Kaycee's Blog

It has been a difficult couple of days.

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First my husband had to go to the High Court to sort out the will his father had left in trust for him and his stepmother. It is a big long story, and it has gone on for quite long enough, about four years. So on Friday, it was all sorted out and both parties seem relatively happy. But it has cost quite a bit in the process, if only people would do what they should. So he has had his day in court.

We had to travel into Auckland, and as that is about 3 hours away, we had to stay the night there. That is quite nice, to get a day off work, and a day away from home. I had to make sure I packed enough food so that I would have no chance of starving.

We get up early the next morning so that we would have plenty of time to get to court. And that is when my 17 year old son rang, I hate that when you get phone calls from home. They usually mean bad things, especially early in the morning. My son informed me that the cat was not too well, and sort of kind of can't use her back legs. That so upset me, here I was miles away, and there was a disaster going on at home. Poor cat, all of 15 years old, and there was nothing I could do. There was not a lot they could do either. No car, and both had to go to school or work. I don't know if we made the right call, but they had to go do what they had to do and leave poor old puss at home. As far as I could tell, the cat wasn't too disturbed by the fact, but we had to put her on hold for a little while.

Here I was,I had the chance to do some serious shopping in Auckland, while Jim went to court, and I just wasn't in the mood. My mind was on our cat. I did manage to find a copy of gluten free for dummies, and bought that. The thing I found terrible about Auckland, and it is probably the same world wide, is the smell of food that is everwhere. And you can't walk 20 metres without cafe's. I was not hungry, but my senses were being assaulted. I thought I would have to find some food, so I did try. All that I seemed to find was muffins, or coconut macaroons! Nothing really wonderful, but I settled on a muffin about lunchtime, and that was it. It seems all the food places think if they make a cake or muffin for us that is fine.

I met Jim at 1pm when they broke up for lunch. We went to a cafe and there was nothning for me, not even a banana! So I settled for coffee, while he had a meal. I'd had a muffin previously, and that sort of settled heavily in my stomach, and I was too stressed to eat really. I just was not hungry!

So Jim goes back to finish off the proceedings. By 3pm we were on our way home. I wanted to get home to check on puss, but I didn't want to go home, scared for what I might find. My son had got home extra fast afer school and checked on Mintie. She was still unable to move, and we were about an hour or two away at that stage, so we keep going. But my son is a real hero, he cleaned Mintie up and made her comfortable till we got home. He should be a vet, not the pop musician his long hair would have him aspire to!

So the minute we got in the door, we were more or less out and away down to the vet. 6pm and luckily the vets were still open. We had to wait at least an hour before being seen. We were told, it could be a tumour, or she's been hit, or else it was a slipped disc. An xray would show more. So we left Mintie for the night. She seemed totally un-upset by it. At the best of times, she absolutely hates the vet! So do I, they belong in the same catergory as dentists!

So we got home, fed everyone, fish and chips, but I just wasn't hungry, couldn't eat. It was a hard night sleeping. We could not ring till 11 am this morning. But they still had no word on her. So we still had to wait, and it is so long and hard waiting, and waiting. I was walking around the shops, as we had to go down for a couple of things like a zompbie. But I got the phone call I wanted. Yes she had been xrayed, and unfortunately or fortunately nothing has shown up, but she appears to have feeling in her legs again, but still can't use them. I think they have been pumping in steroids. The vet thinks it might be a prolapsed disc. But this is where it gets tricky. We could send her to Auckland to have I think it is a mono xray for $500 and this might point to surgery which could be at least $2,000. What do you do? It is hard, on the one hand as she is at least 15 years old, and there is no guarantee that surgery would do the trick, or even if she would survive it. Do you just say, she has had a good life, and let nature take it's course, or even dare I say, help her out. But then she is a very much loved pet, and I remember why we got our cat, and that was because, my 17 year old son at 2 was a bit wary or scared of harmless cats. Every child needs a cat or dog. And Mintie was at the vets and we just fell in love with this little bundle who is a light ginger and has a flat face, and the vet called the colouring cameo and her looks as exotic. She was not in such a good way at the time 15 years ago, as she had a broken leg and was at the vets coming right. Her original owners could not afford the cost of the vets bill, but the vet at the time thought she was worth putting money into, and then to offered her to a good home. So we hopefully have been the good home that that vet had imagined.

We went to see Mintie this afternoon, and she still seems quite happy where she is, purring away she doesn't appear to be stressing out. Meanwhile,Poppy the dog is a bit stressed, but I think that is because there is fireworks going off as I write this. She just hates the bangs that they produce, and will worm her way inside if she can. They should ban fireworks!

So Mintie is still down at the vet's, as it is, we will wait till Monday and see if there is any improvement. Unfortunately, I can't see us being able to afford $3,000 in surgery. But hopefully, as she has shown an improvement, she might be on her way back. Time will tell, and it is tough. The dog Poppy will miss her, as after her daily walks, Poppy comes inside to eat what the cat has left behind in her bowl. But the bowl today is empty, so Poppy is missing out!

Must go, it has been hard,

Catherine