- From keith & denise
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or Happy Solstice
or Season’s Greetings!
or just have a nice Dec 25th :)
Category Archives: On the Homefront
Eating Crow – gladly actually
You’re not going to believe this. I still don’t, but for all you Positive Pollys out there who wished for a happy outcome, you rock! Thank YOU! Trooper is home! Alive even!
We now think that Trooper went out that morning, three long weeks ago and something either interested him and he followed pursuit- or he got scared by something and took off. Then got lost. He’s down a few pounds from his 7lb body, he’s dirty and hungry but MAN, WAS HE PURRING! He doesn’t do that normally either. I got the call this afternoon from a woman who lives around the corner saying they found him 2 days ago in their yard. She takes care of cats and recognized the signs of the cancer and his advanced age and realized maybe his owner would be looking for him. She brought him to the shelter and saw my flier and called me. We are soo happy he’s home!
It’s crazy emotions today because we had just reconciled the fact that he “died like a cat” and here suddenly is the grieving renewed, mixed in joy, mixed in with guilt (how could I given up hope?), mixed in with sadness at his three weeks of homelessness and then right back ’round to JOY he is home, purring with us. We also know we’ll have to put him down soon, but we’re so grateful to have a few more days with him. Thank you for not giving up hope when I did – you all have made an impression on me that I won’t soon forget.
damn your independent, stubborn nature
Monday, you ate breakfast and Keith let you out for your morning constitutional, expecting to hear you at the door 10 minutes later.
You never came back. I spent all morning searching and tresspassing in yards. You led us to think you still had more time; eating heartily, playing with your feather ball, climbing onto laps. You probably planned this exit all along, letting us think we were in control. And now we’re left thinking of you in the cold rain dying alone. Cats are so bloody inconsiderate. A dog wouldn’t do this.
I’ll miss you, Trooperpooper. You were the best kitty ever.
my sister turned 39
My sister turned 39 this month. It’s the last year she can claim to be young and hip. I feel for her. I went through it 2 years ago and am FIGHTING IT ALL THE WAY. Right now, I’m ahead ;)
Originally I wanted to treat her to some “superficial cosmetic repairs” but she and I couldn’t agree. Not that I thought she needed “repairs”, she is just upset about the fine lines appearing around her eyes and continually threw terms such as “dermabrasion” or “skin resurfacing” or “permanent makeup” into the conversation. I refused to pay for anything that could be potentially disfiguring – can you imagine if something went wrong? She didn’t like the ”soft approach” I suggested which was starting with a consult at my dermatologist and some anti-aging, skin renewing products.
We were at an impasse.
Then I got an email announcing the sale of some select dates for Wicked in San Francisco. She had mentioned wanting to see it in passing. BINGO! What could be more fun than a night on the town in SF, dinner at some trendy place and Wicked?
We’re going Thursday. Just us sisters. No threat of disfigurement. Can’t wait!
diagnosis: feline oral squamous cell carcinoma
Today, Keith and both had the day off for other reasons but it was timely. Trooper had been doing weird things with his mouth after eating last few days and I thought he may have a loose tooth moving around or an abscess. We got into the vet this morning and it turns out it’s likely he has Squamous Cell Carcinoma. We’ll know for sure Wednesday after the biopsy results are in. But after reading about it on the web, I’m sure my vet is right.
This cat came into my life the year my Dad died, sixteen years ago. He’s survived so many life threatening injuries, I’ve lost count- but I’ll list what I can remember.
- A former coworker was also a rancher and her barn cat had kittens (Trooper’s ma). The mama cat and her litter were attacked by a dog and all died, but Trooper. He lost his tail in the fight. My coworker weaned him and he found his way to me. When it comes to cats, I have never gone looking for them- I just have a thought that “Hey, I could use a kitty right about now” and they present themselves.
- Shortly after we brought him home, he decided that he was going to fight the rocker chair Keith was rocking in. That resulted in a broken jaw that needed a pin.
- He was hit by a car – suffered filed down nails (from skidding across asphalt) and an abcess between the leg and groin.
- He liked to hang out on the roll up garage door at our previous house, and got caught by the pads of his feet for a brief second until I could reverse the door.
- He had a bowel obstruction which required an mind-numblingly expensive surgery.
- He got in a cat fight (he won) and had his ear torn. He still wants to fight any cat that dares to come in our yard.
Lately his age has been showing and he can no longer jump high, or see as well. He doesn’t mind Joey, but wants nothing to do with Mitzi, and sleeps about 20 hours a day. But he’s still got some fight and spunk. He loves to wrestle Keith. He will crawl into bed with me after Keith gets up and sleep next to me under the covers (though he’s NOT affectionate, putting his paw on my arm is all I can hope for!).
We will wait and see what the diagnosis is on Wednesday and we plan to keep him around as long as he’s eating and fiesty. I’m not sure we’ll do surgery to remove his jaw or radiation/chemo. But can I just say this SUCKS? Normally I try to keep positive until there’s a confirmed diagnosis (or a confirmed problem) but today, I’m just so very sad.
