SARA, I OFTEN WONDER ABOUT THE ISSUE OF "IS IT FOR ME OR THEM THAT I AM DOING THIS". I ALSO WAS CONFRONTED WITH THAT QUESTION WITH MY FATHER. HE WANTED TO DO ALL WE COULD DO, BUT AT THE END OF 2 YEARS OF GETTING WORSE RATHER THAN BETTER, HE ALSO MADE THE DECISION AND JUST GAVE UP. HE PASSED AWAY WHILE I WAS WASHING HIS FACE. I THINK THAT FOR THE LAST YEAR, HE WAS TRYING FOR ME MORE THAN HIMSELF. HE ASKED ME IF I WASN'T GETTING TIRED OF CARING FOR HIM JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE HE PASSED. I REALIZE NOW THAT HE WAS TRYING TO TELL ME THAT HE WAS TIRED OF IT. IF ONLY OUR CATS COULD COMMUNICATE WITH US, I THINK THAT THEY MIGHT FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE WANT SO MUCH FOR THEM TO STAY WITH US THAT WE SOMETIMES FORGET TO ASK THEM WHAT THEY WANT. ---- Sara Kasteleyn <[email protected]> wrote: > Tracey, I am so sorry to hear this. Each of us needs to make our own > decisions about this, so I'll share our story. > > Last July (2009), my husband and I adopted two beautiful Bengal kittens, > brother and sister. They were extremely unsocialized, so we worked with > them for several months before they would let us handle them at all. When > they reached six months of age, we took them in to be spayed/neutered, and > at that time it was discovered that they were both FeLV+. One of the first > things I did was to search for this list and thank heaven, you all are here. > > Taj, the male and 18 months old, started having difficulty breathing in > mid-July 2010. We took him into the vet for tests, and discovered a massive > tumor pressing into his lungs. We were give the option of chemo and other > treatments, but opted to let him go, as he was in obvious distress. > > Several weeks later, we took his sister Rani in for an exam. I had felt a > lump in her lower abdomen, and although she was showing no signs of weight > loss or a decline in appetite or energy level at that time, we wanted to > check it out as quickly as possible. She also has developed lymphoma, this > time affecting her kidneys. They are about 1.5 times the size they should > be. Again, we were offered the option of chemo, but decided to go with > palliative care. She has been on 5mg of pred twice a day for three weeks > now. It is likely this sweet girl will join all our other precious babies > at the Bridge very soon. Given the FeLV+ status, we can't justify putting > her through the trauma. We had taken another cat (no FeLV issues) through > chemo for a stomach tumor several years ago, and it took such a toll on her, > on us, on our finances....we bought her perhaps 6 months of diminished > quality of life. In retrospect, we did it for ourselves, and not for her. > > I do know that some cats respond very well to chemo, so please be open to > others' advice on this issue. It's just that our experience has not been so > positive, and you're climbing a pretty big hill with the FeLV+ issues. > There are so many on this list that will know specific questions to ask > regarding the specifics of her blood work and other chemical levels that > might work in Vixen's favor. I hope so. I'm also happy for her that she's > had 10 years, hopefully most of them with you. > > My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult decision, Sara > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tracy Weese > Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 3:10 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Felvtalk] Lymphoma/Brain Inflammation, etc. > > > My 10+ yo cat, Vixen, now has FeLV+ spinal fluid and brain inflammation > which is causing head bobbing and weakness/uncoordination in the back legs. > The most likely scenario is now lymphoma. She has always been very robust > and healthy (and pink) even though being diagnosed with FeLV as a kitten. > > Now, this. > > She is still eating good although she has lost a little weight -- she still > likes to be around me and the other cats, but... I have an apptmt with the > oncologist next week, and just don't know whether to treat or to do simply > pallative care. I know cats can respond well to chemo, but my other cancer > cats did not have FeLV. So I was looking for any ideas, suggestions, etc., > that folks might have. > > She is still on some antibiotics while we wait for final reports on several > infectious diseases but the prelim reports have showed no infectious > diseases. She is also taking an anti-inflammatory dose of pred. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > [email protected] > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > __________ NOD32 5390 (20100823) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > [email protected] > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
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