Listening to the Voices in my Head

I guess I don't bounce back like I used to

I'm still getting so tired after doing the simplest of tasks. Even taking a shower and getting dressed makes me feel as if I am in need of a good nights' sleep, starting before noon. Nagging cough hasn't quite gone away.

In better news, Isis has settled right in. She makes the boy's lives a bit more.. umm active, they being the dignified 3 yr olds. She trills at them, rolls over, and tries to get them to interact. And when they ignore her overtures, she waits, and then elegantly drapes herself on their back as they walk by. She's a black cat, so she goes with all varieties of cats. :D

How's this for a screwing?

It's also a lesson learned for me. Loki's pet insurance was getting ridiculous because, although he was healthy, he was getting old. So, when I got the renewal notice, I emailed PetCover, informing them I probably wasn't going to renew.

Now, Loki, who was still covered until 13th of August, already had a scheduled vet appointment, and had a lump removed a week before the end of his policy. Lump removed on the 6th of August, claim submitted on the same day, as I was standing there when it was sent.

Either someone left it sitting in the email folder for an extra week, or this is just how they handle it. They lied. They said I emailed to CANCEL the policy, so denied the claim. I did not. I told them I was probably not going renew as they have gotten over too expensive.

I have gotten nothing from them but patronizing and condescending emails.

I have two new pets. I will NOT be using PetCover again.

Booked Trance for an ultrasound

Wing was on pins and needles the night before. Still was when he took her in at her 11am appointment.

Results: She's free of any other growths/tumors.  Wing pretty much sagged with relief, and said "YES!"  Now, she will go in for scans every 3 to 6 months. IOWs, as soon as her fur grows back, it had to get shaved again

I don't know if I can go through this again

Trance and Loki both had lumps removed a week ago Saturday. Samples were sent off to pathology.

Trance has hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is a cancer that arises from malignant blood vessel cells and is an uncommon cancer in cats. It is a very aggressive cancer that spreads (metastasis) early and is associated with a poor prognosis. The underlying cause of HSA is unknown. Vet said it was just bad luck, because it's usually in dogs, not cats. And if it is in cats it usually in light furred outdoor cats, and Trance is a dark furred indoor cat.

I haven't been able to completely stop crying. First it was Ziggy, then Keito, and now Trance? Three different types of cancer, each of them 'bad luck'? I feel as if my heart is being crushed.

To whatever asshat who either forgot to bring their cat inside,

or just decided roaming around at night was a good idea... 

I would like to thank you for Trance's "I WANT TO KILL YOU!" screams and yowl in the middle of the night, as she followed your cat from office window, to the front bay windows, until it left our yard, only to enter my neighbors yard outside her field of vision.

You are the type of cat owner that makes responsible pet owners pissed off. Our only 'free range' cat is a 15 yr old who likes to bake on the bricks in the fenced in back yard, and has one area he uses for his bodily functions.  But he is not allowed to roam free, night or day. If he really wants out at night, we have an enclosure that is attached to the sliding glass doors.

The other three cats are *never* allowed to go outside, free range. It's the enclosure, with a chair, two hammocks, a box , and a few pingpong and golf balls to play with, a panoramic view of birds of all kinds local for entertainment.

But there are, and have been, at least 7 cats that roam around. One, I caught and rehomed as the poor mite had been abandoned when the humans moved house. That leaves 6.  I'm fairly sure that two of them, (one of which I had photographed her in our Jacaranda tree some years ago), has passed, leaving the 4 regular roamers.

Milo (the only one to have a collar with a name tag, who is the "Groo-bear look-alike"), the Ragdoll (why someone would let a pedigree cat roam is beyond me), the white cat with flame point tail and ears, and the ginger and white striped cat.

These are the cats whose owner's thumb their noses at local laws and regulations concerning cats. You are the kind that make things more difficult for those of us who obey laws, and do all the right things.  I don't blame the cats for doing what cats are genetically geared to do. I do blame the humans who are supposed to be  their caretakers.

Yesterday, I cleaned out "Ziggy's Corner".

I had been putting it off because it felt like I was erasing her. But Ziggy can never be erased, or forgotten.

I moved some of her things, and got into the corner behind the footstool. And in the corner I found at least 20 small batteries. AAs, AAAs, single use, rechargeable.

 
The little wench had been hoarding them! I laughed through the tears as I cleared out her 'treasure trove'.

Now we know why she was always with her butt in the air, on the edge of the footstool, rummaging around in the corner.

What I didn't realize how much having just that much of her history with us cleared away would hurt today.  Finding her toys, some with her fur and scent still on them.

I miss her... and I miss Keito. But I didn't know I'd miss them this much.  Maybe it's because losing two in a month to the day was a bit to take.

Silver linings aren't always great

Had the MRI on my left knee after an exam by Mr S (osteo surgeon)

My silver lining is this: if it wasn't for the lack of sensitivity/feeling in my left leg because of spinal surgery 9+ years ago and the nerve damage occurring when the disc collapsed, requiring said surgery, I would be in considerable pain.

You see, my left knee is bone on bone, with the small exception of an itty bitty piece of meniscus on the outside left of the knee. The weight bearing inside right of the knee.. it's gone.   I also have nothing but serous fluid behind my knee cap.  Yup, I need another knee replacement.

So, my 'silver lining' is preventing me from feeling pain.  Mr S said I would know when it's time.  Right now, I can get around without much of a problem. And since I am still struggling with the nerve pain, and recovery from the surgery for the compartment syndrome, I'm rather grateful for my dead-ish feeling leg.

On happy/sad news, I got a stainless steel bracelet for "Keito's Heart Pendant".   I also had his fur filled pendant engraved with a small ornate K and Ziggy's fur filled pendant engraved with an equally ornate Z.  I'm still crying about the loss of Ziggy and Keito.  Last week, I got tired of waiting for the mythical "time" to be found to help me, so dug a hole in the back yard, sprinkled some of both Keito and Ziggy's ashes in it, and planted a young rosemary shrub.  I cried my eyes out afterward.  I miss them more than I thought I would, especially Keito. 

RIP Keito

Keito, my 'babykitty', who I have had since he was 5 weeks old, is gone. We helped him cross the rainbow bridge at 11:38pm, October 5, 2019.

This morning is the first time I haven't greeted by him. I wasn't followed into the bathroom, my glasses ear pieces weren't snogged and chewed on, my fingers weren't licked and nibbled on, and my jewelry/watch cheek rubbed on.  I miss his sound, his silky soft fur, and his calm loving personality.

He was mine and I was his.  I feel as if I've had a limb removed, or a big chunk of my heart.  I think part of me has died inside as well.

Keito, aka Mister Meow-Ge, aka The Purrminator isn't well

A few weeks ago, after a bout of chemo therapy, the vet told us to just feed Keito whatever he wanted, when he wanted.   I wish I had known he hadn't read Keith's entire medical history, because that was probably the worst possible instructions to give us.  I thought he knew Keito was diabetic, and instructed accordingly.

What 1 week of following his instructions was Keito going into acute hyperglycemia, on top of being treated for lymphoma. He spent a week at the vet, and he was doing so well. Alert, active, after insulin, and IV glucose, and regular feeding.   But what we weren't told is that what that did to his diabetes is made it uncontrollable.

We have brought him home for the weekend, according to Dr J, to say goodbye, to get or last cuddles and loves in, because she believes Keito is just giving up.

But when we brought him home, he demanded to be fed, and even though he only ate half of the cat food we gave him, he chowed down on the fresh roasted chicken I gave him.  This morning, it was the same routine, my legs swung out of bed, and he was there snogging my toes, meowing, following me into the bathroom, pestering me while I was... umm sitting to pet him, causing him to slide all over the tile floor.

He then followed me out to the kitchen, demanding to be fed, ate about half of the food that was given, but two hours later ate some more.  Then I got some cuddle time with him. Relaxing, purring and drooling.

He's not ready to do, no matter what Dr J thinks or said.  I'm hoping for the best though, but preparing for the worst, in case this bright behavior of his is just the final spark of the loving being  that is our beloved Keito.

Keito, two plus weeks post op

He's definitely put some weight back on. He no longer has bony face/cheeks.  Also, his back doesn't feel like a stegosaurus, meaning weight gain. Called South Street Vet to postpone Keito's fructosamine test, as he was at the vet overnight a few times the past month, and his BGLs were fine.  Since we are concentrating on his having Chemo, the fructosamine test can wait.

Ziggy still has her cough, but it's not as severe.  The Bisolvon works to break up the mucus, but turns her into a very sleepy cat.  And when that happens Wing wrings his hands in worry.  Today, Ziggy has only had one coughing episode, and it was over in less than a minute.  If she has another, we will dose her with the Bisolvon, and she will end up sleeping the night through.  As long as she isn't in any discomfort, is eating, drinking, and doing other cat things, she will stay with us.  We know time is limited, but we will love her as long as she is with us.

Vet report on Keito

Vet report on Keito - the vet was very pleased at Keito's recovery. Not only has the surgical site healed perfectly, our moggie has put on some weight. He should be seeing how much he's been catching up on missed meals.

Regarding the diagnosis of lymphoma: There are three treatments.

We could just treat the symptoms, which would suppress them a while, and it will come raging back in 3 to 6 months.

Another option: there is a treatment for small cell lymphoma. It does work, but it's toxic. Keito doesn't have small cell lymphoma. So gave that one the flick.

Third option: It's the most used one. It has a 25% chance of cure (wishful thinking) and a 75% chance of a 1 to 3 (or longer)  year remission. The protocol is given by weight, so his low weight isn't an issue. AND because the lymphoma was caught early, gives him a damned good chance of remission. We have chosen option three. The vet said I have reasonable expectations. Sure, a cure would be great, but that is a slim chance. He said remission is very likely.

Also discussed Ziggy and her coughing. We were given the name of an OTC cough remedy that would work to break up the mucus. It's not a cure, but it will help her breathing. As long as she eats, does other cat things, and her gums are pink and her ears are pink and warm, she will stay with us.