magicalfreddiemercury 29.05.2007 19:16 |
Back in October, we lost one of our cats - a 9-year-old - to cancer. Now my oldest, Slinky, who will be 13 on Friday, has two lumps on her hip. The vet isn't sure what they are but said they could simply be fatty masses. However, these feel solid so the chance of that is slim... unless they've formed beneath the muscle. We had four options. Do nothing. Needle aspiration. Biopsy. Or remove the masses completely. I figure if I had to decide for me, I'd want those lumps removed. Period. So that's what I decided. I think it's the right thing, but I can't help be afraid for her. Surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. 9:30. The results, however, will take nearly 2 weeks. This one is my baby. I found her way back when she was only 4 weeks old. She'd been abandoned by her mother. She weighed only 4 ounces and was near death due to a severe respiratory infection. At the time, the vet said to give her antibiotics "and pray". She's had a great 13 years since then but I'm greedy and want her to have yet another baker's dozen. |
AspiringPhilosophe 29.05.2007 19:21 |
I'm so sorry to hear about this, MagicalFreddieMercury. I've got bad news to report on Boots too. She was doing fine right after the surgery, and went I went home Saturday afternoon all was well. But I just came back today, and she's doing the throwing up/diarreah/not eating thing again. She goes in Thursday to get the stitches removed, but if she's like this they will want to keep her and do more things....but I'm out of money. That surgery she just had took away my living money for the next three weeks...I literally have nothing left to spend on her. I'm looking around the internet right now to see what I can do, but I'm thinking not much. She's either going to pull through this if she wants to live, or she's not. My best wishes to you and your cat....best of luck to you both |
magicalfreddiemercury 29.05.2007 19:24 |
CMU HistoryGirl wrote: I've got bad news to report on Boots too.Oh, no, no, no. I thought it was 'no news is good news' where Boots was concerned. Could it be her diet? Maybe she's allergic to the food? It might sound silly, but all of my cats needed a prescription diet and they've done incredibly well with it. Just a thought. I soooo hope things work out for the two of you. I'm so very sorry you have to go through this. |
Sergei. 29.05.2007 19:25 |
='( All this about sick cats makes me sad. It reminds me of my cat, who sadly didn't make it because he had a cancer from a lump on his hip. I really hope your cat gets better, MagicalFreddieMercury, and CMUHistorygirl too. |
QueenTaylor 29.05.2007 19:27 |
aaaaww :( I love kitties!! I wish the best of luck to both of your cats-I hope they get better!! |
Lisser 29.05.2007 19:28 |
Awww I'm so sorry. I'll be thinking of her and hope for a speedy recovery! I'm sure it is not her time yet. |
Janet 29.05.2007 20:38 |
Magicalfreddiemercury, I am very sorry to hear about your furbaby. Hopefully she will pull through this and be back to herself very soon. CMU, thats just awful about Boots. I hope sure hope she pulls out of this for you. :-( Good luck to the four of you! |
magicalfreddiemercury 30.05.2007 18:49 |
Update - surgery went very well. Slinky will stay at the hospital overnight. Best part? The preliminary report is they were BOTH fatty masses - completely benign. No cancer. I can't wait until she's home to hug her. And I know, I have to wait for the official report, but I trust this vet and he was quite certain. We're very happy in our house right now. :-) CMU HistoryGirl... how's Boots doing? Let us hear good news... |
AspiringPhilosophe 30.05.2007 18:56 |
I wish there was good news to tell. I guess it is kinda good, in a way. I called the vet this morning, and they said keep food away from her, and force feed her Pedialite until I could get into to my appointment tomorrow. I went to work, after forcing some water into her, and she was lathargic, but OK. I came home tonight with the Pedialite and went into the bedroom where I'd shut her to keep her out of the food. She is dead. I'm driving back to my parents house tonight to bury her...if I can stop crying long enough to drive. |
magicalfreddiemercury 30.05.2007 19:23 |
OMG. I am so very, very sorry. This is shocking and so heartbreaking. I wish there were something I could say to make this at least a little less painful for you but I doubt if there is. I am so sorry. <<hugs>> |
YourValentine 30.05.2007 20:18 |
I am sorry about your cat, CMU HistoryGirl :(. It's heart breaking to see how much worrying and suffering a pet can bring you. Loss and pain are always the price to pay for love. So at least you have had the love, even though it may not be aconsolation for you now. I hope you feel better soon. |
Bob The Shrek 30.05.2007 20:44 |
I am so sorry to hear about Boots. :-( That is just heartbreaking. I'm sure she knew you loved her very much and that you did all that for her. |
Janet 30.05.2007 20:46 |
So sorry, the post above was mine. Bob was logged in and I didn't realize. |
beautifulsoup 31.05.2007 07:43 |
I'm so sorry, CMUHistory Girl. :(( (I just edited out some stuff I had written about my dog...I'm just going to start a thread, and not hijack this one). Hugs. |
Donna13 31.05.2007 10:57 |
I was really shocked to read that, CMU HistoryGirl. Hope the burial went well and that you are holding up OK. Very sad to lose a pet. |
AspiringPhilosophe 31.05.2007 13:38 |
Thank you all for your kind thoughts. As this is Magical's thread (and her cat seems to be doing well) I will not write here any more...I don't want to hijack the thread. I might write more about it in my blog (in my signature line) once I can. The next few days will be rough...and I will miss her terribly for a long time. But your kind words have helped...you guys rock |
sparrow 21754 31.05.2007 14:09 |
that is sad news CMU....im sure you gave her an amazing life to live, and shes probably in freddies house of a million cats ;-) |
magicalfreddiemercury 31.05.2007 14:27 |
CMU HistoryGirl wrote: As this is Magical's thread (and her cat seems to be doing to hijack the thread.Please don't give that another thought. If you want to write here and share, please do, if not, no worries. And you're right, you will miss her for a long time. Eventually, the pain will subside though and soon enough thinking of her will make you smile not cry. |
beautifulsoup 31.05.2007 18:48 |
magicalfreddiemercury wrote:Ditto, CMUHistoryGirl! And I never meant to imply that you were hijacking the thread in the post I made. I'm sorry that might have come out all wrong.CMU HistoryGirl wrote: As this is Magical's thread (and her cat seems to be doing to hijack the thread.Please don't give that another thought. If you want to write here and share, please do, if not, no worries. I'm afraid I have not been thinking too well today... :(( |
AspiringPhilosophe 31.05.2007 20:01 |
No no no...that's not what I meant. What I meant was, this thread is about Magical and her Slinky...this is not a thread for me to go blabbering on about myself and my loss. I never thought you were hijacking, Beautiful Soup. When I made my reply, I simply meant that I would not hijack it with my stuff. It was my worry. |
beautifulsoup 31.05.2007 20:07 |
I thought that was what you meant... ...but as I read my post over again, well - I just wanted to make sure. No harm done. :) It's hard on the internet sometimes...and I do tend to over-analyze at times. |
MamaQueen 31.05.2007 22:06 |
Hi MagicalFreddieMercury. It is 5/31. Any news about Slinky? I feel for you because I love cats too. I have two, but they are fairly young. I dread to think what will happen when they get old and start getting sick. I wish Slinky good luck and will say a little prayer. For Boots too. |
magicalfreddiemercury 31.05.2007 22:54 |
MamaQueen wrote: I wish Slinky good luck and will say a little prayer. For Boots too.Thanks so much for your good wishes. Slinky was very lucky. Her "masses" were benign - not cancer. Or so it seems. So we're very relieved and she is now at home recovering. I'm very sad to say, Boots didn't fare so well. There are updated posts within this thread. |
MamaQueen 31.05.2007 23:03 |
I am very happy to hear that! |
magicalfreddiemercury 05.06.2007 12:57 |
Since the surgery, Slinky hasn't been herself. I figured she was uncomfortable from the surgery and with pain meds, she'd be fine. Saturday, I had to take her to a different vet since mine had already closed up for the day. The paw where the IV had been was swollen to twice its size and she was moaning and listless. It seems she had an infection in the paw and so the other vet gave her a different and stronger antibiotic. Unfortunately, as I found out two days later when I rushed her back to my regular vet, the antibiotic she was given is not one that should ever be given to an older cat. She spent all day Sunday crying, moaning and vomiting. She didn't eat and wouldn't drink, and I hadn't seen her anywhere near the litter box. Her moans woke me at 4:30 Monday morning and by the way she was acting, I didn't think she'd live until 10 when I could call my vet. She did. He said to stop all meds because that antibiotic caused the exact symptoms I had described. He took another blood test to check her white count for infection and to check her kidney function. I don't know about her white count, but I just learned that her kidney function is below poor. It's because of her age and the anesthesia. Not a good combination. She is back in the hospital now and will be there until at least Thursday. They're going to give her IV fluids to help flush her kidneys and hopefully get them working properly again. I would feel better about it if my vet didn't look so grim. To think, I was so happy to learn the lumps were benign when meanwhile, all it meant was we put her through unnecessary and clearly life-threatening surgery. |
AspiringPhilosophe 05.06.2007 13:20 |
Oh Magical....I'm so sorry to hear this!!! Don't be too hard on yourself about the surgery. You know now that the lumps were non-cancerous, so the surgery was not necessary...but you didn't know that at the time the lumps were discovered. On the flip side you could have let the lumps alone, they could have been cancer and she would be in worse shape when it was discovered. Cats at that age are very sensitive to anesthetics, and cats are sensitive to it to begin with. At least they have an idea what is wrong and are doing all they can to fix it. Please don't be too hard on yourself about all of this...you are doing all you can for Slinky. Stay hopeful and positive for her :-) **Hugs** I will be thinking about her, and you. Please keep us updated! |
beautifulsoup 05.06.2007 19:37 |
What CMU Historygirl just said...because she said it so well. I merely say "ditto." I'm so sorry to hear about this; I will be thinking about you and Slinky. |
magicalfreddiemercury 06.06.2007 13:42 |
It was just too much for her and she couldn't hold on. My baby's gone. |
Janet 06.06.2007 13:46 |
Oh magical, I am just so very sorry for your loss. :-( |
YourValentine 06.06.2007 18:45 |
More pain and more grief :-( I am very sorry. |
YourValentine 06.06.2007 18:45 |
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AspiringPhilosophe 06.06.2007 18:52 |
Oh no....Magical! I'm so sorry for your loss. You did everything you could for her, please don't be hard on yourself for it. **hugs** Slinky and Boots are keeping each other company, I'm sure. |
deleted user 06.06.2007 19:41 |
CMU HistoryGirl wrote: I wish there was good news to tell. I guess it is kinda good, in a way. I called the vet this morning, and they said keep food away from her, and force feed her Pedialite until I could get into to my appointment tomorrow. I went to work, after forcing some water into her, and she was lathargic, but OK. I came home tonight with the Pedialite and went into the bedroom where I'd shut her to keep her out of the food. She is dead. I'm driving back to my parents house tonight to bury her...if I can stop crying long enough to drive.I know you don't know me and I don't know you but I am deeply saddened to hear this news. I'm so sorry. :'( |
deleted user 06.06.2007 19:43 |
magicalfreddiemercury wrote: It was just too much for her and she couldn't hold on. My baby's gone.Oh damn! I am so sorry. :'( |
beautifulsoup 06.06.2007 19:51 |
CMU HistoryGirl wrote: Oh no....Magical! I'm so sorry for your loss. You did everything you could for her, please don't be hard on yourself for it. **hugs** Slinky and Boots are keeping each other company, I'm sure.oh, no... :(( Will they mind having a long-haired dachshund named Heidi hanging around with them? (She *liked* cats...and was about the size of one)... ((hugs)) |
AspiringPhilosophe 07.06.2007 11:28 |
I don't think Boots would mind that...she always loved to be around people and other animals. |
Donna13 07.06.2007 15:16 |
Me too. A very sad time for everyone. |
magicalfreddiemercury 09.06.2007 09:08 |
Thank you all for you sweet and supportive words. They do mean a lot. Sadly, too many of you know the feelings I've had these past few days. I tend to dwell and punish myself for things like this so I've been having a hard time of it. Harder was watching Ansel, my one remaining little Indian. He just ate for the first time since Wednesday. I'd put out his food, and he'd come running, sniff it then sit and stare at the doorway as if waiting for my Slinky to join him. After a few seconds of waiting, he'd just walk away without even a glance back at the food. He did the same with the extra water bowl in the bedroom. Water was Slinky's favorite treat. :-) When I'd refresh it, she'd come from wherever she was and drink greedily. Sometimes, she'd even curl around the bowl and go to sleep with it. So, Wednesday night, when I refreshed the water, Ansel came to it, sniffed, then stretched his neck to look under the bed. When Slinky didn't come out, he just walked away. It broke my heart. People are already talking to me about strays they've found or cats they have that they don't want. I can't imagine getting another right now. Slinky deserves to be mourned and I feel like getting a new one... I don't know. It just doesn't feel right. Yet, maybe it will be good for Ansel. And for my daughter. Today, we're going to the local animal rescue center. They're desperate for volunteers, so I thought it would be good for all involved if we put in some hours. Who knows. Maybe we can become a foster family so that we can help these babies without making any kind of commitment. I don't know. Grief and guilt are hard to overcome but wallowing in either or both doesn't help anyone. And Slinky was all about love and laughter so I'm really not honoring her by continuing to cry. I'm going to miss so much about her and I'm going to miss it all for a very long time. It only makes sense, right? They are all that special. Of course, for me, Slinky was the most special of all. |
YourValentine 09.06.2007 10:27 |
There is really no reason to feel guilty. You did all you could do to the best of your judgement and there is nothing to feel bad about. Things are not always in our hands and we have to let go when there is nothing else we can do. The only way to avoid such pain and grief is not to love and that would be a pretty empty life. I know you feel better soon because you do all the right things :-) |