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I am now in the fight of my life...

Mama's Continuing Education

I have always been a good girl. I started out life pretty meek and shy, never making a fuss or causing a scene. My most outrageous behavior was peeing when Mama shoved me in the purple plastic prison to ride to the vet (and Mama excused it because she knew I was scared). I've always left the trouble causing to my siblings. Even on the rare occasion I WAS naughty, it usually got blamed on Trinity since she never hid her flagrant disregard for the household rules. I was the nice girl, the good kitty, the innocent angel.

That being said...

I have been a HUUUGE brat the last couple of days!! Mama is at her wits end with me! I'm loving it! MOL!

It all started last week. I've been a lot more social lately, not spending quite as much time in my closet. Our weather hasn't been anywhere near summer like, but I've been enjoying my patio and hanging out at the slider so I can keep an eye on things. Mama was happy to see that I'm back up on my arm of the couch again even though I'm still wobbly and unsteady on my back feet. When I'm happy and feeling good, it makes Mama's day. But then I did something bad, something I haven't done once in all of my 14 years.

I peed on the carpet!!

Trinity and I have two litter boxes - one in Mama and man's room and the other in Trinity's and my bedroom. Since that one is in my closet, I do most of my pee in there. Mama brought it out to clean and noticed that there wasn't as much litter in it as she likes to see. She figured she'd swap it with the one in the other room until she could get some more litter. I was closely watching her and doing the pee pee dance. Why does she always mess with my boxes when my bladder's full??

Anyway, Mama carried the box away with her to the other room and brought the one with more litter back with her but before she put it in the closet, she got the vacuum out to clean up the little bit of litter she'd spilled on the carpet. She figured she'd do the closet too while she was in there and to her horror, a large spot suddenly appeared near where my box usually goes. Yes, not only had I peed on the carpet, but I'd peed on the litter on the carpet, making a gooey gummy mess! Ooooh, Mama was MAD!! "Couldn't you wait 5 minutes??" she asked me. "You knew I was almost done!!"

Well, no Mama, I can't wait. You know how much water I drink and that I take a diuretic twice a day that makes me pee a lot. You know that I ALWAYS go pee in my fresh and clean litter box as soon as you scoop it. You know all these things, yet you took the clean box away with you. How was I supposed to know you'd be right back with the other one? Sheesh! A big fuss over a little kitty pee!!

She also discovered, as she was digging around in the closet, some old dried puke on the carpet next to my blanket. As she pulled it out to be able to clean the floor, she found more old puke on one of her shoes! That can't be held against me. I would have thought she learned her lesson after all these years. It's not the first shoe I've barfed on. It got to the point that I was banished from Mama's closet for many years because she got tired of me ruining her stuff. YOU let me in the closet again Mama. YOU are responsible for that shoe being puked on.

Something about that whole episode lit a fire in me and my obnoxiousness went into overdrive. I began demanding in a loud voice (quite unlike my usual barely audible squeak) anything I wanted: food, treats, attention and outside. I pestered Mama all day Saturday and Sunday to go out on the patio. Every time I asked, either Mama or man would let me out. Ha ha ha, foolish humans! Didn't you know I was casing the joint for my greatest escapade yet??

Sunday afternoon, Mama let me out for the third time and we sat on the patio in the sun. Mama kept her eye on Trinity because she has escaped a time or two and Mama doesn't trust her. Perfect cover for me! When Mama's attention was elsewhere, I went straight to the shortest part of the fence and shot out of there like my tail was on fire!!

My fellow Catsters, I wish you could have been there! It was soooo funny! Mama shrieked like a banshee and went running in to the house so she could go out the door and grab me. In doing so, she promptly tripped right over Emily and went flying! (Nice assist Emily!!) By the time she finally got herself together and out the front door, I was halfway to the parking area, strolling along and enjoying the scenery. I saw Mama flying up behind me and started running. Mama couldn't believe her eyes! She started yelling for the man to come and help her get me. Oooh, I was fast! I was like greased lightning! Woo hoo! Watch me go!

To say that Mama was mad at me when she finally caught up to me is the understatement of the year. She went on and on and I started to get irritated at her. Geez Mama, you always worry when I'm not feeling good and hiding out and sleeping a lot. Now that I'm up and about, here you go yelling at me for simply getting some exercise! I gave her the dirtiest look and after she swatted my backside, I stomped away lashing my tail at her. I went straight to my closet and sat with my face in the corner. Later when Mama came to apologize, I wouldn't look at her. She felt bad and tried to explain herself but I wasn't hearing it. Go away Mama! I need a break from you!!

It's okay though. We finally made up and everything is good. I'm being closely monitored so I can't escape again but that's alright. I got my revenge. He he he... Mama better check her pretty green plant she left outside in the sun. I think she'll find more than a few teeth marks on it!

If there's one thing Mama's learned over the years, it's never to underestimate a cat, especially not this one.

'Nuff said!

Hugs & Triumphant Purrs,
Sally Maria =^.^=

Oh Shoot!

Just when I thought I had everything under control!

Mama DOES have a reason to keep an eye on me! Darn it!!

Dr. Richter called today about my test results. Dr. Hansche always shares everything with Dr. Richter, especially blood work. One of the requirements of my chemotherapy is regular CBCs. I've been doing so well that both doctors said I could go every three months instead of two. So, he called to say that my red and white blood cell counts look good, my BUN and creatinine are still elevated but about the same as last time. Okay, nothing new there. But then he mentioned that my free T4 is elevated, above the high end of the normal range.

Shoot!

Now mama feels vindicated, that was a reason to be concerned about me. Hyperthyroidism might explain my recent weight loss. Dr. Richter said he doesn't want to do anything yet, but we'll check again in three months and if it's the same or any higher, then we'll need to include meds for hyperT in my daily regime.

No more pills! PLEEEEASE!!!

On a good note, Dr. Ross reviewed Emily's most recent x-rays and is very pleased with the change in the stone sizes and quantities. She'll need another urine culture in two weeks to make sure that she isn't becoming resistent to the Clavamox. It's more important now than ever that she be on an antibiotic. As the stones dissolve, they are letting bacteria back into her urine. Mama and man also have to watch to make sure that Emily doesn't get "stopped up". Now that the stones are smaller and able to come out, they might want to all come out at the same time and she could develop a blockage. In four weeks, Emily will have another x-ray to see how things are going. Until then she'll stay on the strict diet.

This will resolve itself one of two ways. Either the stones will disappear completely and Emily will need to be on a special diet for the rest of her life. Or there's a possibility that the core of the larger stones could be urate (which the special food won't dissolve) and she'll need to have the hydropropulsion to get rid of them completely. The one nice thing about that possibility is that Emily would never have trouble with stones again and wouldn't need any special diet. Mama's just happy that the situation isn't as critical as it was a couple of weeks ago. She can live with the outcome, whatever it is.

At least the news is still mostly good. Mama just has a new worry for me. Oh well, mama wouldn't be mama if she didn't worry!

Hugs & Purrs of Resignation,
Sally Maria =^.^=

Yay!! Gold Stars All Around!

Well furriends, let me tell you. I was NOT thrilled to be sharing my appointment today with the dog. She lived up to her reputation at Dr. Hansche's office, hollering and crying and fussing and making a spectacle of herself. So embarassing!! I just sat in my purple prison and tried to retain my dignity. But Dr. Hansche is so smart and got her out of the room quickly so I could have my check up in peace and quiet.

Unfortunately, mama was right and I have lost a little more weight. I'm down to 7 lbs 12 ozs. But the rest of the exam went very well. My lungs were clear and my heart sounded nice and strong (my murmur is still loud but it's been that way pretty much my whole life). My eyes were bright, fur shiny and my intestines full of poop but felt normal. Mama told Dr. Hansche that I threw up three times this week and my poop is a little lighter that usual but he wasn't overly concerned. He said to keep an eye on me (and you KNOW she will) and if anything changes for the worse, then he'll look a little more closely. Overall he was happy with my appearance and will follow up with Dr. Richter on Tuesday. He's also going to call and talk to Dr. Orvalho (my cardiologist) to see if they can cut my Lasix down to just once a day. I'm doing so well that they don't want to take me off it completely, but going to once a day would be better for my kidneys. After a kiss from Dr. Hansche, I headed off to the back to get my blood drawn.

Dr. Hansche told mama and man how special he thinks I am and how much he looks forward to seeing me. I purred for him the entire time I was in the exam room. I feel really comfortable around him and know that he has my best interests at heart. I think he gets a certain amount of pride in how I'm doing, especially when you consider that he was the one who initially thought I might have lymphoma. I'm sure lucky to have him as my vet! But he's not the only one who thinks I'm pretty special. The tech who brought me back to mama and man couldn't stop talking about what a sweet old soul I was. I guess I make a nice change from all the angry and scared doggies and kitties they see every day!

We also got VERY good news about Emily. Dr. Hansche showed mama and man her x-rays. The diet is working! Emily's stones are much much smaller! Dr. Hansche told them that he hadn't thought the diet alone would work, especially considering how big a couple of the stones were but that obviously Emily was proving him wrong. She still has a bunch of them in there but it was plain to see that they had shrunk by at least half and there were less of them then there had been just two weeks ago. He burned a copy of the x-rays for mama to send to Dr. Ross to look at. She should be very happy with the results. For the time being, Emily is to remain on her strict diet and antibiotic and will probably need follow up x-rays in several weeks. Dr. Hansche gave mama a prescription for Emily for Royal Canin SO dry food, so she can have that along with the S/D. The S/D will be the food that she eats the majority of the time but the SO can be used for snacks and treats (which is good for Trinity and I since the dog has been sneaking our dry food).

Overall, a very good day! We'll get my blood work results tomorrow. Mama is anxious to hear how my kidneys are doing since they haven't been checked in five months. Once she gets her phone call, maybe she'll stop watching me so closely.

Nah, who am I fooling? Mama has ALWAYS watched me like a hawk. It's part of the reason why I am still here today so I guess I shouldn't complain about it. It's just her way of letting me know how much she loves me. Maybe I should cut her a break, especially since tomorrow is Mother's Day. I love my mama and wouldn't want her to be any other way. Just the way she lit up and the look on her face when the tech brought me back to her lets me know how important I am to her. I can live with that!!

I want to wish all of my furriends' mommies a very Happy Mother's Day! You do so much for them so I hope you know how much you're appreciated. We love you all!

Well, now that I've got the alcohol stink off my furs and spent a little time outside in the sunny, it's time for my nap. I've had a busy day you know. Proving everyone wrong is hard work! ;)

Hugs & Healthy Purrs,
Sally Maria =^.^=