Goodbye Tumor: Hello Scarface

As many of you know, Niko has had a tumor under her eyelid for about a year and a half now. I noticed it shortly before we moved to Fremont.

If you look closely in this picture, you can see it above her left eye. Most of it was contained underneath her eyelid (It looked like a pimple) but as it grew, you could see it from the outside.

Since it could scratch her cornea if it grew to large, I needed to get it removed.

On Friday, July 20th, I brought her to the vet at 8:30am. Then, I went to work.

I'm not saying I was a disaster that day at work...well...maybe I was. I was in tears the whole time I was there and it took every bone in my body not to call every hour on the hour. There is no secret that Niko is my whole world -- and quite frankly I was having nightmarish thoughts that somehow she would lose her eyesight.

Quick Timeline:
10:30am: They started surgery
11:30am: They told me she was out of surgery and getting oxygen
11:30-1:30: I later found out she barked non-stop (My baby hates cages)
1:30pm: I called to see how she was. She wasn't supposed to be released until 3pm, but I think the barking annoyed all the vet techs. They told me to come pick her up
By 2pm: I was at the vet and she was RUNNING for the door. Miss Niko wanted to GO HOME!

For the rest of the day, she basically slept. However, I was a crying mess because THIS is what I saw:

It was a lot to take in. All around her eye is shaved, she had liquid everywhere, her eye was all red, and the bottom lid was really droopy. I was worried.

So, I cried...and I spoiled her like crazy. The first day was all cuddles and naps -- but at one point she moved away from me so I couldn't pet her -- either she was mad at me, or I was smothering her. Probably smothering her. :)

My sister, Sarah hopes that Niko's hair grows in grey so that Sarah can nickname her "Scarface" -- thanks Sarah!

So...let the healing process begin.

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

As you can see, the droopy eyelid has improved.

What you can't see in the Day 4 pic is that she actually was bleeding yesterday. She rubbed her face in the grass and on either side of her eye, she started bleeding. They were only dots and it wasn't next to the stitches, but it was a bit scary. I'm sure it was because the grass is near dead due to the heat and lack of rain -- and she has sensitive skin where it was shaved.

I can't get a Day 5 pic -- I've been trying all morning. She is SO over her picture being taken.

Stay tuned -- her stitches are set to be removed on the 31st. I can only imagine how that is going to go because it takes 3-4 people to hold her down just to trim her nails.