It's been a week since we took Miss Priss to the vet & wished her well on her trip to the Rainbow Bridge. I have to admit it's been quieter. I don't know that it's so much a physical quiet as it is knowing there is a little less kitty in the house.
Moodles has been vocal this week. He's always been a talker, mind you, but this week he seems to want to know where I am just a wee bit more than usual. After losing Roxyann, having a kitty cuddlebug has been a great comfort.
I've been reading "All Pets Go to Heaven" by Sylvia Brown (in case you were wondering, yes, she's the psychic Montel Williams always used to have on his show). I needed something that was going to give me comfort with Roxyann moving onto "The Other Side". If you believe in things such as this, read the book. There are great stories about connections people have with their animals and the ways our pets communicate with us when they pass on. It was just what I was looking for!
We've been talking about getting another cat. I never wanted either cat to be an only kitty in the house. I feel with 3 dogs in residence they need their feline companion for 'back up'.
I have specific qualities that we need in a new addition to the family. Some of them are:
- Loves Moodles like no other & projects those vibes to him in such a way that he wants to love & cuddle with him/her
- Is not picky about food (Roxyann was VERY picky!)
- Learns how to get along with the dogs, might even play with them
- Doesn't want to run outside everytime there is an open door (Rox was an escape artist in the making!)
- Might like to sleep with me occasionally, but doesn't feel the need to join the current dog-cat sandwich I sleep in
See... those aren't too much to ask for are they? I have a problem though - is there a 'trial & error' part to getting another cat I might be able to use? How else am I going to know if the fuzzy little kitty that sucks me into loving him/her is going to fit the bill above?
I guess it doesn't matter... Once it gets to the "love" stage, it's all over for anyone in the vicinity of the fuzziness!
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.
I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted something! Where does time go? I think it was all a blur after Monday, when I got the news from the veterinary surgeon about Roxyann. He told us that it was cancer; it was very invasive & was down into her eye, her cranium & pushing her brain slightly.
Talk about devastating news! I was crushed. I held it together long enough to talk to the surgeon on what he thought could, should, would be done at this stage. After our conversation, I let Cop'er know the results & all we could do was keep her happy.
I came home & loved on my lil girl... Roxyann has been with me a long time. I adopted her & her 'brother', Riley, from the SPCA a few months after I purchased my first house. Riley was diagnosed with FIP when he was still a kitten (for those of you who don't know, FIP is an incurable, spreadable disease that strikes the nervous system). I had to put Riley to sleep the day after Christmas, just a mere 3.5 months after I adopted him.
Roxyann became an 'only child' for the next 6 months. She learned how to fetch like a champ, loved the attention of all who walked in the door and ruled the house with her playful ways. The chance to be an only child was short-lived, as it was never my intention to only have one cat. I wanted 2 so they could play together & keep each other company.
Welcome, Moodles. It was me, Moodles & Roxyann for several years after that... living in our house and keeping each other entertained.
I've had both Roxyann & Moodles longer than I've known Cop'er... there's something to be said for all that we have been through together. They have definitely helped keep me sane, listening & loving just when I've needed it.
I received another call on Friday from the 1st vet we talked to (who referred us to the surgeon) about Roxyann. She called Miss Priss a "miracle kitty"... She also suggested that we make an appointment to see an oncologist in Northern VA about Roxyann. In conversation with her about the ROXY FILES, it was mentioned that radiation therapy might be an alternative. (We originally asked the surgeon about this, but he said it would likely blind her-not an effect we were willing to do to her). While I don't know that the oncologist is going to have a 'cure' for our kitty, Cop'er & I agreed that a conversation about it couldn't hurt. I'll be calling in the morning to see when they can fit us in.
Did I mention that Roxyann will have to travel in the car for 2 hrs there & 2 hours back??? I might be the in the crate after that!
As you know, I have 2 cats & 3 dogs residing in this house with myself & Cop'er. The cats were my babies before I ever met Cop'er. We had a nice, cozy little family unit and we had lots of fun together.
I blogged recently about Roxyann's latest trip to the vet for an issue *ahem* back there. She also had a bump on her head that we didn't notice before. They sent us home with 2 weeks of antibiotics to give her, with instructions to come back if, at the end of the 2 weeks, she wasn't better.
The spot on her head didn't get better. It actually got worse. I scheduled an appointment with the vet yesterday. I went in, hoping it could be lanced, drained, etc, but that was not to be. I was hit with the news that Roxyann had an aggressively growing tumor & would need to go to a specialist.
Obviously the words "aggressively" & "tumor" together are not things you want to hear. I took the vet's recommendation & scheduled the specialist's appointment for today. Sister Fantanimal went with me to the first appt & urged me to think positive thoughts. I tried, but I think something inside of me knew...
Cop'er went to the specialist appt with me today. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it alone & was very glad he was there. I, like many other people, have a weakness for my animals & tears are not something I am afraid to shed in public.
The specialist came into the room & expressed his very serious concern about Roxyann's tumor, its location, its growth rate & the ability to make a positive impact on her recovery. There was conversation about what tests needed to be considered, what the options *might* be, what out thoughts about future needs were.
It was hard. It's still hard. I know it's not like losing a child or a parent, but those of us who have been through it know there is nothing easy about the decisions you have to make. I've shed many a tear thinking about how to handle her future & mine without her.
We managed to get Roxyann an appt for a CT scan today & picked her up this afternoon. She's sporting a green bandage from the IV she had & is trying, as I would expect, to shake the thing off. She's still spunking & spry & doesn't seem to be affected.
Tomorrow we'll find out how long that will last... In the meantime, I'm praying for her comfort & my strength to do what's right by her.
Monday morning I was on my out of the house to go to work. I was on time (yes, please note that in your calendars) for a change. I fed the cats & noticed something 'off' with Roxyann.
By 'off', I mean, she was oozing a little...
[I must warn you this might be a little more information that you want to think about right now]
...she was oozing a little pus & blood from her anal region. [Ewwwwww!]
Ok, now even I, novice to all things animal & child-related, knew this was NOT right. This was NOT normal... & most certainly NOT something I was hoping to see on a Monday morning.
Immediately [grossed out] worried about the poor little furrball, I ask Cop'er if he would be able to take her to the vet if I made an appointment for the afternoon.
He hesitated.
He eventually agreed to it... then tells me he wants to take Lil Guy too!
Huh? Lil Guy too??? [Lil Guy was due for his rabies & assorted other shots.]
Fine. Whatever. Double duty. I call the vet's office. The receptionist doesn't seem at all alarmed about the whole issue [see above if you need reminding]. Guess it's not life-threatening.
So Cop'er takes them to the vet. [Side note: I called him when he was on the way & all i could hear was Lil Guy whining & Roxyann meowing her head off]. Cop'er calls a little while later with a question from the vet - did Roxy always have this bump on her head?
I have to mention that Roxyann was also there to get her eye checked. It has been pinkish & irritated for about a week.
Me: No... I didn't notice any bump on her head.
Vet: You didn't see this big bump on her head?
Me: No
Vet: Has she always had it?
Me: I guess if i don't remember seeing it.
Vet: How long have you had her?
Me: Since she was a kitten (as in 9 years now)
Vet: ok
When Cop'er finally called back with the outcome of the exam, I found out what a mess Miss Priss really was. The 'issue' [again, see above for explanation] was a ruptured anal gland. The bump on the head - anybody's guess. It's a cyst, or something of the like, filled with fluid.
I took note of her head when she got home & saw that she did have a big bump on her head... a bump I didn't see earlier in the morning. It was disguised with fur stripes! From the side, it looked like something might be growing from her 'forehead'. Ewwwww!
Does it make me a bad mommy b/c I didn't notice? I thought it might, but then I realized that Cop'er had been with her at the vet's & didn't notice. Granted, when they asked him about the bump, she wasn't in the room at the time so he had no visual reference, but even still, he hadn't noticed it before. I guess that means I'm off the hook too!
What it boiled down to was 1 round of antibiotics for the cyst & 'issue', a 2nd round of antibiotics after that just b/c there is so much infection-y stuff going on with her... & to top it all off - eye drops (though they think the eye thing like be from the cyst on her head).
Sure, sounds pretty easy in the scheme of things, but have you met Roxyann????
I am sure that my dog, Jake, could out pee yours! In the kitchen, in the sun room, in the den, inside, outside, upside down... you name it. Jake does not discriminate on places to pee. He's an equal opportunity pee-er.
In all reality, it's not a good sign when he's peeing everywhere. He's got an infection. So Jake went to the vet this afternoon. All of the sudden, I am Jake's favorite person in the world. I can tell you at home that's not the case! But today, i was "mama". Never seen the little guy with so much love for me.
Jake got his weight taken, peed on the floor in the lobby & had his temp taken (hehe). He wasn't too keen on the Doc. He made a classic cat move to get away - jumped right off the exam table! Now, for any other dog I might have done a 2nd look, but since Jake is like the 3rd cat in the house... nothing new.
Even with an infection, Jake acts the same. He's eating, drinking, sleeping, annoying his sister, Sydney, just as if he were 100% perfect. It's just the peeing. According to the vet, we need to switch to a special prescription diet for him (he's had this several times) & start giving him bottled water. Who knew the little guy was going to cost a small fortune!
Right now Jake's outside hooting it up with his sis, chasing invisible demons & barking at anything that moves. I don't know for sure, but I think he's on his way to being cured! I hope so... or I am going to have to break out the doggy diapers!
