Ramblings From Justin Penney

After I posted my weird drive home I got up to head up to my bedroom and noticed my cat, Dan, trying to pee on the floor by me. I tapped him with my foot and yelled but he stodd his ground. I tapped him again and he just nonchalantly slid over 4 inches, hissed, growled and went back straining with his tail straight out. So I picked him up and took him over to the cat door so he could go to the litter box. He just stayed right there, blank stare, straight tail. He groaned a little then laid down.

I pet him a little and noticed that his belly was pretty distended. He was holding his leg up and giving his penis a dissapointed look. As a final test of his health I got out a laser pointer and he didn't care at all. Dan was sick.

I called the emergency vet and described what was going on. I needed to take him in. His urethra was blocked and he was unable to urinate. This is potentially fatal as the kidneys will start to shut down and toxins build up in the blood.

I let Jacey know what was going on. I grabbe dthe cat carrier from the garage and proceeded to dance with Dan for a good full minute trying to get him in. He meowed every 4 seconds for the entire 10 minute trip to the vet.

I took him in and the verified that his bladder was full and he would need a catheter installed, IV fluids, antibiotics, therapeutic massage... It was a lot. The estimate was a very high amount. I knew that our regular vet would be a lot cheaper and it was already 1:00 a.m. and he could make it until the morning. So we left. I should mention that at this point to get Dan into the cat carrier, I opened the door. He ran right in. I think he was afraid of getting another thermometer up his behind.

So we get home and I open the gate to the carrier. He won't come out. He just stares at me. Little squeaky, pathetic, guilt-laden mews escape his barely parted parted lips and he looks at me with his huge black pupils. I start thinking about going to the bathroom. I have to go to the bathroom. I'm uncomfortable. I go to the bathroom and feel relieved. I come back downstairs, shut the carrier and head back to the vet. I felt horrible that I even considered letting him hold his pee for 6 hours. I am a horrible person.

The technician was different when I got back but the vet was the same. I had three options of varying prices. One of them was everything, one was the bare minimum and one was in the middle. I just did everything. I felt so bad.

Dan is my buddy. We literally love each other. He will look up at me and give a squinty smile and he knows that I'll reach down and pet him. He sleeps by my side follows me around all morning. If the cats are outside and it gets cold, it's Dan that I worry about. I felt like evil and guilty for even hesitating because of the money. Even after I got home at 2:30 I laid in bed awake, feeling like a monster until 4:30.

I had to have him picked up before 8:00. Our regular vet opened at 7:00 so I wanted to hit that as close as I could. Lily and I got up at 6:30. Brutally early for both of us.

When we picked Dan up he had a urine bag hanging out of the carrier and an elizabethan collar, the big cone, around his head. This one was thoughfully clear instead of the distracting white. In the 10 minute trip to the regular vet, he got out of the collar.

When we got to the regular vet, Crain Veterinary, they were already prepared for Dan. The hospital had faxed over his info and I went right back. Dr. Jerry had already called and left a message at home and they were all ready for him.

Tonight Jackie, the first technician at the hospital, called to see how Dan was. She was sad when I left but, nkew I would be back. I told her that I was back within an hour and that Dan was doing good and should be home tomorrow afternoon.

The sad part about all this is how crappy this makes and doctor I've seen look. All of these vets were great, they follow up, they act concerned. The doctors at Crain follow up every time! When our guinea pigs had gotten sick they called to see how they ended up doing. Just wonderful. I think I'd rather go to them.

I do have one more surreal bit. After I left the hospital the first time I was on 40 highway. I got to the light at Little Blue Parkway and a blazer with two guys in it pulled up beside me. I looked over as they pulled up and the driver started staring at me. I looked away: at the light, in the mirror, to the left. Then I looked back around and he was still staring at me. I then watched the light. It turned green and he didn't go, just staring. I started to go and he paced me. I got to the last point where I could make the left turn and whipped the wheel and floored it. Then they took off straight.

# posted by Justin @ 10:17 PM