Winding Down

I went to bed after that last entry. Butterscotch is doing more sneezing now - poor guy has allergies.

Another poor night's sleep. I awoke at about 5 again, and went to move from a curled up position to stretched out. Something stopped my feet - it was Butterscotch sleeping on the foot of my bed. Good thing I have a queen size bed.

I fell back asleep for a while and had the most horrible dream. The only thing I recall is that Butterscotch couldn't breathe - at all. However, I was calling him Molly (a previous roommate's cat). The only thing I could think to do was squeeze his abdomen to get whatever blockage out of the way. To no avail. I woke up just whimpering. Very unpleasant.

I got up and cleaned. With building the new bedroom shelves, I had one of those instances where when improving organization it's necessary to make a big mess, except I never finished cleaning up. In the midst of doing this, I discovered my chat client isn't working on my computer, which I use for work and play. Argh. I'm going to reinstall Windows after this entry to try and fix that. If entries stop appearing, you know why. <g>

I let Butterscotch outside in his harness while I had breakfast and cleaned. He just laid in the bushes, hunter that he is. I finally brought him in for a while, but put him out in the front so that I could vacuum - he hates the vacuum, and I want to minimize his breathing dust for his allergies. I was vacuuming the front room when I heard a dog barking. Uh oh. Butterscotch had scurried under the porch. I pulled him out and brought him in. He was a bit aroused from that.

Cynthia came over and had a session with him around noon. She remarked on how white his gums where, and I noted that he hadn't been eating or drinking much today. She let me know that I've been counting his pulse wrong. What I thought was one beat was actually two, which means that his pulse hasn't been 100 bpm consistently, it's been 200. Oops. I decided, and Cynthia agreed, to call Dr. Wagner and take him in, as I'd rather take him in today than tonight or this weekend. I made lunch while she finished with him, and we had some rice and soup.

I picked up my sleeping cat and took him to the hospital. I drove past my sister Julie walking down the street with flowers and balloons for her birthday (I won't say which one...). Butterscotch just laid in my lap on the ride, while he usually is standing looking out - yup, he's winding down. He complained just a little as we neared the hospital.

Twyla (sp?), a fourth year student, did his intake. She was very considerate, but Butterscotch was less than thrilled, doing his low growl through the whole thing. Actually, shortly after we showed up, he was getting antsy in the waiting room. When's the last time he went to the bathroom? Hours ago. hmmmm. Sure enough, once we got in the exam room, he started squatting on the exam table. I asked Twyla to get a litter tray, but I put him in the sink anyway. Yup, right there in the sink. I cleaned him and the sink up, just as Twyla was bringing the litter tray. <g> I know my cat.

She went to find Dr. Wagner, and I sat on the bench. Butterscotch came up and sat in my lap, curling up into a little ball while I held and petted him. Poor guy is tired. Dr. Wagner came in and let me know his PCV was 8 or 9. She explained that they have to figure out what to give him for blood, as they don't have any packed cells that match him - they ordered them on Monday and they normally take one day, but they haven't arrived yet. They can either give him a transfusion of whole blood from a cat there at the school, or Oxyglobin, a product made from cow blood that carries oxygen like red cells. I asked if he could get two units of blood, etc., to minimize his trips to the hospital. Apparently, he would go through two units given simultaneously faster than two units given sequentially. That decides that.

Because it was rather late in the day, she stated he might be spending the night. I told her that all things being equal on their end, I'd rather come get him, at ANY time, so that he could be home at night. We'll see.

I then paid the deposit for this visit and left. Interesting experience as I walked out the front door. I thought instantly of the movie sliding doors, a movie about interesting life intersections. As I was walking out of the front door I heard the Marching Band practicing on the field that is kind of kitty corner (no pun) to the vet hospital. They were playing On Wisconsin. Way back then I'd have never considered that I'd be bringing an animal here to the Vet Hospital. My life is VERY different now than it was back then. I wouldn't go back for anything.

I came back and had some more rice and soup. While it's a bit of a respite from the worry to not have the boy here with me, I don't like it. He hates being at the hospital. Hopefully they will finish in a few hours, and I can bring him home tonight.

I'm now going to reinstall Windows to fix a few problems I'm having. Wish me luck.