For a long time I've been reluctant to tat at home, especially a piece intended for someone else. See, I had this cat. Max. Max was furry. His white fur was just as fine and clingy as any spider web. I'd be tatting along and not notice until I was done that Max's white fur was tatted into the piece. It probably didn't help matters that Max liked to sit in my lap in the evening, so his fur was on my clothes, on the fleece throw, on the chair, in my eyes.... Always in my eyes. Since Max was getting older, I didn't want to deprive him of a warm lap in the evenings, so tatting was relegated to break time at work.
A few weeks ago Max's diabetes started to get out of control. The vet advised upping the dosage, then lowering, then increasing, but we couldn't keep his glucose steady no matter what. Last Tuesday he was lying on the bed, rubbing his face against the blanket and moving his legs back and forth. It was the same behavior as when his blood sugar crashed a few weeks ago. I grabbed the bottle of Karo syrup and gave him three different "shots" but he stayed the same. I took him to the vet and asked that they keep him for observation even though his glucose was reading 75. I checked back on him at dinner and was allowed to take him home. I opened the crate for him and left the room; when I came back a couple of minutes later he was in full seizure. I took him back to the vet and they decided to keep him overnight. I visited him about 9:30 pm and he was still swinging his head back and forth, but not so much. He didn't seem like he knew I was there, though. The vet said he may have had some cerebral edema, but she wasn't ready to give up on him yet. I stayed about 20 minutes, until the office closed. I called the next morning and they told me to check back later that evening. When I stopped by to see him I had hopes of taking him home, but I could tell he was worse instead of better. I made an appointment with the vet for 8 pm, and went to my sister's house to talk it through, but I knew what needed to be done.
Goodbye, my friend.
I'm sorry for your loss. Max sounds like he was a lovely cat, and very well cared for. It's so hard to lose a pet, they really do become members of the family.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Robin; I adopted Gus and Max just over 14 years ago. I had a dog at the time, and I joked that I got Gus for the dog and Max for me. Fortunately Gus has become attached to me in the last few years.
DeleteSo sorry for your loss. It is very hard to lose a pet, they are so much more than that. Take comfort in that you did the best you could for him, no-one can do more than that.
ReplyDeleteWanda, thank you. I do feel like I did the best I could for him, and you're right, there is comfort in that. I had no doubt that it was time, which was something I had prayed for.
DeleteVery sorry for your loss, Bridget. Max does sound adorable.
ReplyDeleteHe was totally adorable, muskaan! All I had to do was speak to him and he'd purr for me. He was happy just to be loved.
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