Weekly Musings of the 9th - RIP Tigger

 

Good Morning family and friends.  Most of you know that Tigger crossed the rainbow bridge on Monday but I still wanted to share the week of it all as well and I couldn't resist putting up her baby picture.  This was the face that stole our hearts in 2013 when she had been abandoned by her mother at barely 3 weeks old. 

Anyway, Sunday morning all the Tigger's symptoms came back including throwing up and not being able to poop again.  The blockage was either back or had not truly gone through.  We cleaned up through drips from one end and sickness in the other.  We could both see that she was suffering and first thing in the morning (Monday) we called our vet once more but this time to ask for an end of life appointment.  

They were so sorry to hear things had not mended and we had an appointment for noon.  Of course, right after Tigger came out and although she had not climbed up on the rocker, hubby's chair, couch nor footstool, she, that morning sat on each and every one of them, jumping with seemly ease.  We, of course, started to doubt our decision but then I watched her as she lay sleeping on the footstool and saw her spasms of pain.  She was hiding it very well but I could see it.  

The appointment was hard. 

This was Tigger's last picture before she took a turn for the worse.  It was a help that the attendant said to us - you really did all that you could and this is the right decision.  With tears we said good bye to our beautiful girl who was both the most different cat that either of us ever had and by mutual decision she is also the very last cat we shall ever have.  Neither of our hearts can take another end of life decision, it is just too hard to say good bye to a pet that has so entered one's heart.  

When we came home to our empty home we began to clear up all toys, tissue paper and all of Tigger's things - except that little toy she is holding while sleeping.  I couldn't let that one go.  We donated all extra food and unused items to our regular pet store and told them of Tigger's passing and thanked them for all their service through the years that we had both Bear and Tigger.  

Now that all things that reminded us of her were taken care of as neither of us could look at the stuff without feeling sad all over again, the sad day was done although both of us still looked for her when we were doing something that usually brought her out of wherever she was to watch us.  

Tuesday we had decided we had to start washing the carpets in both our rooms.  Under both our beds was where she would go when she was feeling sick and although we cleaned up whatever mess she did, it was time for both carpets to have a thorough cleaning.  My room was first as there was quite a few drips under my bed and although I did wipe them up... well, you get the idea.  In between hubby finishing off the cleaning plus windows in my room I went out and got the groceries including our turkey for this weekend's Thanksgiving.  By the end of this day we were both pretty bushed - LOL.  

Wednesday was hubby's room where Tigger slept most nights under his bed and where her litter box was.  Washing the carpet didn't take very long and both rooms looked much brighter.  We still kept looking for her at those times and both of us had to remind ourselves that she truly was gone.  It is amazing how much of one's day is to do with the routine and care of one's pets.  So many things that were done no longer were needed and it felt weird.  Although considering we had done these things for 13 years it meant that they were firm habit in both of our days.

Thursday was our usual monthly trip for gas and hubby's smokes at the reserve.  Where gas was $1.89L in most places it was $1.52 at the reserve and as always worth the drive there.  

Today I am making up my annual batch of cranberry sauce which I got from another friend/blogger.  Making it in the slow cooker is the best and I thank her again for the recipe.

I also got myself some flowers this week and placed it where I use to not be able to because of Tigger.  I avoided cut flowers and plants just because Tigger would climb anywhere to get at anything green and growing whether it was okay for her or not.  We would not get any or keep any plants as there was only one place in the whole apartment that she could not get to and it was too small to use often.  

Today hubby has his semi-annual dental appointment and I am going to look at some shoes as mine are wearing out.  Next week we plan on cleaning the rest of the carpets in the apartment.  It never ceases to surprise me at how much fur one pulls out when cleaning the carpet even though one vacuums all the time. 

Oh, and I did get another puzzle done this week too ;) 

It was a fun one. 

And so I wish everyone a lovely weekend and happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

 

Weekly Musings of the 2nd

 

And now we have left hubby's birthday month and have slid into my birthday month.  I love October for many reasons like The Norfolk County Fair, Waterford's Pumpkinfest, Thanksgiving, My birthday and of course All Hallows Eve.  This month is just filled with Autumn fun.

But first Tigger news, she is slowly getting better, this morning she was more herself than the past two weeks.  She is going regular and acting more like the boss.  We gave the vet one last trip (the one I wrote about in the last blog) and that was the most traumatic one of all but hubby and I both agreed that it was the last one as the only next choice would be surgery and honestly neither of us want to put an old cat through that.  How do you explain to them why they wake up in pain and with all the things that happen during surgery and that it might be okay or maybe not.  No, we take care, yup, we bought the prescription food that is pretty expensive but is helping and took away the dry food but that is it.  If she goes downhill we will make that end of life call and have the vet service that comes to one's home do so.  So far she is doing okay.

This was taken last night when she pulled her little beaver toy close to her for sleeping.  That was first time in awhile too.  

Hubby came down with an autumn cold so he stayed home most of the week and rested which helped a lot and he was feeling better as the week went on.  Me?  I did the usual and of course back to books I have been reading.

The last book in the 16 book series of ordinary women in the bible was called Daughter of Light and a good read.

It began a bit slower than some of the other books but this series is written by all different authors which it really helpful if one is looking for new authors in this kind of books, biblical fiction which has become my most favourite kind of books to read.  

And so a very quiet week this week but a much needed quiet week especially for our Tigger.  

    

Weekly Musings of the 25th - Mostly Tigger

 

And so all our company headed on their way on the weekend so we were suddenly missing our family.  It was a wonderful visit with two of hubby's brothers with their wives as well as my sister and her hubby.  Although I do have to admit that hubby and I were exhausted.  Being use to our quiet time having company did make us tuckered out pretty quickly.  We loved it but needed rest for the first couple of days after.  Not that we really got that as Tigger had not improved.

Oh, she was her usual bossy self and was eating and drinking as she normally did but no pooping.  I think part of it was that her butt was pretty violated at the vet.  She saw the vet last Friday with the first enema, x-ray and various other pokes and prods and then we had to keep careful watch to see if anything moved.  Another appointment Saturday morning in which another enema as well as x-ray and more poking and prodding.  On top the x-rays showed kidney stones too which was another blow.  We were still hopeful and on Monday there was yet another appointment for a cat who hadn't been in years this was a trauma.  She was eating well and drinking well and going pee no problem and acting her normal bossy self but no poop.  

It was stressful on us both because every time she came out to do her usual check on us, we went to check whether or not she did.  We were in touch with the vet but had to wait to Thursday for a fourth appointment.   Aside from no signs of poop from her everything else was pretty normal with no pain signs or anything.  Thursday was yet another awful appointment for her, this time she would have light sedation to work the blockage out plus other stuff.  We had to leave her there.  That was awful for hubby as Tigger is his girl through and through.  It was so sad when we picked her up.  She was stinky and miserable and barely awake.  We read the bill after we brought her home and saw all that was done including something that I am sure the assistant had done as what she thought was a helpful thing but to us it was another blow.  She cut Tigger's claws.  Now Tigger uses her claws to brace in her bed when she is washing herself and as an extra help when getting up on the footstool or other place she sleeps because her back legs are not as strong as they were and now she has nothing to help her beside her butt being violated repeatedly.

Having her look at me with that 'how could you?' look broke my heart and all I could say was that I was sorry.

They wanted her to be x-rayed again today and seen by yet another vet but this time we said no.  We would watch her, look after her and take it one day at a time but we were not going to put her through any more.  Not only because we didn't think it was fair to her to have her suffer through more but the cost was over $3,000 with the vet adding more and more costs each time.  

Both of us have agreed that if she recovers and poops like she always has then great but if she doesn't and still seems to be not getting better then we shall have to let her go.  It will be the hardest step but to put her through anymore would be cruel.  

 How could one tell that sweet face who is being put through so much that it is for the best?  They don't understand what is going on and all they know is that they hurt and it isn't stopping.  There is a vet in our area that does end of life home visits and we shall call them if and when the time comes but until then we are going to give Tigger the love and rest that she needs after those four trips to the vet.  

That was our week of full stress and worry.  If it comes to the rainbow bridge Tigger will be the very last pet we have.  I cannot make end of life choices for an animal anymore.  I have made enough of them in my life and Tigger is the last.  My heart cannot take another.  Hubby has said the very same thing, his heart cannot say good bye to another pet again.