lavendertook | Entries tagged with moo

So here's what I know about Pursimmon's back story: she was found at the end of July as a pregnant stray in the northwestern most county of the Maryland panhandle by animal control and taken to the county shelter. The county is sparsely populated and the Alleghany Mountains of the Appalachian Range runs through it. So there's lots of wilderness and state parks with a few small towns and some villages and resorts.

I don't know if she was found in a town, around homesteads, a resort or camp where she was left behind by tourists, or in the wilderness, but I'm glad it was summer and hope she didn't go stray in the winter, because that would be some cold country to be out in winter. But there's no telling how many days or weeks or months she had been living stray, whether she was a young kitten or a young cat when lost or dumped, and what kind of socialization she had before being homeless. Siameses can get pregnant earlier than other breeds, as early as 4 months old.

Within a day of being captured and brought to the shelter, this mountain girl gave birth to 3 kittens. I imagine even a shelter cage felt safer than the life she was living as a place to give birth, poor thing. One of them died within a few days. The remainder were a flame-point boy, like his mom except he was deaf, and a dilute tortoiseshell girl.

A rescue out there transported Purrsimmon and her kittens south to a rescue group in Purcelville, VA in the Virginia foothills, a little more populated area at the far edge of the Washington, DC metro area where she and her kittens would have a better chance to find adopters. A fosterer with a spare room to keep a mom with her kittens in separation from her other foster animals was found, and Purrsimmon was put on mom duty for 2 months until her kittens were old enough to be adopted. Her daughter was adopted then, but her son broke his leg and so Purrsimmon was kept on mom duty with him another month. Her son was then adopted by a man who works with deaf people, so that was a nice connection where his disability could be an asset in his new home.

Purrsimmon was spayed in October. They determined her to be about a year old, so they made her birthday, October 1st. Off mom duty, she could now hang out with the other foster cats and she liked to sit near another young cat, a dilute tortoiseshell girl, but was skittish with people. Now it was time to find her a home and they started advertising her on Petfinder.com and other sites. This was the pic of her I saw on Petfinder before I decided to ask about her in December after Moo died:

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I've been looking at petfinder.com pretty much daily since Saki died 4 years ago, to get my siamese fix and see what meezers were out there for adoption. This was the longest stretch I've ever lived without a meezer in my home. I didn't think Moo would be happy with a new addition, being a competitive kitty who did not like competing for attention, and she finally had more of my attention after Saki was gone. And I think it was the right decision and I'm glad I got to give Moo all the attention she wanted for her last 4 years and got to see more sides of her and that there was nothing between her and me loving her up at the end. Tuxie is fine with giving room.

Though Moo and Tuxie didn't seem close since Moo was done mothering him 13 years ago back when I thought they were inseparable, they became close again the first nervous month after the move to the house this summer and huddled together, so they could still take comfort in each other and their sense of family was definitely still there. Since Tuxie had never lived without Moo, I didn't want Tuxie to be alone long after she died. I needed a kitty who craved more attention than Tuxie, as well. I always told Tuxie I was going to get a young siamese kitty to drive him nuts when he'd be an aggressive jerk to his beloved Saki, so it was time for karma to take it's course.

After Moo died the beginning of December, I put in an application on a 2 year old tortie-point siamese who looked like Saki in form, though she had a lot more colors (oranges and blacks) and was described as "an aggressively affectionate bowling ball" in her ad, which would have been a good description of Saki, but someone got there first with their accepted application. Then I applied for 2 more tortie points: a 6 month old, and then a small kitten. I didn't plan on applying for kittens because kittens, and especially siamese kittens, usually place pretty easily, and I'm happy with a young cat up to 5 years, who don't get forever homes as easily, but I was getting desperate to get me a tortie point siamese by the third. I'd love to be able to take in senior cats as they're the most loving and cuddly and so in need, but I've been medicating cats for so long now, I really could use someone young and healthy for a stretch, if luck would grant it, time wise, and also expense wise--there's only so far my retirement will stretch, and my diabetic Tuxie is an expensive little boy to keep healthy. But each of these kitties was spoken for first.

Though getting a tortie point like Saki was my priority, I figured it would be best to get 2 cats and was thinking I would like to have a flame-point siamese as the second, as I've never lived with one of these red-headed beauties, and there had been a young flame-point who had been advertised for a long while on petfinder.com, which might not be a good sign, but she had a sweet face, and I had been considering her, so I put in an application.

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I'm still digging a ginormous hole in the ground in my backyard.

( Better cut for mention of pet corpse )

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Moo/Mooshka/Mooshkin
Moo Brandybuck Breakstone
PriMoola Brandybuck
Princess Holstein the Winsome

April 1, 2005 (approx) - Dec 2, 2019

Moo was fading. She wouldn't eat any of the dozens of foods I set before her, and though the rugs I put down everywhere and padded steps helped her getting around better to get to her closer water and litter box stations, her front legs were beginning to go. I was giving her subcutaneous fluids at home over the weekend, and though they make them feel better over all, she was always weaker for hours after injection of them until the imbalance of the fluid bulge dispersed.

In the middle of the night last night, her breathing started to be more labored and she peed her little bed because she didn't have the strength to get up. So in the morning I determined it was time--I was afraid she was suffering with the labored breathing. And I was getting less able to get up and help her in the middle of the night after slipping on one the rugs and falling T-Day night. I took care of Tuxie's food and insulin and loved her up some more and took her to go. Tuxie didn't want to say goodbye--her breathing scared him and he turned his back on us and looked scared when I brought her to him to say goodbye.

I sat with her a couple of hours at the vet, as it turned out, because she was busy in surgery. Moo seemed stronger, her breathing back to normal, and more alert than she had been--she meowed, and made clear she wanted something. I asked for a litterbox and a cup of water brought--it was the water she wanted and she drank a lot. The strength was all probably due to the adrenaline surge of going to the vet. Otherwise I sat with her in my arms and lap, petting her, blinking love to each other as she rested. I had second thoughts as she seemed stronger, but Dr. S told me she's probably feeling worse than weak--kidney failure makes you feel lousy and nauseous.

I had a week to love her up and she blinked it back, and laid her head in my hand and paw on my lap, and seemed comforted by being carried as she always loved, but also cleaned up. She was so willing to accept help, letting me help her position her struggling legs in walking and sitting up by her water bowls and getting her tail out of the way in the litter box and purred at being cleaned up with wipes and fluffed with towels. I don't think my Saki or most other cats I know would have accepted this much help and be comforted by it. But all I needed was for her to have a fall and injure herself further or go into respiratory arrest and go in a painful and scary way. So it was time.

I held Moo in my arms, petting her and loving her as she looked back with tired love, and the Dr gave her the drugs through a catheter as she slipped away gently and was gone before I knew it.

Moo hunted me down outside my old apartment. She'd follow me down to the town center and the gym and I'd carry her back in my arms--she'd be full of delighted purrs at this--it was always her favorite thing, along with sitting in the sun. And Tuxie, her little feral shadow kitten, would cautiously but tenaciously follow behind us. I never aspired to have a black and white cow kitty--I'm imprinted for siamese cats but tabbies and calicoes have always turned my head, too. But now I'll always feel that special affection for cow kitties.

She hunted me down and I took her in my arms and carried her and loved her and then she was gone. That was Mooshka.

I hope to be able to dig a hole deep enough in the yard to plant the apricot tree and bury her beneath it. I don't know if I have the strength to get through that much clay--I may need to find someone to hire to help. But the vet is holding her body for now until I work this out. And now I need to love up Tuxie, because his relationship with his mom was complicated, and I think he knows she was dying and is gone, but we'll get through this together.

Crossposts: https://lavendertook.livejournal.com/247780.html

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Tests came back and Moo is in last stages of kidney failure. I took her in today for a shot of fluids and an anti-nausea drug (cerenia), but she's very weak. The doc said I could take her to the emergency clinic and they could keep her for a few days and pump her with fluids and meds and maybe there'd be a miracle, but she's more likely to be shortly back in kidney failure than not if we did, and I don't want to put her through the terrible trauma of it with such a bad prognosis. Best advice is put her down or keep her as long as she purrs and eats as her systems slowly shut down, and they said they'd not let me prolong it if I failed at the letting go test when the time came. At first I was going to take her in for the last time this evening since she didn't eat yesterday, but I found something she ate with gusto, so I cancelled with relief and decided we'll take it day by day.

I didn't have more of that food (Delectables Pate Tuna--it's new) and couldn't find more of it today in Petsmart or the groceries around here and didn't remember where I found it, and she didn't eat anything I offered her this evening, but she still purrs when I carry her and she's purring against me right now and otherwise resting peacefully--thank gods she's no longer spasming when she purrs. Her coat is still beautifully full and soft like bunny fur.

Mooshka can walk, but very badly, and I'm trying to anticipate her wants for the litter box and carrying her, as well as carrying water and food to her. She did go down the stairs last night while I was sleeping and can still jump on the sofa and futon because she's a determined little woozle, but she walks like she's got very bad neuropathy and is practically crawling, and it's not going to get better. She has loved being carried from when I first met her and that's what we'll do. Yesterday, the Dr gave her a buprenorphine, and I was leary because it has always strung her out after surgery and dentals and talked him into a light dose, but it still left her sleeping fitfully and I think more uncomfortable with the restlessness, so no more of that. Today at least she is sleeping deeper and more peacefully.

So I'll see how she does tomorrow. Research says I can find that food only at Walmart, so I'll take a fast trip there and hope she eats again and the rest of the day I'm with her, then take her in for fluids and cerenia in the evening if she hasn't worsened and we need to euthanize then. Otherwise, we take it day by day, but they're numbered now.

One of the heated beds I ordered for her came today, so I've set it up on her side of the bed (by her step stool) and see what she thinks of it when she tires of sleeping in my arms. I'm glad it came in time. Thank you all for the good wishes--they help a lot. Please wish her appetite and comfortable rest, and me the calmness to be all she needs to keep her purring and make her last days comfortable ones.

Crossposts: https://lavendertook.livejournal.com/247379.html

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Hi! I missed you all! You didn't know I was gone, but I was soooo gone and with no ruby slippers to bring me back!

So Wednesday after work, I went out of my way to bring my old Verizon equipment to the county Verizon store that would accept it back, because all the Verizon stores near me would not, which is just bogus crap, but that's how they do it. It was raining bad and the entrance to the store was hard to find and the clerk I brought it to didn't want to do anything because there was a power outage at the store and wanted me to come back another time, and I wasn't happy with that idea after all the efforts I had made with getting there and being turned away by reasonably near stores. I suggested he use ancient technology and put a post-it note on my box of old equipment with my info and process it when the power was back up, which he agreed was possibly doable, and I left it with his seething self. He got me back good by disconnecting my current service on Friday afternoon while I was teleworking at home and I lost hours of work time.

And I lost not only hours of work time. I was on the cell phone, and on chat on cell phone for 5 hours and much of that time on hold with sounds called music, and talked to a variety of Verizon workers of different departments and map locations who told me lots of things about calling back that didn't happen, some of it wrong, some of it lies, and champion question ignoring on chat, 5 hours went by this way and I had the biggest brain meltdown in years. Wow, did it make me crazy. Good thing I was in the privacy of my own home. I screamed, I cried, I lost my voice, and hated life, the universe, and everything and found my only comfort in Dorothy Parker's poem on the feeling. I put myself to bed early after ibuprofen and a big glass of wine and slept on and off for 12 hours with cuddly cats. Nothing can shoot my sanity out the window and into the stratosphere like dealing with utilities or new computer programs, but with the amount of contradictory info and being on hold I got I dare anyone prone to anxiety to hold onto their brain through that. My fault for my stupid, stupid tenacity to hang on for 5 damned hours of we-don't-care-if-we-keep-your-business-or-not crap, without food or get up and walk breaks. Gandalf should dub me "Will Beyond Sanity". I was so wrecked. Probably not being recovered from the hard move and fretting over how long getting stuff set up here is taking and other stuff didn't help.

Sleeping long, however, was a good idea. And I am so glad my cell phone is a separate account, also with Verizon, or I don't know how I'd have dealt with this. I dealt with them for a couple of hours on Saturday and did other things. Still no reconnection, but my identity verification was complete--because my current cell phone account and old home account with them cut off on Friday was not good enough. Today I went through 3 more Verizon people--I may have spoken to everyone who works at Verizon at this point, and got to a really good technician in New Jersey who pushed tech services and got my line turned on this afternoon. It's a new account, but I was able to forgo them making a home technician appointment and just activate the lines to my phone and internet equipment. And here I am. It was a journey through Shadow and Pain.

The only reason I did not switch to Xfinity is because I have no illusions it would take less crap to get set up with them, and dealing with home service visits, as well as MORE equipment to get back to Verizon. If I had just dumped the old equipment in the trash, I probably wouldn't have gone through this and there's no indication that they were ever intending to ask and bill me for the old equipment or give me a discount, among other things Verizon clerks make up.

But my vet called yesterday with Moo's biopsy results, and the lesion on her head was not cancerous, but it could have developed into cancer if left, so I am glad we had it removed, and that made Saturday better. More of these lesions could develop on her head area, so I will need to keep close watch. Her stitches come out Friday--so far she is not scratching them, thank goodness, and I will get more details on these lesions then. Tomorrow I see my oncologist about the results for the yearly breast MRI I went for last month, but I would have heard something already if the results were iffy, so no worries there. Next up, get the 3 tooth implants that I had put in last year checked and then start getting crowns for them, and get a new pcp and appointment for that.

I look forward to the heat breaking and being able to step into my yard without melting. I would have liked to have gone to see Apollo 11 projected on the Washington Monument, but no way I could in this heat. But I got to see the Apollo Saturn launch on location for the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975, so I can't complain. If this crap had to happen, at least it did not happen on a weekend with nice weather to miss.

Crossposts: https://lavendertook.livejournal.com/246122.html

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Moo is at the vet for a biopsy of a flaky patch on her forehead, as well as a dental cleaning, so please send your good thoughts this way. It will take a while to get results and these things are usually benign, but sometimes they aren't and I always worry when they're under anesthesia. It's been a hard week for many of our hobbit posse kitties!

Otherwise, things are OK, just hectic with trying to unpack and get the garden planted. And I've put a priority on sleep to fix all the aches I acquired moving. I still need to get myself back to swimming which will heal all, just trying to find the time. I've already been hit up to pet sit for 2 neighbors last week, which had me grumbly because still hectic and overwhelmed here, but they are good people I want to start on the right foot with because neighbor friends are the best kind, and their pets are much less labor intensive than my crew.

And I got to spend Saturday night with a REAL fox a few weekends ago, so my social life is undoubtedly better than yours! It was just before dark and I was planting a mountain laurel bush and I spotted said fox ambling down the garden path behind the neighbors yard toward mine, so I stood very still with joy. She was a big one with a lovely red coat, black stockings, and a fluffy tail. She came to about 10 feet of me when she noticed me, looked up at me for a few moments, then detoured into the woods beside us to make a circle around me and came back out onto the lawn of my yard about a dozen feet behind me, plopped herself down on her butt and commenced scratching her ear with her hind foot on and off while watching me, probably testing to see if I was threat or safe. I stood looking at her over my shoulder and chatting to her in the high little Disney voice critters tend to like. This went on for several minutes, then she got up with a comical little side kick and continued on her way, stopped behind a bush on the border between my yard and the next, and I think watched me some more, and then went on her way. It was a pretty magical experience and just the very kind of encounter I was hoping to eventually have in my yard. There are many foxes in the neighborhood--I've seen them crossing the streets here often and a neighbor says there is a fox den in the woods not far from my yard, so I hope I meet her and her family again and that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship with these fluffy neighbors.

Happy Froday to ya'll!

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IT IS DONE!!!!

As of this evening, I am completely moved into my house. The apartment is empty and clean, and the storage bin now is too, and I turned n the keys to that apartment. Joy!!!!

I am HOME!!! The kitties and I are home!!!!

It was quite a physical ordeal. Problems with movers--the first sucked--switched to others who were better, but didn't move as much as I hoped. I couldn't pay people to help me more. I'm grateful to my friend Rob for a couple sessions of help until he came down with a bad virus. Lots of leg joint pain and sciatica, and I had to take some days off from exhaustion, but I got everything down those stairs and tonight I finished the storage bin, so everything from there up a half flight. I threw out 2/3 of what I had in the apartment and bin--be proud of me! I took a full PT Cruiser load of stuff to the animal shelter, a full PT Cruiser load of stuff to the thrift shop, and have another load of stuff for the animal shelter to drop off. But even that 1/3 has filled my garage, and a lot of my guest room, and living room, so more culling ahead as I unbox. I am so grateful to have that garage aka The Holodeck. It really wasn't possible to move in until the builders cleared out of the garage the end of April, so I could put so much of my stuff in it. The digging out begins after a good week or two of extra sleep and the resumption of swimming at the aquatic center.

I moved the kitties here almost 3 weeks ago--a year to the day from buying the house. I expected Tuxie to have a hard time and Moo to adjust more easily, and for the first 3 hours, they were true to form: Tuxie wouldn't leave his carrier, and Moo snuffled his face encouraging. But once he came out he adjusted fairly quickly. I started them closed in the bedroom and established it as the Sanctuary room, let them explore the rest of the upstairs when they were ready with the stairway screened off, then downstairs a couple days later when they were ready. I think being able to huddle with Moo--they normally don't touch much--really helped Tuxie. Moo, however, wouldn't eat for 5 days, and I was afraid I'd lose her like I did my Storm when we moved to the efficiency and she never recovered. But I took some time off from moving to spend time with her, got her a dose of an appetite stimulant, and got all kinds of broth treats, and day by day she ate a little more, began to forget what she was upset about, got her spirits up, and at about 2 weeks she was acclimated and a relaxed cat. Though nervous, Tuxie quickly took obvious joy in exploring and immediately adored the new cat climber, and was delighted to see the old watchtower condo when the movers brought it, so he adjusted beautifully. The porch isn't done yet--the best yet awaits them.

Though there were many crashes, life upgrade installation is finally 100% complete! I did it! We're home! I am so not doing this ever again until I am in a little urn! Home!

If there's anything you posted that you want me to know about while I was completing my quest, please tell me and I'll try to catch up as I pick up with regular life again. (-:

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Happy Last Evening of Chanuka!!!!

One of my regular menorahs in front of my electric menorah in the window. Those are paper Chanuka napkins at the base to collect any drips--we could talk about another base collecting drips, but we'll keep this entry nonpolitical.

Tradition doesn't specify a rainbow or putting the candles in rainbow order, but why wouldn't you if you could, I ask ya? Pink, red, orange, yellow, white shamash (Go Akkhad!), spring green, dark green, light blue, blue candles--would only be better if I had purple or lavender candles to add in--and no, I'm not a bit OCD. You don't get a full menorah until day 8--hooray for Day 8!!! And you don't have to stop lighting the menorah until you're good and ready. I've really enjoyed the lights this year.

Moo and Tuxie are very unadventurous cats, which means I don't have to worry about them knocking over the regular menorah. First of all, they have to notice it. It doesn't impress them any. Not much does. Right now they are beside me--the menorah is in the window in front of us. Moo is snoring loudly, and Tuxie is drooling on his tail. Sleep specialists. They are the best there is at what they do.

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HAPPY CHANUKAH

from Mooshukah

and Tuxukah

'n' dis Jewshukah

to YOUshukaaaaaaaaah!!!!

And good on Alabama, too!!!! \o/

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I had 2 wisdom teeth pulled this morning due to an abscess that developed a couple of weeks ago in the lower tooth. The top one had to go, too, just for balance, or some semblance thereof. I had lovely nitrous oxide while their broadcast played the Moonlight Sonata, which was perfect, but all that did not manage to dull the pain of the roof of the mouth novocaine shot when it came--I involuntarily eeped high, followed by a growl, but fell back into the nitrous oxide calm in a few minutes. The dental surgeon was nice and quick and I was surprised when he told me both teeth were out. Now I'm on antibiotics. It's been 4 hours and the novocaine isn't completely worn off, but I suspect I won't need the percoset they gave me. I am slightly head achy.

I am in particular solidarity with Tuxie because the poor baby had 2 teeth pulled on Monday and a dental cleaning, and he was given a shot of bupronephrine (narcotic) for pain and covenia (antibiotic), and I gave him onsinor anti-inflammatory pills for 3 days and he was in bad shape for those 3 days. I don't want him in pain, but I suspect he was over medicated and that may have been as bad as dealing with pain for him. He was restless, and probably didn't get a wink of sleep for at least a day, constipated and not eating well, and alternately head-butty affectionate and terrified hiding from me--I suspect fearing I would take him to the vet again. It was very sad-making. Since I don't seem to need the narcotic, I'm wondering if he would have been better off without it. I don't know if he would have had that reaction anyway to the drugs he was put out with for the procedure. He is thankfully all back to normal now. We're in it together, little boy!

I am now sitting comfortably on the sofa with Tuxie curled against my left side, and Moo with her head on my lap on the right side. For my reward I get this wonderful company, I will do nothing this afternoon but read my book--I'm in the middle of the second book in Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow duology: it's excellent--and, alternately nap when ready. It's sunny through the trees out my pretty window, but the world outside will have to carry on without me. As soon as I finish typing this, I get to have cake. I deserve cake for surviving those needles. If I feel up to it this evening, I will finish the eclipse post.

Awwww, Tuxie's little hot pink paw beans! And Moo's little fuzzy head! (-:

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A very happy birthday to the most excellent Fooder1

baranduin!!! I hope you are spending a relaxing evening with warm Harry floof, and even Harry himself, and wonderful birthday treats. :-D

Moo and Tuxie would like to send their greetings--take it away, you two:

Moo: Happy Birthday, Baranduin!!! I woke up from my nap just to say that. You should be honored. Hey, King of the Mountain! You going to wish Baranduin a happy birthday?

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A very happy birthday to the most excellent Fooder1

Moo: Happy Birthday, Baranduin!!! I woke up from my nap just to say that. You should be honored. Hey, King of the Mountain! You going to wish Baranduin a happy birthday?

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Our leaves peaked Friday and are past peak today. So there's as much brown and bare as color now, but there's still a lot of color and green still yet to turn. It's been a beautiful week here. This pic is from 2 weeks ago:

Cats: Tuxie is doing well. I succeeded in doing 2 blood glucose curves on him a couple of weeks back--the first day was really high, but he was just getting over whatever digestive upset he had--whether it was from a lot of bad food or a virus. The next day, his values were very normal and his tests at the vet went well, except for raised pancreatic values, like me and Moo had. I need to start spot checking him, but I wanted his ears to recover from the pin cushion I had made of them. It's been great to see him climbing both cat trees again and he's been a cuddle bun. Moo is still being a painfully slow eater who I have to monitor for a good hour or so in the morning and evening so her food doesn't get devoured by the Tuxie monster--good thing they're cute.

Health: I had a tooth pulled and just got the sutures out yesterday. In 3 weeks I'll have an implant put in. I'm on celebrex for my foot and pinched neck nerve pain. I've had a couple of podiatrist appointments, am sleeping with a night splint on my left foot, which is helping, and getting orthotics made. More appointments to go. The neuropathy in my left arm from the pinched neck nerve is still troublesome, but the celebrex is helping with the pain some. Unless it gets a lot better in the next couple of weeks, I'll probably need to do some traction therapy for it this winter to try to stretch the neck discs some, after I get through with the dentist and podiatrist. I'm just not sure what that's going to require time-wise and whether I'll have enough work leave time for it. The hot flash and anxiety problems are ongoing.

I met up with a science fiction meet-up group for lunch at the Museum of the American Indians cafe in DC. I had my first fry bread, but it wasn't hot, so not that good--will have to get fresher fry bread sometime. I even had breakfast at Denny's that morning for my full Thomas-Builds-the-Fire experience, but driving into DC made me nervous, and my anxiety level was a little high to make the day fun, what with the election and my personal chemistry. There were beautiful beaded clips in the gift shop that made me think of

deluxvivens. I've been thinking of her quite a bit lately. I really miss her. Walks in the autumn beauty and framing pics of it, snuggling cats, and good novels remain the best medicine for me. And watching SNL election skits online really helps.

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Happy Birthday,

supergee and Happy Belated Birthday,

gale_storm!!! I hope they are the start of great years for you.

Here, have some excellent cats!!!

Tuxie and Moo in proximity, engaging in their strenuous morning routine.

Mooshka and her very pink ear interiors.

*hugs*

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Tuxie and his little shaved leg.

TUXIE

Tuxie is doing lots better. When he first came home after 3 nights at the emergency clinic 2 weeks ago, he was so full of love, he nuzzled me for hours--he's usually more of a rub against your legs or a short rub to your hand if he's liking being petted, but if he could have purred himself into my pores he would have, he wanted to be so close. He rubbed on Moo as if she was Saki, and got hisses to back off, then she came up and snuffled his face, so it was OK. He's since gotten back to his usual more self-contained sweet self.

The great thing is his neuropathy has reversed. He's walking totally on his toes and jumping into the bathroom window and on the sunroom cat tree like he hasn't in almost 2 years, which is wonderful to see. He's still looking interestedly at the kitty condo in the living room without jumping on it, so I don't know if his neuropathy is all the way better, but it's something. The vet lowered his insulin dose when I saw him the week before, and we'll see if it can be reduced further when we see the vet this week. I don't know if he's going into full remission, or just will be able to be on a small dose of insulin from now on--I'm sure hoping for remission. So the seizure may be due to having been able to get the carbs out of his diet a few weeks ago, but we can't know for sure without doing a brain MRI, which involves anesthesia, which I'm not willing to put him through, anytime soon at least. He's on an anti-seizure pill I give him twice a day for 3 months--he loves pill pockets, so it's easy.

I got a pet glucosemeter, lancets, and test strips, so if he ever has another seizure, I'll know if he is hypo- or hyperglycemic, and know whether he needs insulin or a sugar source, so I don't make the same mistake I made this time that made things worse. I got a lesson on using it at the vet, but I have some reading up to do on how to set it up still--bleh.

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Ms. Moo aka Princess Holstein the Winsome (called Mooshka by her minion) would like to wish

crantz a very happy birthday, provided it does not require her to get up out of her throne, getting up being quite tedious.

However, if dry kibble is provided at the birthday party, she will so grace it with her presence in a flash--just say the word . . . national boundaries are not a problem; oh no, they are not.

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/213229.html

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Thank you for all your hugs and support. Yesterday was tough. Tuxie had more seizures yesterday morning after I left him and they were giving him valium, but once the seizures stopped, they started him on keppra in the afternoon and when I got to see him he was pretty doped up, but enjoyed catnip rubs and being petted asleep. They really weren't sure what was going on yet.

He hasn't had any more seizures and the doctor today thinks all of it is more likely blood sugar related than other brain issues, so she doesn't think the ultrasound is necessary (it's been a different doctor each day--that's how things roll at the emergency clinic). She says he is responding well now and they are starting him on his insulin at a lower dosage and we will see how he does. He could go home tonight, but it might be a better idea to keep him overnight--I'd rather have his blood sugar be monitored for 24 hours after starting his insulin again, frankly. I will go visit him this evening regardless. He is still blind--it could take days or weeks to return, or not at all.

I didn't get home until after 4 am Tuesday night, so I'm still exhausted and headachy and shaky today. I'm lucky to be teleworking at home.

Moo seems to be doing fine--I don't know what she thinks of Tuxie not being here. She ate more wet food this morning than she had been--a good ounce--only the one wet food so far seems to be acceptable among other flavors and brands I've tried. But she hasn't been eating much over 1 ounce a day, which I don't think is enough, so I'm giving her a little dry food at night again. I do not know if the removal of dry food changed Tuxie's balance or not, but it could have been the cause--it may be that he needs less insulin from now on if we get through this. He was eating more of his wet food, and has been eating well at the vets still. He will need to be on the keppra for 3 months. I hope to hear from our vet Dr C today and hope maybe he can shed more light on why Tuxie was having a low blood sugar seizure when I got home 14 hours after his last insulin dose before I dosed him. I wish I had gone home sooner. I am very tired.

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/212123.html

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For the last 20+ years that I've been walking around Greenbelt Lake, more often than not there has been one Great Blue heron about. I think for many years it may have been the same one. A year or so back it wasn't around much, and since then we've had a smaller more rumpled looking one around. Now it's been joined by a Great Egret. A regular I see by the lake said he's seen 3 of the egrets, But so far I've only seen the one.

Great Egret (for some reason this pic isn't showing up on DW--link on the link to LJ below to see it)
( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/211685.html

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So I did go out to grocery shop yesterday, but since the water was almost too hot on Thursday night, I flaked on going to the pool this weekend. Not a lot done, but thank you so much to my friends who help me to not feel too bad about that.

Here's some critters I've seen by the lake over the past month for you:

I believe that is an American Painted Lady butterfly.

( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/210716.html

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Moo and Tuxie planned to do a little dance for your birthday,

febobe, but as you can see . . .

. . . they are very, very busy cats. It takes a lot of work and dedication to prepare to win the only feline Olympic sport and they are working very hard at their form here. They hope to bring back the gold in the synchronized team division.

Happy Birthday, dear

febobe!!! May you have a gold medal birthday with fun, yummies, and love today with your folks!!! (((((You)))))

Also posted at http://lavendertook.dreamwidth.org/201841.html with

comments

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Moo and Tuxie planned to do a little dance for your birthday,

febobe, but as you can see . . .

Happy Birthday, dear

febobe!!! May you have a gold medal birthday with fun, yummies, and love today with your folks!!! (((((You)))))

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A very happy birthday to dear

mews1945!!! I hope today is filled with love and all good things and that you feel a little stronger each day. Here are some pretties and fuzzies from around Greenbelt Lake, and thereabouts for you.

A sweet william in all their variety of colors that was blooming in May by the lake.

A deer in the woods behind my apartment building who was very fascinated by my talking to him in baby talk--so many critters seem to just love that.

A squirrel by the lake feasting at a lakeside house's yard where they put out bird seed.

( Read more... )

Also posted at http://lavendertook.dreamwidth.org/201138.html with

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A very happy birthday to dear

A sweet william in all their variety of colors that was blooming in May by the lake.

A deer in the woods behind my apartment building who was very fascinated by my talking to him in baby talk--so many critters seem to just love that.

A squirrel by the lake feasting at a lakeside house's yard where they put out bird seed.

( Read more... )

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KVETCHING

A lot of annoying times for me these past 3 weeks, in addition to the upsetting world angst. Nothing life shattering for me--I'm just bent out of shape like it was--shape up self! Car repairs that took 2 days and resulted in having to replace the radiator and fan assembly. At the same time, I had a maintenance person in for 2 days working on the drip that had become a stream from my bathtub faucet and had to keep calling on him when the first days work resulted in not all the water going up to the shower head when switched, until he came up with a makeshift solution, which I hope holds.

Then the next week my bedroom ac stopped working. That took a week and a lot of calling, waiting for contractors who did not show up, hot nights, then the maintenance man making my sunroom into a mess when he brought in a portable ac. It was finally fixed Tuesday.

( Read more... )

( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/206898.html

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"Oh no!" says Moo, hiding her head under a pillow:

"It's past midnight where

julchen11 is and surely she's gone to bed and we missed wishing her a happy birthday!!!!

"Well, maybe she won't mind seeing birthday wishes when she wakes up," says Tuxie, "so I'm going to say, Happy Birthday, Julchen, no matter how hard spell check tries to change her name to I don't know what!!!

"I guess you're right, Tuxie. Happy Birthday, Gulches! Gulches? It's Julchen, you stupid computer--I said, Happy Birthday, Gulches!!! Oh, it did it again--STOP that!!!! JULCHEN!!!! Happy Birthday, Julchen!!!"

We brought you some mountain laurel blooms and hope you had a lovely day!!!!

Also posted at http://lavendertook.dreamwidth.org/197801.html with

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"Oh no!" says Moo, hiding her head under a pillow:

"It's past midnight where

julchen11 is and surely she's gone to bed and we missed wishing her a happy birthday!!!!

We brought you some mountain laurel blooms and hope you had a lovely day!!!!

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I have this pair of New Balance sneakers that don't quite match.

Either that's an "N" when Moo stretches out like that, or a "Z" for Zorro! In any event, today is her and her son Tuxie's designated approximate birthdays! Today Moo is 11 and Tuxie is 10. Happy Birthday to my silly Interlopers, who 10 years ago were strays outside my building, and decided being inside with cushions was best.

Happy Birthday Mooshka and Tuxie Tinuviel! Also posted at http://lavendertook.dreamwidth.org/195060.html with

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I have this pair of New Balance sneakers that don't quite match.

Either that's an "N" when Moo stretches out like that, or a "Z" for Zorro!

In any event, today is her and her son Tuxie's designated approximate birthdays! Today Moo is 11 and Tuxie is 10. Happy Birthday to my silly Interlopers, who 10 years ago were strays outside my building, and decided being inside with cushions was best.

Happy Birthday Mooshka and Tuxie Tinuviel!

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A very happy birthday to

baranduin from Moo and Tuxie and me!!!! Moo and Tuxie ask Scout, Teddy, and Harry to give their Fooder 1 lots of love and purrs today, and no surprises to step on.

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/195816.html

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Today is 2 months since I lost Saki. I'm doing a much better job this month of focusing on being grateful for the 16 years I had in the company of that magnificent cat-being than on the sadness of her ending. There are days, and times, but it's not as raw as last month. I am so grateful for the support from my flist friends who held me up during the worst of it. I couldn't get through without you. Thank you. (((((((FLIST)))))

Below is another favorite pic, this of Herself with a wool catnip-filled mouse an old friend made and sent for her. She tended to love her newest toy and her newest bed most, but her fondness for this mouse lasted many years and it stayed in her latest beds.

It's also 9 years today since my dad died--tomorrow would have been his 88th birthday. The 15th will be 5 months since Mom died. He and Mom have 4 siameses tucked around them, but maybe Saki is visiting with them tonight, too.

Is that a smiling kitten cat, or is that a smiling kitten cat? So fluffy sweet and soft, but look at the strength in that possessive paw. THIS MOUSE. IS MINE. GO ME! LOVE U.

( Read more... )

Also posted at http://lavendertook.dreamwidth.org/188651.html with

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Is that a smiling kitten cat, or is that a smiling kitten cat? So fluffy sweet and soft, but look at the strength in that possessive paw. THIS MOUSE. IS MINE. GO ME! LOVE U.

( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/195079.html

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My beautiful girl with her little crossed paws, contemplative:

( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/191273.html

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It's almost 3 weeks since I lost my beautiful girl. The first 2 weeks were definitely the worst with all the second guessing and self berating and pity of her passing--this week has been up and down but a little higher up the spiral of being able to accept her passing and just grieving and missing her. I had the pleasure of phone conversations with

grey_wonderer and

zlabya the past week and that helped immensely--thank you my friends. And thank you so much for all the support in wonderful comments you have all been giving me. I am very grateful to have you helping me get through my new life without my pirate, princess, and steel-driving cat with me.

For the last couple of years, Saki would more often than not sleep at night in her little bed next to my pillow. Often times when I'd reach over my hand, she'd wrap her paw around it or my wrist, or lay her head in my hand, or both. There was a time she used to sleep on my pillow around my head purring in winter--that was definitely before my hot flashes and my acquiring a chillow. Wherever she was, she always loved for me to lower my head so she could snuffle the very top of my head for a few moments, like Galadriel kissing Frodo's head.

( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/189185.html

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Happy birthday, dear

mews1945!!!!!

Here's some summer flowers from Greenbelt Lake to celebrate your birthday.

And now here's some fuzzies:

Ms. Moo is all boxed and ready to come to be delivered for your birthday!

And here's the Comeback Kid, Ms. Saki, who is 3 lbs more than she was a couple years ago and did her cardio exercises running up the hallway stairs today, here to say Happy Birthday to you.

And here is Mr. Tuxie Tinuviel, dressed in his best for your birthday.

We hope it has been a lovely one. *hugs* <3

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/182112.html

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Moo would like to wish

hanarobi a happy birthday by telling her all about her birthday party the beginning of last month when she turned 10 and that insufferable Tuxie turned 9. And it wasn't that annoying Saki's birthday either, which made it an even better day.

( A swell party . . . )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/180082.html

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Happy Belated Birthday,

monkey5s!!!! And look how excited my furry household is about it, too . . .

. . . well, maybe not, but you know how furry households are. May the days of sun and snowlessness increase for the year in your honor!

Also posted at http://lavendertook.dreamwidth.org/173409.html with

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Happy Belated Birthday,

monkey5s!!!! And look how excited my furry household is about it, too . . .

. . . well, maybe not, but you know how furry households are. May the days of sun and snowlessness increase for the year in your honor!

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Best way to surprise someone for their birthday is to pick a day that is in no way near their birthday! And the lucky birthday grrl this time is the one and only

baranduin!

You see, back on Halloween weekend last fall, I was visited by a pair of Valkitties. And here's what they had to say:

Minion. We want you to wish

baranduin a happy birthday.

Tell the minion when that glorious day is.

( HiyaHoyaHiyaHoyaMeOW!MEOW! . . . )

Crossposts: http://lavendertook.livejournal.com/177914.html

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