Mews News

Just a little update on the latest around here. We had "Buster" to the oncologist's last week for his bloodwork following his first round of chemo. This will have to be done a week after each treatment. His white count was 4,554 which is good. Normal is 2500-8500 range. It has to be at least 2500 in order for him to receive the next round of chemo. He did beautifully with Round One! The only day he felt bad was the second day. I went by to check on him after lunch, and he wouldn't even come out to the kitchen when I fed him, so I carried his plate to him in the living room where he was laying on his pillow. He was hungry, as he did get up off his pillow to eat then. He just didn't feel good enough to walk to the kitchen to eat. That was the only day he didn't feel well, though. Round Two of chemo is scheduled for next Monday morning. He will receive a total of five rounds, being given at 3-week intervals. As you can see by the above pic, these two cats are inseparable!

We had "Sweet Pea" to the oncologist again yesterday. This visit was for her post-radiation 3-month checkup and lung x-ray. With her type of cancer, if it does return, we were told that it would appear in her lungs first. Her x-rays showed her lungs to be clear!!! So that was wonderful news!!! My daughter was elated!

Then this morning one of my 14-year old diabetic cats gave me a scare! Daphy, pictured above, (short for Daphinia) was acting sick and wouldn't walk to her plate to even eat. I had to put it under her nose, and then she did eat. She was acting so weird. No, I didn't name her...I just took her and her sister, Cleo (short for Cleopatra), back when their owner died of a sudden heart attack 8 years ago. (They were tiny little strays with their mama and 3 other siblings that someone had dumped on our street 14 years ago. I had given these two to a gentleman who loved them so much for 6 years until he passed away.) Anyhow, back to today, I phoned my vet and took her in to leave her there all day for tests and observation. Her glucose was through the roof at 494! Normal for a cat is in the 120-160 range! She had received her insulin shot at 9:30am, an hour and a half before they checked her glucose, so it was probably even higher before the shot! They will recheck her glucose again at 4:30 and see how much it has dropped during the day. The vet called me and said we definitely needed to increase her insulin dosage. She's at 5 1/2 units now. That's quite a high dosage for a cat, and now she's going to have to go even higher!

It's a scary thing, adjusting that insulin. I've had both of them go into seizures before when their glucose dropped too low, and then it was a rush trip each time to the Emergency Vet Clinic here! They met me as I pulled in and had that carrier out of my car before I even knew what was going on! Daphy's glucose dropped to 23 that time, and just as they were getting her out of her carrier, she seized! Cleo's dropped as low as 18 before, and she had a seizure right here under my desk and kept seizing during the entire ride to the clinic that night, too! I thought she would be dead on arrival. The clinic doctor and staff pulled them through each time! So it is a very touchy situation increasing the insulin dosage! Each time we increase it, they drop too low after a few days. So I am going to have to draw her blood a couple times a day here at home and test it until we get her stabilized. Poor old girl! I love her so much!!!

This morning, I received the following from Rose, my best friend for 41 years now, who lives in the state of Indiana:

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You, too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me, PLEASE. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.....ALWAYS!
Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy them, and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful, experience without God's critters.

We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love, and joy. There's a lot of all three right here on earth....and they all have four legs!

Save a life...adopt a pet from your local shelter!