Millie's Cardiac Care
Donation protected
My name is Millie. I am one of the lucky ones. I was saved from a high kill shelter in North Carolina. And:I am dying.
My parents named me Millie because of it's German translation, strength and determination. I also have many nicknames that I answer to - Mildred, Millie Sue, Mills, Mama, Mill Mill, etc. My story is unique and I want to share it with the world. I was rescued from a local shelter in North Carolina on May 28th 2013. I had a severe case of demodectic mange and a horrible secondary skin infection. I had absolutely no hair and my whole body was swollen and infested with pustules and scabs, but as soon as my mom laid eyes on my shelter picture she knew I was something special and deserved a second chance at life. I'm so happy my mom found me when she did because I was set to be euthanized on May 28th at 4:30 pm due to the horrible condition I was in. My mom had recently suffered the loss of a foster puppy to Parvo and I knew it was my duty to help heal her heart while she did everything in her power to heal my broken body and soul. So, I guess you could say my mom and I were meant to be or better yet, soul mates! It took about 3-4 months for my skin infection to clear and for all of my gorgeous hair to return. I was told by many that my transformation was amazing! I truly felt like a new dog and was falling more and more in love with my "foster" mom. When the time came for me to be put up for adoption, my mom knew she simply could not part with me, and I was pretty happy about this! My mom "foster failed" and turned me into the princess that I am today! My mom and I have a bond that is indescribable! The instant I take a wrong step or don't greet her in my usual quirky way, she knows something is wrong and will go to whatever length to make me better. She calls me her shadow - where ever my mom goes, I am sure to follow even if it means sitting underneath the shower curtain while my mom takes a shower! I can tell when my mom has had a stressful day at school or when she's sad and I know just how to cheer her up! Most days, I just sit patiently and let her cry on my shoulder and reassure her that it's going to be okay. My mom tells me that I'm her special child...I think that means I'm the favorite!
Now to continue on with my story and the reason for starting my own Facebook page. Simply put, I'm terminally ill. I was diagnosed with Endocarditis (An infection in my heart, specifically on my Aortic Valve) in December of 2013. The veterinarians at NC State Vet Teaching Hospital were surprised that I made it through the first two weeks of treatment. The bacterial lesion on my aortic valve was quite large and the risk of an embolism was of great concern. I stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks and my mom and dad would visit me everyday, and sometimes even twice a day. I made some amazing friends while I was in the hospital but, I was ready to be home with my family and I know my mom was ready for me to be home too. I finally got to come home a few days before Christmas! For the next 3 months I had several checkups and a strict daily regiment of medicine that my mom would attempt to hide in my meals. My parents were happy with my progress and felt like I was doing extremely well! They said that I seemed like the old Millie just with a little less energy. Unfortunately, my most recent checkup on April 3, 2014 revealed that I wasn't doing so well. The large lesion is still present on my aortic valve but it looks more calcified, so hopefully all of the bacteria are gone but we won't know for sure until after my blood tests come back. Due to the damage that the bacteria caused to my valve, my heart can't pump blood as efficiently and therefore my heart has to overcompensate. This overcompensation has lead to what they call, "Ventricular Hypertrophy" of my left ventricle - a lot of big words that simply mean my heart has enlarged, which isn't good. My mom was devastated to find out that ultimately I will go into congestive heart failure sooner rather than later. I'm one tough cookie though and I'm going to fight this for as long as I can! My mom mentioned something about a possible surgery to replace my broken down heart valve but, we aren't sure yet whether I would be the best candidate for the surgery. I'm keeping my paws crossed!
My parents named me Millie because of it's German translation, strength and determination. I also have many nicknames that I answer to - Mildred, Millie Sue, Mills, Mama, Mill Mill, etc. My story is unique and I want to share it with the world. I was rescued from a local shelter in North Carolina on May 28th 2013. I had a severe case of demodectic mange and a horrible secondary skin infection. I had absolutely no hair and my whole body was swollen and infested with pustules and scabs, but as soon as my mom laid eyes on my shelter picture she knew I was something special and deserved a second chance at life. I'm so happy my mom found me when she did because I was set to be euthanized on May 28th at 4:30 pm due to the horrible condition I was in. My mom had recently suffered the loss of a foster puppy to Parvo and I knew it was my duty to help heal her heart while she did everything in her power to heal my broken body and soul. So, I guess you could say my mom and I were meant to be or better yet, soul mates! It took about 3-4 months for my skin infection to clear and for all of my gorgeous hair to return. I was told by many that my transformation was amazing! I truly felt like a new dog and was falling more and more in love with my "foster" mom. When the time came for me to be put up for adoption, my mom knew she simply could not part with me, and I was pretty happy about this! My mom "foster failed" and turned me into the princess that I am today! My mom and I have a bond that is indescribable! The instant I take a wrong step or don't greet her in my usual quirky way, she knows something is wrong and will go to whatever length to make me better. She calls me her shadow - where ever my mom goes, I am sure to follow even if it means sitting underneath the shower curtain while my mom takes a shower! I can tell when my mom has had a stressful day at school or when she's sad and I know just how to cheer her up! Most days, I just sit patiently and let her cry on my shoulder and reassure her that it's going to be okay. My mom tells me that I'm her special child...I think that means I'm the favorite!
Now to continue on with my story and the reason for starting my own Facebook page. Simply put, I'm terminally ill. I was diagnosed with Endocarditis (An infection in my heart, specifically on my Aortic Valve) in December of 2013. The veterinarians at NC State Vet Teaching Hospital were surprised that I made it through the first two weeks of treatment. The bacterial lesion on my aortic valve was quite large and the risk of an embolism was of great concern. I stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks and my mom and dad would visit me everyday, and sometimes even twice a day. I made some amazing friends while I was in the hospital but, I was ready to be home with my family and I know my mom was ready for me to be home too. I finally got to come home a few days before Christmas! For the next 3 months I had several checkups and a strict daily regiment of medicine that my mom would attempt to hide in my meals. My parents were happy with my progress and felt like I was doing extremely well! They said that I seemed like the old Millie just with a little less energy. Unfortunately, my most recent checkup on April 3, 2014 revealed that I wasn't doing so well. The large lesion is still present on my aortic valve but it looks more calcified, so hopefully all of the bacteria are gone but we won't know for sure until after my blood tests come back. Due to the damage that the bacteria caused to my valve, my heart can't pump blood as efficiently and therefore my heart has to overcompensate. This overcompensation has lead to what they call, "Ventricular Hypertrophy" of my left ventricle - a lot of big words that simply mean my heart has enlarged, which isn't good. My mom was devastated to find out that ultimately I will go into congestive heart failure sooner rather than later. I'm one tough cookie though and I'm going to fight this for as long as I can! My mom mentioned something about a possible surgery to replace my broken down heart valve but, we aren't sure yet whether I would be the best candidate for the surgery. I'm keeping my paws crossed!
Organizer
Renee Kuzma
Organizer
Greensboro, NC
