Jasmine

This is the funniest yet sad story. I had put the tent up in the living room earlier this week as Eleanor is home on Spring Break and we wanted to do something special and fun. The other night I was up late and heard a rustling in the living room. Thinking Eleanor had gotten up and "escaped" her room prefering to sleep in the tent, I went in prepared to scoop her back up to her own bed. Much to my surprise it was Jasmine curled up in the tent! Turns out she likes being there and goes there often to rest.

The sad part is that we learned this week that Jasmine does have more than arthritis in her elbow. Even though the surgical biopsy came back negative for cancer, the vet acknowledges a malignant growth that he feels should be removed before it spreads. Please keep Jasmine in your prayers as she undergoes amputation of her front left leg Tuesday, April 1. This is NOT an April Fools joke...We are confident that at the young age of 7 she would prefer to be with us as a "Tripawd" than not at all. Her disposition has been so calm and cloistered since the biopsy. She is enjoying the sunny, warmer weather though and sleeps in the sun outside more than she ever has. My only fear of the surgery is that her other legs will continue to be strong. For the last 2-3 months she has not used her bad leg, with her paw dragging along the ground. (You can't really see it in this picture b/c the tent flap is in the way. She tries to hold it up. You can kind of see the swelling in her elbow joint, her fur is still growing back in from the biopsy) It is hard to imagine, but I think she'll be pain-free and hopefully happier than she is now.

Eleanor took this photo today of Jasmine and Oscar. This has become "Her Chair" and I don't scold her for being on this piece of furniture. I bought two "tempurpedic" pillows and will be adding them to her bed in hopes of helping her enjoy her bed more, especially after her surgery. Thankfully we don't have too many stairs out of the house (3), she manages them fine now so I don't anticipate problems after the amputation. Might even be easier as she won't have to worry about "catching" and tripping on her bad leg.