Life as a Tripod

The Beautiful Miss Hazel Lucy of Catster Fame suggested that I give my furriends an update on how I've been getting along since my surgery October 30. I thought that was a great idea, so I'm finally getting around to writing that entry!

October 30, I had my bad leg amputated. I went to sleep and when I woke up I was so confused. There was an awful plastic cone around my head, and I was in a cage, covered up in a towel. I was extremely grumpy. Someone came to visit me and I screamed and thrashed about. Later, I found out that someone was none other than Mom. But I was so upset that day that I didn't even recognize her.

The next day, I was a totally different kitty. I was feeling much better, and Mom came to pick me up! The vet told her that the day before, I'd been so upset because I was still coming out of anesthesia, and I was also on morphine, which probably helped make me confused. Anyway, the day I went home just so happened to be Halloween. I went home with Mom, and she took me over to her friend's house. I actually ended up spending the weekend over there, and so did Mom. I loved it; it was quiet; there were no other cats to mess with me. Just me and Mom. It was nice. As you can see from my pictures, by this time I was already jumping on beds and walking around all by myself.

Back at the house on Nov. 2, things were getting back to normal. Luna was getting on my nerves as always, and Sindri was trying to pick fights with me. I ignored Isa, and she ignored me. I didn't even have to see that dog Rafa; he was with Mom's friend. Mom's friend actually kept Rafa the entire time I was here with her because she didn't want me to be stressed out by the presence of an unfamiliar canine.

The Friday after my surgery, I went to the vet for a re-check. She was very happy with how well I was doing! My incision was looking good. She said she noticed some fluid but that it would be reabsorbed into my body. Well, wouldn't you know it, that night my incision started bleeding. Mom called the vet but she said that was normal. It bled until Saturday then stopped, but Sunday it started back up and didn't stop until Monday. But then it stopped, and for good.

That Friday, I went back to the vet and had my stitches removed. For just two more days, I had to wear the cone. But then it came off and I was so happy! Everything was back to normal, and I was once again a happy-go-lucky feline. The worst thing about this whole surgical ordeal was that darn collar.

The week of Thanksgiving, Mom took me back home to Grandmaw and Grandpaw's house. Boy was I glad to be back! I got to go hang out on the back porch by myself, and I loved it. Their house is also a lot bigger, so there's more room for me to escape from the other kitties. I also got to see my Duchess dog! Rafa, the other dog, came too, and we actually got along quite well. So did he and Duchess, but they initially got off to a very rough start and wanted nothing more than to tear each other apart! But Mom successfully introduced them on Day 2 of her trip, and after that they were inseparable.

So anyway, now I'm back home with Grandmaw and Grandpaw, and I am loving life as a tripod. The best thing about it? No more pain! My bad leg doesn't hurt anymore! I honestly don't even realize it's gone most of the time. When someone scratches the right side of my face, I wiggle my stump as if I were trying to scratch an itch. I hop along, but I when I run you can't even tell I'm missing a leg.

I want to thank everyone who purred for me during my surgery and recovery! I don't think it would have gone as well as it did without the support of you wonderful Catsters!

Love,
Sir Thomas
Gato Trípode (That is Spanish for Tripod Cat)

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