Simon's progress, Friday

[Lernermichelle]

Today is one week since I brought Simon home from the oncologist's with no chemo, with instructions to just keep him comfortable and see if the steroids helped a little.  And almost a week since I thought he was imminently dying.  Today I actually was able to work some, secure enough for the first time that I could take my eyes off him for a few hours without losing him. I am still very aware that he is still deep in the woods, but I am so greatful for the time he is having and the happiness he is experiencing and sharing.  He is continuing to eat well. Today he ate some wet food two or three times, a few handfuls of dry food, about 1/3 slice of deli turkey ham, and a half bowl of liver shake and a treat.  He actually also ate a piece of pizza crust!  He has been sneezing, though, so I put him on Doxicycline. While he had been fighting me pilling him when I still had him on so many pills and force feedings and fluids, he was back to being very goodnatured about it when I gave him this one pill today.  I am going to start trying mixing small amounts of immune supplements into his liver shakes and see if he will eat them that way.  He used to eat them in baby food before he got sick (he is FeLV+ so I had him on immune supplements before) but he won't eat that now.  Today I mixed some fish oil in his liver shake, to try to put weight on and because it is supposed to work against cancer and cancer-related cachexia, and he ate it no problem.  I am worried about his cold being added onto his severe anemia. But he still seems happy.  He is hanging out with our remaining dog a lot, and sleeping much of the night between Gray's and my pillows, alternating between sleeping on his back with his feet in the air and sleeping on his side with his head on my shoulder.  What a sweetie.    He is sleeping now on the bed, covered up to his neck by a nice warm sleeping bag and smiling.  I will try to post pictures soon, but if you want to imagine him he is an orange tabby with a very round face (which is a little thinner and less round right now) and big round eyes and a speckled pink nose and paw pads (though his paw pads are less pink now due to the anemia).  He has always had a full round belly, but he lost a pound in the last week and it shows.  He really is objectively adorable, and I have a lot of cats.   Just wanted to share, and thank you again for all your prayers. Michelle