Post-Transfusion Reaction Leads to My Hospitalization

I was supposed to feel better after I had a blood transfusion last night, yet my body is not completely accepting the donor blood and I am displaying clinical signs of a post-transfusion reaction. This reaction is expected and can occur for up to 24 hrs. I felt great as the blood started to flow into me, as I was up and moving around my cage with more energy. My improved energetic state made me want to twist around in my cage, which caused repeated obstruction of my intravenous (IV) fluid line. This was to the disdain of Dawn and Kat, the nice technicians who helped oversee my transfusion at TLC Pet Medical Center last night. As the new red blood cells (RBCs) streamed into my veins, I showed no signs that my body was rejecting the blood, so my dad took out my IV catheter and took me home. Once I was home, I had two episodes of bilious vomit overnight, followed by a few more upchucks during the day. My dad checked my temperature in the morning, which was mildly elevated. He gave me some subcutaneous (under the skin) fluids to promote my hydration and bring down my fever. I am also having some diarrhea, which is a first in this latest recurrence of my IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia). The high nutrient, pureed vegetable and meat home prepared food normally helps to keep my stools just perfect, but that is not the case today. I need to go out to strain to poop more frequently, and my stools are very soft with dark, reddish-brown mucus. As I am feeling weak from my anemia, it is not very comfortable for me to stay in the squatting position for a very long time. I sure hope this need to for repeated craping subsides soon! My appetite has decreased for the first time in my treatment process. Normally, the Prednisone makes me have a ravenous appetite. Today, I have only eaten a small amount of my home prepared food and canned dog food, which I vomited up shortly after. Purging better not become a regular habit for me, as unlike may stars in Hollywood, I prefer exercise as my means of keeping a trim figure. My urine looks red-orange, which means that my body is destroying at least some of the newly transfused RBCs. Despite that fact that this is expected, the appearance of my urine visibly disturbs my dad. I feel like I have the flu and I don’t really know how to make myself feel better, so I keep asking to go outside to lay in the Mondo grass (see above picture). I have to avoid the places where I vomited, because I’m have standards and won’t pass out in my own puke. At least I have my dad here to hold my hair back! Actually, he’s telling me that it is time to go to the hospital so that I can get an IV catheter and fluids to help my body to better excrete the toxic byproducts from the destruction of my RBCs. My dad also wants to make sure that my vitals are being very closely monitored for signs that I may be have a more serious hemolytic crisis. I’ll report back next when I have the energy to type. Wish me well during my hospitalization.