Sherry Update

Well, things aren't looking good for little Bones. He doesn't have kidney failure, but we don't know what he has. It might be something auto-immune.

Looking at Fernando's notes from the vet call I see:
- red blood cells down
- albumin down
- globulins 25-50/51
- immune system stimulated
- hepatitis
- pancreatitis
- cancer
- FIV (aids)
- liver

He made me an appointment to take Bones to the specialist/emergency clinic on Wed at noon, to see an internist and get an ultrasound. And so we enter The Twilight Zone of pet ownership. Where you face all those difficult decisions about how much money to spend, how long to try treatment vs prolonging the cat's pain, how many vet visits to try vs. letting the cat stay at home and chill, and when to end it permanently.

Every time I think of putting Sherry down I visually and emotionally remember putting Nombly down, and that's when I come to the verge of weepiness. (Oh good, I'm not at work so I can give in.) I've been avoiding sad music. When Ernie was dying, I was really into Tori Amos' first album, and I now I just don't even like to listen to it. Depresses me.

Poor little Bones. At least the vet reminded Fernando of something I'd forgotten she'd told me--that the appetite stimulant makes the cat look like he's drunk. That's why he looked so bad one day, and then better the next. Phew! She'd warned me not to freak out about it, and sure enough I freaked. Should have written it down.

Bones is spending all his time just lying around and sleeping. Mostly on the bathroom carpet. But he's not isolating himself, and he still responds when you pet him (purr purr ronronron). The stage I don't want to reach is The Bantha Stage. Bantha was my brother/Delyriam's Rottweiler, and they spent a lot of money treating him, but it was this sort of mysterious thing that was probably cancer but you never really know. At the end, he would just lie there staring, not looking at anyone, not responding to anyone's touch. Shiver. It was really horrible.

I syringe-fed him before work, and just now when I got home. We also stuffed a stimulant down him, so I'm hoping he'll eat some treats or milk before I go to bed.