A Somewhat sad post...
So it looks like Chima (that cat, not the lawyer) is quite ill. She was getting real thin all of a sudden, and then last night she was trying to eat, and ended up clawing at her mouth so badly she cut it open. We had to trim her claws and feed her milk that night from an eyedropper.
So she went to the Vet today, and got a lovely X-Ray, and it turns out there's something in her lung, which is probably pushing up against a nerve that runs to her eye, and irritating her mouth, and keeping her from eating properly.
At this point it's either Pneumonia...or Cancer. The big C.
Years ago you may recall that Toast got quite ill. He suddenly emptied his stomach on the new carpet in our Condo in Renfrew (in Calgary), and then didn't eat, drink, or really move for three days. It was one of those wierd situations you get into with Vets.
First it's blood work...ka-ching.
Then it's an IV drip...ka-ching.
Then it's a hospital stay...ka-ching, ka-ching.
Then it's...an ultrasound guided biopsy of his liver. KA-CHING.
Damn Cat, you owe me big time.
But in the end, all he really needed was a couple of days in Kitty hospital with an IV full of antibiotics. As this happened at the beginning of December, some of your may recall our lean Christmas that year.
With Chima though, it's different. It's basically either Pneumonia or Cancer. If it's Pneumonia, then antibiotics will treat it. If it's Cancer, then there is no way I am putting my fuzzy little cheese-cat through the hell of chemotherapy. It would however cost $500 to get a biopsy of her lung, and then maybe know what the problem was.
In short, we are just going to take our chances. We are putting her on antibiotics, and hoping against hope that she hasn't already used up 8 of her 9 lives. Because if it is cancer, we will not be treating it anyway.
It makes me think though. If I am having these kind of "Weighing the dollars with the quality of life with the treatment options" kind of questions with a 9 year old Cat...how would I feel if I was back in the U.S., and Isaac suddenly fell terribly ill.
The thought just leaves me cold. Over 45% of Americans have no health insurance. What happens then...do they go to a walk in clinic, get some antibiotics and..."hope against hope?"
I don't think I have any answers at this point, just a hell of a lot of questions about how society prioritizes itself when Paris Hilton has to get a "back-up day-ring" because the stone on her engagement ring is too heavy for her hand, but 45% of the people in the world's most powerful and prosperous nation may one day be faced with the kind of choice for their kids that I am now agonizing over about my Cat.
This stuff keeps me up at night.
Sorry for the Sermon.
Boy I'm going to miss her.
So it looks like Chima (that cat, not the lawyer) is quite ill. She was getting real thin all of a sudden, and then last night she was trying to eat, and ended up clawing at her mouth so badly she cut it open. We had to trim her claws and feed her milk that night from an eyedropper.
So she went to the Vet today, and got a lovely X-Ray, and it turns out there's something in her lung, which is probably pushing up against a nerve that runs to her eye, and irritating her mouth, and keeping her from eating properly.
At this point it's either Pneumonia...or Cancer. The big C.
Years ago you may recall that Toast got quite ill. He suddenly emptied his stomach on the new carpet in our Condo in Renfrew (in Calgary), and then didn't eat, drink, or really move for three days. It was one of those wierd situations you get into with Vets.
First it's blood work...ka-ching.
Then it's an IV drip...ka-ching.
Then it's a hospital stay...ka-ching, ka-ching.
Then it's...an ultrasound guided biopsy of his liver. KA-CHING.
Damn Cat, you owe me big time.
But in the end, all he really needed was a couple of days in Kitty hospital with an IV full of antibiotics. As this happened at the beginning of December, some of your may recall our lean Christmas that year.
With Chima though, it's different. It's basically either Pneumonia or Cancer. If it's Pneumonia, then antibiotics will treat it. If it's Cancer, then there is no way I am putting my fuzzy little cheese-cat through the hell of chemotherapy. It would however cost $500 to get a biopsy of her lung, and then maybe know what the problem was.
In short, we are just going to take our chances. We are putting her on antibiotics, and hoping against hope that she hasn't already used up 8 of her 9 lives. Because if it is cancer, we will not be treating it anyway.
It makes me think though. If I am having these kind of "Weighing the dollars with the quality of life with the treatment options" kind of questions with a 9 year old Cat...how would I feel if I was back in the U.S., and Isaac suddenly fell terribly ill.
The thought just leaves me cold. Over 45% of Americans have no health insurance. What happens then...do they go to a walk in clinic, get some antibiotics and..."hope against hope?"
I don't think I have any answers at this point, just a hell of a lot of questions about how society prioritizes itself when Paris Hilton has to get a "back-up day-ring" because the stone on her engagement ring is too heavy for her hand, but 45% of the people in the world's most powerful and prosperous nation may one day be faced with the kind of choice for their kids that I am now agonizing over about my Cat.
This stuff keeps me up at night.
Sorry for the Sermon.
Boy I'm going to miss her.
posted by Jason Allen at 8:16 PM
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