Felix the Cat : redux
Mar. 16th, 2006 10:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
katekatShe's home, and she's as safe as we can make her. And unfortunately the ultrasound (that they scheduled after the second set of x-rays came back inconclusive) was also inconclusive. Oh, they know she has a slightly enlarged kidney, and they know she has a slightly constricted liver (or was it the other way around). And they definitely know she has enlarged lymph nodes and her intestines are also swollen. What's that spell? Either IBS (I think that's what it is - the bowel syndrome) or lymphoma.
Yep, lymphoma, as in the cancerous kind.
But the doc can't be sure becuase she's not showing it in all of her lymph nodes, just the ones in the back, so he wants to bring her in for major surgery so he can cut one of those nodes out of her and verify. For double what we've already spent on her in three days of vet visits. So that, if they diagnose it as positive for lymphoma, we can put her on some kind of drug therapy and maybe have another six months or a year with her, best case scenario.
And we really don't like that idea. Putting aside the idea that we'd only have another YEAR with her in the best of worlds (cuz I'm not ready to face up to that quite yet), it's not just because it's a money thing - so many things can go wrong on an operating table, and she's older, and she's already had weird reactions to things (they STILL can't explain what's wrong with her leg - like they have ABSOLUTELY no idea, and no suggestions for ideas ... and again we wonder, if we do so much animal testing, why the fuck don't we know more about animals???). And what if it's IBS and not lymphoma at all and we could've just fixed that with a hypoallergenic diet? And not cutting into our cat?? So we don't know what we're going to do, not on the medical front.
On the home front, we know we're going to pamper her and love her and not squeeze her (but only because she doesn't like that). She's taken to sleeping in between us on the bed for the last two days, and I don't know about Neil but I woke up multiple times in the night to check and make sure she was still ok and still there, and she gave me a little quiet purr in response. Whatever happens she's still our baby. And that's the most important part.
Yep, lymphoma, as in the cancerous kind.
But the doc can't be sure becuase she's not showing it in all of her lymph nodes, just the ones in the back, so he wants to bring her in for major surgery so he can cut one of those nodes out of her and verify. For double what we've already spent on her in three days of vet visits. So that, if they diagnose it as positive for lymphoma, we can put her on some kind of drug therapy and maybe have another six months or a year with her, best case scenario.
And we really don't like that idea. Putting aside the idea that we'd only have another YEAR with her in the best of worlds (cuz I'm not ready to face up to that quite yet), it's not just because it's a money thing - so many things can go wrong on an operating table, and she's older, and she's already had weird reactions to things (they STILL can't explain what's wrong with her leg - like they have ABSOLUTELY no idea, and no suggestions for ideas ... and again we wonder, if we do so much animal testing, why the fuck don't we know more about animals???). And what if it's IBS and not lymphoma at all and we could've just fixed that with a hypoallergenic diet? And not cutting into our cat?? So we don't know what we're going to do, not on the medical front.
On the home front, we know we're going to pamper her and love her and not squeeze her (but only because she doesn't like that). She's taken to sleeping in between us on the bed for the last two days, and I don't know about Neil but I woke up multiple times in the night to check and make sure she was still ok and still there, and she gave me a little quiet purr in response. Whatever happens she's still our baby. And that's the most important part.
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Date: 2006-03-16 05:07 pm (UTC)The Home Front Action Plan sounds like a Good Plan.
*cuddles you loads and loads*
... having read this through, it doesn't sound as supportive as I want it to be. Just imagine that I am petting your hair gently throughout?
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Date: 2006-03-16 05:17 pm (UTC)and I like the idea that we have a Home Front Action Plan. That sounds very official. I will call it thus from this day forth. *cuddles you back like loads* I bit back the tears last night, cuz she's still with us, just needs love, and so thats what i'm sticking to right now. And the rest will sort itself out somehow.
*loves you back like whoa* cuz really? i can feel the hugs and the pettage. and it's a good thing.
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Date: 2006-03-16 05:30 pm (UTC)- Miranda
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Date: 2006-03-16 08:10 pm (UTC)But it's good that you try and show her your love. It can only help. I'm crossing my fingers for you *hugs*
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Date: 2006-03-16 08:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-16 08:31 pm (UTC)how did the puppy party go?
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Date: 2006-03-16 09:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-16 09:40 pm (UTC)Do you really want to put her through major surgery? Your choice, of course, but it's always an option to just let her go.
I wouldn't say that to you unless I knew that you knew that I've been there myself.
Whatever you choose, I'm behind you 100%. And many hugs and kisses. So sorry.
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Date: 2006-03-17 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-17 03:23 am (UTC)Oh shit. Why does it have to be two completely different diagnoses, too? I so hope to god it's the IBS (which sucks, but is so much better).
Just let Felix know that I love her lots.
I'm so glad she has you two to pamper her.
*snuggles you so much*
If you ever need to talk, just call me, sweetie.
~e!
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Date: 2006-03-17 09:41 am (UTC)