Sad Day Today

It is with great sadness to have to say that my Gino passed away last night. The vet said he wasn't doing good at 6:30 when he went to check on him. He went back at 10:30 and he was gone. It breaks my heart, but I know he is at peace now...at the bridge with his brother Cracker.

I want to thank you all for the prayers, rosettes & power of purr. Your thoughtfulness & caring means so much to me.

Update Wed Evening

Gino was resting comfortably this morning with his feeding tube. There had been no change in him.

I went to visit him tonight & he hasn't really changed. Although I thought I noticed a little more spark in his eyes but that could just be wishful thinking. He still has some fight left in him - everytime I tried to wipe his nose, he'd pull away from me...And he was crawling around the table when he didn't want to listen to me. I know he's nowhere out of the woods yet. The vet said that it would be a few days before they knew if the feeding tube was working or not. Pray that it is...

Thank you all so much for your kinds thoughts, prayers & gifts. It is special people like you that help during such a hard time.

Hugs...

Update - 9/8 at 3:00 pm

Called the vet:

The feeding tube is in & he's resting comfortably……
Said everything went fine with it & its working properly….
Said that they've fed him & he didn't vomit or have diarhea so that's a good thing…..

NOW he just needs to get his strength back & FIGHT to survive……..

Thanks for the prayers & please keep them coming because my little man really needs them right now.

Desperately in need of your Prayers

I know I haven’t been on Catster much due to some personal things, but my baby Gino is really in need of some purrs & prayers. He went to the vet on Friday and was severely dehydrated, anemic and had a high white cell count. The vet said he had pancreatitis – he immediately put him on fluids & meds. Gino also has severe sinusitis – he’s had it since he was a baby. They also said he had a lot of oxygen in his stomach & intestines but I’m not sure what would be causing this. He’s been on the fluids & meds since Friday and has not responded at all. When I talked to the vet yesterday, he gave me three options – 1) to just continue with the meds; 2) to insert a feeding tube so he’d eat & to get his GI tract going again or 3) to put him to sleep.

I told the vet putting him to sleep was not an option. I want to try everything humanly possible to save my baby. I asked that they put a feeding tube in him to try to get some food in him to help him. When I saw him yesterday, it broke my heart. He has gone from 18 pounds to 11 pounds (obviously it was gradual)…His eyes have no spark, and he’s like a bag of bones. I just picked him up & cuddled him telling him he had to be strong and eat – he had to come out of this so we could be together in a home of our own (my pets have been displaced at my parents while I’ve been trying to find a house for us to live in & I finally just found one). The vet is going to be putting the feeding tube in this afternoon – I hope this is what he needs to come through this.

I really think this may be it for my ‘little man’ and would appreciate any prayers or purrs you could throw our way because I think he needs all the help he can get right now.

I want to thank ALL of you wonderful Catsters for the rosettes & kind words. Its wonderful to know there are so many caring people out there. Hugs to all of you………..

Cat of the Day?!?!?!?!? Say What....................

Omigosh - mommy is on vacation in Belize & just went to check her emails & saw TONS of emails from catster pals......She was wondering what was going on & saw that little (well not so little) old me - was CAT OF THE DAY!!!

Goodness Gracious - I want to thank Catster for giving me this honor! I'm just sorry that mommy can't be home to help me thank everyone for the rosettes, gifts & pal requests - have no fear when she gets home, I'll get back to EACH & EVERY one of you. Her internet time is limited for now & I'm bumming that she's not home to share this special day with me. Our Aunt Dori is taking good care of me & Lucy though while Mommy's away.....Good thing we have her watching out for us.

Tee Hee - I'm thumbing my nose at Snooty Lucy - she has always thought that she was all that & now "I" finally get honored (and go figure mommy isn't here). I think I'm gonna pretend like I'm Cat for the Week at home - Lucy won't know the difference.

Thank you all for everything & I'm sending you lots of sandpaper kisses...

Mr Beans..

Surgical Update...I made it!!!!

Well, I made it - Whew! My surgery on Friday went well AND they didn't knock me out with that anesthesia stuff mom was so worried about. She had a 'little' talk with the doctor when she dropped me off & he said he could take care of that nasty cyst with a local. Mom was relieved, but I sure didn't like having to be awake for THAT. Ugh - I could hear everything that was going on even if I couldn't feel it. When mom picked me up, they said I was a very good patient (of course, doesn't she know I'm ALWAYS on my best behavior when she's not around - she brought me up right!) I really don't want to add (mom's making me) that when the girl brought me out she said I was a big boy - 19 lbs. Mom was like - WHAT??? He weighed 17 lbs last week. Little does she know that I was chowing down on as much food as I could because I was just a 'wee bit' nervous about this surgery stuff. You know how it is - you eat when you get nervous!

Well, I'm home now with a shaved shoulder & a whole bunch of stitches. Not very attractive looking, but I do feel much better without that nasty cyst thing. The vet said it was into my gland that's why strange stuff was coming out of it. We just have to wait for the biopsy to come back to make sure it wasn't anything bad - I don't even want to think about THAT. Just mentioning it is making me nervous - I think I'll go eat something to calm myself.

PS - Thank you Buddie for the healing rosette. It really helped me. And special thanks to Lucy and her family for all their thoughts, prayers & inspiring c-mails.

****UPDATE**** The vet called mom & told her that my pigmented tumor (nasty word) was BENIGN! YEAH, I can stop eating now!!! Although, mom says I look a lot thinner since my surgery *grin*.

Yikers - Surgery Tomorrow

Well, the doc says I have to have surgery to have this unsightly bump removed from my shoulder. I'm certainly not too keen on that idea - I HATE the vet's office. I like my doctor, but not the office. It's too noisy & there is just way too much chaos in the waiting area. Last time I was there, some big ole' dog came up & barked at my carrier. I was so scared I poohed myself. I tried to hide under the blanket but it wasn't big enough (plus that's where the pooh was). I noticed mom sniffing the air & then she got all red-faced cause she smelt the pooh. I didn't mean to do it - It just happened..Stupid Dog.

I've had this ugly bump on my shoulder for two years now. When mom had the vet look at it way back then, he told her it was a skin tag & not to be concerned. Now its is the size of a blueberry & oozing blood. The vet told mom it was a blood cyst & needed to be removed (as if she'd let me keep it). So, I'll be going under the knife tomorrow. I can tell mom is really worried about me - she's been cuddling & hugging me like crazy all week. I sure am loving that - hahahaha Lucy, no attention for YOU.

Mom says she's concerned with the anesthesia, because of my sinus problem (post nasal drip) and my weight (which I think is just perfect). The vet told her that it shouldn't be a problem, I'd have a breathing tube & my heart was just fine. She's still freaking over it. I keep telling her not to worry. I'm her brave little man & I'll never leave her. After all, who's gonna protect her from that nasty Daisy beast when she's growling & throwing one of her hissy fits?? Certainly not Lucy - she's too busy grooming herself.

Speaking of "her highness", what's up with HER getting all the stars and cool rosettes? Don't I deserve a couple too? Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate the ones that my friends have given me. It just seems like she gets them more than I do *pout* *pout*

Anyways - please say a prayer that everything goes okay for me tomorrow. I don't want my mom worrying too much, she's too young for grey hair! Thanks everyone - "Beanie"

My New Job – Protecting Mom

My big brother Cracker went to the bridge a year ago. Since then, there’s been nobody around to protect my mom. She told me that I had to step up to the plate and keep her safe. Last night she gave the dawgs greenies (lucky them). She was trying to teach Ms Daisy some manners & took her greenie away from her. Well that beast started growling & pitching a hissy fit towards mom. I sat back and watched from the corner of the room and finally decided enough was enough – no beast was gonna treat my momma that way – that dawg was acting like she was gonna hurt her. I took up the best battle stance I could muster & ATTACKED. Beat the stuffing out of that dawg – growling & hissing up a storm. She ignored me & kept growling at mom. I wasn’t going to take any of her nonsense & kept hitting her to make her stop. After a good 5 minutes, she finally just sat & stopped growling (guess I taught her a thing or two). I hit her a few more times to let her know just WHO was boss! Mom praised me over & over again. So for those of you who think that ah’hem we're just cats…..Well, I can tell you otherwise – I’m in charge of security for mom…..And NOBODY and I mean NOBODY is gonna mess with my mom as long as I’m around.

UGH - This is BLASPHOMY – YOU don’t know the REAL Lucy

Okay, I find this totally ridiculous. First, Lucy gets Diary of the Day. THEN *grrr* she gets Cat of the Day today. She’s a snotty, brat and definitely doesn’t deserve THAT honor. Nobody knows what she’s REALLY like at home. She’s constantly picking fights with me & beating me up. She walks around like her S*** don’t stink. (I know differently we use the same box.). She’s always stealing cuddles from mom & when I’m getting attention knocks me out of the way & hogs mom all to herself. She’s a very selfish girl. And NOW that she has this FAME, she’s strutting around the house, thumbing her nose at me, rubbing it in my face. Like I don’t have problems enough.

All I get from Catster is a Diary Central pick –which doesn’t display on the home page & nobody even looks at. Gosh, Catster – What’s wrong with me???? Aren’t I handsome enough? Lovable enough? Funny enough? Just because I’m a little large, doesn’t mean that I don’t deserve to be honored too. I’m thinking this is TOTAL discrimination & I’m gonna file a lawsuit. Yeah, that’s what I’m going to do – SUE Catster for discrimination. I say all of us that our discriminated against (with our bratty siblings) should all get together & STAND UP AND FIGHT!! There’s power in masses, er – right? YEAH RIGHT!!!!! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT for our RIGHTS!! Come on Everyone!!!!!!!

huh? yes lucy, I'm getting off the computer now. *grumble*grumble*grumble*always has to be HER way*grumble*

Biting the Bullet - Sometimes you just HAVE to give in

Ok, I decided to bite the bullet and venture upstairs after a week of basement living. I was really missing cuddling with mom. Don't tell anyone - I'm really a momma's boy - wouldn't want to ruin my manly reputation. Lucy & mom were on the computer reading all our mail and I didn't want to miss out on MY mail, so I decided to join them. I no sooner jumped on the desk when the BEAST arrived to harrass me. She was being mean, so I let her know that I didn't like it by meowing as loud as I could. That's all it took - Lucy jumped off mom's lap & started attacking the beast - beating IT with her paws. Then she ran out of the room and the beast followed. Wow, she really knows how to run interference. She got the beast away from me in seconds flat. I guess she figures its okay for HER to beat me up, but she wasn't going to let anything else. Boy, I really love my sista. I think mom was in shock - she just sat there with her mouth open catching flies - yeesh.

So, I'm now living upstairs again & loving it. I just ignore the beast if she comes near me. I figure if I ignore her, she'll leave me alone and its been working so far.