Boo

We made the impossible decision after speaking with the vet to put Boo down today. He was miserable, so we didn't wait for the evening tests to tell us what we already knew, that he wouldn't come away from this. John went to be there with him and held him (he was John's favorite cat). It's been an awful day/week, but we're fine.

I can't begin to express to all of you, both new and regular blog friends of mine, for your uplifting prayer and encouragement. We drove to the vet's office yesterday to say goodbye to Boo and hold him. Cody couldn't do it, it was just too hard. When we got there, John was stuck in traffic, so we held him for quite some time and I got the chance to revisit with the doctor. She was incredibly compassionate and never once made me feel like "Come on lady, this is just a cat, how many times do I have to explain this to you?!" Instead, she carefully reviewed everything until I had all the answers I needed. After speaking with her, I called John to confirm with him and told the vet to keep him on his pain killers and antibiotics and let's see what one more day of IV fluids does for his kidneys. His levels decreased quite a lot yesterday, but he was still not up and about.





I think she felt it was the right choice, but she didn't want me to feel badly if we didn't make it. I appreciate that. This afternoon we'll call the vet again and see. If his levels show more improvement AND he isn't in too much pain, we'll keep him going through the weekend and hopefully bring him home. It's what we're praying for. And I'm asking you to pray one more day for Boo, that he can recover.


We don't know what God's will in this is, and we won't keep him in pain one more day, but this is so hard. His presence is missed so much. I miss picking up rubber band for my work batches all over the floor (he tosses them around) and I miss him loudly moaning for the girl kitty in the neighborhood with no tail who sits by the basement patio door and stares at him staring at her from behind the glass. I miss him chasing GiGi (our girly girl kitty) around the house all night long, terrorizing her with his attention. Yes, he's fixed, can you IMAGINE how he'd be were he not?! So pray for our plain old black cat Boo with the flat head and the crooked little point in his tail. We'd like to keep him around a lot longer.

I'll be back tomorrow with a giveaway. And now, off to teach. And I'm determined to get to all the great bloggers (you) who have been so supportive. AND for spreading the word about the extreme toxicity of the lily plant to cats.

Urgent Warning: Lily Plants

I'm very thankful for your encouragement, and especially for your prayers, they've been felt.

I spoke with the vet this morning, Boo isn't doing much better, but we'll hold off until this afternoon and recheck his kidney numbers, which are high. For instance a normal BUN is 14-36. Boo's is 346. I asked again why...what would cause this in such a young cat. She didn't know, but suspected something he's been exposed to, it could be anything, such as a plant like a lily plant......

My heart sank. It all came together and I feel so stupid. I brought three lily plants home from church last Wednesday with the intention of meeting my friend Velma and taking them to the nursing home we visit. I put them on the kitchen floor on Thursday morning, so the timeline makes sense.

From what I read, there isn't a lot short of a miracle that will help him now and I feel incredibly bad about this. I brought them in! And I'm extremely grateful the other cats haven't gotten into them yet (I put them outside the second I hung up the phone). I wanted to go ahead and post this because this time of year, many of us might have Easter Lily plants sitting in our homes and like me, may not realize they're extremely toxic to cats. I did a quick search on the web, and sure enough every symptom they listed are symptoms we see in Boo.

What's a Boo Worth?

Just when I had my evening planned out, didn't take on any work yesterday so I could finish a PowerPoint layout, and was feeling good about my timeline, poof!

Last night I hung out at the animal emergency room with Cody's cat, Boo. He'd been pretty lethargic for a few days and last night Cody brought him down to tell me he was worried. So I took him! They prodded him a little, took his temp, weight and I think they gave him an eye exam.

The atmosphere was extremely sober. The tech handed me a paper breaking down how much it would cost to get a good grip on his condition. $686. I steal a glance at Alex, who is so worried and petting Boo as he laid on the exam table. "Ummm.....oh! I see....well..." Shoot! I hate this part! This is the vet to whom I held out this cat with teary eyes, urging him, voice breaking up, to help this precious darling who isn't just a pet but has a place setting at our table and has his own recliner! And now I must somehow say "Oh... okay, huh! Well, how much would a cat aspirin cost? I mean, look! He's looking better already!" I avoid looking at the ball of black with the skin on his neck still standing up from the dehydration check (severely dehydrated), crouching in an attempt to ease the obvious pain in his abdomen.

Sigh. "Okay, well, what would it take for you to get him through the night? I'll take him to our vet in the morning" I'm calculating costs, I'm going to need to return the new hair straightener I bought earlier along with the cool brushed metal shower curtain rod for the boys' bathroom. Maybe Alex's socks, I'm not sure yet. I did have a coupon for the socks, maybe I'll hold onto them. The tech tells me she'll need to go back, talk to the vet and work up another estimate. She exits the door to that secret place nobody ever gets more than a fleeting glimpse of as the vet comes and goes. I'm starting to feel as if a car deal is going down and she's running my offer by 'the boss'. They took him back, gave him hydration and some pain shots (they say, or at least that's what the $44 shot administration fee said on the paper...who knows if he had them. Boo didn't mention it last night on the drive home). We left the office less $202.

This morning I took him to our vet. He's there now, an x-ray revealed his kidney is inflamed and blood tests are in order. Of course they are! I left him there to be pumped with fluids and to await the course of treatment. I didn't ask. What good would it do me today anyway? Alright, better log off. I need to go round up some things to sell on Craig's List now, call the grocery store and see if they'll take the Oreos back if only a few were eaten. If you're looking for a nice little philanthropy cause, I know this black cat...............

Wordless Wednesday--Awww No, Not Again!

Halloween behind them, Boo and Jack-O-Lantern (Jack Jack) steal away for some much needed rest....awww

Awww, Louie, you'r bigger than they are, take back your bed!

For More Wordless Wednesday Posts, Go HERE! And head over to Five Minutes For Mom too!

Wordless Wednesday

He's a big boy now, but we sure had fun with him when we got him! We have a Jack (short for Jack-O-Lantern) too--he's orange. It's the most wonderful time of the year..........

**I can't get my Wordless Wednesday Link to work...so if you want to play, go over to Bridget's blog (And Miles To Go...)--she'll show you the way!

Happy WW!!!

Happy 16th Birthday To Cody! (and his cat Boo)

He's my 32 hours story...a real-life 32 hour, giant head suctioned out, umbilical cord wrapped around neck story. He was the baby I was seven months pregnant with when one afternoon watching Oprah, saw patients of my OB who delivered Niki and would be delivering him. They were telling Oprah about how he was being investigated for hypnotizing and molesting his patients. Mmmhmm, that's right. Murphy was my friend even back then! Because we had already paid him and had no maternity insurance, I had to keep seeing him (he was like 80 years old too, ewww!). But John didn't miss a single appointment from that point on! :) He was his Papa Poirier's first grandson. Dad couldn't GET to the hospital fast enough to see for himself. A man who had three girls and one granddaughter, he resigned himself to girls girls girls and more girls. More than that, as the years went by, his Papa Poirier grew to really like him. My dad was a great influence on Cody and saw the amazing child in him that John and I saw. There was a unique connection between the two of them. When at ten years old he lost Dad, he took it quite hard. We struggled when Niki and Cody were young; we did without 'stuff' so I could be home with them. Cody took this in stride, and never complained that he didn't have nearly as much as his cousins or friends had. He always accepted no if I didn't have quarters for the gumball machine at the front of the store, saying 'that's okay, maybe another time' (kid you not!). He really did wear the 'jean' shorts I sewed for him out of faux jean fabric. I think that's why now, while he doesn't want to have a lot of clothes, he picks his clothes carefully and won't buy something he 'might' wear. I think he'd probably like a pair of faux denim shorts for his birthday, don't you?
Now things are different, yet we truly wouldn't trade those formative years for anything in the world. I didn't think I'd say that back then, but I am. And I mean it. It helped Cody develop an appreciation for what he has and empathy for others who don't have. Cody takes his dedication to God seriously and I sometimes find I learn from him, not the other way around!So rather than list all the accomplishments Cody has made with his grades, sports, whatever, I'm just gonna tell you he loves God. He respects people. His Papa Poirier would be unbelievably proud of this boy's life so far. John and I are humbled by his character. We won't take credit for him, he's definitely a product of God's amazing work. So we thank Him for the gift of raising Cody--how lucky we are!

Cody dancing with his sister! (Kathleen! pshh!)