Talk Cancer

Question:

I hope your mum has as sympathetic a vet as we have who makes time to explain her options and gives her time to properly consider them before deciding what to do..  Whatever decision she makes, it will be the right one as far as I’m concerned.  Continuing to send lots of  sympathetic hugs and purrs. to you and your mum Love Sheenah

Thanks so much. I think we have a breather for now (see further update), but it may very well come to that. Karen

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Many, many purrs and prayers for your mom and Tycho.  We all hope everything works out for him… Roger

Response:

Purrs for your mom and for Tycho from us in Sweden. Elisabet and Hugo Katt Karen Chuplis skrev i meddelandet … – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Dear Karen, I’m very sorry to hear that your Mum is again having such worry with her cats.  The gang will send lots of purrs and I’ll  hope and keep my fingers crossed that whatever is causing Tycho to feel unwell can be easily and successfully treated. I am also sending you a big hug.  I think you need one just as much as your mum. Lots of love Sheenah

Response:

of course – purrs on their way for Tycho and your mom. Brenda

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Response:

Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs.

  We’re sending all the purrs we can muster for Tycho, and prayers and good wishes for you Mom.  Sincerely hope everything will turn out well.    Jeanne Jeanne Hajos spamguard:( u is i, and not is net) === "Anger improves nothing except the arch of a cat’s back."                                           — Coleman Cox My SETI team: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/stats/team/team_125874.html

Response:

{{{{Karen and Mom}}}} I’m so sorry to hear this  Purrs going out for your mom, and for you, too. Ginger-lyn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Response:

Purrs to everyone, Karen.  We’re thinking of all of you! Margaret & Oliver – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

– Margaret Fine

Response:

Well, she is giving him antibiotics and he does seem more comfortable today. He did not meow all night like the past two nights. She is angry because she feels that getting his vaccinations made it worse (and I suppose it may have since it depresses the immune system). She is beside herself to know what to do, if she should have them do exploratory surgery. She thinks she should but she says she cannot handle the phone call and cries telling me about when they called her about Amigo and asked her what to do. Then I found out she feels bad that she had him cremated because she thinks he can’t go to Rainbow Bridge. I told her that does not matter at all, but I don’t know if she can get past her upbringing. She has so little help. My sister FORGOT to come over last night and help her give him the medicine. I mean for crying out loud the house is only a MILE from where she works. How frickin hard is it to remember to help your mother. I’m so disgusted with people sometimes. Life is just sucky sometimes. Karen

Response:

Lots of purrs and best wishes, — Polonca & Soncek

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. <snip

Response:

Well, she is giving him antibiotics and he does seem more comfortable today. He did not meow all night like the past two nights. She is angry because she feels that getting his vaccinations made it worse (and I suppose it may have since it depresses the immune system). She is beside herself to know what to do, if she should have them do exploratory surgery. She thinks she should but she says she cannot handle the phone call and cries telling me about when they called her about Amigo and asked her what to do. Then I found out she feels bad that she had him cremated because she thinks he can’t go to Rainbow Bridge. I told her that does not matter at all, but I don’t know if she can get past her upbringing. She has so little help. My sister FORGOT to come over last night and help her give him the medicine. I mean for crying out loud the house is only a MILE from where she works. How frickin hard is it to remember to help your mother. I’m so disgusted with people sometimes. Life is just sucky sometimes.

Purrs for you, your mom, and Tycho.  It sounds like you got an earful, but I think it means it helps her a lot to have you to listen to her frustrations and fears.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, she is giving him antibiotics and he does seem more comfortable today. He did not meow all night like the past two nights. She is angry because she feels that getting his vaccinations made it worse (and I suppose it may have since it depresses the immune system). She is beside herself to know what to do, if she should have them do exploratory surgery. She thinks she should but she says she cannot handle the phone call and cries telling me about when they called her about Amigo and asked her what to do. Then I found out she feels bad that she had him cremated because she thinks he can’t go to Rainbow Bridge. I told her that does not matter at all, but I don’t know if she can get past her upbringing. She has so little help. My sister FORGOT to come over last night and help her give him the medicine. I mean for crying out loud the house is only a MILE from where she works. How frickin hard is it to remember to help your mother. I’m so disgusted with people sometimes. Life is just sucky sometimes. Purrs for you, your mom, and Tycho.  It sounds like you got an earful, but I think it means it helps her a lot to have you to listen to her frustrations and fears.

I called and talked to her vet. Mom felt they wanted to do exploratory surgery right away, like they did on Amigo and I think she just shut down. They are concerned about lymphoma, but the vet thinks an endoscope might be in order. The *only* thing in his labwork to indicate trouble is an elevated white cell count. It is high, but she is willing to see how antibiotics go, and possibly try prednisone. I think mom should take him in to have his levels checked when he is done with the antibiotic. I just hope that he continues to do better. He did not meow all night long, as he had been doing, and he was eating today. *sigh* An elevated white cell count *could* be an infection or reaction to inflamation somewhere, but I guess it is natural to worry about lymphoma. at least it is not quite as bad as it seemed, though, I don’t know if it is not as bad as it seems, if that makes any sense. At least I think mom felt better when I explained that the vet wanted to do an endoscope rather than leap directly to surgery. I just don’t know. I will just continue to pray. Karen

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, she is giving him antibiotics and he does seem more comfortable today. He did not meow all night like the past two nights. She is angry because she feels that getting his vaccinations made it worse (and I suppose it may have since it depresses the immune system). She is beside herself to know what to do, if she should have them do exploratory surgery. She thinks she should but she says she cannot handle the phone call and cries telling me about when they called her about Amigo and asked her what to do. Then I found out she feels bad that she had him cremated because she thinks he can’t go to Rainbow Bridge. I told her that does not matter at all, but I don’t know if she can get past her upbringing. She has so little help. My sister FORGOT to come over last night and help her give him the medicine. I mean for crying out loud the house is only a MILE from where she works. How frickin hard is it to remember to help your mother. I’m so disgusted with people sometimes. Life is just sucky sometimes. Karen

Dear Karen, It’s very good news that Tycho is feeling more comfortable.  I will hope and keep my fingers crossed that he can be kept so. Re the possibility of an op, before your mum decides whether or not to agree to him having one, it may be helpful for her to try to find out whether it could lead to treatment that will either cure him or give him a better quality of life if it is not possible to cure him. Your mum’s situation brings back sad and painfu  memories of what we faced eariler this year with Gemma.  Her vet thought she had cancer and advised an op to confirm it.  He exxpected this would tell him whether or not it was confined to one area and therefore whether or not it might be successfully treated.  Given Gemma’s  medical history, he thought this unlikely and therefore  given her age, her general poor state of health, the poor prognosis if cancer was confirmed and the risks associated with surgery, we decided against an op.  It was not an easy decision to make but for us, it was the right decision.  We are convinced that it resulted in Gemma having a better quality of life for the remaining few weeks of her life than she would have had if she had had to use all her remaining strength to recover from major surgery. I hope your mum has as sympathetic a vet as we have who makes time to explain her options and gives her time to properly consider them before deciding what to do..  Whatever decision she makes, it will be the right one as far as I’m concerned.  Continuing to send lots of  sympathetic hugs and purrs. to you and your mum Love Sheenah

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, she is giving him antibiotics and he does seem more comfortable today. He did not meow all night like the past two nights. She is angry because she feels that getting his vaccinations made it worse (and I suppose it may have since it depresses the immune system). She is beside herself to know what to do, if she should have them do exploratory surgery. She thinks she should but she says she cannot handle the phone call and cries telling me about when they called her about Amigo and asked her what to do. Then I found out she feels bad that she had him cremated because she thinks he can’t go to Rainbow Bridge. I told her that does not matter at all, but I don’t know if she can get past her upbringing. She has so little help. My sister FORGOT to come over last night and help her give him the medicine. I mean for crying out loud the house is only a MILE from where she works. How frickin hard is it to remember to help your mother. I’m so disgusted with people sometimes. Life is just sucky sometimes. Purrs for you, your mom, and Tycho.  It sounds like you got an earful, but I think it means it helps her a lot to have you to listen to her frustrations and fears. I called and talked to her vet. Mom felt they wanted to do exploratory surgery right away, like they did on Amigo and I think she just shut down. They are concerned about lymphoma, but the vet thinks an endoscope might be in order. The *only* thing in his labwork to indicate trouble is an elevated white cell count. It is high, but she is willing to see how antibiotics go, and possibly try prednisone. I think mom should take him in to have his levels checked when he is done with the antibiotic. I just hope that he continues to do better. He did not meow all night long, as he had been doing, and he was eating today. *sigh* An elevated white cell count *could* be an infection or reaction to inflamation somewhere, but I guess it is natural to worry about lymphoma. at least it is not quite as bad as it seemed, though, I don’t know if it is not as bad as it seems, if that makes any sense. At least I think mom felt better when I explained that the vet wanted to do an endoscope rather than leap directly to surgery. I just don’t know. I will just continue to pray. Karen

so will I, Karen. purrs, Brenda

Response:

Purrs and prayers for everybody in your Mom’s household, especially the furbabies. Jazz & his mama — Irulan from the stars we came, to the stars we return from now until the end of time

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Response:

Karen, I’m sad to read this; please tell your mom we’re thinking of her and sending rumbly purrs to Tycho. Christine

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Response:

It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho.

Definitely purrs and good wishes for your mom and Tycho.  Please keep us informed about all of them. Pam S. and the NC nine

Response:

Purrs on the way! — Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

Response:

It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho.

So sorry to hear this. Lots of purrs coming over for Tycho and his people. — Marina

Response:

Purrs on the way.. Please keep us posted on any updates about Tycho. fuga

Response:

It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Oh no!  We are sending the strongest of purrs to Tycho and your mom. I hope everything turns out *much* better than expected. —— Krista

Response:

It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful.

Purrs for Tycho to get better.  If they’re not sure exactly what his history is, or how old he is, I guess it’s harder.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Sometimes it all seems to happen at once doesn’t it? Purrs for you and yours heading from this house. Jeanette

Response:

It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It doesn’t look good for my mom’s other cat Tycho. He has been yowling and she took him in. He had blood tests done in Sept. and his platelets were a bit high (I think, anyway slightly abnormal) but he also had a matted butt and they shaved him and gave him some antibiotics and he seemed better. But now there is something with his lymphocytes (I think that is it, mom is so upset it’s hard for her to remember stuff) they may have to do exploratory surgery but she is still so upset from Amigo’s death that they didn’t push it. I don’t know. It’s just definitely not looking good. Any purrs you can send my mom she desparately needs. I know she knows it’s unreasonable to feel like a jinx and yet I know she does. Her other cat Nermal is quite old and that’s always on the edge of her mind and young Petrus would miss Tycho something terrible. It’s all such a mell of hess. I feel awful. Karen

Purrs for your mom and Tycho coming from my gang. Bonnie even let out some weird sounding purrs when she saw Shadow and Shamrock so she can purr.. sending some your way.  I’ll be sure to tell her about it during our sitting sessions… I feel so bad for your mom.  :( — Cheryl

Response: