Heavy Decisions

For a few weeks I have had the news of my kitty, Roxyann, weighing on my mind. She went to the vet, then to the surgeon and then I had a consultation with an oncologist.

None of the answers they gave were ones I longed to hear.
No treatment out there is going to save my Miss Priss.
No information made the decision FOR me.

Rox has the option of doing radiation & chemo with few side effects - far fewer than us humans have with that type of treatment. But it's not a cure... and eventually the cancer will come back. No one knew how long she would be cancer free and barring a miracle, their 'long-term' was only 18-24 months.

Cop'er let me make the decision about what to do. He asked all the same questions I did - how would she tolerate the treatment? Would she go blind in both eyes? How much will is cost? Will she have to stay there?

I got all the answers to our questions. I talked it over with Cop'er. I made a decision. Roxyann would have the treatment. She has an appointment for Wednesday.

Today I started to wonder if I was really doing the right thing. How do I even know what the 'right thing' is? I love that little kitty - the other half of the pair I adopted 9 years ago. She's been my baby, my friend, my comedian, my confidant, my sidekick, my pest, my joy, my companion... my sweet little girl.

All I can strive to do is what's best for her. And right now, I don't know what that is.

Leg-in-Limbo Chronicles

We knew it wouldn't be long... Not much time until... you know...
he started running around again.

Yes, Jakester is feeling quite a bit better. He's putting a little weight on his Leg-in-Limbo and he's not trying to snap my fingers off when i get near him. The pain patch came off & he's just finishing up the obligitory antibiotics he has to take.

I think he might be getting a little too used to the "posh life" he's living for 2 weeks. Since he can't do much rough-housing or wrestling with his siblings, he's been in O's sleeping spot while O has been with SydSyd. Sure, who's going to complain about sleeping on pillows and being carried up & down the stairs.

I know some days I'd like to have that kind of service.

When I took him out last night, I put him on the ground and he went to do his business. I happened to be standing at the bottom of the steps. He comes back to me, sits at my feet and looks up.

Ok. Climb them steps, boy! Let's see what you got going on!

Ha. I might as well have said "Jakester, can I carry you into the house?"

I picked him up & he settled in for a nice trip into the house. As soon as his 3 legs hit the floor he was racing to the cushy pillow he's taken over. (I hope Cop'er doesn't think he's gettin' a new one. I didn't tell him to give that one to the dog!)

Jakester still has another week+ with the stitches (that are still intact, but very well licked), so it's likely he's going to be carried around a bit more.

I just hope when he's 'good as new' he doesn't think I'll be carrying him around everywhere. If he has those thoughts, I'll just show him this:

Three Legs & One in Limbo

Jakester has been limping around the house for a few weeks. Cop'er & I thought it might be a pulled/strained muscle. Jakester is one of those crazy 'mutts' (technically he's the least 'mutt-like' in the house since he's a real, live Yorkie) that runs & runs. Could totally give the Energizer Bunny a run for his money! He didn't seem like he was in pain, so we just kept our eye on it. The limping seemed to get better, but after a few weeks of it, we decided to take him to the vet.

And the verdict was... $900, please.

Jakey, the youngster that he's not, has a torn tendon in his hind leg. Obviously he was in pain, right? That's why he was limping? Well, the vet said, no, it wasn't that he was in pain, it was that his little leg was like a wet noodle. Whenever Jakester put weight on it, it would crumble and he'd tilt to the point of falling over.

Ok, that's better than thinking he was in pain.

This tendon problem wasn't one of those things that might get better with time. It needed immediate action... Immediate in the sense that he was scheduled a few days later.

Yesterday was that day. Cop'er had to take a little extra time getting to work via a side trip to drop the poor limbo'd-leg guy off at the vet's office. Jakey hadn't had any food or water since midnight the night before, so for his sake, i hope he was scheduled for an early surgery!

I called the vet's office around 3pm to find out how the little guy fared. The receptionist asked for my name & I gave her Cop'er's (though it's not because I didn't know my own, for those of you who were about to say that!).

"Oh, Jake!" the receptionist said.

Hmmm... he's notorious already? Hasn't even been there 24 hours!

After a long wait on the line--where I checked several time to ensure I hadn't been disconnected--she comes back to say that Jakester is fine. She checked with the doc and went to his kennel... he was just groggy from the drugs.

Ahhhh. I like when things go smoothly. You know, because pets are like kids and I'm like a mom.

Jakey would have to suffer through a night away from the posh digs he's used to. Maybe it was a bigger challenge for his companion, SydSyd. She's used to havin' her guy sleep with her every night & doesn't like when he's gone.

 

Cop'er picked Jakester up from the vet's office this afternoon. When I finally arrived home, I found him sleeping on a pillow in the den, leg shaved, pain patch on his back & looking like he just came in from a long night of drinking.

POOR PUP!

I have seen him up & around, so I know, in fact, he can move. He's definitely three legged with one leg in limbo! He's scarffed down cheese & is still doped up on pain meds. I wonder if he's going to remember any of this...

Cop'er is 'taking GOOOOOOD care' of Mr. Jakey.. In reality, I don't know who is taking care of who.

The Jakester has to keep his stitches in for 14 days. During those 14 days, he's not allowed to act like a madman--no running around in the yard barking at the neighbors, no rough-housing with the other pups, no jumping off furniture like one of the cats... you know, I'm really not sure how he's going to be held back. Sure, right now he's high on meds, but when they are done...

Uh oh. We could be in trouble!