This morning, Pigeon was actively bleeding from his incisions. I decided to take him to my regular vet to get a new pair of eyes on the situation and perhaps a new path to follow. It turned out to be very beneficial.

The theory is that the sutures were acting like a tourniquet. Allowing blood to flow into the area, but not allowing it to flow back down impeding the circulation. Sutures (the remaining 6 of them) were removed.

No more procedures, no more e-cone, no more antibiotics, ointments, corticosteroids, powders nothing. This is a degloving wound and so we are now treating it with Shreiners Spray, Aloe Vera gel, and Vitamin E oil. It will take about 3 months before the “uglies” go away, but there is healthy granulated tissue coming in and some of the deep pockets on the sides of the wound are now filled up with healthy muscle and tissue- so it is just going to be watching it carefully. making sure he doesn’t get over-zealous in grooming his back leg area and monitoring his regular functions to be sure there is nothing amiss.

I had an epiphany on the way home. The reason that I was so distraught about this wound is looking at his leg and the skin underneath shoots me straight back to dealing with Mike’s leg for so many years. Despite all they tried to do to fix it and sometimes because of what they did made him worse, it just filled me with fear that I might lose Pigeon as well. I shared this with my vet and he assured me that although this wound in pretty darn ugly- it is not to the point where a leg will be amputated or a life taken. I was so relieved.

Tomorrow is Mike’s birthday. He would be 79 years old. Please just pray for me. You don’t have to ask anything of God except that He guides my way and I don’t push away or run from the grief. One of the vets told me about a book called Blessed Grief and I ordered it. It will be here tomorrow. It’s getting better each day, but there are still setbacks and tears when I least expect them to flow.

Out early this morning to feed the cats. Like most of the United States, we have had some really crazy weather. High winds, heavy rain- even snow that stuck for days. I was headed for the feral feeder by the barn when I noticed something on the fence – just hanging there. At first, I thought it was a black garbage bag blown in by last night’s storm. But then I noticed Kota was headed straight for it, and I called him off and put him in his pen. Then I went to investigate.

It was a Tom- a gobbler (not a tomcat). He had somehow gotten stuck on the wire fence- it was wrapped around one of his talons and he was hanging upside down! I tried to lift his leg up and over the wire- but he would have none of it. I raced to the shop and only by a miracle did I find a wire cutter. I have been packing up Mike’s shop as the entire contents have now been sold off to one buyer. But God allowed me to find the wire cutters very quickly. I grabbed a blanket off the cat bed and raced back to this poor bird who had been hanging there- who knows how long?

I threw the blanket over his head so he couldn’t see to peck me to death and then I cut the wire. He fell with a thud and I held on to the blanket as he freed himself. He is a big boy! He finally got out from under, fell the against the fence. I could see his mangled leg and knew he couldn’t walk.

Of course my cell was in the house, so I ran in to get it and called the Oregon State Wildlife Troopers as well as a wildlife refuge center. The center wasn’t opened that early and the trooper was on a field call. I walked back to where the turkey had been and he was gone. He could fly- once he got his wits about him- but he cannot walk. I feel bad for him and hope that his leg will heal in time, but if he can’t keep up with the flock- it won’t go well for him. I will keep an eye out and if I do see him, I will put out some extra seed so he can at least get some food.

I looked in our roosting trees by the creeks but all the turkeys I saw up there were all balanced on two legs. I looked for him in the bushes, but he was gone. I just hope he will okay. At any given time- we have up to 40 turkeys in the flock that hangs around here. I think he was the head honcho so I hope they look out for one another.

On the Pigeon front- not great news- he is swelling again and has busted all but three sutures. I will not take him back to the vet until his re-check- he has had enough sedation and stress. I will just keep him on the meds, clean the wounds as best I can and take him on his re-check on the 22nd of this month. There’s only so much you can ask a kitty to do. He’s gone far and beyond what I ever expected of him.

This weather is so crazy. We lost power for four days and I have had to shovel snow for the first time since leaving Alaska over twenty years ago! In the middle of the power outage, I went to sit down in my recliner and I accidentally sat right on Molly! I felt her underneath and heard her do this strange, strangled screech. I couldn’t take her to the vet until the morning, but I took her as soon as I could. They did films on her, did a complete exam and also did a CBC at my insistence because recently, she has really started filling out the litter pans. Thankfully, she is just a bit tender in her belly and she walks wonky. But, there is nothing broken or sprained just bruised.

Just like the last time at the vet, she kept trying to climb on to my shoulders and when I denied her my shoulder, she went for the vet’s! LOL I have never seen her do that before. They did have to sedate her in order to draw blood and while she was out- they also cleaned her ears (yeast infection) and clipped her nails.

With as much as this kitty loves me and follows me like a dog around the house, I can’t do much with her if she needs help. Putting her on pain pills would never work. The blood work will be back tomorrow and I am hoping her kidney values will be in normal range.

For the first time since I can’t even remember when- our vet debt is down to a manageable amount! Under $100.00, I told my regular vet that we had finally got him paid down and this has to happen and he just laughed.I am just really glad that Molly is okay. I already have one kitty who is on top of my worry list and I didn’t want to add another one.

It was 17 degrees last night and a few days ago, my pipes burst out in the laundry room. All the plumbers are swamped right now- no one can come for about two weeks. So I turned off the water in the laundry room- disconnected all the hoses and set out buckets to catch the flow coming from the ceiling. I also sprinkled cat litter on the spilt water as it automatically turned to ice and made for treacherous footing.

In two weeks- Mike would have been 79 years old. One more painful day to get through. He used to joke that he wouldn’t die for a long time as his mom was 100 years old when she died, and he was sure he inherited her longevity genes . But his mom also thought that I was Pocahontas and he was Lewis and Clark before she passed. He only thought I built the Crystal Cathedral from scratch and Rev. Schuller and I were best buds before he died, so maybe he did inherit something from her. 🙂

It’s getting easier as each day passes, but I could sure do without all these household emergencies that have happened since he died.

Pigeon’s wound is looking a bit better these days. I got tired of all the powders, lotions and ointments that the vet gave me that didn’t seem to be doing any good. I went and bought some CBD oil and started giving him five drops twice a day and putting the oil straight on his angry flesh. Before even a few hours had passed, the redness started to fade and after 48 hours of application (twice a day) his wound is shrinking! Wouldn’t it be something if the entire wound shrunk to the point that Friday won’t involve a major surgery? I will let you know how it goes.

Two years ago, this black cat stumbled across my path and I rescued him. He only had one good working eye and I was lucky enough to find a wonderful lady, Robin in Oregon to adopt him.

Since that adoption, she has kept in touch with me monthly to let me know how he is doing. She let me know recently that he now has cancer and is undergoing chemo for the months that he has left. Probably only 6 months.

I just wanted to celebrate him today- with photos of when he first arrived here. I am praying he lives well beyond his departure date!

His hopefully last surgery will take place on Friday. They will try (after repeated failed attempts) to sew him up and see if this time he will heal. His recheck was this morning, and I was sure hoping I could file the e-cone back in the drawer- but he still has to wear it. I thought he was scabbing over, but that’s not what I was looking at apparently. Poor boy- he has really been through it and could use prayers-

Today is our wedding anniversary and I refuse to be sad. To be sad would not honor Mike in any fashion. Mike didn’t know sad, despite ALL he went through with his Diabetic challenges, he kept his humor and his stories pouring through.

I can honor him by being kind in my actions and words. I know that he was the nicest man I ever met- and only the uglies showed up a few years ago as the disease slowly claimed him. I was sitting here this morning remembering all the times he would go above and beyond for others. One time in Alaska in the middle of the night during a blizzard when our neighbor called and said both his dogs had vanished in the storm. Mike got out of bed, dressed really warm and went out to find them. He had this uncanny ability to whistle LOUD quite talented at it and he whistled those boys right to him, tucked them under his coat and delivered them back to our neighbor.

He was always fixing things for co-workers, building computers from scratch and giving them away to the boys and girls club or the scouts. Just a really giving man. Building custom knives and then just giving them away to charities to auction off- helping stranded motorists. He just had a sweet, sweet heart.

So Michael, God Bless You, I love you and I miss you and we will meet again..

This morning, the vet called and said that Pigeon was going a bit stir crazy in his cage and was ready to come home! I went to get him and presented the gal with a check for $300.00 as a partial payment. When I got the receipt back, I saw there was $180,00 credit! I questioned why and she told me someone from back east had called that morning and paid the bill in full! Said the person wanted to remain anonymous. So thank you anonymous! Thank you so very much for opening up your heart for Pigeon.

He is doing good. No fevers, no pain pills, no anti-inflammatories and only two stitches left up near his rectum. No drainage showing and I am just to put this special powder on his wounds twice a day. He is so happy to be home, all he wants to do is hug me, but the e-cone makes that a bit difficult!

Only a few times in your life, does a cat wander in that is so extraordinary that words can’t describe the relationship you form with this animal. That’s how Pigeon has been from the very beginning with me. He reminds me of an old soul and sometimes I wonder if perhaps Kabota and Prowler are in kahoots and came back to be with me during this very difficult time. He reminds me a lot of both of them. He looks like Kabota and his traits remind me of Prowler.

I am grateful he wanted to stay here as his wounds were horrendous. He is a cat of courage and strength. I am glad God has allowed him to remain here with me..

Pigeon is back at the vet this morning and he will stay there until he is completely healed. Based on re-occurring fevers, marked edema and infection it was decided this is the best thing to do for him at this time. I can call every day, I can visit every day, but the vet doesn’t want him to leave until all the inflamed tissue has healed up and their are no more gaping wounds.

I’m in the process of selling off all of Mike’s shop equipment and although I need to fix a hole in the bedroom ceiling, and replace the carport roof, the monies from that sale will go to the vet bill first Pigeon is my priority first and foremost.

Last night, his leg started to swell and the sutures started popping. I gave him a pain pill and his antibiotic and called the vet this morning. He has these occasional tremors/shivers that course through his body and the only positive thing I can add is he is still eating and pooping. I’m not sure what to do. The vet said that if he is not better by mid-afternoon, I am to bring him and let him stay with the vet until he is better. I’ll be honest with you, we have $96.00 left in CATS right now (after giving the vet $300.00) I don’t know how much more pain I can ask this cat to take? He has been non-stop purring and trembling since arriving home at at 2:00 a.m. his temp was 103.8.

My gut says to let him go, but my heart screams “NO!” I am so conflicted. I don’t have the monies for him to stay long-term and he is in so much pain. I slept with him last night, and not once did he close his eyes. Just purred and trembled in my arms all night long.

There is a photo down below- look at your own risk. It’s not pretty but it shows what he is facing. I have him wrapped in warming blankets right now and despite all the pills I have pushed down him, all the fluids I have had to give him- this brave boy still loves me. My question to myself is Is it right to keep him here knowing what type of pain he is fighting?

Pigeon’s injury