Thank you so much for your concern.

Sunday, December 26, 2004:

We did not get good news from Precious' blood test results. Her red blood cell count was 19%, they were 40% last August when she arrived, she is very anemic and her white blood count is also low, as well as her platelets. They think the fluid in her lungs may be blood, her nose was bleeding pretty badly when I found her Friday morning. She had also lost several pounds since her last visit in August. They found a mass in her belly, so they did radiographs and an ultra sound, but did not want to do much more about the mass, since her breathing was so labored. They gave her lasic to pull the fluid out of her lungs and she is on antibiotics.

On Monday, tomorrow, they will do more blood work and another ultra sound, they need to look at her heart and at the mass in her belly and find out what that is and they may also do a bone aspirate. And if her blood count is still really low, she may need a blood transfusion. They fear an auto immune disease or cancer, but she looked so good that I hope that is not going to be the case oh, the poor baby, I feel so bad for Precious.

I visited her at the vet school yesterday morning and she looked much better, alert and was flirting with the doctor. Her nose looked good, it was not bleeding, but she pulled out her catheter in the night. She ate for me and took her meds.

Lee visited her this morning, and she reported that she looked pretty good. We should have more answers on Monday to see what happens with the culture. Her human family could not get a flight until Wednesday, they are very concerned and want to do all that they can to help.

Monday, December 27, 2004:

Lee and I just got back from the vet school and the news is not good.

Precious' red blood count was down from 19 to 14, the white blood and platelets were about the same. The aspirate of her bone marrow showed that she was making red blood cells. The mass in her belly turned out to be an enlarged, modeled spleen, at first they thought it could be Lymphoma, but the doctors have ruled that out now, her spleen is also making red blood cells. They think it could be some type of auto immune disease and have not ruled out cancer. We do not know why her red blood cells are being destroyed, the doctors are stumped, I am reminded of little Gizmo's fight for life.

During the procedure Precious went into cardiac arrest, she was recessitated, but she is very slow in waking up. Precious has some reactions to touch, she is breathing on her own and swallowing. She did open her eyes, stretch and held tight to my fingers several times, but it was brief. We called Shelley, her human mom, and held the phone to Precious' ear so that Shelley could talk to her. Shelley is just beside herself, she is trying desperately to get here, she is still trying to find an earlier flight.

Precious was moved to ICU while we were there, is on IV fluids and is receiving prednisone.

Please pray for Precious, light a candle, send your healing thoughts and energy and hold her in light; see Precious waking up, see her back home at Jungle Friends. We woke up Lulu, now Precious needs us. Thank you everyone!

Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks

Precious