Meet Morgan Parker
Originally Published
Mariann Parker was home for a few weeks after being diagnosed with bladder cancer and having surgery. Julie Walker saw that the Ross County Humane Society was seeking a volunteer to transport a six-month-old puppy to The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center’s Cardiology service for a heart evaluation. Wanting to get out of the house, and take their minds off Mariann’s diagnosis, Julie and Mariann picked up Morgan from the humane society and drove her to Ohio State.
Morgan was in rough shape. Her ribs were showing, and she weighed 10 pounds. She had been adopted by another family but returned to the shelter a few days later because of issues with her heart.
At the appointment, they learned Morgan had a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) birth defect. Her heart murmur was a six out of six, the very worst. The director of the Ross County Humane Society said they couldn’t afford to do the surgery and they would euthanize Morgan. “We had no intention to adopt her, just to transport her to the appointment,” said Julie.
Mariann decided to bring Morgan back home and let her live for as long as she had. Julie received a call the next day from Dr. Vanessa Silvia with the wonderful news of the Rite Rug funds for Morgan’s surgery.
Her surgery was on January 24, 2024and she’s now doing amazing. It’s been hard for Julie and Mariann to keep her cooped up for the entire four weeks. They want the umbrella stent to heal properly and not move. Even after the cage rest, the stent will not completely heal for three months.
At a follow-up appointment, their veterinarian said Morgan had no sign of a heart murmur. Her prognosis is excellent. The veterinary team said she can now live a full life.
“She’s a funny, quirky little girl, and her best friend is our pit mastiff mix that was one of the Pike County cruelty case dogs from January 2023,” said Julie. “Dr. Silvia and the staff at OSU were so informative, caring, and skilled in doing such delicate surgery. Thank you to everyone!”
Julie expressed her sincere appreciation for the support from Rite Rug. They are proud Rite Rug shoppers themselves, having Rite Rug floors in both their homes.
“Without their kindness, Morgan would have probably only lived to her first birthday,” said Julie. “We so appreciate your kindness. We would not have been able to afford her surgery. We had decided that we would love her for as long as she had.”