Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Marvin's home!

I got the call from the vet this morning saying Marvin was eating better and was back to his usual grumpy self, a sign he's ready to return home! He's such a funny one, at home he's lovey and sweet, but at the vet he has a reputation for being demanding, obnoxious, and very vocal! His chart has been flagged for staff to be extra careful.

Now, Marvin's back home and eating!

The Marvinator - ready for some cuddle action

When he went to the vet he wasn't feeling good and wanted nothing to do with cuddles.


I'm grateful to have Marvs home and healthy again. He seems quite happy to be home too.
Thank you everyone for your purrs and prayers.  Go Marvin!

Marvin update (two)

Some good news! I received a message from the vet this morning (Tuesday), Marvin is doing better. He's able to regulate his body temperature now and was eating a bit more.


We decided to give him another 24-hours of hospital care so he could get lots more fluids.


When I visited him this evening, the vet tech said he was doing better, eating about half the food they were giving him. He seemed more perky than last night, which is a good sign. Current plan is to check in with vet first thing Wednesday morning and hopefully bring him home before work. 

Meanwhile, in Marvin's absence, the other kitties are re-occupying the upstairs! They all slept with me last night, even Rose was nearby. What a delight to get to share the bed with them again.


They all miss their upstairs territory, which they had access to before Marvin came on the scene. It's sad they can't share the space with Marvin (he's very territorial). 
Theo so loves the spot on top of the cat tree!

Thanks everyone for your prayers and purrs!

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Marvin update (one)

Marvin spent the day in the kitty hospital getting fluids and care. Sadly, there doesn't appear to be any change in his status. The vet said along with not eating or drinking, he's also not regulating his body temperature. At home he camps on a heating pad or a lap pretty much all the time, so no telling how long that may have been going on. He now has a heating pad in his "room" which is helping.


I was afraid to visit him at the hospital tonight, fearing that if I did my emotions would catch up to me. And sure enough they did. It's so hard to see a loved one struggle and be powerless to do anything.

He was really restless and took some time pacing and exploring before he wanted loves.

Once he warmed up to loves he didn't want me to leave him again. I've said this about a thousand times and will keep saying it, I love that our 24-hour vet is across the alley and that they have generous visiting hours!

Marvin's usual vet wasn't in today, but he'll be in first thing in the morning. Hopefully he'll have some ideas about what's going on and some treatment plan options. Right now, we're still in the dark.

  Hang in there Marvs, and please eat! I'm worried about you.
I miss your endless cuddles throughout the night.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Marvin needs purrs

Marvin's not been feeling so well lately.
He's not eating, drinking, or moving much. We took him to the vet on Saturday morning and he was given sub-q fluids and some medicines to help with nausea and appetite. Those meds didn't seem to make much difference as he hasn't eaten or drank anything in days.

So, Monday morning he's heading back to the vet where he will most likely be hospitalized so they can get him some nourishment and fluids. The biggest concern is his failing kidneys. The values were up on Saturday.

We had some sort of kitty-bug come through our house, all the inside kitties got it, starting with Theo and ending with Rose. It interrupted their appetite and energy and only lasted for a few days before they were on the mend. Marvs is not nearly as healthy as the others so he may have a harder time shaking off such a bug. It's really sad seeing him not moving - he looks like he's feeling pretty miserable.

Please purr for Marvin - thanks.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

be well

I'm in my happy place again. Where the intensive work makes my heart burst with joy. A place where I have ample opportunity to lean into my biggest fears and taste the sweetness of freedom on the other side.


 My soul somehow innately knows what to do with a labyrinth.

 


Pain and freedom dance here with youthful vigor.
 


Be well my friends.

Friday, May 12, 2017

feeling catty

Update on Theo - he visited the vet got x-rays, poked, and prodded. Looks like he has some sort of bug that's upsetting his GI tract. Bland diet and some anti-nausea meds and lots of love. Hopefully that turns him around!



I recently created these laminated feelings cards for work.

I started by making a few and then kept adding to them. My favorite drawing is the catty one! (surprise, surprise!) I use these sometimes as a feelings check-in exercise - scatter them around the floor, have the person stand on the one they feel in the moment, then move around to other ones in response to the questions I'm asking. A fun way to explore someone's relationship with specific feelings.

Marvin's always a big hit at work! I know I sure love having him with me at the office.

Enough about work - It's Friday!! 
Have a lovely weekend!

Thursday, May 11, 2017

an off Theo

Theo's been feeling a little under the weather lately.


When he doesn't finish all of his dinner we know something's amiss.

When he doesn't want cuddles ten times a day we know something's off.

Theo goes to the vet this morning to get looked over. He was just there a few weeks ago for his annual inspection and checked out perfect. Hopefully it's nothing but a bug he picked up at the vet last round.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Willow wednesday


Willow LOVES the clothes drying rack! Big kitty jungle gym!
 Willow: rack dry only!




dinner in the blanket fort for a special girl


Had a few extra minutes on Sunday morning, so took a short walk and somehow found a spot of beauty in a sea of ugly suburbia.

Meanwhile at our local grocer - At first glance, the check out lines are littered with the usual mags. Upon second glance, what the ???


A few weeks later...

Which one is not like the other?!

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

blessings of the journey

I was recently convicted that I'm being really selfish. I've been hogging all the kitty loves for myself and sharing none with you! How rude! I hope to change that, starting now.  Need to get back on the blogging bandwagon, I do.

Life here is good. Cats are good and kitty loves are top notch! I'm still taking hundreds of photos, just not sharing them. Can you believe that?! So many kitty blessings, and I'm not sharing.  Yikes. Meanwhile life keeps on trucking along. It hit me recently that many of the cats are about 9 years old already - where does the time go?! This train needs to slow down.

Rose is even thinking about letting the humans get closer!


A few weeks back Rose, Willow, Nahum, and Theo all went to the vet for their annual check-ups (everyone is healthy!) The plan was to release Rose into a large cage, so we could easily handle her and convince her that time with humans was pleasurable. But she was having nothing to do with that plan and promptly escaped before she could be locked in! Rose!

empty Rose rehabilitation cage in background




I'm trying to live more into life outside of work and cats (both of which I love). The other day I had some time, so I took a walk in the woods. I had the forest to myself.


I was walking kind of swiftly, thinking about stuff, my feet moving about the speed of my thoughts and internal energy. I had recently heard that the bears were waking up - "I don't want to encounter a bear out here by myself," I thought to myself. As I briskly strolled along, I heard a still quiet voice in my head encouraging me to slow down. I had ample time, so I slowed it way down - like crazy meandering snail-slow. I started noticing things.


interesting things


beautiful things
my path is not always clear
I saw birds, watched a beaver splash around in a pond, saw worms, snails, and all sorts of bugs doing their things.  Fresh deer tracks in the mud. Sounds of birds and bugs in the air. As I breathed in the details around me, I found my thoughts and emotional energy matching my slow meandering pace. I found myself wanting to see a bear, somehow now, that would be a gift.
choices
My intended destination was Devil's Butte, which according to the map, would have a view.

unimpressive Devil's Butte view
As I contemplated the lack of view, I realized this place is well named. The devil doesn't actually have much a view.  The payoff of this walk was not the destination, it was the journey - a journey filled with many blessings.