Squashies' Update

Squashies just got out of surgery. The doctor removed a large blockage from the ear canal, and said that the drum is fine and that Squashies' hearing is good.

There was no growth.  Our little girl is coming home in a few hours.

Thanks again, for all your help, advice and support.  Needless to say, I am very happy.

WEeeeeeeeeee!!!

Shhhh, I is sleepin!

Femme Friday

 

Auntie Judi hat!

Squashies and I went to see the V.E.T. yesterday evening.  This visit was so different from the last.  Last week she was so sick, she just let them do what they needed to do.  This time, she had the strength to bring her feral side.  Our tiny Squashies does not like to be handled. For a little kitty, she is strong, and she knows how to use the weapons that God has provided.

It is an interesting perspective between she and TK.  When TK goes to the vets all the tech has to do is roll him on his back and put a hand on his belly, and as long as he can see me, he does what he needs to do.  He doesn't like it, he sings a sad song to show it, but he never fights. Perhaps, because he goes so often, he has learned how futile it is to try to get away.

With Squashies, it is a completely different story.  The techs, (plural,) don leather gloves. The gloves that go up to their shoulders. And as if their presences is the ding of a bell, the purr-pleas for mercy end, and the wrestling match begins.

It breaks my heart to see her struggle.  Wide-eyed with fear, she executes strong, graceful body rolls, accented by screams of defiance. I worry. My being there adds no comfort to her, but I can't walk away for fear that the techs will get frustrated and use excessive force. They never have, but our little girl could try a saint's patience.

So I stay, waiting for the look of betrayal, that never comes.  I feel guilty anyway.

After getting Squashies locked-down, the doctor looked in her ear and declared that the swelling was down.  But, after several attempts to look more closely, it was determined that  Squashies would have to be sedated to see what was going on.

 So she is going in for surgery next Tuesday... I worry about the anesthesia, we believe she is around 14 years old, and it can be hard on the heart.  But there is no choice.

I pray that the surgery goes smoothly.

I pray that her hearing will remain intact.

But mostly, I pray that whatever is in her ear is benign, and she will have many more adventures with us.

EDIT

TK here- Me juss heard that mine furend Artymouse is still not come home from her walkabout. While we is praying, we is praying fur her too!  Come home Artemisia, you are making your mommy cry!

Heartfelt Thank You!

We are so over-whelmed with all the purrs, grrrs and prayers sent from around the world for our little Squashies. We read all of your emails and your comments, and it made our hearts a little lighter, to know so many understand how hard it is when your furbabies are in danger.

On Saturday morning, when I went to take my shower, Squashies didn't come running for our ritual time together.  Thinking she was too sick to come, I was heart-broken.  I had a tearful shower, remembering our last Girl-time together.  She, on the throne, guarding the door while I was behind the curtain, then an incredibly graceful jump to the counter when it was time to get dolled-up.

I took her brushes down to the tree where she was sleeping; we would do Girl-time there.  When I went to brush her, she startled.  I realized she couldn't hear me... at all.


Squashies was deaf.

It was sad to see her so lost and confused.  She and I have always communicated verbally. She understands many sounds, such as the shower, meaning it will soon be "Girl-time" and "I'll be right back," meaning that she should wait for me, the rattle of the Temptations bag... BLISS.  And endless singing... we have a song for every event, and sometimes, such as our rendition of Old MacSquashies, she would join in.

We spent most of the weekend in her favorite place- the deck, where she alternately sunned herself and sat in my lap when she got to warm.  A quiet weekend, all too quiet for Squashies.

Relying on her nose, where her ears fail her

Resting in the box-of-lawn

Tired kitty

Inexplicably, last night, without visual stimulation, she jumped up when I opened the treat bag. The paw-power, and anti-inflammatory drops were doing their job! Our little girl could hear again.

Both she and I,are manic about this change of events.  With each passing moment her confidence grows.  We even had Girl-time this morning, with one small deviation. After several minutes of butt wiggling and doubtful looks at the counter, I lifted her over the cavernous space between toilet and 'catwalk'.  She didn't seem to mind.  Instantly she was "MAC, MAAAACing" away to Old MacSquashies.


 I thank you all again, for giving me this space to sort it all out, and for your understanding, which means the world to me.

Showing her up-side-down heart love for her furends.

dee

Paw Power, Please?

TKMom here.
We took Squashies to the Vet on Thursday night.  She had clear fluid trickling from her black ear.  This wasn't a total panic, she's had this before.  Apparently, before she came to be our little girl, she had a really bad ear-mite episode which left her canals pretty scarred.  But when the Vet looked in, she saw a 'growth', which she later called a mass, which she said would require surgery to remove.

The doctor said she couldn't tell exactly what it was, because of the swelling in Squashies' canal.  So I'm going to give her drops q2 for 1 week. This to bring the swelling down so the mass can be inspected properly.

Squashies is such a good little girl, and she's had a very hard life.  It just seems totally unfair that now that she's found a little happiness that this would happen.  She could sure use some good vibs.