Friday Flashback and Caturday Art.

 Before the flashback, I don't usually give health updates but this one is better than usual. I had a phone consultation with my oncologist last week after my latest CT scan. He said that once again there is no change. It is 6 1/2 years since I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic cancer but I have been stable for 3 years now. He has said that instead of having a scan every 3-4 months he will schedule the next one for 6 months. I know it is still there and will never go away but at least I know the treatment is still working well.

This week I have one photo posts mostly from December 2009.

Flynn Tummy and Toesies Tuesday December 2009.

Don't worry about waking me, you can snorgle or give me tummy rubs. Mum says I am looking podgy in this photo. I told her my fur is still floofed up from the cold, and of course it is bad camera angle too.

We both usually have a lap each, Eric on dad and Flynn on mum, but sometimes we like to both sit on mum. We even let her have her head back.

Wordless Wednesday and a headless mum.

Eric Waiting.

Come on dad, don't keep me waiting, I want my chair!
If you look at the front of dad's sweatshirt, you can see all my wet and muddy pawprints where I walked over him when I came in from outdoors.

I am joining Athena, the Cat Goddess for Caturday Art.

For Flynn I have used Monet at 75%, then Emboss at 30%.

For Eric and his dad I used Illusion at 55%, then Sadness at 40% to tone it down a bit. I think I might have toned it down too much though!

My AI art is Cat on a Wall. He looks like a tom cat to me with that big old face!

108Caturday Art Flynn 2.09.23
108Caturday Art Eric 2.09.23
110TwseIYNwKFKCApVUwdi8--4--45z13
I am also joining MessyMimi for the blog hop.

Friday Flashback and Caturday Art and health update.

First of all another health update. As I mentioned 2 weeks ago, I was due to have my gall bladder out last Monday. I went in as arranged, got ready and struggled into the compression socks and waited for the surgeon to come and speak to me.

He told me of all the normal risks of surgery and anaesthetic. Then he dropped his bombshell!

He told me that I was at very high risk in three different areas. Because of scar tissue from the original cancer surgery in 2011 he would most likely have to continue with open surgery. The metastatic cancer has also put me at a very high risk. I assume he meant by that it could cause it to spread rapidly which was the reason they didn't want to operate when I originally started getting the gallstone attacks. Also there was a high risk of tearing my liver or damaging other organs like the pancreas.

He also said that if I did get Covid it would be very dangerous for me.

My operation wasn't due for another hour so he told me to think carefully before I decided. If I wanted to go ahead he would send the anaesthetist to see me, and if they gave the all clear for that he would go ahead.

He said if I decided all the risks were to great to just let the nurse know. I was under no pressure to go ahead.

I rang Ivor and we agreed it was too risky. One high risk wouldn't have been so bad, but three plus knowing Covid would affect me very badly was just too much to chance.

I will have lived with metastatic cancer for almost 4 years and I don't want to throw that away for one rotten gall bladder!

I just wish he could have read my medical history earlier so I hadn't been building myself up for the operation which I was already very nervous about.

To say I feel shell shocked is an understatement!

This flashback comes from January 2008 and is called,

"Watcha Doing?"

Hey Flynn, what are you doing down there?

I'm practicing my laser eyes.

Huh big deal! Anycat can do that.

Oh ok then, we might as well go back to sleep.

I am joining Athena, the Cat Goddess for Caturday Art.

I started with Yarn at 50%, then added Surreal at 55%.

108Caturday Art 31.10.20
The random photo this week has been chosen by Little Binky. We are usually away on a cruise around that date for our anniversary, so I have got one from the date nearest to then.

For Little Binky.

I am also joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for the Feline Friday blog hop.

An Update

I am happy to say that I am improving daily.

My vet, Mark has been ringing my mum every 12 hours to get an update on me and now thinks it is less likely that I had a clot although he can't entirely dismiss it..

My walking is improving and I no longer throw my leg to the side as I try to walk, and my legs don't buckle beneath me any more. I have a bit of stiffness in my back end and a bit of a limp.

I only had the one steroid injection as Mark wanted to get me back on the Prednisalone as soon as possible as that is what is helping with my T4.

Depending on my continuing improvement, my further treatment will be discussed tomorrow. It is possible I will have an aspirin twice a week. Please see the note from my mum below about aspirin and cats.

As you can see, I am enjoying convalescing in the sun. Excuse the photo not being centred, it was taken from the bedroom window so as not to disturb me.

Thank you all for all the good thoughts, purrs and prayers. They have definitely helped me through this.

Aspirin and cats

I must stress that Aspirin is TOXIC TO CATS so should never be given without veterinary advice. It is toxic because it forms salisylic acid in the body and cats don't have the enzyme to metabolise it, so it can build up in the body. A single 300mg tablet can be fatal.
If Flynn does need Aspirin to prevent clotting he will have a low dose 75mg tablet no more often than once every three days. Hopefully he will not need it.

Sunday Selfies and a Health Update.

This is not really a selfie but was taken by Carol. I think it passes as one though.

This is the sight that greeted my mum and dad, and Carol and Barrie when they came home after a day out. I was lying outside looking in through the garage cat flap.
I had heard the car arrive back so I was rolling around outside on the concrete waiting for tummy tickles.

You can see more selfies with the Kitties Blue at The Cat on my Head.

Health Update.

Those of you on FB will already know that I am having health problems again.
On Thursday night I was throwing my left back leg out and stumbling as I walked. The next day it was worse. Mum was worried I had a clot and checked my paws which were warm, a good sign. She checked my eyes too and they were steady.

She rang our vet, Mark and although he had a full day he was able to fit me in later in the afternoon. He knows me so well now and the problems I have with medication acting against me, so will always see me if at all possible rather than one of the other vets. He told my mum to give me a low dose aspirin immediately which would help protect me if it was a clot.

He said it is not a major clot because we would have been in no doubt if it was. He can't completely rule out it being a small one though.
He thinks it could be a severe arthritis flare up even though I have never shown signs of it before. We cats are very good at hiding things as you all know.

I had a Prednisalone in the morning so he couldn't inject me with the steroid he wanted to as I couldn't have both in the same 24 hours. He said not to give me my evening Pred, and to ring him in the morning to give him an update. If there was no improvement to withhold that Pred too and for dad to go and collect the steroid injection. I had that at 11am on Saturday, and as of 7pm Saturday there was no change. Mum was to ring him again at 8.30pm on Saturday via the emergency number because he is on call all weekend.

I will update as and when anything changes.
We haven't done much visiting the last couple of days, but I am sure you all understand.
Your purrs would be greatly appreciated.

Sunday Selfies and an Update.

I told my mum that I wanted to do a Sunday Selfie today even though we are taking a blogging break.

I can see I am out of practice, I have chopped off part of my ear and my mouth!

It was okay though because dad came to the rescue and we had a double selfie.

You can see more selfies at The Cat on my Head with the Kitties Blue.

I have a short update for you as well.
I had been going on as usual, a couple of bad days every week or so but the other days I felt okay and was enjoying life. Wednesday and Thursday I had two very bad days and was giving up because I felt so rotten. Mum rang the on call vet and it was my usual one who rang back right away. He was on the phone to my mum for ages discussing my options with her.
I had stopped eating and all I wanted to do was continually eat grass but couldn't be sick, and I kept hiding away and lying on my side.

He suggested giving me Cerenia for 4 days and Rinitidine  (Zantac) to see if it would make me feel better. Mum was very relieved to be able to speak to our own vet because he knows me so well and knows the bad effects most medication has on me.

I have started eating again and am not looking for grass all the time. I started to get a little wobbly on my legs but he said that is to be expected because I have lost so much muscle mass. I don't seem to be having any ill effects from these pills apart from the Cerenia making me drool last night. I only have one more of them tonight and my vet wants to see how I am with just the Rinitidine.

He said that even though I had been eating very little, the low dose Prednisalone I have every day would help protect me against developing Fatty Liver Disease.

Mum and dad thought I reached the end of the road this time, but they should know I have fought back from the brink three times and I am determined to make it a fourth time.

My Poem and short Update.

I don't usually post more than 2 or 3 times a week now, but Ann from Zoolatry sent me this lovely poem and picture. I know she sent it to most of my friends too, but I wanted to share it in case you aren't on her mailing list.

I have had some bad days lately and Monday was particularly bad and mum and dad thought they might have to make the decision for me. They won't rush into any decisions though because they have seen time and again when I appear to have given up the fight, the next day I can be so much better. Tuesday was like that. I slept right through Monday night when I eventually settled, and most of Tuesday.I also started to eat a bit more again. I even played with my nippy toys for a while.

Me and my family appreciate your purrs and prayers for me. They are helping me keep going. Thank you all for being my friends.

A POEM BY FLYNN 

All is quite well, down here on the farm.

With my Mum and my Dad, I'll not come to harm.

     I still will enjoy a runabout for play,

     but also a paws to refresh, maybe rest for a day.

Some days are a bit better than others you see,

but I feel so good, knowing you're there for me!

     I do love getting your purrs, your kisses, your hugs.

     It warms my insides, it makes me feel loved!

Your prayers mean so much, specially now that I'm old,

these good 'n' bad days are normal I'm told.

     Yes, some days are a bit better than others you see,

     but I feel so good knowing you're there for me!

Sunday Selfies.

The weather has been horrible lately so I am not going outdoors very much. Instead I am spending most of my time either on the bed or by the fire.
I set the timer and I have one eye on it to make sure it works properly, and then I can take my easy.

I am joining the Kitties Blue at The Cat on my Head for the Sunday Selfies. Click on the link to see others who are taking part.

I put an update on my post on Wednesday about my vet visit, but several people have asked how I got on. If you didn't see it, I have repeated it below.

Update   (from Wednesday)
My vet said I was looking good when he saw me this morning. He listened to my heart and was pleased with it. Mum told him she was worried last week that I was peeing a lot and gave him the sample she got from me.
The bad news is that the blood in urine reading is once again very high, so I am back on the Oxycare pills for 2 weeks to clear it up again. That is the downside of being on prednisalone. The dose is very low, 1mg twice a day which is not high enough that it could suppress my immune system, but it can still make me more susceptible to infections. We have to weigh the pros against the cons though, and the pred is the only medication I have been able to tolerate which is keeping my T4 numbers from going through the roof. Even the natural products I have tried made me ill again, so if I want a good quality of life I have to keep with the Pred.
Because of the infection, my vet said he wouldn't steal my blood today so that means I got starved for nothing! Mum will test my urine herself at the end of my course of tablets, and if the blood is gone I will go for my blood test then. I hope that doesn't mean I get starved again. Thanks everyone for your continued purrs for me.

Sunday Selfie and an Update.

I tire very easily lately so mum said she would help me with my selfie.
I am joining the Kitties Blue for their blog hop. You can see more selfies at The Cat on my Head.

My Update.
Today is day 10 of my antibiotics and then I don't have to take them any more. I am getting tired of having pills all the time but my mum and dad say it is to help me feel better. I still have to take my pred and heart tablets though, and I have a B12 injection once a week.
When my pee was tested again it was much better. There is still a trace of blood but that has been there ever since I got ill and nothing seems to get rid of it. At least it is much better than a week ago when the reading was off the scale. The white blood cell in the sample is okay now also.

When I had the NSAID injection earlier in the week, it made no difference to me at all. That decreases the possibility that something is causing me considerable pain.
I still don't want to eat very much. I usually have wet food but am barely touching it. I have decided I prefer dry, so am having a good quality grain free kibble. My mum prefers me to have wet but says eating dry is much better than not eating anything. My weight has stabilised again, probably because there are more calories in the dry. I do drink a lot which I always have done.

I don't have a lot of energy and sleep most of the time, and I don't really want to go for walks very often. If I do, dad carries me back and we only go to the paddock behind the garden hedge.
Yesterday I wanted to go and mum and dad came with me. Mum had to go back to do something and me and dad walked to the top of the paddock. I saw mum come back through the gate and ran flat out down to her! She and dad were very surprised. I slept for ages after.

My mum speaks to my vet every day because he wants daily updates until I am doing better. Thank you everybody for all the purrs and prayers, they are helping me because I was not at all well just over a week ago.

A Health Update.

Dogs don't have the monopoly on playing with sticks!

This photo was taken on Monday and you can see how well I am looking now. I wasn't so happy earlier in the morning though.
Mum called me in from the garden and I came running with my tail held high. Next thing I knew I was being stuffed into the PTU.
When I have to travel in the box on wheels I always sing my warrior songs. This time I screamed them out. Dad was afraid I would give myself a heart attack and mum held my paw all the way there, but I am proud to say I never let up for a single minute.
When we got to the vet he took us into his examination room the back way, probably because he had heard me screaming blue murder all the way there.
He checked my heart and mum and dad were sure it would be racing because I had got myself so worked up been singing so loud. He said it sounded good and was very pleased with it. Mum had caught a pee sample the night before so he tested that. There is still a trace of blood in it and the white blood cell count is still raised. It has been like that since I first became ill and before I had the antibiotics which had caused me so much trouble. Everything else was good.
Then I had my blood stolen. He did it in the room with mum and dad there so I wouldn't stress myself again.
The results came back this morning. As most of you know, I am unable to take any sort of hyperthyroid medication as it works against me and makes me very ill. Instead, for the last three months I have been taking a very low dose of Prednisalone which can suppress thyroid function to a certain degree and also increase appetite and weight.
Mum thinks we may use a different scale of numbers for measuring T4 levels in the UK. Anything over 55 is considered to be hyperthyroid. The last time I had a T4 test my level was 111, double what it should be. This time it is 65 which is much better but I still have hyperthyroidism. It shows that the pred has been working well. My vet said he could raise the dose slightly but that could bring other steroid associated problems and would prefer not to do that. Mum and dad said they definitely don't want to do anything that could cause more problems. With my thyroid still being overactive, in time it will put too much strain on my heart Instead I am going to have a daily pill to help protect my heart and also my kidneys.
My vet is very pleased with my progress and says I look a totally different cat to the one he saw when mum and dad rushed me into him when he was the on duty night vet 6 months ago.