Day 3 – JJ doesn’t want to move

Another night of no sleep, spent snuggled up with JJ. He seemed extremely miserable and I was worried so we got him out of his create and onto his enourmous cat bed so that I could lay with him and comfort him. He quickly moved closer to me and snuggled up with his head resting on my arm. This equalled – no sleep for me on the hard floor but a happy JJ so it was totally worth it. I’ve had to take some extra days off work as clearly he’s not handling this as well as we had hoped.

This morning JJ is acting like he has given up on the world. He has retreated to his bed inside the cage and is just sleeping. He has eaten but only because I put the food right up to his bed so he didn’t need to move. I am getting super worried. I keep telling myself that it’s all the pain meds but he just seems to have gone backwards. Some of me thinks that he has scared himself because a couple of times when he has moved he seems to have had the episodes of phantom limb pain and this might have knocked his confidence. Or maybe he’s hitting depression stage.

Clearly something is making him this way and it has me worried sick. We are booked into the vets this afternoon so hopefully I will get some reassurance and JJ will get a full check. I just keep thinking, what if something has gone wrong, have I don’t something wrong, what can I do to help him, is he going to be like this forever? The guilt is killing me, maybe I shouldn’t have put him through this, maybe I should have let him live with his growth and just given him palatine care. I was trying to save his life, and now I feel like I’ve just made it worse. I’m so sorry JJ.

10 thoughts on “Day 3 – JJ doesn’t want to move”

  1. Puuuuhhhleeeeeze DO NOT add guilt to any of your emotions! You have done a phenomenal job of supporting the handsome fella! As hard as it is to hear, or believe, or even think during these first few days of recovery EVERYTHING you have described is absolutely NORMAL. Cpmpletely. Totally. JJ is SUPPOSED to see pink elephants and sleep and sleep and sleep. This is MAJOR surgery. I can’t think of any cat (or dog) during Day Three who wasn’t out of it or sleeping (or making us worry silly). I promise you it WILL GET BETTER. Think of it this way: what HUMAN would be able to be alert and back to normal and mobile after a full leg amputation on Day Three. Despite some recovering quicker than others, the norm is to be pretty exhausted and miserable (BOTH US and our loved ones) the first two or even three weeks. You ABSOLUTELY DID the right thing !!! And JJ -even in his sleep- knows that! You hang in there, sleep when you can, and celebrate that gosh darn good looking JJ being home and eating! You can do this! You got this! Hugs, best wishes, and PyrPaws all around!

    1. Thank you for your reassuring words. I’m scared to death that something is wrong and just keep thinking oh my god what have we done. It’s good to know this all sounds normal. It’s just heart breaking to see him this way, it feels like this will never end. I know it’s still early days. I can handle knowing it will take time to get him back up and about but only as long as I know everything he is going through is normal. I feel completely neurotic about it all. Watching everything he is doing, every breath he takes. We are off to the vets now for his check up so I just hope he gets a clean bill of health .. well as good as can be expected at this point anyway. Wish us luck.

    2. Exactly! You want the patient to stay chill and sleeping most the day, but up to eat and void sounds great!

  2. Ditto Charlierbear!
    I agree get rid of the guilt, this will not help you or JJ. You did this for JJ not too him!
    You had to get rid of the pain or JJ. Clearly you made the right choice.
    Recovery is not easy , no sleep and worry all part of the rollercoaster, things will get better please trust us on this!
    What pain meds did they give you and how often are you giving them?
    When you go today ask about Gabapentin it is a very useful drug for nerve pain.
    Purrkins was on Buprenorphine and Gabapentin
    JJ needs to sleep and yes that is good and healing!
    The wailing, panic attacks could be pain , phantm limb pain, or the pain meds.
    Always trust you gut feelings! You know JJ best!
    Let us know how the vet visit goes.
    Please make all your concerns known!
    Hugs! Holly & Purrkins

  3. DITTO CHARLIEBEAR!!!!

    Humans would still be in the hospital on a morphine drip!

    JJ is doing EXACTLY what he needs to do….rest, rest, rest. In the “wild” he would be hiding out in his den wuietly giving himself time to heal.

    And no, he hasn’t gone “backwards”. The hospital meds are now out of his system and we often see more of a crash around day three to four.

    Recovery is rough! We can all relate to the doubts, etc you are feeling sooo well!! It took me three weeks before I could finally say I did this FOR my Happy Hannah and not TO her!!! What you are feeling is “normal” and the way JJ is reacting this early in recovery is normal!!

    JJ IS EATING! πŸ™‚ YAY! And JJ SLEPT COMFORTABLY!! πŸ™‚ YAY!!

    Yes, if it means bringing him food to get him to eat and bringing him water to get him to drink, do it! Many won’t even eat at first regardless of whether you bring it to them or not!

    Is he drinking? Is he peeing? Poo make take a few days because of the meds.

    You may have to tweak the pain meds if you feel like they aren’t spaced or dosed properly to keep the pain at bay.

    This is MAJOR SURGERY and itnis really, really, really early on in recovery! And no, he’s not “depressed”, maybea bit druggy though!

    Be a strong confident pack leader and JJ will pick up on your energy. He will then feel less vulnerable and more assured.

    Update after the Vet check-up! YOU’RE DOING GREAT!!!!

    ((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))

    Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

  4. Newbie myself and not much to add to what others have said, except a little reassurance and validation, my dog just had her surgery yesterday and I’ve been a basketcase of guilt, doubt, self blame, etc and am already seeing a recovery roller coaster ahead. Know JJ will make a good bounceback in his own time, and as a cat person as much as a dog person I have to say he is one gorgeous kitty. Good luck!

    1. Thank you. I’m so sorry to hear you are going through the same thing. I’m just so relieved I have this place and all you fabulous people to keep me sane!

  5. I am also a newbie to this (my dog had a front leg amputation 21 days ago). One thing I have learned from everyone is that it takes time. Every dog/cat heals differently. There will be ups and downs; JJ needs you to stay strong but when you feel getting weak, get back on this site and reach out to us….we are here for you and will help you get through this.

  6. Try to find balance within yourself (I swear I am always trying to find mine:) and have some inner peace. You are doing so great caring fur your handsome boy, but you too need rest and gotta chill out a little or you’ll drive yourself bonkers and stress JJ.

    I would def keep his pain under control and make sure he doesn’t go with out it for some time. I’m sure he is in excruciating pain “when” he moves or brushes his incision area against something and that could be one of the reasons he sleeps in his litter pan from time to time. I assume he isn’t going to feel “great” for a while as he has a fresh wound. Try hard to stay a float and in good spirit, because JJ needs happy vibes and lots of love which it sounds like you excel at giving 24/7. πŸ™‚ Sending positive vibes and prayers your way! >^,,^<

    Xo

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