Just Because

Just hanging around

Monday Moods

When Monday comes it is best to think of what we did on Sunday especially if you're a kitty. 

Of cos a cupcake is good if you're the kitty's person. 

Here's to Monday everyone. 

Easy Peasy Sunday

                    Whoosh!

I plan to have my Sunday very Easy Peasy. We hope your Sunday is easy too. 

Saturday Easy

                   Hello Saturday. 

Akira made a quick entrance to greet Saturday and then decided to go back into her room for some rest and relaxation. Saturday in our house is usually rather noisy. 

Unless you're Megat who takes refuge in grandma's room. He sits with his back to the door, perhaps he is confident no one will try to disturb his peace. This is always the case unless its time for food. 

He has managed to eat by himself most nights and sometimes in the mornings as well. But of cos not enough to sustain him so I need to feed him by hand still but I am glad he is showing increasing interest in his usual food. I notice that I need to give him the cypro (2 mg) after every 3 rd day. But this is much better from before where I had to give him the stimulant everyday. So he has come a long way. He only needs to go to see the vet next week for his PCV test. So today he can take it easy. 

I got this footstool for Bujang but Tanaka had taken it for himself. He is a rascal. He alternates between the stool and the cat seat. 

This chair has now become his chair and no one is allowed to sit here and since we are a small group no one does. Also it's not really great to have Bujang  stalk you when you're trying to rest. 

  

All in all we will be having a nice and easy weekend. 

TGIF

 Hi how are you this Friday? I wonder what other cats are doing....

 TGIF!! Time to rest and relax and maybe I get to go out into the living room in the mornings as san will not be at work.I hope my wish comes true... But for now, its time to get some grooming done.

More sleep and naps...more sleep and naps..and oh yes...food and maybe a cuddle wif a BFF that used to belong to my bruffer Totoro.

Its time to rest and relax and observe the world....

in other news, our neighbourhood cats are also having a time-out.

This is 2 -year old Baby, a great favourite. She is fat from having too many meals given by many residents.

She is truly a very pretty kitty.

Just Because

On the subject of Tanaka, she said "Never mind, I am not frightened of him now (but if anything happens I will run fast to save myself)

And this is true as every morning, Tanaka would climb on top of her cage. Earlier this year, she would have screamed and backed off but now, more and more, she would look at him calmly and either snarl at him or very calmly jump onto the floor of her cage and wait for me to open it. She still wants me to carry her into my room for the morning necessary :) She is more confident and is more willing to explore the corridor in the bright of day, rather than only at night.

Do you know that I love you very much?

   

M: I do know this. It keeps me going :)

Megat's Vet review

 

Megat waited quite patiently for his turn. We had an 11.30 appointment and came early to get the blood test done before he sees the vet. He was unfazed by the noise of barking dogs and the one very unhappy Siamese cat who was waiting beside him.

He was also unfazed by the gadgets in the exam room. We waited here for about 10 minutes for Dr Ly to attend to us. 

His PCV indicators were not as good as we hoped. 2 months ago, it was 38. Last week he was discovered with anemia and so he was given 3 Eprex injections to kickstart his system. However with only 24 % he was given 3 more and we have to go back in 2 weeks.

But Dr LY was pleased with his bright eyes and his hydration. He was confident that this round of Eprex would do the job. His weight is down to 3.41 from 3.49 but Dr Ly was not overly concerned. 

I thought it would be nice to 'hear' some of Megat's thoughts :)

Qn How do you feel about growing older?

M: Taking the test of time. It can be a challenge but I'm coping.

Qn You are getting much better. I want you to know that. What do you want to do now that you are much better?

M: Observe, rest, relax.

Qn Is there something that you need that I have not provided for you?

M: No, we are together.

He has taken to sitting alone in grandma's room, in the computer room and in his cage in the afternoons as well for some 'me time'. :))

Easy Peasy Sunday

  

There is nuffing more easy Peasy than this unless its just hanging out wif your best friend. 

                   Tiger and me

We have been friend ever since I was furry young like 2 months old. BFF!

TGIF and other things

Ho-hum....

40 minutes is too long san. How about 30? No? Okay then, let me rest my head as well...its TGIF anyway...

We have had this routine eversince he was diagnosed with lymphoma the first time in 2009. He had undergone about 6 months of chemotherapy, with a very rigorous protocol, which was later changed to a milder one as he was 13 then. He has had shark cartilage suppositories (which I had struggled with but my cat won in the end) and also lingzhi suppositories.  

The suppository protocol is simple. Make sure you use the right lubricant (water-based) or if not just use olive oil and insert it quickly in an upwards motion. Megat would be very displeased and he had sometimes made sure that this will not happen by tightening his muscles! Once, even the vet had remarked on how determined he was :) Then I have to make sure that he does not go to the toilet and poo it out. So that is why I have to restrain him for about 30 minutes (Dr Ly's recommendation) to 40 mins (the vet tech's recommendation). I usually make sure that we have at least 40 minutes. So usually he gets medicine at 5 pm. I will make sure he gets the suppository immediately, then its time for other things like lingzhi extract and collidal silver in a  mixture of pumpkin and papaya, his Kidney activator pill, his Vit B and (now) his C-Cap. All this takes about 15 minutes. So he would have 20 minutes already and so for the rest of the time, he would just be bundled loosely on my chest. 

So here, he would attempt to escape but when I play him some music, sing a short ditty or brush his coat, he would just stay put. Nowadays he stays put without much persuasion. 

These days I make sure he has the suppository 6 times a week as opposed to the maintenance protocol of at least 4 times a week. And I cannot give him both the suppository and the Sub Q during the same session as he would always pee right after the Sub Q and if done together, this would mean he would do both in his litter :)

Dr Ly said that 100% of the lingzhi would be absorbed into his system directly with the suppository as well and only 40% if I give him the extract. So essentially he gets 140% of the lingzhi everyday but Sunday.

Thursday meditations

As you can see, my lower legs are not as red as before and there is a fine down on them. I am now not so afraid of the horrible boys as I can outrun Megat and I am much braver at yelling at Tanaka. Last night, grandma let Tanaka out by accident when I was outside. I was sitting on top of the fridge in the kitchen. Tanaka did not come any where near me. I think he didn't realise I was there at all. san was horrified as she didn't know Tanaka got out. Phew!

Update for Megat

This is Megat sitting on my chest. I have to wrap him up in a towel when putting in the suppository in his anus. Then he needs to be restrained for about 30 to 40 minutes for the lingzhi to be absorbed. It's a long process but we are used to it. 

We had spoken with Dr Ly regarding Megat's care. He said it was ok not to continue with the vincristine as we don't actually know for sure if it would be as helpful for him now. So we discussed other protocols. 

He has put on more weight and is now 3.49 kg. I was quite relieved at this as I was afraid he may not have eaten enough to sustain his organs. Of cos he still needs to be hand- fed in the  mornings. 

Megat is on Éprex as he is anaemic and we need to go back this Saturday for a blood test and his PCV. Dr Ly said that if he gets worse suddenly I needed to bring him in for a blood transfusion but he is holding on, much to my relief. 

I guess I will have to discuss it with Bujang as he had given blood for Totoro last year. Of course Bujang blood type is A. I do not know Megat's blood type at all but I hope I do not need to know that. 

Just Because

san took many pictures of us together yesterday as it is not often that I sit with her long enough for any picture to be taken. We know this picture seems overexposed but its one of our favourites. I am looking much better these days and am more carefree. I didn't know we were to have visitors last Thursday. I asked to go out but san told me I needed to stay in my room. When the visitors came, I was glad to be safe and unafraid as I knew no one would be allowed in to disturb me at all. All in all I had a restful time.

Easy Peasy Sunday

         Wow! What long nails you have !

   

        Can you actually fit in there? It's a        miracle!

               I like grandma's bed too !

I like watching outside with san and feeling the cold breeze. Rain on Sunday is good when you are inside , safe and warm with people who love you and whom you love. 

We hope your Sunday is all that you wish for. 

Saturday Easy

We had 2 busy days to celebrate Hari Raya and our 48th National Day. But today we are feeling free and easy. 

We went for a short walk along our corridor. 

  

   

  

    

 Bujang spent some time watching the corridor for signs of guests but the other two were just catching the breeze. 

       Megat spent the time just relaxing. 

He was eating rather well the last 2 days but today he just licked at the gravy in his food bowl so I have him 15 ml of no grain chicken. He has his VitB, marbocyl and his cyproheptidene. 

We expect the rest if the day to continue slowly and easily. 

 

Phew! One over

Yesterday was quiet hectic with guests. Megat knew it was going to be a long way and began the day with a whiff of wheatgrass. He was a very good host and made an appearance every time there was a new wave if guests until

I had to put him in my bedroom to rest. 

He even allowed one of our guests to carry him and cuddle him. He sat quietly while the guests kissed him and spoke to him. :)))

Then he even ate a whole dinner by himself. 

He ate more than he has eaten these many days. I think it may be it was the cheer and the noise. It made him hungry. 

Tanaka of cos spent his day being admired for his energy and his bright colour. He was quite exhausted from it all

                        zzzzz

                In other news ....

   

       What's that san? Will it hurt us!

It's National day and we have one more day relaxing :)) enough to make up for the hectic time we had yesterday. 

Selamat Hari Raya

 We have something

 to

 say...

Selamat Hari Raya and may all be well and be blessed...

We would like to include our brother from the bridge in our thoughts and our wishes for a blessed Hari Raya.

Decisions

This is an old picture of Megat - taken in March of this year. We will try to get newer pictures of him this evening.

Megat had one round of vincristine last Thursday as the vet said there may be some tumours lingering in him from before. It seems even if the ultra sound is clean, there is no assurance that he is clear. But he did not do well with this round of vincristine and so we have decided (Megat and I) that we will not do any more vincristine.  

Having spoken to Dr Lalani and other cat parents, I decided that we will just work on the constipation problems as well as the appetite issues. He has just begun to eat a little for dinner yesterday and even this morning, he had tried to eat some. However I had to continue feeding him by hand for the past months and I am so happy that he had finished his kibble last night.

So the plan is to just allow him to 'observe, rest and relax' and enjoy his days in peace. A 17 year  old kitty deserves at least that much :)

Easy Peasy Sunday

We are all ready for next week. We will be helping san with spring-cleaning the house for Hari Raya but for now we are just taking a deep breath.