The longest 4 hours

I went back to work for a few hours, but I felt like a zombie, I was numb and emotionless, struggling to take in what had just happened.

The vet had told me that the surgery would take around 3-4 hours, and waiting for her call was torture.
As every hours passed and no call came I became more and more convinced that it would be bad news.
After work I went straight home, something I havent done for months. I always go straight from work to the stables but today was different, today Chico wasnt there waiting for me.
At home i still hadnt had the call and my anxiety was close to going nuclear.

The phone rang.

'Chico is awake and up on his feet and the surgery was successful,' the vets voice was chirpy 'we found something unusual. Chico's small colon was looped in a horseshoe shape, it had what we think was testicular tissue wrapped around it. It seems to have been like that for years, probably since he was castrated. His small intestine had also stuck to it and that is what caused the massive colic today. We have separated it all up and luckily nothing was damaged.'

As the vet spoke I was frantically typing one handed on my laptop, I knew in my emotional state I wouldnt remember anything she was saying if i didnt note it down.

'What is the prognosis?' that was all I could think about.

'Well, we are worried that because his small colon has been like that for years that it may revert back to its pre-operation state. If it does it may cause him to colic again. I will be honest with you, if he colics again there will be no point us operating again as we will know what we will find and there will be nothing we could do. If he does colic again it might be the time to think about the hard decision. The next 48 hours is critical.'

As I hung up I didnt know what to feel. I was grateful that he has survived but didnt feel any sense of relief, I knew he could colic again any second of any hour and if he did it would be the end.