Danny
Me in a sunpuddle
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
How I am handling 2 cats getting chemotherapy
It isnt easy now taking care of 2 cats with lymphoma, I must keep both apart while undergoing different chemo drugs when they are going to be releasing the toxic chemo drugs in their urine & feces. Since both get different drugs neither can be ingesting the others body fluids through stepping in litterboxes. As well as my other cats to be kept apart from both of them & I live in a small apartment.
Danny just started 4-11-11. Spooky weighs more then Danny by a good 12 lbs & that means he gets more dosage of chemo then Danny would, which makes it very dangerous for Danny to ingest.
It means more cleaning for me, more litter boxes & I too must be careful in handling their wastes.
Danny will receive chemo weekly for 6 weeks & we hope to go to every other week to every 3 weeks for 1 full year.
Danny will be continuing his chemo too for 1 year until April 2012.
I need to keep the floors & litter boxes clean so they do not re-ingest the excreted chemo, & along with bedding from accidents of urine & feces. Since Danny is just getting his chemo I am not familiar with its side effects I must be dilegent in his hygiene as well.
so far he has had 3 urine accidents where he missed the litter box & 1 bowel accident where he did it on the floor.
UPDATE: Danny had his protocol changed, he gets an every 3 week pill but goes to vets every week for blood tests, though he may receive a chemo drug in between visits & to check on blood work.
Now since Danny received chemo, perhaps next monday Danny gets chemo again so it is a lot of cleaning.
In one way Danny & Spooky are not very chummy so I never worry about one grooming the other & ingesting chemo that way.
Updated 7-23-11
it has been a long & difficult 3 months for Danny & I & my other cats. I don't like isolating Danny for too long away from everyone, mainly about 5 days after getting chemo.
Danny does have his ways & decided he would live in the bathroom, now he has taken up residence in the kitchen. he knows that is the 2 easiest rooms in the apartment to be away from the others.
Danny just started 4-11-11. Spooky weighs more then Danny by a good 12 lbs & that means he gets more dosage of chemo then Danny would, which makes it very dangerous for Danny to ingest.
It means more cleaning for me, more litter boxes & I too must be careful in handling their wastes.
Danny will receive chemo weekly for 6 weeks & we hope to go to every other week to every 3 weeks for 1 full year.
Danny will be continuing his chemo too for 1 year until April 2012.
I need to keep the floors & litter boxes clean so they do not re-ingest the excreted chemo, & along with bedding from accidents of urine & feces. Since Danny is just getting his chemo I am not familiar with its side effects I must be dilegent in his hygiene as well.
so far he has had 3 urine accidents where he missed the litter box & 1 bowel accident where he did it on the floor.
UPDATE: Danny had his protocol changed, he gets an every 3 week pill but goes to vets every week for blood tests, though he may receive a chemo drug in between visits & to check on blood work.
Now since Danny received chemo, perhaps next monday Danny gets chemo again so it is a lot of cleaning.
In one way Danny & Spooky are not very chummy so I never worry about one grooming the other & ingesting chemo that way.
Updated 7-23-11
it has been a long & difficult 3 months for Danny & I & my other cats. I don't like isolating Danny for too long away from everyone, mainly about 5 days after getting chemo.
Danny does have his ways & decided he would live in the bathroom, now he has taken up residence in the kitchen. he knows that is the 2 easiest rooms in the apartment to be away from the others.
-MY LIFE by Danny
My name is Danny I am a 15 year old DSH cream & white colored cat & I have lymphoma.
I came from the streets a man found me wandering around when I was about 11 months old. He didn't really like me & put me in a basement of an apartment building. People complained I smelled up the place so this man scooped me up & dumped me down another basement of another apartment building. This one contained huge rats.
I was very frightened of these rats & meowed a lot, there was this lady who came to see about the boiler, it seemed she helped this super tend to her buildings heat system, I ran up to her crying & she brought me food & water.
I don't blame her she didn't know why I was there I didn't know how to explain it.
The next day she came back to feed me & I was frantically meowing telling her 'DON'T LEAVE ME HERE' she left & came back a few minutes later with a bag. But she scooped me up in her arms & carried me up some stairs.
I spent the day in this nice room with food, water, litter box & a bed. I didn't see any rats here.
The next day I went to the vets, I was deemed a boy [like who didn't know] about 11 months old [I guess I forgot I was on my own a while] & I was healthy.
This lady asked around if I belonged to anybody & if anybody wanted me. she had 2 very old cats & 2 very young kittens.
No one answered her question. I was called CAT for a while then one day that lady came to me & asked did I want to live here......was she kidding me?
I was happy inside.
I went to the vets again to get 'fixed' & knew that when I was ready she'd come for me & I'd have a home forever.
After that the lady became MOM & I became DANNY
I have been in very good health most of my life, I think I have allergies cause I sneeze a lot during the mild months & in the chilly months after that I am ok.
Only now I was feeling not quite right & didn't know if I should tell her or not cause I was scared because I know she can't afford another cat on chemo.
I went to the vet & they took blood & urine & a thing called aspiration for cytology.
I went to another vet who did more tests & was told I had a big mass & a little mass in my belly somewhere maybe its why I feel full after eating so little?
I had gotten this really nice doctor who took special care of me [ he takes care of my brother Spooky-Shorty] I got something called chemotherapy.
I went home I pee a lot & eat in small portions but I am feeling a little better. I go next week & for 6 weeks straight in total to get more chemo this will help me get better & stronger cause I lost some weight.
Then I will get chemo every other week then every 2 weeks every 3 weeks [just like my Brother Spooky] & will have this nasty thing called lymphoma go away.
I loved to play with those plastic thingys that you buy in gum machines with little surprises in them. I can play with them for hours talking to them when they roll under things.
Did I mention I do talk a lot?
I also love arm wrestling, its a game I made up if I lie on my back & grab at an arm you will arm wrestle with me. I hold your arm with all my front paws & back feet I may kick a bit & bite at your hand but its all in fun, You have to rock me back & forth & that is how we arm wrestle.
I also love perching up on shoulders I can leap from the floor or table etc. but I love it when you bend down I stand on my hind legs & I grab onto your shoulder & hoist myself up.
Great view from up there.
I just feel a little weak now with chemo & that mass so I don't play arm wrestle or leap up.
I wish I can feel better real fast being sick sucks
If you can please help donate towards my chemo I will be purring happily all the time. I want to live a lot longer & play with my caps. arm wrestle & perch on moms shoulder.
Update 7-8-11
I go back on Monday 7-11 to get chemo I have a problem with keeping my weight I keep going up & down. Mom bought me GNC calorie booster adding it to my food I am too clean to have it applied to my paws. [oooooh never!]
I have been eating up all of my foods I eat tuna wet & freshpet veterinary nutrition roll of food that 1/8 of it equals a whole can I think. I also ate soulistic food I love those too my favorite is all the fish flavors. Then mom boiled me up lots of chicken which I have eaten a lot of that I even had fish & shrimp & human sardines & tuna.....I'm very lucky.
I still get my predinsolone transdermal in my ear everyday I also got to get my ears washed every few days too it builds up.
I am asking everyone if you can donate whatever you can it helps my mom pay for my chemotherapy & my meds My vet bill varies but when I get chemo its nearly $300.00 & my meds which mom gets a 6 week supply of 6 syringes with prednisolone [1 goes the whole week] that costs $47.50
She buys me extra special foods too like science diet [$1.09 a can] & fresh pet [$1.79 for a yogurt size cup] Plus this new calorie booster [$12.99] Plus chicken special for me & extra litter because I drink a lot of water & pee a lot. I think my chemo & preds make me thirsty.
Please everyone pray I start gaining weight the vet says there is no reason why I cannot. My blood work is great even after chemo my WBC is not that high --its within normal limits] & I have been very stable with my mild anemia since all this began thats why I wanted the vitamins & good wet food to help me build myself up. My mass is stable which the vet is very happy.
I look forward to getting through my chemo protocol & with your prayers & well wishes too I know I will.
7-22-11
It is very hot today & I don't like it I like breezy days so I can sit by the window & watch the pigeons fly by & the cool sun on me.
I had only a blood test this week vet says everything is the same my WBC is normal & my anemia is the same my weight went down a little I do eat a lot. My mass has remained the same as well.
I have been eating rotesserie chicken & I can have all I want of it which I nearly eat a whole chicken in a couple of days. That means just the breast & legs I am very lucky.
I go back to the vets on the First of August for more chemo I hope it isn't a hot day .....
UPDATE: 7-25-2011
Danny wants to thank each & everyone who has given donations for his chemotherapy over the last 3 1/2 months.
It has been a long difficult battle for Danny.
His mass never shrank anymore then the first time, yet it did not get bigger, the vet just didn't know why it stopped responding after the first dose.
He always went to be examined after chemo & on the 18th of July his blood work showed no signs things would take a turn for the worse.
His WBC was normal his anemia was holding steady his weight went down just a little but after chemo he didn't eat a lot for a couple of days & he'd pooped very often but outside of that he never had any side effects.
The vet said Danny looked tired & I just assumed with the heat wave we were in no one was sleeping very well & he would be awake when I'd get up & stay awake until we went to vet then of course who sleeps at the vets....
That isn't what the vet meant & I know that now....he meant Danny had just had enough, enough of feeling lousy all the time not being able to play & enjoy life as he should.
That week long heat wave didn't help him any either, no one liked it.
That weekend Danny stopped eating late Saturday night & Sunday night he had just about stopped drinking water. He was very restless.
I cursed the weather for making Danny so miserable in his last few days.
Monday the 25th I had to choose take Danny to vet to be helped over the Rainbow Bridge or let nature take its course.
I slept on the floor near Danny all that night [it wasn't long enough for me] He came by me [he mostly stayed on his own all that time no matter how I'd encourage him bring him on bed make a spot by the bed he chose the bathroom to stay--only after chemo started excreting he need to be away from everyone---other times he was free to go where he wanted, he chose the bathroom. For the last 2 weeks he stayed in the kitchen 'helping me cook or do dishes' it was cooler in the kitchen in summers & which in winters he'd lay by the radiator for heat.
That night we slept by each other, laid I held his head in my hand I'd feel him purring & he reached out his paw & put it on my hand. I knew then he was telling me he was so sorry he let me down & he wanted to go to a better place & was just as sad to be leaving here after 14 years 5 months & 3 days, [forgive me I can't stop crying while writing this]
Danny gave it his all his best to beat lymphoma the vet said it may have been elsewhere the ultrasound was only for his belly.
Thats why he didn't go into remission when he should have he put up a brave fight he fought hard to get cured to live a little longer.
I am so very grateful for the extra 3 months 3 weeks more I had with Danny those very precious months weeks days hours minutes I had with him.
He went so peacefully & so quietly on my lap & in my arms as I kissed him & held him close as he drew his last breath as he slipped from this world & my life.
I showed him the greatest love I could by releasing him from his pain. My Danny will live forever in my heart & in my memories.
I get his remains back & from then on Danny will never be parted from me again.
One day we will be reunited in that beautiful place over the Rainbow Bridge
Danny didn't deserve lymphoma & somewhere out there will be a drug that can cure kitties with cancer.
Everyone that reads this hug your kitty real close its a silent disease that takes its toll before it can be detected.
I had to give Danny that chance to beat cancer & live a better life.
Without that treatment Danny would not have lived as long as he did.
I came from the streets a man found me wandering around when I was about 11 months old. He didn't really like me & put me in a basement of an apartment building. People complained I smelled up the place so this man scooped me up & dumped me down another basement of another apartment building. This one contained huge rats.
I was very frightened of these rats & meowed a lot, there was this lady who came to see about the boiler, it seemed she helped this super tend to her buildings heat system, I ran up to her crying & she brought me food & water.
I don't blame her she didn't know why I was there I didn't know how to explain it.
The next day she came back to feed me & I was frantically meowing telling her 'DON'T LEAVE ME HERE' she left & came back a few minutes later with a bag. But she scooped me up in her arms & carried me up some stairs.
I spent the day in this nice room with food, water, litter box & a bed. I didn't see any rats here.
The next day I went to the vets, I was deemed a boy [like who didn't know] about 11 months old [I guess I forgot I was on my own a while] & I was healthy.
This lady asked around if I belonged to anybody & if anybody wanted me. she had 2 very old cats & 2 very young kittens.
No one answered her question. I was called CAT for a while then one day that lady came to me & asked did I want to live here......was she kidding me?
I was happy inside.
I went to the vets again to get 'fixed' & knew that when I was ready she'd come for me & I'd have a home forever.
After that the lady became MOM & I became DANNY
I have been in very good health most of my life, I think I have allergies cause I sneeze a lot during the mild months & in the chilly months after that I am ok.
Only now I was feeling not quite right & didn't know if I should tell her or not cause I was scared because I know she can't afford another cat on chemo.
I went to the vet & they took blood & urine & a thing called aspiration for cytology.
I went to another vet who did more tests & was told I had a big mass & a little mass in my belly somewhere maybe its why I feel full after eating so little?
I had gotten this really nice doctor who took special care of me [ he takes care of my brother Spooky-Shorty] I got something called chemotherapy.
I went home I pee a lot & eat in small portions but I am feeling a little better. I go next week & for 6 weeks straight in total to get more chemo this will help me get better & stronger cause I lost some weight.
Then I will get chemo every other week then every 2 weeks every 3 weeks [just like my Brother Spooky] & will have this nasty thing called lymphoma go away.
I loved to play with those plastic thingys that you buy in gum machines with little surprises in them. I can play with them for hours talking to them when they roll under things.
Did I mention I do talk a lot?
I also love arm wrestling, its a game I made up if I lie on my back & grab at an arm you will arm wrestle with me. I hold your arm with all my front paws & back feet I may kick a bit & bite at your hand but its all in fun, You have to rock me back & forth & that is how we arm wrestle.
I also love perching up on shoulders I can leap from the floor or table etc. but I love it when you bend down I stand on my hind legs & I grab onto your shoulder & hoist myself up.
Great view from up there.
I just feel a little weak now with chemo & that mass so I don't play arm wrestle or leap up.
I wish I can feel better real fast being sick sucks
If you can please help donate towards my chemo I will be purring happily all the time. I want to live a lot longer & play with my caps. arm wrestle & perch on moms shoulder.
Update 7-8-11
I go back on Monday 7-11 to get chemo I have a problem with keeping my weight I keep going up & down. Mom bought me GNC calorie booster adding it to my food I am too clean to have it applied to my paws. [oooooh never!]
I have been eating up all of my foods I eat tuna wet & freshpet veterinary nutrition roll of food that 1/8 of it equals a whole can I think. I also ate soulistic food I love those too my favorite is all the fish flavors. Then mom boiled me up lots of chicken which I have eaten a lot of that I even had fish & shrimp & human sardines & tuna.....I'm very lucky.
I still get my predinsolone transdermal in my ear everyday I also got to get my ears washed every few days too it builds up.
I am asking everyone if you can donate whatever you can it helps my mom pay for my chemotherapy & my meds My vet bill varies but when I get chemo its nearly $300.00 & my meds which mom gets a 6 week supply of 6 syringes with prednisolone [1 goes the whole week] that costs $47.50
She buys me extra special foods too like science diet [$1.09 a can] & fresh pet [$1.79 for a yogurt size cup] Plus this new calorie booster [$12.99] Plus chicken special for me & extra litter because I drink a lot of water & pee a lot. I think my chemo & preds make me thirsty.
Please everyone pray I start gaining weight the vet says there is no reason why I cannot. My blood work is great even after chemo my WBC is not that high --its within normal limits] & I have been very stable with my mild anemia since all this began thats why I wanted the vitamins & good wet food to help me build myself up. My mass is stable which the vet is very happy.
I look forward to getting through my chemo protocol & with your prayers & well wishes too I know I will.
7-22-11
It is very hot today & I don't like it I like breezy days so I can sit by the window & watch the pigeons fly by & the cool sun on me.
I had only a blood test this week vet says everything is the same my WBC is normal & my anemia is the same my weight went down a little I do eat a lot. My mass has remained the same as well.
I have been eating rotesserie chicken & I can have all I want of it which I nearly eat a whole chicken in a couple of days. That means just the breast & legs I am very lucky.
I go back to the vets on the First of August for more chemo I hope it isn't a hot day .....
UPDATE: 7-25-2011
Danny wants to thank each & everyone who has given donations for his chemotherapy over the last 3 1/2 months.
It has been a long difficult battle for Danny.
His mass never shrank anymore then the first time, yet it did not get bigger, the vet just didn't know why it stopped responding after the first dose.
He always went to be examined after chemo & on the 18th of July his blood work showed no signs things would take a turn for the worse.
His WBC was normal his anemia was holding steady his weight went down just a little but after chemo he didn't eat a lot for a couple of days & he'd pooped very often but outside of that he never had any side effects.
The vet said Danny looked tired & I just assumed with the heat wave we were in no one was sleeping very well & he would be awake when I'd get up & stay awake until we went to vet then of course who sleeps at the vets....
That isn't what the vet meant & I know that now....he meant Danny had just had enough, enough of feeling lousy all the time not being able to play & enjoy life as he should.
That week long heat wave didn't help him any either, no one liked it.
That weekend Danny stopped eating late Saturday night & Sunday night he had just about stopped drinking water. He was very restless.
I cursed the weather for making Danny so miserable in his last few days.
Monday the 25th I had to choose take Danny to vet to be helped over the Rainbow Bridge or let nature take its course.
I slept on the floor near Danny all that night [it wasn't long enough for me] He came by me [he mostly stayed on his own all that time no matter how I'd encourage him bring him on bed make a spot by the bed he chose the bathroom to stay--only after chemo started excreting he need to be away from everyone---other times he was free to go where he wanted, he chose the bathroom. For the last 2 weeks he stayed in the kitchen 'helping me cook or do dishes' it was cooler in the kitchen in summers & which in winters he'd lay by the radiator for heat.
That night we slept by each other, laid I held his head in my hand I'd feel him purring & he reached out his paw & put it on my hand. I knew then he was telling me he was so sorry he let me down & he wanted to go to a better place & was just as sad to be leaving here after 14 years 5 months & 3 days, [forgive me I can't stop crying while writing this]
Danny gave it his all his best to beat lymphoma the vet said it may have been elsewhere the ultrasound was only for his belly.
Thats why he didn't go into remission when he should have he put up a brave fight he fought hard to get cured to live a little longer.
I am so very grateful for the extra 3 months 3 weeks more I had with Danny those very precious months weeks days hours minutes I had with him.
He went so peacefully & so quietly on my lap & in my arms as I kissed him & held him close as he drew his last breath as he slipped from this world & my life.
I showed him the greatest love I could by releasing him from his pain. My Danny will live forever in my heart & in my memories.
I get his remains back & from then on Danny will never be parted from me again.
One day we will be reunited in that beautiful place over the Rainbow Bridge
Danny didn't deserve lymphoma & somewhere out there will be a drug that can cure kitties with cancer.
Everyone that reads this hug your kitty real close its a silent disease that takes its toll before it can be detected.
I had to give Danny that chance to beat cancer & live a better life.
Without that treatment Danny would not have lived as long as he did.
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