Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Yes, I think I can do this.

Gasp! Syringes!

Well, they aren't for me, they are for the cats.

Rascal was not well this morning. After agonizing over it all morning, I came home at noon to see how she was. She refused to eat breakfast. I went into the kitchen to make more hot water for tea and she followed me in. She's been meowing pitifully for over a week. I know it's a meow of "Mom, I don't feel well" but there is so little I can really do. I had looked into the ultrasound Dr. Zollinger recommended but I don't have $375.00. Still, her listlessness and complaining tugged at my heart and I decided I should just take her in for a recheck. Maybe there is something they can do which doesn't involve $375.00.

$177.75 later, she's dehydrated but the kidney disease seems to be reversing itself. She's lost more weight and is probably still anemic. The kicker is that the lumps Dr. Z felt in her colon are still there. I knew one of the things that had not been checked was a stool sample and I was going to bring one from home, but the litter box was clear. I opened the door to pick up the cat carrier and there was a distinctive aroma. Rascal had provided a fresh stool sample on the way over. I don't know if I should want them to call me or not. If they call, it's because something's not normal. But perhaps that would be the problem and it would be easily "fixable". On the other hand, if I have to pill this cat...

They gave her fluids and I will get a box of Lactated Ringers from Target. My favorite tech, Val, will help me attach lines to the bag and I'll use the needles shown above to give Rascal fluids. She doesn't get as much as Betsy had been getting so it shouldn't take as long. I can do this. I know I can.

She's sleeping right now. We came home and she ate probably the entire contents of a 3 ounce cat of Fancy Feast. Betsy helped clean up some of what wasn't eaten. Dr. Daly, whom we saw today, said just the fluids alone will help her feel better. She also said the ultrasound is recommended so I breathe a heavy sigh and wonder just where I am going to get the money for it. Betsy needs a full blood panel too to reassess where she is. Dr. Daly invoked the 'c' word for Rascal but said intestinal cancer in cats is, if caught early enough, easy to treat and they can live 5-6 more years after the diagnosis.

Nothing is ever simple or easy. You can't put a price on their companionship, either. Lots to think about.

Beverage: English Breakfast

Deb

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