GRACIE

BORN:1/20/07

 

Gracie is a very special little girl to us.  We got her on April 7, 2006.  Gracie was sick and was not eating or breathing well when we brought her home.  After a week of syringe feeds, many medications, a lot of doctors visits, and several tests it was found that Gracie had a hole in her diaphragm.   Her organs were sitting on her right lung and this was why she couldn't breathe.  Gracie had a diaphragmatic hernia repair four days later.  We wanted to wait for the antibiotics to have time to work in case there was an underlying infection in there too and I was trying to get her weight up to stabalize her for surgery.  The night before surgery I held and her just cried.  She was breathing so hard we almost went to the ER vet.  When the vet saw her the next morning he rushed her right in to surgery.  I was told he didn't know if she would make it through or not and if she did the next day was critical for her as well.  I was so scared.  I got a call 4hrs later that said she was fine and made it through with flying colors.  The vet said her diaphragm was torn on the right side and her entire small intestine, part of her colon, and part of her liver were sitting on her right lung.  He said he felt this was not a congenital defect but a tear from some sort of trauma.  He felt this way partly because Gracie has a left eye that doesn't function normally.  Her pupil does not contract fully and remains dilated all the time.  The vet felt that was a good indication this kitten had taken a fall on the right side of her body at some point as a baby.  A fall to the right side would cause neurological damage to show up on the left side (such as her eye) but musculoskeletal damage to be on the side of the fall.  She came to me like this but even with all her problems, I wouldn't trade her for the world.  The vet says she should have a long normal life now and there is no reason to think she cannot be a mother.  He said she is at no risk during a pregnancy.  Neurologically she appears perfect and for now we are going to let her eye be as it is unless she has vision problems.  So she became our very special queen.  We named her Amazing Grace because she came to us on Easter weekend.  I never knew how special that name would be for her.  She is truly amazing and is our miracle kitten.  Since her surgery she has been in perfect health and at her two week follow up visit she had gained over a pound.  Her coat is silky and shiny now.  She is gorgeous and I am so glad we have her.  She has large donut rosettes all over her and even has a spotted tail.  She has no rib bars at all and a perfect bengal face.  Her personality just started to shine after her surgery too.  She is spunky and loves the other cats.  She is right in there to chow down at meal time and loves a good romp with one of the other kittens.  Amber is her favorite as they were babies together.  Baby pictures of Gracie available on request.  I was asked not to publish them on here.