It has been a very long time since I have written on my blog. I am sorry. The last several months have been very trying. I have a cat, Sampson, who has made it his business to be my service animal. When I am too tired to get around, he lies on my legs, and refuses to let me up. The funny thing is, he hates being on anyone's lap. He checks my shower before I get in, then lies just outside the tub until I get out. He greets at the door me when I get home from appointments and such, and if my housemate "lets" me go out alone, he gets mad at her, as though he realizes I do not have anyone watching me.
Well, in January, Sampson began vomiting almost constantly, and couldn't eat anything. We took him to the vet several times, and to the vet emergency hospital. He was scheduled for an ultrasound on a Tuesday, and by the preceding Friday, when we took him in again, his regular doctor looked at him (he had lost about 25% of his body weight in ten days), and told us he didn't think Sam would last the weekend. We got Sam in to an emergency referral veterinary clinic in another city, and the internist who does ultrasounds waited for us. After the ultrasound, they admitted him overnight and we stayed, sleeping on the concrete floor in the waiting room. After making sure he was stabilized, they had us take him home until Tuesday, when he was scheduled for an appointment with the internist who would look at the ultrasound and most likely take a biopsy. Our regular vet had let us know he was afraid Sam might have intestinal lymphoma, a cancer for which there is no cure.
Tuesday came and we were back at the emergency referral veterinary clinic, and the internist recommended surgery and several kinds of biopsies. Sampson was cut almost stem to stern, and six biopsies were taken of his liver, pancreas, a lymph node on his small intestine, and three along his intestine. No lymphoma, but he has "triaditis" which basically means intestinal bowl disease, pancreatitis, and something to do with his liver. He has to be on a special diet and has medications we give him every evening. On top of that, we have to watch for signs of diabetes.
On the good side, he is slowly gaining weight, has been getting to go outside a few hours a day, and seems to be gaining his strength and stamina slowly.
This has all been very tiring for me, with my fatigue. The stress alone has brought my energy level down, and the months of round-the-clock care for this very special member of our family has tested the bounds of my abilities in ways I would never have thought I could endure. With that said, the months of recovery with which I continue to struggle are worth every moment of time I have to spend with my friend, Sampson. He and I are regaining our health together.
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