We received the call today that Blue was cleared to come home. For those following his journey, a 5-pound bloody mass was recently removed from under his neck muscles. This mass was caused by a hematoma, fed by several bleeding vessels over the past three months. The injury resulted from a full-speed collision with the corner of a brick wall. The doctors are puzzled by the prolonged bleeding, as it seems medically improbable.

They suspect either a rare blood cancer or a bleeding/clotting disorder, leaning toward the latter. They believe it’s a minor condition that doesn’t affect his daily life but may have been triggered by the trauma

During his ICU stay, Blue received an IV medication every eight hours to help with clotting, along with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Despite these measures, his neck swelling and the drainage of bloody fluid raised concerns about an underlying issue. As a precaution, the doctors performed a plasma transfusion, which he handled well. We’re now waiting on results from an in-depth blood test being processed at Cornell University, which takes 2-3 weeks.

To ensure Blue’s comfort for the ride home, we rented a minivan with stow-and-go seating. This gave him plenty of space for his bed and made getting in and out easier than using our truck.

Blue came home around 4 p.m. He wasn’t himself—no tail wagging or kisses—and seemed very subdued, likely from the medications. He ate a small amount of chicken, drank some water, and slept most of the evening and through the night. Since he requires 24/7 monitoring, we’ve been sleeping on the couch next to his padded bed.

Thankfully, the swelling in his neck hasn’t worsened, and we’re cautiously optimistic about his recovery.