I have to ask, Belinda - what are the clothes pins for? Have had CRF
cats, never tried that.
Gloria
On Aug 12, 2009, at 1:11 PM, Belinda Sauro wrote:
My thoughts on this:
It tore my guts out to read about the horrendous things so many of
the members were putting their very old, (16 to 19 years old)
termininally ill cats through....
I just want to give another perspective, Fred is 18 or so now, he
was 15 when he was diagnosed very early CRF and hyper thyroid, I'm
on the CRF list you spoke of and I can't thank all of them for all
the support I have gotten to keep Fred going. When I first started
doing the fluids he needs daily he would bite me, he didn't like it,
but after a week of using clothes pins on him he accepted it and has
been getting them for over 2 years with no problems. Did it hurt
him to put clothes pins down his neck for a week, no, I tried it on
myself first, it felt like pressure but there was no pain, and he
still tried to bite me but realised he couldn't reach me anymore and
gave up.
He also gets pills 4 or 5 times a day and of course he doesn't love
it but my way of thinking is if you add it all up for the 30 minutes
or so a day that it totals for the time I have to give him pills and
fluids, he has lived a good quality of life for 3 more years ... I
guarantee you he would have died years ago without my intervention.
When anyone animal, person doesn't feel good they don't want to be
messed with, I know that from my own experience, when I am sick, I
don't want to eat or drink or want anyone to bother me. That
doesn't mean I want to die. Once you get over the hump with help
from your family and meds and feel better things get back to
somewhat normal, as normal as they can be when you have a terminal
condition. Yes I know at some point Fred will eventually not do as
well and no matter what I do will keep getting worse because I do
know CRF doesn't get cured BUT I will do everything I can to keep
Fred here with me feeling as well as can be expected with his age
and condition. Am I selfish, perhaps, but as you said, this is what
I would want for myself, I am not leaving easily when it is my time
and everyone that knows me knows that.
Fred used to sleep on my pillow every night but I have his bed set
up with everything but the litter box right there for him, so he
prefers to stay there, he still comes in on occasion and stays a
while, then goes back to his room. Do I think he doesn't like me
anymore, no, he comes to me many times throughout the day and sits
on my chest a few minutes so I can love him but he doesn't like me
to give him his pills and if he weren't so lazy and a little weak he
probably would run and hide, but it takes all of 10 seconds and it
is over. It took a good 8 months or so to get him stable when we
first found out he was CRF, he stopped eating and got a feeding
tube. He gained back all the weight he lost and and pulled the tube
out himself. Up until recently was keeping his weight pretty
stable. He is losing weight now, he has virtually no muscle in
either back leg and I can see he is getting to the point where
things are going to start deteriorating as they do with this
condition. I don't know how much longer we have but as long as he
enjoys going out to lay in the sun, enjoys spending time with me I
will do everything in my power to keep him going.
Do I think anything I have done to keep Fred with me is horrendous,
no, some people may, but I don't. I have gotten 3 more years of
some very good memories with my Fred and I think for the most part
Fred has enjoyed being here those 3 extra years. Everyone has their
own ideas about quality of life, I personally think some people give
up too early because of my beliefs and sometimes it is very hard for
me to not say something but then I remember it is their pet and as
long as whatever they are doing is out of love for that pet then I
really can't say anything. What one person thinks is horrendous is
loving and compassionate care to another. We can only do what we
think is best for those in our care according to what our beliefs
are ...
When it is obvious to me that nothing I do will make any difference
anymore then I will let Fred go. At some point the body, animal or
human just can't go on anymore and when that is evident then I know
I have done all I can I won't be happy about it but ...
Belinda
happiness is being owned by cats ...
http://bemikitties.com
http://BelindaSauro.com
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