home finally & a ddp? yahoo!

I came home this afternoon. I have this stupid cone thing on my neck & it keeps getting in my way, and I ended up getting my leg caught in it - but Momma says I have to keep it on for a while. My leg is all nekkid & I have a shaved spot on my back near my tail...not sure what that is for. Mom was nervous this morning, because when she called at the hospital they told her I was running a fever, and that I had gotten upset when a tech tried to check me & I tried to jump out of the cage, and when the tech stopped me, I bit her. So Mom had to bring my rabies certificate in to show them that I had my shot & I was just upset. My fever came down - the Dr said sometimes the medicine or stress can cause it. I am glad to be home though. Everyone gathered around my carrier to sniff me, and then Momma took me into her room where it is nice & quiet. I have a soft bed & my favorite green rug, and a potty box with low sides, and my water & FOOD. I did not want to eat at the hospital, so I ate my full I can tell you. Momma held the dish for me cause I can't eat so good with this stupid cone. She said something about trying to find a soft one. Once I kind of relaxed I slept alot. I had dinner & my pain medicine, and Momma sat on the floor with me & petted me for a long time. I purred so loud because I am glad to be home. I was afraid that maybe she left me there! But she said "my Feefer I would never leave my sweet baby - I just want you all fixed" So I will do my best to be good & not try & pull my cone off, and I will sleep because Momma says that is good medicine. Now lets hope the insurance will pay some (total $2800 for one gimpy little leg) Oh the one lady said "by cuddle kitty" to me when I was leaving. I think it was the same one I bit, so she was not mad at me. THank you for all of your purrs, they helped me alot. Momma will update soon. She was trying to take a picture of my owie, but I was not cooperating, so maybe later. sleepy,owie, purrs, Felix

whew! one down ?? to go...

Dr. West just called. Felix is awake & recovering nicely & his pain is being managed well. He did good - she said they were able to stabilize his knee & there was no damage to the cruciate ligaments. He has 2 pins in his knee. She commented on how sweet & little he is, and said the techs & the anesthesiologist even remarked how sweet & cuddly he is. That's my Feefer-kitty! I will pick him up tomorrow & then try to figure out the best place for him to rest. I do not have small kids, so it is pretty quiet around here (unless the hockey game is on ahem The Dad is a big Blackhawks fan)
Thanks for your purrs & hugs - they helped so much. I will post either tomorrow or Sunday how the Feefs is doing. :)

at the hospital

Felix is having his knee surgery today. The vet was wonderful & explained so much. She wants to try the conservative approach & just do his worst knee, in hopes that it will help his hip bones align a bit better. She says he may or may not have to have the hip done - it is a wait & see when his knee heals. I would rather do it one at a time also - it will give him a chance to heal in between. The tech that came in to get Felix was so nice too - he says he is a cat person & was giving Felix kisses on his head. So I feel very good about them. Dr. West will call me later & I can get him tomorrow. Keep the paws crossed!

so blessed

I cannot even tell you what your thoughts for Felix mean to me. I did a bit of checking, and the 2 places I did find that you can apply for a grant are so short on funds, they will only accept if you pet has a life-threatening illness. While Felix is in bad shape, it is not life-threatening, so no go there. Another place I found you can make a fund-raising page, but they take 7% of any funds. I am still looking at things. I am not sure they will do any surgery on Friday, because Felix is on anti-biotics for his UTI. At least I will get some ideas. I stopped looking his conditions up, because it made me feel even more terrible for him. He just finished a course of Onsior which is like ibuprofen, and the vet gave me tramadol for him. I just don't want to drug him up either. I was thinking I would try that at night to help him sleep. You know through all this, he is still so sweet, and squeaks at me for his lysine treats. I also will try to apply for Care Credit. I did once before when Tig had his blockage, but for some reason I could not get it at the time.
I am so overwhelmed with how great all of you are. You guys are what is helping me feel like it will be ok. I know there are other kitties that have severe illnesses, and are going through so much & surgeries & treatments -and I am not comparing it to what Felix has, but it did throw me when even the vet said she never saw anything like it. I am going to try & see if I can photograph his xray & post it on here. Not sure if it will work... anyways, thank you again for your support, and I will keep you posted.

to the vet we go

I have an appt on Friday. What I did find out, is that the place I went also has a 3rd location in the city, much closer, and that location is part of the University of Illinois Vet School. I am hoping that may mean reduced prices, and it is an excellent school - my daughter went there for Animal Science & Environmental Science.

I am thinking that the insurance may not kick in. Since he was born this way, I have a strong feeling they will consider it a pre-existing condition. Their goal really, is to not pay if they can see a way. I paid a fortune for Tig's illnesses, and he cannot even get insurance. I had thought by getting it for Smitty & Felix, I would be a step ahead. They did cover some of Smitty's tooth removal, so that made my bill less.

A few pals have mentioned about possible fund raising, and while I am a very proud person, and "take care of my business" I may need to ask for any help, I have no clue what this will cost, but I have no idea how to go about it. If anyone can give me any ideas on this, it would be great. I am not on FB though.

I am to fast him on Fri, because they may be able to do 1 surgery same day.

Just knowing how much you all care - I cannot tell you how much it means to me, and for my Feefer-kitty.

vet visit-when it rains, it sometimes monsoons

I will let Momma write this for me. See my new pics? I got big! My fur is getting longer like my mom-cat's is.

Momma Renee here:
It seems that Feefer's front leg is really not an issue. The vet started to do a very thorough neurologial exam, and then she was checking his knees & hips. I myself saw his hip "pop". She was concerned by this and that his knees felt loose. He was showing a HIGH level of pain. So I left him there so she could knock him out & take xrays. When I went back, she told me that she had never seen anything this bad...she was stunned. You know it is bad when as a lay person, I could see something was horribly wrong on the xray. She was even teary telling me how bad it is.

He has severe hip displasia on both sides. Normally there is a socket for the ball of the femur - Felix has no sockets at all. His pelvis is flat on each side. There is a space on the one side, and the other side is bone rubbing on bone. Both knees have luxating patellas.

This poor baby has never known what it is like to be pain free. I have to take him to the specialist again, as he must have surgery. She says they will most likely cut the ball off the femur & his muscles will hold it in place. My vet does not do orthopedic surgery, and they are excellent there. She thinks they will probably do his right side & knee, then his left hip later. She does not think his left knee needs surgery. It is either that, or I have to keep him on pain meds until the bone spurs get so bad or he blows his knee out. Or we all know the other alternative.

I REFUSE to give up on him. He has been though so much already, and is such a sweet kitty. He is a fighter. I think now that alot of his fearfulness could be because he is in so much pain. I felt something was wrong - he never ran around like a kitten should. I feel horrible that I did not get him in sooner, but I had Maizy with the IBD, then Smitty's issues. Tig needs his echo - pray it is clear!

The bad thing is that I do not know if his insurance will pay for any of this - maybe the knee, but if they consider the hips a pre-exsisting condition....they won't. I have no idea how I will afford this, because I am sure it will not be cheap - but where there is a will, there is a way.

I won't be back on until Tuesday. I am spending time with my daughter. I will call on Monday to set up his appt. This place is an hour away, so that is pretty crummy too.

If anyone has had this issue, let me know. Otherwise I can use some moral support. This will be a long road.

another update: vet called this morning with his lab results. His blood is fine, but he has a urinary tract infection as she found bacteria, and crystals - which she thinks they are from the infection. So he will be on antibiotics 2 weeks to clear that up before he can even have surgery.

One good thing, she cut his claws as short as possible!

paws n claws

Can you believe that the only appt Momma could get is Friday! The internet man came early yesterday, so she could have taken one yesterday if she had known. hisss! Last night she kinda figured it out maybe. Ya know how most kittes shed kind of the shell of their claw? Well Mine don't or at least that is what Mom thinks, and that is why they are so thick & wide. Friday should be interesting for sure. Of course I probably won't do anything because I will be too scaredy. Do not let the tiny squeaky cute little kitty face lull you into denial...I BITE HARD when you touch my feet!

Oh we forget to tell everyone that when our human brother moved out into an apt with his fiance (mom was sad but happy for them too) they adopted a kitty! and guess what else? it is a little black kitty like me! His name is Jet. Momma says he is very cute. Another kitty rescued!

birdy-day

I just turned 1 year old! Can you believe it? I am a sleek, happy boy! I got a new package of Nip Sticks since I obliterated the last ones. I chew them flat real fast, but I love em! I also got whitefish treat for my birthday dinner. I laid on the couch by Momma when she was watching the tv, and got all kinds of pets & kisses. Thank you to everyone that wished me greetings. It is amazing to look at that picture of me so sick & to see me now! Momma downloaded pics, but they are not on this computer, so when she uses that one we will all have some new pics to show off!
Momma will be making a vet appt for me, to have a 1 year old check up & to ask the vet about my leg again. She feels there is definitely something going on. I do not put weight on that leg normally, and I do this limp hop thing & hunch my back when I get up from sitting or laying down. Mom thought perhaps it might be a nerve pinch or nerve damage that would not show on an xray - since the one I had didn't show a whole lot wrong. It also seems like my wrist bends to the front on both legs, but moreso on that leg. I probably have some kind of genetec deformality. Momma just wants to make sure that if there is something that can be done, gets done to help me. My claws are real thick & wide too, and Momma will have the vet cut them. I just scream too much when she tries, and not like "I am annoyed" but like "I am in pain". I do not do this when she wipes my ears or brushes my teeth. The stupid insurance will not cover my foreleg, so who knows if it is my spine they may weasel out of that as it is connected. But I do not even put weight on it when I am sitting. I always hold it up, and you can see me almost "think" about how I set my foot down when I start to walk. Momma says a kitten should not be in pain like that to not even be able to run around & play. So as soon as they can fit me in I guess we will see.

Thanks again - even with all that, Momma says I am the sweetest kitty even though I am still a scaredy-butt. I am getting a little better. The dad pet me last nite while I was on the couch by Momma & I didn't even hiss or act scared! Maybe cuz I am all growed up?

a funny little story

This isn't really about me, but it does involve my kitty-mom & my Momma thought it was cute.
Yesterday was a nice sunny day, and Mom & Nana were heading out to a Pancake Breakfast held in support for Relay for Life. The Dad's cousin has a team & is very involved in this wonderful charity since her brother (The Dad's other cousin) passed from it over 10 years ago.
Anyhow, Mom fed the ferals, and the whole time was calling them & talking rather loud and they did their dance & a few meow & 1 that loves to be petted got his pets. She then turned & under the bush by the fence, was a black cat laying down stretched out - not moving. It was my momcat Inky. "OOOHHH nooooo" says Momma. She walked over there & Inky was laying on her tummy with her head on her front paws stretched out, eyes closed. Mom thought "she is breathing, but slow - oh no she is dying" Then she knelt down & gently touched the top of Inky's head. With that - Inky opened her eyes - looked at Mom - eyes got HUGE & sat up so fast & shot towards the end of the yard. So fast that Mom almost fell backwards! it seems that she was sleeping so soundly in the sun that she did not even hear Mom approach & they scared the catnip out of each other! Inky was down at the end of the yard looking at Momma like "What are you doing?" She was there this morning waiting for breakfast perfectly fine. Mom was laughing though, and very glad it was a happy ending!!

big boy

I am bigger! Mom says I am all legs though! I am doing ok. I am still pretty timid and nervous around The Dad. I am getting better, and he tries so very hard to be my friend. Mom thinks it is because he has a really deep voice & clompy work boots. He gives me treats though, so I know he will not hurt me. I still seem to have trouble with my leg & paw. Almost like the wrist part is deformed. I hunch my back alot too - mom says I look like a jack knife. But I seem happy & even though I do not meow I squeak ALOT! After Smitty has his tooth out, then I will go to the vet to see about it. I had xrays, but mom wonders if maybe I have nerve damage, or that it may be coming from my back spine. She says that she knows if I did not come to live here, I would not have survived outside. Between my pneumonia, and this leg issue, I did not have good odds. But I am a happy boy now! I am 7 lbs already!! Mom has pics to show how big I am, to put on here next week. See you soon!