Hi. CoalBear here.
Well, now that I think of it, she should be in a slump. The only day this week she was frisky was Tuesday and look at what she did to me!!
People, this was the most horrible thing that has ever happened to me. I got stuffed into the carrying crate and before I knew it, I was in the car. We ended up in a strange building with other people and DOGS and I kept crying, and the Mother of Cats just ignored me and took me to a little room where I had to COME OUT OF THE CRATE!!!!! I got weighed, physically cathandled by a strange lady, and then there were the SHOTS that I absolutely did not deserve because I am the best boy ever. You want to hear the worst thing about all of this…. Hannah exercised her right to refuse and didn’t have to go the vet. I think that she was laughing when we got back home again.
Okay, back to the week. The Mother of Cats is taking lots and lots of new pills now and parts of her don’t feel good because of the side effects (let me tell you about the side effects of those SHOTS!) so I am doing my best to be cute.
The Mother of Cats used clear plastic push pins to secure the tops and corners of the quilt. I have been pulling the pins out of the bottom of the quilt and taking them upstairs to play with. I left both of them on the bathroom floor where she would be sure to find them this morning so she can put them back into the quilt again. Wasn’t that good of me?
I’ve also been trying to help her with her knitting, but she seems to be in a slump. She isn’t knitting much, and the stuff she has going is… boring.
Do you see how boring this knitting is? The pink blob is a sweater… maybe. The blue is going to be a pair of socks someday, and that pastel smish of funny colors will someday be a hat. Where are the cat toys? Hello? How can I be cute and entertaining if I don’t have all the toys in the world…
Well, I guess that is all for now. It is almost time for the baby bunny to come out in the back yard. Show time!
Mateo the CoalBear
Notes from the Mother of Cats:
- I did get Hannah into the crate at least three times, but she was too strong for me and managed to push her way back out before I could get it zipped closed. She has another appointment next month and I’ll try some new strategies.
- I’m in the middle of a big drug push to get my lung disease under control; I am breathing much, much better and I have more energy by far than I did a couple of months ago. The downside is… side effects. My doctors are running frequent blood tests to monitor my progress, adding more drugs to control symptoms that are concerning, and so far, things are going well, but I am pretty much homebound with pain, blurred vision, and dizziness. Two more weeks of the steroid push to go and then I start to get tapered off. Yay! I’m dealing with a lot of tendon pain as my immunosuppressant dose is doubled, but that has happened before and I’m hopeful that there is an end in sight.
- What type of side effects, you ask? I gained 12 pounds in two days and my blood sugar soared into the high 100s. Opps.
- I am getting out into the garden a little and there is a new rose bush waiting for me to plant it. Someday soon, little guy.
The pictures above are my morning pills, the braces that I now am back in because of tendon pain, and my new, beautiful rose. The name of the rose is… Easy Does It!
Just the rose that I needed for the week.
Yarn, Books & Roses 
Wow putting those pins on the bathroom floor! That is pretty dastardly! MoC I hope the water retention (assuming that much weight gain must be fluid) stops otherwise you may pop when stepping on a pin! The quilt is amazing and I hope it survives.
The pin thing was pretty amazing when you consider that he had to go down the stairs to get the second pin and then bring it up to the bathroom to play with it too. Also, I had really shoved these pins through the quilt material and into the dry wall secure the quilt. He must have pulled them out with his teeth! The weight gain is all fluid and I’m now on diuretics for the duration (and restricted fluids intake) while I’m going through the course of prednisone. Ugh. I have managed to get down 7 pounds but it is a daily battle to make sure I don’t slip up and drink too much water.
I’m hoping that the quilt survives. My son came over and got my tabletop loom down and set up for me again. I’m hoping that Mateo will let me weave. He’s probably wondering what he can pull off the loom…
Love the color of the rose!!!!!
Feels like it’s a constant adjustment doesn’t it. Your feline companions are a delight and keep you grounded. HaHa…..
Hang in there.
From SoCal, where it is 105*+
Your fellow petri dish experiment.
I’m really happy with the rose. The blooms get more pink and light apricot in them as they mature, and there is a nice light scent! I’m letting it adjust to the backyard before I plant them as the eventual location is pretty sunny and warm.
Hey, I grew up in San Bernardino before we moved to Imperial Beach, and I know SoCal heat well. A friend recently moved to Sun City, Arizona and I was like… are you crazy?! Umm,,, there’s the heat thing, and are you aware of water issues…
Hugs from the petri dish!
One day there will be published in whatever is the US equivalent of “The Lamcet” a paper reviewed by so many peers as to be quite OTT .. and it will be The Story Of Marilyn And Her Treatments. And their side-effects. And her absolute determination and bravery. And her cats. And roses. And garden wild animals.
Imagine ! – all this in something like “The New England Journal of Medicine” !! 😀
And yet, I am just one of many! Actually, I did talk to one of my doctors recently about feedback (and envy) that was expressed about my team of collaborative doctors who are seamlessly delivering my care these days, and that this might be something that should be presented as a model of care for other patients with complex medical needs. I mean, other patients should know how I went about building the team, and other doctors might benefit from knowing how my team communicates with each other in decision making and their interactions with me. I’ve put together a few conference presentations in my day…
I think it would be a marvellous resource for the future. And how often can there be someone (1) afflicted as you are but (2) with a brain like yours who could put it together ???
We’ll see if they take the bait. I’ve often through that I am particularly lucky in that my life experiences have allowed me to be more informed and prepared to deal with this than most.
Just you be a good boy, Coalbear. Marilyn, I wish you well in your struggle.
CoalBear: I am a good boy!!
Marilyn: Thanks!
🙂
Be gentle with yourself. Mateo, be a gentle boy.
I’m feeling much better, but this is a slog.
Mateo: I got her up at the crack of dawn today, because… need attention!!
Ooof, that is a handful of pills. My stomach hurts just thinking about it. 12 pounds of water weight in 2 days sounds painful. As does tendon pain. I hope you are able to read while you work on getting through this phase.
Many of the pills say to take with a meal, so I have been careful because I always struggle with gastritis. Ironically, as the meds have kicked in, I feel much better and I’m actually eating more than I have in quite a while. Yay. The tendonitis is also doing better, but I am being really careful and staying in my braces. Reading time!!
Mateo, I hope you heal from your horrible vet visit soon. And be good to Mother of Cats!
Marilyn, my gosh that is a lot of medications! I hope that the side effects calm down (or even better, go away) soon and you are feeling much better soon.
Your new rose is lovely!
That rose is lovely, and has a very appropriate name! Best of luck getting Hannah to the vet for her next appointment. Cats may be small, but they can certainly make life difficult when they want to.
Mateo might think your current WIPs are boring, but I think they’re really pretty. I hope the side effects and tendon pain get under control soon!
The tendon pain is much better today and I am eying the socks and wondering if I can get away with knitting on them. Ironically, it hurts more to knit with larger needles as I have to move my wrists more. Socks! In the high heat of summer…
Hannah’ summer coat is very smooth and sleek which helped her in the escape-from-the-crate efforts. I’ll give this one more attempt, but as I told the vet, this isn’t worth me getting a cat bite, or Hannah getting that upset that she would bite me.
Socks are a great summer knitting project, since they don’t warm up your lap as you knit. 😉