1 post tagged “st. patrick's day”

How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

I'm taking Elvis to the vet in a little while. Yeah, that's green-beer worthy because I could really use one right about now.

He stopped eating and drinking around Friday night. Being the paranoid cat-mom that I am, I took him to kitty urgent care yesterday. They gave him some fluids and tried to get me to keep him there overnight. It wasn't even the exorbitant amount they wanted to charge, it was my belief that if he's near his end, he's going to be near it at home.

Of course, it could just be a cold. Or something. But when a diabetic cat stops taking in fluids, it's a reason to be concerned. The urgent care people took some blood to check his glucose and that was fine. I haven't been giving him insulin the last two days because I know he's close to remission and I didn't want to add to whatever his body is doing.

The Luck of the H's hasn't been all the great these past few days. On the way to urgent care, I called home to get some Mom Love. Instead, I got DadH, who is always good for some sympathy where animals are concerned.

Okay, not always. I started by asking him how things were there. Usually a safe question. Brother Ray went in for some fancy new vision/eye surgery on Thursday at the eye clinic at University of Michigan. One of the top places to go. Thursday night, he was in so much pain he collapsed, had a seizure and paramedics were called to the house. Mom, SIL and Ray went to the hospital where he was pumped with fluids (dehydration played a part) and was given even stronger pain meds. He seems to be okay - except he can still only barely see. When I had Lasik, I could see the next day. And I was pain-free. We'll see how that goes.

Then Dad goes on to say that next morning Spencer, the mini Australian Shepherd, was found dead in the road. Spency was Amber's dog, my youngest niece. Dad dug a hole down by the pond and they had a little service for him. Saturday, Amber (8 years old), came walking up the driveway alone, went to the tiny grave and sat there for a long while. "It was enough to break a hard man's heart," said Dad.

Just for good measure, he added that one the orphaned lambs the girls were caring for died.

"It hasn't been good around here. So what are you up to today?" he asked.

I could barely speak. Bawling. Just bawling. I finally choked out that I was taking Elvis to urgent care. He let out the trademark H Family "doesn't that just take the cake" laugh that we use when life gives us more trouble than we think we should have at once.

I walked into the clinic blubbering and barely able to speak. The people there were sooo nice. "What's your baby's name?" They called all the humans as "Cooper's Daddy" or "Elvis' Mom". How sweet. I thought I had myself pulled back together when an older couple came in with their old dog for euthanasia. Gah.

After getting Elvis some fluids, we went home. I called Mom and was ready to get my Mom Love but niece Dani answered. Can't be a crying idiot in front of the children, after all. I called when the family was gathering for Brother Steve's birthday party (Happy BDay today, Steve!). It's always fun to talk to everyone gathered for a family event when I'm the only one not there. Gah again.

Anyway, there's life as it is today. Feeling like crap, not able to keep it together for more than a few minutes at a time and not ready to face any bad news about my buddy. I know I made the right choice about bringing him home yesterday. We went to bed curled up together and woke up the same way.

I hope that in a few hours I can come back and tell you that I got all worked up for nothing. I'm rooting for having the chance to apologize for my melodramatics and for shameless pandering to your emotions. 

And I hope to have a beer later today in celebration of a good prognosis.