Passed an interesting night with Charlie. His respirations droppped about midnight and he was looking so tired, like he wanted to give up. We sat together in the silence. All I could hear was that gosh-darn gurgling noise he makes like a washing machine on the rinse cycle. I got to thinking about how his nose is so dry, but he sounds like his lungs are full of fluids. (The vet said they sounded remarkably clear). I told him it was okay to give up. I was kneeling down next to him and he looked over at me. Even though his eyes are covered with all that milky whiteness, his meaning was clear. He wanted to keep on going.
I went downstairs and dug out my baby vaporizer and plugged that in. I gave him more fluids, but I punched through him, darnit! I told him I was so sorry for turning him into a sprinkler, but he just doesn’t have anything to grab on to! Then I kissed his orangeness and went to bed.
About 3:00 a.m. we were startled awake by a huge crash! I turned on the light in time to see the rest of the one side of the bedroom ceiling collapsing! Apparently, we had a leak that got into the insulation. It hadn’t quite made it to the floor yet, but the insulation got heavy and the weight crashed down the drywall and ceiling tiles. It looked like it had snowed pieces of icy boulders. An hour later, the soggy mess was bagged for garbage and I was wide awake.
Upstairs to check on Charlie, I almost didn’t want to go. I was afraid of what I might see. What I saw delighted me! When I came to the screen door, Charlie hopped off his bed and walked over to the door. Stepping over the barrier that keeps him from having contact with the resident kitties, I was greeted by a kitty head bump!
He is now drinking water on his own! I suspect he did it out of self-defense. I don’t think he likes being a sprinkler! But I had taken a ping pong ball and dropped it in the Drinkwell bowl. The current carried it to where the water comes pouring out and it started making this strange sound. Charlie went over to investigate, batted at the ball, then licked his paw. He looked at me, then bent over and started to drink! He also left me two more deposits of parasite for my viewing pleasure. Yuck! Poor kitty- he has such a load of worms.
Right now he has the heater on, his thermal pad is available and the vaporizer is doing its thing. It’s 10:30 a.m. and I am headed for my first cup of coffee of the day.
1:00 p.m. He is eating on his own! I am so relieved. I made a small bowl of warmed A/D and put it in front of him and he scarfed it up! Thank You God!