i could have been there... they called just before i was about to pick him up to say he was up and about and then he crashed so he was on oxygen & his heart rate was good and his chest was clear so hopefully with enough oxygen, he should process the anesthetic. i asked if i could go down to see him and me and my husband went, he was in a little box with oxygen going in, sleeping. they lifted the lid so i could give him a stroke and his whiskers twitched when i stroked and talked to him and the vet said 'aww, do you know your mum?' and she also showed me the incision just so i'm not alarmed when i check it when we take him home as the abscess was a lot larger than they thought and they had to make a larger incision. he was pulling his leg back down quite strongly which was a good sign.
the vet said they would keep him overnight for observation but hopefully with enough oxygen, he should be ok. i told the receptionist when i was leaving - i should have stayed!!!! - to call me if anything changes immediately.
i called them just before closing time to see how he was and the receptionist said 'he's still the same, still with us but in critical care. we'll let you know if anything changes'
then i got a phone call an hour later from the vet to say that he had been up and about for nearly an hour but then crashed again and they could not bring him back this time. i should have stayed with him - i just didn't feel that i would be allowed but i should have asked and insisted - i keep thinking that if i was there when he woke up, he'd be ok... i will never forgive myself