I guess I'll start with the cat. Last Sat. we saw that one of the cats had thrown up, and then it happened a second time. At some point we figured out it was Rho. Then Sun. she was extremely listless, barely moving. I was pretty sure the clinic would tell me to bring her back tomorrow or go find an emergency clinic if I was that worried about her. Over the course of the day, she threw up several times, basically every time she tried to eat. I let her drink some water and she threw that up! This was all very concerning obviously, but I still decided to wait until Mon. rather than try to track down an emergency clinic and probably have to cab her over to that. Somehow I was able to get her an appointment on Monday after my own visit to the (human) clinic.
To cut it short, she was very backed up and had a lot of gas in her stomach that made it hard to do the x-ray to see if she did have some obstruction in her intestine (like if she had swallowed string or a rubber band or even her own (or Tobey's) hairball. So I brought her back the next day and she still hadn't pooped enough, though I think she pooped a little. Trying to reconstruct what happened, I think I dropped her off yet again Wed. and they called and recommended exploratory surgery. I very reluctantly agreed, and in the end they couldn't find anything! It's as likely as anything else that she just reacted badly to this different cat food when I couldn't track down Kitten Chow. (I threw away this bag, as I figure it easily cost me several thousand dollars!) They somewhat reluctantly kept her overnight, and I picked her up on Thurs. morning. Then I had to bring her back for a temperature check on Fri. So I ended up going back and forth to the vet every single day this week, and now they want her to return on Mon. I hope that is it, but most likely I'll have to bring her back for one final check-up when they will take off this stylish onesie they have her in (instead of a cone).
It's been a lot of fun, trying to get her to take her medicine.
I had some slightly unpleasant news from the doctor on Monday, where my blood work wasn't great and I have apparently picked up another 3 or so kilos. I really thought I was starting to make some progress, but I just have to get far more serious about cutting out sweets, which is much harder said than done for me, though I have been a bit better. At least I am still getting plenty of exercise, especially with all this extra biking past Landsdowne! No point in fretting too much about it, however.
Gotta run now.
Edit: I've never been a fan of the scales at the doctor's. On the scale at home, I have lost 5 pounds and finally shed the extra weight I picked up during the long, long depressing winter after the blizzard. (Feb. felt like it would never end...) I think losing and keeping off 10 more pounds is quite reasonable, with a stretch goal of 20. I think around 15-20 pounds is where I was headed pre-COVID. It is also where I can wear a smaller size of jeans, which is the sort of tangible goal that actually motivates me. It is hard, however, as I crave the sugar already...
Update (6-15): So the vet called to explain the biopsy results and said that Rho had irritable bowel syndrome (IBL), which seems just as unpredictable as it is for humans. She recommended this long series of treatments and shots and probably an endless series of pills, etc., and I said flatly, "That's not going to happen." Most of the time I can't get her to take the pills they already want her to take, and if I manage to get one or two down she starts foaming at the mouth. I already regretted letting them operate on her, and I'll just monitor and try to keep her on kitty/cat food she can process. Maybe I'll change my mind if she starts throwing up everywhere all over again but likely not. I am not willing to be chained down to an endless medical regime for a cat. If that makes me a heartless, negligent pet owner, so be it...
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