The pictures on this page
are of My Little Angel. And that she is... She sleeps on my
chest or shoulder every night and during the day. She helps me with my
email and chases the cursor or mouse, as well as the windows as they open
and close, as if she could catch them. If she is not working on my desk,
she is sitting on my shoulder watching me work. She is a true lap
baby and such a dream kitty.
Only in the some of the
last pictures can you tell that her jaw is crooked. We had her on the sale
list but because of the jaw injury, we have removed her from the sale list
in-order to have her jaw fixed if possible. We are not sure but we
believe that a kid that was playing with her too rough and dislocated her
lower jaw. We immediately took her away from the child but did not
notice her jaw till later. We took her to the vet and he said she was too
little at the time (about 5 weeks old) for him to put the tube down her
throat to keep her sedated and have room to work to pop it back into place,
but he took x-rays and said he did not think that it was broken. It was
suggested that we just put her to sleep. I can not bare to think of that
as an option.
He told us to bring her
back in a month or so when she was bigger so he would have room to work
and he would try again. He told us the price could vary depending
on if it pops back in easily and stays or if they have to wire her
mouth shut and put in a feeding tube to make it stay in place. I
knew that if I had her till she was old enough, I would try
to have it fixed but I would not be able to sell her for a reasonable price
that would even begin to cover the expense. The vet said he would just
leave it as long as she is eating good and gaining sufficiently.
She is eating great and
holding her own. She picks up the food and throws her head back to throw
it back to get it down her throat and somehow chew the best she can. She
crunches it up but a lot falls out all over the floor and she leaves a
trail all over the place. She is smaller than her brothers and sisters
but she is healthy and could live with a crooked jaw but I so want to help
her somehow.
I just could not bare to
think that I would have to leave her this way and I was stressed over how
I was going to afford this operation if it got expensive, so I lowered
the price on all kittens so maybe they would sell faster and then maybe
I could work out a payment plan with my vet. We took her back into
my vet and they said it was more complicated than they thought originally.
It would be from $800 to $1500 at least and it would require a specialist.
The beauty here is that
someone who saw her took heart. They were not looking to buy a kitten but
they just wanted to help her. This man's name is Nick. He saw her and thought
it had to be painful for her to live like that and wanted to get it fixed
right away. He took her to his vet the last week of May to see what he
could do.
At first, she was given
antibiotics and something to help the swelling go down. Wednesday, they
tried without success to pop her jaw back into place. There was just
too much scar tissue. Thursday, May 29th, they tried surgery and again,
it was not successful. When she returned home, I asked "How much?" but
Nick said "Don't worry about it. I will cover it, but the vet also
gave us a break on his services as well."
She is back home until
next week. They have called in a specialist that will try on Wednesday,
the first week of June. Who knows what that will cost. God is at work here
so that she will have the work needed, which I would not ever have been
able to afford by myself . The person who took heart said he would cover
what ever the cost of his vet. Some at his office donated money to
the cause and his vets donated some of their time and services. They feel
we should keep her because she is such an angel kitty. I have had several
people just wanting to donate to the cause to help pay for her surgery
and or treatments, expecting nothing in return. This has been a great blessing
and I know she truly is
MY LITTLE ANGEL.
Well, My Little Angel is
back home with me again and still no surgery could be done. We still don't
have her jaw fixed yet. Nick is still looking for someone that can help
her and is waiting to find out how much we will have to spend. He is willing
to donate as much as he can towards her treatment as soon as we know what
can be done and how much it will cost.
It was more complicated
than they originally thought and another specialist is going to look into
what can be done. They said she probably will have to have a long hospital
stay with a feeding tube and her mouth wired shut till it sets and she
can eat on her own again. The price of that could be from $1000 to $1500
more than already spent. I don't know when she will go back in yet.
The vet said she is not
in pain and is eating good so if we decided to leave it, she will be fine.
They scraped the scar tissue build up and got rid of any infection from
the injury. All this has been covered by donations from associates
that work with Nick and Nick who took her to his vet, as well as the vets
and the specialist they called in, donating some more of their time and
services to help her. I am thankful that she is not in pain and hope
we will be able, at some point, to get the surgery done for her.
Nick said he would be in contact with me as to how and when.
Update
as of July 17, 2003
I was contacted today and
told to contact the Orthopedic surgeon at A&M University School of
Veterinary Dentistry. I called and they said the surgery would be much
too complicated for any student to perform. It would have to be done by
a specialist. They said the surgery will run $1800 or more. We have another
resource looking into a specialist in Stephensville, Texas. We are not
even sure he can do this job but we are hopeful.
She is doing fine, eating
good but leaving a trail everywhere. She loves canned food and anything
soft and will devour it as soon as we put it down. Anytime we have a plate
in our hands and she thinks she can get to it, she comes as close as possible
hoping for a soft bite. She is patient and waits to see if we will give
it to her. I don't usually recommend feeding people food to a cat but I
feel for her and give her some soft meats. I know it is hard for her to
get full with the pains it takes to keep food in her mouth, but she is
holding her own. She is a fighter and a survivor, though small for her
age. Her little chin stays wet from the drool but it doesn't seem to bother
her. She is so loving and demands so much attention and love but
nobody complains. Everyone that comes to see her loves this little girl
and she is becoming quite a celebrity and a quite famous. So many of you
are emailing and asking about her. Thank you so much.
Update:
July 22, 2003
Angel goes to a different
kind of therapist today. I will tell you the story after we return and
how it went. Stay tuned to this wonderful story.
It is late evening of the
22nd.. We are home and settling in. Angel did so well today. She could
tell she was in the hands of someone who cared and who wanted to help her.
At one time during her treatment, she was so relaxed, she looked like she
had gone into a trance. She was so much at peace. Let me tell you
more..
Someone went to this page
and read about My Little Angel's situation. They immediately emailed me
and told me about someone who might be able to help, from "Windsong
Therapy and Wellness Clinic", that had healed horses when the
vets had said there was nothing else that could be done. That sounded very
interesting. I wanted to know more.
I called and told them
about Angel's condition and her special story. I first wanted to know...
HOW MUCH? Well, it looks like God has done it again.
Miracles never cease. She set an appointment and told me not to worry
about the money, just to let her see what she could do for her. She worked
on her over an hour and never even mentioned money. At this point, I didn't
know if there would be a charge, but I am sure that if there is God will
work that out as well. I am just thankful that she is there and that I
met her.
This wonderful ladies name
is Frankie Burget, who is a Licensed Therapist in the Fort Worth/Dallas
Metroplex for over 20 years. Her Outstanding expertise has made her
well-known in the medical community as well as the private sector.
Frankie's unique accumulation
of education in many fields of therapy gives her credibility that is unequaled.
As a matter of fact, my son counted all the plaques hanging on her walls
for all her awards and schooling etc. and there were over 50. In fact,
there are a lot more that they did not have room for on the walls that
can be found on her web pages. You can read more about Frankie and
her Treatment Center by clicking on her logo below or on the link above.
When I first arrived, I
met a lady in her office who had been coming to her for a while now. She
had scoliosis and said this wonderful woman had helped her so much. Then
she showed me a book on the table with letters from others who had come
to her and all were wonderful success stories. One was from a woman who
had been treated for endometriosis, an infection of which she had been
told had done so much damage she would never be able to have children.
Shortly after her treatment from Frankie, she became pregnant after
years of being unable to conceive. Let me tell you, I was impressed.
This wonderful lady works
on people and animals. You can tell she listens to the body as she
works as well as the patient, something so needed in the medical field.
She has a wonderful gift from God. She has the gift of healing hands. The
work she did on Angel was unlike anything I had ever seen and Angel responded
so wonderfully. Her jaw is not straight after one treatment but during
the treatment, it did move some. I have so much faith that this could really
help. The treatment is something called Myofascial Release (MFR).
We go back tomorrow for a second treatment. I don't know how many visits
it will take but if it moved some the first day, I just know it will move
more. You should have seen her little face.. As a matter of fact, I
put pictures of the treatment on pages that follow this update page. You
will be able to see for yourself. I sat there and snapped pictures like
the proud parent I am... LOL...
Come back soon.. There
will be so much more to this story.
Wednesday
July 23 update:
Angel had her second treatment
with Frankie today . You could tell she was a little sore from the treatment
yesterday so the treatment was short. There was evidence of some parts
where the scar tissue had broken down a little. That is a good sign. We
take her back again on Friday for her next treatment.
I asked Frankie,
"How much is all this going to cost?" She told me "Don't worry about
money right now.. Let's just get Angel well."
Friday
July 25 update:
Angel had another treatment
today with Frankie.. She lays so still in the hands of Frankie until
the jaw starts to move and then she squirms and wiggles and says, "It's
time for a break now!" When I put her down, she goes right
back into her kennel but after a short break, she comes out for more. You
can tell she knows Frankie is trying to help her. It must feel really
good to her, though, because she gets so relaxed while she works. She worked
on her today for over an hour and Angel was so good the whole time.
There was more movement
today but will take quite a few more treatments for sure. Frankie will
be in-touch with a vet next week to see what he can do to help. Between
the two of them, Angel will get the help she needs. I don't know at this
point what that will entail but will let you know as soon as I know.
There is a lot of scar tissue to work out plus her little jaw looks so
strange in the x-rays. The x-rays show that Angel's jaw is longer on one
side than the other, probably because of the way it has grown since the
initial injury. I am hoping they won't have to break her jaw to set it.
Maybe Frankie will be able to loosen up enough of the scar tissue to allow
it to be set without having to break anything. Here is hoping anyway..
We have another appointment set up for Monday afternoon.
We did not do pictures
today but will probably take more Monday at her next treatment.
At least she has a lot of people on her side working to help. I feel she
will be like new someday in the near future. I can't wait to post the pictures
of her totally healed. I pray that day will come.
Update:
July 28, 2003
Angel had another treatment
today. Frankie and her are good together.. She laid on her back on the
floor so still at first while Frankie worked. After a little while, she
decided it was break time and went into her kennel. Frankie then reached
in and worked on her with her in the kennel for a bit. She finally decided
to come out for more.
I took a lot of pictures
today plus some real close up shots for Frankie to print out for the vet
who is going to look at her this week. We are pretty sure she will definitely
still need surgery but with Frankie working to break down the scar tissue,
we are hopeful her jaw will go into place easier and stay. I don't know
how long the therapy will need to be done prior to the surgery or after
the surgery but I will keep you posted as we go.
There was some movement
again today. Angel loves it till the movement starts. The second time she
went and hid in the bookshelf for a little while. One of Frankie's patients
told me that she understands the need to go and hide but also understands
why Angel comes back for more. It feels so good most of the time while
she works. Frankie even laughed when I told her and said maybe she needs
to get a big kennel for her human patients to go hide in when they need
a break. LOL
Frankie will be taking
the x-rays to a friend who is a vet somewhere around Lewisville this week
and we may both take Angel to see him later this week. We just have to
find out what his schedule is like for the week before setting her first
appointment with him. I will let you know what he says after he sees her.
I again asked Frankie about
money and again she told me not to worry about it. She has fallen in love
with Angel too, and just wants to help. She told me to take the donations
that have come in so far and put gas in the car to get Angel everywhere
she needs to go or to give to Nick who has paid so much already.
I have put the pictures
I took today on page 2 of her site to make pages easier to load. There
is a link at the bottom of this page to page 2.
Stay tuned... God's blessings
to all...
August
1st, 2003 Update:
Today I talked with Frankie.
She and her vet will be discussing Angels treatment plan today and I should
hear back Saturday or Sunday what our next step will be. Stay tuned....
August
5th, 2003 Update:
Frankie has talked to the
vet and shown him the x-rays. He recommended we continue to work with Frankie
to loosen more of the scar tissue and soft tissue before he sees her.
Then he will put her under anesthesia and try to put the jaw back into
place while having a chiropractor and Frankie present to work on the bone
and tissue. She will have all three of them working on her at the same
time. I know she will be in good hands.
He ask Frankie if this
was her cat since she was showing so much love and compassion for her.
She told him she was almost like her cat because she has already gotten
so attached to her. She is so easy to love and get attached to. He ask
her how she was able to work on her and she explained that Angel lets her
work till she has had enough then hides in her kennel for a little while
and then comes back out for more. He was impressed.. "Just like your
other patients, huh?"
He will take more x-rays
to be sure there was not a fracture prior to working on her. He said that
he may have to wire her front teeth together where she would still
be able to eat if the jaw needs to be supported a while after the surgery.
We see Frankie again Friday...
Stay tuned...
Update:
September 5th, 2003
Angel's surgery has been
scheduled.. I will be taking Angel to Frankie's office Thursday September
11th at 8:00 AM.. She will take her from there to the vet for surgery sometime
Thursday morning. I am sure he will keep her at least over night but I
will get pictures and her progress as soon as possible after she goes in.
Update:
September 12th, 2003
Angel's surgery again was
not done. It was much to complicated. Dr. Bill wants to take her to Dallas
to see some specialist there. Frankie took her to Dr. Bill for the surgery
and brought her back to her office where I picked her up. I asked again,
"How much?" She said, "He owes me" and laughed. She said that they
took more extensive X-rays while she was there and said that they wanted
to have some other doctors look at her. She took care of the x-ray expense
herself and said that all other charges were waived or donated again.
Update:
September 24th, 2003
I know there are a lot
of people wondering what happened to me..
I'M Back!
My computer crashed and
burned. Must have gotten what ever knocked Ft. Worth down but I just got
back up and running night before last and finished installing the software
to update my web pages today.. Had to start over with a new hard drive
but thank God above I was able to salvage my most important files. It hurts
to be down for 2 or more weeks.
Angel went to Dr. Bill's
office September 5th for surgery but it was not done. After examining her,
they put her to sleep to do more x-rays. They did extensive ones this time
and found that her jaw was broken, not just dislocated, and the bone had
been shoved back where the bone slid side by side and grew back that way.
They have sent her x-rays to a specialist in Dallas, whom I have never
met, and are trying to figure out the best approach. They are thinking
they need to put metal plates in her mouth and screw them to her jaw bone
which will mean they will have to re-break her jaw. It will be very difficult
micro-surgery and I am worried about it. I hope that she does well.
As soon as I hear from the doctors as to what and when, I will update her
status... Again, these specialist have donated their test and evaluations..
WOW! Thank you to all of you, even though we have not met, I know your
blessings are stored in heaven for your services.. God bless you all..
Thanks you all for the
concerns and emails. It helps so much to have your prayers and support.
Update:
October 20th, 2003
The specialist said that
the micro surgery was not the best approach. They will be sending their
reports to a doctor in Hurst, Texas named Dr. Ford. We are still
waiting for the specialist in Dallas to complete their reports, then send
the reports and x-rays to Dr. Ford. Dr. Ford says that we will most
likely have to break her jaw on the other side and cut it back to straighten
her mouth so her tongue will be straighter and make it easier for her to
eat. He needs to see her first so as soon as the reports arrive,
we will make an appointment to take her over to see him.
The specialist who are
doing all the reports have donated their time to Angel too.. Again, no
charge.. What is God's plan with this special kitty?
Update:
November 3rd, 2003
Angel went to see Dr. Jed
Ford at Family Pet Clinic today. They are located at 6724 Mid-Cities Blvd.
in North Richland Hills. We were referred to him by Frankie Burget. The
specialist in Dallas sent their reports and x-rays to him and he needed
to see her to see what could be done. From the conversation with this wonderful
vet, he is known for trying things no other vet will attempt and that was
why we were referred to him. He had never seen anything like this
in his 25 years of practice. Her jaw has grown back in such a way
that the upper jaw is also crooked. It has tried to compensate for the
damage to the lower jaw. Plus her joint has created it's own socket to
compensate for the dislocation of the jaw from that side, due to the injury
to the other side.. This is hard to explain. Dr. Ford believes that
Angel should go to a specialist at A&M named Dr. Hobson. He will confer
with him to see if he might be interested in this case. They said we need
to catch him before he retires. He is probably 70 years old or older and
still going like the ever-ready bunny. He says that Dr. Hobson could
build a cat if given all the spare parts.. LOL. He told me it could
be very expensive and could not guarantee that Dr. Hobson could do anything.
I asked him what he thought this would cost and he said it could be between
$1800 and $2500. I hope Dr. Hobson can help.
Dr. Ford took more pictures
while we were there. I should receive these pictures of Dr. Ford with Angel
via email and they will be added to Angel's collection, if he can figure
out how to upload them and email them to me.
After the visit,
I went to the front to pay for the office visit and again, Dr. Ford said,
"I told Frankie I would look at her and evaluate her. There is no charge."
WOW... I can't believe this.
We want to Thank Dr. Ford
for his time and efforts to try and get Angel where she needs to be.
We are not sure of the cost of the surgery still. I told him about
the internet following we have for Angel, of all your prayers, support,
and offers to donate as soon as we know what the expense will be.
So far God has provided everything she needs. God is so good.
Even Dr. Ford has donated his time to evaluate her condition.
For all those still interested
in Donating to help Angel, don't send anything more at this time. Just
please keep checking back for updates. As soon as we know what expenses
to expect, we will add it to her page.
The vets and doctors have
donated a lot of their time and services and we are not sure what other
donations will be needed, if any, at this time. We want
to thank all those who have donated their services, treatments, time, prayers
and financial assistance to date. Please look below for a list of some
of the names who have collectively given Angel what she has needed so far..
Update:
January 14th, 2004
I talked to Dr. Ford's
office today... We are still waiting for a status report from A&M specialist
as to what they recommend.. Angel goes in Monday to be spayed. We don't
want her to have kittens to care for with her jaw as it is.. It would just
be too much for her.
We are wondering if, after
all she has gone through, this is it. Does she have to live with this injury
or can someone help her? We don't know what is next for her. We are just
keeping the faith that God knows and we have left it in his hands.
.
Update:
April 4th, 2004
Today I took more pictures
of Angel.. Click here to see latest pictures.
Since she was spayed, she is getting so fluffy and beautiful even
with the injury to her jaw. The doctors are afraid that the she may not
make it through the surgery to rebuild the jaw. We don't want to risk it
if it is too dangerous. At this time, we are still waiting for Dr.
Ford to get all the specialist reports and make a plan.
Update:
April 19th, 2004
We talked to Dr. Ford again
today. He apologized for the long delay but with all the confusing messages
he had received from all the specialist, it just took longer than he thought
it would to come up with a plan.
He has been in touch with
Dr. Hobson at Texas A&M University. Doctor Hobson has agreed to see
Angel and to evaluate her condition. Dr. Ford feels very confident
in this team that will be working with her, but makes no promises as to
what can or can not be done..
Plans are being made at
this time for us to take Angel to A&M sometime in June for her final
test and evaluations. We will know at that time if there is anything more
we can do for her or if we will have to leave her jaw this way. We
will do what Dr. Hobson recommends. If it is true that this doctor
could build a cat if given all the spare parts, what will this visit mean
to Angel?
We want to thank Dr. Ford
for all his hard work in getting all the medical records together to send
to Dr. Hobson and for his referral. Also thanks for the donation of your
time and services.
Update:
June 9th, 2004
We take Angel to A&M
to see Dr. Hobson on June 14th. His initial visit is suppose to be $65
to evaluate her condition and see if he can help. So far, so many specialist
and doctors have donated their time and treatment so I don't know what
God has in store for us when we see him. I have been told again that
the cost could be $1800 to $2500 if they can help her without risk to her
life. I will let you know what happens as soon as we return from Waco.
Stay tuned.
Update:
June 15th, 2004
We just got home from Texas
A&M University's , Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
where Angel saw Dr. Phil Hobson. We left and went down to College
Station from the Dallas area on Sunday night so we would be ready
early Monday morning to take Angel on her next adventure. Tomorrow
I will update and give you the story of this trip.
Update:
June 16th, 2004
On with the story..
A couple of days prior
to our trip to College Station to see Dr. Hobson, I sold a couple of kittens.
Kittens sold for $350 each so that was $700.00. I was so excited because
for the first time this year, I was going to be able to pay my sales taxes
from last years sales. This was great. So I packed up my desk to take with
me so I could make out the check and get everything ready to be mailed
out, while I had the peace and quite of a hotel room. Little did I know
that this was God's way of covering the expense for Angel, not my bills.
It came in just at the right time and was close to exactly what I was going
to need for this trip. My total needed for this trip including the hotel,
food and the vet bill came to $699.57.. Pretty close.. God is just too
good. Why do I even take time to doubt him at times?
On Sunday, June 13th, Angel
and I headed from the Dallas area to College Station, Texas for an appointment
with Dr. Hobson. We wanted to go the day before so we would be there bright
and early for her appointment. We drove down and checked into Best Western
Hotel there. We got in around 1:30 A.M. and were both very tired
from the trip. I took my night time meds, called to set up a wake up call
to assure we get there on time, and made Angel comfortable in the
bathroom before going to bed. I watched a little T.V. and fell off to sleep.
Monday morning, we arose
at 8:30 A.M. and got all ready for the appointment and left the hotel.
We arrived about 10 minutes early but they were ready for us right away.
We went back to the office with the clinician. They did the standard testing,
like pulse, temperature, weight, etc.. Then I ask them if they had Angel's
records that Dr. Ford had emailed to them in Angel's folder. The folder
looked so thin and I knew that all the reports the specialist that had
done on Angel had to be bigger than what they had. They said they
did not have that in her file as of yet. Maybe Dr. Hobson had them with
him. Then they informed me that Dr. Hobson was not in that day and
one of the other vets would be looking at her today.. I told them, "No,
I was to see Dr. Hobson only because of Angel's complicated condition.
That was the whole purpose of coming down from Dallas." They went
to check on why Dr. Hobson was not in and informed me of a death in the
family and that he would return tomorrow, Tuesday the 15th.
One of the doctors there wanted to look at her anyway because she had heard
about Angel and wanted to see what it looked like. She agreed that
Dr. Hobson really needed to see her.
I asked them then, if they
would please contact Dr. Ford again and have him re-send Angel's records
so they would be in her folder the next morning.
We were told to return
at 9 A.M. Tuesday morning and Dr. Hobson would be in then. So we left.
I went to PetCo, shopping for kitten food and other items I needed back
home, and went back to the hotel for another nights stay, which was $70.00
a night. I had not planned a two night stay, so I had not brought
my meds for the second night, and was up till 4 A.M. Tuesday morning because
I could not get to sleep. I know that I was in deep thought and prayer
about Angel and what were they going to be able to do and my mind was racing
with thoughts and where this was leading.
I had a wake up call set
for 7:30 A.M., but was worried I would miss the appointment because I could
not sleep the night before. I decided to take advantage of the sleeplessness
and work on paperwork and bills till I could sleep. By 4 A.M.
I was getting drowsy, so I closed up all my books and off to sleep I went.
At 7:30 A. M. the phone
rang to get us up.. I laid there saying over and over, don't fall back
to sleep, you will be late, don't go back to sleep,
don't
go back to sleep,
don't go
back to sleep, only to awake again at 8:49 A.M...
I sprang from the bed and rushed around getting dressed and out the door
we ran.. We arrived at the office at 9:06 A.M. and were in to see Dr. Hobson
by 9:10 A.M. That was some fast moving... Didn't know I had
it in me to move that fast.. LOL
Once there, I asked Dr.
Hobson if he had all of Angel's records from Dr. Ford. He said, "No, they
must have been deleted. We get so much spam here and they may have been
over looked and deleted by accident." He said, "It doesn't really matter
though, because we would have to start all over anyway to make a judgment
call on what could be done for her." With her situation being so
complicated, I knew his expertise was what we needed and the reason we
were there. I understood that he needed to be able to look at her
from all angles up close. He told us that she would need to stay
all day so they could run test, put her to sleep so they could do more
extensive x-rays, and see what they believed would be best for her.
There was a lot of discussion about whether the surgery to straighten her
jaw would benefit her or makes thing worse in the long run.
I left her in his hands,
knowing she was in the best hands in Texas, and went back to the
hotel for a nap while waiting to hear back from them.
I awoke around 1:30 P.M.
to an awful thunderstorm and lighting so close that it sounded like it
was hitting the trees and cars outside my door. Flood warnings were out
and they were saying not to go out in it unless it was absolutely necessary
because road were flooded. I figured it was going to be another nights
stay, since check out was suppose to be at 1:00 P.M. I called the
front office and made arrangements for another night, just in case.
Around 4 P.M. the sun was
out and it was beginning to dry up a little. I decided to go get sandwich
fixings for that night and the following day to save a little money. While
I was at the grocery store, Dr. Hobson called to give me the news.
I was to wait about another
hour or two before coming to get her so she could wake up and be ready
to travel. I took the sandwich fixings back to the hotel and headed out
to his office. When I arrived, they brought Angel out to me and went over
everything with me.
All Angel's blood work
came back fine, no infections or anything like that. There was however
problems with her jaws.. There were lots of ulcerations on her gums and
soft tissues where her teeth have been hitting when she eats. Dr. Hobson
said that is probably why she throws her head back when she is eating because
he is sure it hurts her when the teeth hit those areas. He said that straightening
her jaw would most likely cause her more problems later on, that the area's
with the pins in them would not grow with her as she grew, and that he
felt that was not the best approach. But he did say that we have to do
something about her teeth.
He recommended a Dr. Wiggs
in the Dallas area who is a dental surgeon. He told us to make an appointment
with him to have the teeth that were hitting the jaw, gums and soft tissue
shortened and capped, plus remove some of the bottom teeth, because they
would then start hitting when she ate once the other's were shortened.
Here is the medical diagnostic
test and results.
Diagnostic Test & Results:
Skull and mandibular radiographs were done. Also, fluoroscopy of the skull
was done. While the patient was under anesthesia, we also took a better
look at the jaw and oral cavity, and were able to better palpate the region.
The temperomandibular joints appear to be articulating bilaterally. The
right mandible is longer than the left mandible: however, it is still considerably
shorter than it should be. Therefore, she would have a "parrot" mouth even
if the jaw was straighten and the teeth would still not align properly.
There is evidence of an old fracture in the left caudal mandible. The right
maxilla also has evidence of trauma because all of the cheek teeth are
"leaning" medially. Malocclusiuon of the left mandibular canine is present
(canine contacts the upper outer maxilla). It is thought with shortening
of this tooth, that the right mandibular canine would then contact the
roof of the mouth.
Diagnosis: Evidence of
mandibular and maxillary trauma.
Treatment: It is recommended
that both of the lower canine teeth be shortened and capped. Also, frequent
teeth cleaning is going to be necessary due to the fact that the teeth
are not aligned properly. Recommend Dr. Wiggs who is board certified
dentist in the Dallas area.
After talking with Dr.
Hobson, I took a picture of him and the clinician that assisted him there
which you can see on Angel's picture pages. Then I thanked him and
we said our good byes. I then went to check out.. They handed me the bill
and I almost fell over.. It was $530.67, for all test and x-rays.
The test were very extensive and I know she needed them all but I just
was not prepared for what it might cost. She still needs the
dental surgery and will continually need dental visits to clean the areas
where the food clogs up due to the injury. I asked how much the surgery
would be and was told that it would most likely be around $500 to $800
more, plus the expenses of anesthesia which could make it around
$1000...
At least the sale of the
kittens just prior to this visit covered Angel's visit, but there was not
enough left to stay another night, flood or no flood. We were headed
home straight from the doctors office. It was a lot but now we know what
to do for Angel.
We drove all the way to
Waco before filling up the car again with gas. That took the last of the
money on the credit cards but we had enough gas to get home. That was all
that mattered. God always says, he will provide what we need.. Most the
time, that is just how he works. No more, no less but just what we need.
We got in around 10:30
P.M. and were fortunate that the flooding did not hinder our trip at all.
Angel was glad to be home and went straight to her food and water. As for
me, I unloaded the car, unpacked and put a short note on Angel's
page before heading off to bed.
At this time, we can not
afford to have the oral surgery done that Dr. Hobson said she needs, so
have put it in God's hands and will let you know what happens next.
If God lays it on your heart to help her, there is information below to
send financial help either through PayPal or directly to Dr. Wiggs office.
If you send it to Dr. Wiggs, please make a note to them to let them know
it is for Angel and let us know.
Update:
April 13th, 2005,
Our home flooded over Easter
weekend due to rains and storms and we also had the plumbing back up due
to broken pipes under the foundation. Insurance will not cover any of it
and we are at a loss as to how we can afford to save up enough to help
Angel. This process has taken so long that the interest has fallen behind.
Perhaps many have forgotten but we have not had any donations or help since
we went to Texas A&M and are unable to have Dr. Wiggs do the so needed
work on Angel's jaw and teeth so we have listed her on the Available Cats
page for FREE to a good home that could help
her and give her the dental needs she will need over the years. This is
a hard decision to make but we feel it is in her best interest. If you
know of anyone that might be interested in her, please pass the word.
God bless... Stay tuned for updates as they happen.
Keep the prayers going
and thanks again for all your support and e-mails over the past couple
of years. All needs were met through the loving concern of doctors and
you until A&M's visit but none since. Perhaps the time it took to get
to the point where we knew what was needed took so long that everyone lost
interest or forgot but Angel still needs a lot of dental work and we need
your prayers and or support to provide her with what she will need. We
wish we could afford this but it has not been possible so we are asking
you to please let us know if you can help or if you know of a family that
would love to have her and take care of her needs as they arise... Please
pray and Pass this on to your friends. We are prayerfully awaiting to
hear back from one of you if you can help.
Update:
May 20th, 2005,
$50.00 donation: For Angel... Please
continue to help her. Don't give up. God will bless you for
all you've done,
Dear Rebecca,
I read about Angel's story and it really touched
me. I prayed to God a lot last night about her. Also, have
you tried getting pet insurance for her? I use "sheltercare" ( www.sheltercare.com)
For $9 a month, I get almost everything covered. Fractures are included
and perhaps dental work might be, as well. Their phone number is
1-866-375-PETS (7387).
I am the proud mommy of three... One grey tabby
named Sky (he was a homeless kitten who was in really bad shape after being
attacked by another cat. He was three months old when I found him
and now he's a year and a half.), A black cat named Daisy (she was an abandoned
cat.. found her a month after Sky in the same parking lot. She's
now 3 years old.) I found both of them about a year ago and today
they are very healthy, happy (and spoiled!).
Two days ago, I resuced a beautiful Seal Point
Himalayan, which I named Sofia, from an animal shelter here in Newark,
NJ (where I live.) Sofia is in very bad shape. I took her to the
vet to get her checked out and get rid of all the matted hair. Apparently,
she was given up to the shelter because the previous owner's wife "had
allergies." (I have bad allergies too.. I take medicine which works
great. I told the allergist that getting rid of the cats was not
an option) Sofia was in such bad shape and right now, she is on a cocktail
of anibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. She has an amazing
spirit for someone in her shape. She's made so much progress over
the past two days and now she is so friendly and playful. Next week,
I am taking her back to the vet for more work. Her teeth also need
a lot of work. Due to the neglect of her past owner, her teeth are
in very bad shape and need a lot of work. She is finally using her
litterbox now and she is eating and drinking more and more. She is
only a mere 6 1/2 lbs, which is too little for a 3 year old adult cat.
Right now she is resting soundly after playing a lot and running around
the whole morning :)
I hope that Angel makes a quick recovery soon.
I am looking forwards to the update that will be posted soon. I hope
that it will be a positive one! I firmly believe that all animals
should be treated humanely and with respect, as we are all creations of
God. Thank you for what you are doing and for not thinking "oh well
it's just an animal".
God bless,
Caroline
"The Bible indicates that all animals are acceptable
in God's sight. They never degenerated into rebellion against God. While
all human beings need forgiveness and salvation, all animals are already
in a right relationship with God. We should remember this and be humbled.
In the light of the clear teaching of Scripture concerning creation and
mankind's responsibility for it, we should treat animals with the love
and concern of those who must give an account of our conduct to God." --Dr.
Peter Hammond ( http://www.thebibleandanimals.org/)
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Protect the rights of all who are helpless."
Proverbs 31:8
Reply:
Oh Caroline, you have touched my heart with
all that you are doing as well.. I sure appreciate the help with Angel..
She is such a dream kitty and is so loving and playful. She will
come up to me and tap me on the shoulder so tenderly as if she was a child
saying, "Mama? Hey Mama... I need you to love on me.."
She will sit on my shoulder still if I will let her. She is getting too
big for her to sit there very long but she thinks that is a good place
to be.
I have my daughters two cats here with us right
now, Shayla and Pawtricks, and Angel attacks them because this was her
house first and they came in, both grown, and invaded her space.. They
will adjust soon I am sure but right now, she is laying down the rules
to them. My daughter is in the Navy and had to go to sea so she sent them
to stay with me for a while. Shayla is one of Sugar's kittens from a past
litter and Pawtricks is her baby boy. They are both so big and beautiful
now but Angel never knew them when they were young so she is
letting them know that this is her family and that they have to understand
that she rules, not them.. LOL Cats can be so funny sometimes.
Your donation has given me hope for Angel's
needs again. It has been a long time since anyone has helped since the
visit to A&M and I was wondering if we were ever going to get caught
up finacially enough to at least have the teeth scraped and cleaned on
the bad side. This will help her feel so much better. I am going to call
Dr. Wiggs office Monday morning and get her set up for a good cleaning
of that jaw area. We still need to have a lot of dental work done,
so pass the word to anyone you know that might want to help her get her
teeth cut and capped or pulled that are the hardest on her. That will be
a lot of money so we can use all the help we can get. I even offered
her for Free to a good family that would be willing and able to handle
her dental needs but no one has asked for her yet. She may be suppose to
live here and let God show us his love through other's like yourself and
keep her story going.
I wanted to ask if I could use part or even
all of your email in the latest update on her page? What do you think?
People need to know that animals need attention and love just like people
and what you are doing makes my heart smile. Keep doing what you are doing
and God bless you special for your help..
Thanks again Caroline.. This is a true blessing.
Rebecca
Update:
May 27th, 2005
We are taking Angel in
to Dr. Wiggs to have him see what the cost is going to be to have her teeth
cut and capped and to have her jaw area cleaned. The vet visit is $65.00
just to get his opinion as to what it will cost but we are taking her in
and are prayerfully asking for her needs. Thank you Caroline for your help.
We will update again as soon as Dr. Wiggs gives us her next report.
Update:
May 28th, 2005
Thank you Linda for your
help today. The extra money you gave us today will insure that Angel's
jaw will be cleaned when she sees Dr. Wiggs. I am so grateful to God for
the love he is showing us on her behalf.
Update:
July 9th, 2005
Hello Rebecca,
My name
is Evan Richards. My wife (Kathleen) and I
contacted you about a
week ago regarding adopting a
kitten. WE found
a blue point male but my wife might
still be interested in
the lilac point male. Is he
still available.
They are beautiful! You might
remember us as the couple
that recently lost our
almost 11yr. old Blue
Point Male. It has been
diffucult. We will never
forget him. We still imagine
him coming aroung the
corner of the couch and talking
up a storm. Our
love for our cats knows no bounds.
for myself, I have a very
strong soft spot in my soul
for cats.
I still have
dial-up at home and so it is slow to
surf through your web
site. But right now I have two
nights a week (and when
I have a few moments) have
access to a computer that
is high speed. Your web
site is very enjoyable
to surf through. When I get
home and after my sleep
(I work nights and my wife is
with our family of cats)
I will take more time to read
more on one cat you feature.
I am talking about "My
Little Angel". I am glad
good people have stepped
forward to help.
I would love to find out
how I can help. At this
writing I was unable to
determine what stage she is at
in her healing process.
Her pictures have touched me
deeply and feel as if
I should help.
I look forward to communicating with you soon.
Take care and God Bless
you and what you do.
Evan Richards
A loving family loving
cats
love with
no boundaries.
Update:
July 10th, 2005
Hello Rebecca
It was good to hear from you. Since you are having people over to
look at your kittens, today might not be a good day for us to come visit
to see the kittens and talk about Angel.
We are also looking at Tanner born May 27th. He would be very close to
the Blue Point we have already found (by about 3 & a half weeks.
Hopefully he is still available? His sister sure is cute. What
is the shading difference in a Lynx?
Regarding Angel, I have though hard about it, in fact, I have this feeling
that God must be speaking to me in such a way that I am unable to stop
thinking about Angel. Not that I want to. It's not that I can,
but I feel it is the right thing to do. I am feeling stronger by the hour
about this. When we can visit and speak about this, I would like
to help take care of what seems a big thing for her right now and that
is the dental work.
Speak with you soon.
God Bless.
Evan
Update:
July 13th, 2005
Today, Evan and his wife
Kat came to visit us. They have purchased our little seal lynx point male,
Tanner, from Jingle Belle and Yohann but also wanted to help Angel
get her dental work done. They left here leaving us with a $1000.00 donation
to get Angel's work done. They told us that if she needs more, just let
them know. My heart swells with love and joy and unbelief of God's continued
love shown through all the love and support for this miracle kitty's life.
Dr. Wiggs' office is looking through the records now. They will call
us with an appointment date next week. Please stay tuned because Angels
long road of suffering is coming to an end. All the work she needs will
finally be done and she will not be in any pain when she eats and will
have her jaw area cleaned, teeth removed that need to be removed and will
have the ones that need to be cut back and capped taken care of.
Update:
July 21st, 2005
Angel goes into see Dr.
Wiggs Tuesday August 9th at 9:30 A.M. He will do all he can that
day and we will pick her up lthat afternoon unless he feels he needs to
keep her overnight. We will then make the necessary follow-up appointments.
I don't know what they will be able to do that day at this time. They will
get as much of her dental done as they can do in one day and will let us
know what the next step is and when. God bless you all for your help and
prayers during this kitty's lifetime and a very big special thank you to
Evan and Kat for such a generous and loving donation. Angel's dreams
are coming true. Will let you know after we see Dr. Wiggs what the next
step is.
Update:
August 9th, 2005
Angel is at Dr. Wigg's
office and will have to stay in the hospital a few days. He said it would
be extensive work that would have to be done. He will call me Friday to
come and get her and I will update her condition and how she came through
it all at that time. Be praying for her.
Update:
August 12th, 2005
God's hand was at work
yet again in this miracle kitty's life shown by the dentist and staff of
Dr. Wigg's. The whole visit and charges for the work was discounted
over $800.00 from the normal charges.
Angel is home. She had
several teeth removed and some cut and capped. Her jaw area was scrapped
and cleaned where the jaw was broken and some cartilage was added and her
gums stitched. I will add more later on the procedure as soon as I talk
to the dentist. I picked her up today and she was more than ready to come
home. She jumped right into my arms as soon as she saw me. She has to eat
soft food for a few days to allow the gums to heal. She is in good spirits
and looks like she is feeling much better. She goes back in three weeks
for a follow up and I will get the whole story then. The dentist was in
surgery when I arrived to pick her up and I was not able to speak to him
today but will soon. I have so much more to tell you but I have had
a long day so stay tuned. I will post the rest of her update in a few days
after we get the kids back in school. School starts Monday and I have got
to get them ready for their first day. I will get the details from the
dentist and add it to her page soon.. Thank you and come back to
read the rest soon.
Update:
September 3rd, 2005
We had the follow up for
Angel on September 1st and all looks really good. Angel is eating better.
Her jaw is not drooling all the time and she is feeling so much better.She
is even getting ornery with the other cats and playing more too. She thinks
she is the boss of this place now.
Dr. Wiggs checked her jaw,
the area where the teeth had been removed and the capped teeth and said
she was progressing nicely. He said that her jaw may shift
some where the teeth were removed and that he may have to remove more teeth
later if that happens. He says it will take 6 months to a year to know
what will need to be done next. At this point, we are planning to
keep her here till we can take her in to see him in 9 months to have the
broken side of her jaw scrapped and cleaned again plus have any other teeth
removed if it is necessary. At that time, if it looks like she is
done with surgery, we will consider placing her in a good family home that
will love her and make her the center of their world.
It is not over yet but
she looks and feels so much better now that the pain of the bad teeth and
the ones that were causing ulcers on her inside cheek areas are gone.
Looks like we have at least the possiblity of one more surgery. At
that point, I hope she will only have to have her jaw area and teeth cleaned
once or twice a year.
A great big thank you to
all of you who have played a part in getting her to this point and a special
thank you to Evan & Kat Richards for your generous help that allowed
us to finally get the appointments set, get the surgery needed, have
the gas to get her to and from the appointments and for the special canned
food she needed for the days following the surgery. Angel is a happier
kitty now, no more pain and eating much easier too.
I am working on getting
new pictures up and when they ware ready, you will be able to see them
by clicking on this link below. I have one of her and Dr. Wiggs up but
will be taking more in the following days to upload. click
here.
Update:
November 9th, 2005
Angel is going to Alabama
to live. She has warmed her way into the heart of June and Calvin, my mom
and step father. They came to visit while I was sick to help with the cats
and kids and help get me back on my feet after our home flooded Easter
morning and all the complications that followed due to all the rains that
morning. After 5 weeks of working here, Angel has adopted them and they
just fell in love with her as well. We will keep you posted on her progress
over the next months and years to come.
November 2005, my health got
bad and my mom came out from Collinsville, Alabama to help with the cats
snd kids while helping me with all the health problems. She was here for
5 weeks and during this stay, Angel adopted my mother. It was so intertesting
how the two of them bonded over this 5 week period. Angel would climb up
on the counter or back of the couch and tap on mom's shoulder, "Meow
Meow" till mom would just hold and love on her. As kids, we used to do
the same thing to mom.. We would constantly be tapping on mom's shoulder,
"MaMa!" "MaMa!" and this got my mom's attention and her heart with
Angel.. She just was meant to be with her. Mom never thought she
wanted a cat but during this period of time, she fell in love with Angel
just as Angel had fallen in love with her. She could not leave here
wihout her.
Needless to say, Angel and her
have became the best of friends.. Angel follows her everywhere she goes
and is just such a lap baby now.. Mom said she never knew she couId love
a animal this much. She has become one of her kids and Angel is the boss.
She demands mom's love and attention and my mom is loving it more than
she knew possible. I never saw a cat adopt a person so completely
so quickly.. She has this little trait that reminded my mom of all of us
kids when we were little.. We used to tap on mom's shoulder over and over
and say, "Mama. Mama.. Mama" and that is how Angel gets
your attention.. It is so cute.. She just comes up to you and taps on your
arm or your shoulder and will sometimes say "Meow Meow, Meow Meow"
It just got to my mom's heart. Now I talk to mom on the phone and
it seems Angel is always right there with her. Angel is where whe
was meant to be..
Update:
February 25th, 2007
Angel's update since she moved
to Alabama.........
I am Rebecca's mother, and the
proud 'mother' of Angel! I have been promising Rebecca that I would
write a note to the many who have had an interest in this precious kitty's
story, and especially to those who have contributed to the process of saving
her life! I am very grateful that you cared!!!
It was so strange how the relationship
with Angel developed. I had never been a cat lover. I had a
dear male dachshund at home that was just like one of my children.
I never had had an animal that I loved like I loved Oscar. But I
had to let my daughter here take care of him while I spent five weeks in
Arlington, Texas to assist Rebecca during a very trying time due to health
issues.
Her cattery was very interesting
to me, never having been out there since she started her business. The
very first sight of Angel caught my breath. I had never seen such
a beautiful animal. And she was such an "aristocrat!" She walked
around with her head in the air, and very obviously needed nothing from
me, thank you! I would attempt to pet her, but she wanted no part
of it. However, with repeated efforts, she began to "tolerate" me
for a little while occasionally. Then, gradually, she began jumping
up on the sofa back, and very gingerly tapping me on the shoulder.
I would take her in my arms, and pet her for as long as she would let me.
By the time I was able to make plans to return home to Alabama she was
my baby!!! Everyone knew it!
The only misgiving I had at all
was fears about taking her into Oscar's domain. I had no idea how
that would work out. And it was difficult for quite a while.
Oscar was VERY upset, as well as curious about her arrival. He chased
her all over the house every time she tried to venture into the family
room. She stayed on top of chests of drawers, or hidden between pillows
on the beds. I had to shut off one of the bathrooms and a bedroom,
and make it her space. But I wanted her to be free to be in the family
room with us, and enjoy both of them. There was no reasoning with
Oscar, and no convincing Angel that they could get along. HOWEVER,
one day Angel had had enough. When Oscar approached her barking,
she popped him with her paw. He ran away, screaming! From that
time on, they each kept their distance from each other, but Angel was finally
"at home" in the family.
The sad part of my story is that
Oscar contracted some kind of external and internal fungus infection
and eventually became so ill that I had to make the very painful decision
to have our vet put him to sleep. I guess I will never stop
grieving, because he had been such a loving, faithful, obedient "child"
of mine, but Angel has been a great comfort. She follows me wherever
i go, and sits patiently while I cook, or wash dishes, or do whatever chores
are necessary - then when I sit down, she is right there on my lap. At
night, when I go to bed, she hops up there with me, and taps me on the
arm, her signal that she needs a little love. Then she goes down
to the foot of the bed where she sleeps. She has become a loving
and beloved part of my life, and I am soooooo grateful that I have her.
Thank you for caring!!!
June Reed
To see more pictures of
Angel, click NEXT below. |
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