Look at this gorgeous photo of my Gramson, Leon.

Look at this gorgeous photo of my Gramson, Leon. Shadow took it.

He looks like a model.

Gramson is home from surgery.

Gramson is home from surgery. He's so drunk. He can't fit in his tower because of the cone, so this is what he's doing instead. 😂😂😂

I've had a really low-energy weekend.

I've had a really low-energy weekend.  It might be my own fault.

I lost my box of Estradiol last weekend.  I was supposed to change my patch on Thursday, but couldn't.  I thought I had a new box of my higher-dose patches around, but couldn't find those, either.  That isn't like me.  I contacted the pharmacy and they said they could refill it again, but they won't have the patches until Monday.

Shaun went looking and found my new patches... on his shelf of the pantry, still in the bag from the pharmacy.  He must have mistaken it for one of his prescriptions and put it up there.  I can't even see that high, so I never look on his shelf.  😂  I would have never found those by myself.  Anyway, I put one on last night and got sick to my stomach.  Then I slept until 3 pm today.  Fun times.

I worked a little bit this weekend.  I'm on 3 projects currently and it just takes some of the stress off during the week if I can spend a few hours focusing on only one thing.  I would prefer to keep work during work hours, but I'm grateful for the flexibility.

Other than that, the only thing I did was nails.  Shaun took off his old gel and I gave him a fresh coat.  I also re-did my gel overlay, but haven't thrown down anything pretty.  I don't know if I can/will.  I have a growing list of things to do that I am falling behind on and I don't like it.

I didn't do my cleaning like I normally do on the weekends.  I need to mail some packages, but ran out of packing tape, so I'm picking that up before work in the morning.  I need to water my plants and build the greenhouse and change my sheets and probably 100 other things, but I'm done for the day.  I have a 7:30 am meeting, so I'm heading to bed.

Also, Kira's son, Leon, is having his bladder stones removed tomorrow.  Shaun will be dropping him off at the vet first thing.  Send him all the good vibes.  He's a sweet kitty and we want everything to go well.

Goodnight, friends.  ❤

Houdini is exploring his new house! ❤️❤️❤️

Houdini is exploring his new house! ❤️❤️❤️

We got his heat tape today, so could finally complete the setup and move him in. He's been alternating between exploring his new setup and chilling in his warm hide.

I'm happy to see him moving around. I hope he'll eventually make use of the higher basket and hanging ball. So far, he's only gone into the bottom 2, but he's got all the time he needs to find the comfy, cozy spaces.

In other animal news... The neverending vet bills continue. Shaun and I woke up to a message from Kira saying that Leon (our Gramson) had blood in his pee. Our wonderful vet office worked him in, and he has bladder stones, too. Antibiotics for now, surgery the 23rd. Kira's medicating and keeping a close eye on him. At least she's excited to see him in a cone. 😂

Look at my handsome Gramson, Leon.

Look at my handsome Gramson, Leon. This is Kira's baby. He came downstairs to visit. ❤️

Shadow just came downstairs...

Shadow just came downstairs and said that Kira got in a fight with Leon. 😂😂😂 That child and her child crack me up. How do you get in a fight with a cat!?

Happy Birthday to our sweet Kira!

Happy Birthday to our sweet Kira! She wanted a Reese's ice cream cake, so that's what she got! She also wanted a hair cut and highlights, which she also got. Maybe we'll hit up the mall tomorrow; today was a chill day. 

She said to post her son, Leon, so make sure to show him some love. He's so cute - just like his mommy! ❤️

Our lives changed for the best when this amazing person joined the family. I hope she had a fun day relaxing and playing her new game. 💙💙💙

We just gave Leon a shot.

We just gave Leon a shot. We are all SO grateful that next Saturday is his last one. We've been stabbing that boy nightly since April and he's honestly been the most unbelievably patient, wonderful kitty about it, but we know he especially is DONE.

Tonight he made a little fuss when we injected him and right after Shadow burst out laughing. We all looked at him like "What's funny?" and then he explained that that Leon's fussy meow sounded like he was falling off a cliff. He was absolutely right, too, and we all laughed after that.

We are all exhausted tonight and I am pretty sure that this is the least fun part of the day for all of us, but sometimes you just need to laugh. Leon always gets treats and wet food after his shot and of course lots of loving from Kira so I really hope he knows we don't enjoy hurting him. Poor little Gramson. He's a trooper, though.

Kira's in the kitchen...

Kira's in the kitchen... sounds like she cooking something up! It's nice to hear her back at it. She's barely left her room in weeks because she's been taking care of Leon.

Here's a photo of Leon from yesterday. Kira knows how to work the angles because little buddy is SKINT UP with all of his shaved spots, but you can't tell in this photo.

He has a Mohawk down his back for injections, a shaved wrist from his IV, a shaved tummy from the ultrasound and fluid draw, and his butt and tail are mostly shaved. He's a mess. 😂😂😂 But he's alive and doing much better and that's the important part.

Y'all show Leon some love. (I'm serious - Kira's gonna be offended if he doesn't get some compliments. 😂😂😂 Let her know he's beautiful!)

Leon has pooped.

Leon has pooped. It's been almost 2 weeks and this was another piece of progress that we've been waiting for. I can't remember the last time I was so grateful for a turd. What a relief for us all - especially poor Leon. ❤️

This is another Leon update.

This is another Leon update.

I think our boy is going to be ok.  I say that with the hope in my heart that he continues to get stronger every day and that we get no more awful surprises.

He's moving around more and is far less wobbly than before.  He's still eating on his own - small amounts, but that's ok.  Kira got his treat bag out last night and he was so excited that he didn't wait for her to get one for him; he stuck his head right in and got one for himself.  His face looks far less miserable than it did days ago.  His eyes are starting to look clear and much more alert.  He pays attention to things going on around him now.  He's even gotten on her bed a few times on his own.  The improvements he's making are so welcome.

I cannot believe that just 7 days ago he was basically knocking on death's door.  (This week flew by because we were all scared and worried and sleep-deprived.)  For now he is still on pain medication, but I don't know if that's really necessary.  He is getting two injections per day from Shaun.  He's interested in food and not throwing up so we've saved his last nausea pill for in case we need it.  He's still on eye drops twice per day, which Kira handles well.

The good news is that he'll probably only need shots twice daily for a couple of more days and then we can drop down to daily.  The bad news is that the treatment he's getting lasts for 84 days - yes - eighty-four.  We may be able to switch to pills at some point, but in my experience it's not easier to make a cat swallow a pill than to inject them.  He'll also need to be closely monitored for relapse for another 84 days after his treatment ends so this is nowhere near over with, unfortunately.

We're finally starting to breathe and rest over here.  It is a much-needed change.  I think that for now regarding Leon, no news from me is going to be good news - but do feel free to check on him if any of you wish.  Better yet - message Kira and she'd probably be happy to tell you how wonderful and good and sweet he is and overload you with pictures.  She loves to brag on him and it would probably make her feel very loved.

I guess I'm about to get ready to help with his nightly injection and then get ready for bed.  I love you all.  Goodnight.  ❤

Another Leon Update:

Another Leon Update:

He licked some wet food, took a piece of turkey from Shadow, and tried a bite of tuna.  He also climbed up on the bed to be with Kira, and has head-bonked her at least once when she kissed him.  He also laid on his tummy a few times which is a lot nicer than seeing him splayed out on his side and not moving - which is all he's done up until today.

I still don't know that he won't take an unexpected downturn because this sickness is terrible, but I am feeling much more optimistic about his condition than I have all week.  I am so grateful for his improvement and really hope it continues. I really, truly think we got his not-FDA-approved drugs to him just in the nick of time.

Thank you again to everyone who's thought about us or checked on us.  ❤

LEON DRANK WATER BY HIMSELF!!!

LEON DRANK WATER BY HIMSELF!!!

It was just a few licks, but he did it and sniffed his food. We are so excited! The kids were smiling so hard.

Shaun was sleeping when it happened, but I slapped his shoulder (out of excitement) and told him the news. He smiled and thumbs-upped and hugged me.

I checked his gums and the color is returning. My heart is hopeful. I could cry.

Another Leon update:

Another Leon update:

He's still with us.  After being told on Thursday the he had only days left to live I am honestly pretty shocked he's still here.

Obviously I have no idea what is going on inside his body, but we are seeing small signs that he might be feeling a bit better.  I personally don't think he's out of the woods yet; he's still either very lethargic or very sedated from his pain meds, his gums are pale, he still wobbles when he walks, and he is still not eating or drinking on his own.

HOWEVER, he still urinates in his litter box.  Kira said that he was a little less wobbly today.  He's begun looking at her face again and responding with a meow when she speaks to him.  He is swallowing better when we syringe feed him; actually, he's doing well enough with that that the kids are now doing that on their own and me and Shaun are basically on medication duty.  That is still a "''round the clock" type of deal, but it's a lot easier.  He has shown interest in water a couple of times, though he hasn't drank any on his own yet.

All in all, I am feeling CAUTIOUSLY optimistic that he might survive this.  At what cost to his future health - I do not know, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.  For now we're just taking it day by day and still doing the best we can.

I really appreciate the outpouring of love and support from everyone.  I am so sorry for not responding to individual messages and comments yet, but I'm in battery-saver mode at the moment.  We slept with the windows open the night before last and I got hit with a smoke+pollen combo yesterday morning that had me almost out of commission yesterday.  The air is clear now and I'm functional, but I'm saving my batteries for the family at the moment.  Shaun was the one who was up all night last night with the kids and the kitty because allergy meds put me down so I'm officially tagged in while he catches up on some rest.

Anyway, love to you all.  I hope you are doing well.  ❤

I would like to thank everyone...

I would like to thank everyone who's messaged us and responded to my last post.  When I have the energy I will definitely respond to everyone individually, but right now we're all running low on energy and using what energy we do have to care for Leon.

On Thursday we were told that Leon had only days to live.  From then he received nutrients via an NG tube and hydration via IV until we brought him home from the vet yesterday (Saturday) afternoon.  We received the "experimental" drugs for him yesterday and started him on them as soon as we got him home.  He's also on a painkiller and anti-nausea meds and eye drops as well as needing to be fed by syringe every hour or so because he isn't eating or drinking on his own.  Needless to say - it's a lot to do and we are all working around the clock.

The kids have alarms set for all of his medications.  Shaun and I are helping with the medicating and the feedings because the kids aren't as used to doing this type of stuff as we are.  To be frank, the kids look like shit.  Shadow is delirious from lack of sleep.  They are catching naps between alarms and not taking care of themselves despite me urging them to.  I've never seen them so stressed and it breaks my heart, but me and Shaun are supporting them and helping.  We just know that there is no pouring from an empty cup and are taking a little bit better care of ourselves than they are.  I have to out of necessity because I've been close to migraine territory for 2 days and I can't help anyone if I let myself get to that point.

I can't yet say if I think Leon will be ok.  His pain meds keep him pretty sedated so I can't tell how he really feels.  I'm still scared for him and don't know if any of this is actually helping him.  One thing I will say is that he seems to be swallowing better than before so that is improvement.  He's still getting up to pee in his box.  Other than that he's not moving much (hopefully because he is sedated).  I'm happy to take any improvement I can get, but I also know (sadly from experience - not with FIP specifically, but through fostering, rehab, and my pets) that things can look up and still not work out.

We are all very stressed, but glad to have him home.  Kira wanted to leave him at the vet on fluids and NG tube for nutrients while taking his new meds (which I thought was an excellent idea), but they wouldn't administer his not-FDA-approved drugs to him, nor allow us to do it while he was there.  Since this medication was our only shot at actually saving his life we chose to bring him home and do as much as we could ourselves.

Kira is still very optimistic and I think she is in denial about the very real possibility that Leon may not be with us much longer, but I am glad he made it home, at least.  I don't think she'd have been ok with him passing away at the vet without her there.  I think that him being home and all of us doing our literal best for him gives her something to do besides just worry about him, although she's still doing plenty of that, too.

Kira had a therapy appointment on Friday and I really thought she'd try to skip it, but she didn't.  I was grateful.  Her therapist scheduled her twice this upcoming week and also gave her some emergency numbers to call in case the worst happens and she can't deal.  I am grateful for that, as well.

I don't have anything else to report.  I'll update with Leon's status when it changes - for better or worse.  We're all hoping for better.  Until then if I'm quiet on here or slow to respond to messages then you all know that it's because I'm using my energy to take care of myself and my family - Gramson included, obviously.  Thank you all for the love and support.  ❤

Today was hard. HARD.

Today was hard.  HARD.  My Gramson, Leon (Kira's kitty who she will tell you with no hesitation CAME OUT OF HER) has been sick.  He went to the vet on Tuesday and had a physical exam and bloodwork.  Physical was good - heart and lungs sounded good, but you could look at this kid and tell he felt awful.  He'd stopped eating and was barely drinking and since the physical turned up nothing we did blood work.  The vet went ahead and prescribed an appetite stimulant and an antibiotic because he had a snotty nose. 

We brought him a urine sample the next day (Wednesday) when we got the bloodwork results.  Nothing too alarming in the blood aside from some elevated cortisol and something about protein.  The urine sample (we got results today over the phone around 2 pm - and let me tell you that was a hard wait) showed an excess of protein.  The vet said that he suspected the liver was having a problem and referred us to the emergency hospital.  So, off we went.

The first thing the emergency hospital wanted to do was radiography so we let them.  Leon has fluid in his abdomen where it should not be.  The vet there said that possibly indicated cancer or maybe he ingested something he shouldn't have and injured himself.  The word "cancer" was the first time I heard Kira cry about this - I don't think any of us were expecting something so serious.  We asked if there were tests to rule out cancer or lean them more toward him having ingested something bad and they said they would do them and let us know.

They drew some of the fluid and the protein level indicates that it is most likely FIP - something rare and that there is no FDA-approved cure for at this time.  There is a way we can treat Leon, but the vet can't prescribe it and we'll have to do it ourselves and whether you agree with this or not:  We're planning to try it.

I CANNOT STRESS to you all how important this cat is to Kira.  She loves him so, so very much.  He is her son that came out of her.  She's had him for his short 4 years of life and spoiled him for every bit of that time.  She leaves the house sometimes and is always ready to get back to her kitty wuss.  It doesn't matter if we're downstairs and she's upstairs with him, or if we're sleeping, or what is going on - when she sees him she always exclaims loudly and excitedly about her kitty and everyone hears it.  He is more than an emotional support to her - he is a HUGE part of her life.  I worry about her mental health because she's been through so much (she is in therapy and has made great progress in the years she's been with us), but I could see losing Leon really setting her back.  We just have to try everything we can.

So today was hard.  Very hard.  I sat on the couch stress-eating junk food waiting to hear from the vet about the urinalysis.  I will be paying for that with my skin and bones later.  After he called we went straight to the hospital; I would guess we got there around 2:45.  I was so on edge that I yelled at everyone in the car to shut up while I called to let them know we were there.  I'm usually super patient, but I did not have it in me today.  (I later apologized because I felt so bad about that incident.)  Anyway, we did not make it home until after 9 this evening.  It has been an emotional roller-coaster and I'm crashing.

Leon is staying overnight getting fluids and steroids and hopefully we can get him eating again.  If the doctor says he's perked up in the morning then I am going to order the experimental treatment overnight and we'll start him on it Saturday.  It is honestly our last option and I am hoping more than anything that it works.  Shaun usually doesn't go for stuff like this, but he knows the importance of this cat.

Don't get me wrong - I love my Gramson like the world, but I am so extremely worried about what will happen to Kira if he doesn't make it.  She has been so great taking care of him while he hasn't felt well.  I see her doing what I've done when she and Shadow or my animals needed me and I know how hard it is.  I know what it looks like to push your feelings aside so you can be the caretaker.  I know how bad it hurts to hear a loved one might not make it, and the grasping at any bit of hope you can grab to keep them with you.  I am more than familiar with those hard decisions that come with end of life and I am desperately hoping she doesn't have to endure that yet.

I don't know.  I'm just letting my feelings out and hoping for the best.  I really don't know what else to do at this point, but I needed to let it out.  I'm really worried, and I'm really scared.

We're having a rough animal week over here.

We're having a rough animal week over here. Cubba was seen by the vet because he has a red growth on his elbow that's been bothering him. It's not where the vet expected and that's concerning. He needs to have surgery about it.

My Gramson, Leon (Kira's kitty) isn't doing well, either. We've had blood work done and should have urinalysis results tomorrow. If he doesn't show improvement by tomorrow and / or we don't have any answers he will likely be admitted to the hospital.

Kira's handling all of this like a trooper and I'm so proud of her. She's taken excellent care of Leon and we were talking today and she's feeling a lot of things that I can relate to. Poor girl. But we're all in this as a family and we're going to do the best we can for Leon and Cub. It's just not an easy or fun time right now.

I'm getting some rare cuddles...

I'm getting some rare cuddles from my li'l Gramson, Leon. 😍😍😍 He's definitely his mama's boy so I feel special. 😊😊😊

Y'all, I love my Gramson, Leon (cat), but...

Y'all, I love my Gramson, Leon (cat), but he has been so bad lately! He's been really bold and going into the dog / plant side of the sunroom and wreaking havoc. I've got so many broken and dying plants because he just knocks them over without a care. Thank goodness he's not chewing on them, at least. Kira would lose her mind if he got sick.

Shaun just helped me arrange some things in the sunroom to hopefully deter him from climbing the gate. We also brought in a dehumidifier because this humidity has killed several of my succulents, as well. I know that I have plenty and could stand to downsize, but by death is not how I would prefer to do it.

I guess I'm spending the remainder of my evening cleaning up, salvaging, and repotting some plants. Nom (tortoise) clearly has energy to burn because he demanded freedom when we entered the room, greeted me, and then sped off for a victory lap when we let him loose. 😂 At least my good buddy will be keeping me company while I get some work done. Gotta love him. 😂😍

Look at my handsome Gramson

Look at my handsome Gramson, Leon. Precious little baby.