And Then There Was One

December rolls in cold and blustery. Spot has now picked up Pancreatitis to go along with his near-blindness, deafness, paralyzed back legs, spondylosis and arthritis. We've learned how to inject Sub Q fluids without vomiting on our cat, and the soothing benefits of Pepcid AC on a cat that can't stop thinking about throwing up. Diabetes comes back every time Spot has a pancreatic flareup, but we are able to get rid of it as easily as the first time. There's a scary episode involving seizures and a midnight run to the ER.

Spot takes all of this in stride, happy to be ministered to and unflappable even after multiple seizures. There is one thing that annoys Spot however. I refer to her as Dr. Scairda Katz. She is more of a dog person, we guess, as she is completely terrified of a cat who can't walk. Spot, who never met a human he didn't like, hates her on sight. Unfortunately for the both of them, Dr. Evil is his acupuncturist and she comes as part of a package deal with her trusty sidekick, Nurse Ballbuster. Spot, having no balls, sets his sights on killing her first, then the doc. Fortunately all humans survive the various trips to the acupuncturist and Spot continues to improve.

Oscar is feeling much better, and venturing around the house as much as he can without being seen. He spends the majority of the day assuming that if he doesn't look at Niko, then Niko can't see him and thus pounce on him. Normally this does not have the desired effect, but Oscar continues practicing. We talk to the animal communicator again. Niko is not happy that he's not the Most Important One. Spot is happy, period. Oscar would like to know if he can have his crunchy food back. All is well.

The day after Christmas, Spot is particularly active. He's walrus-flopping himself inside, outside, and all around the house. I had a brief moment where I wondered if something was about to happen and then brushed it aside. At 10am we had an appointment with a new vet to assess his medications. Jesica and I cart him down to the car, when the first seizure hits. We race to the old vet, where the seizures continue. No one knows why he's seizing, and it's getting worse. Finally Spot loses respirations, and consciousness. We look at him, intubated, asleep, peaceful. We make the terrible decision. There was no decision of course, he couldn't live like that, which made saying it even harder. This was the one thing that Spot couldn't recover from.

We trudge on without our happy boy. We have two more boys who need us. Niko is particularly sad, howling for hours at the door, looking for Spot. Oscar gives no indication that he has noticed, but we know he has. Focusing on Oscar and Niko, we try to give them love in their confusion. In late December, a gift of Lantus arrives. A generous FDMB'er has sent us this insulin to use on Oscar. He loves it! It makes him feel great. For about 10 days.

January 10th I notice that Oscar has gone from sort of eating to not eating. At first I thought the lighter appetite was due to feeling better. This not eating thing couldn't be good though. I rush him to the vet, who is building a new addition from funds I have paid them by now, and discover important things about Oscar and his health. He's dying. He has fluid in his chest, and his heart is turning into stone. He has Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and is in end stage heart failure. She says we have no time left. I press her. Surely this is not happening to him! It is, she says, but refers us to a cardiologist. The cardiologist agrees, and says we only have weeks to months if we treat. I was devastated. He was just starting to feel better, and life was going to be good for him. There was nothing left to do but treat and pray.

Sadly, Oscar lived only for another 21 days after that diagnosis. He died of heart failure 6 months and 2 days after I brought him into my house. It seemed like a lifetime, but not enough time. He never had a chance, and it was a horrible pill to swallow for us.

And then there was one.. Rest in Peace my heroic boys..

Next post: The Incredible Sadness of Niko