Maybe I should have gone for the Christmas song on my Battle of the Band perhaps I jinxed myself. Like most people the Holiday's are a busy time of year. I have a lot going on at work, outside of the work, my daughter's performance, family and the list goes on.
Christmas was going to be busy in a good way. My daughter and I both having important parts in the Christmas Eve late service. I was planning to get her a new laptop and few more items on her Christmas list. That was before it all came crashing down.
Our cat in his younger days...
Christmas was going to be busy in a good way. My daughter and I both having important parts in the Christmas Eve late service. I was planning to get her a new laptop and few more items on her Christmas list. That was before it all came crashing down.
Our cat in his younger days...
I had just gotten home from work and a delivery man had just arrived. I got out of my car and signed for the package. While I was signing I heard our cat, Bandit meowing from inside. It was unusual for him to meow that loud. Granted he was sick the day before actually turning down treats. He had been vomiting before that. I thought he was just sick and would get over whatever he had. A cat vomiting isn't unusual they get fur balls. When I got inside I could tell my little buddy wasn't doing well. Didn't think it was as dire as it was but I did think he needed to see someone. I called a few Vet's and they were all about to close so they all recommended an emergency animal hospital. The cat had moved eight feet I put an extra pad of carpet in his carrier and got him to move into it. I contacted the wife to make sure my daughter would be picked up. The ride to the animal hospital was about 30 minutes. I took the ride nice and smooth, talking to bandit. He talked back with some meows and he appeared to get calmer.
At the animal hospital I filled out all the paper work. It was just like going to urgent care. We waited in the waiting room. I opened the carrier and petted him. He wasn't going anywhere. I think I even got him to purr. We both watched as some lady carried a big dog to back. Finally they called us back.
I knew from the get go the evening was not going to be cheap. It was $95 just to be seen. They told me there were 2 or 3 animals ahead of us. They took his temperature the old fashioned way, he meowed a couple of times to say that wasn't nice. Well his temperature came in low and they stated he was dehydrated. He jumped the line as they said he was critical. They wanted to give him an IV and get him warmed up. The price went up to $214. Then they came back and started talking about life support options.
I'm like my cat is going to be fine. They are going to give him some fluids and find out what is wrong with him. Then they come back with the medical plan. $1300 to $2300. At this point the cat is already back in the treatment area. That's crazy money for a cat. However he was more than a cat. They needed an $1800 dollar deposit to take care of him.
$1800 is a lot of money too me. What do I do take him home and hope he makes it? Mind you I have a wife who loves that cat, a stepson who won't admit it who loves that cat, and an 11-year old daughter who has spent 8.5 years with that cat. What do I tell my daughter? I pull out my card and pay the $1800. They had to keep him overnight. They did let me see him before I left. He was in a cage close to the nurses station. A heat lamp shining in the cage and a blanket on him. He was alert. I saw his paw bandaged and an IV attached. Pitiful thing to see a cat with an IV. I got the chance to pet him a few more times before I left.
He was going to be alright and I would be picking him up on Thursday. Most of the time being a Dad is a great thing. This night it wasn't so great. I went home and told my daughter Bandit is in the hospital. I told her somethings are more important than a nice Christmas and I asked her if Bandit was more important. She agreed. I told her he was in critical care, I spent a lot of money and the Doctors were working on him.
Somehow everyone got to sleep. Somewhere past 2:30 my phone rang. I missed the call. I called it back and it was the animal hospital. They were using a breathing tube to keep him alive. He had turned for the worst. They said it didn't look good. I'm relaying this to my hysterical wife.
The Doctors are asking me what I want to do. I'm like save my cat. While we are on the call it gets worse. They tell me his heart stopped. Nothing left to do he has expired. I ask if we can see him and the financial questions. Also discuss his cremation. My wife is getting dressed and I go to wake my daughter.
By this point the whole Dad thing kind of stinks. I've never seen anything flex to people like Bandit. He flexed to all of our personalities. He would let Evelyn carry him around like a ragdoll his entire life. He didn't play rough with her. He knew Mama didn't play. He knew me as playtime (and food). He could be himself with me. Claws came out occasionally. My daughter would laugh at us playing because we would chase each other around. She loved it when he would get on his hindlegs and chase me like he was a bear.
Anyway I woke her up and told her what happened. It was not a fun conversation. We got dressed and drove to the animal hospital. We got to see Bandit one more time and say our goodbyes. He was already on his way to Cat Heaven. We drove home our hearts low and my debt higher. Still in shock he had turned sick so fast. They think his kidneys went bad. They said his vitals and everything were coming up. The believe he had a seizure, stroke and a blood clot. I just hope he knows he was loved.
At the animal hospital I filled out all the paper work. It was just like going to urgent care. We waited in the waiting room. I opened the carrier and petted him. He wasn't going anywhere. I think I even got him to purr. We both watched as some lady carried a big dog to back. Finally they called us back.
I knew from the get go the evening was not going to be cheap. It was $95 just to be seen. They told me there were 2 or 3 animals ahead of us. They took his temperature the old fashioned way, he meowed a couple of times to say that wasn't nice. Well his temperature came in low and they stated he was dehydrated. He jumped the line as they said he was critical. They wanted to give him an IV and get him warmed up. The price went up to $214. Then they came back and started talking about life support options.
I'm like my cat is going to be fine. They are going to give him some fluids and find out what is wrong with him. Then they come back with the medical plan. $1300 to $2300. At this point the cat is already back in the treatment area. That's crazy money for a cat. However he was more than a cat. They needed an $1800 dollar deposit to take care of him.
$1800 is a lot of money too me. What do I do take him home and hope he makes it? Mind you I have a wife who loves that cat, a stepson who won't admit it who loves that cat, and an 11-year old daughter who has spent 8.5 years with that cat. What do I tell my daughter? I pull out my card and pay the $1800. They had to keep him overnight. They did let me see him before I left. He was in a cage close to the nurses station. A heat lamp shining in the cage and a blanket on him. He was alert. I saw his paw bandaged and an IV attached. Pitiful thing to see a cat with an IV. I got the chance to pet him a few more times before I left.
He was going to be alright and I would be picking him up on Thursday. Most of the time being a Dad is a great thing. This night it wasn't so great. I went home and told my daughter Bandit is in the hospital. I told her somethings are more important than a nice Christmas and I asked her if Bandit was more important. She agreed. I told her he was in critical care, I spent a lot of money and the Doctors were working on him.
Somehow everyone got to sleep. Somewhere past 2:30 my phone rang. I missed the call. I called it back and it was the animal hospital. They were using a breathing tube to keep him alive. He had turned for the worst. They said it didn't look good. I'm relaying this to my hysterical wife.
The Doctors are asking me what I want to do. I'm like save my cat. While we are on the call it gets worse. They tell me his heart stopped. Nothing left to do he has expired. I ask if we can see him and the financial questions. Also discuss his cremation. My wife is getting dressed and I go to wake my daughter.
By this point the whole Dad thing kind of stinks. I've never seen anything flex to people like Bandit. He flexed to all of our personalities. He would let Evelyn carry him around like a ragdoll his entire life. He didn't play rough with her. He knew Mama didn't play. He knew me as playtime (and food). He could be himself with me. Claws came out occasionally. My daughter would laugh at us playing because we would chase each other around. She loved it when he would get on his hindlegs and chase me like he was a bear.
Anyway I woke her up and told her what happened. It was not a fun conversation. We got dressed and drove to the animal hospital. We got to see Bandit one more time and say our goodbyes. He was already on his way to Cat Heaven. We drove home our hearts low and my debt higher. Still in shock he had turned sick so fast. They think his kidneys went bad. They said his vitals and everything were coming up. The believe he had a seizure, stroke and a blood clot. I just hope he knows he was loved.
1 comment:
Mike, I'm so sorry. I know exactly what it's like to spend a fortune and have a cat die anyway. I've done it more times that I can remember. Condolences to your family, especially your daughter.
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