He was only supposed to be in surgery for two hours but they found other issues and he was in for 5.5 hours. He is in a lot of pain and sick to his stomach when I left him. They pumped him full of a lot of drugs in this procedure.

It isn’t good, but it isn’t the worst either so here goes- they ended up taking off the entire right side of his left foot including the toe. This removed the abscess completely and also took off most of the bone infection he was dealing with (if not all of it) They did two tendon resections to give the foot stability and tried to straighten out all the broken metatarsil bones as well Before the surgery, Dr. Lin said if there was any amputation to be done it would be at foot level and not above it.

Then they went to look at the fracture and realized that in the fall Mike also severed all the major ligaments of his leg. So they had to stop the surgery and get me to consent to set the fracture in the way they were hoping to avoid with steel plates, pins and bolts. He has two plates, seven screws and two bolts in his leg. They took bone biopsies and cultured the tissue to see what is growing in the foot- those results will take anywhere from three days to five days. The doctor also said they did the equivalent of a major powerwashing on all the bones! They scrubbed them clean!

He will be in the hospital till probably Monday and in the surgeon’s words “He won’t be coming home for a long time.” They want him completely and I do mean completely off his foot for 6-8 weeks- any takers on that actually happening?
They are going to put him into a rehab center (aka nursing home) for the duration to make sure the bone heals. If he gets stubborn or stupid and steps on that leg and it breaks the hardware (which the surgeon said would happen because the bone is compromised by the disease- they will have no option left but to take the whole leg.

He is pale, he is tired but he is in good hands right now. They have him on a morphine drip and something for nausea and he is still as goofy as a pet coon from all the drugs.

They will be performing surgery on MIke today at noon. This morning, he tells me the surgeon and two assistants came in to talk with him. Then they asked him if he would be offended if they prayed over him! They all joined hands and prayed for clear focus, skilled hands and for God’s healing to start before the operation begins! He is not in a religious hospital, it is an acute, secular one. But I know it was no accident that we fell into these capable hands,

And on that note- I am both grateful to all who stepped forward during these trying, financial times and gave to the cats- and I am humbled at how many of you there were!

Bless You ALL- I will be able to stay in good standing with my vet as I had feared they were going to tell me to go elsewhere next time one of my cats needs help

Hey Guys,

I just got home from the doctor’s so bear with me as I try to put together what happened today. Mike had the appointment with the orthopedic surgeon at 1:30- but first I need to back track. Before we left, I went and pulled the car around so he could get into the car without stepping in the major river that is flowing in our driveway right now. I was waiting for him to get into the car and it seemed to be taking longer than usual. I looked up behind me and saw him fall! I raced to him, but he shook me off and told him to let him do it- get up I mean. He was having a really hard time getting up on his feet but he finally did. I could see by his face that he was in pain (he landed on his bad leg.) He got into the car but it wasn’t easy for him. I could tell he was hurt and asked if he was okay and he said he thought he twisted his leg.

Ok so we get there and he is hustled off because the MRI is inconclusive about the myleostitis (bone infection) They had him do a series of films with him standing on his leg. When he got back to his seat he was pale and shaky but said he was “fine.”

They finally called for us and we were ushered into a small exam room. Finally the surgeon walks through the door and the first thing he said was “This is really bad!” He flipped up some films on the light board and showed us in the fall, Mike HAD Fractured HIS FIBULA! The fracture is circular which according to Lin (the surgeon) is good- because it is a bigger area to heal. But, the bad news is they noticed more bone missing from his heel- and all his metatarsi and tarsis bones (the bones going to the toes) have been broken- the toe fractures are old except for maybe one, but Mike didn’t even know that all his toe bones were busted.

He does have a bone infection as well but the surgeon says that right now according to the films the infection is localized in the bone right by the abscess. Until he gets in to take a look he won’t know for sure, but right now he is saying he can save the foot! YAY!

But he told Mike with as much severity that he could muster that if he gets foolish or stupid and bears weight on his leg and breaks it more- there is nothing he can do and he will cut off the leg immediately. He told Mike to take this seriously and not put any weight at all on the leg.

So they put a cast on him (and it is hinged so they can remove it) because they will have to remove it in order to do surgery on the foot and they cut a window in it for the abscess as well. They will not even entertain the notion of putting pins in his leg to set the break. The diabetes, the weight the vascular issues are all against him for that, so they have cast it hoping it will reset on its own.

He is in the hospital He is going to have surgery in the morning. I am just not sure what surgery they are doing. The plan when I left was still up in the air, but they want to do an angiogram on his foot to see if they can even have a hope of opening up his arteries and bringing healing oxygen and blood into his leg. If the test pans out and they believe this is a good option, they will do that surgery first. Then Dr Lin will step in and try to clean up the bone and tendons of his foot and work on the abscess. They will also do bone biopsies and cultures while he is under sedation.

He got a bit whiny when they told him they were putting him in the hospital and I can’t blame him. No one likes to be in the hospital. I do not know how long he will be in there- nor does the doctor. Mike keeps saying he will be in there for four days- but I suspect it might be a bit longer unless they can open the arteries up and give his leg that much needed oxygen and blood.

I tried to take notes as there was so much going on- and I hope I remembered it all. I am going to call late tonight to the nurse’s station and find out if he is going into surgery in the morning or if they are going to wait.
Love,

Mary Anne

Just checked on the kittens upstairs. McKenna was out of the bed, but the kittens were warm, they were sound asleep and not fussy so I have to hope she is good mom and she didn’t abandon them last night. All signs appear to show otherwise though.

Yesterday was a rough one for her. Although she popped these babies out of her with such ease- at least the last three- not all survived. She had three while I was with Mike at the doctor’s. When I woke up yesterday and went upstairs to feed her and say hello- she was acting strange.

Pacing, restless, kneading the floor- eating as if there had been no food for weeks. I looked at her- I looked at the six (yes 6) well put together birthing boxes (all rejected by her highness.) I thought “she’s not going to have these kittens today is she?” But something said that was exactly what was going to happen, so I spread a huge white bedspread down underneath the futon and put more blankets over the carpet (just in case.)

When we returned from the doctor (more about that in a minute) I ran upstairs to check on her and she was wet! I thought good grief, she is going to have her kittens now! In Broad Daylight unheard of – usually they come in the wee hours of the morning. So I grabbed the book I was reading The Dog Who Talked to God and I settled in for the long-haul with her.

She was licking her rear like crazy and so I thought did she already have them? I grabbed the flashlight and on my belly squirmed under the futon (where is a camera when you need one?) There they were, three little black kittens on the white bedspread sound asleep!

I squirmed out from under the futon, grabbed the alcohol and wiped my hands down. Gently, I picked each kitten up- Mckenna watching intently but made no move to attack me. They looked purrfect- but were laying in a wet spot, so I moved them over to the other side of the futon.

Suddenly, McKenna ducked under the futon and the next thing I know, she is licking and chewing like crazy. I grab the flashlight and here is another kitten! This one didn’t respond quickly to her mothering. She tore open the sac and began to lick him, but the umbilical cord was still attached. Ten minutes later, the umbilical still hadn’t been severed, so I cut it and dabbed it with iodine to stop the bleeding. (You need to cut it at least 2 inches from the kitten’s body and you should NEVER pull a kitten who is attached to mom because it causes umbilical hernias.)

I picked this boy up, but he was ice cold and so weak. I put him back on mom and took a warming cloth and rubbed him. Nothing, not even a squeak. He couldn’t latch on to a nipple although his brothers and sisters were chowing down. I grabbed a small dropper and dropped some warm formula into his mouth. He couldn’t swallow so I took the bulb syringe and suctioned out his mouth and nose. These small balls of brown goo came out. His mouth was sticky with mucous and he was heaving trying to breathe.

McKenna suddenly stood up, darted to the other side of the futon and soon another kitten had appeared! This kitten too was quite weak, cold and unresponsive. I suspect she was mated with twice and one Tom was healthy, the other not so much.

I took the four kittens who were warm and fed and placed them in a small box with a heating pad. Then with McKenna laying down, I put the two new babies on her belly. They didn’t move much. I expressed her nipples got a drop of milk and put each kitten right on the milk- nothing. To make matters even more concerning- McKenna ignored both babies (a bad sign) Because she was so attentive to the other kittens, I knew that these two had something wrong with them and she sensed it. But I kept trying, tried to feed both- but it wasn’t working.

A few hours later, both kittens had passed leaving McKenna with four healthy kittens two boys and two girls. I buried them in the horse pasture and wept that I wasn’t smart enough to save them.

On the doctor front- this doctor Mike’s primary told us that the reading on the MRI is inconclusive. The radiologist wouldn’t say either way if Mike had a bone infection or not. The report read that the foot is abnormal but the film not conclusive to say yay or nay about infection.

When we got home, the orthopedic surgeon called and said tomorrow before our appointment he wants to run more film on Mike’s foot- these while he is standing on it. Then we will all meet and discuss the findings.

I am hoping with all the prayers and good thoughts being sent in his direction that Mike’s foot won’t be as bad as everyone seems to fear it will be! I have to hope that the cloudiness on the film is God at work healing what used to be diseased and doing what He can do best- creating a miracle!

The new arrival, the one who just got here and is yet to be named just had three kittens- of course she is black and of course they are too!

She actually had four kittens- we have two boys and two girls. I am naming the new mom McKenna

Here they are- don’t ask me what sex they are, this early I can’t even tell!

I have a bill at the vet that I cannot meet. It is for $420.00 I am ashamed to say that despite two article assignments, I have been unable to wrap my head around writing much of anything except for jumbled thoughts. Until I get clear of the 3rd and that appointment, I am in brain freeze. If anyone can send anything, I would welcome the monies with open arms and stay in good standing with my vet. They were two emergency appointments and I have until the 5th to make good on them.

I am sorry to ask- but it for the kitties. I promise you I am not saving up to go on a cruise!

Congratulations to Sheila Sutherland! Shiela, I just sent you an email about the details of your win. As soon as you supply me with your shipping address, I will send the prize out.

This month, I am suspending the contest until I find out what is going on with Mike. That will be on the 3rd that we will find out- once I know what is coming- I will announce the contest prize but it won’t be until later this month. Hoping people understand-

It hailed last night and the cats went nuts! When that 65 mile an hour touched down last week and ripped the dickens out of my cat alley outside, it left my outside kitties exposed to the elements.

Yesterday, I spent time cleaning up the mess and throwing away the broken cat carriers that were tossed about like matchsticks! I wrapped several of the heavy cages in plastic to keep them weatherproof. The kitties can hide in the barn, the shop or the other out buildings or even under the house, but they prefer this section of our yard best.

All the kitties survived the chaos but I do wish the warm weather would start soon. Hail in April is almost unheard of.

McGee is fine and back with the group-and knock on wood, all kitties are healthy. I will be placing Piper into a new home in a few days and so it goes.

I have given the last remaining kitten of McKenzie’s to another rescuer. I do believe Mike is going into the hospital and I won’t be able to follow through with the care of the wee one if I am sititng at his bedside at the hospital helping him through this next challenge.

They have the capability of crawling into our hearts and changing us forever. They also retain the ability to scare us half to death in a single moment!

I have been up all night for the past three days dealing with two sick kittens. One, sadly did not make it and so another of McKenzie’s kittens has passed. He would have been a month old in a few days.

The second kitten is older and is one of my cow kitties McGee. The other morning when I was feeding, I noticed he was lying on the dog bed and not joining with the group. I kept feeding and still he didn’t move off the pillow. He looked a bit off but sometimes they run and play in the nighttime scampering through the tunnels so I just kept doing my chores.

When he still was inactive, I brought out the nekoflies. ALL came running but McGee and so with a sinking heart, I realized something was wrong with him. I am paranoid since Whisper passed and I lifted McGee and brought him into our bedroom. He was unable to walk on his front leg.

I searched for clues, bites, heat anything that told me he might be wounded, but found nothing. he was burning up so I grabbed the thermometer and the mercury went off the chart! I grabbed a digital and read 105.8! No third eye showing, no visible means of dehydration when I checked his scruff. What the devil?

I gave him sub cu and he fought me even though I warmed up the fluids prior to administering them. He didn’t want to eat. He had been find the night before running and playing with the rest. What could this be?

I started monitoring him and slipping in every two hours giving him water orally. His mouth was clear of lesions, no redness on the gums although his tongue was darker than I would have liked it to be- could this be calici?

His limping became more pronounced and then I had bad thoughts of FIP. I gave him rubbing alcohol wipedowns, kept giving him water and started mixing baby food in the feedings.

This morning, he is fine! Three days of worry and prayers, freting and lack of sleep and he is up and about eating and drinking as if nothing was ever wrong! My vet would call this a fever of unknown origin. I would call this three days in hell.

I have a story to tell you. But before I do, I need to backtrack…

About 6 months ago, I had a really sick kitty arrive here. Sinclair was the victim of malnutrition and he would get soooo stressed out at the littlest thing. I put him upstairs in the sick room, took my small portable CD player and I would play the CD Harp of Hope to help calm him down. It did almost immediately. As he started to improve a bit, I noticed he was watching me every time I would turn the player on. I had it put between a shelf and the cage where he spent most of his time. The cage door was open so he could come and go as he pleased. Soon, he was walking over the top of this CD player to turn it on and to play it! A feat in itself because the buttons are far enough apart that it really isn’t possible. But he seemed to sense when he was getting upset and took to turning this on for himself! I forgot to say he was pure Siamese 6 months old.

Sadly, he lost the fight to live and when he died, I laid him in the forest. There was snow on the ground (unheard of here in Oregon this time of year) So I just gave him back to nature. More kittens and cats were arriving, and life does go on.

Then Whisper arrived and it was clear from the start that there was something really wrong with her. I put her into the sick room and started tending to her. Took her to the vet where they tried to help but told me her kidneys were declining (she was less than a year old!) I would play the CD and it would calm her and she would only growl slightly when I assist-fed her. I would only play the CD once in the morning and once at night keeping in mind how the gal who made the CD shared with me about not “flooding the earways.”

OK, here is where it gets strange. Whisper was getting weaker, so I put her in the cage and shut her in. One morning while getting ready of the day in the bathroom downstairs, I heard the CD playing! I went upstairs, found her still in her cage- the CD going-the door was locked there was no other person or cat in the room. I was puzzled as I hadn’t gone up there that day- but it was going. I knew Mike hadn’t been upstairs due to his health issues, he can’t climb stairs anymore. I thought it was a fluke.

But it kept happening- it has happened four times and always right before Whisper would go into crisis. It started to play the day she died in my arms- she went quickly and was gone in just a few hours.

I now have another sick kitty upstairs- McGee and this morning, once again- I woke up to the sounds of harp music! I don’t know whether to be seriously creeped out- or feel blessed that perhaps Sinclair is now the manager of the music and knows when kitties need your music! My friend Dusty the only one who I have had the nerve to share this with until now says I have a ghost!

I don’t know, but what I do know is that I moved both McGee and the player downstairs this morning. Went in to start breakfast (no I did not turn the player on) When I went into the room to check on him, the player was once again playing softly in the background!

I just don’t know what to make of this- I am not a believer in ghosts, although I have had in the past two kitties return to say goodbye. You can read those stories in a book called Ghost Cats. That is not my book, just one I contributed my experiences to. I know these cats live on in heaven. But I think in this case, one has returned and he is Keeper of the Music

When she arrived, she was in rough shape. A short-haired kitty, she was matted and dirty, full of fleas and flinching at the slightest touch. I thought “she” was a he for she was so young and I named her Arby.

At the neuter appointment, my vet laughed and said the neuter turned out to be a spay! I was surprised, but she had been hiding under the bed for over four months so the mistake was one to forgive. She came home and I sat her in my lap, she was still groggy. I promised her no one would hurt her, she was safe and she could just be whoever she wanted to be.

Three months later, in the middle of the night, she crept on my chest and slept. I was thrilled. I named her Promise.

She is a mere slip of a mackeral tabby- and this morning we drove over 200 miles to present her to her new caretaker, Amanda. True to her shy form, she quickly slid under the bed before Amanda could even touch her.

But Amanda, she understands. She has patience, love and kind eyes. Otherwise, I would have never left Promise with her. She assured me she would give Promise all the time she needed to feel safe once again.

I promised I would check in on them in about a week and see how it was going. I told Amanda, as I tell anyone who adopts from me that I will take her back if she doesn’t work out. My hope is that Promise understands in a few days she is once again in good hands and now has a forever home. I kept my Promise…