"Life" is a miracle!

Quietly sat, recovering from surgery myself, there maybe couldn't be a more appropriate time to tell this wonderful miracle-sunshine-rescue-story of a teensy little girl named Zoe - and her sister named Irini. I seriously think it should have made international headlines - just such an uplifting story...

One morning a few weeks back upon one of my weekly visits to the vet I met a tired but very happy looking vet. Upon inquiring about the slightly tired look he told me about this amazing and quite dramatic operation he'd performed just the day before. A lovely Greek/German couple had come to the clinic with a couple of kittens they'd spotted on their holiday. They had decided that in spite of suffering from cat allergies themselves, that there was no way they could leave these little kittens behind (bless their hearts!!! - my kind of people). They wanted to give the kittens a health-check and had decided to find them a lasting home back in Germany.  

They'd already figured that it didn't look very good with one of the kittens. She was a lot smaller and suffered breathing difficulties and was limping. Upon examination it was discovered that she had suffered a diaphragmatic hernia which was serious and required immediate surgery. It being a not altogether inexpensive kind of surgery the young couple was left in some contradiction upon hearing the cost of the surgery. It was obvious it had blown their holiday budget way out of proportions. But yet again our amazing vet came to the rescue and offered to do the surgery for half the price - I'm pleased to say that he responds very well to kind-hearted people being one himself. 

The lovely young couple and their precious "cargo" in the background

In spite of it being a procedure that was also not without risks it was decided to instantly go ahead with the surgery to try and save Zoe's life. But... the vet soon found himself in the regrettable situation of Zoe going into cardiac arrest during sugergy! He started giving her heart massage but no matter how much he massaged she didn't respond. He kept going and at some point swapped with his colleague who then kept massaging her teensy heart. At some point - after 5 minutes of massaging - they even discussed whether to give up on her as there was an increasing risk of brain damage. At this point she was given a shot of adrenaline and they kept going with the heart massage. Then - suddenly and dramatically - Zoe took a massive gulp of air and started breathing on her own again! Utterly remarkably she could then be stitched back together and made a very rapid recovery. 

The top two images are from the very same day and the bottom images are from the very next morning. 

Upon hearing the amazing story of Zoe, yours truly obviously had to go and say hello to the little miracle. She was completely oblivious to her dramatic surgery and rescue and only seemed to have one thing on her mind; "Will someone PLEASE come to their senses and rescue me out of this cage and wiring."!! I of course was ready for instant adoption in spite of a more than full-to-the-brim house. Is she not the cutest thing EVER!?!??

I hadn't even been told in advance, but she'd even suffered a broken hind leg (poor baby!). You can see her limb leg in the top image. But what utter zest for life... no wonder she was named Zoe - the Greek word for life. Her sister is named Irini - the Greek word for freedom. I believe these two kittens couldn't have more fitting names. What a rare chance at living these two Greek kittens have received. Just take a look at them 2 1/2 weeks later in their new home in Germany in this gorgeous little video - just hot off the press. 

P.s. Zoe is the little greyish-white one - just so you can orientate yourself. There's no way you'd believe she'd suffered a cardiac arrest!!

Video by Christoph Biskup

Images courtecy M. Vorisis