It’s over
I have lost what I’ve loved most in this world since I lost Chic.
Lui’s vet Nev
Here’s an SMS exchange between me and Nev, starting last evening (Saturday !) at around 7:15 pm.
I lied. I MUST ask you: the underneath of Lui’s paw he can’t leave alone and it’s bloody now. He’s fine except for that, but I don’t think he’ll stop. What should I do, please, Nev ?
Hi I’m sorry I just got your message. Can you bandage at all? Or could we get a plastic cone for him but that doesn’t seems fair.
That came in at ten to 11, but I was out cold by then.
I apologize, Nev. I’m projecting my emotional response to this awful wound onto Lui, who isn’t really fussed about it. Could I take him in tomorrow for someone to clip the two claws and clean and bandage his paw ?
7:40 am that was, but I knew she’d still be asleep. Just wanted the question asked.
Absolutely. So he’s eating and happy enough otherwise ?
8:50 on a Sunday morning !
He is. It’s extraordinary. I can’t look at his paw though, but I’ll have to in case it’s actually bleeding. Thanks for being there to help with … being there.
Not a problem. I’m actually coming into Geelong for lunch today. I could meet you at the clinic this afternoon if you think it needs attention today ?
Hang on – I’ll check …
No, dear Nev – it seems to’ve stopped oozing ! You are the best of women. (hug emoji)
Ok. Well we’ll see where it’s at tomorrow. But let me know if any different today. (hug emoji)
Indeed. Why should you have a day off ?!
Such a pity this already grossly-overworked veterinarian is so selfish, eh ?
Oh, hang on: that’d be me.
M-J’s post reminded me …
The BikerChick may not see this until she gets back from her totally undeserved holiday; but it was her post today that recalled to mind the following list of instructions:
How To Give A CAT A Pill
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- Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
- Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
- Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
- Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
- Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
- Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.
- Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
- Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
- Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
- Retrieve cat from neighbour’s shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door on to neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
- Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whisky compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw away T-shirt and fetch new one from bedroom.
- Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
- Tie the little bastard’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
- Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
- Arrange for RSPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
How To Give A DOG A Pill
- Wrap it in bacon.
- Toss it in the air.
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I believe I ought add a couple of lines here re my own cat, yes ?
Lui is doing OK. Just fine, actually, considering. His levels of affection have risen noticeably, so that I get all manner of additional cuddling, lucky me !
He does have a worrying tendency to nadge away at the paw with the tumour, and I can’t stop him. It’s even a bit bloody at the tip, under the sole remaining unclipped claw – which I suppose they left because they thought it would hurt him if they tried to clip it. We have an appointment next Thursday evening; and frankly I don’t think they could do anything about this … or shall I be brave and try to clip the claw off myself ?
:-\
The news is all bad
Nev wasn’t happy with last week’s attempt at a chest X-ray and had another done before performing the biopsy.
She was right: a large dark mass is there on a lung.
No point doing the biopsy: so he won’t have a much more sore paw – for a while, anyway.
The diagnosis is in and the prognosis is obvious.
As always, it’s just a matter of time: it was the same with Chic. And I must couple the two together: each one I have loved with all my heart and then some, regardless of one’s being my husband and lover and the other my cat.
It was Chic who made me understand (eventually) that I should get a cat after he’d gone.
Pain management from now on.
Lung cancer has taken and will take the two beings most deeply imprinted, late, on me.
Last year’s non-winner
Brioche knitting – in my terms that’s 2-colour brioche knitting – about which I wrote in one of my Pages cannot be over-hyped. It’s simply glorious, and that’s that.
Its range is from, say, this:
to this:
and that’s just from one designer !
So, because I give every appearance of having finally come to terms with how to carry out this wonderful craft – not counting all the mistakes, but I also know how to repair them ! – I shall boldly go where no man has gone before display what I made last year.
That’s a kind of arty arrangement. Not.
The ticket identifying this article as having been made by moi is still attached. My problem is that I know nobody who barracks for the Hawks.
Anyone (read: Hannah) who’s genuinely interested in learning brioche should be encouraged by seeing that I have already done so. And if a lazy old woman who can’t maintain interest in most things, and whose levels of concentration are … well, not high ! is able to make this fairly simple scarf, bloody ANYONE can !
I have spoken.
But is it just ‘busy work’ ?
Nope.
Here are the three pictures again. I should omit the definite article, because they’re not the same ones.
Main side.
Contrast side.
Main side covexed to allow contrast side to be seen.
So, why ?
Because I suddenly realized what I’d done: started out using a 3.25 circular because that’s the standard when knitting with fingering weight wool. I considered the image of Samantha holding her shawl, and thought to myself – yes, more than a little late ! – “3.25 those stitches ain’t. I had best check the pattern …”
I did. It told me to use a 3.75 – two sizes up. In fact I decided to go with 4, would you believe ?: it’s the only way I can produce brioche stitches that resemble hers in any way. :\
I often wonder why I do stuff like this. I mean, not check ALL the details – and beforehand ! I said to my younger sister P on the phone that I am the original bull in the china shop, and I think that covers going at everything like a looney and not taking the time needed.
Do you observe what else I changed …?
Keeping busy
Lotta images to come.
First is the pattern I’m using, designed by a young woman who is 1,000 times more creative than am I:
Its name is Electric Love, and the creator is Samantha Guerin.
Samantha used two very similar yarns for the brioche part – see the light (main) side and the dark (contrast) side ? – and the lighter of the two colours for the middle section.
I’m using the Silver Wattle (light green) as the main and the Silver Tussock (green, white and pale blue) for the contrast. Also I have that lovely ‘natural’, which is almost cream, or the middle section. The green and the natural are two of the three colours in the contrast yarn; and only the pale blue stands alone.
Now follow three terrible photos.
That’s as much as I’ve done, showing the main colour. (Shut up !)
That’s me trying to open it up with one hand while operating the camera with the other, intended to show you how you can see the contrast through the main colour.
And that’s the contrast side. Imagine for yourself that the main colour can be seen between the ribbing; because I’m sure as hell not going to be able to show you. :(
Oh, I nearly forgot: I need to let you see a simple line sketch of how this is made. Bear with me …
I should’ve taken that border off, dammit. Anyway; each scalene triangle is brioche, and the middle section is garter stitch, stocking stitch and lace. I wanted to show you this so that you’d understand why my brioche knitting is pointed at the end: now you know !
And in complete contrast …
Here’s a wonderful story about animals that lifts the heart.
It also provides some truly wonderful photography of the West Australian south coast.
Do read it: it will make you happy.
It’s about Lui again
He had an appointment with Nev the vet this-morning, at which I was to show her the videos of his progress (or lack thereof).
The problem has been found: there is not yet a diagnosis.
Under the middle toe of his right foot there is (now ! – but never before) a fairly big, hard-ish swelling. He will no longer let Nev manipulate his right foot; and in fact he hissed at her when she did. So she stopped, and went looking; and there it was.
It’s likely to be a tumour. Has he been coughing lately ? – why, yes … a couple of times in the last week or so: why ? Because there is a form of lung cancer in cats that metastisises – or simply shows itself – in their digits. But there’s also a possibility that it’s a local tumour, in which case we will simply remove that toe.
He’s still there at the vets’, having X-rays of both his right front paw and of his lungs.
Nev will call me in a couple of hours to come and collect him.
Can we, meanwhile, all do as The Doctor’s followers did in that rather super ‘Martha Jones vs The Master’ episode, and call out “Lui … Lui .. Lui …” ?
