Mia update

Mia is doing better. The meds seemed to be doing their job as her eye is clearing up and she isn't sneezy much anymore. Mom is happy she is feeling better. The visit to the stabby place with Mia was the first since I went OTRB and it was hard emotionally on mom. She misses me so much (as I do her)! It's hard watching from the Rainbow Bridge when mom is sad. I'm so glad Mia is feeling better. Now if we can just get Mosby to behave! He's cute but he sure can be a pest to Mia. 

sifur Mia

Thanks for all the paw-sitive thoughts for Mia!

xoxo,

Angel CJ

Mia goes to the vet

Mia has been squinting a lot lately and pawing at her right eye so mom made an appointment for her to go the stabby place today. In true calico fashion (or any kitty really), she meowed the entire way there. She was pretty good when she got there though.

Mia at the stabby place

That is until they put the thermometer thingy you know where. I can't blame her for not being happy. I remember my visits to the stabby place and where they put that thermometer thingy. I don't have to worry about that here at the Rainbow Bridge though.

Anyhoo... back to Mia. Poor kitty has a Upper Respiratory Infection and Feline Ocular Herpesvirus (more commonly called FHV-1). Mom knew when she adopted her a few years ago that she had scar tissue on her eye possibly from FHV but she hasn't had a flare up until now. The vet asked if there is any new stress in the home. Well, yes actually there is Mosby!

Mosby at home

Mia and Mosby aren't exactly buddies. It's almost comical becuase Mosby is doing to Mia what Mia used to do to me. Chase! I didn't like it when Mia chased me and apparently Mia doesn't like it when Mosby chases her. Karma? Ok, I admit I actually thought it was funny at first but if it's causing Mia stress then it's not so funny. Stress is what often causes flare ups of the FHV and I don't want to see my sisfur hurting. Mosby - play nice would ya? I'm watching you from the Rainbow Bridge and want you to be nice to your sisfur Mia so she can feel better, okay! Mia has been started on pills and eye drops to combat both the URI and the FHV. She's not an easy kitty to pill or give eye drops to so mom's going to have a challenge on her hands for a few weeks. Poor mom.

Pals if you would keep Mia in your thoughts until she feels better that would be pawesome! 

Thanks pals!

Love,

Angel CJ

Visit to the stabby place

Mom had to take me to the stabby place again today. On top of losing a lot of weight, I now have an issue with my eye. Last week the third eyelid started protruding in my right eye. It looked fine (white and normal size) but was believed to be from dehydration. I hadn't been eating for a few days and wasn't drinking much. The vet had mom start me on sub q fluids at home. Unfortunately the eye has been bothering me a lot, is red and swollen so much that mom felt I had to go get checked out again today. Vet did some tests and it appears that I have a scratch on my cornea. Vet thinks my eye got really dry because of my dehydration and I may have accidentally scratched it when I pawed at it. It hurts me quite a bit. I have been started on a steroid drop that mom has to put in my eye every 2 hours. I will return to the stabby place on Wednesday for followup exam.

The good news is that I am eating again. Mom says she is very happy that I am eating again but I am a very sick boy and have a long road ahead of me. Thank you for all the healing purrs, positive thoughts and prayers! Please continue to think positive thoughts for me!

Love,
CJ

Not feeling well

So things have headed in the wrong direction since my last post. I am no longer eating and really scaring the begeevies out of mom. She is now syringe feeding me because I refuse to eat. I am being a good kitty and letting her syringe feed me without spitting out too much of it. Mom and the vet are confused as to why I won't eat. My lab work is good. The thyroid level is a little high (5.2) compared to my last test so they are adjusting my medication. All my other lab work is good including my white blood cell count that was a little out of whack at last test. The other test they were keeping an eye on is my liver enzyme as it was slightly elevated last time but was within normal limits this time. My biggest issues right now are not eating and a snotty nose that doesn't want to clear up. The nose issue is actually why my vet and mom think i won't eat but that doesn't lessen the concern any. I am down to 6.2 pounds which is the lightest I have ever been. If anyone has suggestions for mom on food that is good to syringe feed me we would appreciate it! We are currently trying baby food because it is easy to get through the syringe and I am tolerating it.

Thanks pals!

Love CJ

Quick update

Hi pals,

Thank you so much for all the luv! Even though mom hasn't been responding to each comment left wishing me good thoughts she wants you to know she reads them and is so appreciative of the support! Just dropping in today to say thanks and give a quick update:

I have improved a little each day since last Wednesday when I scared the begeevies out of mom. I haven't thrown up since leaving the vet on Wednesday. I am on a new antibiotic which is helping. I am still a little sneezy but with no or little discharge. And what discharge I do have is not the icky brown stuff that was clogging my nose and bothering me last week. I am drinking water, milk and even eating a little food. I am more alert each day and have even enjoyed some deck time as well as some bird tv time while sitting in the window. I will go back to the vet on Friday to have my lab work rechecked and see what treatment option to follow at that time. 

Thanks again for all the positive thoughts!

Deck time on Caturday!

Hanging out in the window on Easy Sunday

Purrs and headbutts,

CJ

Update from emergency visit to stabby place today

Mom says I am really sick. She took me to the stabby place this morning because i was vomiting and not acting like myself. I actually hid under the bed! Mom says she has never seen me do that before and it scared her. Results from the vet so far:  I am running a fever, vomiting, have nasal drainage and an elevated heart rate. Preliminary results indicate an infection. Mom says we are making some changes to my medications including going to a stronger antibiotic and I was given an injection for the vomiting which my vet says has helped. He said I haven't vomited since the injection. I also have been given fluids because I am dehydrated. My thyroid tumor appears to have become more enlarged so blood work was done to see what's going on with my thyroid levels as well as white blood cell count. Mom will be able to pick me up in a little bit and take me home where hopefully I will be more comfortable. Vet says I am very stressed in the office which is also unlike me. I am usually pretty laid back and don't usually give the vet trouble with lab draws and other tests. 

Thanks for the positive thoughts and purrayers! I sure do need them right now.

Love,
CJ

Emergency visit to the stabby place

Hi pals,

Mom took me in to the stabby place this morning. I threw up my dinner sometime overnight and was throwing up white frothy foam this morning. I was very lethargic and even hid under the bed and wouldn't come out for mom. She had to crawl under the bed to get me out from under there. She called the vet and took me right over. We don't know any results yet as mom had to leave me at the stabby place for observation and tests. I know mom is anxious to find out what's wrong. I was actually feeling better over the last few days. I was eating and being more social. Mom has leaky eyes this morning seeing me not feel well when it looked like I was getting better. Thanks for all the positive thoughts, purrayers and hugs. Please keep them coming!

Love,
CJ

Another Update

Hi everyone, I just wanted to provide an update. I'm still not feeling well. Mom spoke with both my vet and the vet at Blue pearl today. Neither know why the I-131 treatment didn't work. One of the reasons why it doesn't work sometimes is if the tumor is malignant. My vet assures me that my tumor was benign so cancer isn't the concern. Given my thyroid value is very high and did not improve with the treatment we have 2 options. The first option is to wait a couple of weeks and retest my thyroid levels. Sometimes it takes more than the anticipated 4 weeks to lower the thyroid levels. If the thyroid levels remain high, Blue Pearl said we can try the I-131 treatment again. The second option is to start me back on the thyroid meds, along with a steroid and antibiotic to help with my sneezing, and re-evaluate in a few months. Because I am not eating and still sneezing quite a bit, mom has opted for the 2nd treatment plan. I have started on meds and hope that will start to help me feel better. Mom says I responded well the first time we tried the thyroid medication so the hope is to get me healthy again and then in a few months decide if we want to try the I-131 treatment again. Thanks for all the positive thoughts and prayers! Please keep them coming. I want to feel better soon! 

Thanks pals!

Love,
CJ

Update 1 month post I-131 procedure

Hi pals, I have lost 1.5 pounds since getting the RAI treatment (I-131) nearly a month ago. My vet ordered more lab tests per protocol after the I-131 procedure and we have learned today that the treatment did not work. Mom doesn't  know what the next step is. She will talk with Blue Pearl tomorrow to see what they recommend. It's so rare for the treatment not to work that my vet doesn't know what to do so he wants mom to talk to Blue Pearl. I'm not eating much and that concerns mom. Please continue sending positive thoughts and prayers that I feel better soon. Thanks pals!

Love,

CJ

Update

I just wanted to give a brief update. I'm about 2 weeks post RAI procedure and mom is about 1 week post surgery.

I will have lab work next weekend to see if the procedure was a success. I'm not eating very well so mom and my vet decided to give me an appetite stimulant. I guess it's working because I ate my brekkie this morning. Mom says I'm acting anxious though. She hopes it was the right decision to try the stimulant. I'm resting now after running around all morning.

Mom is feeling better and was released to go back to work next week. She has some restrictions but nothing that will keep her from picking me up and cuddling with me. Sisfur Mia is too big so mom has to be careful and not pick her up. That means more cuddles for me!  I've liked having mom home these past few weeks so I'm not looking forward to her going back to work next week! 

Thanks for all the purrs and positive thoughts pals!

Love,

CJ

I'm home!

I'm home from procedure! The folks at Blue Pearl took good care of me. They said I am such a sweet boy. Of course I am! 

I'll need some follow up lab work in a few weeks to make sure my thyroid levels normalize. 

I didn't eat well but they gave me an appetite stimulant and that seems to have done the trick. 

I used the kitty box first thing when I got home. I want to make sure sisfur Mia knows I am home to stay and it's my home. I just let her live here too.

I then had a little kibble and a bit of milk.

It's good to be home! Thanks for all the love and support pals!

Update- day 1 post treatment

Mom called to check on me today. I am in day 2 of my captivity at Blue Pearl. I had my Radioactive Iodine (I - 131) treatment yesterday. It went well but per state laws kitties can't go home for a few days after getting this procedure. I have to stay here until Friday or until the radiation level is down to a permissible level to be discharged to go home.

I didn't want to eat this morning so they gave me an appetite stimulant. They checked on me this afternoon and the stimulant must have worked because I finally ate my brekkie. I am being good and using my litter box which is a must before I can go home. I am bright eyed and alert. Of course I am, I am wondering when mom is coming to take me home! She can't come visit me while I am in isolation. I bet she is worrying about me. Don't worry mom, they are taking good care of me here! I am ready to go home so Friday please hurry up and get here!

Thanks for the continued purrs and kind words pals!

Today's the day!

Mom took me in for my procedure today. Here I am at home this morning. I didn't know when she snapped this pic that I was about to go for a car ride.

I should have known something was up since the carrier was in the middle of the room instead of in it's usual spot. I need to pay more attention to that detail next time and run and hide! Mom must have known she wouldn't get a happy pic of me at the VET. I don't like car rides and meowed the whole way there! And I made sure not to give a good photo op while there either!

I'm now at Blue Pearl. They are taking good care of me. Mom said they called her to let her know my procedure (I -131) went well. I ate some brekki and am relaxing in my kennel with the shirt mom left with me (so I can smell her scent and know that she's not leaving me here permanently). I am still having trouble with an upper respiratory infection so they have started me on another round of antibiotics. This is round 3. Hopefully it takes care of my sneezing. Mom's pretty sure the sneezing is why I am not eating well. So, hopefully that is under control and along with the procedure I will feel better soon.

Thanks for all the purrayers and pawsitive thoughts pals!

Update

Somebody tell mom she's not supposed to get sick just because I am! She's even losing a lot of weight. She said that's not necessarily a bad thing as she has some extra to lose but maybe she lost too much too fast (13lbs in a week). Turns out she does have a bad gallbladder and needs surgery. Thankfully she doesn't need emergency surgery as her tests indicated might be necessary. Surgeon said it needs to come out but not today. So.... surgery is scheduled for a week after my RAI treatment. That way mom can take me for treatment and spend some time with me after I get home before she goes in for her surgery. Then we can be healing buddies for a few weeks while she's at home recovering!

Thanks for all the purrs and pawsitive thoughts!

Another visit to the stabby place

Mom made me go to the stabby place last week...

I am NOT happy to be here and I don't wanna get out of my carrier!

I was not happy to go and I made sure mom and everyone knew it! But I had to get my lab work repeated to verify the kidney function was good and not being masked by my high thyroid levels. I am happy to report that I gained 1.5lbs! I still need to gain a few more pounds back but mom and vet were happy with that for now.  And mom got a call from the vet today saying all my lab work came back looking good! So that means we are all set for the Radioactive Iodine treatment next week. Mom said she will be happy when I get that treatment because I am already showing signs of withdrawal from the thyroid medicine that I was taking. I am off it now per protocol for the RAI treatment and I am already experiencing lack of appetite and am picking at my fur. 

Tuesday March 15th can't come soon enough! Mom wants to say thank you to everyone for the kind words, suggestions about diet and for contributing to my fundraiser so she can afford to get me treatment. We couldn't afford to get me this treatment without all your help!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Relaxing at home after visit to stabby place.

Mom will post an update when I go in for treatment. Thanks for all the pawsitive thoughts and purrayers!!!

Medicine... blech!

Mom says I am the easiest cat in the world to medicate! That's easy for her to say, she isn't the one getting a pill 2x's a day everyday. Ok so maybe it's not every day for the rest of my life but it feels like it! (I have to be on that medication for one more week and then I go off of it in prep for my procedure on March 15.) Anyway, I hear I have to start taking a new medicine for my sneezing. Hmmfff.... I'll show her I am not an easy kitty to medicate!

I don't start that medication until mom gets home from work tonight so I guess I might as well take a nap and plot how I am going to keep mom from being able to give me that new medication.

Take care pals!

Starting treatment

Mom called the vet hospital and got me scheduled for the radioactive iodine treatment on March 15. Actually I'm only penciled in for that day as their computer was down. Thank you all for the support, purrs, prayers and green papers!!! Mom says about half of the cost of the treatment has been raised which is a huge help! She wouldn't be able to afford my treatment without all the help.

***Update: I am now officially on the schedule for the Radioactive Iodine treatment at Blue Pearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital on March 15. Their computer was broken yesterday but they called mom today to confirm the date and it's now in the computer. This wouldn't be possible without the help of my pals donating green papers. Every little bit is a big help. Mom is very grateful. Thank you so much! 

I'm starting on the anti-thyroid medication today and will be on it for 2 weeks. My labs will be rechecked and then I'll go off the meds in preparation for the procedure. I'm not eating much and still sneezy. I can't wait to start feeling better.

Please continue to think positive thoughts for me pals!

Love,

CJ

The results are in... CJ update.

Hi pals,

Thank you again for all the love and support and information about hyperthyroidism! I can't tell you how much it has meant to mom. She doesn't like seeing me sick and it has caused some leaky eyes the past few days but now we have some answers and can decide on a treatment plan.

The final results are in. My total T4 came back at 10.2 which is well out of normal range. The free T4 was so elevated it wouldn't even register a number. So, the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism has been confirmed. We had to wait on the other tests to make sure my kidney, heart, etc were okay. Those tests all came back good. Good enough that the VET actually said I had values better than a lot of kitties younger than me! I will be 15 this year so I am not exactly a youngster anymore but I have some good years left in me!

Here's my dilemma. Because of the trauma I suffered in the horrible fire a few years back, I would be better off going with the Radioactive Iodine treatment rather than the anti-thyroid medication. Although many kitties don't experience side effects from the medication, some do. Because I already have some fur/skin issues from being burned in the fire, it would be better for me to not be on the medication for the rest of my life and risk having some of those side effects. The problem with the Radioactive Iodine treatment is it is expensive. We got a lot of help after my fire and mom really doesn't like asking for help but in order for me to get the Radioactive Iodine treatment mom needs help raising the funds. If you can spare a few greenies to help me get my treatment please visit my You Caring page at:  https://www.youcaring.com/kathi-mckinley-s-kitty-cj-522940. Some of my international pals indicated paypal would be an easier way to donate so mom just went in and set up an account. The link is: https://www.paypal.me/KMcKinley.

Please continue to purr and say positive thoughts for me! I lost over half my body weight so it's really important for me to start feeling better and eating regularly again.

That might be tuna dripping out of the corner of my mouth. Tuna is about the only thing I will eat right now so mom is bribing me with it so I will eat and try to put back on some weight. 

Thanks pals!

Love,
CJ

Feeling the love...

Thanks to all my pals for the support and love! Mom is still waiting on some final test results before deciding on a treatment plan. We hope to have that news soon... possibly today but we thought that yesterday so we are trying to not be too impatient. In the meantime we are reading all the comments from pals near and far and really appreciate the information provided by those kitties who have experienced hyperthyroidism. I know mom will make an informed decision and do what is best for me. And we can't even begin to thank everyone for all the love, purrs and prayers! Some of my pals even have this cool badge on their bloggie for me!

Thank you! and I promise to have mom post an update as soon as the final test results are available.

Love,
CJ, sisfur Mia and their human

Preliminary results from stabby place

First I want to say Thank You for all the purrs, prayers and positive thoughts! Mom, sisfur Mia and I appreciate all the love being sent my way.

Mom got a call from the VET today and while we are still waiting on some results to come back, the preliminary diagnosis is hyperthyroidism. We will wait for all results before deciding on a treatment option. I'm almost 15 years old so we need to make sure there's nothing else going on before proceeding with treatment.

Any kitties have hyperthyroidism?  What treatment options did you choose?

Thanks for continued purrs, prayers and positive thoughts!

Love,
CJ