# Molly's Story



## jonjenstep (Feb 3, 2018)

I need to share Molly's Story, as I had to put her to sleep on Friday. Upon recollection my husband and I think it started with a pimple on her nose (as we called it), she had it for years but it began to grow in May 2017. One of the vets from the practice I used wanted to surgically remove it but I was afraid as it sounded like it would leave her deformed. Then I happen to see a new vet in the office and he suggested laser surgery and explained how he can get clean margins with minimal deformity. We proceeded and she had it removed and May and recovered beautifully.

Then Hurricane Irma - came through Florida. Molly started limping out of nowhere - I made an appointment to see the vet. He thought it was dysplasia - took an x-ray and said she had a mild case of it. He prescribed her meds and said she would feel better soon. She had a bad reaction to the meds - so back we go to the vet. Full blood workup is done but her liver #'s are elevated. Ask to do an ultrasound and they see something and want to send it out for further evaluation. Problem is phones and internet are still down due to the hurricane. 

A few weeks later, ultrasound evaluation comes back that she has a mass in her spleen. We proceed with the splenectomy and we are told they had clean margins but it did bursts as they were placing it in the tray. She seemed to be doing better then while giving her a pill she had a seizure. Rushed her back to the vet - sent me to a neurologist and really no diagnosis. She started feeling better - but she was very week.

Then she started not eating. Back to the vet. Blood work is still showing elevated liver so they want to do another ultasound, but I did not want to go that route as they just had her opened up and they said her liver looked fine and the prior ultrasound showed nothing on the liver. So vet thought at that time it was either tick disease or cancer. We decided to treat her for a tick disease. 

Problem is she is barely eating and the antibiotics needs to be given with food and I was afraid to give her it without food. So she kept getting worse - then my husband said just give it to her. I did what he said - after a week on the antibiotics she started feeling better. She was eating - couldn't get enough food. We were going every 2 weeks back to the vet for blood tests to make sure she was making process. After being on it 2 weeks they added another antibiotics because she was making progress but not enough. 

Being on the second antibiotic put a kink in her eating - slowly she started shying away from food again. First she was picky - then she would only eat treats - then she was vomitting. By next blood test - white blood count was going up and red blood count was going down slightly. At this point she wasn't eating - I was having to force feed her. Vet said to give her Pepcid - to help her stomach, I would mix a supplement in her food to give her the nutrients she needed, she hated it but she was eating it. 

Finally the blood test on 1/27 showed extreme increase in WBC and drops in RBC and my vet said she needed to see an oncologist and we got an appointment on 1/30. The oncologist believed she had leukemia and wanted to give her a transfusion and iv fluids. She took the transfusion well and they then started the iv fluids. She was retaining the fluids in her feet and chest. Another night away from home. They wanted to drain her chest which they did and stop the iv fluids. By 7:00 am I received a call that they wanted me to put a DNR on her chart and for the family to come to see her to say goodbye as she was now in kidney failure. We arrived by 8:30 and spent 30 minutes giving her a lifetime of love and held her as she drifted out of this world.

This whole experience has been heartbreaking. She was the most amazing friend and family member and will be greatly missed.


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## Redmoon (Feb 4, 2010)

So sorry for your lost, she a beautiful girl, they are so hard to let go. No more pain run free girl.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I am so sorry for your loss of your beautiful Molly, thank you for sharing her story with us.
My thoughts are with you and your family. 

Run free sweet girl.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your beautiful Molly. It's never easy to lose a special dog, but when they are still in single digits, the unfairness is gut wrenching. 

I am glad you have shared some photos of her, we would love to see more and hear some of her best stories, I am sure you have so many good ones. I hope you will focus on what a wonderful life you gave her, she was clearly more loved in 7 years than most dogs are in twice that. 

I'm so sorry for your heartbreak.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I am so sorry. I can see what a beautiful, happy girl she was. Most of us understand how awful and hard this is. I wish you peace in knowing that, although it was too short; she had a great life with you and you did all you could for her.


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## jonjenstep (Feb 3, 2018)

thank you. She was amazing and our family is certainly feeling the emptiness without her. She was my 4th golden and her personality was just so special. 

We are looking for another golden, but are trying to be a lot more selective in the hopes of finding another who will be with us longer than 7 years. I am just realizing how complicated it is to find a good breeder.


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## Deborus12 (Nov 5, 2017)

Your pictures show how beautiful and sweet Molly was. My heart goes out to you and your family. I hope you will find comfort in your memories of her.


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## jonjenstep (Feb 3, 2018)

the picture of her with the bandana - was from the 2 weeks that she started to feel better. Bottom one was the day before her passing.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great pictures and memories of your precious Molly.


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## zeyadeen (May 10, 2017)

my deepest condolences on your loss, molly is such a beautiful angel, she is running free with those who crossed the rainbow bridge. god bless you and your family.


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## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your precious Molly, she was a very beautiful girl.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Molly*

I am so very sorry about your beautiful Molly!
My Smooch and Snobear will take care of her.
I added her to the Rainbow Bridge List.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...538-2018-rainbow-bridge-list.html#post7422986


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

I'm so sorry for your loss of sweet Molly  . Thank you for sharing her story and the pictures are beautiful. Prayers going out to you and your family. RIP sweet Molly


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

So sorry for your loss.


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## dlmrun2002 (Mar 4, 2011)

Thanks for sharing you photos of Molly. She looks like a complete sweetheart. I'm sorry you had to say goodbye to your girl. Posting her story here can be cathartic and help you as you deal with your loss. I hope all the great love and memories Molly gave you help cushion missing her. I'm sure she would want you to know she loved you for all you did for her. You gave her a great home filled with love.

Godspeed to Molly.

dlm ny country


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## jonjenstep (Feb 3, 2018)

Tomorrow will be a week since I kissed my baby goodbye, received another call from her oncologist asking if there is anything they can do for my family. They have been amazing.

On a side note, they received the results of her flow cytometry test - she had acute leukemia. We had already decided prior to what happened that we wouldn't put her through 19 weeks of intense chemo. Just wish we could of had a few extra days to let her lay in her pool for hours and just watch her be happy.


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## dlmrun2002 (Mar 4, 2011)

It's a very common feeling to think about wishing you could've done something else or something more. You can rest assured knowing you did a great job handling Molly at her end. I hope you fell better soon.

dlm ny country


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