Goodbye to Our Good Girl

Lola blessed our lives with her beautiful, loving soul and indomitable spirit for only 8 months and 1 day, but she'll remain in our hearts forever.

A rapid decline in her health led her vet and another vet to believe she had lymphoma. Lola was too weak to endure testing and treatments ~ we just couldn't ask it of her. We let her go in peace.

On November 16, 2009, with the loving assistance of her vet and as I cradled her in my lap, she very peacefully began her journey to the Bridge, where she'll be Lola ~ Our Good Girl, forever.

Thank you so much for the purrs and the concern for our good girl.

xox
Lola's mom . . . make that very proud Mom of a very good girl

The Goodbye Girl

I don't want to eat . . .

I don't want to Kung Fu bed mice or Stinkies . . .

I don't want to chase feathers . . .

I don't want to write in my diary again until I feel better.


I'm still Lola, but I'm not being a well Lola right now.

I'll be back when I can . . . when I feel better.

new option for comments!

I'm probably slow noticing this, but I just went to make a comment on a diary and saw a box to check or uncheck below the space where you post your comment:
"Receive email notification when others comment on the diary"

Um... I probably missed it on the couple comments I made just prior to the one I noticed it on.

It is automatically "checked" but you can uncheck it if you want. Looks like Catster HQ listened again. Thank you for allowing us the option to turn off those comment notices!

Those comment email notifications are probably what got Mom in trouble with Comcast and the Catster emails, so she no longer receives any of the notices in her regular email. Like some others, she was chasing around repeatedly changing her email address on Catster until she gave up and established a webmail account elsewhere, so the notices can go there. It's a pain, though, and she doesn't feel like trying to figure out how to get it sent on to her Mac Mail. Says she's too busy taking care of me.

I'm busy giving Mom a hard time getting the food in my mouth. She doesn't care, though, she just wants me back to being Lola.

I want to thank everyone who has been commenting on my diary, especially while I haven't been feeling my best. I know it isn't fun for you to read continually about me not feeling good or not eating. I appreciate it, I appreciate the advice and suggestions, the purrs and quacks, and I appreciate the messages in gifts on my page and in pmails, too. Thank you.

if it's not the other thing . . .

. . . it's yet another!

Oy! Add a flare-up of stomatitis in my mouth to the list of Lola ails.

At first it looked like the pain medication (Buprenorphine/Buprenex) might help me to eat, but I still ate very little on my own last night.

This morning at 5 a.m. when yesterday's pain medication had worn off, I tried to eat a little, but Mom could tell it wasn't comfortable for me to eat. So she gave me the morning dose of pain medication, hoping that would dull the pain in my mouth so I could eat.

After the medication had time to take effect, Mom encouraged me to eat. I wanted to . . . I tried to . . . I moved cautiously toward the food . . . circled it, surveying it from every direction . . . got close enough to smell it . . . then warily backed off. That food could hurt me!

So Mom helped me eat again today. She tried using a syringe instead of putting food in my mouth with her finger, but as soon as she got the tip of the syringe in the side of my mouth, I flinched and jumped really high.

Later at the vet's, Mom told her about my dance around my food dish and still refusing to eat. She said it didn't seem like nausea nor like congestion, it was like I was afraid of my food again, the way I was when my teeth were bad and my mouth inflamed.

The vet always looks in my mouth, but when she tried to look today, I flinched. She knew something was wrong. She carefully opened my mouth and saw a spot of stomatitis (inflammation) on the right side. It flared up since yesterday! It's right where Mom had touched the tip of the syringe, making me jump because it hurt.

It seems I have a lot of chronic itises and they all decided to visit at the same time: stomatitis, rhinitis, sinusitis. Any other itis out there will have to wait in line. Lola's busy trying to get these three under control.

My stomatitis was under control while I was eating the duck hypoallergenic food. When the rhinitis/sinusitis flared up 2 or 3 weeks ago -- for whatever reason -- I got so congested from the upper respiratory infection that I wouldn't eat. So the duck was ditched and I was allowed to eat whatever I would. Eating different food must have set off the stomatitis, which stopped me from eating again. This is a circle we want to be broken!

The vet told Mom and Dad when they first adopted me that my set of illnesses would be a challenge to treat. I like my vet (she likes me, too). I wanted to prove her right. I did. I'm a good girl.

I'm a good girl who had another steroid shot today to clear up that stomatitis so I can get quacking again on the eating. A girl's gotta eat, especially a good girl. Mom might be able to shove enough food in my mouth to maintain my present 4.0 pounds, but neither of us is enjoying that. I'm pretty bony at 4 pounds and I really need to gain some weight. I don't want a feeding tube, either.

The treatment for one of my illnesses isn't necessarily good for the others. We hope the steroid doesn't make my upper respiratory problems worse. My congestion has been getting better, so . . . *paws crossed*. I'm still on an antibiotic, so that may help, too.

Being Lola means picking your battles.

If it's not one thing...

...it's another.

This morning when Mom tried to weigh me, I didn't want to stand still on the scale. She let me escape without hassling me about it, so she wasn't sure how much weight I lost.

At the vet's this afternoon, I stood real still on the scale -- I'm a good girl! I lost 3 more ounces since Friday. Now I weigh 4 pounds, 0 ounces. It must have been the Tiki breakthrough that made me lose 3 ounces. :)

Then I was a good girl again and let the vet look for a looong time inside my mouth. She found ulcers just starting, on the tip of my tongue. Tho thath whud hurth!

She said I probably have Calicivirus, since oral ulcers are common with it. I'll keep taking the Doxycycline antibiotic for the rest of the week (oh goodie!), plus pain medication so those ulcers won't hurt and keep me from eating. Since I have kidney disease, Metacam for pain is a no-no, so I'll take Buprenex.

She gave me more sub-Q fluids, then she gave me the first dose of Buprenex.

Oh! She put the saline in one nostril again so Mom didn't have to do it, and she said my nose is looking a little clearer.

Dad had to pay on the way out this time. I'm a good girl. I'm worth it.

I have to go back tomorrow afternoon, too.

As soon as we got home, I ate a little bit of Tiki Ahi Tuna, but not very much. Mom says then I spaced out from the Buprenex, so she'll let me rest a while, then try to tempt me with more food . . . or put the food in my mouth for me.

Being Lola means going from one thing . . . to another . . . to another . . .

she loves me... she loves me not

Which is it?

Mom and Dad said they love me enough to cancel their trip to meet some friends they don't get to see often. When they first planned the trip, I was supposed to go along.

When I got sick, they still thought I would be well by now and could go along on the trip. A few days ago, though, Mom saw I wasn't getting well very quickly, so they thought it would be better for me to stay home. So they arranged for someone to come stay with me overnight tonight -- some vet tech who knows how to give blechy meds and all that stuff. But I would still have to be here alone for a few hours, both today and tomorrow. I don't like being alone, but I've been sleeping a lot anyway, so I could sleep.

When I didn't want to eat much yesterday, though, Mom and Dad both started fretting. After my Tiki breakthrough last night, they thought for sure I'd start eating again.

But I don't want to eat today, either, so Mom has been putting food in my mouth for me again. I don't like that very much at all. I thought she loved me . . . enough to cancel their trip . . . to stay home . . . and feed me . . . even though I don't want to be fed. Does she or doesn't she love me?

I'm going to see the vet again in a few minutes. She loves me, I know she does. While she was holding me the other day, Mom and Dad were telling her she needs to charge for ALL my visits, which she hasn't been doing. The vet hugged me, kissed me on the head and said, "I just like what you did for Lola."

I just like her, too.

Being Lola means liking my vet but notsomuch liking Mom putting food in my mouth.



p.s. The hotel where they were going to meet their friends and stay tonight refunded all their money except $10, even though they could have kept it all. I don't know them, but I like them, too. Mom says if you happen to be going to Winslow, Arizona, it's the historic La Posada, the masterpiece of architect Mary Colter, who also designed most of the buildings at the Grand Canyon. I may still get to go there another time with Mom and Dad (it's pet friendly!), but their friends won't be there. They're not cat people, but I would have tried to change their minds. :)

Tiki breakthrough!

I didn't even want to mention the *p@@pie* word before, but now I can!

I have been eating on my own again since Tuesday . . . eating Tiki Cat . . . Tiki in . . . but no Tiki out . . . until this evening. :)

Phew! Everyone here is relieved . . . and happy.

my heart

A good friend, Freckles, let me know that my photo was used in the Catster Vet Blog. It's a question about heart murmurs, which I do not have, but I do have one of those pretty towel/blankies with a heart and my name on it, made for me by the mommy of another good friend, Sky. That photo is tagged "heart" so that's probably how it was found by Dr. Barchas. Do you suppose Dr Barchas HIMSELF looks for the photos to use on his blog?

Speaking of vets, Mom says I'll be going back to the vet in the morning for more fluids. I had fluids again Friday afternoon, to pump me up for the weekend so I wouldn't have to go to emergency. The fluids helped me feel better. Today I was dipping my paw in my water bowl again, though, and Mom doesn't think it's because of my congestion. My fur is kind of "ruffled" and I'm feeling more tired, along with playing in my water, so Mom thinks I'm getting dehydrated and some fluids should help.

I think I'm making some progress and my congestion is getting better, but it's slow.

Sailing, Sailing . . .

Sailing, sailing . . .

No, Lola. It's SALINE, not SAILING. The vet put saline in your nose today.

Is that what she did? Someone covered my eyes and I couldn't see!

Yep, I went to the vet again today. The nice lady that likes to hug me put me on the scale. I was exactly the same as last time. I didn't gain weight yet, but I think I can!

Then the vet checked me over and showed Mom how to use the baby saline drops to flush out my nose. She said just do one nostril at a time so you don't get backwash (or something like that). She also said people get dependent on nose drops because they put it in both nostrils at once.

She put her hand on my head like she was going to give me a pill -- like in these photos -- only she covered my eyes with her hand, too, so I couldn't see the drop coming. Then she pointed my nose straight up and put one drop of the baby saline solution into one nostril. She held my head straight up for a few seconds, until it had time to run into my sinus. She said sometimes a cat will sneeze and blow some out, but that's okay. I was a very good girl and stayed very still the whole time. She said Mom should do the other nostril later in the day.

She wants me to continue the Doxycycline for an additional 7 days, but I can stop the icky Clindamycin after the first 7 days.

Then the vet gave me sub-Q fluids again and I was done. On the way home, I rode up high again so I could see out. A young guy in the car next to us at a light was smiling at me. I bet he knows I'm a good girl!

Both Mom and Dad said I look and act much better tonight, probably because of the fluids. Mom said my fur finally looks smooth again. Mom's supposed to email the vet early tomorrow to let her know how I'm doing, so she can decide if I need anything else tomorrow -- since the weekend is coming again.

Mom didn't do quite as well putting the saline in my other nostril this evening as the vet did.

And speaking of saline . . . Dad got some Popeye's chicken today. I didn't want any, though. I only have a nose for tuna right now. I didn't want Popeye's last week, either, when I couldn't smell anything at all, but maybe next week!

I just got started sending thank you's from 2 weeks ago. I'm way behind but . . .
being Lola means I think I can catch up!

I think I can!

This morning I woke Mom up when she heard me exhaling, pushing little puffs of air out through my mouth. She said I sounded like a little steam locomotive. I was inhaling through my nose but it was gurgling and that little buzz was still there. It sounded like a lethargic fly today.

I was very hungry this morning, though, even after I ate a good-sized serving of Tiki left out for me during the night. I ate half a can of Tiki for breakfast and Mom puts more in my dish whenever I want it.

Mom called the vet this morning, so now I have to go back this afternoon for more sub-Q fluids and Mom will try to find out how to put baby saline nose drops in my nose, too. I'm a good girl but I don't know if I'm that good a girl, to have something put in my nose.

Mom could never stick the needle in Scooter for her sub-Q fluids and she says I barely have anything to pick up back there behind my neck where the needle goes in, so she's even more chicken to try to stick a needle in me for fluids. I'm staying right beside my water dish this morning, though, so she's sure I need more fluids.

This morning after I started moving around, my nose wasn't quite as gurgly as it was earlier. The past couple days my congestion got worse by afternoon and evening, though, even after steamy treatments in the torture chamber.

Hazel Lucy says to remember the little steam engine that puffed, "I think I can, I think I can," and I'll be able to breathe better soon. I think I can!

I think I can say my Diary Pick today is because I'm eating on a dictionary now. My food dish was slightly elevated before -- it sits inside another bowl that raises it up a little and also thwarts my attempts to turn it over and bury it after I'm done eating. :) After suggestions from a couple of friends, Mom made it higher yesterday, by putting it on a dictionary. That dictionary must be making me a better diary writer already. Thanks Diary Gal for selecting me!

Thanks, friends, for the gifts and messages, too. Oh my. I'm way behind sending thanks for other gifts. I'm a good girl, though, so I'm gonna try to catch up. I think I can!

Being Lola means puffing along, saying "I think I can!"