Ah, Gator

Yesterday afternoon Gator started vomiting.  It was around 4:45p and then about every hour there after.  7p was the most violent and that’s when I went to check the medicine cabinet.  Turns out the medicine that I needed to use was from 2010 and being a syrup it had crystalized.  Damn.  Time to call the vet.  I got 3 options

1 – Withhold food/water for 12 hours

2 – Come over for medicine

3 – Come in for an office visit

They of course were on Emergency Hours but since one of the vets that I see was there she didn’t charge me the Emergency Fee, which now is up to $345 just to walk in the door.  That’s no medicine, testing or anything just the office visit. 

I of course opted to go in.  I had to wait a couple hours to be seen but of course when we walked in the door Gator went back to normal.  I think taking her to the vet was the cure all.  However, the vet gave her a large dose of an anti-nausea medicine.  She heard her wheeze and said that it sounded like she had something Upper Respiratory going on.  It’s been there since the summer.  For that she got a long acting injection of an antibiotic.  She has lost 3 pounds despite her hearty appetite and that’s since April.  Not a good sign.  I opted to have her routine blood work done to find out what was going on internally with her kidney values.  I do not expect good news.  I didn’t have to have the blood work done but I wanted to know it will aid in treatment. 

We talked about her bathroom issues and how she strains so much.  For that she now will start taking a stool softener, just like a human.  I have to cut the capsule and squirt a couple drops on her food.  Of course I don’t have any of it so I had to Amazon it.  It will be here on Thursday.  I just hope she is still with me. 

It was a very expensive evening as you can well imagine not to mention stressful on both Gator and me.  She ate a little bit of food when we finally got home but she mostly wanted to cuddle. 

I woke up at 4a and while I didn’t want to check on her, something inside made me.  I of course wound up waking her up and she was happy to see me.  I offered her some food but she wasn’t interested.  She mostly wanted company.  I sat with her for a bit.  Then returned to bed.  I heard her cry and went to check on her.  She was fine.  I returned to bed and then heard the same cry.  I did nothing and some how she managed to slinky into my room and I heard her breathing in her bed next to mine.  She was watching TV with me.  I finally was able to fall back to sleep. 

Woke up a few minutes before the alarm.  She heard me stretching and getting out of bed.  She did the same and cried out to let me know she was up.  I greeted her and she looked pleased to see me.  She acted like she wanted food.  I grabbed something for her and she of course wasn’t interested. 

I ate and got dressed.  Learned that overnight she managed to pee by the water fountain which is highly unusual and out of character for her.  Cleaned up that mess.  Just before I headed downstairs I found her by the water fountain.  I opened a can of Beef Gravy.  She loves gravy so I figured it would be a natural winner and she nibbled on it ever so slightly but not enough to make a dent.  She wanted water.  I went to start my day and then checked on her.  I found her in the same spot. 

I called over to the vet to find out if the nausea medication would suppress her appetite.  The person on the phone told me it’s common to see a decreased appetite after a dose of the medicine so hopefully by this afternoon things start perking up.  If not then tomorrow morning.  If she isn’t eating by then it’s time to call but I can call as early as tonight if I want.  Kind of give it some time and things may turn around. 

It feels like I am in the death spiral.  It’s a strange feeling but right now that is where my gut is telling me we are headed.  Hopefully, it’s wrong.  I mean she is old and it’s not off the wall to think that she is going to check out but that doesn’t mean that I am giving up on her. 

I sifted through the baby food and managed to find 2 cans that are still good to use.  The rest I threw away.  I had just remarked on Sunday that I needed to clean that up and probably buy more food.  It’s a cheap insurance policy if she loses her appetite baby food is a great way to get a cat to start eating again.  I’ve also got an appetite stimulant but it takes 3 days to fully work and I wouldn’t give that to her without talking with the vet first.  The baby food is high on the list of things to try this afternoon/evening if she isn’t back to eating again. 

It’s the holiday season and I really need her now.  I told her not to give up on me or check out.  There never is going to be a good time for us to part ways but damn please don’t do it around a holiday. 

I’m glad that I am off the rest of the week but kind of wishing right now that I didn’t have a doctors appointment scheduled for me.  I can always cancel but for now I am leaving my plans alone.  I really hope that this afternoon she returns to eating normally and I can exhale and get rid of this awful feeling that I am going to lose her.  I’m scared and alone which is awful.  Yet another reason why I don’t like being alone. 

What I think caused all of this is that she managed to step in her litter box deposit yesterday and I spent part of my lunch hour yesterday cleaning her up, which was not a fun task.  I used a baby wipe and I think she perhaps she did some grooming afterwards and that is what caused this.  The vet said the baby wipes were fine to use but I still feel like if we could have avoided that then she wouldn’t be where she is now.  Water under the bridge. 

Stay tuned and I will let you know how this turns out.  It’s difficult to work and concentrate.  Last I checked on her she was in my room sleeping like she normally does.  Rest for her right now is a good thing.  Cheers!