If You're Not a Cat Lover, Skip This Post

Sunday morning we were cleaning the house. It was just a convenient time for us, when we all happened to be here at the same time and I firmly believe in sharing the chore equally when we're all doing the same "other" things (like work and school), so we were really into it. Ted had gotten up early, as he's a morning person (even though he wasn't always!). Around 9:00 or so, he came back into the bedroom where I was working and said he was going to take a break and make himself some breakfast.

Okay, fine, make yourself something to eat. I'm cleaning in here and I'm not stopping right now.

He went back into the kitchen and I heard some cupboards open and close, and I heard him get some things out of the refrigerator. A couple of minutes later, he came back into the bedroom, although at this point neither one of us can remember why. We just recall that he was in the bedroom for only a minute or possibly less.

Within half a second of leaving the bedroom to head back to the kitchen, I heard, "No Marina! G** D**** IT MARINA! NOOOOOOOOO!"

I knew better than to run out and look to see what happened. I also knew better than to simply ask what happened. Then I heard more.

"Why did you DO that???? D*** it Marina! No treats for you today!"

I waited another minute, then asked what she did.

Another minute or so later Ted came back into the bedroom.

"I was going to make scrambled eggs, so I had cracked them into a plastic cup so I could mix them up. Just as I was walking out to the kitchen I saw her up on the counter with her paw gently pushing the cup toward the edge, half an inch at a time.

"She didn't even look at me when I yelled, and when I was less than 2 feet away....(can you see where this is going?)

"...she knocked the cup over and the eggs ran all over the edge of the trash compactor and the floor."

I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

Then I said, "And do you really think it was a good idea to leave those eggs in a cup on the counter without a unattended?"

"Uh, probably not."

I'm still laughing.

The Patients

Yesterday was a rough day...first of all there was Marina getting spayed. Okay, I know you've heard enough about that already. Then there was me being slightly neurotic about her spaying. Again, I know...you've heard enough about THAT too.

But there was also another patient.

Peg (Ted's sister) had arthroscopic knee surgery done yesterday. Her left knee has been giving her a lot of trouble and she has been off work (as an x-ray tech at our local hospital) for over a month. She has tried a cortisone shot and even went to the chiropractor for several treatments since this all began a few months ago. Some things worked temporarily, but then the pain would return with a vengeance.

(This is Peg with Michael, our great nephew and her grandson, taken this past summer in Myrtle Beach.)

Peg would talk to Ted because he went through arthroscopic knee surgery in mid April. He filled her in on things about his situation in regards to visiting the orthopaedist, the MRI, the actual surgery, follow up physical therapy, getting around with a healing knee, etc. Ted had torn cartilage, otherwise known as a torn meniscus (meniscus has become his new favorite word...he says it at least 5 times a day). Ted had a few other knee issues as he went through the recovery process and has just this past week declared that he thinks his knee is doing pretty good now, and is as good as it's probably going to get.

When Ted had his surgery at the local ambulatory surgical center, they had me write "NO" on his good knee with a Sharpie marker. We sure didn't want any mistakes as to which knee to operate on!They let me see him right before his surgery and he was actually looking forward to it so that he would get some relief from the pain he'd been having.

And then after his surgery he was in a little bit of a "fog" in case you can't tell. I should have gotten his knee in this picture, but I wasn't thinking. Heck, I even forgot to bring my camera and took these shots with my phone! They didn't come out too badly either.

Anyway, Peg went through her surgery yesterday and it sounds as though there was a little more trouble in there than the doctor originally thought. But the GOOD news is that she's not in any pain! Last night, the only thing that hurt was her throat, and that was from the tube they had put down. I talked to her a little while ago and she said that her throat is fine now and she still doesn't have any pain from her knee. She has a prescription for a strong painkiller, but hasn't even needed to take it yet. Although Ted wasn't in dire pain after his surgery, he was achy and took the painkillers. But he was surprised that he wasn't in much more pain than he was. Peg is also surprised.

Peg is hopeful that this will take care of all her pain and that she will be able to get back to work in 5 or 6 weeks. She really enjoys her job and the social perks it entails.

As for Marina...she's been walking around here, and jumping off the bed and chair. She's sleeping a little more than usual and trying to bite her stitches, but she's well on the road to recovery!

It's such a relief to know that two of our loved ones made it through yesterday with flying colors!

I'm Struggling

This Friday Marina will go to our vet's office....and be spayed. I realize that this should be a very simple cut and dried procedure, but I'm really struggling with it.

When Pepina was spayed it was not a big deal. I made Ted take her in that morning and I picked her up late that afternoon. I wasn't crazy about the fact that we had to take her food and water away at 10 pm the night before, but we did it and she handled it. I called the office a little after 11 am that day and asked how she had gotten through the procedure and they told me that they were just getting started on her because their power had been out for a few hours. Without even thinking, I just blurted out, "But she hasn't had anything to eat or drink for 13 hours! She'll be dehydrated!" The woman was wonderful with me and assured me that she would be fine and told me to call back in an hour. I did, and they said she had made it through just fine. When I went to pick her up, our vet talked to me first, then I went out and paid the bill, and then they brought her to me. She looked so darn pathetic. I felt SO bad for her. We got out into the car and I was crying on the way home...I just couldn't handle it very well. When we finally got here (about 4 minutes later) I got her out of her carrier and thoroughly inspected her. Her little tummy was all shaved and I didn't like that, but I knew it had to be done. She finally ate a little bit and drank some water, and then just laid around. She was totally out of character. Over the next week or so she was able to jump up onto things, but couldn't jump down. She would "meow" until we got her down, even from the chair to the floor. She ended up with a respiratory infection and had to go on an antibiotic. The vet said that she probably caught it when she was in getting spayed. She just never quite returned to her playful self. She'll still play, but it's not like it was before. That sort of made me sad.

I know that the responsible thing is to have Marina spayed, but I don't want her personality to change from the hyper little thing she is now to a laid back kitty. I don't want her to have to go through the procedure, being put under, having surgery, and not being able to jump around like crazy for a week or so. I don't want to have to be on the lookout for a possible respiratory infection. This was scheduled for August 24, but I called and talked to the office woman and told her that I wasn't ready to do it.

The staff at the office is absolutely WONDERFUL! She told me that it wasn't a problem and that if I was having any doubts, I should go ahead and postpone it. She told me that I could even come in and talk to the doctor about it if I wanted. They must be used to "emotional" mommies. I told her that I just wanted a little more time, so it was rescheduled for this Friday.

I am completely aware of the fact that this NEEDS to be done, that we have to have it done for her and for our piece of mind, but it doesn't mean that I like it. The poor little thing doesn't even have any say in it. I just don't want her to be in pain. And then there's the look. When I go to pick her up, I just hope she doesn't look at me with those eyes that say, "You betrayed me."

Okay, I'm a wimp and I know it. When it comes to my "girls" I spoil them a little.

Friday will be a tough day and I'll probably have to call the vet's office a few times, for my own sanity. Thank goodness we have phones in our classrooms, that's all I can say.

And for the record...her nickname is "MiMi."