h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Lady,

Well, I'm glad you found us here too. I started this journal entry so I could just talk about my feelings about Lua whenever they came up without having to pester my friends individually . But the response has been amazing. And so it's great that it was here for you too. You probably knew some of the people here already and then maybe met a few new friends as well. The call to the vet's must have been a comfort. Anyhow, please do keep posting as long as you want or need to.

I'm feeling quite mixed up at the moment - trying to be optimistic yet also feeling quite scared. So many things are going through my mind but mostly I'm taking the same advice I once gave Kaz and am just spoiling Lua as much as I can. She is totally loving that paté! Well, I have to get back to work now . . .

az

for Az and Lua. I hope they find its nothing.

Also huge for Lady.

My friend Brenda is putting her dog Fritz down today. He is only 4 and had cancer, too. We are very sad. He is one of my dog's best friends.

wish you strength, azahar.

Thanks pheloxi,

I'm on my way to the vet's in about half an hour.



az

I am still thinking of you both

The vet says it's a tumour and it is most likely malignant. A blood sample was taken today to check the condition of Lua's kidneys and liver and if the results come back saying there is no problem with her undergoing anesthetic (and the vet thinks this will be the case) Lua will have the operation on Monday morning.

My doctor friend Ricardo told me yesterday that a tumour that size in a woman's breast is usually fatal and he said it was probably not worth operating on Lua because it is likely the cancer has already spread. I'm going to have to seriously think about this and get some more medical advice before Monday.

Am feeling calmly hysterical.

az

Oh az , talk all you need. Keep spoiling yourself and Lua as much as you can bear.

One thing to consider is she in pain? Fluffy died of a tumour, but because it wasn't hurting we kept her and spoiled her to the end, which helped. You have to put Lua first, but you have lots of difficult things to consider. Good luck with your decisions, some decisions just arn't easy, but you know to do the right thing for her.

Oh az... i wish there was something i could do. Your strong, i hope it'll be ok...

hi Kaz,

I don't know if Lua is in pain. She certainly doesn't act like she is, well, except from her arthritic hip. But she *will* be in pain and discomfort after her operation. And if it turns out she only has a short time to live, operation or not, then I'd hate for her to have to suffer through all that for nothing.

She is looking rather silly at the moment with two shaved front legs (the first vein didn't work for the blood test) and as soon as we got home she started screaming for paté.

I have a classes with two more doctors this afternoon. Guess what we'll be talking about?

az

Hi Az ,if she is eating doubt if she is in pain.Lots of if and buts ,and uncertaincies untill you get results of "bloodtests" ,
all the best

It's going to be a difficult decision, az, but I'm sure you'll make the right one for Lua.



F

I am sorry Lua has got cancer, az

I personally would weigh up her age, how much pain she is in, her quality of life against the trauma of the operation and how long it may extend her life.

I am probably completely wrong, but seem to remember that because of the very different physiology of s compared to humans, cancers don't tend to spread in quite the same way. Once you've had a chance to take it all in, perhaps it would be worth phoning your vet and have chat about the possibility of secondary growths.

I used to have called Fluffy too, Kaz. Long haired black, really lovely cat but sooooo dim!

hi Caerwynn, my Fluffy was a hamster!

Az, I had the option of letting Fluffy have surgery, but they said it would really be euthanasia, so decided to keep her at home. It only lasted a week, and was peaceful. She only went off food on her last day.

Az nasty thing to have to talk about, so sorry.

az

I am lost for words. I'm so so sorry.

I'll write later.

I'll know what to say then.

Right now I am feeling your pain and grief.

My hearts feelings are with you and Lua.

az, all the best to you and Lua.

I'm so, so sorry, Az..... Give Lua a tickle behind her ear for me.

One of my favorite childrens books is called "Cat Heaven". Below is the text, but the book is wonderful because of the illustrations.

\http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0590100548/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-0301415-0443116#reader-link

http://www.punkin.net/catheaven.htm

CAT HEAVEN

by Cynthia Rylant


The way to Cat Heaven is a field of sweet grass
where crickets and butterflies play.

A cat may be late in getting to Heaven . . .
there's so much fun on the way!
But an angel will wait
at the yellow front door,
wait til a kitty
comes home.

And when she arrives,
he'll give her a kiss
and some milk
in a bowl all her own.

There are trees
in Cat Heaven,
trees made just for cats,
trees growing
so green and so high.

But no one gets stuck in a tree
anymore --
if a cat wants down,
she will fly!

And oh the toys,
kitty toys everywhere,
thousands and thousands
go by.

There are buttons and baubles
and small cotton mice --
there is catnip afloat
in the sky!

There are angels,
of course,
with soft angel laps
where kitties can purr
loud and strong.


The angels will rub
kitties' noses and ears
and sing them
a Cat Heaven song.

And when cats are hungry,
there's God's kitchen counter
all covered with
white kitty dishes,
full of tuna and salmon
and mounds of sardines,
and wonderful little pink fishes.

The cats in Cat Heaven
are so loved and spoiled
God lets them all
lie on his bed . . .
He walks in His garden
with a good black book
and a kitty
asleep on His head.

Then when a cat needs,
she may just simply ponder
and watch the blue world deep and wide . . .

She will watch the old house
where she once lived and wandered,
and the people who loved her inside.

All cats love Heaven,
they know the way there,
they know where
the angel cats fly.

They'll run past the stars
and the moon and the sun . . .
. . . to curl up with God in the sky.

(Dedicated by Cynthia Rylant to Caps, Nick and Edward VelvetPaws)

I don't believe in God or heaven, but if there is a heaven, cats certainly deserve to go there.

hi Caerwynn,

The vet told me this morning that until they open her up they won't know how far the cancer has spread and after that there would be no way of telling if the cancer would reappear or not.

If the choice is between dieing in pain after a useless operation (and possibly even die on the operating table or from complications) and dieing as comfortably as possible at home . . . well, of course I'd choose the latter.

I just need to get more information now. I will check with both other vets and doctors. Yes, doctors might not know about how cancer evolves in cats but one of my students is the head of nuclear medicine at the general hospital and the other is the assistant-head. I only half-jokingly asked Ricardo yesterday if they would give Lua an MRI scan . . . he then told me how his heart was broken when his dog died. And every day he has to tell people they are going to die. Yet he took my fear and grief about Lua seriously.

He's even met Lua and agreed that she is the crankiest thing on four paws - he once nicknamed her the Marquesa de Gruñona. The joke being that there is a very nice rioja called Marques de Griñon. Griñon is a family name. Gruñon(a) means cranky old thing.

The thing bothering me the most right now is that I hadn't caught this sooner. I know, I can't change that. But it still hurts that I didn't. That cranky old Lua never ever wanted me to pick her up or even pet her much. I discovered that she did in fact like kisses on the head and having her ears and chin rubbed - so always did plenty of that. Anyhow . . . rambling . . .

az

thank you Mudhooks. Thank you.

>>I don't believe in God or heaven, but if there is a heaven, cats certainly deserve to go there.<<

I agree. I think Jake is somewhere watching me weeping over him and saying "stop crying mummy - I've got all the catnip and toy mice I have ever dreamed of now"

Wow, while writing that last posting I received about five new ones. I have to dash out to work soon, so will re-read them again when I get back.

Thanks so much all of you.



az