Wordy Wednesday

This week, our Wednesday post will combine all the posts for the week!

We will start with Tanner...who has learned to love sitting on laps these days!  He seems to enjoy snuggling in the evenings while we are watching tv, although he thinks he should be petted the entire time he is sitting there!  He loves his head rubbed, he face and his arm...

Tanner gained a couple of ounces this week, so that is good for him!  He weighs 12 lb 11 oz now.  He has been doing well with his eating, although I am starting to see it taper a bit.  I think an appetite stimulant is in his near future :)  We have decreased the fluids to 50 mls daily, and I wonder if he is starting to feel the effects of slight dehydration again?  I will speak with the vet school on Monday when he goes in for his monthly appointment.  At this appointment they will checking blood work and repeating the abdominal ultrasound to make sure the lymphoma is still in remission.

We have had a couple of days off work, due to a small amount of snow but a fair amount of ice.  It's been nice to be home with the boys!  I do believe they were ready for us to go back to work today though.  Oliver gets so tired when we are home because he won't allow himself to miss anything...he HAS to know what we are doing!  By the evening, he is just wiped out and can't go any longer.  This is a quick video of him playing with one of their favorite toys.

It's HERE on youtube if the above doesn't work.

We hope everyone is staying warm and safe this winter...we are ready for Spring!

Wordy Wednesday

As the wooden art piece on the shelf says, "Life is Good" for Tanner at the moment.  Monday was chemo day for him.  We went for a quick blood draw at our regular vet's office and then back home.  It was a very quick outing for Tanner and he was thankful.  The vet faxed the results of the bloodwork to the vet school, and they called and said we could give the chemo.  Tanner takes 75mg of cytoxan.  The last time we did this at home, they sent us a 25mg tablet and a 50 mg tablet.  The 50mg tablet was HUGE!!  I asked for 3 of the 25's this time and that is what we were given.  They are still a bit big, but manageable. 

 

I got the ice cream from the freezer...Auntie had picked up fudge ripple this time :)  I scooped a small spoonful (all vanilla) and called Tanner over.  He took his first pill, and licked the ice cream.  We repeated this three more times until he was done.  Then he was given another small scoop of ice cream on his plate.  He was a happy camper and did not mind his pills!

 

He is doing very well with all of this, and the only time he is worried, is in the morning when I come downstairs to go to work.  He always thinks I'm going to grab him!  I try to reassure him that he is done for the week, but he still avoids me.  Because of this, I've changed up when I give him his morning heart meds.  I have them upstairs and we get them as soon as I get up.  Then we have some playtime before Auntie is dressed and heads downstairs, playtime is over then because she is going to give breakfast!

 

Thank you all for following along with my boy on his cancer journey.  If you have any questions about anything, please don't hesitate to ask.

Wordy Wednesday

 Yesterday was Smokey's Gotcha Day...I am such a slacker!  My boy has blessed me for 17 years now. 

Smokey as a wee kitten...his gotcha story is posted here.

 Smokey has always loved a comfy spot.  He loves to lay on fleece even in the summer!  He is about 5 years old in this picture...two weeks after this was taken we moved into the townhouse. 

Here is Smokey at 17 in his favorite morning spot, sunning in the breakfast nook! 

 

Looking forward to spending precious time with my Goose this weekend.  So glad to have found him.



Wordy Wednesday

Tanner went to the vet the other day for his annual checkup with Smokey.  He could use a few purrs as well...

He will be returning to the vet in one month to have his liver values rechecked...his ATL level was high.  We hope it is just because he has added a couple of new medicines this year, and this 'high' is his new normal, and not another problem. 

Tanner takes the following medicines daily...

• Atenolol - heart
• Enalipril - heart
• Plavix - heart
• Paxil - behavior

Otherwise, the vet was pleased with his weight loss, and his overall other health! 

Wildlife Wednesday

Last weekend mom and Auntie went to the Wildlife Festival...there were many fun animals to learn about...we thought we'd let mom share with you today...
This is a vulture. Not sure what kind he is though...

This is an owl...maybe a barred owl. Some animals were better labeled that others :) He belongs to the Piedmont Wildlife Center.

This is an Eastern Screen Owl (Grey morph). His tree was cut down, and his right wing amputated by the chainsaw.

This is a barred owl...she is visually impaired in both eyes. She came to the rescue as a result of a collision with a car. Barred owls are one of the most common owls in the US.

This is a Great Horned Owl. They are found throughout the US and are the largest and heaviest of the horned owls in the US. They will eat cats! This sweet girl has a wing injury.

This is a Red-Tailed Hawk. She collided with a truck and broke her leg therefore she cannot be returned to the wild.

This hawk was a 'pet' of sorts for a falconer. He uses her to hunt mainly small animals like rabbits and squirrels.

This is an Eastern Screech Owl. He is fully grown...what a cutie!

There were other examples of wildlife at the festival as well, such as turtles and snakes and lizards...mom and Auntie enjoyed the birds the most though.

We hope you have enjoyed seeing this wildlife today...tomorrow, we'll show you a guest we found in the garden!

Wordy Wednesday

Thanks to all who made a guess yesterday...we were in Williamsburg, VA. The weather was gorgeous and History was made Fun! Here are a few more friends...

These birds were hanging out with the ferry we were riding...

This little guy came out to eat dinner while we were touring Historic Jamestowne Island.

This squirrel was also on Jamestowne Island...

This remnant of a friend was in a gazebo at the Berkeley Plantation. You better believe we quickly left that spot in case he was still around somewhere!

Wordy Wednesday - Health Update and Video

Thanks to everyone for the purrs yesterday...Smokey went to the vet and received some fluids. He is continuing on the cyproheptadine, and also started on some Pepcid. I have a bag of fluids at home that I can give if he needs them. So far, the fluids have helped to increase his appetite and he is eating and drinking better. I think the congestion is also clearing up a bit, and we are on the upswing to recovery.

Thanks to Teri with the Lysine suggestion...we give 500 every day, sick or not, so we have doubled that amount now. We love Lysine, and believe it does offer great benefit to kitties!

The video below is Tanner on Saturday, have a fairly mild coughing fit. He hasn't coughed in several days, so this part of his cold is over...he has two more antibiotic pills left to finish. He is sneezing some still, but he plays and eats just fine.

Thanks again to everyone...please keep the purrs coming...they are helping my boys!!

Slighty Wordy Wednesday

Poor Tanner fell victim to the snatch and stuff maneuver this morning. He spent most of the night coughing and earned a trip to the vets office. He is running a slight fever and has some drainage down his throat and an inflamed trachea, known as tracheitis. He is now on antibiotics for 10 days...I will try to get some video of his coughing...it's really quite dramatic :)
Feel better soon Tanner...Good news in all of this...extra canned food!!