New Rules
Okay, first it was my old pal of 18 years, The Pudster:
"The Pudster"
And then it was my good friend Shannon.
And then my dad suddenly and unexpectedly died.
And now my beloved Young Jeff has been getting more and more brokener almost everyday. The vet took some blood today so she could test for... well, some really bad stuff... you know, the kind of stuff that could spell Curtains.
"Young Jeff"
So, the short version is... I've had it.
From now on, unless you are immortal and also have world-class luck (as in, you have never had an accident in your life -- not even slightly stubbing your toe), you may no longer enter my affections.
Don't worry. All of you about whom I already care (even slightly), you'll be grandfathered in. I could hardly solve The Problem by suddenly treating you like you had died or something.
But the rest of you shmucks, don't even think of trying to get me to care about you. Unless you are, you know, like I said, invulnerable to harm and decay.
I'm over it. Get me?
This is very difficult to deal with. We lost three dogs and a cat within the span of four months. They were all in their late teens. You have our utmost sympathies.
Posted by: m | January 03, 2006 at 07:39 PM
:-( i'm very sorry to hear that
Posted by: jaymirror | January 04, 2006 at 01:59 PM
Well, all of the blood test results so far are good. He doesn't have any of the terrible viruses we were dreading finding. Still some more tests to come back, somewhat less dire consequences if positive.
I just wish they had Drama Queen Panel they could run on him. Now that would come back lit up like a Christmas Tree.
But there really is something wrong with him. We just can't figure out what, and in the meantime all of the palliative stuff we've been doing works for a while, then doesn't, then works again.
Right at the moment he is being His Old Self again. The next Hourly Update could well be different.
Posted by: Corpsy | January 04, 2006 at 02:49 PM
I'm sorry your cat is sick. This isn't the time for a screed about life and love and death, though it's got me thinking of one...so I'll just say Bright Blessings, and I hope all will be well.
Some friends of mine had a cat that came down with feline diabetes. They started giving him insulin, without much hope. Gradually he needed less and less of it, for no apparent reason, until he didn't need any. He's now one fat and happy big black cat!
May it be so with Young Jeff as well. (Except for the black part...)
Posted by: Xopher | January 05, 2006 at 03:02 PM
Yeah, "transient diabetes". It happens with cats. If they are going to get over it, though, they usually get over it within six months. Poor ol' Jeff has been diabetic for 7 or 8 years.
The vet is thinking Young Jeff has cancer. Instinctively, I agree with her. I've known this cat 15 years. I know him like the hairs on the flesh of my arm, and he just ain't himself anymore. We're treating his symptoms and he is responding OK, most of the time. But I'm not blind to the fact that he's losing ground.
He's such a sweet little nightmare. He almost croaked when I was out of town seeing to the details of my dad's passing. That would have been about the last straw at that moment, but the little bugger managed to wrench it back onto the highway and recover once I got home. I feel like I got a second chance with him, at least a chance to be with him and say good-bye when/if he Goes Away.
But who knows? He's a tough little bastard for a chronically ill cat. Maybe he'll wrench this one back onto the road, too. Just a few minutes ago he took a swipe at me when I neglected to pay sufficient obeyance to him as I walked past him in the hall.
That's the crabby old Young Jeff we know and love.
Posted by: Corpsy | January 05, 2006 at 10:21 PM