Tuesday, October 26, 2021

A Scare With Our New Kitty

Hi, Friends,
It's been a little bit since I've checked in. This will be a little chatty. 
How are you? I hope you are doing well. 

I had great intentions of doing a country house anniversary post but that didn't happen. 
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure exactly what to say but I'm sure I'll think of something. 
 



Last Wednesday night I saw a thread hanging out of Caroline's bottom. I thought it was just caught in her fur but when I tried to remove it, she squeaked and I realized that it was stuck inside. 
Bill had already gone to bed. He heads to bed early because he is commuting to Dallas again which has us both sad. 


Anyway, I thought I should wake him to tell him that I was taking her up to the animal hospital. 
He groggily said he was coming with me. He and Caroline have bonded. He's bonded with her more than any animal we have ever had. The tech took her back to the exam room. She thought they would be able to remove it quickly and that they wouldn't even charge us. 
Nope, They wanted to do x-rays. 
We said, "Of course." 


They didn't see a needle but they were a little concerned that the thread was stuck somewhere and that the intestine would start compacting. 
I imagined pulling on a thread to gather a ruffle. They wanted to open her up to have a look. Each hour is critical. The longer that the intestine bunches up the more damage there is. 
We agreed even though the cost was astronomical. 
Caroline has just captured our hearts. She is only a year old and we want her with us for many years. We've had her since May and we are in love. 
I think that a cat that travels in the car is a rarity and she travels really well. She is a darling. 
 In the past, Bill said he would never spend thousands on animal but he was willing to fork over a bunch of cash for this cat. 
 I just wanted our new little sweetheart back to her old self. 


They had a surgery scheduled in front of Caroline's. 
They asked if we wanted to see her again before surgery. 
I was crying. Caroline kept rubbing her head against our hand like she wanted us to get her out of there. 
It was heart breaking.


We came home and tried to get some sleep. It was 2:00 a.m. at this point. 
We cried, we snacked, we dozed. 
I kept waking up with a panicky feeling. This isn't our regular vet but we've dealt with them many times before for after hours stuff. Still. They had never done surgery on one of our animals. The vet looked like he was barely out of Kindergarten instead of a graduate out of vet school. I was worried about long term damage from opening up her intestines. Yet, he said they do this surgery every day. That made me feel a little better. 


At 4:30 my phone rang. When they sedated her for the surgery, they were able to remove the thread without opening her up. She had relaxed enough that they could get it out.  
I was so relieved. Exhausted, I cried very happy tears.
We snuggled her close when we got her home. 


I napped when we got her home but that was all until I went to bed Thursday night. 
Wow. I am too old for all nighters! 
Bill slept about an hour total. Thankfully, he was able to work from home. 


I don't know if this makes sense but somehow after I lost my dad at the age of 17, I began to believe a lie that if something bad is going to happen, it is going to happen to me. 
When my mom died, I was 10. I remember thinking, "Good. Nothing bad will happen to Dad." 
When the unthinkable transpired and he died, it affected me. I knew that the unthinkable can happen. 
I had a nagging feeling that God was hard on me. 
I know that He isn't but the last year has caused many of those old feelings to come to the surface again. 
Covid, buying the house in East Texas, not getting to spend much time with my family, has worn me down emotionally. When this happened to our kitty, I had to remind myself that all would be okay if we lost our sweet Caroline. It would be so sad but it would be okay. 
My emotions seemed magnified for the situation. It was the middle of the night and I was exhausted but I sobbed at the thought of something happening to her. 

My growth and maturity, healing and trust have been challenged in the last year and a half. 
It's a reminder that that growth is a life long process. There are steps forward and steps back because childhood trauma is a beast to overcome. 

 
Are we more attached to our sweet kitty because she came to us during a hard season in life? 
I don't know. 
I do know that she has been such a joy to us and that she has enriched our lives. 
She is such a wonderful gift and I know who gave her to us. 
We are very thankful that she was okay. 



"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 

"If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. " Matthew 7:11  

That is all for now. 
Katie 

7 comments :

  1. Oh, Katie! I'm so glad your little kitty is okay! I too understand about loss but our Lord says He won't put more on us that we can't bear. This was a very touching post. I have to tell you a little funny. We had a little Boston Terrier name Sugar and she was running around in the back yard with a 'string' hanging out her bum. I stopped her and it was the rind that was on a slice of bologna! I just ripped it right out! I don't even know how she got that bologna!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh dear. I am so glad Caroline is o.k. That is really scary. Our pets are our kids. I am so glad it worked out so well. Caroline is a very sweet cat. I had a cat that use to ride in the car too. He was a real jewel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Katie I am so sorry you had to go through this with your sweet new kitty. Glad it all worked out and they did not have to do the surgery. One of our basset hounds that has passed ate a string of christmas lights. Of course on Christmas Eve and we had to go to the emergency Vet. Half the string of lights was hanging out of her and that is how we knew she had eaten a string of lights!!! I was so upset too and we had to race her to the ER Vet since it was Christmas Eve. They too were talking very expensive surgery for her and when they sedated her they were able to see from the x ray it was almost all out of her and they could pull it gently to get the rest out. What a relief so I feel what you felt. What would ever possess her to eat some christmas lights was beyond me but she did it. Just happy our story ended like yours and she was able to just have the small amount still in her pulled out and no surgery. They are our family and it is heartbreaking that they are in pain or scared and we cannot explain to them it will all be ok. I totally can relate to your story. Happy it ended well and your sweet kitty is back home and doing well. xoxo Kris

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really do understand how you feel, Katie. I had a very dear little kitty that was my constant companion during my time of heart attacks and bypass surgery, about 18 years ago. She was with me constantly and very loving. We had to have her put down because of severe diabetes and complications and I swear I went through the most horrible depression. This has been a terribly hard last 2 years. Not seeing family has been really hard on me and health problems. I know where you're coming from concerning spiritual things. You'll be in my prayers, I'm so glad Caroline is good now. big hugs, Deb

    ReplyDelete
  5. OMG! So thankful she is ok. I have cats so I know how it is to be attached and have to go to the emergency vet in the middle of the night. They are part of your family. This past year and a half has been very hard and with all that is going on in the world and in our country, everything seems in an upheaval. I am so sorry you lost your parents at such a young age. I can't imagine how traumatic that was and still is. Thankfully, we have our heavenly Father to turn to. Sending you hugs and prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am so grateful she is all right and that atop of that, they were able to remove the thread without surgery. I know how I would feel if that were Lizzie and I'd do just as you did. I understand your hard year. This has been a very challenging one for us and in someways much harder than 2020. You rely on those sweet things that make you happy to get you through another day. I'm glad your sweet thing is back home where she belongs.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Katie, I'm so glad your pretty kitty is good now. It is scary when something happens to them. It makes us so aware of just how important animals are in our lives.Caroline looks like quite the character. I miss having a cat but two dogs are quite enough. Kai is adjusting to diabetes (as are we) and I never imagined that I would love a chiwawa (I never can spell that right so spell it like it sounds) as much as I do Robin. They are great dogs..Enjoy your kitty..xxoJudy

    ReplyDelete