Lots of Good News

I'm sure you've noticed that it has been a very long time since I've blogged. It's Mom's fault. Yesterday I went to the V-E-T for a check-up and we had such good news that I insisted on telling everykitty. Dr C hadn't seen me for a whole six months. I was doing so well at my last visit that he gave me that much reprieve. I was actually rather indignant that I had to go back at all; I thought I was done with that place.

The first good news is that I remain cancer free and Dr. C does not think the lymphoma will come back! In fact, he said he just wants to see me on regular annual check-ups, so no more needle pokes and no more pills! I am very pleased about that.

The other good news is that Mom and Dad bought Catzee and Me an outside. I have pictures to show you.

This is going to be our new backyard. Dad is already calling it a "barnyard."

This is the view on the side of the house.

And this is Catzee's and My mousing field.

Mom says there's a lot of work to do before we can move, and that even then it will be a long time before we can go out. I don't like moving, but I do like going out, so perhaps everything will even up in the end.

Update & Other Good Stuff

First of all, my V-E-T checkup update. This weeks blood counts are still going down, but too slowly to change my chemotherapy. Dr. C is happy with my progress, so Mom is too.

It's hard to tell from some of Mom's photos,

but my fur hasn't grown all the way back from my surgery yet. It's looking pretty good, but Mom says I look "sculpted" on one side. The new furs aren't as soft as my regular ones. We think that's because of the chemo drugs. But at least it's growing.

Next I am pleased to announce that KC awarded Me with the A+ Award from Zoolatry. I'd like to pass it on to DaisyMae Maus & the Feline Americans.

KC also tagged Me for the Wishing Star Meme. Here's mine,

I'm tagging anyone who would like to play, so here are the rules:

1. Think about what it is that you want more than anything, what your heart's desire and fondest wish is, and what it is that you would wish for if you were to see the above wishing star flame across the night sky.

2. Right click and SAVE the blank graphic below.

3. Use a graphics program of your choice and place your wish on this picture:

4. Post Make A Wish Meme and your wishing star on your blog along with these rules.

5. Tag as many people as you like so that there can be wishing stars all across Blogosphere and ask them to please link back to Linda so we can see what wishes others have made and share those wishes with others.

Thank you KC for both of these. Now everyone else, have fun!

Award and Chemo Update

First of all, I a very pleased that Tybalt has honored me with this very special award.


Thank you Tybalt! You truly are a prince among Cats!

I also wanted to let you know how week 4 of my chemotherapy is going .

Wednesday's visit to the V-E-T was no fun although Mom and Dr. C seemed pleased. My blood work was fine, my weight is fine, my check-up was fine, and I'm showing no further symptoms of lymphoma. That doesn't mean I'm out of the woods yet, so I still have to take those nasty pills. I feel good though.

As you can see, my fur is gradually growing back. The white spot near the fur line is a scar from a long time ago, when I was badly mauled by a big dog. Mom says there is probably another one hidden under my fur, as that dog left huge bite punctures.

So. That pretty much sums up what's going on in Rascal's World.

Chemotherapy - Starting Week 3

I've just gotten back from an exhausting trip to the V-E-T.

There's nothing for it like a good snooze in the sun. Of course, this was after Mom gave Me the treats she promised for putting Me through this ordeal in the first place.

As you can see, my fur is growing back after being shaved for my surgery.

Dr. C looked at my incision, checked my weight, felt around for who knows what (for which I protested with a hiss), and took some blood. Here's what he said:

• My incision looks good with only one little place not completely healed.
• My weight is down a little - I'm now 15 pounds 6 ounces. However, since I'm eating well and had a tendency to be overweight anyway, they aren't worrying about that at the moment.
• My white blood cell count was 9860. This is up from last week, which was 6900. However, since normal values for a Cat range from 6000 to 19,000, no one is worrying about that either.

The outcome of all this is that I still have to take my pills and I have to go back next week again. Sometimes a Cat's life just doesn't seem fair.

Chemotherapy - Week 2

Wednesday's V-E-T appointment went very well according to the humans. I didn't think it went well at all. After all, who wants to be stuffed into the PTU, forced to take a ride in the noisy human machine, and then be subjected to getting poked for no good reason. Bloodwork, hmmph. Dr. C said I was quite the gentleman when he took a sample of my blood, but I thought that was insulting too. I'm a ManCat! Not a gentleman.

My incision is healing nicely and my blood report was "within normal limits. " That means that I still have to take my pills. One everyday and both every other day. I'm not pleased with that, especially as Mom is getting pretty good at giving them to me.

The only benefit of this is that I get an extra treat without having to do anything for it. Like sitting up for it. Or chasing it. This whole routine quite distrubs my Catnap time, so I usually just get up and take it out on Catzee by chasing her all over the house. We have fun and Mom is glad I'm feeling good. Me too.

Diagnosis

Rascal's pathology report diagnosed a Hodgkins-like lymphoma. This type of lymphoma is rare in cats, slow growing, and though not curable, it is treatable.

Dr. C recommended an initial treatment of prednisolone and chlorambucil. These would increase Rascal's quality of life at a relatively reasonable cost, and there would be minimal side effects. At this stage the only other thing he would require would be weekly blood work to keep an eye on his white cell count (because of the chlorambucil).

Without any treatment, Rascal's life expectancy could be anywhere between 2 to 12 months. With treatment, he will likely live longer than a year.

Rascal's dad is out of town until next week. So we have another appointment on Wednesday, by which time he'll be back. By then Dr. C will know what the cost of the chlorambucil, and we'll have had time to discuss and digest all this information.

If anyone has had experience in any of this, I'd love to hear from you.

In the meantime, Rascal's just glad to be home again. His incision is doing fine and healing nicely. He's done a good job of keeping it clean. But as you know, trips to the vet can be quite exhausting, so he has the important business of an interrupted morning nap to tend to.

Feeling Better

I went for my follow-up check at the V-E-T this morning. Still no report from the pathology lab. Dr. C said they were doing a re-test and we should have the results tomorrow.

But the staples are out and that stupid collar is gone.

The wound is yucky and oozy because some of the
skin is dead. There is no infection though.

Dr. C said the dead stuff will slough off over time and new healthy skin is already growing back. At least I'm allowed to clean it as much as I want.

I haven't been able to take a proper bath with that thing
on my neck, so if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot of work to do.

Still Waiting

We're still waiting on the pathology report. Mom has wanted to wait until then to post an update , but I said no. The report was supposed to be in on either Friday or Monday. In fact, Mom forced Me into the PTU on Monday and made Me go to the V-E-T to have him look at my incision. There is no infection, but the skin is dying in two spots. Mom and Dad were worried, but Dr. C said it was not serious, though not what he liked to see.

Tomorrow I go back to get the staples out and then I can get this stupid collar off. It is a nuisance and bathing it isn't the same as bathing myself.

If there is news later today, Mom will update. If not, I'll let you know what the V-E-T says after my appointment tomorrow morning.

No News Yet

We're still waiting on the pathology report from the lab. They aren't open on weekends, so it will be Monday before we get the results.

For the most part, Rascal is doing pretty well. He's managed to get out of the e-collar twice in three days however. He was quite pleased with himself and managed full blown baths each time. I felt badly putting it back on, but I don't want to take a chance with the surgical staples. Plus, it keeps him from jumping too much.

Amazingly, both cats are getting along. Catzee wants to check him out frequently, but has been very gentle. He doesn't want her to touch him, but he hasn't hissed at her either. Pretty good for them.

Because he wants to jump up onto their cat tree (and he's not supposed to jump), I had to put it into our spare room and shut the door. Today, both cats snuck in when I had to get something out of there. They were both delighted that they had found it and nokitty wanted to give it up again.

So, while we wait, Rascal's sleeps a lot (which he's supposed to do anyway.) And looks forlorn. And spends quite a bit of time in his favorite box, in his favorite window.

.

Home

Rascal's home again. He's groggy and grumpy and having a hard time getting around. The e-collar is to protect the sutures, which come out in 10 days. He can get around a little, but when the collar gets caught on something he just stands there. He's taken to backing up to get around, as he sometimes steps on the collar as well. His right front paw is still bandaged from where the IV was, and he isn't too happy about that either. Catzee is beside herself with curiosity, but he isn't in the mood for anything. At least the worst is over, and things will get better from here.

Surgery Update

I just got a call from Dr. C. Rascal is out of surgery and in recovery. Dr. C was very pleased with how well the surgery went. He said it is one of the few times he is happy to work with a fat cat, as they need to remove as much tissue around the tumor as possible. They were able to remove a lot of fat rather than other tissue. We will get the pathology report back on either Friday or Monday.

Depending on how his incision looks this afternoon, he may be able to come home! Your prayers and purrs are much appreciated. I'll let you all know what I hear this afternoon.

Leigh
aka Rascal's Mom

Rascal Needs Surgery

Rascal's Mom here.

Over the weekend my DH was playing with Rascal and felt a lump in his belly flap. (We call it his "poochie, " a word he knows and reacts to with the bitey.) I got him into the vet this morning, who examined him and took a little sample of the lump with a needle. The lump is a tumor and requires surgery. He is scheduled to go in tomorrow at 7:30 am for surgery at 8. The vet believes that it will go smoothly and he isn't anticipating any problems or complications. He will send the tumor into a lab to be tested. Hopefully it won't be malignant.

If all goes well, I can probably bring Rascal home tomorrow evening. If the incision drains a lot, he will have to spend the night. I admit that I am a little worried about this as I lost Tibber, my absolute favorite bunny to surgery about two years ago.

We haven't posted much lately as we have been trying to buy a house with a nice "outside" for the cats. We put a contract on a home with 5 acres last September, then right after Christmas it fell through as the sellers were unable to make the repairs required for the home to pass inspection. After almost four months of trying to get things done, it was very disappointing. We were pretty discouraged but decided that, rather than unpack, we'd start looking again. As you can imagine this takes a lot of time, but we're present in the Cat Blogosphere in heart, if not meows.

Please send your purrs and prayers Rascal's way! He'll be eight people years old in April and he's been part of the family all that time. We love him dearly.