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Lexie, Northridge, CA ESRA #2005-690CA 16 FEB 02 Run swiftly and whole to Jan's loving arms. Age: 8 years Gender: Female Color: Black/White Weight: 43 lbs. Variety: Bench/Show-Bred

Oh poor Lexi! She was at the local shelter, in terrible condition, when ESRA found her. She was covered in sores all over her bottom and soaked in urine and stool. Shelter workers said she was to be euthanized for sure.

Rescued by ESRA, it was off to foster care and a warm medicated bath. Poor Lexi slept warm and safe in her new bed. Soon we discovered that Lexi could not move or wag her beautiful long tail. A trip to the vet and X-rays revealed that Lexi has a pinched spinal cord near her tail.

The vet tells us that this may be due to her tail being pulled, or her being hit, too many times. After a few days with her foster mom, she suddenly was unable to walk at all, and lost her bladder and bowel functions. She could only drag herself around the house.

An emergency visit to the vet, where she was given a very large dose of steroids. She was able to recover all her functions after 3 days of treatment. Only problem is, she can't stay on steroids long, and will need a mylogram and surgery soon. We expect that surgery will be very costly!

With all these problems, you would think Lexi would be a mean dog. But oh, she is so very sweet and loving. She would do anything to sit by your feet, even if she has to drag herself to get there.

Won't you help us fund surgery for Lexi? She will be a happy wonderful dog if we can do surgery for her, but without it, she will be unable to go on.

Update 12-28-05: Lexie went to have her MRI on December 14th. Thanks to the support of so many kind sponsors, we were able to afford this expensive procedure. She had to have general anesthesia for the procedure, and it was done in Irvine at a special imaging center. It took about a week for the Surgeon to get the report. Then she wanted to see the films so we had help from Carolyn who drove the MRI to her office in West Los Angeles.

The doctors found on the MRI that there is a lesion in Lexie's spine and that it is causing her symptoms. It appears that it is not operable, and may be too dangerous to biopsy due to its location. There is also some bony damage there. The surgeon feels that we now need to go to the neurologist to see what we can do. She feels that radiation may be able to reduce the growth, and allow Lexie to move her tail and help with her pain. In the meantime, we are still giving her steroids, and we have pain medication available should she need it. We do plan on seeing the neurologist and the radiation specialist in the New Year, and hoping to keep Lexie pain free as she is the happiest little girl. She still needs your support as the costs are continuing, and we will be trying to keep her comfortable.

Update 01-12-06: Today Lexie went to see the oncologist. We got to view her MRI and see the size of her very large tumor. The oncologist explained to us that the steroids Lexie is taking are keeping the inflammation under control and helping Lexie feel better. The tumor is very long and goes from L4-S1. We don't know what kind of tumor it is, but there are two types of tumors it could be, a glioma or a cord sheath tumor. Radiation and chemotherapy do not seem to be a viable option for Lexie. The oncologist is going to review the MRI with another surgeon who she feels may be able to debulk the tumor and give Lexie a much longer life expectancy with better function. So we are again considering surgery, and will let you all know what we are going to do. In the meantime we are going to increase her steroids and give her lots of love!

Update 02-16-06: When I came home I found my beautiful foster Lexie had passed away in the few hours since Bob had left to visit his mom. Lexie never let her health get her down and enjoyed the short 5 months time she spent her with us. I know she loved me as she always was by my side and occasionally gave me the cutest
little kisses. She would huddle as close to me as possible and snap at any dog that tried to take my attention away from her. She had the most beautiful eyes and looked at me as if to say thank you for loving me. I had hoped to share many more months with her, as we had been told she might live as much as 6 more months. So I am missing my beautiful Lexie. I want to thank all of her special sponsors for being there and helping us with her Special Needs. Without all of the people who help ESRA, with these special dogs we could not make the special time they have with us.

Hug your babies and the people you love life is so precious, and way too short.

Thank you all who sponsored Lexie and helped me love her. I know she is safe warm and happy at the Bridge tonight, and that she will be waiting for me when I go there.

Contact: Caryn Pola rescuespringers@hotmail.com

Click Here To Sponsor Lexie

LEXIE'S GENEROUS SPONSORS TO DATE:
Katrin Owen
Pomela Flanigan	In memory of Sami Rosebud.
Patricia Barry	In appreciation for the love and joy that Otis, Buddy, and Bo, (all adopted) bring each and every day!
Kathleen Engberg	In memory of Toby, Buddy, and Thatcher.
Patricia Mann	In memory of my sweet Nellie.
Kenny and Theresa Robertson	In memory of our beloved Rusty, who we miss so much.
Ashley Szymkowicz	Feel better soon Lexie! Love, Ashley and my Springer Riley.
Helene Rosenblatt	In memory of Max, ESSCLI Rescue foster, turned adoptee.
Vicki Wingo	In memory of Bob.
Cathryne J Slaughter	In memory of Barney, Belle, BlackJack, and Dutchess.
Angie Greak	A gift to honor Marie Devaney.
Leota Svetlik	In memory of Thumper and Jake, my boys.
Eric & Karman Williams	In honor of Sampson, who also was a Special Needs Springer.
Lesley Blyth	In memory of Yogi, the apple-bobbin' trooper 'til the end!
Tim Ochal	In loving memory of Shelby, ESRA adoptee.
Rudy Toot Thompson	I hope you are feeling better real soon, Lexie, and getting lots of love!
Gary Hanes	In memory of little Maddie in Texas - never forget!
Virginia Davis	In memory of of my Dad and his favorite Springer BooBoo, Mikey and Pudge.
April Trahan	In memory of TomoChan.
Ken Viani	In memory of Champ, Rusty, and Casey. My boys.
John and Gloria Kareken
Ruey Keller
Don and Mary Turner & Sugar	In memory of Sweet Buds.
Beth Berman	In memory of my sweet Buddy.
Bob Knell	In memory of Samantha, Joshua, Rose, and Brady.
Carolyn Molloy	In honor of Caryn Pola, who cares for all the Lexies.
Theresa Schaufer	In honor of our first ESS, Dasher. Our Forever Friend!
Michelle Reichlin & Mike Sherrill	A gift for the Special Needs Dogs, so they have a Merrier Christmas.
Jodie, Jake, Sarah, Jordan, and           Sam Horn	In honor of our beautiful Shana, an ESRA rescue, and our pup Chloe, who has brought out the "puppy" in Shana. We love our girls!!
Lance S Harman	In memory of Boots, my companion and best friend.
The Harrisons	A gift for Susan Zuker and Rook. Thanks for making Rook's life happy.
Doug and Rita Podolak	In memory of Mustache and MacGregor.
Glenda Perryman
Nikolina Haretakis
Tina Paez
Valerie Clairmont,           Amber's Hallmark, Northridge Mall
Katherine K. Brlej	Merry Christmas to Pomela Flanigan!
Mike, Shirley, and Erin Fischer	In memory of Jessie Lee, to help to bring as much joy into these dogs' lives as Jessie brought to us.
Don & Kathy Shvegzda	In memory of Sparky, who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge this December.
Michael Bartel
Esther Puig-Matas	Lexie, we hope you get better.
Deborah & Bob Bessette	In memory of Huckie Bear Bear, who crossed Rainbow Bridge 12/19/05. Dearly loved, and sadly missed by, Ann, Joe, Tucker, Lucy, Bentley & Charlie Davis.
Denise Garwood	In memory of Sweet Charity
Ronald Pelka	In memory of Boots, Lady, Herky, Sandy, and Shadow, from me and my Spaniel Holly
Susan Frillici	In memory of our sweet Lexy.
Steve Spiegl