stomach. Local self employed independent vet said cancer, would need to operate etc. Came on here and advised to get a second opinion. Went to another vets, part of a nationwide group (where vets were employees), and told the lumps were because she hadn't been neutered. Had Ruby neutered and lumps removed, as a choice, and Ruby has been fine since. Definitely non cancerous.

    I would probably have trusted the judgement of the first vet if it wasn't for CL members.
    That's great news Johnny. There are some out there that appear to quick to want surgery, the cynic in me says it's because surgery is a big money earner. With anaesthetic alone for a dog at Bailey's size being £150 it's not hard to see why. If you do find a good vet they are worth hanging on too. I'd be a bit concerned if your vet said Ruby needed to be neutered! As females are spayed, males are neutered! Lol ;)
  • SDAddickSDAddick
    johnny73 said:

    T.C.E said:

    johnny73 said:

    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.

    Did I miss this Johnny, what happened?
    The memory is not as good as it was and with what happened to Bailey with misdiagnosis this always touches a nerve with me.
    Ruby had lumps on stomach. Local self employed independent vet said cancer, would need to operate etc. Came on here and advised to get a second opinion. Went to another vets, part of a nationwide group (where vets were employees), and told the lumps were because she hadn't been neutered. Had Ruby neutered and lumps removed, as a choice, and Ruby has been fine since. Definitely non cancerous.

    I would probably have trusted the judgement of the first vet if it wasn't for CL members.
    That's fantastic, well, in terms of it not being cancerous. You never know what you're going to get with internet message boards, but I've been impressed by the civility of CL. And this thread has warmed my heart to no end.

    Is Ruby doing well these days?
  • johnny73johnny73
    T.C.E said:

    johnny73 said:

    T.C.E said:

    johnny73 said:

    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.

    Did I miss this Johnny, what happened?
    The memory is not as good as it was and with what happened to Bailey with misdiagnosis this always touches a nerve with me.
    Ruby had lumps on stomach. Local self employed independent vet said cancer, would need to operate etc. Came on here and advised to get a second opinion. Went to another vets, part of a nationwide group (where vets were employees), and told the lumps were because she hadn't been neutered. Had Ruby neutered and lumps removed, as a choice, and Ruby has been fine since. Definitely non cancerous.

    I would probably have trusted the judgement of the first vet if it wasn't for CL members.
    That's great news Johnny. There are some out there that appear to quick to want surgery, the cynic in me says it's because surgery is a big money earner. With anaesthetic alone for a dog at Bailey's size being £150 it's not hard to see why. If you do find a good vet they are worth hanging on too. I'd be a bit concerned if your vet said Ruby needed to be neutered! As females are spayed, males are neutered! Lol ;)
    Thanks.I was thinking was I using the right terminology. Good thing I am not a vet.
  • johnny73johnny73
    SDAddick said:

    johnny73 said:

    T.C.E said:

    johnny73 said:

    Hope Cass comes through all this. Looks a bit like my Ruby. The kind folks on CL saved Ruby from an unnecessary operation, misdiagnosis from a vet, a couple of years ago.

    Did I miss this Johnny, what happened?
    The memory is not as good as it was and with what happened to Bailey with misdiagnosis this always touches a nerve with me.
    Ruby had lumps on stomach. Local self employed independent vet said cancer, would need to operate etc. Came on here and advised to get a second opinion. Went to another vets, part of a nationwide group (where vets were employees), and told the lumps were because she hadn't been neutered. Had Ruby neutered and lumps removed, as a choice, and Ruby has been fine since. Definitely non cancerous.

    I would probably have trusted the judgement of the first vet if it wasn't for CL members.
    That's fantastic, well, in terms of it not being cancerous. You never know what you're going to get with internet message boards, but I've been impressed by the civility of CL. And this thread has warmed my heart to no end.

    Is Ruby doing well these days?
    She's fine. No health issues. Enjoying life. Thanks.
  • Sam lloydSam lloyd
    Awwwww wishing you a speedy recovery Cass. Love from Sam & Greyhounds Joey & Clodagh (Vidia Design) xxx
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