Laurie's Heart Update

Friday, December 18, 2009

Dec 18: 1:15 -2:00 am Concern for Zerla

Spent several hours on the phone, on call, had to get out the fax machine from the closet, unfortunately that involved disturbing Zerla. Her favorite place out of the three set up for her in the study is in the closet on a pillow. I was able to move her out on the pillow, and she watched the rest of the back and forth with the fax machine with interest. By 10 pm everything was done, I carried her out on the couch and put her next to me. Her collar was off, she could groom with me next to her making sure she didn't pull at the sutures and I could watch TV while Tabitha happily settled on my lap.

About 30 mins later Zerla had a seizure. It lasted about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Her eyes rolled back, she twitched all over, wasn't breathing, didn't respond to me. But she came out of it and a minute later started cleaning herself. She moved over to be alongside of me, her favorite position, I stayed watching TV much later than normal to have the quality time with her, stroking her.

The vet told me when I picked her up that he's suspicious that she has Cushing's Syndrome, which is when too much cortisol (steroid) is secreted. This would explain the difficulty with her soft tissues in the knees. It could be coming from her kidneys or pituitary, he said to wait a couple months and then we'd test her. He seemed to indicate that medication would help, but my research on line indicates that surgery is better for cats but it has a high mortality rate. I don't think either one of us could go through that.

Getting her settled tonight she is clearly in pain. It's been three weeks since the first knee surgery, but her last procedure on both sides was just 10 days ago. She's had her knees operated on five times total during four surgeries. After eating and drinking a little she walked, with great difficulty, across the room and settled herself in the back of the closet where the fax machine had been. Her breathing seemed labored, she was crying when she moved about.

Checking in several times over the last hour she's more comfortable, gave me her usual purring as soon as I started petting her. I'm putting this down to pain, with the decision to not race off to the vet (an hour away but open 24 hours) because if something more is wrong then enough is enough. She's been through so much and has many more weeks of recovery. I don't regret any of the surgeries, when I took her in for the first one it was clear she couldn't live with the kneecap popping out every few steps and everything else has just snowballed from there. The concerning thing is that the morning I took her for the first surgery what went through my mind was "Whatever happens, I know there was no choice but to get this done". It was a foreboding sense that things were not going to go well.

She's such a loving, sweet cat. A little shy, hides from people, but when she is found and fussed over she just purrs and purrs. She's the only one who comes to comfort me if I cry, lying alongside me on the couch or getting on the chair next to me and reaching out to put her paw gently on my leg. She's done that dozens of times in the last six years, it's very deliberate. She loves to be fed, quietly waiting by her bowl as KC loudly meows and paces back and forth. She poises herself like a fuzzy gargoyle over Tabitha, hoping to sneak some bites after she's done eating and before I take away the bowl. She never demands attention, like Chester and Tabitha do, just waits patiently to be recognized. I'm not ready to lose her.

Just needed to update, because it's certainly too late to call anyone. Laurie

3 Comments:

  • At 8:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey, sweetie - I'm hurting for both you and Zerla - believe me, if anything ever happened to CornFed, I'd be heartbroken - i love how cats always seem to know when it's time to be quiet and just... be... ya know? just the togetherness is sweet...
    take care.. hugs from Auntie Carol!

     
  • At 8:28 PM, Blogger Barbara Preuninger said…

    Poor kitty. I remember how sweet she was during the time I took care of them during your second surgery. I'm glad she can still find pleasure snuggling up next to you!

     
  • At 1:43 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Laurie,

    Well you need to have a heart to heart with that cat, she needs to help you through this time with Martha. Zerla clearly needs to understand she still as work to do.

    I hope somehow Martha is able to see Emma preform.

    everyone in my thoughts and prayers, have a safe holiday.
    Deneen

     

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