Oddly enough, for Chicken, my cat with feline leukemia, I have just written a huge story about his (and his brother's) origins and how they came into my life and meant so much to me. If there are any cat lovers about interested in reading an interesting tale of two cats and a single father learning to become a sole provider in a homeless state, let me know. It's broken up into 6 or 7 parts. Somebody asked me to tell the story and that ended up being the last of them logging in on my system, so maybe it's not that good. *laugh*
Anyway, for those of you that were following along before, Chicken has been my only truly loyal family member since I've become a father. Hell, before he was around I had no loyal family members, so maybe he's been my only loyal one the whole time. Regardless, he got FLV and it was a real pain being able to keep him comfortable and decent with care due to my monetary situation for a long time. I just wanted to update you guys and let y'all know that he's doing well, and that there has been a break in the tide of not having any income, so hopefully things will be much easier for his care in the future.
This is especially good as it seems that he's starting to grow a bit resistant to the 2nd line antibiotic that he's on now for the secondary infections, maybe the steroid itself. I don't know when it gets to the point where the treatment is worse than the disease, but other than becoming a fat behemoth, where he was a lean 'n mean before, he's still as happy as a kitten, so this is good. ;)

-D
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Hi Damon,

the whole time. Regardless, he got FLV and it was a real pain being able to keep him comfortable and decent with care due to my monetary situation for a
long time. I just wanted to update you guys and let y'all know that he's doin >well, and that there has been a break in the tide of not having any income, so
hopefully things will be much easier for his care in the future.

That's good to hear Damon. I hope you can continue his treatment.

This is especially good as it seems that he's starting to grow a bit resistant to the 2nd line antibiotic that he's on now for the secondary infections, maybe the steroid itself. I don't know when it gets to the point where the treatment is worse than the disease, but other than becoming a fat
behemoth, where he was a lean 'n mean before, he's still as happy as a kitten,
so this is good. ;)

That's also good... Hopefully you'll see some improvement in his condition as well. I guess there's no cure for the leukemia IIRC?

Sorry to take so long to get to this message, btw... we've been dealing with our black lab, Toby, and getting him cared for. He's got a number of problems right now, including old age (he'll be 14 this fall). We have to take him for a sonogram this coming friday because one of his problems is a very large mass in his abdomen. We won't know if it's cancerous until they do a biopsy I guess.

Good luck with your kitty :)

Take care,
Janis

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Re: Chicken - my cat with FLV
By: Janis Kracht to Damon A. Getsman on Mon Mar 23 2015 13:34:28

That's good to hear Damon. I hope you can continue his treatment.

Well, yesterday I started actually getting hours in at my new job. So, while his treatment may not be something that'll keep him at his original lifespan, it will keep him good while he's still happy and kittening around here. :) The paychecks make all the difference. *insert bits about loathing the worship of paper money here*

That's also good... Hopefully you'll see some improvement in his condition as well. I guess there's no cure for the leukemia IIRC?

Well his condition improves like damn nearly 100% while he's on the steroids when the antibiotics are kicked in. The only sign that things may not be 100% right now is the fact that he still stretches his mouth more than normal, even right after the shots kick in at full strength. So he's still got a little bit of discomfort, but it's nothing like how bad it gets untreated, and it's not stopping him from sprinting around in happy kittie capers when the shots are kicked in. He's still got good quality of life. :) Now that the economic crap is fixed, I'm pretty sure that it'll go without painful breaks in treatment for him any more, as well.

Sorry to take so long to get to this message, btw... we've been dealing with our black lab, Toby, and getting him cared for. He's got a number of problems right now, including old age (he'll be 14 this fall). We have to take him for a sonogram this coming friday because one of his problems is a very large mass in his abdomen. We won't know if it's cancerous until they do a biopsy I guess.

No worries on it taking some time. I'm really sorry that you're having to deal with these things with your lab. A loyal and decent dog is a damn hard friend to see going through such things. I'll be sending good vibes your way and his; I hope that the mass is benign and he's still got some decent quality of life in those golden years to spend with you guys. :)
Do you have a biopsy scheduled or is it just the sonogram for now?

Good luck with your kitty :)

Very much appreciated, and right back at you with Toby. I wish you the very best with him. I've never had a dog for very long term, thanks to domestic situations, but I've had them long enough to know how deep the bond goes.
Take care!

-Damo
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Hi Damon,

That's good to hear Damon. I hope you can continue his treatment.

Well, yesterday I started actually getting hours in at my new job. So, while his treatment may not be something that'll keep him at his original lifespan, it will keep him good while he's still happy and kittening around here. :)
The paychecks make all the difference. *insert bits about loathing the worshi
of paper money here*

Hey, these vets can run up some bills... we all know that one.

That's also good... Hopefully you'll see some improvement in his condition >> as well. I guess there's no cure for the leukemia IIRC?

Well his condition improves like damn nearly 100% while he's on the steroids
when the antibiotics are kicked in. The only sign that things may not be 100% >right now is the fact that he still stretches his mouth more than normal, even >right after the shots kick in at full strength. So he's still got a little bi
of discomfort, but it's nothing like how bad it gets untreated, and it's not

I bet...

stopping him from sprinting around in happy kittie capers when the shots are kicked in. He's still got good quality of life. :) Now that the economic crap is fixed, I'm pretty sure that it'll go without painful breaks in treatment for him any more, as well.

That must be a relief, for sure... The steroids will make the animal feel better, the antibiotics can keep any infections at bay...

problems right now, including old age (he'll be 14 this fall). We have to
take him for a sonogram this coming friday because one of his problems is

Was actually an ultrasound of his abdomen, but pretty close to the same thing I
guess..

a very large mass in his abdomen. We won't know if it's cancerous until
they do a biopsy I guess.

No worries on it taking some time. I'm really sorry that you're having to deal with these things with your lab. A loyal and decent dog is a damn hard friend to see going through such things. I'll be sending good vibes your way
and his; I hope that the mass is benign and he's still got some decent quality

Thanks Damon... he's in surgery right now as I type... we'll see what they find
when they open him up. The surgeon was hopeful today when we talked to him, but explained some of the difficulties he might run into during the surgery... I hope Toby makes it through the surgery today (I should know more in a few hours, it is really major surgery). Toby has two large masses in his abdomen, and a few smallers ones in his mouth. As of 1pm, no one called to report that the surgery was called off because of suspected Lung involvement, so that's one
good thing (they were going to call if xrays showed any masses in his lungs).

Do you have a biopsy scheduled or is it just the sonogram for now?

Once they open him up today, they'll do a biopsy then, hopefully the tumors aren't attached and they can be removed without him running into problems (bleeding).

Good luck with your kitty :)

Very much appreciated, and right back at you with Toby. I wish you the very best with him. I've never had a dog for very long term, thanks to domestic situations, but I've had them long enough to know how deep the bond goes. Take care!

Yeah, it's true ;) My son will be heartbroken if Toby doesn't pull through, but we're all hoping for the best situation right now.

Take care,
Janis

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Re: Re: Chicken - my cat with FLV
By: Janis Kracht to Damon A. Getsman on Mon Mar 30 2015 13:19:12

Thanks Damon... he's in surgery right now as I type... we'll see what they f when they open him up. The surgeon was hopeful today when we talked to him, but explained some of the difficulties he might run into during the surgery. I hope Toby makes it through the surgery today (I should know more in a few hours, it is really major surgery). Toby has two large masses in his abdome and a few smallers ones in his mouth. As of 1pm, no one called to report th the surgery was called off because of suspected Lung involvement, so that's good thing (they were going to call if xrays showed any masses in his lungs)

Do you have a biopsy scheduled or is it just the sonogram for now?

Once they open him up today, they'll do a biopsy then, hopefully the tumors aren't attached and they can be removed without him running into problems (bleeding).

I'll admit, I had to go read the next message, since two had rolled in from you, after I read this part. I was wishing the best for you, and I'm glad that things are looking good so far. :)
My son is already kind of prepped for whatever happens to Chicken; he knows that what he has is terminal. Still, Chicken seems so normal and kitten-like, except for his quickly expanding girth, that I think it's going to hit him harder than he thinks. I know it's gonna hit me hard; I hope that whenever I find out about it Deschain is at school; I really don't want him to have to see me blubbering about it.
That sounds like it may have been a kind of tricky surgery. I'm really glad that everything worked out well for you guys. :) I hope you've got some years of happy fun in the sun left with him. :)

-D
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