In order to have the implant surgery, Farletta's eye must be free of inflammation and she must be off all eye meds for 5-7 days. Today I took Farletta to Dr. Shaarda to see if he thinks she is ready for the surgery. He said her eye looks good and to go ahead and take her off the eye meds. She has an appointment to see the eye specialist at MSU (on August 1st) if her eye stays healthy between now and then. If things check out, she will have surgery on September 2nd.
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I called MSU today to get an official quote on the cyclosporine implant surgery. It is $1500 - $2000 plus the intake appointment and follow up appointments and meds. I am really scared this is more than I can handle. I can't just let her lose her eye or suffer any more pain when there is something that can be done to help her.
Farletta is still on treatment from her last episode. Time is running out. Still praying for a miracle... Went to see Dr. Shaarda today. He discovered inflammation/edema in her eye as I suspected he would. She is back on the Atropine/NeoPolyDex/Banamine treatment schedule and Dr. Shaarda is going to contact MSU again to see how they think we should proceed leading up to possible implant surgery.
At the appointment Dr. Shaarda went over the cyclosporine benefits and what the newest research has found. It seems the inflammation from each flare up is an auto immune response to some stress to the horse. In an ERU eye, there are too many antibodies and when the horse is stressed they "freak out" and over react causing the painful inflammation in the eye. In some studies, it has been shown over time the cyclosporine has reduced the number of antibodies in the eye...in effect "curing" the ERU. This is a best case scenario but Dr. Shaarda feels Farletta is a good candidate for this result. Dr. Shaarda feels this is the best course for Farletta and I agree. Unfortunately we don't have the luxury of waiting until I have all the money needed. Fund raising efforts have been slow. Praying that God will show me the way... Bad news again. Farletta's eye is flaring up today. I've immediately put her back on treatment but its only been 12 days since she went off meds before...a new record and certainly not a happy accomplishement.
I am afraid this may be it for her. If this can't be controlled any better than this maybe we should just have the eye removed. I hate to see her suffer, it's so unfair to her. I need to raise funds fast but with this economy there is so much other need out there, it's hard for people to justify funds to save a horses eye, even a very special one like Farletta. Praying for a miracle. |
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