Update

I got a weigh in tonight. Bad news is that I'm down 12oz to just under 9lbs. The good news is that the vet said most of it can be attributed to my healing. And wow am I healing. The stables are looking good I haven't picked at them and everything looks like I'm on target to have them removed on Monday (then I can finally be done with this collar). Thing is even though there was a rapid weight drop, we're not too worried. I'm well hydrated for the first time in a while. I'm eating and going poo. It may just take a while.

Good thing too. Dad's work contract is ending sooner than expected. He's so good at his job that things got finished ahead of schedule. So he's going to be at home in a few weeks looking for work. At least I'll be around to help him. We all love it when Dad's at home.

Home again!

Dad picked me up on Friday and I was SO ready to go home. They said I was hungry for attention and even increased my weight while there (hooray). I was eating well and even drinking. Dad wants to make sure I have a newmie so we know it's all working fine tough.

I got home and I have been eating my wet and dry food. I have to wear a collar so I don't pull at my stitches and staples. But I haven't done so yet and since Dad keeps an eye on me during the day he's decided I don't have to wear my collar! It's so nice. I'm even grooming myself a little. I have to wear it when he's gone and at night. I tried to cuddle with him in bed and it wasn't easy with that big blue ring around my neck. But I tried! MOL!

Dad still wants me to eat more but these things can't be rushed. Right now I'm healthier than I've been in a long while and getting better. Thanks for all your purrs! I'm not out of the woods yet. I have to put my weight back on first. But the end is in sight!

A step backwards ... kinda

I got to come home last night! But I spent most of it hiding in the bathroom and behind the chair. I didn't show any interest in eating or drinking. The neighbor (who's a vet tech) said I looked really bad and I needed more watching. Well by morning I looked better (and plus they hadn't seen me in a while and I just got out of surgery). But Dad was still worried. One day isn't much to spend in the hospital after major surgery so he called the vet and brought me in so they can watch me for the day and make sure I get my meds.

They gave me a quick once over and I am up in weight for the first time in a while and I am eating and drinking. They want me to stay until Friday to be 100% sure I'm going in the right direction. Dad feels better about that. That way he can spend the weekend watching over me and I won't get left alone. It was nice to spend some time at home, but better safe than sorry. I'm sure I'll be driving them up the walls soon demanding to go home.

Home early!

Dad got a call this morning. I'm doing exceptionally well and getting back to my usual self. The doc figures it's better for me to go home today than to stress myself there another day. So Dad picked me up and got the instructions on taking care of me for the next few weeks and we went home. First thing was that I used the litter box. Then I hid in the bathroom. I wasn't in the mood to eat or drink. I have to take SO many pills now. I fought Dad so hard he called the in the nice lady neighbor to hold me down so I could get one of the smaller pills! We got a pill popper now which means he can give me my meds easier.

I'm hiding right now, I'm still mad about what happened and I hurt from the stitches. It's a critical time and things can still go bad. I need to keep my fluids up but I'm not too interested in drinking. Wish us luck!

DDP and out of surgery

Wow! I'm a DDP pick! That's great!

I had my surgery today. The vet found more gunk in me than we first thought. He wondered if I was going to make it and even called Dad during the surgery to give him the news. I wound up losing part of my small intestine due to the inflammation and excessive cell growth. It easily could have been the end of me. It's was something we considered. But we took the chance and once the vet started clearing thing up it I came through pretty well.

Dad visited me tonight and I was very grumpy. I'm glad he came though even if I looked like *****. I have to stay here another day for healing and making sure I don't get worse. I'm on some different meds and I got a cast on my arm for the IV and a blue color! Oh poor me! But I'm still here and I have a fighting chance. I'm not out of the woods yet, but we're not giving up.

Good news!

I don't have cancer. That mass of dead and dying cells near my stomach and pancreas is just that. But it still has to be removed. So after feeding me and giving me my meds for the day, I got taken to the vet (yet again) for the operation. The good news is that this should take care of the problem once and for all. This time we have a physical object causing me problems and not something inflamed.

The biggest step is still ahead, but I have the best vet I could ask for and a Dad who did everything he could to make me happy and healthy. Thanks for all the purrs and positive thoughts. We'll tell you what happens. I get to come home on Wednesday.

Back Home

This is it, this is the big cause of why I'm ill. This is the big boss battle that happens after you thought you just beat the last boss in a video game. I have a tumor near the base of my stomach. It's pretty big by kitty standards, even by human standards. The doc took samples of it for biopsy and we should know more about what it is soon. The only real question is whether or not it can be removed. If it can, Dad will insist it be done ASAP. If not well ... It has to be said, we shouldn't be afraid of stating the worst case senerio. If it can't be removed or controlled, I'll have to be put to sleep before it can cause me constant pain. It's the only decent thing to do. It will be difficult and we hope it won't come to that. But that's what I'm looking at and we have to be honest with each other.

Speaking of honestly, this ordeal has been very trying on Dad. There have been times he nearly broke down crying, even at work. It's made him a bit blunt. Catster is a happy place (current hacker problems notwithstanding) and we know people want to help. Well wishes are great. Advice, not so much. We don't want hurt feelings, but in this situation Dad doesn't want to think about the "if only"s (as in "If only we did X!")

Dad's not a big social networker and doesn't feel the need to post ALL the details about my life up for the world to see. (Side note: seriously people NEVER announce to the world you're going on vacation unless you're tired of all your stuff.)

Dad's GTG so I'll wrap up and say when I got home I was HUNGRY. The vet said not to give me lots of food until tomorrow, but I was put under in the morning and woke up before noon. I'm in good shape apart from the tumor and I have the ultrasound to prove it. I think I can handle some food. I ate about half a can of the wet stuff since I got back. In a morbid sort of way, it doesn't matter. If I can get better, the earliest I can go in is Monday. If not, well what's one big meal going to do?

Wish us well!

Overnight at the vet again

I lost another 5oz over since last week. We knew that if I was still having problems I'd have to get an ultrasound. That's why I'm stuck at the vet tonight. To get my examination done I need to be given a sedative and that works best if I have no food and I'm well hydrated. This is going to be a big input to output examination and I'm glad I won't be awake while it happens. My vet is well informed. He knows it's not the IBD or diabetes. We know something is wrong with my pancreas but the medicines aren't working. With luck, I should be a recovering kitty in a day or so.

Thank you for all the purrs. We know some people here have been giving advice. We appreciate the thought and all, but we have a very good vet who knows what to look for. Not all the details are posted in my diary so while any advice is well intended, it doesn't help. Whatever has been said has either been done or is part of the plan. Asking if we did X or checked for Y just makes Dad worry and second-guess himself which makes him feel bad. I am perfectly capable of making him feel bad myself. MOL

We'll let you know what happens!

Getting worse

I go back to the vet tomorrow for a weigh-in and water treatment. My B12 levels are high last time we checked. But Dad can feel my bones more easily and I'm not eating as much. I'm fighting him harder to take my meds. He did start giving me antacids so I don't feel as nauseous as before and those are working somewhat. I've been hiding out in the bathroom and behind chairs. I've been very lethargic lately. I stopped greeting Dad when he gets home from work or hanging out with him at the computer. We don't know if the antibiotics are working or not.

We have a great vet. He's doing everything he can. We don't need advice. We need to get me better if possible. Dad is losing hope. He doesn't know if I can beat this problem. We're doing everything we can but it's not working. I eat but I get thinner. Why is nothing happening?!

We also can't look at other cat's diaries and comment on them. But other people can. I wonder what's up with that.

Not doing as well as hoped

Very very observant watchers would notice my weight officially went from 10 to 9 lbs. I lost 10 oz since the 1st. The vet is very concerned about it, as are all of us. He thinks I may have an infection as well as pancreatitus. It's the best explanation we have. He felt my tummy and said I had a lot of newmies and they were well formed which meant 1) I was able to eat well enough 2) I didn't have diareha and 3) my diabetes did not return. Normally those are good signs, and they are, but the fact I'm still losing weight is a big concern. Hence the infection theory. I got a shot of anti-biotics after I got my hydration treatment and Dad is going to give me a shot of it again every day for 10 days and see if that fixes things. I sure hope so, we're tired of being stressed and having to take meds. At least this is injected and not a pill.