----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 9:40
AM
Subject: Hi Everyone
Dear Friends,
I tried to get thru my overflowing (months!) of email and it just wasn't
going to happen. I can see that we have suffered some terrible losses
and my heart goes out to everyone who has lost a beloved companion; I hope
your memories will comfort you. It also seems that we have new members;
the reason for finding this group is always sad, but you will never find a
group of more loving, caring friends.
Some of you might remember that last winter my husband was diagnosed with
multiple aneurysms; the most serious was in his abdomen and after weeks of
tests and referrals, he was scheduled for surgery because the abdominal
aneurysm was felt to be in danger of rupture. He had that surgery and
came through it well. He was home for about a week and one morning we
were up having coffee and he suddenly got this really strange look on his
face; I asked if he needed pain medication and he said, "no; I'm blind". OK;
bit of a heart-stopper there. He was rushed to the ER and it was finally
determined that his left carotid artery was completely blocked and he'd
actually had blood flow stop temporarily. He was transferred by
ambulance back to the hospital in Hartford where he had his prior surgery (we
live about 30 miles east) and had emergency surgery to clean out the
artery. I repeatedly asked how this could have been missed after all the
screening that was done pre-surgery since he is a high-risk patient (diabetic
and known cardiac blockage). I really got no answers and I am angry to
this day that he could easily have died or been left permanently
impaired. His sight did return and we feel fortunate, but once again, I
feel my trust in the medical community erode a bit further. We
absolutely did not intend to sue anyone; we simply wanted to be sure that
absolutely everything that he SHOULD be screened for (how can you ask for it
if you don't know about it?) he was screened for. He's left with some
numbness on one side of his face that primarily bothers him when he trims his
beard (says it feels weird), and a big scar from behind his ear to his collar
bone; big deal, right? I told him it just makes him look tough! I was
out of work for a bit caring for him (he's now back to work, too) and came
back to a nightmare of project deadlines, office moves, a new boss, and a
generally toxic workplace!
On the kitty front, Brownie (FIV+) had both his eyes removed and he is
like a different cat! He rubs his head all over now; it obviously hurt
too much to do it before. I will never use the vet who initially
screened him again.
Tater Tot is in the hospital on an IV and being evaluated. He had a
mild cold about 2 weeks ago and I took him in and we decided to give sub-q
fluids and Lysine since he does have herpes and it just seemed to be a
particularly bad flare-up (I was given a sample of a new veterinary lysine gel
to try and evaluate; thumbs down! It was way too think and 500mg worth
was a really big blob that he was having no part of; so stick to the capsules
until they reformulate, is my advice!). Since then, I've observed him
straining to poop and passing tiny little stools and by this weekend it was
obvious that fluid was collecting in his belly. The aspirate didn't look
like typical FIP fluid, but it's being sent out and bloodwork and many other
tests are being done. My heart is just breaking for him; he's only six
years old and been sick so much of his life. They've already warned me
that whatever is going on is not good but I just pray that it's
treatable. Please think good thoughts for him.
It's been a hot, muggy and miserable summer here in the Northeast and I
am having a terrible flea outbreak; I swear that I have some mutant strain of
super-fleas that nothing will kill! I've used Borax successfully for
years, and at one point (in a room I have sealed off) they were jumping
out of it! I'd left an absurd amount on the floor (like half an inch;
thinking, "I WILL kill you") and I went in to check and vacuum it up after a
few DAYS and they were leaping out of it biting me! I swear they were
bigger and stronger than before I put the Borax down! I've had to use
Frontline on everyone (Program for the ferals because I can slip it into their
food) which I hate to do because I think it's so dangerous (it takes
fingernail polish off!!!) but I have 3 cats who get terrible dermatitis from
flea bites and I couldn't let them be miserable, but I really, really don't
like using it.
So, that's what I've been up to! 2005 officially
sucks!
A big, group hug to everyone and headbutts to all the kitties!
Love, Julie
"I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the
more entitled it is
to protection by man from the cruelty of man. "
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged
by
the way its animals are treated."
Mohandas Gandhi
(1869-1948)
Paws Come WITH Claws!!!
If you're thinking about
de-clawing your cat, you need to re-think your decision to acquire a pet.
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