Ketchup's Journey To Recovery
Taken on Jan. 21, 2016
Ketchup's pelvis was broken in 4 places when she was struck by a half ton truck on Jan. 24, 2016. I was encouraged to 'put her down' due to the unlikely chance that she could walk again. This was not an option -as that would have been my 3rd dog in 6 months to die. I live with PTSD and though Meeschka and Tundra were not trained, they were an integral part of my well being. I adopted Ketchup a week after Tundra died suddenly on Dec. 6, 2015 while I was on vacation. I was devastated. After I lost Meeschka on July 31, 2015, going to work and dealing with everyday stresses became more difficult. Tundra's passing crushed me. The PTSD symptoms were impossible to manage without the comfort of my dogs.
Ketchup rescued me at one of the lowest points in my life. I HAD to find a way to keep her alive.
Just before I was leaving to go have her put down, the Small Animal Clinic at the University of Saskatchewan called. They had only just received the referral a half hour ago (sent the day before) from the vet. The referral coordinator simply asked me how soon I could bring Ketchup to Saskatoon.
Ketchup was weight bearing after the 3rd day of surgery. There has been a few complications since but she is alive.
The $5,000 will cover all the costs incurred as a result of this accident, plus with what is remaining would be dedicated to pet therapy training and an emergency assistance grant program.
After all the expenses are covered, my next goal is to train Ketchup for pet therapy. As a team, we are representing mental health recovery. Ideally, we would visit various mental health organizations within Manitoba, hopefully including hospitals' psychiatric units.
Goal number 2 is to set up a grant program that would cover emergency vet costs of the pets of people living with mental illnesses. I have searched endlessly for some source of assistance myself and have not found anything in Manitoba.
I will keep updating this with all things Ketchup. You can also find her Facebook Page 'Ketchup's Journey of Recovery'.
I posted this birthday announcement a few hours prior to Ketchup's accident.
Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 Ketchup is heavily drugged due her 'smashed' pelvis. There was little hope that she could be fixed.
Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 Ketchup loves to eat snow, so I kept her bowl full and would feed it to her by handful. Her Piglet was her first stuffy, and the only thing I could think of to give her comfort.
Jan. 25, 2016 I brought my coloring along to pass the time while we waited for replies to the vet's referrals.
Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016 at 11 am.
This is an outline of how Ketchup was going to be fixed, presented by Dr. Koji Aoki, DVM (Resident of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the U of SK). Prior to this briefing, I was not even certain if Ketchup's pelvis could be fixed. What a relief it was to know that it could be!!
Fortunately, her sacral did not need repairing, though that could only be seen via CT Scan.
