Friday, August 08, 2008

My Rocket.

*** latest update towards the bottom of this post...

In the spirit of 'the more loving thoughts the better', we could use your help. This amazing boy is very ill - very suddenly - and may not make it. I will post updates when I have them. Until then, please hold us in your thoughts.

UPDATE - Sunday morning, 10:15 am...
Thursday evening, very suddenly, Rocket (who is not yet 8 years old) was unable to use his hind legs and was in obvious distress and pain. I rushed him to pet emergency and was told that he had what was called a Saddle Thrombus. He was diagnosed with previously undetected heart disease. A blood clot was formed and thrown from his heart to the end of his aorta where the vessel separates to go down each hind leg. Blood flow is blocked and his hind legs were and still are paralyzed.

The prognosis was very bad and I made the difficult - but only - decision that he would be better off spending his last night alive with me, at home, instead of in a cage in the back of a vet's office. He was to be put to sleep first thing in the morning. The night was horrible, we camped on the living room floor and I did my best to comfort him through the night.

And here is the tiny ray of hope...he was a little more himself the next morning and after many phone calls the vet and I agreed that since he was doing better we could wait it out and see if he did in fact walk again. And the vigil began...the living room is where we still sleep, on the floor next to each other. He is all himself but for the back legs. I change out the towels he lays on. He eats food heartily and laps up the water that I put in front of him. I gently 'bicycle' his back legs to hopefully restore some blood flow (this part he definitely does NOT like - poor guy). But he smiles at me soon after, purrs and leans into me for a cuddle and gives me that little rush of renewed hope. He is experiencing far less pain than is expected in these cases but I am watching closely. Heart disease, another clot, is what I will lose him from eventually. But if he gets even some function back by the end of this week we may have another year together. If not - if the end of this week is the end - we will have had this very sweet time together and for that I will be forever grateful.

I have wonderful friends that have brought all of their love (and goodies) to Rocket and myself. Riley will be home Monday to be by our side. And I have all of your thoughts and healing coming our way. I can feel it and so can he. He purred for the very first time only fifteen minutes after I put this original post up. So please keep thinking about us and I will let you know what happens next.

***LATEST UPDATE - Tuesday afternoon, 1:19pm...
Hello all. We have just returned from our new Vet's office and we are all feeling a bit better. He is a Vet who combines holistic therapies (bach flower remedies, acupressure, etc) with the traditional (drugs, pain killers, etc) and although we are still in a waiting game to see if Rocket regains function of his back legs, his feet are warm and pink again. He is trying to walk and - most importantly - the Vet assured me today that he is NOT in pain right now - oh my. He also assured me that I have done everything right so far (imagine the relief). So now I have a very lovely, relatively happy, yet crippled kitty with heart disease. Hmm. Slow going now. If he does become functional again the decision will be how aggressively we treat his heart disease. Time for us to begin to get some semblance of normal life back now. I will of course let you know periodically how things are progressing but the vigil has softened into a watchful, attentive and quietly hopeful phase. I cannot begin to thank you for the love and support we have received from you all. I just know it has been a part in getting us this far.

Tremendous love and thanks,
Leslie

20 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh! Sending you both much love and healing!

7:32 PM  
Blogger Leslie said...

Loving thoughts coming your way...

7:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yes

12:38 AM  
Blogger lisa said...

am thinking sweet kitty healing thoughts for you both.

4:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sending you healing thoughts for your sweet kitty.

5:19 AM  
Blogger Eileen W. said...

I'll be thinking of this sweet kitty and sending him healing thoughts.

6:38 AM  
Blogger alex said...

oh no! this is the first post i've read on my first visit to your (lovely) blog. sending hopeful sweet thoughts for your chat!!

7:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lighting a candle for Rocket and leaving it on my altar...

much love dear heart.
e

9:09 PM  
Blogger Orange Pattern said...

Oh my. Oh no. You're all in my thoughts...

5:39 AM  
Blogger Rebecca said...

your poor poor rocket. he sounds like a trooper. what a sweetie all purring, still! will keep you both in my thoughts.

7:59 AM  
Blogger lisa said...

rocket, you are loved.

2:26 PM  
Blogger Allison said...

big hugs and happy thoughts to both of you. we will be thinking of you!

4:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I know how hard it must be for you, I just recently lost my dear cat Gorky, who was diognosed with cancer just before summer, it was heartbreaking to have to put her a sleep aventuely. I tried to convince myself that cats can handle their death way better then we can, and have there way of handeling the situation. If you can call it that. So good luck to you and you charismatic cat.

3:03 AM  
Blogger Orange Pattern said...

Thinking again today of you, your family and your cat...

1:15 PM  
Blogger Missy Langley said...

Leslie,
Found you through Posie Gets Cozy. I lost my dog about 3 weeks ago and spent the last few nights with her in the living room floor. I wish you and Rocket the best of luck. Hold on to him as long as you can.
missy

7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I didn't read this until just now, but you have all of my thoughts as well. I'm glad to hear that he seems to be getting better. He sounds like a tropper. I lost a cat this summer to cancer, and I know how difficult it can be to swim through those times. I hope Rocket continues to improve.

7:12 AM  
Blogger Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

so glad to hear things are looking up a little bit more today... it is amazing how important our pets are in our lives. They can't talk, yet they give us so much love and understanding.

be well Les, and lots of love to you and your sweet feline!

10:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just checked out your blog.... I admire you and your love and dedication to the glorious Rocket so much. He is truly lovely little soul. Everyone is sending the best of thoughts for all of you. I love you!
Your Sister

6:48 AM  
Blogger nina beana said...

love to you and your kitty. meow!

9:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sending love and positive thoughts to Rocket. :)

9:18 AM  

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