Pet Lovers

[newtoallthis]

@Sammycat1
First a Happy Anniversary to you and DH. You all surely are an example of a match made in heaven. Such love for each other and the beautiful pets brought into your lives. Inspiring❤️
I will be in prayer for you both to make the right decisions. It’s so hard to leave them. Will they let you take a tshirt or blankie that you have slept in/on and has your scent? I did that for Tibbs and Trixie both. The vet suggested it.
My prayers are with you. I wish I could hug you so here’s a (((hug)))

[seaBreeze]

@Sammycat1~  Hope your wedding anniversary was extra special on Sunday as you spent precious time with Frankie.   I know we are told 'not to be anxious for nothing' but the waiting is hard ~ have faith the vets will guide in your decision making too.

And that Frankie was able to gaze outside this afternoon for the big event ~ perhaps the birds were confused and came closer to her window to roost!

[Shop Till you Drop]

@Sammycat1 Hi Sweet Friends, I had a moment away, but things seem a bit better today, no worries, all is good.  Sammy, I am so happy your sweet family had a wonderful anniversary celebration.  I can't imagine the decisions you and DH are facing, please feel my prayers, I know you will make very best decision under such hard circumstances.  Being away from Frankie would be unbearable.  Sending big hugs your way.

[Sammycat1]

Tuesday report:  Greetings, Schmoosters.

On my way out the door to get a lot (9) of spine nerve root/trigger point injections, Frankie extended her neck and started to cough.  She calmed down a little, but her nostrils were flaring with each breath and she had abdominal breathing. We temporarily adjusted her meds and put a call into her Most Excellent Vet

DH urged me to go (a friend was driving me), but all I could think about, 15 miles away one way, was that Frankie might not make it.

She did. After an exchange with her MVE, he decided to take the risk to reinstate her furosemide (diuretic). I told him last night when we were cuddling she seemed restless, trying to prop up her head, and we gave some of it then--he said I made a good call. Shades of Schmoo and our Sophie. She sticks to my side when she's in trouble. And she's in trouble.

It has capped a day where I made many calls to places that do the I 131 treatment for hyperthyroidism. Many want cats who have nothing else wrong with them, which is ridiculous, because most cats with this disease are seniors or geriatrics. Most have no one on duty overnight!  

So I'm a little down, but not defeated.

I can't let it stop us. She's our beloved girl and, as @Tissyanne  encourages DH and I and Frankie, we can do hard things.

We have to for this angel:

[newtoallthis]

@Sammycat1 

We have you Sammycat, DH, and Frankie. we are holding you in our prayers and in our hearts. You three are so important to us.

This Schmoo family is gathering around you. I hope you can feel our love and prayers. The God that created this little girl is holding her in his arms. There is healing there. I hope this makes sense because I am sobbing  😭🙏🏻🩷😭😭😭

[Shop Till you Drop]

@Sammycat1 Indeed!  You do fight hard, that's what Love is all about.

Hugs to you and Love to sweet Frankie.

[Sammycat1]

Wednesday report:   Greetings to all Schmoosters.

Oh, @newtoallthis, I could feel the love and prayers coming through your words--there is no doubt. DH, Frankie and I feel the embrace of everyone on this forum--always. We are in tough waters but you make it so much easier.

Frankie's breathing calmed under the new regimen, but even at low dose, either the diuretic or the increased dose of methimazole is starting to get to her. No matter: we gave her anti-nausea meds to her and are being extra gentle with her today. I have texted her Most Excellent Vet to see if he wants any other changes.

It occurs to me if this is too much for the Schmoo family to read on a daily basis, I can omit details. You don't have to get into the weeds of this journey with us. And you should know there are great moments, too. In fact, she is supervising DH and us in the office as we speak, just a foot or so away from my keyboard.

She insisted I post a photo of her as the eclipse started to happen the other day (you can see it in the TV to left). It got dark in that room in just minutes.

She also said I could post a very grainy photo of Ken Burns and his fellow filmmaker Sarah Botstein from the festival last Friday. The photographer was a little less talented on that one, she said:

[seaBreeze]

@Sammycat1 ~ When I saw the bottom photo, I thought "stairway to Heaven " ~ that's what Frankie envisions from the floor to her window!   And yes, take me on your journey (thru peaks & valleys).  No one should be on any difficult journey alone.  Valleys are temporary.  Ps. 23:4

[Shop Till you Drop]

@Sammycat1 Please remember we are honored to be on this journey with you.  Our hearts and love are with you, DH and sweet Frankie always.

[Sammycat1]

Thursday report:  Greetings to all Schmoosters.

@Shop Till you Drop @seaBreeze  Thank you for those encouraging words. I don't want to bring everyone down as we head into the maelstrom of this journey. Everyone has challenges but you don't need to hear all about ours, all the time.

Finally yesterday we selected a veterinary referral center for Frankie's procedure--if she is a candidate. Her consult appointment with the vet who supervises the program on April 30. It's a 1.5 hour drive one way, which will be tough with a cat with heart disease. But there is no choice.

She'll get a final check with her Most Excellent Vet and her radiologist on April 20, then it's off to the consult. If she is OK'd, then we'll get an appointment for the I 131 treatment. We'll drop her off Monday and pick her up Friday. There will be 24-hour supervision because she's at a big medical center, cat TV, interaction with people.

We're nervous as all get out. But we hope we can make it through. Today we increased her methimazole to try to keep the tumor tamped down, but it's making her hide.

Yet she is a tough, beautiful creature and has spit in the face of difficult times before: