A Trying Month

Most years, May is one of my favorite months. Spring is officially (mostly) conquering winter. The trees and grass are green. Flowers are in bloom. Birds are singing.

The view from my kitchen window

All that is true this year as well, but the first few weeks of May nearly did me in. 

First, my husband and I had his-and-hers eye infections. Then, he brought home a wicked, bone-rattling cough. I thought for sure I was going to catch it. 

The Pennwriters Conference was coming up. I tried to imagine keeping my roommate awake all night with that cough. Or trying to get through two workshops while trying to catch my breath. 

Just when it looked like I might dodge that bullet, something even worse struck. Kensi Kitty, within a matter of hours, went from perfectly healthy to lethargic and refused to eat or drink. She was obviously in distress. 

Sad Kensi at the vet's office

I took her to the vet almost immediately. Her blood tests and X-rays looked BAD. The vet didn't expect her to make it through the weekend (this was Thursday). They gave her sub-q fluids, Convenia for the infection, and Cerenia for the nausea. And they sent us home with directions on where to go for euthanasia when their office was closed over the weekend. Yes, I was devastated.

I canceled my trip to Pennwriters. No way could I leave Kensi alone with The Dad, especially with him still being far from well.

By that night, she started to show interest in food again. She drank water. The next morning, she woke me up by purring loudly in my ear. HOPE!

It was a rocky couple of weeks, though. She would eat, but not with her usual chow-hound enthusiasm. I plied her with treats and tuna. Basically, if she wanted something, she got it. I didn't fully breathe until two weeks after that vet visit, when the Kensi I know and love was fully back to herself. Eating, drinking, playing, and having old-cat zoomies... which are not the same as kitten zoomies, but we'll take them. 

I don't know what caused the problems. The vet suspected pancreatitis due to the bloodwork. Whatever it was, I'm glad I didn't opt for "wait and see" but instead called the vet within the first few hours. I'm convinced my quick response is what turned it around so fast. 

Oh, and my husband is over his coughing bug, too. As for June, I'm laying low and am hoping for quiet and boring for a while. 

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