31Dec25: later, yesterday…

…Greenies, but he came around later yesterday morning to eat a few.

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(Andy looks a bit frazzled these days. He’s had a rough time, but is in much better shape, finally.)

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Andy didn’t spend much time here today. He was taken to the place where he gets blood taken and IV’S.

He did get an IV. His veterinarian noted his red blood cells are a bit improved, that liver function takes more time to sort itself out, but is coming along.

I reviewed issues I had with medications and Andy’s specific resistance to various methods of administering them.

I noted how two that he didn’t get much of because of how much wet food he typically eats, then leaves. I described how I mixed the two in water and gave them orally to Andy by syringe: his veterinarian approved.

(“See, Andy? I have to take those nasty things, too.”)

30Dec25: cattitude attack?

Andy has begun to fall into a more regular routine. Sleep, of course, is a big part of it.

On the other hand, while he ate some of his wet food and the Royal Canin Persian dry food, his Greenies binge the other day must have sated his desire to chomp on any for the immediate future.

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A safe distance from the “Crazy Kat Brusher!”

“Sleep soundly now, kitty boy! I’ll be back!”

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Andy has a follow-up veterinarian’s appointment today. More on that tomorrow.

I finally had contact with the Regional West Hospital’s breast cancer liaison person who went over the initial information about services available to mitigate travel expenses and other things I need to know about the steps I’ll take in my treatment.

First – and a first! – an MRI where I will lie prone in a special masseuse-like or chiropractor-like bench with a face hole and (?) others for my “boobs” instead of supine, like all other MRI benches.

Another thing: unlike every other hospital room. I’ve ever been in for 23 years, the ones connected to the breast cancer part of Regional West Hospital actually are just as warm as I like! Women, in this respect, are treated better than all other patients.

29Dec25: a pensive mood…

I can’t get a handle on what’s on his mind.

He hopped on the ottoman. After staring at me for a moment…

… he stared at bit at the Greenies, then hopped off to…what? I hope it was to eat food ready for him in the other room.

Finally! Andy returned to eat lots of Greenies!

28Dec25: an improvement

…

Andy was investigating the front door scene when…

I placed a few on top of the cottonwood chunk, where Andy helped himself.

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After the first few days of starvation-level eating, which was both alarming and frustrating to me, Andy went to town last night. He came over to the ottoman, when eight, nine, ten times he ate several Greenies and took breaks to drink water.

Greenies aren’t meant to be anything more than an occasional treat, of course, but when Andy was barely tasting his wet food and occasionally eating a few pieces of the Royal Canin Persian dry food, it wasn’t life- sustaining.

(“Floofy” kitties look fat and sassy, even when they are shockingly thin.)

I worried for Andy’s life, frankly. If it was going to be up to Greenies to get him on track a m d keep him on track, so being it!

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It concerned me that two medications – the two on the left – were put in his wet food, the wet food he barely touched.

I decided to try a different approach.

Mixing the powder from one, and the liquid from the other in a measured amount of water, the medicines were then
sucked into the syringe.

Shooting them into Andy’s mouth worked well, with very little spillage since the amount given was less than a kitty mouthful.

(The white one is for kidney support, and the green one is for liver support.)

27Dec25: a big deal…

…and thinking about it, Andy ate some Greenies!

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Andy ate the Greenies a little after 10 am yesterday. I don’t want to alarm you, but he’s very thin just now. I am worried that he can’t recover fully, yet this little victory suggests my concerns may be unwarranted. Also, he is spending more “hanging out time” with me now, which I am happy to report.

26Dec25: mixed up morning…

Andy came out of hiding for a taste of his favorite dry food.

A brief sniff behind the ottoman gave me hope he’d sample a few Greenies that fell off the ottoman. He didn’t sample them.

Over to the front door to sample the air coming in under the open outside door.

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While Andy is eating a bite more than earlier, he still is a sick kitty. He is very thin, still on medications. I am alarmed by his thinness, having a hard time giving him medicine in wet food that he never ate all the way before he became ill. I doubt he’s getting much of the benefit of the two medicines administered in wet food.

(I’m having a poor time photographing him today.)

The supplement that helps his appetite is administered in a quantity and in a syringe so difficult to handle that lots of it goes out of Andy’s mouth and onto himself face and chest. I’m getting a bit better administering that supplement, but…!

He wants to eat his favorite treat, but it’s just too much, too soon.

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Sick, old man taking care of a sick, old cat. What’s wrong with this picture? It’s the way things worked out. We’ll get through it one way or another.

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I gave myself a half hour extra before getting ready for dialysis to assure enough time to medicate Andy. It proved to be exactly enough time.

I drove to the hospital, waited in the parking lot for the other people I share with on Tuesday-Thursday- Saturday with. Because of the holiday, though, I had Monday- Wednesday- Saturday. But, because of the biopsy, I was squeezed into Tuesday-Wednesday- Saturday. All of this confusion to let you know I appeared at the hospital on Friday, a day early for my Saturday session. I hate holidays!

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I haven’t heard yet what course and schedule to expect to take for my breast cancer. Stinking holiday interruptions in letting me know, I suppose. Sorry for the negativity.

CHRISTMAS DAY 2025:

Andy got his first home-administered doses this morning.

…skeddaling to favorite hiding spots when he sees me. I am concerned I didn’t get the job done adequately. I’ll know in the 29th, when he has another appointment to see how he’s doing.

The maze of what gets given, when, and how much had me over-whelmed yesterday. Kyarra’s well-organized sheet (right) got me e on track. My less clear effort ((**left)** **will help me** **keep track of which need renewal.**

Leaving the clinic, I tripped over a barrier, conked my head, and scraped up my left knee.

Kyarra was walking behind me, helped me up, and called the emergency room to let them know what happened and that we’d be there in a few minutes.

For the next four hours, I had blood draws, Xrays of my bloodied knee, MRIs, an ice pack for my head, the least hectic time of the day on my back, and the gift of a meal the PA was tossing if take it since she had eaten earlier. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

Other than a scraped knee and a goose egg on the back of my head, I came through the tumble in good shape. I can’t thank Kyarra enough for all of the things she did for me, including some things like going back to my apartment to refrigerate a medication I left on the table before I realized I had to return to the clinic, have the fall. She also brought my phone to me. She’s the young woman holding Andy on the 23rd’s blog post.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

24Dec25: Home again!

Of course you want the happiest news on Christmas Eve!

I was notified by the animal clinic that Andy was ready to go home.

While. Andy and I waited for his veterinarian to come in and tell us Andy’s status – still improving! – I “scritched” my little guy. He purred loudly the whole time!

Released home again, he run around to eat a bit of food I’d laid out for him.

Then it was time to do a walk-around in a familiar haunt these past 14 and a half years.

He came with numerous medications with teeny printed instructions. With the help of a magnifying glass and a couple calls to the clinic…

…I cobbled together a sheet to keep me on track. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. I will expand this to show days required and post it wherever I keep the medication

It is concerning that I won’t be able to maintain this regimen when my own medical schedule for the cancer pops up.

23Dec25: Whew!

I called the animal hospital after dialysis and a blood draw at my hospital. They brought him into a room where…

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Andy still has a way to go, but is much improved after last week when I took him in.

His veterinarian was very positive about his progress! I was just happy to see, hold, and pet him again.

Andy and I bumped heads, and, when he was pleased with how I was massaging his back, he put his tail on my arm, patting it in sync with my massaging. It is a gesture I view as Andy “petting” me. I like it a lot!

22Dec25: Andy makes progress!

He’s eating more solid food today, if not a lot.

The clinic says they continue to give him liquid nourishment.

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My biopsy went well. I won’t learn the results for two to three days, perhaps as long as seven because of the holidays.

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I miss my little guy a lot, so being too exhausted after my day to stop by the clinic to visit him was a disapointment. I hope tomorrow is “the day” for a visit!

I look forward to Andy hogging the recliner again!

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I have to get a cANCA blood draw after dialysis tomorrow. That is a test of a measure of my body fighting off WG/GPA, so it is a good one not to skip.