Welcome, Nuvita!

Please click on the thumbnails below to see a larger image ... 

She got lots of hugs and kisses:  she knows she was loved.

The last kiss and "I love you" is never easy.

Nuvita is in a better place now.  While we prayed for a miracle, it just wasn't meant to be.  We did our best ,but I promised Nuvita from the beginning that we wouldn't allow her to suffer.  God had other plans for her, and I respect that. Bernice and John are here today; they've been here to help and walk beside us up Frosty's Knoll many times.  Dr. Ryan also shares our pain and sense of loss with us.

Run free, our sweet Nuvita:  we look forward to seeing you again someday.  We love you, forever.

It was three years ago today that Nicky left us.  I'd like to believe that he was leading our heavenly herd of horses to greet Nuvita on the other side of Rainbow Bridge today.  And what a beautiful herd it is:  I can just picture them in my mind!

Dr. Ryan will be out in the morning to help her cross.  It's a shame and I'm very disappointed and sad.  I'm also angry that she suffered for so long before she came here; I just can't imagine the pain she must have endured.  I wanted badly to give her some good years to enjoy life.  We were able to keep her comfortable for a while but unfortunately, I'm afraid the cancer has won.

It's heartbreaking to come to love one so much, to only have them with you for a short time, and then to have to let them go when you want so much to give them quality time.  At least in the few weeks she has been with us, she's been very much loved and cared for.  Maybe that is why God leads some to us:  so they don't die alone, in pain, or without knowing love or having their dignity restored before we help them cross.

Nuvita knows she is loved. After being here a few weeks, I saw her run with her tail and head held high; and for that I will forever be grateful to her.  I know I'm supposed to find comfort in knowing she'll no longer be uncomfortable, but it's hard -- it's very hard.  The emotional rollercoaster ride here lately has been extra tough.  Many thanks to everyone that helped Nuvita; she will never be forgotten, and she will always be loved and remembered.

While Dr. Porter feels the cancer may have spread into bone, we remain positive and hopeful.  His recommendation is to assess Nuvita in two weeks and, if there is improvement, to repeat the treatment.  We are to continue her on antibiotics for 10 days.

She was very good today and had to have felt much better after Dr. Bess removed the large blood clot mess from her mouth.  We're hoping the remaining injury heals soon and this doesn't happen any more.

You can see light in Nuvita's eyes -- she's a tough girl and has a desire for life. We hope and pray today's treatment will help.  She's got a great team of professionals helping her.

Nuvita is dealing with two main issues:  an infectious inflammatory process which has lingered, untreated, for a very long time.  And the second issue is that the biopsy was conclusive for squamous cell carcinoma.  It wasn't the news we'd hoped for, but we knew it was a possibility.  We regrouped with our caretaker team of professionals, including Dr. Porter from the University of Florida; and we have a planned course of action. 

The progress that Nuvita has made since she arrived here and has been receiving proper care is remarkable.  She has a will that is very, very strong; I know it may sound strange but, when you are with her, you can just feel her energy.  She has light in her eyes along with strong determination.  We have started her on an additional antibiotic; we are going to aggressively treat the infection over the course of the next couple of weeks and continue holistic treatment.  Hopefully during this time her body and immune system will become stronger.

We will then reassess her progress and, if we feel she is a good candidate for it, Dr. Porter will come to the rescue to insert cisplatin beads, a form of chemotherapy.  Dr. Porter is going to get back to us early next week with a cost for this procedure; we're anticipating it will run at least $2000.  At this time, pledges for this treatment would be greatly appreciated.  This mare has survived an incredible amount of neglect and abuse.  She is a survivor, and we want to give her a chance if she is up for it.  If it is determined, after giving her some time, that her condition is not improved and that living a good quality of life is unachievable, we will help her cross.  But we will find comfort in knowing that we did everything possible to give her a chance, that she knew proper care and lots of love for her last few weeks of life, and that she will never again know neglect abuse on the other side of the Bridge.  God bless this little mare:  she is truly an inspiration for me.  We've proved in the past that there is strength in prayer; please keep Nuvita, and her recovery, in your prayers.

You can see that the swelling has decreased as has the amount of drainage from her nose.  The pink goo is SWAT to help keep flies away.  I asked her to smile for the camera today, and here's what I got:

Nuvita was sore all over but more so on her right side.  She got "the works" today from Dr. Das and seemed to truly appreciate the TLC.  She's been started on some TCM and other supplements.

When giving her a bath a couple of days ago, I found something odd -- perhaps someone has seen something like this before?  I was washing her underbelly and noticed an old injury between her teats.  It looks like a long clean cut that didn't get sewn up.  Dr. Das and Dr. Bess looked at it, and neither has ever seen anything like it before.  Any ideas, anyone?

While we know Nuvita has a long way to go, and that she may have cancer, we are staying optimistic and saying prayers as we wait for the biopsy results.  Once we get the results, we'll regroup with our care team and define what our course should be.  In the meantime, we hope the antibiotics take care of the infection; and we'll keep her comfortable.  It's good to see the look on her face as she actually grinds up the food she eats, like it's almost too good to be true! Next on her "fix it" list will be a trim in the next few days.  We truly appreciate donations to help Nuvita:  thank you all, very much. Good thoughts and prayers are also very much appreciated.

Nuvita certainly seemed to understand that Dr. Bess was here to help her today. Dr. Bess agrees with Dr. Ryan:  this lovely mare has a huge will to live!  It was really awesome to see Nuvita actually grinding her food later in the day when she ate, and she seemed very pleased.  There was little motion to her chewing before Dr. Bess -- we're so happy for Nuvita!

Dr. Bess and Dr. Ryan spoke after Dr. Bess was done working on Nuvita to discuss our course of action.  We're going to give Nuvita time for the antibiotics to work and the hole in her upper mouth to heal now that the bottom tooth isn't poking it.  t may be necessary for Dr. Bess to go back in to do more work on the area of missing tooth (with Dr. Ryan's help) -- only time will tell.  Nuvita seems more content tonight; it may very well be the best she's felt in years!

Tomorrow Dr. Das will be here to treat Nuvita.  While she's come a long way in a short time, Nuvita has a very long road of recovery ahead of her.  We will continue to pray that the biopsy results are good.  Many thanks to everyone sending her good thoughts, prayers, and donations.  I'll try to update again tomorrow after Dr. Das leaves.
 

Nuvita is a beautiful TWH mare that needs prayers and good thoughts.  She has a very long road to recovery but we have faith, she has the will and love for life, we have an awesome team of professionals helping her, and there are many people sending her good thoughts and prayers.  Put all of this together and hopefully the end result will be a mare that continues to thrive and will be able to live a good life.

Here she is getting a bath.  The picture below this one may be considered graphic, but it shows how really nice the wounds are healing.

You can see the new drain hole that opened up between the two larger areas.

Warning:  the picture below this one may be considered graphic.

I'm still trying to figure out how anyone could go to sleep at night with a horse in their care needing help like this mare did and doing nothing -- this mare has lived with this condition for a long, long time.  This was how she looked the day we brought her to the rescue.  Can you imagine the pressure and pain?  She is at least comfortable now; she is getting antibiotics and pain medication.  We are also being treated for ulcers, and we're working on strengthening her immune system.  She did a short sprint today, tail held high and proud; she has a lovely whinny.

Several X-rays were taken.

A biopsy was taken.

Angel is comfortable and seems at ease.  She is getting antibiotics and pain medication.  Her appetite is great, and she is drinking water.  Her temperature is within normal limits.  Her heart rate was elevated slightly today, but the "feels like" temp was over 100 -- it was very hot and humid.  Her poop is normal and regular now.  She no longer sounds like Darth Vader; her breathing is less labored, which is a very good thing.  While we wait for the biopsy results we will try to get Dr. Das (holistic vet) out to work on Angel.  Dr. Das works wonders.

We truly appreciate the donations, good thoughts, emails, and prayers.  Angel's will to live, obvious love for life, and the light in her eyes gives us hope.  She has suffered for a long time, and now it's her time -- time to get proper care and to know love.  How anyone could ignore her needs, and for such an extended period of time, I will never, ever understand -- it truly was cruel and inhumane. But that is in her past; she is just where she needs to be right now, and we will forever be grateful to the concerned person that DID something when seeing an ill horse in a paddock and realized nobody was doing anything to help the horse.

Dr. Ryan stated today, "She's a really tough mare with a huge will to live."  Then he looked around, smiled, and commented on how we really do experience miracles here.  Please continue to keep Angel in your prayers.  Thank all of you for helping us to help the horses.
 

After we got her here today, I gave her prescribed medications; and she was very good about it.  It's obvious that she doesn't feel well and that is understandable as she's had this injury for over two months.  It went untreated all this time until this past Friday, when a caring human was able to take possession of Angel and start her on Penicillin.  I can't thank this person enough for getting involved and for calling us for help when realizing the mare needed care that she wasn't able to provide.  We won't know more until tomorrow when Dr. Ryan comes out with the X-ray machine.  Upon examining the injury this morning, he felt there may be a fracture (from blunt trauma) with bone chips and infection.  It also could possibly be cancer (I truly detest this word), but he feels it's more of an injury that went untreated.  Either way, I don't think it's good; but we hold onto hope that we'll be able to help her.

WARNING:  Pictures below the first two images
may be considered graphic by some.

She's pretty thin and has a "catch" in her left hip.

We cleaned the injury up and Angel tolerated it well.  She is having a tough time breathing and sounds like Darth Vader.

Can you imagine the pain and discomfort Angel has been dealing with?  How could the owner go to sleep at night knowing this horse was in obvious pain and nothing was being done to help her??  I just can't imagine!  Again, I'm very thankful to the person that did get Angel away from her previous owner and then called us to help.  There is another horse where Angel came from and that horse, while not displaying any injury, is very thin also.

Angel is as sweet as can be but leery of humans -- it's hard to tell what she's been through.  I am very concerned that she hasn't passed any poop all day.  I first saw her 12 hours ago and there has been no poop since then.  So, tonight we pray for poop, a peaceful night, and good results tomorrow when the X-rays are done.  I'll update tomorrow after Dr. Ryan leaves.  I think I overdid it a bit today with the broken bone in my foot -- it's reminding me all after that it's still trying to mend and it hurts!  But I have no right to complain; I'm sure what I'm feeling is not even close to what Angel is feeling.  I truly hope and pray we will be able to help her.