Ashes made it through another night. Every morning I wake up and expect to find that he had died in the night. But he's still hanging in there.
He didn't seem very interested in anything this morning. He was sitting in the hall, facing away from me, and didn't turn to look at me when I called his name. But he did decide to run right into the computer room, my sister's old room, which is one of his favorite places to hang out. He didn't claim the new computer chair today, as he often does, but instead jumped right up onto the bed. I scratched him and brushed him but couldn't get him to purr - he's been purring less and less lately, and almost not at all since his latest visit to the vet this past Tuesday. I spread some Tender Vittles in front of him but he ignored them. Eventually he turned his head so he was facing ninety degrees from where they were, so I made another pile of food in front of his new position and went online to check the day's blogs.
After about fifteen minutes he nibbled on one of the nuggets. Then a second, and a third, then half the pile, then nearly the whole pile. I added the nuggets from the first pile to the second one, the one he was eating from, and he ate all of them, too. I emptied the rest of the packet in front of him and ran to get another one. But by the time I got back he had eaten his fill.
After I took my shower and got dressed for work I came upstairs to say goodbye to him, as I have every day lately. I walked into the room where he was sprawled on a bed, flanked by two of our other cats. He looked up immediately when I entered the room and was extremely alert as I kissed the top of his head.
My mom called the vet today and he confirmed that they would be in the office today, and tomorrow, and even Saturday...in case we need them. The subtext is clear: if Ashes dies on a weekday or early enough on Saturday, we will be able to get his body to the vet's for cremation. If he dies later in the day on Saturday or on Sunday, we'll have to hold onto his body until they re-open on Monday. It's a grim thought, but somebody has to think it.
He didn't seem very interested in anything this morning. He was sitting in the hall, facing away from me, and didn't turn to look at me when I called his name. But he did decide to run right into the computer room, my sister's old room, which is one of his favorite places to hang out. He didn't claim the new computer chair today, as he often does, but instead jumped right up onto the bed. I scratched him and brushed him but couldn't get him to purr - he's been purring less and less lately, and almost not at all since his latest visit to the vet this past Tuesday. I spread some Tender Vittles in front of him but he ignored them. Eventually he turned his head so he was facing ninety degrees from where they were, so I made another pile of food in front of his new position and went online to check the day's blogs.
After about fifteen minutes he nibbled on one of the nuggets. Then a second, and a third, then half the pile, then nearly the whole pile. I added the nuggets from the first pile to the second one, the one he was eating from, and he ate all of them, too. I emptied the rest of the packet in front of him and ran to get another one. But by the time I got back he had eaten his fill.
After I took my shower and got dressed for work I came upstairs to say goodbye to him, as I have every day lately. I walked into the room where he was sprawled on a bed, flanked by two of our other cats. He looked up immediately when I entered the room and was extremely alert as I kissed the top of his head.
My mom called the vet today and he confirmed that they would be in the office today, and tomorrow, and even Saturday...in case we need them. The subtext is clear: if Ashes dies on a weekday or early enough on Saturday, we will be able to get his body to the vet's for cremation. If he dies later in the day on Saturday or on Sunday, we'll have to hold onto his body until they re-open on Monday. It's a grim thought, but somebody has to think it.
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1 comment:
We continue to include Ashes in our daily prayers. He got over a hurdle about a month ago and I absolutely believe he will be there to get a hello kiss from you when you return from Ireland. Plus, he has to finish up all those Tender Vittles you got for him. Keep thinking positive thoughts for Ashes. And in eleven months when Ashes runs out of the Tender Vittles - Schiff's has them, too.
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