Settling into a rhythm

As time goes on, I find that both we, and Sooty, are settling into a daily rhythm of ups and downs. Morning times Sooty is HUNGRY (steroids) so she is perky alert and responsive. Then she subsides into quietness and has lately taken to sharing Casper the Guinea Pig's cage - he is fine as long as he has lettuce LOL!

Mid-morning Sooty is hungry again so has a top up, then rests and so, on throughout the day. Then come evening time she is perky enough to scamper (literally) at high speed to the door to greet Paul - to say he was thrilled is an understatement.

She is still very thin, and the vet says she will never put on huge amounts of weight but she is still very much 'our Sooty' so we are happy. Oh, and Good News on the holiday front. We had a meet and greet with the pet sitter who will be giving Sooty her chemo for a couple of the days we are away in Auckland.

Recommended by our vet, the man (and his wife) appear to be competent and nice people. Tony took detailed notes about who likes what to eat, their routine, what Sooty's medication was and when it was administered. Where all the food is etc., etc., he regularly walks other dogs, feeds cats, can administer cytotoxic tables without panicking.

I feel much happier about going away for a few days now.

Blood Test Report - post 2nd Chemo

I rang the veterinary surgery and was told that Sooty shows a small improvement!

Yes, she is still ill, but this shows the chemo may be having some kind of effect. We have also found someone who will be able to give Sooty her Leukeran while we take a short trip away. Paul's birthday celebration is a visit to see Mandy Patinkin and Patti Lupone in Auckland then come back on the Overlander.

So happy.

Improvement and eating a bit more.

I spent the day working at the University and left late so Paul beat me home to be greeted at the door by Sooty, and Dash Kitten. Sooty was hungry enough to enjoy most of a steroid dose without knowing it - yes!! (punches the air).

She was very perky for a while and pleased to see us. She has now gone into rest mode but still seems happy.

Her wellness, or not seems to come in waves - sometimes up sometimes down. We have to keep alert to changes so we can anticipate when we might have to give her an anti nausea tablet (we do not give these regularly - using them only when needed).

Currently she is resting, laid quietly on one of the kitty condo shelves, on her side. She is a good girl.

Flaky moments

Sooty has been doing a bit of shouting tonight. Like she is worried or slightly flaky. It's very upsetting as she looks very thin. I am gong to take her to the vet to see if the blood tests show OK and to see if she is making headway or we are just deluding ourselves. I got an anti nausea tablet down her earlier so she is eating small amounts.

A real low point for me.

Post Chemo Report 2nd Chemo

swdjqpk4tv

Sooty finished her second round of chemo and after a couple of days give us a difficult night - she could not settle, was absolutely everywhere, up, down, on, under, in.... Until Paul went nuts and I put her in the second bedroom with a clean litter tray, fresh good and some water.

The following day, both of us half-dead with fatigue, struggled through work and home for an early night. We found Sooty much perkier, still subdued but ready to eat heaps of gracy, some meat and two whole prawns an inch or more long apiece.

Conclusion on Chemo : Two days after she stops the round she becomes very uncomfortable. We must be prepared for this next round. The anti nausea tablets take a while to kick in but are a big help and not feeding Sooty for some hours means she is hungry enough to polish off food with the steroid tablet in it.

Unwell Tuesday

Sooty is not feeling very well at the moment, she has been up on the dinner table having abit of food, wandering around in a hopelessly distrait way, looking totally lost. I have tempted her with bacon some of which went down then she left it, came back, ignored it....

She has had one half on an anti-nausea tablet but this has not had much effect, as yet. She is so very thin - but stil has her sparkle and a shiny cold nose.

Not sure if she will settle, I hope so.

Current Chemo Over

Sooty is still eating but seems very very thin to me. I will make the appointment for her blood test but I am not happy as she seems so very thin.

We will have to see if the chemo is having any effect. I honestly don't know at the moment.