Beggar 8/27

   This is what it's like to eat dinner at my house. Kismet often makes it feel like Gypsy is still here. :)

Spa Day!

   Today everybody got a bath... first Aki and Taylor, and then Zoey, who emerged with an even more brilliant and fluffy white coat. I put them outside to dry in the warm sun. They, of course, wanted to come right back in. Sorry, gang!

 Then it was Kismet's turn.

   Don't let the forlorn face fool you. Once she got over the initial shock of the sound of the sprayer, she did very, very well. And looked adorable and hilarious. She didn't like the bath, but she liked being toweled off and she forgave me for the whole ordeal about 0.8 seconds after she was done. The damp kitty followed me all over the house afterward, purring and seeking more attention.

   As you can see, she wasn't traumatized. She is extra-soft and fluffy with a brighter, peach coat, and she smells like lavender. I thought Atom was a ham, but she might be the snuggliest kitty I've ever seen.

    Lest you think she's all good, though, she does like to torture Aki. The dogs are not allowed on my bed. Kitty is. Kitty knows this, and is exploiting it to taunt the dogs.

    While Aki stares at her with her, "Are you freaking kidding me?!" expression...

Visitor

   Mitty Moo, the neighbor cat, came around this evening & sat at my front door, crying out for his buddy Gypsy. He apparently doesn't realize she's not here to whisper sweet nothings to him anymore. He has always made me do a double-take because he looks so much like Atom, too... Double sadness for me.
   There are so many things I miss about having a kitty in the house... and the full impact of it has been hitting me the last two weeks. I miss having them run up and greet me at the door when I get home from work. I miss them snuggling up to me on the couch or in bed, purring like a motor. I miss them sitting on the toilet and waiting patiently for me to get out of the shower, so I can pay attention to them again. I miss Gyp yelling at me every time I whistled. She HATED it when I whistled—would come running from anywhere in the house and find me and demand that I stopped. I used to whistle the "I Dream of Jeanie" (or, more accurately, "I Dream of Gyppy") song when I wanted to get her attention. I miss seeing them rolling around on the deck in the sunshine.
   People often don't give cats enough credit for their companionship and unique personalities. Or maybe mine were uncommonly special. Maybe both.  :)

Wlyd Won

   Oh, boy... His 5k medal from Run Wyld arrived in the mail today & I'm afraid it will go to his head! Atta boy, Tay! Here's his new theme song:

Good Ol' Wally

   On my drive home, I glanced to the next lane while stopped at a red light, to see this cute, giggling little curly-haired boy and his ginormous Great Dane, Wally, whose head was hanging out the window. They proceeded to tell me all about Wally, who liked what he heard, 'cause his tail wagged so hard the whole car moved. The kid was SO delighted. Wish the light hadn't turned green. They made my day!
   It was clear that this lil' boy & his big, funny dog were best friends... Every kid deserves a Wally, & every pet deserves a family who cherishes them.

Spoiled cat of the year

   Here is my entry in the first annual "Spoiled cat of the year" competition... And its corollary, the "Crazy cat lady of the year". I really believe that Gyp & I are a cinch to clench both titles. Better clear some space on the mantle for the trophies!
In all seriousness though, my friends are awesome: fellow pet lovers, they are empathetic to the situation and came through on the sample request. We're up to NINE plates, plus assorted treats.
   Gyp is still grazing a little at a time, & needs to be gently reminded to do so, but I'm thrilled with her progress. I can honestly say that I am certain I am doing everything in my power to give her every chance to thrive, & the rest is in God's hands. At the end of all this, feeling sure of that will help me be at peace.

7 and counting!

   Thanks to Olivia & Kelly's contributions, I'm up to 7 different dry foods. And although Gyp isn't eating a large quantity of anything, she is sampling most of them. And Allyson & Amy said they'd bring food too.

   Gypsy purred & purred while I gave her the fluids tonight--more than usual. How she can be so happy with a 2" needle in her neck is beyond me!

   I'll count kibble again in the morning to assess the past 24 hours. I may have to invest in an abacus or make a fancy spreadsheet. Hopefully things will keep looking up. Meanwhile, I'm going to need a bigger table!

Progress Vs. Perfection

   I'm happy to report that Gypsy made some much-needed progress last night! At the vet, we learned that the fluids we've been giving ARE helping: there was a very modest improvement in her BUN & creatinine levels. And this morning I counted the food pieces remaining on the plates to learn that she had eaten FORTY-SEVEN pieces!!! She left all the k/d (her most recent food), and ate some of the Science Diet Healthy from my vet, and some of the Nutro indoor adult salmon food, which was what I was feeding prior to the switch to k/d.
   Additionally, a couple of friends have already answered my pleas to bring samples of their cats' food. So tonight Gypsy can sample a different Science Diet blend (light) and some t/d (dental care) from Olivia and some Iams tuna flavor from Kelly. Here's hoping she loves it all. THANKS, FRIENDS!!!

   At work we have been using the mantra "progress vs. perfection" to remind ourselves that we need to be pushing forward and making an impact even when the results aren't perfect. I think that works for my Gyp, too. She's fifteen years old, and kidney disease and cancer are terminal, so I can't realistically expect a miraculous cure. But we will focus on making a little progress every day, so that she remains healthy and happy for as long as possible. I'm reminding myself to spend every free moment I have with her and be thankful for whatever time we have left. Life is precious!

The Cat of 1000 Faces

Upon waking me up in the morning

Looking wonderfully indignant. "Feed me NOW."

My Turn

   I got up bright & early this morning to take Ms. Gyp to the vet. This morning was my first attempt at delivering her subcutaneous fluids, under a vet tech's guidance. It will save me many more trips to the vet, and hopefully cause less stress on the kitty. I snapped a couple of pics before we left:

Kit & Kit Kat Klock:

   Tiffany had demonstrated the procedure to me last night, and it wasn't as big a deal as you might expect. Fortunately, cats have a fat pad around their shoulder blades—it's why kittens can be picked up by the scruff with no discomfort. And even more fortunately, Gyp is a model patient. So this morning the tech walked me through the whole process, and I inserted the needle myself. Gyp barely flinched. She rubbed her face on me and purred. I really believe that she knows these fluids are helping her feel better!

Back home, and mugging for the webcam:

Asking to share my Trader Joe's chicken Tikka Masala:

And then she curled up next to me for a nap.

Technically, she stole MY spot. But she can have it. :)
Then I took off to destress myself with a yoga class. Ommm... 

Red Bridge Friends

   We've met a lot of new animal friends in our daily visits to the clinic this week... starting with the friendly resident kitty, Mr. Tom. His elderly owner passed away last year, and left her dear kitty to the clinic for his care. He loves to run out and greet Ms. Gypsy:

Showing off. I think he's sweet on her!

   This happy pup didn't seem to mind wearing the satellite dish:

"Her master's voice"

   And this goofy pom must have been afraid of cats. When he saw Mr. Tom walking around, he hid behind the tree and made a low growl... which sounded like a squeaky toy from such a diminutive creature. Ooh, we're terrified!

Dog-n-Jog is June 10th!

   This year marks the 25th anniversary of Dog-n-Jog, a fun fundraiser for The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City. I finally watched the KC Pet Telethon which occurred while I was in San Francisco (and was bummed to miss—it's fun to volunteer on the phone bank!), and was surprised to see yours truly right in the middle of the photo! (Too bad Taylor is hidden behind the Bernese Mountain Dog...)

   As I was driving home from work today, I passed a young woman who was out for a run, and she was wearing the blue t-shirt I designed last year! It always makes me feel so good to see people wearing them around town, especially when the shirts are still in such good shape. These people must keep them because they like them—rather than to mow the lawn or use as a rag in the garage.  ;)
   And, coincidentally, I just finished this year's logo and t-shirt design. Can't wait for the event! Sure hope I'm able to run again by then...

   No Shiba in this year's logo, but I threw in a Golden for my family, and a chihuahua for Steph. Not sure who the third dog is... I just wanted to include a bully-type dog since they're so popular. It makes me proud to see so many people having fun & wearing my artwork, and I hope it helps bring in a TON of donations!

Talk to the paw!

'cause the whiskers don't wanna hear it!

It's nice outside...

Don't make me beat this door down!!!

Recovery...

   Well, I came out of surgery just fine... Going in turned out to be the tough part. I disliked the main nurse almost immediately. She was curt and abrasive, which I wasn't in the mood for, considering that this was my first surgery, and that my life was in this staff's hands. I tried to be as nice & sweet as possible in response to her. I donned the gown, settled in on the gurney, and the nurse inserted the IV. No big deal. Until...
   I had a really intense vasovagal reaction a few minutes later. Apparently I went white as a sheet as my blood pressure dropped dramatically, causing intense dizziness, nausea, and visual disturbances (not to mention a lot of beeping from the machine). Judging from the level of freaking out from the three nurses that I heard before I passed out, I knew it was not good. They injected me a couple of times (ephedrine, if I remember correctly?) to bring me back & get me stabilized. This was perhaps the single most scary experience I've had in my life. I honestly thought that I was going to die.
   After what felt like eons, they got my blood pressure back up and I returned to normal, with a residual splitting headache. I don't remember them putting me back on the meds to knock me out, or taking me back to surgery. According to Kelly, who consulted with the surgeon while I was recovering, the cyst was larger and much deeper than anticipated. He had difficulty getting to it, and he suspects I'll be in more pain than initially projected because of this. The procedure took a full two hours, but it went well. 
   I woke up in the same room, same gurney, with the same pushy nurse at my side. I was barely coming to, and she was forcefully getting me dressed and sitting me up. I was EXTREMELY nauseated and dizzy—the whole room was spinning, and I could barely hold my head up. My body might as well have been a wet noodle. I kept telling her that I was going to throw up and I needed to lie down, and she kept physically forcing me to sit up. She even brought in the other two other nurses as reinforcements. I felt surprisingly lucid, and at one point I said, "I don't understand why no one is listening to me—I am extremely dizzy and I need to lie down for a minute so I won't get sick!" And she responded by forcing me to my feet and then into a wheelchair and—literally—dragging me in to Kelly's car. Seriously? You can't let me sit for a few minutes?? Sounds like I'm not the only one who needs to be on some meds.

The boys are taking good care of me!  :)

   I guess if that's the worst of it, then I can be grateful for that. Kelly brought me home, picked up my pain meds at the pharmacy, and made sure I was comfortable. Thank goodness for good friends!
   The rest of the evening I continued to feel strangely alert, without any of the zombielike symptoms I anticipated from the anesthetic. I relaxed on the couch, iced my ankle, ate a big dinner, and took my first dose of painkillers after seven hours. I would assume that the worst is yet to come in terms of pain management, but I am so relieved to have the surgery behind me, and SO EXCITED to have the potential for a pain-free ankle ahead of me!

If it pleases the queen...

   Allyson just told me that she bought her kitty, Lacey, a new fleece (dog) bed for Christmas, and Lacey has hardly stepped out of it ever since. I was beaming when I read it: so sweet! And it reminded me of something similar that my cats have done:

   In Atom's last few months, he got really bold about stealing the dogs' beds, and I frequently spotted him curled up into a tiny ball in the middle of their big beds, with the dogs nervously shuffling around, afraid to disturb him to reclaim their spot. It made me so happy for him to take charge.

   Similarly, recently Gypsy has said "screw your rules" and is now spending the majority of her time lounging on the dining room table, where the cats had never been allowed before. I willingly gave in, in an attempt to coax her to eat, and now her bowls are right in the middle. Who cares... as long as the queen is pleased!  :)

Best Gift Ever: A Glimmer of Hope

   Miss Gyp ate almost a full can of tuna today. And a few small bites of the pork I cooked for dinner last night, a dollop of chicken baby food, and a handful of Three Dog Bakery's salmon treats. It's not the best food for her kidney disease, and it's not enough to sustain her, but it's progress, & I'll take whatever I can get. She has been spoiled all her life and I'll take that to whatever level is necessary to keep her happy and as healthy as possible. I can't begin to describe the joy I have from watching her eat. It really is the little things, isn't it? A good reminder to enjoy every moment. Hoping she'll be purring on my lap for a long, long time.
   I also appreciate the excellent care and attention from Dr. Rad, my vet at Red Bridge Animal Clinic. He has been calling me every day to check in on Gyp. This week he gave me his cell phone number so I could call him over the holiday if I had questions, and he even called this afternoon. It makes me feel SO good to know that her doc cares about her as much as I do.

  Since I didn't get to see my family this birthday/holiday, I only received a few (wonderful) gifts that had been shipped directly to me. And although I appreciate everything, there really is no better gift this year than the gift of time with my pets and my friends. I had at least seven generous invitations for Christmas Day dinner, and more for Christmas Eve. Kelly & I went to Hot Basil for birthday Thai food on the 23rd. We went all-out—soft spring rolls, egg rolls, crab rangoon, tiger cry steak, pad Thai, and Thai fried rice—and I'm still enjoying the leftovers!.
    Michele treated me to lunch at North with Hazel and Jasper yesterday. Hazel was drawing for me, and Jasper treated me like a human jungle gym (which I love). I'm reminded of the time he asked his parents, "Is Jen a kid or a grown-up?" That's some good ambiguity!

Jasper & Hazel helped me blow out my birthday candle...

And were happy to help me eat my treat: butterscotch sweet creme with sea salt!

   Renee contacted me today to invite me, the Shibas; Joni, Wager, Kip & Asher; and Brett and Sam to go hiking at Shawnee Mission Park tomorrow afternoon. All of it adds up to me being very grateful for my Kansas City "family."
   Hallmark's brand campaign this year, "Life is a special occasion," inspires me to treasure the little moments and appreciate the good in life. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Long Story Short.

   Vet called this morning to say that Gyp has cancer. (And that's on top of kidney disease and subcutaneous emphysema.) I'm not going to put her through exploratory surgery, more tests, chemo, or anything else. Just trying to get her to eat. Happy friggin' birthday.

Nekonook

  Since I taught Gypsy to make the "maneki neko" gesture on command years ago, I've been enchanted by the Japanese symbol of luck-bringing. So when I ran across Megan's crochet work in her Etsy shop, Nekonook, I thought commissioning a custom kitty from her would be a great tribute to my dear friend. I don't have it yet, but it has just been completed & shipped, so I'm VERY excited to see it in person! it reminds me so much of Lil' Attie, too...

Happy to be Annoyed

Paws off my pizza, lady!

   I've never been so happy to have Gyp climbing over me to steal my food (in this case, Spin Pizza... With Italian sausage, Granny Smith apples and candied pecans. Not exactly what you'd expect a cat to beg for!)
   She is doing a bit better this morning, after having to have two more teeth extracted yesterday. (Due to cavities and an abscess. She has very few teeth left at this point. The anesthetic hit her really hard; she was having trouble recovering from it, and even 24+ hours after the procedure is having some trouble getting around.

   But for the first time in a week, she wanted to eat and actually ate a decent amount of chicken baby food, canned k/d, and some freshly-cooked turkey breast that my angel, Mary Ann, brought over today. She surprised me by showing up with a bunch of turkey that she bought just for Gypsy, and presents for all of us. Incredibly thoughtful and kind... she really made me count my blessings today!

Really enjoying the turkey!!!

   Gypsy has been with me for 15 years & counting, and I'm sure hoping we'll get several more great years together! Honestly, when it comes to Christmas and my birthday, having her happy and healthy would be the best and most cherished gift I could ever ask for. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

   — Jen & The Gyp

Snoozing after a good meal