an update of sorts

An update from Perf's mom:

Well, Perfy is not a big fan of his medicine! He's on his prednisolone one time a day as well as 50mg of green tea extract, which i found in tablet form! I have to break the pill into quarters because he foams at the mouth if the pill isn't put into his throat in the complete center. He's supposed to have fish oil as well everyday- but he refuses his food if I "hide" it in his smelly fish stinky goodness and gags if I give it to him thru a syringe. So we've put that on hold for now.

He has "tolerated" the ES-Clear once a day. He gets .5ml a day and could get more but he tries to claw his way from the dropper! Good thing I love my furbabies!

As you can see, he's not the best patient but I'll keep at it! He's eating more and he girls have stopped picking on him! So i think he's feeling better!

He still sleeps on the pillow next to mine on my bed. It's such a comfort to have him there!

Thank you so much fortour amazing words! He had a few bad days this week with horrible diahrea but now he seems to be better! Some days are good and some not so good. But as long as he's still my boy and still wants to eat I'll do all I can do for him!

Thank you!
Penny

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a busy week....

Mom had to go out of town last week. Her mom was having surgery, so she left us in the very capable and loving hands of our petsitter!

Mom lined up all of Perf's "medication"... She decided against chemotherapy for Perfy- he would be miserable! He hates getting pills and going to the vet! Mom says "hates" is being nice- he becomes a demon cat at the vet!

But mom is giving him pills! He gets his prednisolone two times a day then he's getting green tea extract, salmon oil and an American Indian remedy called ES-Clear: it's made of Burdock, Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm and Chinese Rhubarb. Mom doesn't know if these will work but she's willing to try as long as Perf tolerates everything.

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Many thanks for the comments and support!

From Perf's Mom:

Thank you all!!! You comments have been overwhelming and I've read each one and each one has made me cry! Good tears because I'm realizing what a phenomenal community we are a somewhat silent member of, right now (all due to my job).

It's Friday around 9am and here is what I've decided so far:

I talked to my vet last night, after spending a day on the internet. I asked her exactly what would need to happen, from this point , if I wanted to go the Chemo route. She said Perf would need a biopsy of his intestines and lymph nodes and then he could see an oncologist since the Ultrasound is not a definitive diagnosis of Lymphoma. In my heart, I know it is. And I know my Perfy, he is not in the least bit cooperative, nice or docile at the vet. It stresses him out and he absolutley HATES going to the vet. After seeing the fur he lost and how stressed he was after the ultrasound, I dont want to subject him to surgery and then chemo at the vet, since it would entail going to the vet.

So I asked my vet about alternative medicines. She just recently got certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbs, so I felt I could start the conversation with her, since she is open to eastern medicine. I mentioned a botanical that I had found Neoplasene and she said she would do research (last night) a get back to me today.

I have gone ahead and put in an email to Dr Charles Loops who is an homeopathic vet based in NC who does telephone consultations and cancer treatments. I received the price for the initial consultation and will wait and see what my vet says today before I go ahead with the consultation with him.

He is still on prednisone and seems happy. He had a rough poop day yesterday!And today isn't starting off great-diarrhea! He sleeps my two older boys do sleep alot. He did play yesterday and ate ravenously so I am holding onto those positive signs!

I cant thank you all enough for your amazing support and for sharing your stories and your decisions with me! It helped so much hearing about each individual kitty-for they are all different!!!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

Penny, mom to Kodak, 3 Perf, Blossom and Skye

Not the best of news.....

From Perf's mom:

After much growling and hissing and very loud noises, Perfy had his ultrasound yesterday. But the news wasn't what I was hoping for. The ultrasound indicates he has GI Lymphoma. Now, this isn't a confirmed diagnosis. But all indications point to Lymphoma. I hate Cancer!

He was given a prescription of Prednisone yesterday, which he started last night. His bowel movements the past couple of days have been very loose-not all liquid, but a mixture of some form and liquid. He is still on his B12 injections, which I thought had been helping his poop. But maybe it was just me hoping it was IBD.

Where do we go from here???

Well, in order to even consider visiting an oncologist and starting chemo, he would have to have a confirmed diagnosis which would mean a biopsy of his lymph nodes and intestines or they could try to extract from the lymph nodes-but that might not work.

He is not good at the vet at all. Sometimes you have furbabies that dont make a sound and are as docile as ever when visiting the vet, Perfy isn't like that at all. He hisses and growls from the moment he goes in and has to be muzzled in order to do any tests. Is it fair to him to put him thru all the stress of surgery and then if they get a biospy without finding cancer riddling his body (this happened to the last cat that had lymphoma) and they wake him up-would he tolerate visiting the vet for chemo, and the chemo itself. None of these can be done at home, where he's a baby!

I called my vet today to ask all these questions and to also ask about any Chinese Herbal medicines that she thought we could try! I am all for Chinese Medicine. I also told her about a medicine that I had found in my all day search on the internet, Neoplasene. She's going to get back to me tomorrow.

To say I'm at a loss would be an understatement. I was in tears all last night and had a few glasses of wine. I knew that he would be the hard one if he needed any medical treatments. But now that the need is here, I want to do anything I can for him-but is it fair to put him thru such stressful events?

Right now I feel like the worlds worst cat mommy! I want him to live so much longer, but Lymphoma is horrible! Am I doing everything I can? Should I put him thru stressful events? I'm hoping I can try a Chinese medicine! That I can do at home and I would then feel like I'm not completely giving up!

I just had to write all this down...it helps clear my head.....

Thank you for listening.....

Penny, mom to Kodak, 3 Perf, Blossom and Skye

at the vet for my ultrasound...

Mom and I are sitting in the car. I have free roam if the car, the AC is on and mom brought my FAVORITE kittie treats, Temptations! She says we're here so that the travelling ultrasound lady vet can do an ultrasound of my tummy!

Mom and my vet thought it would be a good idea to stay in a place I know until they were ready for me! So we are sitting in my car! I know my car- has kitty toys, water and a soft place to sleep!

Hopefully the ultrasound lady will be here soon! I'm having the ultrasound because I'm still losing weight! My poop is better because of my B12 shots ( the vet stole my blood last week to check my cobalamine/folate levels and they didn't give my blood back!) now my vet wants to rule out something bad! So please cross your paws that the pictures of my insides are clean!!

Meow

Perf

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Manic Monday....

all we hear is thud thud thud...no nails. This is the normal morning activity then they both take naps! Silly young girls!

-Kodak and 3 Perf ,the boys!

Nom Nom Nom Saturday

This is the first time we have all eaten together since Skye came into the house. We think she feels secure and at home!

Meow.....

Kodak, 3 Perf, Blossom and Skye

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