Tanker Update

We called up to the vet and Tanker just had another seizure.  Wes and I are heartbroken over this.  He was doing so well before yesterday.  I just don't understand. 

Tanker's Phenobarbital has been increased to 60 mg morning and night.  His Zonisimide has been increased to 250 mg morning and night.  His Zonisimide can go up to 300 mg morning and night.  He has been on that dose before and did really well on it.  The last option would be to add Keppra, which we cannot afford.  Keppra, alone, costs about $400 a month.  We already spend over $100 a month on drugs alone for him.  We can work our budget, but I'm not sure we can add in another $400 every month for one drug.  We still have vet and neurology visits too.

We are hoping, praying, wishing on the stars, crossing our fingers, the animals are crossing their paws, etc. that he snaps out of this and it is just some funky seizure cycle he has slipped into.  I honestly don't know what we're going to do at this point if he keeps seizing like he is.  If he has another seizure, they are going to sedate him with a Valium drip.  Wes has already said that he doesn't want Tanker to pass away there.  We want to bring him home.  That is our commitment to him.  He needs to be with his family.

My mom keeps reminding me that Tankers are tough.  Wes found Tanker out on the flightline at Fairchild AFB in the middle of the winter.  He had been living on his own for a week in the snow.  We rescued him and gave him a nice place to stay.  He had a seizure the first night.  We made a commitment then to always give Tanker a good home and a comfortable life, no matter what.  We will not give up now.  We will do whatever it takes to keep him comfortable.  Just as the KC-135s Stratotankers break, and then are made new with the work of highly skilled maintainers, Tanker will be made new through our care.  We are just not sure what God's definition of new will be for him yet.

Tanker with the Tanker Pride banner off of a KC-135 engine cover.