Mancat Monday

Good grief have I been bad about blogging lately!  Well, rest assured we are still around and living life to the fullest.

Here is a photo of the 4 mancats in the house...Tanner (orange), Oliver (black), Cousin Pirate (black and white in the middle) and Cousin Georgie (black and white at bottom of photo)

Everyone asks when I tell them how many cats we have in the house (5 total) if everyone gets along.  Well, for the most part they do.  The boys seem to be fine with one another with just a few wrestling matches on occasion.  It is the girl in the house that stirs up trouble :)  She especially doesn't like Cousin Georgie and let's everyone know it!  It keep life interesting, that's for sure!

Tanner Tuesday

Welcome to another addition of Tanner Tuesday.  We are thankful these are less frequent than before, as Tanner's health remains stable, and his medical appointments are slowing down.

Tanner went to the vet school last Thursday for his recheck.  They did blood work and an abdominal ultrasound.  When Tanner got home, he just wanted to walk around with his "girl"...he loves this piece of fleece string and carries it around talking up a storm! 

Tanner's new Halloween costume is perfect for him this year...here is a quick preview of him trying it on..."I'm a Super Hero"

Tanner is still slightly anemic, but not having any side effects from this.

His kidney values remained stable

His Phosphorus and Potassium levels were all normal

His weight was up slightly as well

His kidneys are still abnormal looking on the ultrasound, but remain unchanged from previous imaging, so no evidence of disease progression!

He is cleared for two months and does not have to return until December.  

Tanner continues to defy the odds and for that I am extremely grateful!  Thank you all for your continued prayers and support...this is not a journey to take alone, so I appreciate you all!

Fantastic Friday

This is a quick update on Tanner - He is still in Remission!  He doesn't have to go back for a recheck until December!!

Here he is in the car yesterday on the way home...he refused to look at the phone!

I don't have his official discharge papers yet, they are going to email them, but they were pleased with how he looked.  Should be able to give a more detailed report on our Tanner Tuesday post.

Happy Gotcha Day - Oliver

Today marks two years since I picked you up from a sweet lady in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel.  It was love at first sight!  I was expecting a puny, sickly kitten, but you looked rather healthy from the start.  You had worms like most kittens do and you weren't the best bottle feeder, but you survived and thrived!

Your first night home...playing 

You loved your big brother from the moment you saw him, and he was completely smitten with you.

You grew into a sweet boy and learned to enjoy watching the birds and smelling the fresh air!

You helped with chores around the house...sorting pinto beans was a favorite!

At one year you were as handsome as ever...I can just feel how soft those paws are...

I would say you have settled in nicely in our crazy household.  You have been a blessing.  You bring laughter and comfort when we need it most.  Keep doing your thing Oliver Hughes...I will cherish all the time we have together.

Thankful Thursday

Today is a great day to be thankful!  My boys are happy and healthy.  And although it isn't the best of photos, I love being able to get one of them together.  They were trying to decide if they wanted to wash one another or fight...it was cute, so I took a short video as well.

These boys mean the world to me and I love getting to spend time with them.  Tanner's health is stable at the moment and he is enjoying life.  Oliver is a nut and finds joy in everything!

Tanner goes back to the vet school on October 8th for a recheck...purrs would be appreciated!

Here is the video of Tanner and Oliver fighting/washing...Enjoy.  You can also click here to see it on YouTube.

Happy Birthday Oliver

 Happy Birthday to my crazy Oliver Hughes!  I can't believe you are two years old today.  Time has flown by and I still remember you as this tiny little kitten who lived in the tub :)

 

Oliver was so small...the best way to confine him when we were not home or at night was in the bathtub.  He loved to drag the white bed around...here he has put it in the litter box!  

This photo is quite fuzzy as Oliver was rolling around in the tub, but here he is now...just a bit larger!  He still loves to play in the tub and I'll find him napping in there sometimes!

He and Cousin Georgie will also help with cleaning...here they are getting ready for me to clean the tub...which I must say is my least favorite job in the bathroom!

Oliver has turned into quite a regal looking boy.  He is a solid 15-1/2 pounds.  He loves to eat and plays hard.  He is silly with his toys and drags things all around the house.

He is a super sweet baby, but doesn't sit in laps at the moment.  He will snuggle with you at night in the bed, and loves to be close, even wants to hold your hand when you are sleeping.  He loves to wash you and give head bumps.

Oliver you have been a wonderful addition to our family.  Here's to many more years with you!  Happy 2nd Birthday Oliver Hughes!

Happy Birthday Devon

Happy Birthday at the bridge to my sweet Devon.  You would have been 14 today, but instead you remain forever 11.  I know you are having a great time and I look forward to seeing you again one day.

May you get all the butter you want today! 

Dance like no one is watching!  Your favorite show starts tonight, and while it is fitting for "Dancing with the Stars" to begin on your birthday, it reminds me that you are not here to watch with me.  You were my tv buddy!  

Lie in your favorite pose..."Poor Dead Kitten"  It's trash day today, so you won't start stinking :)

Break as many rules as you can get away with!!  I can see that you are NOT on the island :)

Above all stay sweet and enjoy your time until we are all together again :)  Happy Birthday to my crazy middle boy!

Smokey - One Year Angelversary

Dear Smokey,

Today marks one year since you went off to the bridge.  It is hard to believe that so much time has passed.  I think of you often and have missed holding you at night while watching tv.  You were my snuggle buddy!  Thanks for visiting me in my dreams...I love seeing that you are happy.  One day we will be together again, until then, stay sweet my gorgeous Goose.

You came to me as a tiny baby...about 6 weeks old.  I was so excited to have a kitten, and although you were quite nervous, you seemed to know I was your mom.  

You loved to snuggle and be held like a baby.  It took you 5 years to sit with me on the couch though! Once you realized how nice it was, you were always there waiting for me to sit down and snuggle.

As you aged, you grew more confident in yourself and your true personality came through.   I loved watching you blossom.  Our bond deepened as time went by...you were a very special boy.

You were full of spunk and a joy to be around!  You had good manners, unless a bowl of milk was involved, then you would boss you way over and get your share :) 

You had a fun and silly side!  This is your "Cute" pose :)  I miss your silliness and being able to rub your soft belly and paws. 

You are resting now at the bridge with your brothers.  I know I'll see you again one day and get a big hug from you!  I look forward to seeing your face light up when I walk up to the bridge and hearing you chirp for me.  Thanks for being  a great companion for 18 years.

Tanner Tuesday

Tanner had his recheck at the vet school yesterday.  He is still in remission!!  

Looking quite proud of himself!

He had a complete abdominal ultrasound, and some blood work yesterday.  The ultrasound showed the kidneys and spleen still appear abnormal, but are unchanged from the last one in June.  They did not do any aspirates this time.

Blood Values:

BUN - Up slightly

Creatinine - Down slightly

Phosphorus - within normal limits

Potassium - within normal limits

Red Cells - Still anemic

All in all, they are very pleased with him.  They are a little cautious about the spleen and kidney abnormalities and want to recheck in 4-6 weeks instead of the full two months.  

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Today is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day and there are 4 special boys waiting for me at the Bridge.

Sweet Derek was with me for about 4 weeks.  He has all sorts of issues with his joints.  He went to work with me everyday to get his medicine, but it just wasn't enough to make him well.  He went to the bridge in June 2003.

April 2003 - June 2003

Mojo was a wonderful boy.  Full of life and appreciation for the help he was receiving.  He had many medical problems, and eventually needed to be helped to the bridge when his Fibrosarcoma started creating breathing difficulties and more pain than we could manage.

October 22, 1996 - February 25, 2009

Devon was the craziest boy ever, until Oliver that is.  He was a sweet boy that was full of life and drama!  He just ran to the bridge one morning without any warning.  He had a rare cancer called Hemangiosarcoma.  I'm sure he is at the bridge dancing and eating butter!

September 14, 2001 - December 15, 2012

Smokey was my first cat as an adult, so there was a special bond between us.  He was sweet, gentle and loved to snuggle and give hugs.  We are coming up on a year of him being at the bridge, which is hard to believe.  How has life continued without my Goose?  

April 14, 1996 - September 5, 2014

Each bridge crossing was special in its own way and I look forward to the day that I will see my boys again.  I miss them each in a different way, and have seen signs from them at various times.  Cardinals remind me of Mojo, and after his passing, we had a ton show up at the house.  Devon has sent Oliver to keep the crazy alive!  Smokey appears to me in dreams and he is always happy and purring.

I loved them all, still do actually, and am honored to have been chosen as their human mom.

Tanner Tuesday

Tanner continues to do very well.  He is gaining weight, 14lbs 7oz now.  He eats well.  He plays hard.  He takes his meds like a champ.  We are LOVING our routine and BORING life right now!

Tanner's next vet school visit will be on Monday, August 31st.  They will do an abdominal ultrasound and lots of bloodwork.  Please send your healing purrs that he is still stable with no evidence of disease!

The most exciting thing we have had happen, is Auntie cleaned out from under the stove and dryer!  She found a multitude of toys...4 jelly beans, 10 crinkle balls, 2 mice, and 1 fish.

Here's a couple of videos...one shows Ollie knocking a couple of toys back under the door to the laundry room.  The other is Tanner just walking by...

If it doesn't play, you can click HERE to watch it on YouTube.

The video is HERE on YouTube as well.

Mancat Monday

Yesterday was our human moms birthday, so we each got her a present...

Oliver:  I know she loves a black cat...I'll give her myself wearing a bow!

Another shot of the bow on my head... 

Tanner: She loves an orange cat too...I'll give her myself in a box!

HumanMom: My boys are the best presents I could ever hope or ask for!  

Tanner Tuesday

Tanner and Oliver are enjoying the summer.  It is way too hot to be outside, or have the windows open, so we are finding ways to entertain each other!

Tanner ordered some of his kidney diet food from Chewy.com, and it came in two separate boxes.  Chewy is smart though and puts lovely brown paper in their boxes!  Tanner made himself right at home in this box... 

Oliver found the other one and there was some discussion about whose box was better! 

Lastly, nothing feels better than cool, crisp sheets on a hot night, so the boys helped change the sheets.  Such big helpers...even Cousin Georgie enjoys making the bed!

On the medical side, Tanner is doing just fine.  He is taking his medicines like a champ.  He has gained some weight...his favorite treat right now is mint chocolate chip ice cream!  We have also picked up a few new varieties of Orijen dry food and he loves it!  I get the smallest bag, and feed as a treat...Six Fish is a huge hit.  Since he gets a few treats after taking his pills or getting fluids, I would rather he eat nutritious food instead of actual treats...although ice cream is still allowed :)

Thankful Thursday - Tanner Celebrates

Today, July 23, 2015 I am incredibly thankful.  Today marks one year since Tanner was diagnosed and started his treatments for Renal Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.

We started the journey with many unknowns and a super cute shaved belly!  This shaved belly would stay with us for the rest of our treatments.  For many months, it was the only outward sign that Tanner was going through anything at all.

As treatment continued, other outward signs began to appear, as the chemo took its toll on his body.  In the photo above his potassium was low, so he was weak in the back legs and wobbly.

This photo shows some bruising from one of his aspirates needed to determine if he was in remission or not.  Thankfully, he was in complete remission at this visit!  This was in January 2015. 

Tanner is a survivor! 

It took a few months of being off treatment for Tanner to truly bounce back medically.  The undercoat of his fur has returned.  The shaved belly is mostly gone.  He has gained back two of the pounds he lost and eats like a champ!  My boy is a blessing and I am thankful for him, all the vets that have helped his through this disease and continue to work with him, and for you our blogging friends.  We could not have made it through this journey without your continued prayers, words of encouragement and support.

Our journey isn't completely over, as Tanner will be monitored for the return of lymphoma for many more months, and hopefully years to come!

I thought it would be neat to look back at our journey and add up Tanner's treatments and procedures.  Since July of last year Tanner has had:

22 Visits to the Vet School in Raleigh

12 Visits to his regular vet

11 Abdominal Ultrasounds

33 pokes for blood work

17 rounds of chemotherapy

3 Aspirates of each the kidney, spleen and liver

2 overnight stays at the vet school

1 Echocardiogram

1 Neurology consult

I'd say that is enough to have earned a HUGE party!!  Let's Celebrate!!!

Grab your party hat!

There's yummy fresh fruit

Spoils of the sea 

CAKE!!

And all sorts of other snacks and treats...

Help yourself to a party favor and stay as long as you want!