Rogue was looking a little rough the last few days. On Friday I was stroking her head and her ears were all scabby. Yuck. She had the goopey eye thing going and was sleeping most of the day. For those who don't know, Rogue is my 17 year old cat. She's dropped a whole lot of weight over the past year or two which is pretty normal for a cat her age.

Well, I took her to the vet today. She was pretty lethargic and quite frankly looked like and smelled like hel. Turns out she has ear mites, a head cold, and conjunctivitis. That combination would make anyone feel like shit. Now the ear mites have us befuddled. She does not go outside. None of the cats have gone outside. She generally steers clear of all other animals. The vet suggested she might have caught it from some of our guest animals but I'm not convinced. ::shrugs:: Well, it just means that I have to treat three cats now.

Oh. Joy.

So she's doing remarkably well for an ol' lady. Our main goal is to maintain her current weight. Gain is pretty impossible. The vet wants me to put Activia in her food to help digestion. He said he could prescribe something but it would be more expensive and just as effective as the stuff in the grocery store. Since she stopped throwing up when I switched to senior cat food he said there's no need for bloodwork. I was very blunt when I said there wouldn't be need anyway. She's 17. I love her to death but I won't bankrupt my family with "tests" that don't really mean anything. She's 17. She's had a good life and when it's time to go, she'll go.

So for now she gets antibiotics shoved down her throat, eyedrops, and greasy salve in her ears. She's gonna love me...

I couldn't resist making this.

I couldn't resist posting. This is freakin' awesome!

Really, for eretik...

I suggest putting up your cuteness filter. It's a little dark but it'll still make your sick.

I have posted pictures in a long time. I'll group them together.

Let me start with one above the cut. I got my engagement ring back. We were going to do the "two hand" formal photo since Greg's ring is all sparkly with goodness but I can't figure out when we'll do it. Sooooo.....here's mine!! That's my original diamond cleaned and put in a new setting. The diamond is "embraced" by a separate ring that has the two marquis cut sapphires and two small round cut diamonds. The two rings are soldered together to form one band. The band under is my newly rodiumed and polished wedding band. Greg's band was rodiumed and polished as well. They are quite spiffy. I'm simply in love. I didn't want to "upgrade" my diamond which is what is usually done after so many anniversaries. I wanted to keep the original one and enhance it some way.



Under the cut you'll see:

Vingolf's Odin Blot

Awesome carved pumpkins from Greg's work

Random very adorable cat pictures (which incidentally I need good LOL captions from all of you)

Maddie's family dinner birthday

Some "parent watch day" pictures from dance class.

( Random stuff pictures )

I just found this icon and I'm in love. This is actually what my cats look like. One black, one white and one gray. Fun stuff!

I just got the syllabus for my speech class. Imagine that. I have to do seven speeches. I'm shocked. Well, I'm really glad we just bought a new digital camera because I have to video them and upload for peer evaluation. I have to have at least five adults in the "audience" and must pan over them so that the instructor can see the look of boredom plastered on my friends and loved ones' faces. Fortunately one of the subjects (informational) coincides with a class I'm giving on Hellenic goddesses. I'll just have someone tape my lecture. Whee. One less thing to do. I also have to do an "instructional" lecture, an introduction speech, an advertisement (anyone interested in Aegir's Cauldron Apiary Honey!?), one on my pet peeves (grammar mistakes anyone?) and a speech to persuade. I'll have to figure that out later. I have no idea right now.

Not a hard class...just another annoyance.

Rogue is in day two of "the embarrassment." She has the real E-collar on and is mortified. She's so dejected she looks almost sickly. Amazing how your body will reflect your spirit. She's on day two of the antibiotics and I can say that the wound isn't any worse. That's a good sign. Now let's see if it gets better. The collar is such that she can't eat or drink or even get up steps without my help. I take soft food up to her bed (in our room) twice a day and carry her down for water three times a day. She's starting to figure out how to get up and down steps. She makes it down to the litter about once a day. It takes her forever to get up steps because of the collar but she's figuring it out slowly. She's come downstairs to sit with me on the couch while I'm typing. She needs a little TLC.

Greg's in bed out like a light. Meg's in bed out like a light. Mads' in bed out like a light. I'm awake. One of these things just doesn't belong here...one of these things just isn't the same...

I had to take both Rogue and Echo into the vet today. Echo for kitteh checkup goodness and Rogue for this horrible wound on her side. I thought it was a moist hot spot but the vet doesn't think so. He said it's one of three things.

A. It's a deep infection.
B. She's developed an auto-immune disorder (which is not uncommon in elderly cats)
C. She's got skin cancer (again which is not uncommon in elderly cats)

So we've put her on heavy duty anti-biotics and silverdene cream to start (and a real Elizabethan Collar...not that piece of shit I bought at Petco).

If it doesn't begin to clear in 5-7 days (mind you it only has to begin to clear...) we go back in for a biopsy.

Here's the thing. She's 16 years old. Granted she's fit as a fiddle and mean as hel, but she's 16 years old. I don't feel compelled to spend $5,000 in chemo and treatments if it's cancer...in fact, I mean not to. She's a cat and she's 16. I love her to death but I think in the grand scheme of things I'll get her pain meds, make her comfortable and put her down when the time is right.

In regard to Echo, she broke loose from her carrier and tried to escape just as the vet was coming in. He caught her and said, "My what a little spitfire you got here." I told him the rescue people told us she was the calm one. Without missing a beat he says, "They lied. They always do." LOL! He said that de-clawing was no longer cruel as they now use lasers. It cuts off blood vessels and nerves immediately. Years ago the cats were incapacitated for days without being able to walk. Now they are up and walking without any pain as soon as the anesthesia wears off. If we can't get her to stop ripping up the carpets I think we're going that way. Please...there is no need to rant at me. I know all about de-clawing, reasons for and against and the general opinion of it by vets, owners and animal rights groups.

Oh, and a big thank you to both the cats. Both decided to lose control of their bowels on the way there and Rogue decided to punctuate it on the way home with a who lot of pee. Nothing like coming home and bathing two cats to boot.

Cuz I thought of both of you...

Move along if you aren't interested. Don't worry. She'll stop being cute sooner or later. What is that saying?

( Livejournal: Because everyone wants to see 10,000 pictures of your cat )

They are so cute it's obscene.

( Shield your eyes...this one's gonna be painful )

We did not adopt a three month old cat today.

She is not a silver tabby.

Her name is not Echo.

We did not take any picture of her.

These types of rumors can damage reputations and are cruel. Please stop.

Our vet just sent up a sympathy card with the offer to add Chani to a pet memorial page on their website.

That is really nice. That's why they are our vet.

I don't know if any of you remember but about 6 or so months ago there was a black cat available that had been hit by a car and only had one eye. We seriously toyed with getting him because...well, come on. If you can't make the connection then poo poo on you. The only problem was the accident left him fecally incontinent. We couldn't do it. A cat that has no control of his bowels is bad for us. We don't shy away from special needs animals. Obviously. However, incontinent animals take even more care than normal. It would be hard and most likely impossible. So, we turned him down.

Greg told me that his co-worker (the one that works in the shelter) said "Oh by the way Greg, "Spider" (name subject to change) is healthy. His bowel problem has resolved itself. You still possibly interested?"

Fuck.

I know about the "too soon" issue, BUT we had intended to take him when Chani was alive anyway.

We're going to go see the damned thing.

Fuck.

This is especially heart tugging in regard to how sad I'm feeling about Chani. Chani was so special that I'm not looking at this as a "let's replace her" issue. That's stupid. What I am thinking is the fact that we promised ourselves before we took Chani in that we'd only take another cat if it fell into our laps.

Fuck.

I am very, very sad about the cat. I didn't think I'd be this sad. I'm not falling over myself hysterical but I'm just a little blue. Damn furball. I had a hard time being there when she was being put down. Greg was at her head and I was barely watching at the foot. I know that when it's Rogue's turn I'll have to be at her head where Greg was. ::sigh::

Rogue is sadder than I thought she would be. I know animals mourn but I didn't think my bitch would. She's been sleeping in Chani's spot on the couch for two days. Just kind of laying there. Gets up to eat and go to the bathroom but has been pretty sad. I think Meeko's just happy there is more food for him. That's par for the course.

I have one more paper and one more discussion post and then I'm finished with Philosophy. As much as I dreaded it, it was pretty cool. I might even do some reading on my own. I bought a used book on Secular Humanism and Deism from a philosophical standpoint.

I took an algebra test yesterday. I was going to say "ballbuster algebra test" but xvfui pointed out that that would be redundant. I think I did well. This was such a hard unit. Word problems, heavy calculator graphing, mixture problems (which could actually come in handy with mixing honey to get the proper moisture content), caculating interest (yeah, like I'm ever going to do that), and solving system equations. I panicked a little when I opened the test. I did the ones I knew how to do and then I moved on. I was pretty maticulous. I wrote out everything in simple terms. I did everything step by step. I think I got all the answers. And if I didn't I might just points off for calculation errors. Yay partial credit.

Well, that appears to be it. It's been a dreary raining day. Brett Favre retired, Gary Guygax died, my husband's cat died and I didn't get tickets to see The Dalai Lama. I guess The Buddha is right. All life is suffering. Blech. I'll feel better later.

Today my husband's cat was put to sleep. He wrote an obituary with pictures on his LJ. He usually locks posts but has left it open. I know some of you are not on his friend's list so I thought I'd let you know and provide the link in case you were interested in stopping over.

http://greenmanrn.livejournal.com/21070.html

I think Chani had gone deaf (or at least had a profound loss of hearing). I've been trying to get her attention all day but snapping fingers, calling her name, shaking food. Nothing. I turned on the vacuum while she was sleeping on the couch. The other cats scattered. She didn't stir the whole time. Hmmm.

Had to trim Chani's back nails. If they grew any longer her little paws wouldn't touch the ground when she walked. I have skill. I've never hit quick. Ever. Was doing fine. She was calm. One claw left. The quick was very deep and I just need to trim the tip. She FREAKED OUT! I don't know why. There wasn't any pain. Maybe she had just had enough. She sunk her teeth into my ring finger and held on. The chewing! For Chrissake the damned CHEWING. She broke skin and embedded her tooth on one side of my finger and bruised the other side so badly it's black and blue!

Damn. And this from the one who is dying!

You know, there is nothing but Jeebus crap on TV right now. All the normal programming is pre-empted.

EDIT: Life is now good. Monday Night Football. Finally something on worth watching. Well, it's only the Chargers and the Broncos. "Worth" is in the eye of the beholder, of course. hehe

I'm glad I have Patrick Stewart's A Christmas Carol to watch.

Alright...Greg's cat is Chani...Mine is Rogue. Here it goes.

1. Rogue had two litters. Every once in a while she misses them so she'll find a sock, a mitten, whatever, and cart it around in her mouth like it's one of her babies.

2. Rogue is the QUEEN of leaving wet, cold hairballs in my path. She seems to know my stride. She will strategically leave TWO hairballs...one that I will jump over and one that is placed right where I land so I slide across the kitchen floor.

3. When she meows, Rogue sounds like an 85 year old woman who has smoked for 70 of those years.

4. If the litterbox needs cleaning, Rogue will tell you by shitting in front of my bedroom door.

5. Rogue's favorite treats are Pringles, Doritos, and Potato Chips. I'd reason that she just likes the salt, but she always eats the entire chip.

6. Rogue likes to sleep on my hip or on my butt. As soon as I fall asleep she moves to the edge of the bed just out of reach of my feet so she doesn't get kicked off.

7. Rogue hates most people but me. On occassion she shows tolerance for a few humans but really not many at all.