Home for the Holidays

Like many others, I'll be heading home for the holidays, then to the MLA after them, so expect posting to be pretty light—wait—what's that?  I'm not headed home for the holidays?

What do you mean I put my wife on an airplane and sent to her to my parents' house this morning?  Why would I do that?  Why wouldn't I go with her? 

A sick cat?  Could that really put all my holiday plans on hold?

Of course it could. 

So while my wife is off being feted by my parents, I'm stuck at home with a little lady who may need to have some toes amputated. 

That's the bad news. 

The good news is that cats have their toes amputated quite regularly in the States, so the surgery (if necessary) will be routine. 

Quick Clarification: I'm not wantonly declawing Rachel.  She has tumors growing on three of the toes of her back left paw, which the vet removed yesterday and is testing today.  The reason she stopped eating and drinking a month back was because the litter in the litter box hurt her toes.  That's why she ended up with a distended bladder.  The pain medication and appetite stimulant she'd been taking masked the pain, but apparently it got too bad again this weekend.

I took her back to the vet and we found the tumors.  Thing is, she had a full-body scan a month ago, and the vet pulled it up on the monitor and we looked and looked and looked for sign of the tumors, but we couldn't find any.  The foot must've been uncomfortable to her before modern medicine could detect the tumors.  So all the problems seem to have stemmed from these toes—the not eating, the not voiding, the lethargy, and she also lost a pound, which for a cat is 1/10th of total body weight.

All because of her toes.

Comments

[Sisyphus]

Chop off its toes!?! Oh noes!

Does this mean you will or won't be going to MLA and the blogger meet-up?

And I hope The Little Womedievalist has a good time at your parents'. (I've found meetings with the SO's fam, minus the SO, to be traumatic in the past.)

[SEK]

I'm hoping to make it to the MLA still, because that'll mean Rachel's either fine without surgery or fine post-surgical. And I'm sure the Little Womedievalist will have a fine time with my family before driving off to hers. (If anything, they'll just pester her to death with presents, dinners and favors.)

[Innogen]

Poor Rachel! I am sorry you're not off home right now, but more sorry that she is suffering. I hope she will be back to her regularly-scheduled meanness toot sweet.

somehow that sounded more flippant than I intended it to. I am just imagining how traumatized both of you must be.

[Anthony Paul Smith]

I totally understand.

[Belle Lettre]

Wow, not only do bad things like cancer happen to you, they also happen to your cat. It's like your orbit of doom. But you have a crowd rooting for Team Kaufman!

I do hope that Rachel feels better and that you get to go to the MLA and hopefully see your family at some point!

Though, does this mean you might be up for hanging out around I-Town?

[Mikhail Emelianov]

cats have toes?

[Mike S]

Scott -- a little confused. Was the litter hurting her toes because of the tumors? Or was there something about the litter itself that was causing Rachel discomfort?

I ask because I have little dogs who use a litter box.

Speedy recovery to Rachel! And happy holidays to you and the LittleWomedievalist.

[SEK]

Sorry about the confusion, Mike. No, the litter didn't cause the tumors, it aggravated them. Cat litter's composed of little crystals which -- under a microscope -- look like a hillside swathed in razor blades, so you can imagine why Rachel might've found it uncomfortable where she's tender.

[SEK]

Sorry, didn't see the other comments:

Mikhail, of course cats have toes. You think God would stick fingers on their feet?

Belle, I'm equally unable to hang out because I have to keep a close eye on Rachel. (Plus, I'm taking the opportunity of the Littlewomedievalist's absence to work, work, work, work, work, work, work long into the night. I figure if I play my cards right, I can finish the dissertation before Christmas.)

(Not really, but good God damn, I'll try.)

[Sisyphus]

I figure if I play my cards right, I can finish the dissertation before Christmas.)

(Not really, but good God damn, I'll try.)

I hear ya, oh man do I hear ya...

[Charlotte]

Many good vibes for the poor little girl--may she be mean and crotchety again soon!

[Jennifer Lynn Jordan]

Poor kitteh!

[Luther Blissett]

Wishing the poozle a speedy recovery! And the dissertation a speedy conclusion.

Last night I got angry ay my three boys for trying to steal my ravioli from me. Now I feel really bad for not giving them all the ravioli.

[alkau]

We are having a great time with Meg. You know there are times when we like her better than you - Ha,Ha! We miss you are know you are doing what is right by staying with Rachel and we hope see returns to her mean self soon. We also hope to see you soon because it has been a long time between seeing you. You need to go to MLA because it is for your future. We miss you!!!

[Vermont Neighbor]

Lots of hugs and get well wishes to your kitty. You'll probably end up shredding sections of newspaper for the box ... or you might find yourself bringing home copies of the Recycler just to push through the shredder!

Sand is bad for little toes. Especially right after surgery. Good luck on your dissertation, too. >. .<

[Rich Puchalsky]

There's actually a cardboard-based pelletized kitty litter you can buy, if that helps.